District of Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man was sentenced to federal prison today after being convicted at trial in October 2021 for illegally possessing a stolen firearm as a convicted felon.

Desmond Boris Washington, 35, was sentenced to 4 years in federal prison and 3 years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, on October 10, 2018, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents and Portland Police Bureau officers executed four premises search warrants in the Portland area as part of a federal investigation into the armed robbery of two marijuana dealers. Washington, while not a target of the investigation, resided at one of the apartments searched. During the search, a Portland police officer observed a silver and black Taurus handgun in an open dresser drawer. In the same drawer, agents found a gold dental grill, necklaces, and a pendant with the name “I5daP,” a moniker used by Washington. Investigators later obtained several publicly available photographs and videos showing Washington wearing the dental grill and necklaces.

As the investigation continued, agents found additional evidence linking Washington to the handgun. A DNA test found DNA profiles from four different individuals, including Washington, on the gun. Washington’s public Facebook profile photo showed him holding what appeared to be the same gun. Washington also posted a series of music videos to YouTube showing him and several other convicted felons with the gun.

On November 6, 2018, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a single-count indictment charging Washington with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He was convicted on the charge in a jury trial ending October 30, 2021.

On December 4, 2019, two other Portland residents, Christopher Eugene Miller, 30, and Kebrin Larry Jones, 28, were indicted for illegally possessing the same stolen Taurus handgun. Jones later guilty to the charge and, on September 1, 2020, was sentenced to 17 months in federal prison and three years supervised release. Miller is in pre-trial custody pending a three-day jury trial scheduled to begin on June 28, 2021.

Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Portland Police Bureau and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Boring, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for distributing illegal narcotics in and around the Portland Metropolitan Area.

Thomas Lewis Ogden, 55, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, on several occasions investigators from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office completed controlled buys of illegal narcotics from Ogden at his residence in Clackamas County. On December 11, 2019, investigators executed a search warrant on Ogden’s residence and seized a kilogram of methamphetamine, 150 grams of heroin, and approximately 35 pounds of marijuana. While searching Ogden’s truck, the investigators found a. 38 caliber revolver in the driver’s seat as well as drug paraphernalia, packaging materials, digital scales, and a stun gun.

On December 18, 2019, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 5-count indictment charging Ogden with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm.

On January 15, 2021, Ogden pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kemp L. Strickland.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A known Hoover Criminal Gang member and resident of Portland pleaded guilty today to federal gun and drug charges for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.

Aumontae Wayne Smith, 22, pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents and testimony, Smith and an unnamed accomplice conspired with one another to distribute counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl in and around Portland. Investigators seized six firearms from Smith and his accomplice with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Further investigation revealed Smith purchased 16 firearms that were linked to 17 different shootings in the Portland area between April and December 2020.

On April 6, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Smith with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On April 16, 2021, he voluntarily surrendered to law enforcement.

With continued and early acceptance of responsibility, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will join Smith in jointly recommending a sentence of 70 months in prison when he is sentenced on August 9, 2021 before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Marco A. Hernandez.

This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau, FBI, and ATF. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Opioid abuse affects communities across the nation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that in 2019, its most recent data, there were 70,630 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. Opioids and synthetic opioids were alone responsible for 49,860 overdose deaths or nearly 71% of all overdoses. Drug overdose is now the leading cause of injury or death in the United States.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 3-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male.

The availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has presented public safety and health officials with a host of new challenges, including a dramatic increase in overdose deaths. Fentanyl-related overdose deaths in Oregon have doubled between 2016 and 2019.

If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 8am and 11pm Pacific Time daily.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug announced the unsealing of an indictment today against a Sinaloa-based drug trafficker for his role in trafficking fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine from Mexico to the Pacific Northwest.

Efrain Mendivil Figueroa, 41, of Sinaloa, Mexico, has been charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The announcement of charges against Figueroa follows the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designation of Figueroa as a Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act). OFAC identified Figueroa as a fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine distributor and transportation coordinator for the Jesus Gonzalez Penuelas Drug Trafficking Organization (aka “Gonzalez Penuelas DTO”). OFAC also designated the construction company City Plaza, Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, based in Guasave, Sinaloa for being owned or controlled by Figueroa. According to OFAC, the Gonzales Penuelas DTO is one of the largest raw opium gum and heroin sources of supply in northern Mexico, and increasingly a major distributor of fentanyl.

“Efrain Figueroa’s drug trafficking organization has deep ties in the Pacific Northwest. Our charges allege he is a long-term, active trafficker of heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl from Mexico to Oregon. Together, these drugs, particularly fentanyl, have caused immeasurable harm to the public safety and health of communities throughout our state,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Asphaug. “We applaud OFAC for designating Jesus Gonzalez Penuelas as a Significant Foreign Narcotics Kingpin and Figueroa as a Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker under the Kingpin Act for the significant danger they pose to the U.S. and its citizens.”

