Northern District of Ohio

This Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time, come to one of the almost 5,000 collection sites around the nation to return all unwanted, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs for safe and anonymous disposal.  This is the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA’s) 10th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day in the past five years.  Collection sites in every local community, manned by DEA and its local law enforcement and community partners, can be found by going to www.dea.gov  or calling 800-882-9539. All states and some territories will be participating Saturday (with the exception of Pennsylvania and Delaware, which held their events earlier in the month).

The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day addresses vital public safety and health issues. Many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that many abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medications, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – posing safety and environmental hazards.

“Our goal is to reduce the risk of addiction and the 46,000 overdose deaths a year that come with prescription drug abuse.  Take Back Day is a great opportunity for folks to help reduce the threat,” DEA Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg said.  "Please clean out your medicine cabinet and make your home safe from drug theft and abuse.”

DEA’s previous nine nationwide Take-Back events collected 4,823,251 pounds—more than 2,411 tons—of drugs.

U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) funding awards to 11 agencies in the Northern District of Ohio, aimed at creating, and in some cases protecting, 43 law enforcement positions. Over $107 million will be awarded nationally, through the COPS Hiring Program (CHP), including $5.4 million in the Northern District of Ohio.

The list of this year’s grantees includes:

• Cleveland                   $1,875,000                  15 officers
• Canton                        $981,670                     8 officers
• CMHA                         $500,000                     4 officers
• Mansfield                     $500,000                    4 officers
• East Cleveland            $472,446                     3 officers
• Barberton                    $250,000                     2 officers
• Boardman                   $250,000                     2 officers
• Massillon                     $250,000                     2 officers
• Austintown                  $125,000                     1 officer
• Milton                          $125,000                     1 officer
• Northfield                    $125,000                     1 officer

“The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, Director of the COPS Office. “These grants are not simply about putting more officers on the street, they are about expanding the capacity of law enforcement agencies to engage in community policing.”

“The Department of Justice continues to back up its words with action, providing more than $5 million to keep Northern Ohio safe,” U.S. Attorney Steven M. Dettelbach said. “This money will result in more officers on patrol in Greater Cleveland, Stark County, the Mahoning Valley and elsewhere, getting guns and drugs off the street while strengthening our community.”

CHP provides grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.

Priority consideration was given this year to agencies that selected any of the Building Trust focus areas or School Based Policing through School Resource Officers.  All applicants were encouraged to refer to the report of The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing for suggested actions to incorporate into their proposed community policing strategy.

The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has invested over $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training, and technical assistance.

For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2015 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.

A grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Earl C. Speedy, age 39, of North Canton, with distributing a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court 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 Brian M. McDonough following an investigation by the FBI Canton Resident Agency. 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 one-count Information was filed charging Beverly Harris, 75, of Cleveland, Ohio, with theft of government funds, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

The information alleges that from on or about March 1, 2009, through December 1, 2013, Beverly Harris stole Social Security survivor benefits in the amount of $50,263 from the United States Social Security Administration, to which she was not entitled.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court 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 Carmen E. Brown and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Sanniti, following an investigation by agents of the Office of Inspector General of the United States Social Security Administration.

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 Canton man was sentenced to one year in prison and ordered to repay $6.7 million for making false representations about the company’s office location so it could obtain a HUBZone certification and qualify for federal contracts, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

William Richardson III, also known as Buster Richardson, previously pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

The Historically Underutilized Business Zone Act of 1997 (the HUBZone Program), was established to provide federal contracting assistance for qualified small business concerns located in historically underutilized business zones in an effort to increase employment opportunities, investment, and economic development in those areas.  Under the HUBZone Program, certain government contracting opportunities were “set aside” to be awarded only to eligible HUBZone Program participants, according to court documents.

 There were four requirements to participate in the HUBZone Program.  First, a firm had to be classified as a small business. Second, the firm had to be controlled and owned at least 51 percent by United States citizens. Third, a firm’s principal office had to be located in a designated HUBZone area. Fourth, at least 35 percent of the firm’s employees had to reside in a designated HUBZone area. Only firms that satisfied all of these requirements were eligible to participate in the HUBZone Program and compete for HUBZone set-aside and/or sole-source contracts, according to court documents.

 Before a firm could participate in this program and bid on designated government contracts, it had to seek and obtain a certification from the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) verifying that the firm was HUBZone Program eligible.  The SBA relied on information that was provided by applicant firms to determine and certify eligibility, according to court documents.

In August 2000, to obtain a HUBZone certification, Richardson and his company, TAB Construction Company, submitted to SBA a HUBZone application in which Richardson falsely stated that TAB’s principal office was located at 1010 Walnut Avenue NE in Canton, a location that was within a designated HUBZone area. TAB’s principal office was actually located in another area of Canton that was not within a HUBZone area, specifically 4534 Vliet Street SW, according to court documents.

Richardson falsely represented in TAB’s application that the Vliet Street SW location was only a storage area for equipment and was not the company’s principal office location.  Richardson and TAB provided supporting information and documents to SBA, including a fake lease, to back up this false claim, according to court documents.

Based on Richardson’s false representations, SBA certified that TAB was HUBZone Program eligible and placed TAB on the government’s List of Qualified HUBZone Small Business Concerns, according to court documents.

With this designation, Richardson and TAB received contracts from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Park Service between 2005 and 2012, according to court documents.

“Cutting corners to fraudulently gain advantages in the federal contracting system will not be tolerated,” Dettelbach said.

“Let this sentencing demonstrate to the public that the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General stands committed to working with its law enforcement partners to hold accountable anyone who brazenly defies federal law to take advantage of federal programs funded by the taxpayers’ hard-earned money,” said John Tiano, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General.

“The Defense Criminal Investigative Service is committed to working with our partner agencies to combat fraud impacting the integrity of the Department of Defense’s procurement system,” said Brian Reihms, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Service.

"Today's sentencing demonstrates that those who provide services for the U.S. government and purposely provide false and misleading information for their own personal gain, will be held accountable for their actions," said the Director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command's Major Procurement Fraud Unit, Frank Robey. "Our organization will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect the nation's finances." 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko following an investigation by the Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General; Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Department of Homeland Security- Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigation Division.            

A Maple Heights man was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for illegally possessing firearms and counterfeit currency, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Donald Soranno, Special Agent in Charge of ATF's Columbus Field Division.

Daunte Byrd, 29, was sentenced to 182 months in prison after previously being found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of counterfeit currency.

Byrd was arrested in October 2014 and found to have $5,850 in counterfeit currency and a loaded 9 mm handgun. Byrd was prohibited from having firearms or ammunition because of multiple felony convictions, including several convictions involving violence and a firearm.

Byrd was convicted as part of Operation Samson II, an enhanced enforcement initiative targeting the criminal possession, use and sale of firearms in Greater Cleveland. The summer-long initiative organized around three operational groups.  The first used undercover operations to investigate people known to criminally possess, use and sell firearms, as well as people possessing firearms while conducting drug activities. The second group  used firearms trace data and ballistics information from the National Ballistics Information Network to pursue leads related to firearms that have been diverted from legal commerce to criminal use. The third group involved ATF Industry Operations conducting inspections at Cleveland-area federal firearms licensees to ensure that dealers are selling firearms in accordance with federal law and regulations.

Byrd told a confidential information in August 2014 that he could obtain and sell firearms, as well as grenades. Byrd also expressed interest in the robbery of a drug stash house. He also discussed selling fraudulent heroin and counterfeit currency, according to court documents.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly L. Galvin following an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cleveland Division of Police.

The leader of a group that brought large shipments of heroin from Atlanta and Chicago and sold it around the East Side of Cleveland was sentenced to life in prison, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland Office.

