Northern District of Ohio

Two people from Warren were named in a nine-count federal indictment for their roles in the straw purchase of firearms.

Constance Derubba, 76, and Allen Reynolds, Jr., 35, were each indicted on four counts of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm. Reynolds also faces five additional counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On four different occasions, Derubba knowingly made false and fictitious statements in relation to the purchase of firearms. She was counseled, aided and abetted by Reynolds in these purchases. She falsely stated she was the purchaser of the firearm when, in fact, she was purchasing the firearms for Reynolds, according to the indictment.

Reynolds at various points possessed a Smith & Wesson 5.56-caliber rifle, a Glock .40-caliber pistol, another Glock .40-caliber pistol, a North American Arms .22-caliber revolver, and another Smith & Wesson 5.56-caliber rifle, despite a previous conviction for possession of cocaine, according to the indictment.

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 maximum. 

This cases is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Katz following an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

An indictment is only a charge. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Two men from Northeast Ohio were indicted for crimes related to child pornography.

Jacob Langston Maclin, 24, of University Heights, was charged with receiving, distributing and possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Buddy Young, 30, of Lorain was charged with receiving and possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Their cases are otherwise unrelated.

Maclin, in 2017, knowingly received and distributed numerous computer files which contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Maclin also possessed an Apple iPhone 6s cell phone and a Dell Inspiron laptop computer on April 17, 2018, that contained child pornography, according to the indictment.

Young in August 2018 knowingly received numerous computer files which contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Young knowingly possessed two cell phones that contained child pornography on Aug. 17, 2018, according to the indictment.

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.

Both cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik. The Maclin case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. The Young case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigaton.

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.

An indictment was filed charging Eddie J. Heckard, Jr., 32, of Toledo, and Demetrice Phillips, 21, of Houston, with trafficking cocaine.

Both men were indicted on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The two men conspired on Aug. 28 to possess nearly 1,000 grams of cocaine with the intent of selling it, according to the indictment.

If convicted, the defendants’ sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendants’ prior criminal record, if any, the defendants’ 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 Department of Homeland Security and the Toledo Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew D. Simko and Thomas P. Weldon.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  The burden of proof is always on the government to prove a defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

A Lima man was indicted in federal court for trafficking at least one kilogram of heroin and one kilogram of cocaine.

John Reed, Jr., 43, was indicted on one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute heroin and one count of one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

If convicted, the defendant’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.

The investigating agency in this case is the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alissa M. Sterling is handling the case.

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

A former Kent State University professor was sentenced to five months in prison to be followed by five months of house arrest for lying to the FBI.

Julio Pino, 57, of Kent, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of making a false statement to law enforcement.

The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.

Pino was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and fined $2,500. U.S. District Judge Patricia Gaughan ordered to Pino to have no access to the Internet or to have computer monitoring software on his computers if so recommended by his probation officer.

According to the criminal information filed in U.S. District Court in Cleveland:

Pino was a Facebook friend of a St. Louis resident identified in the information at J.E. Pino posted numerous statements and images on social media regarding J.E. and J.E.’s child custody issues between May 2015 and January 2016.

Among these conversations, on or about September 11, 2015, Defendant and J.E. had the following communications:

J.E. wrote, “I’m playing the game backwards.  and winning! . . .  I will kill 100s of people if they take my rights as a father away!”

Pino stated, “Yes, in military terms this is known as ‘the Parthian shot’.”

J.E. wrote, “hell, 10000’s! . . .  It’;s [sic] time for Men to act like men again. . . .  See the thing I’ve got on my side is God.  That allows me certain rights.  One of those rights is to strike down evil with furious vengeance! . . .  People don’t even know how crazy I am yet!  That’s because no ones ever tried to take my [relative].  They’re about to meet to [the] Monster they’ve created.”

Pino responded, “Devour them, [J.E.].”

J.E. wrote, “Thank You! I will! :)

J.E. wrote on his Facebook wall a series of threatening communications in December 2015 through January 2016 directed against a St. Louis Family Court Judge adjudicating J.E.’s child custody case.  On Jan. 11, 2016, J.E. also wrote on his own Facebook wall, “I (expletive) love Julio Pino, even if he does eventually do something that most consider horrible, I’ll still love him because I know him in a deeper way than most of you even could.”

Law enforcement authorities in St. Louis arrested J.E. on Jan. 11, 2016, for making threatening communications against the judge.

The FBI was involved in investigating J.E.’s threats against the judge. FBI agents on Jan. 18, 2016, interviewed Pino in Miami about his social media posts and comments concerning his interactions with J.E. and discussions with J.E. about J.E.’s child custody issues. The FBI agents recorded this interview in connection with an ongoing investigation concerning, among other things, Pino’s interactions with J.E. as described above.

Federal grand jury subpoenas from the Northern District of Ohio were issued during the course of that investigation. In response to questions from FBI agents concerning whether he ever had conversations with J.E. on the social media accounts, Pino, knowing full well the content of his social media interactions with J.E., stated he “never heard of [J.E. or] maybe I heard of him through the news,” he did not recall conversations with J.E. and that his conversations with J.E. were “invented conversation[s].” When asked again if he remembered the conversation with J.E., Pino responded, “I never heard of him, well maybe I heard of him through the news,” and then later stated, “the other way around it is certainly possible that he could have heard of me and made up this conversation, invented it.”

This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Om Kakani and Michelle Baeppler.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions today announced grant awards to Public Safety Partnership member sites as part of $10 million in funding to support state, local and tribal law enforcement departments and agencies and their partners who are fighting violent crime in jurisdictions across the United States.

Toledo is one of the recipients, receiving $492,553.

“This money, nearly half a million dollars, will put our Toledo law enforcement partners in better position to identify and respond to violent crime in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “This money will make Toledo’s residents safer and we look forward to helping the city implement these grant funds.”

The Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance, in partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, is awarding $5 million under the Local Law Enforcement Crime Gun Intelligence Center Integration Initiative to encourage local jurisdictions to use intelligence, technology and community engagement to identify unlawfully used firearms and to prosecute those who commit violent crimes.

Grant recipients include the PSP cities of Indianapolis, Indiana, $798, 866; Memphis, Tennessee, $714,055; Tulsa, Oklahoma, $800,000 and Baton Rouge, Louisiana,   $634,971.  Other locations include Detroit, Michigan, $800,000; the Albuquerque, New Mexico, Police Department, $452,108, and the City/County of San Francisco, California, $800,000. The jurisdictions will use these awards to hire personnel to utilize the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), to purchase technology required to operate a Crime Gun Intelligence Center and ammunition for ballistic tests of recovered weapons.

The Attorney General also announced awards for BJA’s Technology Innovation for Public Safety (TIPS): Addressing Precipitous Increases in Crime program.

This program supports the Department’s priorities of reducing violent crime and supporting law enforcement officers, including prosecutors. While many jurisdictions are making significant progress implementing justice information sharing solutions to address critical gaps in crime prevention and response activities across organizations and jurisdictions, there remain challenges for the criminal justice system to respond to threats to public safety. This is especially true for efforts addressing significant increases in crime.

Justice information sharing technology refers to any hardware and software, hosted residentially or remotely, that plays a role in the collection, storage, sharing and analysis of criminal justice data. Funding under this program is provided to help state, local, territorial, and tribal jurisdictions use innovative technological solutions to enhance their justice information-sharing capacity.

Grant recipients include the PSP cities of Memphis, Tennessee, $417,224; Toledo, Ohio, $492,553; Flint, Michigan, $499,694 and Houston, Texas, $500,000. Other locations include Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, $317,834; City of Boynton Beach, Florida, $465,860; Clark County Social Service, Nevada, $500,000; New Mexico Second Judicial District Attorney, $500,000; State of Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection; $419,804; Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, New Jersey, $500,000; and Georgia Bureau of Investigation, $499,339. Additional information on the grant awards can be found at: www.bja.gov   

Attorney General Jeff Sessions made the announcement during today’s National Public Safety Partnership Symposium on Violent Crime in Birmingham, Alabama. The National Public Safety Partnership is a DOJ-wide initiative that enables cities to consult with and receive a coordinated  array of resources from DOJ’s programmatic and law enforcement components: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; United States Attorneys’ Offices; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Office on Violence Against Women; the Office of Justice Programs; the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; and other federal agencies in order to improve local violence reduction strategies.  

A Maple Heights man was convicted by a jury for leading a conspiracy in which they filed more than 800 tax returns annually between 2012 and 2015 resulting in approximately $15 million in refunds being issued, a portion of which neither they nor their clients were entitled.

Keith Jeffries, 44, was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and multiple counts of aiding and abetting the preparation of false tax returns. He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 8.

Defendants Brian Peacock, of Sandusky, Linnette Coleman, and Nicole Pugh, both of Cleveland, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy.

Jeffries operated a tax preparation business under the name Krew Time, LLC. Jeffries, Peacock, Coleman and Pugh all prepared returns for Krew Time clients. The company operated out of three locations – from Jeffries’ residence on Friend Avenue in Maple Heights, from the back offices of a MetroPCS store on East 71st Street in Cleveland and from a commercial building on East 140th Street in Cleveland, according to court documents.

The defendants filed false, fictitious and fraudulent tax returns in the name of Krew Time clients. The clients received the majority of the refunds with the defendants receiving a portion of the refund as their tax preparation fee, according to court documents.

They did this by filing false itemized deductions, business income expenses, tax credit information, medical expenses, false filing status and other information to obtain income tax refunds to which the taxpayers were not entitled. This took place between 2011 and 2016, according to court documents.

“This group spent years riping off the federal government by filing hundreds of fake tax returns,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “These defendants took advantage of programs designed to help sick people or struggling students and instead used them to enrich themselves.”

“These defendants wreaked havoc on the IRS by misusing their Electronic Filing Identification Number and Preparer Tax Identification Number to electronically file fraudulent income tax returns for their clients that generated inflated false income tax refunds,” said Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carmen Henderson and Alejandro Abreu.   

Eight people from Akron were indicted in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and heroin.

Named in the 18-count indictment are: Patrick Griffin, 31; Leonard Jones, Jr., 39; Jerome Walton, 34; Isaac Love, 33; Robert Hammond, 34; Anthoney Carter, 29; Eric Bennett, 26; and Natorria Clark, 33.

Griffin received the methamphetamine and heroin from a source in California. He and Walton distributed the drugs to customers including Jones, Love, Hammond, Carter and Bennett. Carter traveled between California and Ohio to transport the drugs for Griffin, according to the indictment.

This took place from June 2015 through this month, according to the indictment.

Walton is additionally charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

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 maximum. 

This cases is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Riley following an investigation by the Summit County Sheriff's Office, Summit County Drug Unit, Summit County Prosecutor's Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, U.S. Marshal Service and police departments from Copley, Barberton, Reminderville, Cuyahoga Falls, Springfield, New Franklin, Stow, the University of Akron and Silver Lake.

An indictment is only a charge. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Two Cleveland men were indicted in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy with included committing armed carjackings around Ohio City, Tremont and Shaker Square and using one of the vehicles to steal firearms from a gun store in Streetsboro.

Zyshonne Austin and Ja’Quez Lyons, both 18, were indicted on one count of conspiracy, one count of theft from a federal firearms licensee, one count of carjacking and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence.

Austin faces an additional count of possession of a stolen firearm while Lyons faces additional counts of carjacking and using a firearm during a crime of violence.

