Northern District of Ohio

A Cleveland man was indicted in federal court on charges that he sold heroin that caused at least two overdoses in Wooster, law enforcement officials said.

 

Demetrius L. Frizzell, 30, was indicted on six counts: two counts of distribution of heroin, one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, one count of obstruction of justice and two counts of witness tampering. The heroin distribution charges come with a sentencing enhancement for selling heroin that caused serious bodily injury to individuals on or about Oct. 29 and Nov. 3, 2016.

 

If convicted on those counts, the sentences could carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison.

 

Wooster police learned about a heroin overdose victim who on Nov. 3 was brought to an emergency room unresponsive and appeared to be deceased. He was revived after emergency-room staff administered 12 doses of Narcan. Investigators traced the sale of heroin to Frizzell, according to court documents.

 

Frizzell also sold heroin on Oct. 29 that resulted in an overdose, according to court documents.

 

Frizzell, while in custody, called overdose victims and instructed them to change their statements to police, according to court documents.

 

“Heroin has caused an unprecedented wave of death, pain and destruction in Ohio,” U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon said. “No corner of the state is immune. Only though aggressive law enforcement -- combined with education and prevention efforts, changes in prescribing practices and making treatment available to those who want help -- can we turn the tide on the opioid epidemic.”

 

DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy Plancon stated: “Overdoses and overdose deaths related to heroin have become an epidemic across the country and Ohio has been hit particularly hard by this problem. Identifying and bringing to justice those individuals that distribute illegal drugs that result in an overdose, is one of DEA’s top priorities.”

 

MEDWAY Director Donald Hall said: “The MEDWAY Drug Enforcement Agency will continue to collaborate and work closely with our federal partners to hold people accountable for their actions who are involved in trafficking drugs in our communities.”

 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the MEDWAY Drug Enforcement Agency, the Wooster Police Department and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Teresa Riley.

 

The investigation is ongoing.

 

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences 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.

A Youngstown convenience store owner was sentenced to nearly three years in prison for nearly $2.8 million in food stamp fraud, including paying cash for food stamps and accepting them for prohibited items, including alcohol and tobacco, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon and USDA-OIG Special Agent in Charge Anthony V. Mohatt.

 

George Rafidi, 62, was sentenced to 33 months in prison. That sentence will be served after he completes a 94-month prison sentenced for using a firearm to assault federal agents. Rafidi was convicted of that crime following a jury trial in which evidence showed he brandished a firearm to federal agents executing a search warrant at Rafidi’s home in Warren as part of the fraud investigation.

 

“This case sends a message that we will not tolerate the criminal abuse of a system designed to help the most vulnerable in our society meet their most basic needs,” Rendon said.

 

"SNAP is the largest program in the domestic hunger safety net, and retailers who prey on the poor by illegally purchasing SNAP benefits erode public trust in the program,” Mohatt said. “As we conduct investigations throughout the State of Ohio, we appreciate the support of our federal and state law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney's Office's long-term commitment to prosecuting SNAP fraud."

 

Rafidi operated the former Breaden Market since 2010. USDA began investigating the store after audits revealed the store redeemed more than 10 times as much in benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- formerly known as food stamps -- as much larger stores in the area, according to court documents and testimony.

 

Agents learned Rafidi exchanged food stamps for cash and allowed food stamps to be used to purchase prohibited items such as alcohol and tobacco. On some occasions, agents observed people lined up outside the door to exchange food stamps for case, according to court documents and testimony.

 

Rafidi was also ordered to pay nearly $2.8 million in restitution and forfeited more than $23,000 in cash.

 

A store clerk and 29 food stamp recipients, who each received at least $5,000 in cash, were also prosecuted.

 

This case was being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David M. Toepfer and Benedict S. Gullo following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General.

 

A Wisconsin man will be sentenced later this year after admitting to falsely claiming he was a Navy SEAL wounded four times in Vietnam, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Kenneth E. Jozwiak, 67, of Kenosha, Wisconsin, is scheduled to be sentenced May 18 after pleading guilty to unlawfully exhibiting a military discharge certificate, theft of government money, making false statements to federal agents, and attempting to obstruct an official proceeding.

“This defendant’s lies about his service are an affront to those who saw combat and those wounded fighting on behalf of our nation,” Rendon said. “This defendant did neither, and falsely inflated his service record in an effort to get additional benefits.”

“This case reflects the VA OIG’s commitment to vigorously pursue those individuals that falsify military service records and defraud the VA,” said Gavin McClaren, Resident Agent in Charge of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Cleveland office.

Jozwiak exhibited a military discharge certificate in 2014 that claimed, in part, that he was a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran, that he was a four-time recipient of the Purple Heart, and that he was a Navy SEAL -- all entries Jozwiak knew were totally false, according to court documents.

Additionally, Jozwiak defrauded the Department of Veterans Affairs of $2,289 through veteran’s entitlements he received between August and December 2014. In January 2015, Jozwiak made several false statements to federal agents about his fraudulent activities and his military service, and that he attempted to obstruct an official proceeding by tampering with a material witness, according to court documents.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benedict S. Gullo. The case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General—Criminal Investigative Division.

Two men from Mahoning County were charged in federal court with illegally importing anabolic steroids from China, U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon said.

 

James A. Cleeland, 50, of Berlin Center, and Christopher M. Stanec, aka Michael Stanec, aka Mark Conner, 40, of Canfield, were charged in a one-count information with conspiracy to import and distribute steroids.

 

Cleeland and Conner conspired with other people to import and to possess with intent to distribute 298.3 grams or more of anabolic steroids. This took place in 2013, according to the information.

 

It was part of the conspiracy that Stanec and Cleeland imported anabolic steroids from sources located in China. It was further part of the conspiracy that Stanec agreed to receive the anabolic steroids from China and then provide them to Cleeland, according to the information.

 

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentences will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

 

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Katz.

 

An information 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 from Northeast Ohio were indicted for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute powder and crack cocaine on the East Side of Cleveland, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.

 

Named in the 23-count indictment are: Calvin Gore, 34; Ronald Park, 49; Ronnie Townsend, Jr., 41; Million Wheeler, 43; Derrick Rivers, 36; Freddie Love, 45; Terry Gardner, 29, and Laverne Rucker, 56. All the defendants are from Cleveland except Love, who lives in Euclid.

 

Gore obtained multiple-ounce quantities of cocaine from Parks and Wheeler. Gore then distributed the cocaine to dealers in Cleveland, including Townsend, Rivers, Love, Gardner and Rucker, according to the indictment.

 

Gore used the residence at 14329 Benwood Avenue in Cleveland to storing and distributing the cocaine, according to the indictment.

 

Prosecutors are seeking to forfeit $13,308 in cash seized during the investigation, as well as two firearms, ammunition and a 2006 Lexus.