Keith Ricks, 33, was convicted on nine counts following a jury trial earlier this year. The jury found that Ricks led a conspiracy that included scores of people, robbed rival drug dealers and used violence to control the sale of heroin in the neighborhood around St. Clair Avenue and East 117th Street.

“This defendant led a group responsible for thefts, violence and the distribution of dozens of pounds of heroin,” Dettelbach said. "He is a predator that needed to be taken out of the community."

“Mr. Ricks is a violent drug dealer that deserves to be behind bars for a long time,” Anthony said.  “The Northern Ohio Law Enforcement Task Force works tirelessly to rid the streets of the most dangerous criminals and Keith Ricks definitely is one of them.”

Ricks and others obtained heroin from suppliers in Atlanta and transported the drugs to Cleveland by mail or car. He then distributed the heroin to other traffickers in Cleveland, according to court documents and trial testimony.

Ricks and others planned and committed burglaries and robberies from other drug dealers, customers, and each other. This was done to fund their drug trafficking, to obtain heroin and other drugs, and to collect drug debts. Ricks then sold the stolen heroin at discounted prices or used the stolen money to obtain heroin, according to court documents and trial testimony.

Ricks identified potential victims through a variety of ways, including targeting those who appeared to have expensive jewelry or cars or by using women to gather information about potential victims and report back to them. He sometimes used firearms or zipties to restrain victims, according to court documents and trial testimony.

“Ricks was the leader of a large and wide-ranging heroin conspiracy that involved dozens of people and distributed heroin to large parts of Cleveland,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew W. Shepherd wrote in the sentencing memo. “In addition to distributing heroin, members of the conspiracy committed robberies, thefts and burglaries to obtain heroin or funds to obtain heroin in support of the conspiracy.”

Ricks was among 60 people indicted in federal court in 2013 for their roles in the drug conspiracy. To date, 58 have been found guilty.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Shepherd, Daniel J. Riedl and Matthew B. Kall 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, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the police departments of Cleveland Heights, Euclid, Lakewood, the Regional Transit Authority, Westlake and Shaker Heights. 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.

Two men from Northeast Ohio were indicted for illegally having firearms, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland Office.

Indicted are Mustafa B. Ayad, 28, of North Olmsted, and Ameen Shoman, 26, of Olmsted Falls. Both were indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

“We are committed to keeping firearms out of the hands of those who are forbidden by law from having them,” Dettelbach said.

“These convicted felons illegally possessed firearms and must be held accountable,” Anthony said.

Ayad possessed a Ruger .357-caliber revolver and ammunition on March 23, 2015, despite a 2012 conviction for aggravated assault, according to the indictment.

Shoman possessed a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, a Springfield Armory 9 mm pistol and ammunition on July 21, 2015, despite 2010 conviction for attempted felonious assault, according to the indictment.

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Kendra Klump following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

 If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.

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

The United States Department of Justice announced that the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office and its partners will receive nearly $2 million over the next three years to accelerate the work of bringing rapists to justice, assisting the survivors of those crimes and changing the culture of law enforcement here and throughout the country when it comes to investigating sexual assaults.

The announcement was part of $41 million in grant awards to 20 jurisdictions to eliminate or reduce the number of untested sexual assault kits across the country. The announcment was made in New York by Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch.

“Rape kits are an essential tool in modern crime fighting — not only for the victim, but, for the entire community. Studies show we solve up to 50 percent of previously unsolved rapes when these kits are tested. When we solve these cases, we get rapists off the streets. For most survivors, seeing their rapists brought to justice, and knowing that they will not return, brings peace of mind and a sense of closure. The grants we’re announcing today to reduce the national rape kit backlog will bring that sense of closure and safety to victims while improving community safety,” Vice President Biden said.

“The groundbreaking initiative we are announcing today is part of the Justice Department’s longstanding efforts to support survivors of sexual violence and to bring abusers to justice,” said Attorney General Loretta Lynch.  “For anyone who has felt isolated and afraid, left out and left behind as a result of a sexual crime, our message is clear: we will not forget you.  We will not abandon you.  You are not alone.”

“The Department of Justice is proud to provide this $2 million to help Prosecutor McGinty and his office pursue and solve these tragic cases,” U.S. Attorney Steven M. Dettelbach said. “Rape survivors carry around the scars of these heinous crimes for decades, and we in law enforcement owe it to them to do everything in our power to track down rapists no matter how long and how difficult the road. Today’s DOJ grant recognizes that Tim McGinty’s vision and drive to do that is worthy of real support.”

“We are proud to be taking violent criminals off the streets, preventing future crimes and making Cleveland and Cuyahoga County safer,” Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty said. “This money from the Justice Department will enable us to do even more and do it faster. We appreciate the vote of confidence and intend to earn every cent of this money.”

The National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, a competitive grant program administered by the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), supports the comprehensive reform of jurisdictions’ approaches to evidence found in sexual assault kits that have never been submitted to a crime laboratory for testing. BJA created the initiative in consultation with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Office for Victims of Crime, (OVC), and Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).  The goals of the initiative are to create a coordinated community response that ensures just resolution to these cases whenever possible through a victim-centered approach, as well as to build jurisdictions’ capacity to prevent conditions that lead to high numbers of untested kits. The funding awarded through DANY’s program will pay directly for testing kits, and the combined effort between BJA and DANY is projected to achieve testing of approximately 70,000 sexual assault kits. BJA and DANY partnered to reach as many jurisdictions as possible and also to identify jurisdictions where funding could be combined to adequately address kit backlogs.

The initiative is part of the Justice Department’s larger ongoing effort to comprehensively address the problem of sexual assault and to support victims.  For example, NIJ maintains a webpage on Sexual Assault Investigations, Sexual Assault Kits: Using Science to Find Solutions, which provides information ranging from improving forensic sexual assault examinations to research findings on untested evidence in sexual assault cases.  OVC provides a Sexual Assault Response Team Toolkit, which has over 1.4 million views to date and includes a checklist of recommendations for victim-centered policies and practices in developing a sexual assault response. OVW updated the National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations and released a companion document on Recommendations for Administrators of Prisons, Jails, and Community Confinement Facilities for Adapting the U.S. Department of Justice's National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations, Adults/Adolescents.

Since 2008, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has provided more than $825 million for DNA analysis in crime laboratories and for activities such as research dedicated to strengthening the accuracy and reliability of forensic science.

A complete listing of today’s federal award recipients can be found at www.bja.gov/SAKI

A Gates Mills man was charged today for his role in a penny-stock fraud from which he illegally received more than $7 million, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland Office.

Jason M. Cope, 42, was charged in a criminal information with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, one count of securities fraud, one count of securities law violations and four counts of wire fraud.

“Although the charges allege a sophisticated ‘penny stock’ scheme, there was nothing small-scale about this,” Dettelbach said. “The defendants in this case, through trickery and manipulation, made millions and millions of dollars on the backs of innocent investors.”

Cope served as president of several companies, including Worldbridge Partners, Inc. and Structured Management, Inc. He was a former broker but was not a registered securities broker and since 2003 was barred from having any association with any members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, according to the information.

Zirk de Maison controlled several companies. He used several people, including Cope, to identify and solicit investors to purchase shares in his various companies. de Maison, Cope and others used promoters in so-called “boiler rooms” to cold call and solicit potential investors. These calls usually happened in conjunction with favorable press releases or other information de Maison caused to be released, according to the information.

Cope, de Maison and others worked on several occasions between 2009 and 2014 to fraudulently manipulate to price of the companies de Maison controlled. Cope received more than $7.6 million in commissions from de Maison from participating in the conspiracy, according to the information.