A third man, James Luke, 18, of Cleveland, was indicted for his role in the Streetsboro gun store robbery.

Austin and Lyons beginning in April used firearms in armed carjackings. A man was getting out of his red Volkswagen Passat on Larchmere Avenue on April 14 when another man approached with a gun and demanded his car, while another man acted as a lookout, according to court documents.

The next day, on April 15, Austin, Lyons and Luke stole 10 firearms from Top Shot Firearms in Streetsboro. The suspects used an object to smash through glass display cases and steal the guns. Blood was found at the scene, according to court documents.

On April 16, Cleveland police officers responded to a call of shots fired near East 123rd Street and recovered the Volkswagen Passat. Inside the car they found price tags from the stolen firearms, some of which had blood on them, a rag with suspected blood on it, a hammer and a receipt from the McDonald’s at 3050 Carnegie Avenue from April 15, among other items.

On April 21, one of the stolen firearms was recovered from Austin after he was arrested following an attempted armed robbery and carjacking in the Ohio City neighborhood. Austin was arrested after he and another suspect fled after crashing the stolen Toyota IA near Kinsman Avenue. Austin had cuts on his hands, according to court documents.

Lyons on May 7 used a firearm to steal a 2016 Lincoln MKC. Following his arrest, a search of Lyons’ phone revealed Austin was one of 13 people listed as contacts and that Lyons had done numerous searches for gun stores, including Top Shot Firearms in Streetsboro, according to court documents.

The phone also included numerous text exchanges between Austin and Lyons discussing robbing the Streetsboro gun store, according to court documents.

DNA tests showed Austin’s blood matched the blood on the price tags of the stolen guns and blood on the hammer recovered in the stolen car. A search of Austin’s phone revealed numerous computer searches around the time of the robbery, including “Top Shot Firearms” and “gun store breakin (sic) Streetsboro,” according to court documents.

Austin also sent images of himself and others with the stolen firearms and in front of the stolen Volkswagen Passat, according to court documents.

This investigation is ongoing.

“These defendants pointed loaded guns at everyday people in our community and stole their cars, then used at least one of those stolen cars to drive to Portage County and hold up a gun store,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “Our community is safer with these predators behind bars. This case is also another demonstration of working with local police and prosecutors to target the worst of the worst.”

 “ATF’s core mission is reducing violent gun crime in our communities,” said Trevor Velinor, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “Firearms theft involves violent acts where criminals distribute stolen firearms throughout our communities, which causes a growing wave of violence.  ATF is committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to pursue those who steal firearms from licensed firearms dealers.”

“Taking violent, armed and dangerous offenders off of our streets is a service to our communities,” said Chief Calvin D. Williams of the Cleveland Division of Police.  “I am always thankful for the strong law enforcement partnerships we have here in Northeast Ohio.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony said: “These three stole numerous weapons and used those illegally obtained guns to violently terrorize people leaving work and visiting friends in our community.  They had no regard for the safety and hard earned belongings of others and now must face the federal justice system and its consequences."

“This case highlights the partnership between law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, as we have a duty to work together to ensure the safety of the community,” said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley.

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences 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.

These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cleveland Division of Police, the FBI, the Streetsboro Police Department, the Twinsburg Police Department and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office’s Crime Strategies Unit. It is being prosecuted by Assistant. U.S. Attorney Kelly L. Galvin.

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

A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Christopher Sacewell, 33, for being an alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition and illegal reentry. 

Sacewell, a Jamaican citizen, was previously removed from the United States in 2012. 

Assistant United States Attorney Brian S. Deckert is prosecuting the case following an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security and the Cleveland Police Department.

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.

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.

A former Napoleon police officer was sentenced to two years in prison for child pornography crimes.

Nicholas Evanoff, 34, previously pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.

“These are cases with real victims, children whose lives will be forever changed because adults assaulted and violated them,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “We will continue to work to prosecute those who re-victimize these children by sharing and downloading these images.”

Evanoff possessed the child pornography in 2017. He also smashed two hard drives in an effort to destroy evidence and hide his crimes, according to court documents.

The investigating agency in this case is the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Ballard Tangeman.

A Cleveland man was indicted on federal firearms charges.

Deontae Walker, 22, is charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Walker on June 20 had a Taurus .45-caliber pistol and ammunition, despite a previous conviction for burglary, according to the indictment.

If convicted, the defendant’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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cleveland Division of Police and Ohio Adult Parole Authority. Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Kane is prosecuting the case.

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

Canton Police Detective Michael Rastetter was among 25 law enforcement officers and deputies from 12 jurisdictions across the country honored today by Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Justice Department leadership today as recipients of the second annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing, recognizing the exceptional work.

“The Trump Administration supports law enforcement at all levels—and we always will,” said Attorney General Sessions. “Today’s awards honor the incredible work that is being done across this country every day.  This Department of Justice takes pride in announcing today’s winners of the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing.”

“These honorees are exceptional because they each thought outside the box to come up with new ways to tackle persistent law enforcement problems,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “Detective Rastetter leads an effort that creates new partnerships to address an epidemic that has caused so much pain and suffering in Ohio. They each represent the best of our community and further the mission of the Justice Department.”

Canton Police Lt. John Gabbard said: “The Stark Outreach Support team is effective because of Detective Rastetter and our community partners. Their dedication cannot be measured by the number of hours they work or homes they visit. The impact they have on individuals and families struggling with addiction can only be attributed to their compassion, patience and sense of duty.  As part of this team, Detective Rastetter has improved lives in our community and that is the essence of our mission as a law enforcement agency.”

The Justice Department has been committed to supporting law enforcement and continues to back the “women and men in blue,” as directed by President Trump’s February 2017 Executive Order. The Department has recently awarded grants to assist law enforcement and first responders who supported mass shootings in Las Vegas, Nevada, Parkland, Florida, and Santa Fe, Texas.  In addition, the Department has helped police departments across America to hire hundreds more police officers through the COPS grant program.

The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local, and tribal sworn rank-and-file police officers and deputies for exceptional efforts in policing. The awarded officers and deputies have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: criminal investigations, field operations or innovations in community policing. The Department received 207 nominations for 469 individuals ranging from state police departments, to local police, to campus public safety agencies. This award highlights the work that officers and deputies do to prevent, intervene in, and respond to crime and public safety issues. The individuals recognized today are listed below:

INNOVATIONS IN COMMUNITY POLICING

Sergeant Sean Crotty of the Little Egg Harbor Police Department, New Jersey:

Sergeant Sean Crotty is the school resource officer at the local high school. His main responsibility is the protection of the school community. However, he also takes on the arguably greater role of getting involved with students, shaping the way they view law enforcement, and helping mold them into productive community members. While Sergeant Crotty’s “beat” is the high school, this does not limit him to creating relationships with the younger students in the community. In his years with the department, Sergeant Crotty started a Junior Police Academy for middle school students, enhanced free Police Athletic League (PAL) programs, and added a Junior Police Explorers program.

Detective John Rastetter of the Canton Police Department, Ohio:

Detective Michael Rastetter’s work with those suffering from opioid addiction has set him apart  among a department full of dedicated officers continuously looking for innovative ways to serve their community. Detective Rastetter became the point person for the newly created Stark County Outreach Support (SOS) team, a quick response team made up of a nurse, a social worker and a vice detective. SOS has engaged 70 overdose survivors and 33 family members, connected 30 individuals with rehabilitation services and provided 19 Naloxone kits, leading to a reduction of nearly 60 percent in opioid-related overdose deaths in 2017. Detective Rastetter is a large part of the success of the program and decline in the overdose deaths.

Officer Laurie Reyes of the Montgomery County Police Department, Maryland:

Officer Laurie Reyes noticed that repeated searches for the same critically missing people (individuals with autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities [IDD], and Alzheimer’s disease) demanded a large portion of departmental resources, both in money and in officers’ time. She created the nationally recognized “Autism, Intellectual, Developmental Disabilities, and Alzheimer’s Outreach Program” as a way to promote awareness and safety through education, outreach, follow-up, empowerment and response. Officer Reyes identified a problem and developed a creative solution, which had a significant impact on public safety and public trust, all at no additional fiscal cost to the agency.

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

Officer Megan Freer of the Middleton Township Police Department, Pennsylvania:

In the summer of 2017, a 19-year-old man went missing near Middletown Township. Officer Freer began an intensive investigation into the missing person case, which eventually led to the discovery of a horrific quadruple homicide in Solebury Township, about 20 miles away. Officer Freer’s incredible investigative efforts led to the arrest of two 20-year-olds charged with murder of the four young men, and providing closure for the families of those missing young men. This was a tremendous effort of policing and police investigation, and Officer Freer has received several awards for her investigative effort, including the Philadelphia National Liberty Museum Award of Valor in September 2017.

Detective Andrew Beuschel, Jr. of the Evesham Township Police Department, New Jersey:

In December 2017, a father called the police when he found his 15-year-old daughter unresponsive due to a possible drug overdose; an ambulance transported the victim to the hospital, where she subsequently died from a heroin overdose two days later. Detective Beuschel investigated the case, including interviews and evidence from numerous warrants on cell phones, computers, and social media accounts, and was able to locate the suspected seller. Detective Beuschel’s persistence led to arrest warrants for possession of heroin, distribution of heroin, and ultimately, strict liability of the suspect for the drug-induced death of the 15-year-old victim.

Trooper Joel D. Follmer of the Pennsylvania State Police:

State Trooper Joel D. Follmer’s determined efforts and innovative policing techniques on an 18-month series of kidnapping and rape investigations throughout Pennsylvania led to the arrest of a serial rapist with assaults dating back as far as 1994. Trooper Follmer arrested the suspect in December of last year, who immediately confessed to several cases, and provided information on many others that he had attempted in the past and was planning in the future. The suspect is currently awaiting trial. 

FIELD OPERATIONS

Sergeant Girard Tell III and Sergeant Ryan VanSyckle of the Pleasantville Police Department, New Jersey:

Since 2016, Sergeants Tell and VanSyckle have consistently led the department in arrests and drug seizures by their dogged persistence to seek out and dismantle criminal street gangs, including a regional investigation, which netted more than 100 felony indictments against the South Side Mob street gang. Their tireless drive to remove the most dangerous and violent offenders has had a significant impact on the criminal operating environment within the community, including a steady downward trend of gun violence and a 55 percent decrease in confirmed shooting calls for service.

Corporal Richard White III of the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, West Virginia:

In June 2017, dispatchers notified law enforcement and fire department agencies regarding several people who had flipped over their boats while kayaking and got caught in the swift current in Wheeling Creek. Corporal White arrived on the scene and waded into the heavy current, rescuing two females caught in the downstream. Corporal White was instrumental in preventing a possible tragic incident while putting himself in harm’s way. About a year earlier, a little boy had died after falling into the creek. Corporal White’s quick and selfless action helped ensure that those circumstances were not repeated.

Deputy Ned Nemeth of the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Nevada:

Deputy Nemeth has demonstrated active exceptional performance in field operations. As a full time K-9 handler, he works highway interdiction and has successfully reduced illegal operations in the past year along the I-80 corridor, including seizing 206 pounds of illegal marijuana, 359.42 grams of methamphetamine, and 43 contraband prescription opioid pain pills. Deputy Nemeth is known for providing high quality information about his interstate contacts to other agencies across the country. His efforts as a part of the HIDTA task force in northern Nevada not only have positive effects on his own community but also make meaningful contributions to other jurisdictions working to disrupt and dismantle organized drug trafficking operations nationwide.