 

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after review of the factors unique to this case, including the defendants’ prior criminal records, their roles in the offense and the characteristics of the criminal conduct. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vasile C. Katsaros and Phillip J. Tripi following an investigation by the Northern Ohio Law Enforcement Task Force. The NOLETF is a task force comprised of investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cleveland Division of Police, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Customs and Border Patrol, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Ohio Adult Parole Authority and the police departments of Euclid, Lakewood, the Regional Transit Authority, Westlake and Moreland Hills. The NOLETF is also one of the initial Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area initiatives, which supports and helps coordinate numerous Ohio drug task forces in their efforts to eliminate or reduce drug trafficking in Ohio.

 

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 the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

A Cleveland man pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl that killed a woman, U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon said.

Robert J. Johnson, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of fentanyl. The charges stem from sales of fentanyl that took place on Aug. 25 and 27, 2015. The Aug. 25 sale resulted in the death of a woman, according to court documents.

“Fentanyl abuse has caused on unprecedented wave of overdose deaths in our community,” Rendon said. “The only way we can stem this tide is with a comprehensive approach focused on prevention, treatment, prescribing practices and enforcement. And on the enforcement side, we will continue to aggressively prosecute those who continue to peddle this poison in our community.”

Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced June 1.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vasile Katsaros and Matthew J. Cronin following an investigation by the Cleveland Division of Police, with assistance from the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office.

A nine-count indictment was filed charging a Brunswick couple with failing to make payments to support the pension and benefits fund of its employees and then obstructing the subsequent investigation, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

 

Eric Dentz and Rebecca Dentz, both 39, are charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice, tampering with evidence, making false statements to federal agents, and failure to file taxes.

 

The Dentzs are former owners of Dentz Painting Incorporated (DPI), a company engaged in a collective bargaining agreement with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. Through that agreement, DPI was obligated to hire union laborers and to pay over contributions to the union’s pension and benefits funds for the benefit of their employees, according to the indictment.

 

Audits conducted by the union found that DPI failed to pay over $148,000 in contributions to the union’s funds. Eric and Rebecca Dentz, and their company DPI, agreed in 2010 to make the delinquent contributions to the union’s funds. However, instead of honoring their commitment, they discontinued working through DPI and started a new company, Global Contracting Service (Global), according to the indictment.

 

Despite this name change, Eric and Rebecca Dentz were still bound by the terms of the CBA. As a result of their failure to make required payments to the union’s funds, agents and investigators with the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General and the Employee Benefits Security Administration, began an investigation into Eric and Rebecca Dentz, DPI and Global. This investigation was later joined by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.

 

Eric and Rebecca Dentz repeatedly obstructed the investigation. In particular, after agents attempted to serve subpoenas and obtain documents relevant to the investigation, Eric Dentz threatened them with physical violence. Additionally, Rebecca Dentz repeatedly lied to agents about her and Eric Dentz’s involvement with Global and the location of records responsive to the subpoena, according to the indictment.

During proceedings held before United States District Chief Judge Solomon Oliver, Jr., Eric and Rebecca Dentz continued to obstruct justice by lying about the status and condition of the records. Specifically, the Dentzs lied by stating that the records sought by the grand jury were destroyed in a flood and later supplied agents and the court with a fake cleaning invoice in an attempt to support their false claims. Further investigation revealed that the invoice had been fabricated at Eric and Rebecca Dentz’s request. The Dentzs also obstructed and delayed the investigation by falsely stating that third parties possessed the records sought by the grand jury when those individuals in fact had no such records, according to the indictment.

 

The indictment further alleges that Eric and Rebecca Dentz also repeatedly failed to file income tax returns with the IRS over several years.

 

“These defendants tried time and again to dodge their obligations to their employees,” Rendon said. “When confronted with this, they didn’t own up to their failures, but instead tried to obstruct the investigation.”

 

“As tax filing season is upon us, those Americans who file accurate, honest and timely returns can be assured that the government will hold accountable those who don't," said Troy Stemen, Acting Special Agent in Charge IRS-Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office.

 

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after review of the factors unique to this case, including the defendants’ prior criminal records, their roles in the offense and the characteristics of the criminal conduct. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Om Kakani, following an investigation by the Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.

 

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 the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Arrest warrants were issued for eight people on federal charges of interstate transportation of stolen property and conspiracy, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony, Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Calvin Williams, Chief, Cleveland Division of Police.

 

Adolph Boyd III, 24, Tyron Hicks, 30, and Jerome Goins, 21, were taken into custody by FBI agents and detectives from the Cleveland Police Department’s Gang Impact Unit without incident early this morning.

 

Padra Graves, 35, Delante Hudson-Frost, 22, Dennis McKenzie, 20, and Darnell Foster, 20, were already incarcerated and were transferred into federal custody this morning.

 

Law enforcement is asking the public for information leading to the location of Melvin Swinney, 21.

 

All eight individuals are from the Cleveland area. However, Graves was incarcerated in Columbus and will be transported to the Cleveland area next week.

 

From April to July 2016, members of this conspiracy traveled to nine states on 18 occasions to steal cell phones and other electronic devices by breaking into retail stores and kiosks with pry bars either just prior to closing or after closing. These individuals would then return to Cleveland with the stolen property, according to a criminal complaint unsealed today.

1. the stolen devices were in Cleveland, they would be sold to gas stations or phone stores and then sold either out-of-state or overseas. It is believed the loss and damages amount exceeds $500,000, according to the complaint.

 

These individuals will appear in Judge Greenberg’s court room this afternoon for their initial appearance.

 

Any questions regarding this news release can be directed to SA Vicki D Anderson at the Cleveland Office of the FBI, 216-522-1400 or Vicki.Anderson@ic.fbi.gov.

A Youngstown man was indicted for selling heroin and illegally having firearms, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.

 

James K. Neail, 33, was charged in a five-count indictment with distribution of heroin and with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

 

Neail sold heroin on multiple occasions in September 2016 in the Youngstown area, according to the indictment.

 

Neail possessed a Kel-Tec, model P3AT, .380 caliber pistol and ammunition in September 2015 and possessed a Rohm, model RG38S, .38 caliber revolver and ammunition in October 2015. He did so despite a 2012 federal conviction for conspiracy to commit unlawful conduct relating to RICO, 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 violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

 

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David M. Toepfer and Ranya Elzein.

 

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 Washington man was charged with transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.

Tyrell L. Moss, 33, knowingly transported a child identified as T.C. for the purpose of engaging in prostitution. Moss transported T.C. from Washington state to Beachwood by way of California, Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Illinois, with the intent that T.C. would engage in commercial sex acts, according to the indictment.

This took place between September and October 14, 2016, according to the indictment.