Overall, investors lost more than $27 million through the fraudulent manipulation of the stock prices. de Maison, of California, and others have previously been charged for their roles in the conspiracy.

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christos N. Georgalis and Adam Hollingsworth following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

 If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.

 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.

Nineteen people from Northeast Ohio were named in an 85-count superseding indictment for their roles in a check-kiting conspiracy which defrauded banks out of $200,000, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Cleveland Office.

Indicted are: Devinne P. Hollie, Sade Philpott, Shanita Hollie, Marnetta McPherson, Ahmerr Ellis, Calvin McPherson, Asia McPherson, Tavio Jack, Earl Walker, Matthew Johnson, Eddie Stacy. Jeffery Tate, Chad M. Mason, John T. Wilder, Anthony L. McPherson, Thiotis A. Greene, Clarissa V. Day, Toccara Moorer and Diamond C. Simpson. They are charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and multiple counts of bank fraud.

The second superseding indictment alleges the Hollies, Philpott and Marnetta McPherson, acting together with their co-conspirators and others not charged, engaged in a check-kiting scheme in which they fraudulently obtained funds from financial institutions by depositing multiple counterfeit and forged checks into co-conspirators’ bank accounts and then withdrawing the proceeds from those accounts at ATMs, check cashing locations, a local casino, and through debit card purchases.

In most instances, the Hollies, Philpott and Marnetta McPherson found a co-conspirator who was willing and able to open a checking account at a bank. Once these co-conspirators obtained their debit cards and PINs for their accounts, they passed these items on to one of the four, who then deposited forged and counterfeit checks into the account-holders’ bank accounts.  These deposits typically occurred late at night or in the early morning hours, when the banks were closed and could not detect that the checks were counterfeit and forged, according to the indictment.

The defendants and co-conspirators would then often meet at the Horseshoe Casino in downtown Cleveland, where the co-conspirators would use Total Rewards Cards from the casino linked to their bank accounts to make large scale cash withdrawals from the casino’s cage, according to the indictment.

The Hollies, Philpott, Marnetta McPherson and their co-conspirators made deposits of counterfeit and forged checks on approximately 84 different occasions. The false and fraudulent deposits were in excess of $450,000, and the banks lost more than $200,000.

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, the defendants’ 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 Om Kakani, Carmen Brown and Justin Seabury-Gould, following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ohio Casino Control Commission.

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 federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment charging Kevin G. Collins, 33, of Cleveland, with violations of the federal narcotics and firearm laws, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Count 1 of the indictment charges the defendant with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana.  Count 2 of the indictment charges the defendant with carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.  Counts 3 through 5 of the indictment charge the defendant with using the U.S. Mail to assist in the marijuana conspiracy.

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 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 Daniel J. Riedl and Matthew B. Kall.  The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Cleveland, 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 guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Another Marion man was indicted for the sale of heroin and fentanyl that resulted in an overdose death, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s  Special Agent in Charge Joseph P. Reagan.

Rashawn D. Thomas was charged with the distribution of heroin and fentanyl that resulted in the death of Christopher Wolford.

Eric L. Creagh, 32, was previously indicted on multiple counts related to the distribution of drugs and Wolford’s death. Thomas and Creagh are accused of selling heroin and fentanyl on May 22 that resulted in the death of Christopher Wolford.

“This defendant is charged with selling the blue-drop heroin that caused so many overdoses, heartache and even death,” Dettelbach said. “The DEA is to be commended for working with the local police to protect the citizens of Marion. This case should serve as yet another reminder that heroin and fentanyl should be avoided. Trying heroin is not only a mistake -- it may be the last mistake a person ever makes.”

Reagan said:  “We have made it a priority to investigate the distribution of narcotics that result in death.  Today’s charges send a strong message to all narcotic traffickers that they will face real consequences, for the harm that they inflict on the user and society.  The level of cooperation by all of the law enforcement agencies in this investigation has been extraordinary and serves as a model for the future.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Freeman and Thomas Weldon following an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, MARMET, the Marion Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff's Office and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.

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 Ohio man pleaded guilty to lying on his immigration documents by failing to disclose his role in the ethnically motivated murder of a Croatian couple during the war in the former Yugoslavia, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Marlon Miller, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Detroit, which covers Michigan and Ohio.

Slobodan Mutic, 52, of Barberton,  pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly and willingly possessing a U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Form I-94, knowing it to be forged, counterfeited, altered, falsely made or to be have been procured by means of a false claim or statement.

"This nation is a haven for refugees, not human rights criminals,” Dettelbach said. “This defendant lied his way into this nation and he will be punished. And we also hope that he is held to account for any of his actions once he is returned to his home country to face justice."

"The investigation, prosecution, and ultimate removal of individuals like Mutic are paramount to the mission of Homeland Security Investigations and to the safety our communities,” Miller said. “Individuals like Mutic should realize that the United States is not a safe haven for people who have committed horrendous war crimes back in their home countries.”

Mutic possessed a Form I-94 in 2012 that he fraudulently procured. Mutic, on or about August 2001,falsely claimed “no” when filling out immigration forms that asked if he had ever “been arrested, cited, charged, indicted, fined or imprisoned for breaking any law or ordinance…” and again when asked if he had “ever engaged in any genocide, otherwise ordered, incited, assisted or otherwise participated in the killing of any person because of race, religion, nationality ethnic origin or political opinion,” according to court documents.

Those answers were false. Mutic was arrested, detained for a month and questioned by local law enforcement about the murder of Stjepan and Paula Cindric. The answers also contradicted statements  he made during a January 8, 1992 interview that were memorialized in an affidavit that Mutic signed, according to court documents.

In that affidavit, Mutic admitted to his participation in the murder of the Cindric family along with accomplice Dragan Perencevic. Mutic and Perencevic targeted the Cindrics because of their ethnicity, according to court documents.

Mutic is scheduled to be sentenced January 6, 2016. He will be subject to stipulated removal from the U.S. to Croatia upon completion of his sentence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karrie Howard and Matthew J. Cronin following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.

The leader of a group of men who distributed heroin and cocaine and planned to use firearms to rob what they believed to be a drug stash house was sentenced to more than 17 years in prison.

Kali Alexander, 24, of Willoughby Hills, was sentenced to 211 months in federal prison. Rasheam Nichols, 24, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

A jury convicted Alexander, Nichols, Justin Maxwell, 26, Terrance Chappell, 22, and Kenneth Flowers, 21, all of Cleveland, on all 11 counts earlier this summer.

Maxwell, Chappell and Flowers are scheduled to be sentenced this week. They face mandatory minimum sentences of 15 years in prison.

Alexander recruited the other defendants to steal up to nine kilograms of cocaine from a stash house in Cleveland. The group planned to rob the stash house, then Alexander would sell the stolen cocaine and split the profits, according to court documents.

Alexander met with an undercover ATF agent last year and expressed an interest and willingness to commit the robbery. “I promise you, I know what I’m doing, I’m about to holler at my big brother, then we going to orchestrate it from there,” according to court documents.

Alexander, Nichols, Maxwell, Chappell and Flowers met with the ATF undercover on September 3, 2014, and discussed the strategy for the robbery. Then the five men drove to agreed-upon location in anticipation of acquiring a specific vehicle to use during the robbery, at which point they were arrested, according to court documents.

The indictments are the result of “Operation Samson II,” an initiative last summer in which 60 people were indicted and 110 firearms were seized.

“This was a violent crew who had no qualms about using firearms to get drugs and money,” said U.S. Attorney Steven M. Dettelbach. “Cleveland is safer with these men off the streets.”