Detective Thomas Curley of the Wilmington Police Department, Delaware:

Over the past 14 years, Wilmington Detective Thomas Curley has provided outstanding efforts in conducting criminal investigations to protect the people of Wilmington from gangs and violent crime, including the first successful illegal gang prosecution in the State of Delaware, which was later upheld by the Delaware Supreme Court. He possesses the ability to seek out and successfully talk with witnesses to develop leads and works tirelessly coordinating complex investigations. Detective Curley is dedicated to his job and strives for justice for the victims of violent crimes.

Officers Jeremiah Beason, Patrick Burke, Monty Fetherston, and Steve Morris, Jr., of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Nevada:

On October 2017, at approximately 10:05 p.m., a lone gunman fired into a crowd of 22,000 concertgoers attending a country music festival in Las Vegas, killing 58 innocent people and injuring more than 850. Las Vegas Metropolitan Officers Beason, Burke, Fetherston, and Morris were the first four first responders to react during this active shooter situation. These four officers rescued injured civilians, cleared the surrounding rooms near the shooter, and secured the perimeter.  By running towards the danger, they saved countless lives.

Officers Jose Arriaga, Ruben Avalos, Carlos Escobar, Randy Jreisat, Arthur Meza, Ashley Mitchell, David Nick, Jr., Adrian Nuñez, Christina Salas, and Solly Samara of the Los Angeles Police Department, California:

In September 2017, the Los Angeles Police Department created the MacArthur Park Task Force to conduct uniform patrol in and around MacArthur Park and other surrounding areas. This team worked to restore order to the community around MacArthur Park by applying constant law enforcement and community involvement to the area to combat all crime and quality of life issues. These ten officers made 1,125 arrests in 32 weeks, issued 980 citations and offered services to hundreds of individuals. Their work is directly responsible for a 40 percent reduction of Part 1 crimes and a 46 percent reduction of violent crimes in the zone. These 10 officers helped transform this park and its surrounding neighborhood from its former blight, turning it into a clean, beautiful park.

Pablo Duran Ramirez, 50, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to encouraging the illegal entry of Guatemalan nationals, including unaccompanied minors, into the United States for financial gain, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman of the Northern District of Ohio, and Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony of the FBI’s Cleveland Division.

Duran Ramirez is the fourth defendant to plead guilty in connection with a labor trafficking scheme that forced Guatemalan minors to work at egg farms in central Ohio.

According to the defendant’s plea agreement and admissions in court, the defendant, through his company, Haba Corporate Services, contracted to provide labor to Trillium Farms, knowing that the workers were unlawfully present in the United States. He further admitted to knowing that some of the workers were unaccompanied minors who had been coerced or threatened to enter the United States and then housed in an isolated trailer park in Marion, Ohio. In 2013 and 2014, Trillim Farms paid the defendant’s company approximately $6 million for its labor services.

“Motivated by greed, the defendant violated the immigration laws and contributed to the exploitation of vulnerable children who lacked immigration status,” said Acting Assisting Attorney General Gore.  “The Department of Justice will use its resources to prosecute individuals who unlawfully victimize others for their own monetary profit.”

“This defendant profited off the desperation of children and their parents and other relatives,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman for the Northern District of Ohio. “He knew some of the workers he delivered to Trillium Farms were underage, in the country illegally and were threatened or coerced. We will continue to work to eliminate human trafficking in all its forms.”

“This defendant, in conspiracy with three other previously convicted individuals, coerced and assisted individuals to enter the United States illegally, many of them children, forcing them to live in deplorable conditions and work for little to no wages,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony of the FBI’s Cleveland Division. “These reprehensible actions are unacceptable and rest assured the FBI will continue to work with our partners to bring to justice those who engage in human trafficking.”

Duran Ramirez faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. His sentencing date has been set for Jan. 7, 2019.

Three other defendants—Aroldo Castillo-Serrano, of Guatemala, Ana Angelica Pedro-Juan, of Guatemala, and Conrado Salgado-Soto, of Mexico—previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the same labor trafficking scheme. Castillo-Serrano, the lead smuggler and primary enforcer, was sentenced to 188 months in prison; Pedro-Juan, who oversaw the victims in Ohio, was sentenced to 120 months; and Salgado-Soto, a subcontractor hired by Duran Ramirez, was sentenced to 51 months.

Those defendants admitted to recruiting workers from Guatemala, some as young as 14 or 15 years old, falsely promising them good jobs and a chance to attend school in the United States.  The defendants then smuggled and transported the workers to a trailer park in Marion, Ohio, where they ordered them to live in dilapidated trailers and work at physically demanding jobs at Trillium Farms for up to 12 hours a day.  The work included cleaning chicken coops, loading and unloading crates of chickens, de-beaking chickens and vaccinating chickens. During their sentencing, Senior United States District Judge James G. Carr found that they had threatened workers with physical harm and withheld their paychecks in order to compel them to work. Eight minors and two adults were identified as victims of the scheme.

Three additional defendants, including Duran Ramirez’s son, pleaded guilty for their roles in encouraging the workers’ illegal entry into the United States.

This case is being investigated by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea Rice and Trial Attorney Dana Mulhauser of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.

Two Assistant United States Attorneys who successfully prosecuted an international terrorism investigation and a Canton police detective who worked collaboratively to combat the opioid epidemic are among those being honored with Justice Department’s highest recognition Tuesday.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Shepherd and Michael Freeman will receive the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Furthering the Interests of U.S. National Security. Canton Police Detective Michael Rastetter will receive the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions will honor efforts by people from inside and outside the Department of Justice in Washington on Tuesday at the 66th Annual Attorney General’s Awards Ceremony.  This annual ceremony recognizes individuals for their outstanding service and dedication to carrying out the missions of the Department of Justice.

“These honorees are exceptional because they each thought outside the box to come up with new ways to tackle persistent law enforcement problems,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “AUSAs Shepherd and Freeman worked tirelessly along with agents and analysts to trace the flow of funds from the United States to halfway around the world, money that was to be used to fund terror attacks. Detective Rastetter leads an effort that creates new partnerships to address an epidemic that has caused so much pain and suffering in Ohio. They each represent the best of our community and further the mission of the Justice Department.”

Canton Police Lt. John Gabbard said: “The Stark Outreach Support team is effective because of Detective Rastetter and our community partners. Their dedication cannot be measured by the number of hours they work or homes they visit. The impact they have on individuals and families struggling with addiction can only be attributed to their compassion, patience and sense of duty.  As part of this team, Detective Rastetter has improved lives in our community and that is the essence of our mission as a law enforcement agency.”

Shepherd and Freeman led a team of FBI agents and analysts from at least five different field offices in the investigation and prosecution of Yahya Farooq Mohammad, Ibrahim Zubair Mohammad, Asif Salim, and Sultane Salim. 

These four men in 2009 provided more than $20,000 to Anwar Al Awlaki in Yemen, just four months before a member of Awlaki’s group attempted to detonate a bomb in his pants while flying on a plane over Detroit. Through the painstaking efforts of Shepherd, Freeman and the entire team, they were able to track down these payments and pursue these four defendants across the globe.  Additionally, Yahya Mohammad would later plot to kill a federal judge assigned his case and arranged for payments to a would-be hitman for the murder of the judge. 

All four defendants were ultimately convicted and the leader, Yahya Mohammad, was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison.

Shepherd works in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Cleveland while Freeman works in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Toledo.

Rastetter was honored for his work on the Stark County Support initiative, which has led to a dramatic decrease in fatal overdoses, an increase in people being placed in drug treatment facilities and has been replicated throughout the region.

The Canton Police Department was grappling with the opioid epidemic in 2017 when it created the Stark Outreach Support initiative. Canton police put together a team consisting of a nurse, a social worker and a vice detective. The team created lists of all individuals who overdosed in the city and survived.  Then the team visited each person offering services. 

The police worked closely with local partners that provide drug rehab and recovery services, utilizing detox beds they made available for the effort.  By the end of 2017, our non-fatal overdoses had decreased by 19 percent compared to 2016.  Overdose deaths in Canton were reduced by over 55 percent compared to 2016. This came at a time when Ohio was experiencing a dramatic increase in drug overdose deaths.

A Toledo man with a prior conviction for robbery was indicted for using a firearm to rob a bank and steal a car this summer, as well for escape.

Don Woodson Ellis, 28, was indicted on two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and one count each of carjacking, bank robbery, escape and being a felon in possession of firearm.

Keiva Johnson, 47, and Antoine Moore, 35, both of Toledo, were indicted on one count each of assisting escape.

Ellis on Aug. 13 used a fiream to carjack a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix and to rob the Fifth Third Bank at 3428 Glendale Ave. in Toledo. He was prohibited from having a firearm because of a conviction in 2012 for bank robbery, according to the indictment. 

Ellis escaped from custody in the Lucas County Corrections Center on Aug. 15. He was assisted by Johnson and Moore, according to the indictment.

If convicted, the defendant’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 FBI and Toledo Police Department and is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Simko.  

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  The burden of proof is always on the government to prove a defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

A Mexican national was indicted for having nearly half a kilogram of deadly opioids.

Jesus Usbaldo Ballardo Garcia, 22, was indicted on one count each of possession with the intent to distribute heroin, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of 4-ANPP knowing and having reasonable cause to believe it would be used to manufacture fentanyl.

Garcia on Aug. 1 possessed approximately 571 grams of heroin, 224 grams of fentanyl and 187 grams of 4-ANPP, an immediate precursor to fentanyl, according to the indictment.

If convicted, the defendant’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.

The investigating agency in this case is the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alissa M. Sterling and Tracey Ballard Tangeman are handling the case.

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

Eleven people were indicted for their roles in a conspiracy to traffic large amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine from Texas to the Akron area.

All of the defendants named in the 27-count indictment are from Akron unless otherwise noted. They are: William G. Steen, 55, of Texas; Jonathan Johnson, 35; Darren Ross, 46, of Louisiana; Gregory Moran, TK, of Texas; Andre L. Brown, 47; Michael L. Weimer, 33; Harold W. Weimar III, 36; Travonte Bell, 26; Sanada S. Griffin, 36; Troy Whatley, 48; and Robert Zornes, Jr., 43.

All defendants conspired from January 2016 to possess with intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine and 500 grams of methamphetamine.

Steen provided cocaine to Ross and Moran, who transported it to Johnson and others for distribution in the Akron area. Johnson, in turn, provided the cocaine to Michael Weimer and others. Johnson and Brown also supplied Weimer with methamphetamine, according to the indictment.

Brown faces additional charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing a firearm in relation to drug trafficking.

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 maximum. 

This cases is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Riley following an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Summit County Sheriff's Office, the police departments of Akron, Copley, Tallmadge, Stow, Cuyahoga Falls,   Barberton, Springfield Township, New Franklin, Silver Lake, Reminderville and the University of Akron, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Summit County Prosecutor's Office.

An indictment is only a charge. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

A Parma Heights man was indicted for robbing four banks this summer.

Joshua Allen Duncan, 32, was indicted on four counts of bank robbery.

According to the indictment, Duncan robbed:

• PNC Bank at 330 E. Main Street in Ravenna on July 17.
• Dollar Bank at 7450 W. Ridgewood Dr. in Parma on Aug. 6
• KeyBank at 6284 Pearl Road in Parma Heights on Aug. 14
• Andover Bank at 1853 State Route 45 North, Austinburg on Aug. 21

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 maximum. 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry F. DeBaggis following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and police departments of Ravenna, Parma and Parma Heights.