If convicted, the sentence in this case will be determined by the court after consideration of the federal sentencing guidelines which depend upon a number of factors unique to each case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offenses and the unique 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 case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan following an investigation by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI, Cleveland Division of Police, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department, Adult Parole Authority and Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Police, with assistance from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.

 

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 Garfield Heights men were indicted on charges that they used a firearm to rob the Key Bank on Turney Road, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.

 

Levert A. Bates, 54, and Marc A. Montgomery, 50, were both indicted on one count of armed bank robbery and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

 

The men aided and abetted one another in robbing a Key Bank in Garfield Heights on November 30, 2016. robbers stole approximately $55,376 from the bank and brandished a firearm during the robbery, according to the indictment.

 

"The actions of these two individuals brought great fear to the bank employees and customers that day,” Anthony said. “With the community and media's support, law enforcement will continue to work tirelessly to identify individuals that choose to commit such violent actions and ensure they are held accountable. "

 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan R. Miller is prosecuting the case following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Garfield Heights Police Department.

 

If convicted, the court will determine the defendants’ sentences after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendants’ prior criminal records, if any, the defendants’ roles in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum. 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 federal grand jury indicted Andrew Crislip, 33, of Cuyahoga Falls, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and with making a false statement to a licensed firearms dealer during the acquisition of a firearm, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

 

Crislip possessed a .38 caliber Taurus revolver, model 85 Ultra-Lite, and ammunition on Sept. 9, 2016, after having been previously convicted of two misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence in Stow Municipal Court in August 2016. He also knowingly represented on a Federal Firearms Transaction Record on Sept. 3, 2016 that he has never been convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, when in fact, he has been convicted for such a crime, according to the indictment.

 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ranya Elzein.

 

If convicted, the court will determine the defendant’s sentence after a 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.

Two Cleveland residents were charged with defrauding banks out of at least $76,000 by using fake identities, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio

 

Delon Roberson, 25, and Shameka Roberson, 26, were charged with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to defraud Key Bank by depositing closed-account checks into the bank accounts of various individuals recruited into the scheme, and later withdrawing funds under false pretenses, according to the indictment.

 

Delon Roberson used the social media site Facebook to recruit numerous local individuals to open accounts or turn over their bank ATM or debit cards and PINs. Delon Roberson and Shameka Roberson then caused the deposit of at least 138 fraudulent checks totaling more than $159,000 into the bank accounts of the recruited individuals. At least $76,000 was later withdrawn from the accounts through ATM transactions and debit card purchases between May 2015 and April 2016, according to the indictment.

 

Assistant United States Attorney Robert W. Kern is prosecuting this case, following an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

 

If convicted, the court will determine the defendants’ sentence after a 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 violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum. 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 man were indicted for trafficking more than three pounds of fentanyl, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon.

Edward Jewell (aka Rayshawn Williams), 29, and Muhammad Salett, 25, were each indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

The men had approximately 2991 grams of fentanyl in their possession on Jan. 13. The drugs were mailed from Las Vegas to a home on East 53rd Street in Cleveland, according to court documents.

If convicted, the sentence in this case will be determined by the court after consideration of the federal sentencing guidelines which depend upon a number of factors unique to each case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offenses and the unique 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 case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Seabury Gould following an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Cleveland Division of Police and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department.

 

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 Argentinian man was indicted for illegally entering the United States, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

 

Pablo Guzobad-Mendoza, 45, was found to be in Ohio on July 9, 2016, after having been deported from the United States on a previous occasion. Guzobad-Mendoza had previously been convicted of illegal entry into the United States in federal court in Texas and burglary with assault or battery in Miami-Dade County, Florida, according to the indictment.

 

Guzobad-Mendoza is currently serving a term of imprisonment in an Ohio prison on unrelated charges.

 

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency conducted the investigation in conjunction with the Strongsville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin R. Filiatraut.

 

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 grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging a North Lawrence man with violating the Clean Water Act by dumping wastewater into tributaries of the Tuscarawas River, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

 

Adam D. Boylen, 45, was indicted on four counts of violating the Clean Water Act by making unpermitted discharges.

 

“This defendant willingly dumped wastewater into streams, fouling the water and killing aquatic life,” Rendon said. “He put his convenience ahead of the public’s welfare. We remain committed to protecting our environment, and this defendant will now be held accountable for his actions.”

 

“Protecting our water is critical, both for the health and safety of our citizens and our wildlife,” Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said. “We will continue to assist in this case and others like it to protect Ohio.”

 

“Our environmental laws help keep illegal waste out of local waterways and protect clean water and public health,” said John Gauthier, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Ohio. “The illegal discharge in this case killed a substantial number of fish and caused serious damage to critical wildlife habitat. Today’s indictment is the direct result of the strong working relationship that EPA has built with our law enforcement partners at the federal, state, and local levels.”

 

Boylen was a driver employed by an Ohio-based trucking company. Boylen’s job was to load wastewater generated from corporate facilities into a tanker truck and to drive the wastewater to a designated facility located in Pennsylvania for proper disposal. The wastewater contained surfactants capable of killing vegetation and fish, according to court documents.

 

Instead of delivering the wastewater to Pennsylvania, Boylen drove the tanker truck to remote locations in Tuscarawas County and central-eastern Ohio and emptied the wastewater containing surfactants into waters of the United States, according to court documents.

 

Boylen is charged with dumping the wastewater into two different tributaries of the Tuscarawas River, a wetland adjacent to the Tuscarawas River, and the Beach City Reservoir, on numerous occasions between April 18 and May 4, 2016.

 

White foam flowed down tributaries and streams as a result of Boylen’s actions. In one instance, the foam traveled four miles downstream from the location where the tanker truck was emptied. Vegetation was killed at all the locations. Approximately 709 fish were killed in one of the tributaries, and collectively, approximately 3,231 minnows, crayfish, frogs, and tadpoles were killed, according to court documents.

 

If convicted, the sentence in this case will be determined by the court after consideration of the federal sentencing guidelines which depend upon a number of factors unique to each case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offenses and the unique 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 case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benedict S. Gullo and Brad J. Beeson. The case was investigated by the United States and Ohio Environmental Protection Agencies, the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Stark County Sheriff’s Offices, the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Offices, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

 

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 Cleveland man who administered an online group that shared images and videos of toddlers being sexually assaulted pleaded guilty today, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon.

 

Brian Keeling, 34, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison after admitting to charges of advertising, receiving, distributing and possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

 

He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 26.

 

Keeling was the administrator of a group on Kik named “Toddlers” which included 50 members that shared images and videos of young children being raped and sexually assaulted, according to court documents.

 

A search of Keeling’s home at 3438 West 59th Street revealed he had more than 30 movie files and hundreds of images of toddlers being raped and sexually assaulted, according to court documents.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Sullivan following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.