"There is no place in our society for those who use firearms for violent, criminal purposes," said Donald Soranno, Special Agent in Charge of ATF's Columbus Field Division. "ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners at every level to bring those individuals to justice."

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly M. Galvin and Paul Flannery. Operation Samson II was a cooperative effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cleveland Division of Police, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.

An Akron man was indicted for selling fentanyl he obtained from China that resulted in a fatal overdose earlier this year, law enforcement officials said.

Leroy Shuarod Steele, 35, was indicted on two counts: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl. Count two specifies that the fentanyl Steele distributed resulted in the fatal overdose of a person identified only as T.R. on March 21, 2015 in Akron.

Also named in the indictment are Sabrina M. Robinson, 34, and Ryan Sumlin, 26, both of Akron.

Steele, Robinson and 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 the indictment.

Sumlin faces an additional charge of distribution of fentanyl.

“A human life was snuffed out because of the poison this defendant brought to Akron,” said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. “This tragedy underscores the danger of using heroin or fentanyl. Making the mistake of using this drug even once might be the last mistake a person ever makes.”

The investigation is ongoing.

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

The former manager of Castalia Farms was charged this week for his role in a conspiracy in which he submitted false invoices to his employer in returns for kickbacks and other services from vendors, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland office.

Michael K. Conrad, 48, of Castalia, Ohio, was charged with conspiracy and wire fraud via a criminal information.

Conrad managed Castalia Farms, a hospitality facility owned by Owens-Illinois, Inc. and used by the company as a recreational facility. In this capacity, Conrad sometimes had need for industrial equipment or auto repairs. He was a regular customer of an auto dealership where Robert A. Bellamy worked, and was a regular customer of Construction Equipment & Supply, a Sandusky company owned by a person identified as SCW, according to the information.

Beginning in 2001, Conrad engaged in a conspiracy to defraud Owens-Illinois by submitting false and fraudulent invoices, purportedly for services provided related to Castalia Farms. For example, Conrad and SCW submitted invoices to Owens-Illinois for equipment rentals that never occurred, or were far in excess of the time the equipment was rented, or purchase of construction supplies that never occurred, according to the information.

SCW made large sums of money through these fraudulent billings, and would repay Conrad with kickbacks, according to the information.

In another scheme, Conrad and Bellamy submitted false invoices to Owens-Illinois for vehicle repairs that never occurred, repairs to Conrad’s personal vehicles and auto parts never installed on vehicles owned by Owens-Illinois. Conrad received service and parts for his personal vehicles and those of his friends and family paid for by Owens-Illinois, according to the information.

Bellamy has pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy. The investigation is ongoing.

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

The investigating agency in this case is the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Sandusky, Ohio, with the assistance of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office.  The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Gene Crawford.

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 Boardman man was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm and body armor, law enforcement officials said.

Akira O. Jackson, 33, pleaded guilty earlier this year to two counts in federal court -- being a felon in possession of a firearm and being a felon in possession of a ballistic vest. He was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison.

On March 18, Jackson possessed body armor, a .40-caliber pistol and ammunition. Jackson was forbbiden by law from possessing these items because of prior convictions, including conspiracy to commit voluntary manslaughter, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and an additional conviction for possession of a firearm by a felon, according to court documents.

"This is a well-deserved sentence for a violent person who has no business carrying a firearm," said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Hollingsworth following an investigation by ATF and the Boardman Police Department.

A grand jury returned a three-count indictment related to three bank robberies in Parma and Parma Heights, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Russell C. Bowers, 29, of Lakewood, and Ashley Wentz, 23, of Parma, were each charged with three counts of bank robbery. Jason D. Spinelli, 40, of Cleveland, was charged with one count of bank robbery.

The indictment alleges that Bowers, Spinelli, and Wentz robbed the Citizens Bank, 5775 Chevy Road, in Parma, Ohio, a federally insured financial institution, on June 26, 2015.

The indictment further alleges that Bowers and Wentz robbed the Fifth Third Bank, 6809 West 130th Street, in Parma Heights, Ohio, a federally insured financial institution, on July 12, 2015; and the Citizens Bank, 6555 Pearl Road, in Parma Heights, Ohio, a federally insured financial institution, on July 17, 2015.

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 Brian M. McDonough following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cleveland Division, and the Parma and Parma Heights Police Departments.

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 David K. Turner, of Knoxville, Tennessee, with engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, distributing a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, coercion and enticement of a minor, and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court 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 Brian M. McDonough following an investigation by the FBI Canton Resident Agency and the Massillon 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.

A grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Robert B. Ray, 52, of Lorain, with receiving and distributing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and with possessing child pornography, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court 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 Brian M. McDonough following an investigation by the FBI Cleveland Field Office, Elyria Resident Agency.

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

A former police officer was indicted for two counts of selling firearms to people he knew were felons, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Cleveland office.

Kevin R. Lumpkin, 29, of North Olmsted, is accused of selling a Hi-Point .45-caliber rifle and a Ruger .380-caliber pistol on different occassions to people he knew were convicted of felonies and therefore forbidden from possessing a firearm. These sales took place between 2011 and 2013, when Lumpkin was a North Randall police officer, according to court documents.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Kendra Klump following an investigation by the FBI.

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

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

A former employee at Parma Public Housing Agency was sentenced to more than a year in prison for stealing $232,000 from the agency, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Amy Belz, 34, of Brunswick, Ohio, was sentenced to 16 months in prison. She previously pleaded guilty to theft of government funds.

“This defendant lined her pockets with nearly a quarter of a million dollars that was meant to help poor people,” Dettelbach said. “Public employees who steal from taxpayers will be held accountable for their actions.”

Between 2008 and 2014, while Belz was program manager of the Parma Public Housing Agency, she stole $232,407.48 by writing 138 checks to herself, money which was provided to Parma from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In order to conceal her theft of funds from Parma Public Housing Agency and HUD, Belz made the checks out to herself, but typed vendor names on the carbon copies in the Parma Public Housing Agency check registers. Belz then created false invoices from these legitimate Parma Public Housing Agency vendors, attached them to the false carbon copies, and placed them in the Parma Public Housing Agency files to make it appear that the vendor was paid for work, knowing that such was never actually ordered or completed, according to court documents.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hollingsworth after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General and the Parma Police Department.

A grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Mario Lopez Lopez, 34, of Elyria, with receiving and distributing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and with possessing child pornography, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court 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 Brian M. McDonough following an investigation by the FBI Cleveland Field Office, Elyria Resident Agency.

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.

Fredrick Alston Thomas, 35, of Elyria, was charged with receiving, distributing and possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

The indictment charges that from on or about December 4, 2014, through on or about February 1, 2015, Thomas knowingly received and distributed, by computer, numerous computer files, which contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  On July 23, 2015, images of child pornography were also found on his smartphone, 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 Carol M. Skutnik.  The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Elyria 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.

A Cleveland man was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for multiple armed robberies of Family Dollar and Dollar General stores in Northeast Ohio, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland Office.

Quentin Blade, 31, was sentenced to 190 months in prison. He previously pleaded guilty to multiple counts of conspiring to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, interference with commerce by means of robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

Nicholas Daniel, 24, of Cleveland, also pleaded guilty to several counts related to his role in the conspiracy. Daniel is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

Between August 6, 2014, and September 24, 2014, Blade and Daniel conspired to rob numerous retail stores in Cleveland and East Cleveland. These stores include the Dollar General at 13741 Euclid Ave., Dollar General at 5133 Superior Ave., Dollar General at 2966 E. 116 Street, Dollar General at 2272 E. 55 Street (twice), Family Dollar at 1250 E. 105 Street and Dollar General at 9111 Miles Ave, according to court documents.