An indictment is only a charge. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Two men from Northeast Ohio were indicted on federal firearms charges.

Steven Kennedy, 29, of Euclid, and Eric T. Gibson, Jr., 23, of Cleveland, were both indicted for being felons in possession of firearms.

Gibson possessed a Smith & Wesson 9 mm pistol and 16 rounds of ammunition on July 13 despite a previous conviction for robbery with a firearm specification, according to the indictment.

Kennedy possessed a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber pistol and 14 rounds of ammunition on Aug. 21, despite a previous conviction for domestic violence, according to the indictment.

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 maximum. 

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Deckert following an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cleveland Division of Police (Gibson) and the Euclid Police Department (Kennedy).

An indictment is only a charge. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

A former North Carolina resident was indicted on three counts of international parental kidnapping.

Saed Hamed, 42, formerly of Fayetteville. N.C., has retained three children in the State of Palestine with the intent of obstructing the parental rights of his wife, the mother of the children, according to the indictment.

Saed and Sabah Hamed, of Uniontown, separated in 2012. The Hameds agreed Saed Hamed would have the children in the State of Palestine during the summer of 2016 but the children would be returned to the U.S. in September 2016; however, Saed Hamed refused to return the children to their mother and the children remain in the State of Palestine, according to court documents.

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 maximum. 

This cases is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry F. DeBaggis following an investigation by the FBI.

An indictment is only a charge. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

A Cleveland man was indicted in federal court for an armed bank robbery in Middleburg Heights.

Kysen Conway, 22, was indicted on one count of armed bank robbery and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence.

Conway, on April 24, used, carried or brandished a firearm while robbing the Citizens Bank at 15050 Bagley Road, according to the indictment.

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 maximum. 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Zarzycki following an investigation by the FBI and Middleburg Heights Police Department.

An indictment is only a charge. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Two Akron men were indicted in federal court after police arrested them with 14 firearms, stolen police body armor and more than 1,000 grams of methamphetamine.

Indicted are Justin D. Martin and Brandon L. Sheridan, both 32.

They are both charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.

Martin and Sheridan were using the house at 106 Lake Street at the base of their drug trafficking operations. A search of the house by the Akron SWAT team resulted in the discovery of approximately 1,039 grams of methamphetamine, 14 firearms (four of which were reported stolen), ammunition and $7,125 in cash, according to court documents.

Authorities also recovered law enforcement-issued body armor previously reported stolen from a Cuyahoga Falls police officer during a residential burglary, according to court documents.

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 maximum. 

This cases is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron P. Howell following an investigation by the Akron Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

An indictment is only a charge. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

A Milan woman was charged in federal court with one count of solicitation to commit a crime of violence.

Sandra Haughawout, 70, was charged via a criminal information filed in U.S. District Court.

Haughawout in May attempted to locate a hire a hitman to kill her former son-in-law. She was willing to pay up to $10,000 to have her former son-in-law killed, according to court documents.

On May 30, an undercover FBI agent posing as a hitman met with Haughawout in Milan. Haughawout said her daughter was having a dispute with the former son-in-law over custody of the children, according to court documents.

Haughawout said she would pay $8,000 up front and an additional $2,000 when the “deed” was done. Haughawout stated the code would be that the undercover agent “had the dog put down,” according to court documents.

Haughawout then has the undercover agent follow her as she identified the former son-in-law’s home and workplace, according to court documents

If convicted, the defendant’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.

The investigating agency in this case is the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Ballard Tangeman.

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

Nine people were indicted in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to launder more than $2 million in drug profits stemming from the shipment approximately one ton of marijuana from California to warehouses in Wickliffe, Willoughby and Euclid.

Indicted are: Aaron L. Eisenberg, 39, of California and formerly of Lake County; Jack Morgan, 53, of California; Jacob Lesiak, 40, of Chardon, Margaret Garcia, 40, of Chardon; Gary Baldwin, 43, of Huntsburg; Trevor Marlyne, 32, of Cleveland Heights; Robert Ross, 47, of Florida; Brian Teachout, 38, of Mentor, and Richard Warren, 43, of Willoughby. All nine are charged with engaging in a money laundering conspiracy, while Eisenberg, Morgan, Jacob Lesiak, Garcia, Baldwin, Warren and Teachout are charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

Two more people – Corrie Lesiak, 40, of Chardon, and Cynthia Hounshell, 61, of Concord – are indicted on related money laundering charges.

Teachout is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Teachout had a Bushmaster AR-15, Smith & Wesson M & P 15-22, an AK-47, Glock model 17 pistol, SCCY 9 mm pistol, Walther P22 .22 caliber pistol, Kimber .45-caliber pistol, Magnum Desert Eagle .50-caliber pistol and ammunition on July 29, 2015, despite a previous conviction for marijuana trafficking, according to the indictment.

According to the seven-count indictment:

Eisenberg, Morgan and others used a commercial carrier called Specialized Transportation Inc. (STI) to send pallets filled with packages of marijuana from California to warehouses on Anderson Drive in Wickliffe, Airport Parkway in Willoughby and Tungsten Road in Euclid. This began in 2014

Jacob Lesiak, Garcia, Baldwin, Warren and others received the packages of marijuana. Jacob Lesiak, Teachout, Warren, Marlyne and Ross then distributed the marijuana throughout Northeast Ohio.

Jacob Lesiak, Teachout, Warren, Marlyne, Ross and others then pooled their proceeds and sent the money back to Eisenberg and Morgan in California on pallets via STI. They labelled the pallets as computer parts and/or with names of companies that did not exist in an effort to conceal the identity of the sender.

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 maximum. 

This cases is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron P. Howell following an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Lake County Narcotics and Geauga County Narcotics.

An indictment is only a charge. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

An Ashtabula man with a history of violence was sentenced to 10 years in prison for firearms and drug crimes.

Michael Thomas, 51, was sentenced to 120 months of incarceration by U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver. Thomas pleaded guilty earlier this year to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

“This is a defendant with a history of violent crime who was dealing drugs and illegally had a firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “Ashtabula is a safer place because law enforcement worked together to remove this threat from the community.”

Thomas was arrested in Ashtabula on Nov. 26, 2017, and found to be in possession of Ruger Model P95 pistol and more than 32 grams of crack cocaine.  He was prohibited from having a firearm because of prior convictions for felonious assault, assault on a peace officer, possession of crack cocaine, possession of cocaine with a firearm specification, and other crimes, according to court documents.

Thomas was ordered to forfeit the firearm. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Burke following an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Office, the Ashtabula Police Department, and the Trumbull/Ashtabula County Narcotics Task Force (TAG). 

The United States Attorney’s Office and Cleveland Clinic, together with numerous community partners, will be hosting a daylong conference on Sept. 6 focused on solutions to the opioid and narcotics epidemic.

The conference will take place at the Intercontinental Hotel, 9801 Carnegie Ave. It will mark five years since many of the partners first joined together to raise awareness about the growing heroin and opioid problem that had surfaced in Northeast Ohio and throughout the country. That conference resulted in a Community Action Plan which focused on solutions in four different areas: education and prevention, treatment, healthcare policy and law enforcement.

The 2013 conference and Community Action Plan led to the formation of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Heroin and Opioid Task Force, which was hailed as a national model and replicated across the country. Members of the group contributed to numerous achievements in the intervening years, including increasing access to Narcan, developing new protocols to how police handle drug overdose scenes, increased training for physicians about the potential side effects of prescription opioids, public awareness campaigns, and the formation of a consortium to coordinate the response from the various medical systems in Greater Cleveland, among others.

The conference on Sept. 6 will focus on how the crisis has changed in the past five years, and fashioning responses that incorporate best practices and lessons learned. The emphasis will be on refining the Community Action Plan and coordinating comprehensive responses to what is both a public health and law enforcement crisis.

“The scope and nature of the problem has changed, in part because of the introduction of fentanyl and carfentanil, so our responses need to evolve as well,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “The hope is this conference will help coordinate the efforts to turn the tide on an epidemic that has caused a staggering amount of pain and loss in our community.”

“Conferences like this are so critical to our community.  We need so many parts of our society to take action to have an impact on this terrible problem,” said David Streem, M.D., Section Head of the Alcohol and Drug Recovery Center at Cleveland Clinic. “First responders, treatment programs, the courts, hospitals, schools, the recovery community—these and so many more have important roles to play.”

The agenda for the Sept. 6 conference is still being finalized, but topics expected to be covered include the need to develop a common set of data that can be shared, expanding programs that have been shown to work, such as quick response teams, recovery coaches and medically assisted treatment, efforts to reduce the number of pain pills prescribed, and others.

Among the groups and organizations that have participated in the planning and/or are expected to present at the conference include: the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth System, University Hospitals, St. Vincent Charity Hospital, Cuyahoga County, City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office, the ADAMHS Board of Cuyahoga County, Cuyahoga County Department of Health, Circle Health, Cleveland Division of Police, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation and others.

A complete agenda is below:

OPIOIDS: A CRISIS STILL FACING

OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY

Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018

InterContinental Hotel, Cleveland

8:00 - 8:30 a.m.           Registration

8:30 - 850 a.m.            Welcome

• Cleveland Clinic Chief Legal Officer; Chief Governance Officer and Secretary David W. Rowan
• United States Attorney Justin Herdman
• Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish

8:50 - 9:35 a.m.             Community Accomplishments

            Moderator: Bridget Brennan, U.S. Attorney’s Office

• Law Enforcement: Timothy Plancon (Drug Enforcement Administration)
• The Office of Opioid Safety: Dr. Joan Papp (MetroHealth)
• Treatment and Recovery: Scott Osiecki (Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County)
• Hospitals and Medical Community: Dr. Randy Jernejcic (University Hospitals)
• Medically Assisted Treatment: Dr. Robert Bales (Cleveland Clinic)
• The Judicial System: Judge Joan Synenberg (Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court)

9:35 - 10:00 a.m.         The Evolving Nature of the Problem

• Dr. Thomas Gilson (Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner)
   

10:00 - 10:15 a.m.        Perspectives from the Cleveland Clinic

• Dr. Tom Mihaljevic (Cleveland Clinic)

10:15 - 10:30 a.m.        Break

10:30 - 11:15 a.m.        The Need for Common and Shareable Data

            Moderator: U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman

• Daniel Flannery (Case Western Reserve University)
• Hugh Shannon (Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office)
• Nick Zingale (Cleveland State University)
• Mark Richey (BioEnterprise)
• John Garrity (Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County)
• Frank Perhacs (Ohio HIDTA)

11:15 - noon                The Northeast Ohio Hospital Consortium

Moderator: Dr. Randy Jernejcic, Physician Chair, Northeast Ohio Hospital Opioid Consortium

• Dr. Tom Collins  (The Academy of Medicine of Cleveland & Northern Ohio)
• Dr. David Streem (Cleveland Clinic)
• Dr. Joan Papp (MetroHealth)
• Dr. Ted Parran (St. Vincent Charity)
• Dr. Jeanne Lackamp (University Hospitals)
• Dr. Kevin Smith (VA)

Noon - 1:00 p.m.          Lunch and Keynote Speaker: Aaron D. Marks

1:00 – 2:00 p.m.           What’s Working Here

            Moderator: Elizabeth Newman, The Centers for Families and Children

• Needle Exchange: Lisa M. Fair (Circle Health)
• Project SOAR: Erin Helms (The Woodrow Project)
• Drug Courts: Judge David Matia (Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court)
• Recovery Coaches: Brian Bailys (Ascent)
• Transportation Program: Thom Olmstead (St. Vincent Charity)
• Recovery: Pam Gill (Recovery Resources)

2:00 - 3:30 p.m.           Community Action Plan Breakouts

• Law Enforcement -- Room 201
• Treatment and Healthcare Policy -- Six Continents Room
• Education and Prevention -- Room 204
• Data and Analytics -- Room 207

3:30 - 4:00 p.m.           Report Out from Breakouts and Adjourn

Written questions for our speakers can be submitted to facilitators around the room, or via Twitter using the hashtag #OpioidSummitCLE

Two Lorain County men were indicted in federal for selling fentanyl and other drugs.