 

A former Summit County councilwoman was convicted of taking cash bribes in exchange for trying to influence court proceedings and investigations, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.

A jury, following a weeklong trial, convicted Tamela Lee on all six counts: conspiracy to commit honest services mail and wire fraud, honest services mail fraud, Hobbs Act conspiracy, violating the Hobbs Act, obstruction of justice and making false statements to law enforcement.

Lee, 58, of Akron, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 26.

“This is a public official who used her office to line her pockets and fill her bank account,” Rendon said. “She violated the public’s trust and will now have to answer for her actions.”

“Ms. Lee must be held accountable for their crimes,” Anthony said. “She was supposed to lawfully represent the people that elected her, but rather, was motivated by her own self interests. The FBI will continue to root out public corruption, whether it is elected officials that violate their oath and the law or citizens that bribe them to do so.”

Lee solicited and accepted things from Omar Abdelqader, including money, loans, campaign contributions, home improvements, home maintenance and consumer goods. These were provided directly by Omar Abdelqader, or through Bi-Rite, according to court documents and testimony.

In return, Lee performed and promised to perform official acts for Omar Abdelqader and other businesses in Akron for which he served as a conduit to Lee. These actions included helping Omar Abdelqader and his designees navigate government bureaucracy, achieve favorable outcomes in judicial and administrative proceedings and obtain streamlined access to information, according to court documents and testimony.

Omar Abdelqader was affiliated with several convenience stores and other businesses in the Akron area, including the Bi-Rite on Diagnonal Road. Abdelrahman. Abdelqader is his brother and Samir Abdelqader is his nephew, according to court documents.

On June 8, 2014, Omar and Samir Abdelqader discussed Samir obtaining a bond regarding criminal charges he was facing. About 40 minutes later, Omar and Lee discussed the councilwoman emailing or calling the judge. On June 12, Lee called Judge 2’s chambers several times. The next day Lee asked Omar for money, and he directed her to the Bi-Rite to collect the money, according to court documents and testimony.

On June 14, 2014, Lee sent a text message to Omar informing him that the judge and bailiff returned her call. She then sent a text message to Omar stating: “I am going to bed, I am angry and frustrated and broke…bye,” according to according to court documents and testimony.

Later that day, Omar instructed Lee to send her daughter to the Bi-Rite to pick up cash. Three days later, Lee spoke to Judge 2 and told the judge she was related to Samir Abdelqader, according to court documents and testimony.

In July 2014, Lee and Omar spoke repeatedly about fundraising for her campaign. Omar told Person 9 that he had collected $800 in donations for Lee. Omar explained the Lee provided service. “In other words, I am keeping her because we need her, man,” Omar told Person 9, who responded: “She is better than an attorney to us!” according to court documents and testimony.

Omar Abdelqader, of North Canton, Abdelrahman Abdelqader, of Canton, and Samir Abdelqader, of Fairlawn, have pleaded guilty to crimes related to this case.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Linda Barr and Adam Hollingsworth following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Akron Police Department.

Three men were indicted for their roles in a conspiracy to traffic heroin and cocaine, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.

 

Indicted on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine are Gary R. Hill, Sr., 62, of Lathrup Village, Mich.; Leroy L. Hooker, 47, and Larry E. Stewart, 50, both of Toledo, Ohio.

 

The defendants had more than a kilogram of heroin and five kilograms of cocaine in December 2016, according to the indictment.

 

“We will continue to seek long prison sentences for drug traffickers,” Rendon said. “Aggressive enforcement, coupled with increased access to treatment for those who want help, changes in prescribing practices and more education are all required to combat the opioid epidemic that his devastated our state.”

 

“Unfortunately, heroin and cocaine continue to plague our communities,” Anthony said. “Law enforcement will hold these individuals, and any others, that bring illegal narcotics to our streets accountable in a court of law.”

 

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences 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.

 

The investigating agency in this case is the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in Toledo. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas P. Weldon and Alissa M. Sterling.

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 Pennsylvania man was indicted on charges that he enticed and traveled with the intent of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a child, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

 

Carmen J. Sagnimeni, 38, of Mercer, Penn., knowingly used a cellular phone with Internet connectivity to attempt to persuade, induce, entice and coerce an underage girl to engage in illegal sexual activity with him. The indictment also charges on Dec. 15, 2016, Sagnimeni knowingly traveled from Pennsylvania to Ohio for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a 15 year‑old girl, 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.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael A. Sullivan following an investigation by the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.

 

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 Mansfield couple was indicted on charges related to sexual exploitation of a child, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.

 

Gary L. Fisher, 43, and Amy E. Glaze, 41, both from Mansfield, were charged with sexual exploitation of a child and destruction of evidence. Fisher was also charged with committing a felony offense involving a minor while being a registered sex offender.

 

Fisher and Glaze, did use, persuade, entice and coerce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. This took place from Aug. 1, 2016, through Nov. 21, 2016, according to the indictment.

 

Fisher and Glaze also knowingly altered, destroyed, concealed, and covered up any record, document, or tangible object, to wit: LG smartphone S/N 601VTYK1346642, a SanDisk microSD card, and the digital files contained thereon, with the intent to impede, obstruct, and influence the investigation and proper administration of any matter within the jurisdiction of any department or agency of the United States. This took place between Dec. 31, 2016, through Jan. 9, 2017, according to the indictment

 

Fisher, being required by Ohio law to register as a sex offender, committed a felony offense involving a minor between Aug. 1, through Nov. 21, 2016, 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.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Sullivan following an investigation by the Mansfield and Canton offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mansfield and Canton Police Departments and the Pennsylvania State Police.

 

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 Cleveland woman was charged in federal court for aiding and abetting the filing of false tax returns, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Troy Stemen, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office.

Leona T. Moore, 38, aka, Leona McDonald, was charged via criminal information with 34 counts of aiding and sssisting in the preparation of false income tax returns. The information alleges that for the tax years 2013 through 2015, Moore caused the IRS to issue over $800,000 in fraudulently obtained refunds.

Moore operated a tax preparation business known variously as Leona Moore Tax Services or Moore’s Tax Service. Moore obtained clients by word of mouth and through Facebook.

Moore filed tax returns for clients containing various false statements, including, among others, false information about self-employment, false and inflated information about the amount of income and false information about the number of dependents, all in order to generate false refunds based on the Earned Income Credit and/or the Additional Child Credit, according to the information.

 

Moore split the fraudulently obtained refunds with her clients, according to the information.

 

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.

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.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann C. Rowland following an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.

A Cleveland man was charged in a five-count indictment for having carfentanil, fentanyl and cocaine with the intent of selling drugs, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Timothy Plancon, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Adminstration’s office that oversees Ohio.

 

Dashawn Elder, 21, was arrested on Nov. 28 and found to have carfentanil, fentanyl, cocaine, as well as a firearm and other drugs, 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 violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Cronin is prosecuting the case following an investigation by the DEA.