Blade and Daniel carried and brandished firearms during the incidents, according to court documents.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Kendra Klump following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cleveland Division, the Cleveland Division of Police, and the East Cleveland Police Department and with the assistance of the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.

A leader of a human trafficking ring pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to charges that he lured Guatemalan minors and adults into the United States on false pretenses, then used threats of physical harm to compel their labor at egg farms in Ohio.  The guilty plea was announced by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Civil Rights Division, and U.S. Attorney Steven M. Dettelbach of the Northern District of Ohio.

Aroldo Castillo-Serrano, 33, of Guatemala, pleaded guilty to a labor trafficking conspiracy, one count of labor trafficking, one count of witness tampering and a related immigration offense.  His co-conspirator, Conrado Salgado Soto, 52, of Mexico, pleaded guilty on Aug. 5 to participating in the same labor-trafficking conspiracy, as well as an immigration offense, the Justice Department also announced today.  The guilty pleas are pending approval from a federal court judge and are not final until that approval is granted.

According to the indictment, which was unsealed on July 2, the defendants and their associates recruited workers from Guatemala, some as young as 14 or 15 years old, falsely promising them good jobs and a chance to attend school in the United States.  The defendants then smuggled and transported the workers to a trailer park in Marion, Ohio, where they ordered them to live in dilapidated trailers and to work at physically demanding jobs at Trillium Farms for up to 12 hours a day for minimal amounts of money.  The work included cleaning chicken coops, loading and unloading crates of chickens, de-beaking chickens and vaccinating chickens.

The defendants threatened workers with physical harm and withheld their paychecks in order to compel them to work.  Castillo-Serrano also pleaded guilty to convincing a witness to lie to the FBI about the scheme.  Eight minors, as young as 14, and two adults were identified in the indictment as victims of the forced labor scheme.

“These defendants exploited children who were poor, vulnerable and entirely at their mercy,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Gupta.  “We will pursue and prosecute such behavior with all of the tools at our disposal.”

“Our laws and a sense of common decency require that people not be treated like commodities,” said U.S. Attorney Dettelbach.  “This defendant treated workers as if they were less important than the eggs that they would help produce.  Now he is going to learn the hard way that in this nation, there is a big difference."

“The defendants forced adults and children to work and live in deplorable conditions in exchange for false promises,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony of the FBI Cleveland Division.  “These reprehensible actions are unacceptable and the FBI will continue to work with our partners to bring to justice those that engage in human trafficking.”

Charges are still pending against a third co-conspirator, Ana Angelica Pedro Juan, 21, of Guatemala.  Pedro Juan is charged with labor trafficking and conspiracy to commit labor trafficking, as well as witness tampering and making false statements to law enforcement.  Two other defendants, Conrado Salgado-Borbon and Bartolo Dominguez, have pleaded guilty to immigration offenses in connection with this case.

Castillo-Serrano’s sentencing will be scheduled at a later date, and Salgado Soto’s sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 14.  The forced labor counts and the witness tampering count each carry a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  The charges involving immigration violations and false statements carry statutory maximum sentences of five years in prison.

The investigation is ongoing.  The case is being investigated by the FBI Cleveland Office’s Mansfield Resident Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, the Marion Police Department and the Marion County Sherriff’s Office.  The case is being jointly prosecuted by Trial Attorney Dana Mulhauser of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea Rice of the Northern District of Ohio.

An East Cleveland businessman was charged for attempting to bribe a councilman in that city in exchange for support in getting a liquor license, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the Cleveland Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Mukundkumar Patel, 52, was charged in a criminal information with one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.

“This councilman acted as we expect all public officials would and immediately reported a bribe offer to the FBI, who did great work following up,” Dettelbach said. “The lesson of this case is simple: ‘briber beware.’”

“We will not tolerate individuals believing they can circumvent the law by bribing a public official,” Anthony said. “The FBI commends the public official involved for adhering to his ethical principles by not accepting the bribe made by this business owner.”

Patel began renovating the former bar area of McCalls into a Convenient Food Mart which would sell beer and wine. Doing so would require a liquor license, which requires a written application endorsed by the city of East Cleveland, according to the information.

Patel submitted a liquor license application. City officials told Patel they were not inclined to endorse his application but would consider his request after speaking with community stakeholders, according to the information.

On October 15, 2014, Patel met with an East Cleveland councilman, identified in the charges only as Public Official 1, and offered to pay $2,000 if the councilman would sign the application. The councilman refused and Patel raised his offer to $3,000. The councilman again refused and Patel told the councilman to name his price, according to the information.

Unbeknownst to Patel, the councilman contacted the FBI to report the bribe solicitation. On Oct. 23, 2014, Patel again met with the councilman, who was acting at the FBI’s direction. Patel offered the councilman $4,000 up front and $1,000 later in return for signing Patel’s beer and wine application, according to the information.

The next day, Patel and the councilman met again and Patel paid him $4,000 in cash. The councilman turned the money over to the FBI, according to the information.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon following an investigation by the FBI.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.

A charge 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.

"One of the first things I did when I became U.S. Attorney was arrange for Lou Stokes to address every federal prosecutor in the District. We were in the midst of a huge county corruption scandal, and public service was taking a public beating. But Lou Stokes was always there as a shining beacon of integrity, of excellence and most important of all for us, of justice. I will always remember not only his words and wisdom that day, and whenever we spoke, but the incredible example that his entire life set."

A Mayfield Heights man is accused of stealing more than $677,000 from his former employer, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland office.

Geno Trunzo, 51, was indicted on one count of making or possessing forged securities of private entities and four counts of money laundering.

Trunzo worked for a company that engaged in the retail sale of mattresses and bedding supplies from 2004 until December 2014. Trunzo was promoted to be the company’s controller in late 2005. In this role, he managed the company’s accounts payable , was responsible for paying the company’s business expenses and had access to the company’s books, records, checks and credit lines, according to the indictment.

Trunzo forged and created approximately 431 checks drawn on the company’s accounts by affixing, without authorization, a stamped image of the name of an authorized signer of the checks. Trunzo made the checks payable to himself and to third-party payees for his personal benefit, causing a loss to the company of approximately $677,131, according to the indictment.

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

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.

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 Virginia executive was convicted by a federal jury on 14 counts related to providing things of value to the former director of the Cleveland and Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical Center in exchange for confidential information about VA construction projects, law enforcement officials said.

Mark S. Farmer, 55, of Arlington, Virginia, was convicted on one count of conspiracy, one count of violating the Hobbs Act, two counts of wire fraud, six counts of mail fraud and four counts of theft of government property. He is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 9.

Farmer was employed at CannonDesign, an integrated design firm headquartered in Buffalo, New York, that performed work for the VA. He worked in several different capacities, including associate principal.

Farmer and CannonDesign received VA records and things of value, including non-public information concerning the VA and streamlined access to public information concerning the VA, which William Montague had embezzled and stolen without authority from the VA. This was done to give Farmer and CannonDesign an advantage over other companies in the awarding and administration of VA business, according to court documents and trial testimony.

Montague, the former director of the Cleveland and Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical Center, previously pleaded guilty to 64 counts related to his role in the conspiracy. He is awaiting sentencing.

“Bribing a public official to obtain internal government documents and information for a competitive business advantage is illegal,” said Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cleveland Office. “The FBI will continue to root out corruption at all levels.”

“Today's verdict shows contractors and VA executives who cheat the taxpayers and veterans will be held accountable,” said Gavin McClaren, U.S. VA OIG, Resident Agent in Charge, Cleveland.