Dwayne R. Taylor, 32, of Elyria, was charged in a nine-count indictment with distribution of fentanyl, heroin and crack cocaine, as well as firearms charges.

Todd E. Coleman, Jr., 37, of Lorain, was charged in a three-count indictment with distribution of fentanyl analogues and cocaine.

Taylor sold crack cocaine and a mixture of fentanyl and heroin numerous times between May and July, according to the indictment.

Taylor on July 19 possessed approximately 6.53 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, as well as a Glock 9 mm handgun and a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber handgun. He was prohibited from having a firearm because of a prior conviction for drug trafficking, according to the indictment.

Coleman sold nearly 30 grams of fentanyl analogues in June, as well as cocaine, according to the indictment.

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 maximum. 

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert F. Corts and Vasile Katsaros following investigations by the Elyria Police Department and FBI (Taylor) and the Lorain Police Department, DEA and Lorain County HIDTA.

A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Thirteen people detained on June 19 in the Salem area were indicted for immigration-related offenses.

Andres De La Cruz-Lopez, 30, of Guatemala, was indicted on charges of making a false statement of citizenship and using a false Social Security card and state identification card in the name of another person, as part of the application process for employment.

Gusto Gonzalez-Lopez, 37, of Guatemala, was indicted on charges of making a false statement of citizenship and using a false Social Security card and state identification card in the name of another person, as part of the application process for employment.

Samuel Hernandez-Hernandez, 20, of Guatemala, was indicted on charges of making a false statement of citizenship and using a false Social Security card and state identification card in the name of another person, as part of the application process for employment.

Bonifacio Ixcoy-Gonzalez, 18, of Guatemala, was indicted on charges of making a false statement of citizenship and using a false Social Security card and state identification card in the name of another person, as part of the application process for employment.

Domingo Jose-Juan, 46, of Guatemala, was indicted on charges of making a false statement of citizenship and using a false Social Security card and state identification card in the name of another person, as part of the application process for employment.

Geovanie Melendez-Silva, 30, of Guatemala, was indicted on charges of making a false statement of citizenship and using a false Social Security card and state identification card in the name of another person, as part of the application process for employment.

Miguel Pedro Pascual, 20, of Guatemala, was indicted on charges of making a false statement of citizenship and using a false Social Security card and state identification card in the name of another person, as part of the application process for employment.

Clemente Perez-Hernandez, 21, of Guatemala, was indicted on charges of making a false statement of citizenship and using a false social security card and state identification card in the name of another person, as part of the application process for employment.

Donaciano Ramirez-Ortiz, 45, of Mexico, was indicted on charges of making a false statement of citizenship and using a false Social Security card and state driver’s license in the name of another person, as part of the application process for employment.

Ulises Roblero-Lopez, 36, of Mexico, was indicted on charges of making a false statement of citizenship and using a false Social Security card and state identification card in the name of another person, as part of the application process for employment.

Roberto Santay-Ajanel, 25, of Guatemala, was indicted on charges of making a false statement of citizenship and using a false Social Security card and state identification card in the name of another person, as part of the application process for employment.

Emilio Sente-Juarez, 40, of Guatemala, was indicted on charges of making a false statement of citizenship and using a false Social Security card and state identification card in the name of another person, as part of the application process for employment.

Pedro Tzep-Lorenzo, 33, of Guatemala, was indicted on charges of making a false statement of citizenship and using a false Social Security card and state identification card in the name of another person, as part of the application process for employment.

Each of these defendants was administratively detained on June 19, 2018, following an enforcement action in the Salem area.

The investigation is ongoing.

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer following investigations by ICE Homeland Security Investigations, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, Customs and Border Protection Office of Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office and the Salem Police Department.

If convicted, the defendant’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.

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

A pair from Northeast Ohio were indicted in federal court after they filed or assisted in filing nearly 150 tax returns fraudulently claiming $615,000 in tax refunds.

Laini A. Woods, 46, of Garfield Heights, and David Mitchell, 43, of Cleveland, were each indicted on one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, four counts of wire fraud, and four counts of aggravated identity theft in a tax preparation scheme.

Woods and Mitchell recruited people to submit fraudulent tax returns in the individuals’ names, as well as the names of other people they had never met or spoken with. Woods completed and electronically filed the personal tax returns, falsely asserting the individuals owned and operated small businesses in order increase the amount of the tax returns through their Earned Income Credits, according to the indictment. 

Mitchell then recruited individuals to have the tax refunds deposited in bank accounts in their names. Woods and Mitchell then converted the money to their own use, according to the indictment. 

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

The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark S. Bennett, after an investigation conducted by the Cincinnati office of the IRS -- Criminal Investigations.

A Lorain man was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for having nine grams of carfentanil.

Manuel Latorre, 27, of Lorain, previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distribution of a controlled substance.

“This defendant had a weapon of mass destruction, just in a different form,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “This amount of carfentanil could have killed thousands of people. Federal law enforcement will continue to work with our partners in Lorain County to bring to justice the people profiting from this drug epidemic.”

Latorre possessed more than 9.3 grams of carfentanil between August and October 2017, according to court documents.

Latorre had approximately 50 prior arrests and 17 convictions as an adult, according to statements made in court.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vasile Katsaros following an investigation by the Northern Ohio Law Enforcement Task Force, the FBI and the Lorain Police Department.

A Cleveland man who formerly worked as a ride operator at Memphis Kiddie Park was indicted for filming numerous images and videos of an underage girl engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Miguel L. Wheeler, 33, was indicted on one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Wheeler produced numerous images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct between Feb. 13, and July 25, 2018. He also possessed a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 cell phone with images of child pornography on July 25, 2018, according to the indictment.

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 maximum. 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik.  The case was investigated by Special Investigator David Frattare, Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations.

A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Two Cleveland men were indicted in federal court for using firearms while robbing a Cleveland Heights store and attempting to rob a bank in Richmond Heights last month.

Otis Pamplin, 18, and Joseph Kyle Sanders, 19, are charged with one count of attempted bank robbery, one count of violating the Hobbs Act, and two counts of using a firearm in a crime of violence.

Pamplin, Sanders and someone identified in court documents as R.E. used a firearm on July 11 in attempting to rob the Ohio Savings Bank at 720 Richmond Road on July 11. Later that day, the three used a firearm to rob LoanMax at 13216 Cedar Road, according to the indictment.

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 maximum. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

This cases is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Zarzycki following an investigation by the FBI, Cleveland Heights Police Department and Richmond Heights Police Department.

A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

An Akron man was indicted for using a fraudulent Social Security number and falsely overstating his income to obtain a mortgage of more than $300,000.

Bobbie W. Williams, a.k.a. Robert W. Williams, 56, was indicted on one count of bank fraud and two counts of bankruptcy fraud.

The indictment alleges Williams falsified information on his loan application in order to secure the purchase of the property located on Ridgewood Road in Akron. Then, after WILLIAMS could not make the payments on the property and it went into foreclosure, he falsified information in his bankruptcy petition, including his true identity and his ownership of the Ridgewood Road property. 

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

The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark S. Bennett, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Good, Trial Attorney, United States Trustee, after an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General and the Cleveland office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

A Cleveland man was sentenced to prison for stealing more than $77,000 in federal grants designed to help Native Americans.

Robert Roche, 71, was sentenced to four months in prison followed by four months of home confinement by U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent. Roche previously pleaded guilty two counts of theft from programs receiving federal funds.

Roche was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $77,097.

“This defendant stole from taxpayers and betrayed the Native American families he purported to help,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “He took tens of thousands of dollars designated for mental health and wellness programs and put the money in his own pockets.”

“Simply put, Mr. Roche stole taxpayer dollars that were intended to help needy children and families and today he was held accountable,” said Lamont Pugh III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General – Chicago Region. “The OIG will continue to be diligent in investigating and seeking prosecution of individuals who steal HHS grant funds in order to unjustly enrich themselves.”

Roche served as executive director of the American Indian Education Center (AIEC), a Parma-based nonprofit established in 1995 to support Native American causes in Northeast Ohio, according to court documents.

Craig McGuire operated McGuire & Associates LLC, a company that wrote grant applications and provided evaluation services. Roche entered into an agreement with McGuire & Associates in April 2011 to draft grant proposals on behalf of the AIEC. Later that year, McGuire submitted an application on behalf of the AIEC to receive a Circle of Care grant, offered through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The grant was designed to provide Native American communities with the tools and resources to design programs to support mental health and wellness for children and families, according to court documents.

The AIEC’s application contained numerous false statements including: misrepresenting the date the AIEC was established; falsely claiming the AIEC had a wellness department and a “Positive Paths” afterschool program serving 500 children when no such department or program existed; fraudulently listing people the AIEC allegedly employed and mischaracterizing the description of the AIEC’s building and alleged physical amenities, according to court documents.

SAMHSA awarded the AIEC a Circle of Care grant on Sept. 1, 2012 of approximately $302,340 for FY 2012. On June 26, 2012, SAMHSA awarded the second year of a Circle of Care grant in the amount of $308,040 for FY 2013, according to court documents.

The AIEC received approximately $482,766 from SAMHSA from 2011 through 2013. The AIEC did not receive full funding because SAMHSA placed it in “high risk” status, according to court documents.

Roche paid himself through AIEC on several occasions as a project coordinator for the Circle of Care project. Roche was not identified as the project coordinator on the grant application and such payments were precluded by regulation, according to court documents.

Roche and McGuire embezzled at least $183,703 from the SAMHSA grant. Roche converted approximately $77,097 of that money for his own personal use, according to court documents.

McGuire pleaded guilty to crimes related to his role in the conspiracy.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. Patton, Alex Abreu and Suzanna Koch following an investigation by the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General.

Two former Lucas County corrections officers were indicted in federal court for accepting bribes in return for smuggling contraband items into inmates.

A third former corrections officer was charged with providing contraband to inmates.

Robert Hobson, 31, was indicted on two counts of Hobbs Act extortion and two counts of providing contraband in prison.

Marcus Henderson, 32, was indicted on one count each of Hobbs Act extortion and providing contraband in prison.

Matthew Wiegand, 39, was indicted on one count of proving contraband in prison.

“Corrections officers play vital role in the justice system,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “Those who would accept bribes to break the rules put others at risk. Sheriff Tharp is to be commended for bringing these cases to the attention of federal law enforcement when he discovered this problem.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony said: “Corrections officers willing to take bribes from incarcerated criminals cannot be tolerated. The FBI applauds Sheriff Tharp for his commitment to root out corruption and look forward to our continued partnership with the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office.”