 

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 men were indicted on firearms charges in unrelated cases, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

 

Joseph Crockett, 30, of Youngstown, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

 

Ricky D. Williams, 25, of Youngstown, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

 

Robert Shepper, 32, of Mogadore, was charged with possession of an unregistered short-barreled firearm.

 

Crockett possessed a Walther, model PPX, 9mm caliber pistol, and ammunition on Nov. 21, 2016, after having been convicted of distribution of crack cocaine in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, in 2008, according to the indictment.

 

Williams possessed a Taurus, model Millenium Pro, 9mm pistol, and ammunition on Dec. 1, 2016, after having been convicted of robbery, in the Lawrence County (Pennsylvania) Common Pleas Court, in 2011, according to the indictment.

 

Shepper on May 17, 2016 possessed an Armalite Inc., Model M15, 5.56 mm rifle, with a barrel less than 16 inches long, and not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by law, 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 violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

 

Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer is prosecuting all three cases. The Crockett and Williams cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Youngstown Police Department. The Shepper case was investigated by the ATF and Ohio State Highway Patrol.

 

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 sentenced to prison for their roles in a 2015 bank robbery, kidnapping and hostage situation, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.

 

Taylor Crisman, 19, of Galion, was sentenced to 37 years in prison.

 

Chris Hill, 24, of Galion, was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

 

Sarah J. Garrett, 42, of Bucyrus, was sentenced to 2 ½ years in prison.

 

Crisman broke into the home of the manager of the KeyBank branch in Ontario and held his family hostage at gunpoint on Nov. 5, 2015. The manager came home later that evening and was also held hostage overnight, according to court documents and testimony.

 

On the morning of November 6, 2015, Crisman, in consultation with Hill, ordered the manager to travel to the bank on Lexington-Springmill Road, remove a large sum of money from the vault and return home. The suspect held the bank employee’s wife and small children hostage until he returned home with the money, according to court documents and testimony.

 

Crisman then notified Hill to pick him up from home, which he did. Crisman, Hill and Garrett counted the money later that evening, according to court documents and testimony.

 

Garrett worked at Marion County Family Court. She used her position to improperly search the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway and provide the robbers with the address of the bank manager, according to court documents and testimony.

 

“These defendants deserve every single day of these prison sentences,” Rendon said. “They terrorized an innocent family all for greed. The victims in this case are to be commended for the bravery and grace they showed in court today and in the aftermath of this unprovoked attack.”

 

“We are very pleased with the sentences given to these defendants today,” Anthony said. “The FBI hopes these lengthy prison sentences send a clear message to anyone considering committing such heinous acts -- think again and don't do it.”

 

The defendants stole $194,845 from the bank. Authorities recovered $171,058. U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent ordered the defendants to pay the remaining $23,787 in restitution.

 

Crisman and Hill were found guilty of bank robbery, kidnapping, hostage taking and brandishing a firearm in relation to commission of a felony, among other crimes.

 

Garrett pleaded guilty to receipt of ransom money and misprision of a felony.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Linda Barr and Benedict Gullo following an investigation by the FBI, the Ontario Police Department and the Richland County Sheriff’s Office.

 

A Richfield man was indicted on charges that he illegally failed to pay nearly $350,000 in income taxes by using a business account to pay personal expenses over nearly a decade, said Carole S. Rendon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

 

James M. Pelagalli, 60, was indicted on one count of attempt to evade or defeat payment of tax. Pelagalli used various business names and entities to conceal income and assets, according to the indictment.

 

For example, he used business accounts he controlled to pay for personal expenses, including the purchase of a 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo, lease payments on personal vehicles such as a 2010 Cadillac CTS, a 2010 Mercedes-Benz S550 sedan and a 2013 Cadillac XTS, and rental payments for a personal residence.

 

He failed to pay approximately $348,388 in income tax for calendar years 2002, 2003, 2005 through 2009, and 2011, 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 Internal Revenue Service in Toledo. case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Noah P. Hood and Robert J. Patton.

 

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 Pennsylvania man was indicted on drug and firearms charges, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

 

Michael Betts, 35, of New Castle, Penn., was charged with possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and heroin, and with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

 

Betts possessed with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and heroin on Nov. 28, 2016, according to the indictment.

 

On the same date, Betts possessed a Sig Sauer, model 1911, .45 caliber pistol and ammunition, despite a prior conviction for assault with intent to do great bodily harm in Michigan in 2002, 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 violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

 

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Salem Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer.

 

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 Detroit man was indicted for selling carfentanil that killed a man in Marion last year, law enforcement officials said.

 

Ronald Dale Wilson, Jr., 24, was charged in U.S. District Court with drug trafficking and drug trafficking that resulted in death.

 

Wilson possessed carfentanil and cocaine on Oct. 31. 2016. Wilson sold cocaine and carfentanil on that day to an individual identified as K.C., which resulted in K.C.’s overdose death, according to the indictment.

 

“We will continue to seek long prison sentences for drug traffickers who kill our neighbors and destroy our families,” U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon said. “Aggressive law enforcement is one component to confronting the opioid epidemic, along with increased education, changing prescribing practices and making treatment available to those who want help.”

 

FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony said: “Heroin use continues to increase in astonishing proportions with overdose deaths in Ohio being among the highest in the country. Individuals, like Ronald Dale Wilson, Jr., will be held accountable for selling illegal drugs that kill. Efforts to rid the streets of heroin and other dangerous drugs remains a top priority for the FBI, our law enforcement partners, and the community.”

 

“We hope word is getting out that if you sell drugs in Marion and cause the death of another you are looking at a possible 20-year sentence," Marion Police Chief Bill Collins said. “We hope this proves to be a stronger deterrent to the thugs who choose to sell drugs in Marion.”

 

The charges include an enhanced penalty specification which could result in a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison. 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.

 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Marion Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Freeman.

 

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 man with residences in Akron and Barberton was indicted on firearms and fentanyl charges, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

 

Anthony J. Board Jr., 33, was indicted on one count of possession with the Intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Board, Jr., age 33, resided at homes in Barberton, and Akron, Ohio.

 

Akron Police Department Narcotics Unit Detectives along with Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force Officers executed a state search warrant at Board Jr.’s residence in Akron on Dec. 14, 2016 and recovered approximately 25 grams of fentanyl as well as two firearms and a bullet-proof vest, according to court documents.

 

Barberton Police Narcotics Detectives along with Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force Officers executed a state search warrant the same day at Board Jr.’s residence in Barberton. They recovered two additional firearms, including a semi-automatic rifle, according to court documents.

 

Board was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he has several prior felony convictions, including burglary, escape, improper discharge of a firearm and other crimes.