Farmer asked Montague to obtain information concerning VA contracts and business, including VA records. Montague used his power and influence at the VA to gain access to VA employees in ways that Farmer could not. Montague gave false and misleading information to VA employees about Montague’s reasons for requesting VA records and information, according to court records and trial testimony.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Antoinette T. Bacon and Paul Flannery following an investigation by the FBI and United States Department of Veterans Affairs—Office of Inspector General.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Clifford Ramsey, 20, of Canton, with possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of approximately 163 grams of heroin and approximately 94.55 grams of cocaine, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Ramsey was apprehended in March 2015 by law enforcement after fleeing on foot from a traffic stop. Officers recovered two plastic garbage bags containing the heroin and cocaine during the foot pursuit, according to court documents.

If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal 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 Canton Police Department, Stark County Safe Streets Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Teresa Riley.

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 Middleburg Heights man was charged with operating a tax fraud conspiracy in which he and others knowingly and willingly prepared and filed dozens of inflated tax returns, sometimes in return for cash kickbacks, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Kathy Enstrom, IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge.

Towhidul Hussain, 36, was charged via criminal information with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and three counts related to assisting with the preparation of false tax returns.

Hussain operated a tax-preparation business operating as Liberty Tax at 6410 Harvard Ave. in Cleveland. His business operated through a franchise agreement with Liberty Tax Services, and Hussain had no training or experience in tax return preparation before buying the franchise, according to the information.

Hussain hired a woman identified in the charges as Co-Conspirator 1 to help with daily operation of the business. She showed Hussain how to add false information to tax returns to artificially inflate his clients’ tax refunds, including false medical expenses, false education credits and other false deductions. This took place between 2011 and 2014, according to the information.

Hussain and his co-worker directed some clients to take their tax refund checks to a neighborhood check-cashing store. Once the check was cashed, Hussain and the co-worker received a portion of the refund as payment. In 2012, Hussain received more than $20,000 in kickbacks from clients who received artificially inflated tax returns, according to the information.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Hollingsworth following an investigation by IRS-Criminal Investigations.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.

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.

Eight men were indicted for their roles in conspiracy that brought large amounts of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine from Mexico into Texas and then to the Cleveland area, law enforcement officials said.

Named in the 15-count indictment are: Jose Palacio, 40, of McAllen, Texas; Efren Vega, 47, of Cleveland; Heleodoro Zepeda, 40, of Texas; Hugo Aguilar, 38, of Mission, Texas; Jacobo Banda-Bermudez, 44, of Mexico; William Overdear, 50, of Cleveland; Anthony W. Konicek, 40, of Cleveland, and Abdel Khalil, 44, of North Ridgeville.

Palacio, Zepeda, Aguilar and Banda-Bermudez obtained kilogram quantities of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine from suppliers in Mexico. Palacio and Zepeda then used family members, friends and vehicles equipped with hidden compartments to ship the drugs across the border into Texas, according to the indictment.

Palacio and Zepeda distributed some of the drugs to Vega in Cleveland. The rest went to suppliers in Houston. This took place in 2014 and 2015, according to the indictment.

Palacio, Zepeda and Aguilar robbed rival drug traffickers of their drugs in McAllen, Texas. They provided anonymous tips to law enforcement so rival drug dealers would be arrested. They also surreptitiously installed GPS tracking devices on their transport vehicles and on the vehicles of some competitors to monitor their movement throughout Mexico and the U.S., according to the indictment.

Once the drugs were in Cleveland, Vega distributed them to other dealers from various locations on the West Side, according to court documents.

“This group is charged with shipping pounds of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine into Cleveland and laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

“These eight individuals conspired to bring large amounts of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines across the Mexico border into Texas and ultimately making its way to Northern Ohio,” said Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland Office. “This wide-ranging investigation is another example of the comprehensive strategy by members of the Northern Ohio Law Enforcement Task Force to target, dismantle, and eliminate the most significant criminal enterprises bringing danger and narcotics to our city.”

"This investigation is an excellent example of collaboration between law enforcement agencies which was instrumental in successfully dismantling a major narcotics smuggling organization in the Cleveland area," said Marlon Miller, special agent in charge of HSI for Michigan and Ohio.  "HSI will continue to utilize its broad authorities to aggressively target and take down groups who are distributing narcotics and posing a threat in our communities."

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph M. Pinjuh and Henry F. DeBaggis following an investigation by Northern Ohio Law Enforcement Task Force and HSI. 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, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the police departments of Cleveland Heights, Euclid, Lakewood, the Regional Transit Authority, Westlake and Shaker Heights.

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.

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 returned a one-count indictment charging Juan Jose Rojas Pena, 20, of Youngstown, with attempting to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

The indictment alleges that on or about July 13, 2015, Rojas Pena knowingly and intentionally attempted to possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine.

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 Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Service. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States 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 federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Christopher A. Brown, 35, of Youngstown, with maintaining a residence for the purpose of distributing crack cocaine and with possessing with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and heroin, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Count 1 of the indictment alleges that in or about June 2015, Brown knowingly and intentionally maintained a place on Parkcliffe Avenue in Youngstown, for the purpose of distributing crack cocaine.

Count 2 of the indictment alleges that on or about June 10, 2015, Brown knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute more than 28 grams of crack cocaine and heroin.

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 Drug Enforcement Administration and the Youngstown Police Department, Vice Squad. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David M. Toepfer.

A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Edward L. Dugan, 46, of Reynoldsburg, and Tonya Sue Carpenter, 41, of Athens,  for stealing outgoing mail from residential mailboxes, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

The indictment alleges that Dugan and Carpenter stole mail from residential mailboxes on several occasions for about month.

Assistant United States Attorney Karrie D. Howard is prosecuting the case, following an investigation by the the U.S. Postal Service's Office of Inspector General.

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.

A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Andre J. Grier, 41, of Cleveland, for presenting stolen checks to a local bank and receiving money under false pretenses, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Grier presented seven stolen checks totaling more than $62,000 a local bank to be cashed, misrepresenting that his nonprofit organization, Hood 2 Hood, Inc., earned them through various false business ventures. This took place between December 2014 and January 2015, according to the indictment.

Assistant United States Attorney Karrie D. Howard is prosecuting the case, following an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General.

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.  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 two-count criminal indictment was filed charging an Olmsted Township woman with embezzling approximately $13,906 from Pipe Fitter Local Union No. 120, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Heather Banhidy, 50, formerly worked for Local 120 as a clerical employee. In that capacity, she embezzled funds from approximately December 2011 through September 2013. Banhidy also caused the falsification, concealment, withholding and destruction of union dues receipts and records of payments received by Local 120 as part of her embezzlement scheme, according to the indictment.

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, the defendants’ 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 agents of the Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards.

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 federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Scott D. Tesca, 39, of Mansfield, with armed bank robbery, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

The indictment alleges in Count 1 that on December 15, 2014, Scott Tesca and others robbed the Richland Bank located at 460 West Cook Road, Mansfield, Ohio.   Count 2 alleges that on January 15, 2015, Scott Tesca and others robbed the Chase Bank located at 1094 Lexington Avenue, Mansfield, Ohio.  

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

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Mansfield Office.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Linda H. Barr.

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 women were indicted for a conspiracy in which they stole other people’s identities and collected more than $326,000 in false tax returns, law enforcement officials said.

Named in the 43-count criminal indictment are Michelle D. Pugh, a/k/a Michelle Morman, 38, and Joi C. Tate, 37. They are charged with conspiracy to defraud the government, making false, fictitious and fraudulent claims for income tax refunds, theft of public funds and aggravated identity theft.