“We received information, we acted on it and we brought it to the attention of the FBI,” said Lucas County Sheriff John Tharp. “We felt these people should not be working with our office or our employees. It was the right thing to do.”

All three men worked as corrections officers at the Lucas County Correctional Center in Toledo.

Hobson in November 2015 accepted bribes from an inmate or their associates in return for providing contraband to inmates, including synthetic cannabinoids and tobacco, according to the indictment.

Henderson in June 2016 accepted bribes from an inmate or their associates in return for providing contraband to inmates, including a cellular telephone and tobacco, according to the indictment.

Wiegand in May 2017 provided contraband tobacco to an inmate, according to the indictment.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Freeman following an investigation by the FBI and Lucas County Sheriff’s Office.

If convicted, the defendant’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.

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.

The former head of the City of Cleveland’s demolition department was charged in federal court with soliciting and accepting bribes from contractors in exchange for preferential treatment.

Rufus Taylor, 60, was charged in a criminal information with one count of bribery in a federally funded program and one count of extortion.

According to the criminal information filed in U.S. District Court:

Taylor was employed by the City of Cleveland as Chief of its Demolition Bureau. He was responsible for assigning “board-up” of vacant properties to contractors, emergency demolition jobs, and conducting inspections, which had to take place before a contractor could be paid, among other duties.

Taylor and a person identified in the charges as Contractor 1 met in November 2013 to discuss a demolition job on Parkwood Drive. The two agreed that Contractor 1 would pay Taylor $8,000 in cash in return for Taylor putting Contractor 1 on the bid list.

Contractor 1 was awarded the bid. Contractor 1 gave Taylor approximately $3,000 in cash on Dec. 4, 2013. Contractor 1 paid Taylor the additional $5,000 by November 2015.

Taylor notified Contractor 1 about an emergency demolition job on East 123rd Street and Coltman Road around October 2015. Taylor asked Contractor 1 for $12,000 in exchange for notifying Contractor 1 about the job.

Contractor 1 was awarded abatement work for the premises but never paid Taylor the $12,000.

Taylor provided bid numbers to Contractor 2 for a pending demolition job on Cedar Avenue around Aug. 20, 2015. Contractor 2 paid Taylor approximately $5,000 in cash in exchange for this information around Oct. 26, 2015.

On May 7, 2016, Taylor provided Contractor 2 the names of companies bidding on a demolition job on East 130th Street. On May 10, 2016 – the last day of the bid – Taylor called Contractor 2 and informed Contractor 2 of the then-current lowest bid on the project.

Contractor 2 gave Taylor approximately $500 in cash on May 25, 2016. Taylor contacted Contractor 2 on July 21, 2016 and said he needed some “stacks.” Contractor 2 gave Taylor approximately $300.

U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said: “Public contracts should go to the most qualified bidder, not the best connected. We will remain vigilant and public employees who take bribes will be brought to justice.”

“Our citizens are entitled to decisions based on the best interests of the public, not the best interests of corrupt public officials and bribe-paying contractors,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony said. “The FBI is committed to ensure that those that violate the public trust are held accountable.”

“The charges disclosed today prove our continuing resolve to root out fraud and corruption in all forms, especially when the programs involved should have been used to help our neediest families,” said Brad Geary, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. “It is our continuing core mission to work with our Federal law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office to protect the integrity of our housing programs and to take strong action against those who seek to personally benefit from taxpayer-funded grants.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.

It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea S. Rice and Elliot Morrison.

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.

A charge 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.

Nine people, most from Toledo, were indicted in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to traffic fentanyl.

Indicted are: Terrance Allen, 25; Nathaniel Barringer, 23; Chad Burkholder, 34; Megan Champion, 40; Ryin Douglas-Reed, 28; Laurie Lehman, 49; Julie Murdock, 47, of Petersburg, Mich.; Donte Walker, 30, and Russell Watson, 37. They are from Toledo unless otherwise noted.

All are charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least 400 gramd of fentanyl. The conspiracy took place from March 2018 through this month, according to the indictment.

Arrest warrants executed Thursday morning resulted in the seizure of drugs, cash and firearms.

“These defendants worked together to sell large amounts of fentanyl, which has killed so many of our neighbors,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “We will work with federal agents and police officers to prosecute those who would profit from this drug epidemic.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony said: “This group of individuals brought drugs and violence to the streets of our community. Collaborative law enforcement actions will hold them accountable for the danger they have caused.”

“This is just another example of how the Toledo Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation work together to keep all Toledoans safe,” Toledo Police Chief George Kral said. “This operation has identified numerous individuals who, through their actions, have victimized and harmed many. The City of Toledo is a safer place with these people behind bars. Those in our community who continue to sell drugs, carry firearms and victimize others should take notice of these arrests. We now hope that the judiciary will impose the harshest of sentences if convictions are realized.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Toledo Police Department, the Toledo Metro Drug Task Force and Northwest Ohio Violent Crime Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alissa M. Sterling and Noah Hood.

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 violations.  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 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.

An Akron man was sentenced to life in prison for selling fentanyl and heroin that resulted in the death of a 23-year-old Akron woman.

Ryan Sumlin, 29, was convicted by a jury earlier this year on charges of distribution of fentanyl and heroin that resulted in death, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute heroin.

U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent sentenced Sumlin to life in prison on the first two counts and 30 years in prison on the third count. He also ordered Sumlin to pay restitution in the amount of $4,639.85 – the cost of Carrie Dobbins’ funeral.

Sumlin sold a mix of fentanyl and heroin to Dobbins on March 28, 2015. Sumlin mixed fentanyl – which is far more powerful – with heroin but did not tell his customers. The fentanyl he obtained originally came from China, according to court documents and trial testimony.

Akron police detectives found more than 220 grams of fentanyl at Sumlin’s home when he was arrested. He continued to sell drugs after Dobbins died and while he was out on bond facing state criminal charges, according to court documents and trial testimony.

“This defendant is responsible for the death of a young woman in Akron after he sold her fentanyl that came from China,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “We will prosecute cases that target this epidemic from all fronts, whether it’s doctors irresponsibly overprescribing, dealers profiting off the misery of their neighbors, or suppliers shipping drugs around the globe.”

“Sumlin’s drug trafficking caused a fatal overdose that will forever affect the Akron community," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy Plancon. "The men and women of DEA along with our law enforcement partners are committed to improving the communities we love and live in, and never give up on our efforts to put the most heinous drug dealers in jail.”

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott Morrison. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Akron Police Department and the Fairlawn Police Department.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions today announced the unsealing of a 43-count indictment in federal court in Cleveland, which charges two Chinese citizens with operating a conspiracy that manufactured and shipped deadly fentanyl analogues and 250 other drugs to at least 25 countries and 37 states.  The indictment also alleges the drugs sold by the group directly led to the fatal overdoses of two people in Akron, Ohio.

Fujing Zheng, aka Gordon Jin, 35, and his father Guanghua Zheng, 62, both of whom reside in Shanghai, China, are charged with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to import controlled substances into the United States, operating a continued criminal enterprise, money laundering and other crimes. The charges carry a potential sentence of life imprisonment because the drugs involved resulted in death, and the defendants’ conduct qualifies for an enhancement under the kingpin statute.

The indictment was announced by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman for the Northern District of Ohio, Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Special Agent in Charge Timothy Plancon of DEA’s Detroit Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Steve Francis of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for Michigan and Ohio and Special Agent in Charge Ryan Korner of IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Cincinnati Field Office.

“Fentanyl and its analogues are the number one killer drug in America today, and most of them come from China,” said Attorney General Sessions.  “That’s why the Department of Justice under President Donald Trump has taken historic new steps against the threat of Chinese fentanyl. In October, we announced the first-ever indictments of Chinese nationals for fentanyl trafficking; 32 defendants have been charged in those cases. Today we are announcing an indictment of the leaders of the Zheng drug trafficking organization based in China, who the indictment alleges sold drugs that have killed at least two Ohioans. I want to thank U.S. Attorney Herdman and his fabulous Assistant U.S. Attorneys, our Criminal Division, DEA, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our Postal Inspectors for all of their hard work on this case. By cutting off fentanyl and its analogues at the source, we can save American lives.”

“As detailed in this indictment, the trail from at least two dead bodies in Akron, Ohio, leads to the Zhengs,” said U.S. Attorney Herdman. “This group has shipped deadly fentanyl analogues and other drugs around the globe for a decade. Law enforcement will follow the evidence wherever it leads, including overseas, to stop the flow of drugs that have caused so much heartbreak and destruction in Ohio.”

“DEA will relentlessly pursue anyone shipping deadly fentanyl analogues to the United States wherever they may be and bring them to justice,” said DEA Acting Administrator Dhillon.  “These Chinese drug traffickers are directly responsible for the deaths of U.S. citizens and we will hold them accountable in a U.S. court of law.”

“This case clearly shows that our collaborative efforts with law enforcement at every level continue to have an impact,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Francis.  “These efforts exhibit the combined resources of American law enforcement agencies’ resolve to ending this deadly epidemic.”

“Today’s indictments, which include charges related to the defendants’ smuggling drug profits in and out of the United States, are a victory for the American public and a defeat to drug traffickers everywhere,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Korner.  “The special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation continue in their mission to disrupt the flow of ill-gotten gains that are the life-blood for these criminals.” 

According to the indictment: The Zhengs and others used numerous companies, including Global United Biotechnology, Golden Chemicals, Golden RC, Cambridge Chemicals, Wonda Science, and others, to manufacture and distribute hundreds of controlled substances, including fentanyl analogues such as carfentanil, acetyl fentanyl, furanyl fentanyl, and others. They created and maintained numerous websites to advertise and sell illegal drugs in more than 35 languages.

From 2008 to the present, the Zheng drug trafficking organization (Zheng DTO) engaged in this conspiracy from its base of operations in Shanghai. The organization claimed to ship “over 16 tonnes of chemicals every month” from its “own laboratory” and to “synthesize nearly any chemical on a bespoke basis in any quantity.”

The Zheng DTO touted its ability to create custom-ordered drugs and avoid detection from customs and law enforcement when shipping the drugs. The Zheng DTO explained in emails and online that it had “special ways” to “go through customs safely” in “USA, Russia, Europe,” and other locations around the world.  If customs still managed to seize the parcels, the DTO promised it would “re-ship free.”

The Zheng DTO used co-conspirators in other countries, including the United States, to receive, repackage, and redistribute the drug shipments, thereby hiding their Chinese origin. For example, it used companies run by Massachusetts-based co-conspirator Bin Wang to smuggle drugs past customs agents in China and the United States. Wang then shipped the drugs to customers across the country.

Wang has pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 13.

The Zheng DTO has sent millions of lethal doses of fentanyl analogues and other drugs linked to overdoses in the United States and around the world.

On Feb. 15, 2015, Akron, Ohio resident, Leroy Steele, emailed the Zheng DTO saying he “would like to purchase Acetyl fentanyl.” The Zheng DTO explained in its correspondence with Steele that it was “a professional acetyl fentanyl manufacturer in China” and that “a lot of U.S. and Europe customers purchase largely from us monthly.”  The acetyl fentanyl that the Zheng DTO distributed to Steele resulted in the overdose deaths in Ohio of Thomas Rauh, 37, and Carrie Dobbins, 23, on or about March 21 and 28, 2015.

Steele was subsequently convicted of drug offenses and is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.