 

The investigation preceding this indictment was conducted by the Akron Police Department Narcotics Unit, the Barberton Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, Akron, Office. matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Aaron P. Howell.

 

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 United States of America’s burden to prove each defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

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

A Canton man was indicted on federal drug and firearms charges, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

 

Eric L. McReynolds, 46, was indicted on four counts of possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine, one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

 

McReynolds possessed crack cocaine, several firearms and other items indicative of drug trafficking on September 15, 2016. was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he has prior felony convictions for robbery and aggravated robbery, according to the indictment.

 

The investigation preceding this indictment was conducted by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Aaron P. Howell.

 

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 United States of America’s burden to prove each defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

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

Three Cleveland men were sentenced to prison for more than a decade for committing armed robberies in Solon, Bath and North Olmsted, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Trevor Velinor, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division.

Stephone D. Tillman, 25, Matthew S. Bowen, Jr., 25, and Christopher R. Jones, 26, were previously found guilty of multiple counts of interfering with interstate commerce by means of robbery and brandishing firearms during a crime of violence. Tillman was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Tillman was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Bowen was sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison.

Jones was sentenced to nearly 11 years in prison.

“These men deserve to be locked up for a long time after using loaded guns to rob hard-working people,” Rendon said.

“There is no place in our society for those who use firearms for illegal purposes,” Velinor said. “The cooperative efforts between ATF and the Solon, North Olmsted, and Bath Police Departments are a positive example that we have more impact when we work together to bring violent criminals to justice.”

 

Tillman, Bowen, and Jones robbed the Circle K, located at 29605 Aurora Road, in Solon, on September 15, 2015.

On October 3, 2015, Bowen and Tillman robbed the Zip Thru drive-through store located at 30781 Lorain Road, in North Olmsted.

On October 8, 2015, all three defendants robbed the Circle K, located at 791 Cleveland-Massillon Road, in Bath, according to court documents.

Each of the robberies involved the use of a firearm, according to court documents.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in conjunction with the Solon, North Olmsted, and Bath Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin R. Filiatraut and Kelly L. Galvin.

A former part-time Linndale police officer was sentenced more than three years in prison for transporting large amounts of MDMA and marijuana, law enforcement officials said.

 

Jonida Alicka, 29, of Rocky River, was sentenced to 41 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron Polster. She was also ordered to forfeit two firearms and cash seized during her arrest last year.

 

Alicka was previously found guilty of possession with intent to distribute MDMA and marijuana.

 

Alicka and her sister Denisa Alicka engaged in multiple sales of MDMA and marijuana between 2014 and 2016. The Alickas obtained the drugs through Rinald Turhani and Leka Konini, both from Michigan, according to court documents.

 

Jonida Alicka also obtained MDMA from her boyfriend who in Canada. She also traveled to New York to pick up MDMA and transport it back to Ohio and then distributed the narcotics throughout Ohio, according to court documents.

 

Turhani was found guilty of drug charges and is serving nine years in prison. Konini and Denisa Alicka have been found guilty of charges and are awaiting sentencing.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa T. Darden and Robert F. Corts following an investigation by the FBI, Cleveland Division of Police, Ohio HIDTA, Rocky River Police, Parma Police and U.S. Border Patrol.

 

Eight people were sentenced to prison this month for their roles in a penny-stock fraud that resulted in a $39 million loss to investors, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland Office.

Zirk de Maison, of Redlands, California, was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison and ordered to pay $39.1 million in restitution.

Stephen Wilshinsky, of Woodland Hills, California, was sentenced to nearly three years in prison and $4.2 million in restitution.

Talman Harris, of Monroe, Connecticut, after a jury convicted him on all counts following a three-week trial, was sentenced to more than five years in prison and $843,423 in restitution.

Gregory Goldstein, of Stevenson Ranch, California, was sentenced to nearly three years in prison and $6.3 million in restitution.

Jack Tagliafero, of Glen Cove, New York, was sentenced to more than five years in prison and more than $5 million in restitution.

Victor Alfaya, of Port Washington, New York, was sentenced to nearly two years in prison and $3.6 million in restitution.

Kieran Kuhn, of Port Washington, New York, was sentenced to nearly four years in prison and $5.6 million in restitution.

William Scholander, of Queens, New York, was sentenced to nearly two years in prison and $843,423 in restitution.

Two additional co-conspirators have their sentencings scheduled for February and July 2017.

de Maison and the other defendants conspired to defraud investors and potential investors in several public issuers, including Kensington Leasing, Ltd., Lenco Mobile, Casablanca Mining, Ltd., Lustros, Inc., and Gepco Ltd., (the manipulated companies), by issuing millions of shares to themselves at little or no cost and then artificially controlling the price and volume of traded shares by, among other means, paying undisclosed commissions to brokers, former brokers, and boiler-room operators and promoters, for soliciting investors to make investments in, and fraudulently concealing the ownership interests of, the manipulated companies, according to court documents.

Little or no portion of the investments went to fund the operations of the manipulated companies. Rather, de Maison and the co-conspirators used most of the investments to enrich themselves, according to court documents.

For each of the manipulated companies, de Maison and other co-conspirators controlled a substantial number of outstanding shares through their personal companies, co-conspirators, and associates over which they had influence and control.

Many of the defendants were brokers and former brokers who abused their client relationships to solicit and induce investors to purchase de Maison’s stock in the manipulated companies at what they knew to be artificially inflated values. In exchange, de Maison paid the brokers and former brokers enormous, illegal kickbacks, often as large as 50% of the investment, which were never disclosed to the client-investors.

Other defendants either owned or worked in what were commonly referred to as boiler rooms. For instance, Kuhn owned and operated a boiler room called Small Cap Resources in New York City, where he employed promoters to cold call and solicit potential investors to purchase shares of the manipulated companies. de Maison and others dictated what stocks Kuhn and others pushed. The cold calls to potential investors typically coincided with favorable press releases or other information that de Maison caused to be released, according to court documents.

Kuhn and others touted the manipulated companies using high-pressure sales tactics and misrepresentations about the value of the companies and their stock. The boiler room promoters did not disclose that de Maison and other co-conspirators paid them commissions on the sale of the stock to the investors, either on the open market or through private placements, according to court documents.

de Maison and his co-conspirators caused more than $54 million to be invested in the purchase of stock in the manipulated companies and caused a loss to investors in the amount of approximately $39 million from the scheme. de Maison profited through the fraudulent scheme relating to the companies’ stocks. He received and embezzled approximately $39 million in investor monies, according to court documents.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christos N. Georgalis, Paul M. Flannery, and Adam Hollingsworth after an investigation by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

A mother and son were convicted of crimes related to a $7 million home healthcare fraud conspiracy in which they provided forged documents and fraudulent forms to bill for services that were not provided.