“This duo is charged with stealing money from the government and identifying information from customers,” said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

“These defendants stole identities and enriched themselves as if the IRS was their personal ATM,” said Troy Stemen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office. “Our agents remain vigilant and will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to root out these bad actors and bring them to justice.”

The indictment alleges that Pugh and Tate, acting together and with others, engaged in a false tax refund scheme in which they prepared at least 25 false income tax returns for the years 2010 and 2011, for approximately 20 people including Pugh, which claimed income tax refunds that were greater than the actual refunds, if any, to which the taxpayers were entitled. 

Pugh, Tate and others gathered personal identification information used in filing the returns either by posing as legitimate tax preparers working through Pugh’s company, MP Tax Services, or through a network of associates.  In some cases, Pugh and Tate obtained and used personal identification information of individuals without their knowledge of consent.  Pugh and Tate did not list themselves as the actual tax preparer on any of the tax returns they filed in others’ names.

On each return, Pugh, Tate and their cohorts generated false refund claims, at least in part, by reporting a falsely inflated or fictitious wage income and a resulting false earned income credit.  On some returns, Pugh, Tate and their confederates also claimed false dependents and/or reported false education and child tax credits, as reflected on fictitious Forms 8863 and 8812 filed with the IRS.

Pugh and Tate filed the returns electronically on behalf of taxpayers, through private and public internet connections.  Generally, they did not provide a copy of the return to the taxpayer, and the taxpayer did not know the amount of the refund claimed or was told an incorrect amount.    In the case of those individuals whose identities were used without their knowledge or permission, Pugh and Tate did not inform them that they received funds from the IRS and instead kept the proceeds for themselves.

The electronic filings included requests that the IRS direct-deposit refunds into bank accounts owned or controlled by Pugh.  After receiving the refunds, Pugh, Tate and their co-conspirators paid only a portion of the refund, if any, to the taxpayer.        

According to the indictment, Pugh’s, Tate’s and their co-conspirators’ falsely inflated refund claims on the returns filed in the scheme resulted in the delivery of approximately $326,265 in illicit refunds to the conspirators.

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, the defendants’ roles in the offense and the characteristics of the criminal conduct.  In all cases, the sentences 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 IRS – Criminal 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 the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

A Cleveland man was indicted for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Anthony Milner, 31, was named in the two-count indictment. He is accused of conspiring with others to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine between March and May 2015, according to the indictment.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vasile Katsaros following an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentences will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.

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 was sentenced to 30 months in prison for defrauding federal and state agencies out of nearly $350,000 by claiming he was disabled while actually working as a home-repair contractor, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

James Van Buskirk, 53, pleaded guilty earlier this year to 11 counts, including theft of government funds, wire fraud, and fraudulently securing Social Security benefits.

"These programs exist to help those who are truly disabled and cannot work," Dettelbach said. "We will continue to prosecute those who abuse programs like these for their own enrichment."

Van Buskirk stole $75,823 in Social Security benefits designated for the truly disabled by reporting complete disability while still performing physical labor as a home repair contractor. He similarly falsely applied for and received $269,932 from the Ohio Bureau of Worker’s Compensation (OBWC) through the same scheme to defraud. He executed this scheme from approximately November 2002 through April 2014, according to court documents.

Van Buskirk concealed and failed to disclose his self-employment, knowing that it would affect his right to Social Security disability benefits.

Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Cronin prosecuted the case following an investigation by the SSA Office of Inspector General and the OBWC.

A Texas man was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for traveling to Ohio in an attempt to have sex with what he believed to be a 13-year-old girl, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Samuel E. Condo, Jr., 32, of Arlington, Texas, was sentenced to 188 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Benita Pearson. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to four counts: enticement, receipt and distribution of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, transportation of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and travel to engage in sexually explicit conduct.

From on or about October 20, 2014, through on or about October 24, 2014, in the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, and elsewhere, Condo knowingly used facilities and means of interstate and foreign commerce, that is, a cell phone and a computer connected to the Internet, to attempt to persuade, induce, entice and coerce an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years, that is, a 13-year-old girl to engage in illegal sexual activity with him. He also knowingly distributed numerous computer files which files contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, according to court documents.

On October 24, 2014, in the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, and elsewhere, Condo knowingly transported numerous computer files, which files contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He also knowingly traveled in interstate commerce, from Texas to Ohio, for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with another person, that is, a 13-year-old girl, according to court documents.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael A. Sullivan. The case was investigated by the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the United States Secret Service.

A nine-count federal indictment was filed charging a Marion man with selling heroin and fentanyl that resulted in an overdose death, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s  Special Agent in Charge Joseph P. Reagan.

Eric L. Creagh, 32, was indicted on one count of distribution of heroin and fentanyl that resulted in death, three counts of distribution of heroin and fentanyl, three counts of distribution of heroin and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms.

Creagh is accused of selling heroin and fentanyl on May 22 that resulted in the death of Christopher Wolford. He is also charged with possessing more than a kilogram of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, as well as selling heroin and fentanyl at various dates in May and June 2015. Creagh is also accused of possessing a Ruger .380-caliber pistol and a Heritage .22-caliber revolver, despite a 2008 conviction for felonious assault.

“This defendant is charged with selling the blue-drop heroin that caused so many overdoses, heartache and even death,” Dettelbach said. “The DEA is to be commended for working with the local police to protect the citizens of Marion. This case should serve as yet another reminder that heroin and fentanyl should be avoided. Trying heroin is not only a mistake -- it may be the last mistake a person ever makes.”

Reagan said:  “We have made it a priority to investigate the distribution of narcotics that result in death.  Today’s charges send a strong message to all narcotic traffickers that they will face real consequences, for the harm that they inflict on the user and society.  The level of cooperation by all of the law enforcement agencies in this investigation has been extraordinary and serves as a model for the future.”

According to a federal affidavit filed in the case earlier this year:

A confidential informant purchased more than 20 grams of "blue drop" heroin from Creagh on five separate occasions between May 30 and June 8.

Members of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Marion Metro Drug Enforcement Unit (MARMET), the Marion Police Department and the Marion County Sheriff's Office executed search warrants at two homes owned by Creagh on June 10. Creagh was arrested and law enforcement agents recovered two firearms, approximately one kilogram of a heroin/fentantyl mixture, blue fabric dye, a face mask with a filtration system and rubber gloves, two hydraulic presses and approximately $45,000 in cash.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Freeman and Thomas Weldon following an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, MARMET, the Marion Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff's Office and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.

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.

Former U.S. Postal Service letter carrier Philip A. Rizk was sentenced to two years of probation, fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $27,798 in restitution for working under-the-table at a bingo hall while receiving worker’s compensation, law enforcement officials said.

Rizk, of Middleburgh Heights, pleaded guilty earlier this year to two counts of making false statements to obtain federal compensation.

U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Monica Weyler stated: “Workers compensation benefits costs the Postal Service over $1 billion per year. The majority of that money is paid to injured workers that legitimately deserve it. However, a small number of individuals choose to not follow the rules and commit fraud against the system, as in this case. U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General special agents vigorously investigate allegations of workers compensation fraud, and seek prosecution and termination of benefits for individuals that do not merit compensation. To report allegations of postal employees committing workers compensation fraud, contact the USPS OIG at www.uspsoig.gov or 888-USPS-OIG.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Darden following an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General.

Two criminal informations were filed charging Kieran Kuhn, 33, of Port Washington, N.Y., and Kona Jones Barbera, 35, of Asheville, N.C, each with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Cleveland office.