Despite the deadly consequences of its actions, the Zheng DTO continued manufacturing and distributing drugs. In 2015, it advertised that it delivered “to all 50 USA states” and “worldwide to Australia, Europe, Asia and Africa.”

When China would ban a synthetic narcotic, the Zheng DTO would use its chemical expertise to create an analogue of the drug with a slightly different chemical structure but the same or even more potent effect. In this manner, the DTO entirely bypassed China’s restrictions on international narcotics sales. 

Last month, the Zheng DTO agreed to manufacture adulterated cancer medication, creating counterfeit pills that replaced the active cancer-fighting ingredient with dangerous synthetic drugs. It also created and shipped counterfeit Adderall pills that were adulterated with deadly bath salts.

The Zheng DTO laundered its drug proceeds by using digital currency such as Bitcoin, transmitted drug proceeds into and out of bank accounts in China and Hong Kong, and bypassed currency restrictions and reporting requirements.

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 DEA, HSI, and IRS-CI. The following agencies assisted in the investigation: U.S. Postal Inspection Service, FBI, Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force, Special Operations Division, the Medway Drug Task Force, Akron Police Department, federal law enforcement on assignment at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and federal law enforcement in the following districts: District of Massachusetts, Middle District of Florida, District of Colorado, District of Missouri, District of Minnesota and Western District of Texas. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance.  The Chinese Ministry of Public Security provided assistance during the course of the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Cronin of the Northern District of Ohio and Justice Department Criminal Division Trial Attorneys Adrienne Rose of the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Deputy Unit Chief Stephen Sola of the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, are prosecuting the case.

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.

Today, the Department of Justice, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced several arrests, charges and guilty pleas as a result of “Operation Darkness Falls,” a joint operation targeting people and organizations that sell fentanyl and other drugs over the dark net.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions was joined by U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Justin Herdman and other Justice Department officials in Cleveland today to make the announcement, which included, at the time of their arrest in April, the most prolific dark net fentanyl vendor in the United States and the fourth most prolific in the world—MH4Life.

Making the announcement, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said, “Today’s announcements are a warning to every trafficker, every crooked doctor or pharmacist, and every drug company, every chairman and foreign national and company that puts greed before the lives and health of the American people: this Justice Department will use civil and criminal penalties alike and we will find you, put you in jail, or make you pay.”

“The mechanics of drug dealing has changed, and law enforcement has changed with it,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “These cases demonstrate that those who think they are hiding behind a cloak of anonymity on the dark net will be uncovered and brought to justice for selling the drugs killing our friends and neighbors.”

According to court documents, MH4Life—Matthew Roberts and Holly Roberts, both 35 and of San Antonio—were charged earlier this year with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and other crimes.

The Roberts’ created and operated several dark net marketplace accounts, including MH4LIFE, TRAPPEDINTIME, FASTFORWARD and MRHIGH4LIFE. They operated these accounts on dark net marketplace websites including Dream Market, Silk Road, AlphaBay, Darknet Heroes League, Nucleus and several others.

They used these accounts between 2011 and May 12, 2018 to possess and distribute fentanyl, MethoxyAcetylFentanyl (MAF), other fentanyl analogues, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, LSD, marijuana, Xanax, Oxycodone and other drugs.

The Roberts’ MH4LIFE vendor account on Dream Market had 2,800 verified transactions with a 4.89/5 rating as of May 2018. Dream listed that MH4LIFE had 500 verified transactions on the Agora marketplace and 719 transactions on the Nucleus marketplace. The only products listed for sale by MH4LIFE were illegal narcotics.

MH4LIFE had the highest number of verified transactions worldwide of any fentanyl vendor based upon a review of Dream Market.

The Roberts’ used private messaging, encryption software, Virtual Private Networks and proxies through the TOR network to provide security for the criminal organization. They used decoys, such as glow bracelets and other mundane items, to hide the fact they were mailing narcotics. They also purchased postage from third parties with cryptocurrency in an effort to conceal their activities.

Customers used digital currency to purchase narcotics, which the defendants sent to digital currency exchangers, where the funds were converted into official fiat currency and spent on person goods and services, as well as prepaid Visa and gift cards.

Their criminal case, filed in U.S. District Court in Cleveland, is pending.

Other cases charged as part of Operation “Darkness Falls” include: DF44: Robert Kiessling was the third-largest fentanyl vendor in North America as of early this year, based on number of sales. Kiessling was arrested in coordination with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Canada. A search of his residence uncovered fentanyl and other narcotics tied to the dark net scheme. He was released on bond in Canada and committed suicide. 

The Source, BonnieNClyde: Nick Powell is charged with being a Xanax distributor and dark net money launderer.  Powell was arrested and agents seized $438,000 in Bitcoin. He has been charged in federal court in Cleveland with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. The case is pending. 

Dark King 22: Antoin Austin, of Euclid, recently pleaded guilty to operating a dark net fentanyl business from an apartment cohabitated with children and within a short distance from an elementary school. He is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 5.

MotleyFool: James Halpin recently pleaded guilty to his role as a national dark net fentanyl vendor. 

Panachecak: Ryan Kluth recently pleaded guilty to crimes involving fentanyl and child pornography via the dark net. His plea agreement calls for a sentence of approximately 10 years in prison.

“HSI and our partners are proud to be at the tip of the spear combating illicit activities and financial crimes on the dark net,” said Steve Francis, special agent in charge of HSI for Michigan and Ohio. “Criminals groups who continue to peddle their illegal contraband via the dark net are increasingly learning that they do not escape the reach of law enforcement.”

“Postal Inspectors and their law enforcement partners will spare no resource or expense to shine a light on the sale and distribution of illicit and dangerous items on the dark net, that serve to destroy the lives of many through addiction and despair,” said Postal Inspector in Charge Tommy Coke.  “Our law enforcement partnership and operation sends a strong message to those who choose this illegal path, we are watching and will bring you to justice for your crimes against the American public.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony said: “Criminals who think they can use the dark net and cryptocurrencies to hide their actions are wrong, we will continue to work with, and leverage the capabilities of, our partner agencies. The FBI is proud to have partnered with Postal Inspection, HSI and others to identify and disrupt this criminal organization.”

These cases are the result of a joint investigation involving Homeland Security Investigations, U.S Postal Inspection Service, the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations. Federal agents around the country, including in the Western District of Texas, Western District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Florida and elsewhere, have assisted in the ongoing operation.

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Cronin and Daniel J. Riedl.

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

The Justice Department filed a complaint to bar two Ohio doctors from prescribing medications after an investigation revealed they recklessly and unnecessarily distributed painkillers and other drugs. Temporary restraining orders—a first-of-its-kind against doctors allegedly prescribing opioids illegally under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA)—were served this week that forbid Michael P. Tricaso, D.O., of Akron, and Gregory J. Gerber, M.D., of Sandusky, from writing prescriptions.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions was joined by U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Justin Herdman and other Justice Department officials in Cleveland today to make the announcement.

On March 19, 2018, President Trump announced the Initiative to Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand. The initiative seeks to “reduce the over-prescription of opioids which has the potential to lead Americans down a path to addiction or facilitate diversion to illicit use.”

Pursuant to the President’s Initiative and as part of the goal to reduce opioid over-prescription, the Justice Department’s Prescription Interdiction & Litigation (PIL) Task Force aggressively deploys and coordinates all available criminal and civil law enforcement tools to reverse the tide of opioid overdoses in the United States.

As a result of the PIL Task Force’s efforts, Attorney General Sessions’ announcement of the temporary restraining orders for Triasco and Geber mark the first ever civil injunctions under the CSA against doctors who allegedly prescribed opioids illegally.

Making the announcement, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said, “Today’s announcements are a warning to every trafficker, every crooked doctor or pharmacist, and every drug company, every chairman and foreign national and company that puts greed before the lives and health of the American people: this Justice Department will use civil and criminal penalties alike and we will find you, put you in jail, or make you pay.”

 “These doctors were simply drug dealers in white lab coats,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “They illegally prescribed painkillers and other drugs for no legitimate medical purpose. Putting so-called physicians like these out of business is one of several steps we are taking to turn the tide on the opioid and drug crisis that has caused so much death and heartbreak in our community.”

“The physicians in this investigation were nothing short of automatic prescription machines to anyone who solicited,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy Plancon. “Their reckless actions and corruption has had a tremendous affect in opioid addiction that is plaguing America. Agents are working in communities affected by the opioid epidemic and the DEA’s upmost priority, is arresting and dismantling the largest opioid traffickers, such as Tricaso and Gerber. We will not stop until illegal trafficking of prescription pills and other harmful drugs are out of Northern Ohio and off the streets of America.”

“Excessive prescribing and reckless distribution of opioids and other drugs have harmed our communities and fueled the public health crisis we are currently dealing with,” said Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. “At the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, we are committed to protecting Ohio families and collaborating with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who ignore the law, put people at risk, and contribute to this crisis are held accountable for their actions.”

According to documents filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Tricaso operates the Better Living Clinic, currently located at 1236 Weathervane Lane, Suite 300, in Akron. He promotes the Better Living Clinic at gyms across Northeast Ohio and also serves as the “gym doctor” at a gym in Painesville.

In May 2016, Tricaso met a confidential source (CS1), who was working for the DEA, at a gym. Tricaso sold CS1 steroids and other controlled substances numerous times this year.

CS1 met Tricaso at a hotel parking lot on June 26, 2018, where CS1 asked Tricaso for a prescription of the opioid Vicodin. Tricaso declined because he does not “like writing scripts,” but offered to provide CS1 with Percocet without a prescription. According to court documents, Triasco told CS1, “It’s easier for me to get them for you, than to write a script, ‘cause it gets traced, you know? So, how many would you want? I mean, I can get them for like five bucks apiece…I can probably get like 50 to 100 of them…”

Tricaso later texted to CS1 that he could sell him 50 Percocet pills for $500 and write a prescription for 20 Percocet, which Tricaso described as an “under the radar amount and won’t be a red flag.”

On July 2, Tricaso met CS1 in the hotel parking lot, where Tricaso sold 50 Percocet for $500 and wrote CS1 a prescription for 20 Percocet.

On July 18, Tricaso and CS1 met again in the hotel parking lot, where Tricaso sold CS1 100 Percocet for $1,000.

Tricaso is alleged to have violated the CSA.

Gerber operated Gregory J. Gerber, M.D. LLC  from 2819 Hayes Avenue, Suite 4 in Sandusky. Gerber received $175,000 between 2013 and 2016 from Insys Therapeutics, Inc. to promote Subsys, a liquid formulation of fentanyl applied under the tongue a spray used to treat cancer-related pain. These payments violate the False Claims Act prohibition against kickbacks, according to the complaint.

Gerber in October 2017 began seeing an undercover agent. The undercover agent did not complain of pain during each of their six visits with Gerber and received a minimal medical examination, but each time Gerber prescribed controlled substances for the undercover agent, including Oxycodone, Dronabinol and alprazolam.

Gerber is alleged to have violated the CSA and the False Claims Act.

Both investigations are ongoing.

“These doctors pledged an oath dedicating their lives to treating patients but instead they traded that commitment for the pursuit of ill-gotten profits through the fraudulent prescribing of opioids,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony. “This case should serve as a warning to other physicians of the perils of engaging in such activities, law enforcement will continue collaborative efforts to hold individuals accountable.”