Delores L. Knight, 70, of Cleveland Heights and Isaac R. Knight, 29, of Macedonia were convicted following a trial of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and health care fraud. Delored Knight was also convicted of multiple counts of money laundering.

Delores Knight owned Just Like Familee II, Inc., and Just Like Familee III, Inc., which she incorporated in 2005 and 2006, respectively, to provide home health services for elderly and disabled clients. Isaac Knight served as manager. The companies had locations at various times in Cleveland Heights, Twinsburg and Mentor, according to court documents.

Together they defrauded Medicaid, Medicare and the Department of Veteran Affairs out of more than $7 million as a result of the conspiracy in which they prepared and submitted forged or false records in support of previously submitted and reimbursed billings for patients they did not actually provide face-to-face services, according to trial testimony and court documents.

“These defendants stole millions of dollars by billing for services they never provided,” said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon. “We will do our best to get whatever assets they have and make sure they go to prison.”

The defendants are expected to be sentenced later this year.

Prosecutors are seeking to forfeit all money that was illegally obtained, as well as a home at 1048 Morning Glory Drive in Macedonia owned by Delores L. Knight.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Bennett and James L. Morford and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Maritsa Flaherty following an investigation by the Department of Health and Human Services, the FBI, the IRS, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

An Elyria man was indicted on one count of tampering with an official proceeding, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon.

 

Micah Jackson, 20, attempted to influence two federal witnesses to retract their previously sworn testimony on Nov. 9, 2016, according to the indictment.

 

The witnesses’ testimony was given at a supervised release violation hearing before a U.S. District Court judge. The defendant in the supervised release hearing was related to Jackson. Jackson attempted to influence each witnesses’ testimony by posting their pictures on Facebook with rat emojis above the witnesses’ faces, with the intent that each witness would change their previously sworn testimony, according to the indictment.

 

If convicted, the sentence in this case will be determined by the court after consideration of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines which depend upon a number of factors unique to each case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the unique 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 case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benedict S. Gullo. The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

 

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 Cleveland man was indicted for making illegal straw purchases of 24 firearms over two days, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio and Trevor Velinor, ATF Special Agent in Charge for the Columbus Field Division.

 

Carlton H. Nunn, 36, was indicted on one count of making false and fictitious statements regarding the sale of firearms.

 

Nunn purchased two dozen firearms from four dealers on Sept. 10 and 11, 2016, according to the indictment.

 

Nunn knowingly and unlawfully made false and fictitious statements, intended to deceive dealers, that he was the actual buyer of said firearms when, in fact, he was not the actual buyer of said firearms, according to the indictment.

 

“This defendant illegally bought two dozen firearms to provide to people with felony convictions,” Rendon said.

 

“ATF is committed to combating gun violence in our communities, including the individuals who provide firearms to people who are prohibited from having them,” Velinor said. “We will continue to work to make our communities safer by investigating and bringing to prosecution the individuals who enable violent criminals.”

 

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.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan R. Miller following an investigation by the ATF.

 

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 Akron man will likely be sentenced to 20 years in prison after he admitted selling fentanyl obtained from China that resulted in a fatal overdose, law enforcement officials said.

Leroy Shuarod Steele, 36, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl.

The fentanyl Steele distributed resulted in the fatal overdose of a person identified only as T.R. on March 21, 2015 in Akron, according to court documents.

Steele, Sabrina M. Robinson and Ryan Sumlin conspired together between March and April of this year to possess and distribute fentanyl. They obtained fentanyl from suppliers in China and then distributed the drug to people in Akron, Fairlawn and elsewhere, according to court documents.

Sumlin faces an additional charge of distribution of fentanyl that caused the overdose death of someone in Akron on March 28, 2015, according to court documents.

Robinson has pled guilty in the case. Sumlin’s case is pending.

Steele and Robinson are scheduled to be sentenced on April 19.

“This is another human life lost to opioids brought to Ohio from China,” U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon said. “We will continue to push for long prison sentences for drug dealers who kill our neighbors and relatives, while also working to reduce the number of opioids on the street, making treatment more readily available and educating our community about the dangers posed by these drugs.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda H. Barr following an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Akron Police Department and the Fairlawn Police Department.

An Akron man was charged in federal court related to failing to disclose his involvement in a military unit engaged in war crimes in the former Yugoslavia, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

 

Ilija Josipovic, 59, was charged in a two-count criminal information with possession of immigration documents procured by fraud.

 

Josipovic, on Feb. 1, 2012, possessed a Permanent Resident Card in his name, which he knew to be procured by means of a false claim and statement while obtaining an Ohio driver’s license at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles office 7744, located at 1030 East Tallmadge Avenue in Akron, according to the information.

 

Josipovic, on Sept. 10, 2014, he possessed a Permanent Resident Card in his name, which he knew to be procured by means of a false claim and statement while at his residence in Akron, according to the information.

 

In 2002, Josipovic omitted or failed to disclose his military service in the 6th Battalion, Zvornik Infantry Brigade, Army of the Republic of Srpska, which began around May 25, 1992 and continued until approximately 1996, according to the information.

 

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 investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Dept. of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason M. Katz.

 

An information 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 Rocky River man was indicted on drug and firearms charges, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.

 

Jamshed Ahmad, 43, was arrested this morning. He was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

 

Ahmad had more than 50 grams of methamphetamine on July 12, 2016, according to the indictment.

 

On July 12, he possessed a Ruger LCP 380-caliber pistol and ammunition, despite a 2007 conviction for drug trafficking that made it illegal for him to have a firearm, according to the indictment.

 

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

 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vasile Katsaros following an investigation by the FBI.

 

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.

Abel Arturo Valdez-Parra, 35, of Mexico, was charged with illegal re-entry into the United States, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon.

 

Valdez-Parra was found in Ohio on Dec. 5, 2016, after having been removed from the U.S. in 2008, 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 Bureau of Customs and Border Protection in Sandusky. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Freeman.

 

An information 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 federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Antonio Cuevas-Baltazar, 21, of Massillon with possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon.

 

Cuevas-Baltazar possessed with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine on Jan. 2, 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 violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

 

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason M. Katz.

 

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 grand jury returned an indictment charging Zachary Benson, 25, of Fairview Park, with one count of making threats against the President-Elect, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

 

The indictment alleges that Benson threatened to take the life of, and inflict bodily harm to, the President-Elect of the United States, on November 9, 2016.

 

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to his 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 case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karrie D. Howard, and was investigated by the United States Secret Service.

 

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 Cleveland Heights woman was indicted on cocaine trafficking charges, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon.

 

Rayvonna Taylor, 28, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. This took place between August 2015 and May 2016, 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 violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vasile Katsaros following an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

 

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 Cleveland Heights man was sentenced to nearly six years in prison for identity theft and tax violations, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon and Troy N. Stemen, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office.