Kuhn and Barbera conspired with Zirk de Maison and others to defraud investors and potential investors in several public issuers, including Kensington Leasing, Ltd., 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 such as Kuhn and Barbera, for soliciting investors to make investments in, and fraudulently concealing the ownership interests of, the manipulated companies. This took place between April 26, 2011, and September 18, 2014, according to the information.

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

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.  Kuhn owned and operated a boiler room called Small Cap Resources in New York City, where he employed promoters such as Barbera to cold call and solicit potential investors to purchase shares of the manipulated companies.  Zirk de Maison and others dictated what stocks Kuhn and Barbera pushed.  The cold calls to potential investors typically coincided with favorable press releases or other information that Zirk de Maison caused to be released, according to the information.

Kuhn and Barbera 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 Zirk de Maison and other co-conspirators paid them commissions on the sale of Zirk de Maison’s and other co-conspirator’s stock to the investors, either on the open market or through private placements, according to the information.

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 $27 million from the scheme. de Maison profited through the fraudulent scheme relating to the companies’ stocks. de Maison received and embezzled approximately $30 million in investor monies.  Kuhn received and embezzled approximately $2.6 million.  Barbera received and embezzled approximately $251,920, according to the information.

The informations were filed by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christos N. Georgalis and Adam Hollingsworth after an investigation by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to the cases, including the defendant's prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offenses, 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.

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.

The Selection Panel for the Community Police Commission appointed by Mayor Frank G. Jackson will hold its second public meeting, Monday, August 3, 2015 at 6:00 pm at the offices of Hispanic Alliance, 3110 w. 25th St. Cleveland, OH 44109.  The public meeting will consist of a brief presentation on the responsibilities of the Cleveland Community Police Commission and the application process.  Members of the panel will respond to questions and comments from meeting participants regarding applicant eligibility, and the skills and areas of expertise the community would like to see represented on the Commission.

Application materials for the Cleveland Community Police Commission were released online on July 21, 2015 and are available on the Selection Panel website, https://www.clecpc.org. The Selection Panel website also contains background information about the Commission’s roles and responsibilities and a list of frequently asked questions pertaining to the application process.  Links to the application are also available via the websites of the City of Cleveland and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio. The Selection Panel has made paper copies of the application available for pickup at Cleveland City Hall and all branches of the Cleveland Public Library.  The Selection Panel is also working with community groups and faith-based organizations to facilitate the distribution of applications.  Completed applications for the Commission must be submitted to the Selection Panel by August 6.  Applications can be submitted online via https://www.clecpc.org, by email, U.S. postal mail, or in person to a secure drop-off box that is available at City Hall for the delivery of paper copies.

In addition to the 10 members recommended by the Selection Panel, the Commission will also include a member appointed by each of the three local police associations: the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association, the Fraternal Order of Police and the Black Shield.

The appointed Community Police Commission will work to bring forward recommendations to the Mayor and Cleveland Division of Police on policies and practices that can help strengthen relations between the Cleveland police and the communities they serve. The commission will also issue progress updates to the community.

An employee of a nonprofit that served Cleveland’s Lee-Harvard neighborhood was charged with conspiring with a businessman to bribe a city employee in order to receive payment from a $25,000 city grant despite the project’s failure to achieve the equal opportunity employment goals required by the grant agreement, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland office.

Lawrence Payten, 57, of Cleveland, was charged via criminal information with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud.

Payten worked at a nonprofit community organization that promoted commercial development in Cleveland’s Lee-Harvard neighborhood. Lejon C. Woods worked as a contract compliance officer in the City of Cleveland’s Office of Equal Opportunity. Woods previously pleaded guilty to receiving bribes from three other businesses.

Between November 2009 and August 2010, Payten and Woods accepted cash bribes from a businessman identified in the charges as “Co-Conspirator 1”. This person was a businessman who worked with Payten to locate land in the Lee-Harvard neighborhood to build a retail food and beverage business, according to the information.

The businessman and the City of Cleveland entered into Neighborhood Capital Funds Grant Agreement. The city awards funds for certain construction or rehabilitation projects and the recipients are subject to certain hiring goals. In this project, the Office of Equal Opportunity set a subcontractor participation goal of  15 percent for minority business enterprises, 7 percent for female business enterprises and 8 percent for Cleveland Area Small Businesses, according to the information.

Payten, Woods and the businessman met at City Hall in November 2009. Payten and the businessman told Woods that the businessman was not going to meet the OEO subcontractor guidelines and asked Woods to help them cover up the lack of compliance so the businessman could still receive the $25,000 Neighborhood Capital Funds disbursement, according to the information.

About two weeks later, Woods met with Payten and the businessman, in which the businessman paid Woods $1,500, promised Woods an additional $1,500 and promised Payten $2,500 for facilitating the arrangement between Woods and the businessman, according to the information.

Woods then falsified the OEO compliance documents relating to the construction project. On August 20 2010, the businessman received a NCF grant check for $25,000. Four days later, the businessman gave Woods the additional $1,500, according to the information.

“These rules were put in place to extend opportunity to other businesses, but Payten and his co-conspirators put their own financial gain above the rules,” Dettelbach said.

“Bribing a public official to fabricate numbers in order to avoid minority mandate requirements is never acceptable,” Anthony said. “The FBI will continue efforts to root out those that attempt to skirt the law by paying off an official.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Hollingsworth and Henry F. DeBaggis following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.

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.

A Cleveland Heights man was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for conspiring to defraud states out of more than $1.1 million in unemployment insurance benefits, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Juan Sanders, 35, was sentenced to 139 months in federal prison. He previously pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, wire fraud,aggravated identity theft and money laundering.

Co-conspirators Trina Grant, of Cleveland, Ashley Robinson, of Warrensville Heights, and Robert Barrett, of Cleveland, have also been found guilty of crimes and sentenced.

“These defendants took advantage of a program designed to help people out of work and instead used it to enrich themselves,” Dettelbach said.

“This sentence illustrates the Office of Inspector General’s commitment to combating unemployment insurance fraud.  Ensuring the accountability and integrity of the unemployment insurance program remains a high priority for the Office of Inspector General,” said James Vanderberg, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations.

“Stealing innocent peoples’ identities to defraud safety net programs is detestable,” said Kathy Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office. “This defendant let greed be his guide and today’s sentence should send a strong warning that such acts will not be tolerated and when discovered, prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.”

The defendants conspired to defraud state unemployment offices in Ohio, California, North Carolina, Massachusetts and Illinois from about September 2011 to January 2014. Under this scheme, Sanders fraudulently obtained personal identifying information from unsuspecting individuals to submit fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance benefits, according to court documents.

Sanders also created state unemployment insurance accounts for multiple fictitious employers in Ohio, California, North Carolina, Massachusetts and Illinois. Sanders then filed claims from “employees” who had been purportedly laid off by the fictitious companies. Sanders caused benefit debit cards for the “employees” of these fictitious companies to be mailed to various addresses in Ohio, according to court documents.

Once the benefits were loaded or reloaded onto the debit cards, Sanders, Grant, Robinson and Barrett used the debit cards at various ATMs in Ohio and withdrew the fraudulently obtained money, according to court documents.

As a result of this scheme, approximately $1,174,767 in fraudulent unemployment benefits were paid from state agencies in North Carolina ($572,170), Ohio ($261,509), Illinois ($144,240), California ($129,600) and Massachusetts ($67,248).

Sanders used $16,900 in fraudulently obtained cash to pay off a car loan on his 2007 Jaguar XJ automobile as well as several months’ rent on a Cleveland Heights apartment, according to court documents.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert W. Kern, M. Kendra Klump, and James Morford following an investigation by the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division.