“We rely on doctors to be part of the solution to the opioid epidemic -- not part of the problem,” said Special Agent in Charge Lamont Pugh of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “We will continue our aggressive efforts to protect patients and taxpayers from physicians who abuse their position in order to enrich themselves.”​

“The State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy is committed to protecting Ohio patients from criminal prescribing practices,” said Executive Director Steven Schierholt. “I applaud the coordinated efforts at the local, state, and federal level. By enforcing state and federal regulations, these criminal prescribers can be stopped.”

These cases were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the Ohio Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy, the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, the State Medical Board of Ohio, the PIL Task Force, and the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Consumer Protection Branch.

These cases are being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Fitzgerald, Margaret Sweeney, Matthew Cronin, Angelita Cruz Bridges, Gene Crawford, and Chelsea Rice.

If people have information about their interactions with Dr. Gerber, they are encouraged to call  419-254-2803.

A Dayton man was indicted in federal court after making threats over social media to kill people.

Jason Davon Stovall, 38, was indicted on four counts of making threats over interstate communications.

Stovall made numerous posts to the Ohio Lottery Commission’s Facebook page between June 28 and July 7 in which he threatened to kill people, according to court documents.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Deckert following an investigation by the FBI and Ohio State Highway Patrol.

If convicted, the defendant’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.

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.

Two Cleveland men were indicted on federal firearms charges, U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said.

Deyonte Barnes, 26, and Rockie Samuel Chandler, III, 24, were both indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition.

Barnes possessed a Charter Arms, .38 special revolver, and ammunition and June 26.  Barnes has prior convictions for robbery and burglary that prohibit him from having firearms or ammunition, according to the indictment. 

Chandler possessed a Glock, .40 caliber pistol, and ammunition on June 27.  Chandler has prior convictions for aggravated robbery and drug trafficking that prohibit him from having firearms or ammunition, according to the indictment. 

Their cases are otherwise unrelated.

Both cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle K. Angeli following investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Cleveland Police Department.

If convicted, the defendant’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.

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.

Eight people were indicted in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to create a methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking supply chain from Mexico to Northeast Ohio.

Named in the 13-count indictment are: Jesus Cota Medina, 26, of Mexico; Deon Johnson, 48, of Cleveland; Michelle Dailey, 44, of Cleveland; Shauheen Sohrabi, 32, of Akron; Joseph Terlizzi, 28, of Bedford; Tyrone Rogers, 36, of Maple Heights; Hector Manuel Ramos-Nevarez, 26, of Mexico, and Gilbert Treviso-Garcia, 24, of Mexico.

All eight are charged with conspiracy to manufacture and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Terlizzi is additionally charged with possessing a firearm in relation to drug trafficking and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Ramos-Nevarez and Treviso-Garcia are charged with interstate travel in aid of racketeering.

“Member of this group traveled from Ohio to Mexico to set up a drug supply chain and then actively plotted a murder when they believed someone robbed from them,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “This case demonstrates that the threat posed by Mexican criminal organizations to our region is very real,”

“This indictment are yet another example of the prevalence of drugs and the demand for drugs in the Cleveland area and surrounding communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy Plancon. “The DEA continues our efforts to target drug traffickers.”

Johnson, while incarcerated, organized and orchestrated a plan to distribute methamphetamine in Ohio. Co-conspirators Dailey and Rogers traveled from Ohio to Mexico for the purpose of creating a drug trafficking chain of supply, organized by Johnson and Cota-Medina, according to the indictment.

Johnson, Rogers, Terlizzi and others arranged, through Sohrabi, to use a warehouse located on Old Eight Road in Boston Heights to the purpose of making crystal methamphetamine and preparing it for sale, according to the indictment.

The conspirators intended to sell enough methamphetamine to eventually begin to buy and ship large amounts of cocaine into Ohio, according to the indictment.

Dailey and Rogers traveled from Cleveland to Tucson in January 2018, then crossed into Mexico. They met with Cota-Medina on Jan. 12, and Johnson and Cota-Medina talked by phone about drug shipments to Ohio, according to the indictment.

Rogers began sending money to Cota-Medina. Ramos-Nevarez and Treviso-Garcia entered the United States on visitors’ visas in March 2018. Rogers met them in Ohio on March 21 while in regular contact with Cota-Medina and Johnson, according to the indictment.

Terlizzi talked to Rogers on March 22 about ordering a quantity of drugs. They agreed to meet and Rogers went to Terlizzi’s house on West 23rd Street in Cleveland.

On March 23, Rogers picked up Ramos-Nevarez and Treviso-Garcia from the Boston Heights warehouse and drove them to where they were staying in Aurora. The next day, law enforcement did a delayed-notice search at the warehouse and a large amount of methamphetamine as well as tools and paraphernalia used to cook the drug, according to the indictment.

Approximately eight hours later, Sohrabi called Rogers and informed him that it appeared someone broke into the warehouse. Rogers stated: “Somebody gotta die. I don’t give a (expletive) who gotta die. Somebody gotta die,” according to the indictment.

In subsequent calls, Cota-Medina, Rogers and Johnson discussed how they believed Sohrabi stole the drugs. Johnson told Rogers: “The call is made, he’s (Sohrabi) through,” according to the indictment.

Law enforcement eventually seized a total of more than 140 pounds of methamphetamine from the warehouse. It is believed to be the largest seizure of methamphetamine in Ohio history.

Terlizzi was arrested on March 26 and found to have cocaine, heroin and two firearms that he used in relation to drug trafficking. Terlizzi was prohibited from having the Ruger .380mm pistol and Smith & Wesson revolver because of a prior conviction for drug trafficking, according to the indictment.

This case was is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation led by the Cleveland DEA Task Force, which includes representatives from the Lake County Narcotics Agency, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Euclid Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Boston Heights Police Department, Cleveland Heights Police Department, Cleveland Division of Police, Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio BCI and U.S. Border Patrol.

It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa T. Darden.

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 violations.  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 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.

A Youngstown man was indicted for using a firearm and drug house to distribute marijuana, crack cocaine and other drugs.

Rafael Samaniego, 26, was indicted on one count each of maintaining a drug involved premises, possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, possession of firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime and being felon in possession of firearm/ammunition.    

Samaniego distributed marijuana beginning in April 2018. He also maintained a place on West Marion Avenue in Youngstown for distributing marijuana, crack cocaine and other drugs, according to the indictment.

Samanigo on April 11 possessed a Taurus .40-caliber pistol in relation to his drug trafficking. He was also prohibited from having a firearm because of a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, according to the indictment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. States Attorney David M. Toepfer following an investigation by the Youngstown Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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 violations.  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.

United States Attorney Justin E. Herdman issued the following statement on the Justice Department and DEA's proposal to reduce the manufacturing quotas for opioids:

"The efforts announced by the Justice Department will restrict the supply of opioids on the front end of the overdose crisis. We have seen the death and destruction that can result from addiction. Our communities in Northern Ohio will be better off now and in the future thanks to this critical step."

Three people were indicted in federal court for drug trafficking in Lorain County, the latest charges in a coordinated, cooperative law enforcement effort targeting opioid distribution there.

Indicted are Doyal Cannon, 33, of Elyria, Aaron Matthews, 35, of Lorain, and Ramon Collins, 36, of Cleveland.

Cannon was indicted on charges of possession with the intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine, as well as firearms charges. 

Cannon on June 13 had more than two grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin and seven grams of cocaine.

He also had a Glock .40-caliber handgun and ammunition, despite prior convictions that made it illegal for him to have a firearm, including cocaine trafficking, being a felon in possession of a firearm and other crimes. Cannon was on supervised release from a previous federal firearm conviction on June 13, according to court documents.  

Matthews was indicted on 11 counts related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, 3-Methylfentanyl and/or cocaine, as well as two firearms counts.

Matthews possessed a Kel-Tec 9 mm Luger pistol and ammunition on Dec. 13, 2017, in relation to his drug trafficking activities. It was also illegal for Matthews to have a firearm because of his prior drug and firearms convictions, according to court documents.

Collins was indicted on charges of distribution of fentanyl and distribution of heroin and fentanyl.

Collins on July 17 possessed nearly seven grams of femtanyl. Four days later, he possessed nearly 29 grams of a mixture of been heroin and fentanyl, according to court documents. 

“These indictments, along with our activities of the past month, should make it clear that Lorain County is closed for business when it comes to drug trafficking,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “Many of these defendants are dangerous because they illegally have firearms while selling opioids and other drugs that have caused so much death and destruction in our community. All of our law enforcement partners are working together to stem the flow of these drugs into our neighborhoods – if you sell opioids in Lorain County, you are facing federal prison time.”

Elyria Police Chief Duane Whitely said: “The Elyria Police Department is grateful for the outstanding working relationship we share with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  Officers from our department investigated several drug complaints and were able to build a case and arrest several drug dealers.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office took the cases and received indictments on all of them. I look forward to working together to take many more drug dealers off the streets of Elyria.”

Operation S.O.S. was announced last month by Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman. Since then, numerous individuals have been charged or indicted in federal court. Among them:

Kenneth Ward has been charged in a multiple count indictment with various drug distribution counts, including the sale of heroin, fentanyl and cocaine.

Christopher Robinson Jr.: has been indicted in a multiple count indictment with various drug distribution counts, including the sale of heroin and fentanyl.

Dennis A. Smith has been indicted on multiple counts of drug distribution, including the sale of heroin and fentanyl.

Ronald Johnson Jr. has been indicted for distributing heroin.

Dwayne Taylor has been charged with distribution of heroin and fentanyl.  At the time of Taylor’s arrest he possessed a firearm and ammunition.

Christopher D. Chapman has been indicted on charges of distribution of N-Methyl Norfentanyl  and cocaine.

Todd Colema has been charged with distribution of cocaine and fentanyl.

These cases are being prosecuted by the Elyria Police Department, DEA, Lorain County Drug Task Force, Lorain County HIDTA, Lorain Police Department and FBI. They are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert F. Corts and Vasile Katsaros.

If convicted, the defendant’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.

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

A Stow man was indicted for on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Jusean Foster, 30, possessed at least 50 grams of methamphetamine on June 5, according to the indictment.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer following an investigation by the Portage County Drug Task Force, the Portage County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

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 violations.  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.

Three people were indicted in federal court for firearms crimes.

Indicted are: Shane Carabello, 31, of Cleveland; Dashaun Martin, 31, of Cleveland, and Carl Hundley, Jr., 45, of Akron.

Caraballo was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition and one count of possession of cocaine. Caraballo on May 23 had cocaine and 35 rounds of .25-caliber ammunition, despite previous convictions for felonious assault with a firearms specification, having weapons under disability, attempted robbery, felonious assault and discharge of a firearm near prohibited premises, according to the indictment.

Martin was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He possessed a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber pistol and six rounds of ammunition on June 21, despite three prior convictions for drug trafficking, according to the indictment.

Hundley was charged with a being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and possession of a stolen firearm. Hundley had a stolen Ruger LC9 pistol and stolen ammunition on April 10. He was prohibited from having a firearm due to previous convictions for heroin trafficking and trafficking marijuana and heroin, according to the indictment.

If convicted, the defendant’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.  

The Carabello and Martin cases were investigated by the ATF and Cleveland Division of Police and are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Kane. The Hundley case was investigated by the FBI, Akron Police Department, and ATF, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Katz.

These cases are being prosecuted as part of "Project Safe Neighborhoods," a gun violence reduction program administered by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio.  The program targets armed criminals for federal prosecution. 

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  The burden of proof is always on the government to prove a defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.