Darryl E. Farmer, 45, was found guilty last year of one count of conspiracy to defraud, nine counts of false tax claims, eight counts of aiding in the preparation of false tax returns, two counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft.

U.S. District Judge John Adams sentenced Farmer to 70 months in prison and ordered him to pay $100,230 in restitution.

Farmer held himself out as a neighborhood tax preparer who paid recruiters a “referral fee” to provide him identifications and personal identifiers of others. Farmer used this information to file false tax returns, including claiming tax credits for businesses that did not exist, according to court documents.

Farmer also opened multiple personal and business bank accounts, which he controlled, in the names of these various people in order to deposit the refunds from the tax returns he filed, according to court documents.

Farmer falsely claimed more than $100,000 from the IRS between 2010 and 2012, according to court documents.

“This defendant stole identities and stole from taxpayers,” Rendon said. “This prison sentence is a reflection of how wantonly he broke the law.”

“Individuals who commit refund fraud and identity theft of this magnitude and with this degree of trickery, dishonesty and deceit, deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” Stemen said. “IRS Criminal Investigation, along with the United States Attorney's Office, remain vigilant in identifying, investigating and prosecuting those individuals who seek to willfully defraud the United States Treasury and blatantly disregard the victims of their schemes.”

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Bennett following an investigation by the IRS.

Two Canton men with prior homicide convictions were indicted on firearms and drug trafficking charges, law enforcement officials said.

Named in the seven-count indictment are Maurice A. Stewart, 39 and William W. Moore, 37. A third man, Jason E. Cousins, 45, also of Canton, was also indicted on a firearms charge.

Stewart and Moore are charged with possession with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine, cocaine and crack cocaine.

Stewart and Moore are also charged with using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.

Moore was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that he had a Glock model 23 handgun, a Smith and Wesson SD9 handgun and ammunition on Nov. 17, 2016, despite a 2000 conviction for murder in Michigan.

Stewart was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that he had a Glock model 23 handgun, a Smith and Wesson SD9 handgun and ammunition on Nov. 17, 2016, despite a 2002 conviction for involuntary manslaughter in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas.

Cousins was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that he had a Windham Weaponry AR-15 and Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun despite 2006 convictions for possession of cocaine and carrying a concealed weapon in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas.

The indictment seeks to forfeit the aforementioned firearms and ammunition, as well as Bullet Safe body armor and $10,904 in cash.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron P. Howell following an investigation by the US Marshals Fugitive Task Force, the Canton Police Department, the FBI’s Canton office and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Akron office.

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 sentences will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases they 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 Lisbon man was sentenced to more than eight years in prison for defrauding people out of more than $1 million and using the money to pay for luxury cars and expensive vacations, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland Office.

Paul L. Shockley, 24, was found guilty last year of three counts of mail fraud.

“This defendant lived the high life by stealing the fruits of other peoples’ labor,” Rendon said. “His days of fleeing responsibility for his actions are over.”

Shockley operated multiple fraud schemes.

He established several companies, known collectively as D’Legato, that was a purported start-up venture that would operate an assisted living center. Neither Shockley nor any of his associates had operated an assisted-living center before. Shockley defrauded four New York residents between 2013 and 2015 by causing them to invest in D’Legato through false and fraudulent misrepresentations, according to court documents.

Shockley persuaded one of the victims to use part of her retirement savings to make payments on unauthorized credit card transactions, falsely telling the victim the payments would be credited as investments in D’Legato.

The combined loss to victims in the D’Legato fraud scheme was approximately $563,000, according to court documents.

Shockley also induced victims to provide him with credit card information, which he used to make more than $308,000 in unauthorized purchases on at least 17 different credit cards, according to court documents.

In 2015, Shockley and others defrauded two other people by enticing them to invest in We Love Snobs, which purported to be an online luxury consignment store. Shockley routinely misled investors and told them investments would result in high returns, when in fact he used the money to pay personal expenses, unreasonably high salaries and luxury shopping sprees. The combined losses of the We Love Snobs scheme is $280,000, according to court documents.

Shockley also removed his ankle monitor and fled Ohio while out on bond after pleading guilty, according to court documents.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul M. Flannery following an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the US Postal Inspection Service.

 

A one-count information was filed charging Alonso Ramos Ciprian, 20, of Guatamala, with false claim to U.S. citizenship, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

 

The information charges that from on or about November 16, 2015, through on or about November 16, 2016, Ciprian, a citizen of Guatemala and therefore an alien in the United States, falsely and willfully represented himself to be a citizen of the United States.

 

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 investigation preceding the information was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and the Salem Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David M. Toepfer.

 

An information 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.

 

Brian C. Keeling, 34, of Cleveland, charged with advertising, receiving, distributing and possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon.

 

Keeling knowingly made and caused to be made a notice and advertisement seeking and offering to receive, exchange, display and distribute any visual depiction of a real minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and such notice and advertisement were transported using any means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce and in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce by any means including by computer. Keeling also knowingly received and distributed, using any means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce, numerous computer files, which files contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and which files had been shipped and transported in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce, according to the indictment.

 

The indictment also charges that on or about December 6, 2016, Keeling possessed a ZTE cellular phone and a Samsung Galaxy Tablet, each of which contained child pornography.

 

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

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael A. Sullivan following an investigation by the Cleveland office of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.

 

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 Canton woman was indicted on charges that she defrauded a Tennessee man out of more than $100,000 after falsely telling him he won a $3 million sweepstakes but had to pay taxes and fees up front, U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon said.

Lashell Patton, 42, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Patton and others falsely told a Tennessee man that he won $3 million in a sweepstakes. They convinced the victim that he needed to pay taxes and fees associated with the sweepstakes up front, and instructed the victim to wire money to Patton in Canton, according to the indictment.

The victim sent 15 Western Union money wires to Patton totaling $11,615 and 111 MoneyGram money wires to Patton totaling $90,090. This took place between July 2015 and April 2016, according to the indictment.

“This defendant preyed upon a vulnerable victim and took advantage of his trust,” Rendon said. “She now will be held accountable for her actions.”

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 sentences will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases they will be less than the maximum.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry F. DeBaggis following an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.

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.

 

Scott M. Wroten, 53, of Brunswick, was charged with receiving and possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said Carole S. Rendon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

 

The indictment charges that from on or about May 20, 2011 through on or about August 29, 2016, Wroten knowingly received numerous computer files which contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment also charges that on or about April 19, 2016, Wroten possessed a Lenovo computer which contained child pornography. The indictment also charges that on or about August 29, 2016, Wroten possessed a Dell computer, seven USB storage devices and nine external hard drives, each of which contained child pornography.

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

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael A. Sullivan following an investigation by the Cleveland office of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Wickliffe Police Department and the Brunswick Police Department.

 

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.