“This bold action highlights the DEA’s ability and intention of holding accountable the dangerous Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations who reside within our borders, but also those operating in Mexico who believe they are untouchable,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “DEA makes it a priority to identify and target drug traffickers who flood our city streets with poison and deny these drug trafficking organizations the profits of their illegal trade responsible for fueling the opioid epidemic. We will continue to work closely with our international partners to bring Efrain Figueroa to justice and dismantle drug cartels like Gonzales Penuelas DTO.”

“Fentanyl, particularly in the form of counterfeit prescription pills, is the region’s emerging drug threat and poses a significant danger to our communities. The increase in fentanyl supply and use over the past 2 ½ years in Oregon is reflected in the number of law enforcement trafficking investigations, drug seizures, overdose hospitalizations and, tragically, overdose deaths,” said Oregon-Idaho HIDTA Executive Director, Chris Gibson. “The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA will continue to support the cooperative efforts of our treatment, prevention and law enforcement partners with the ultimate goal of reducing the demand for and supply of the dangerous drugs that sadly wreak havoc in the lives of an increasing number of Oregonians.”

According to the indictment, beginning in at least August 2018, Figueroa and several associates are alleged to have conspired with one another to possess and distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl in Oregon and elsewhere. As part of their drug trafficking scheme, the group maintained various locations for the purpose of storing and packaging narcotics and used vehicles to transport and distribute product. The group would also smuggle bulk quantities of U.S. currency across state and international borders to facilitate drug transactions and engaged in money laundering to conceal their trafficking proceeds.

Acting U.S. Attorney Asphaug and Special Agent in Charge Tarantino made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Taskforce with assistance from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Steven T. Mygrant, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

The Oregon HIDTA program was established by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy in June of 1999. In 2015 the program expanded into Idaho and was renamed the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA. The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA consists of 16 counties, including Oregon’s Clackamas, Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Linn, Malheur, Marion, Multnomah, Umatilla and Washington counties, and Idaho’s Ada, Bannock, Canyon, and Kootenai counties.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

Opioid abuse affects communities across the nation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that in 2019, its most recent data, there were 70,630 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. Opioids and synthetic opioids were alone responsible for 49,860 overdose deaths or nearly 71% of all overdoses. Drug overdose is now the leading cause of injury or death in the United States.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 3-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male.

The availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has presented public safety and health officials with a host of new challenges, including a dramatic increase in overdose deaths. Fentanyl-related overdose deaths in Oregon have doubled between 2016 and 2019. In 2020, most fentanyl seized in Oregon was in the form of counterfeit prescription pills, such as Oxycodone, commonly referred to as M-30s.

If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 8am and 11pm Pacific Time daily.

Counterfeit Oxycodone Seized in Portland Metro Area Counterfeit Oxycodone Seized in Portland Metro Area Counterfeit Oxycodone (M-30) Seized in Jackson County

 

PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland has returned an indictment charging a Beaverton, Oregon, man for his role in a scheme to steal and resell customer account credentials for popular internet streaming services including Netflix, HBO Max, and Spotify Premium.

Samuel Joyner, 30, has been charged with conspiracy to commit computer and access device fraud, trafficking and use of unauthorized access devices, and possession of fifteen or more unauthorized access devices.

“I applaud the thorough investigative effort and international law enforcement coordination resulting in these charges and today’s arrest of Mr. Joyner. Hacking and access device fraud are serious crimes that significantly impact companies large and small. Our office will continue to prioritize these and other internet crimes,” said Scott Erik Asphaug, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

“Cyber crime shows how small of a world we live in these days. The subjects and the victims can live next door or half a world away. In this instance, FBI agents in Omaha, Nebraska, launched an investigation that would stretch all the way to Australia and back to Oregon. Without their hard work, we wouldn't have this successful arrest today,” said Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. “As for consumers - this is a good reminder to check your accounts and change passwords to unique and complex passphrases.”

“This investigation spanned across the Pacific to our shores in Australia, showing that while crimes may be borderless, our law enforcement response is united across countries. Following a referral of information from our FBI law enforcement partners, the Australian Federal Police arrested, charged and secured a conviction against a Sydney man, and we also seized more than a million dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency assets which were the proceeds of his crime,” Australian Federal Police cybercrime operations case officer Joanna Kondos said. “Cybercrime is not a victimless crime – this case uncovered stolen account details from millions of people around the world, and we work to investigate these crimes on behalf of those who have had their personal details scammed for someone else’s profit.”

According to the indictment, between February 2018 and March 2019, Joyner and an accomplice, Evan McMahon, 23, of Sydney, Australia, conspired with one another to create and operate an online service called AccountBot. AccountBot offered a paid subscription service where customers could obtain account credentials to access popular internet streaming services at a greatly reduced rate.

Joyner and McMahon illegally acquired usernames and passwords to the various streaming services through credential stuffing attacks, a computer hacking technique where individuals obtain large sets of account credentials, often made available as a result of large data breaches, and, using an automated tool, repeatedly enter credentials into a website or internet-based service to verify their authenticity. Verified credentials obtained via credential stuffing can then be used to access online user accounts without authorization.

AccountBot customers paid a fee, ranging from $1.79 to $24.99, depending on the type of service and access duration needed. These customers paid Joyner and McMahon in fiat or cryptocurrency. Joyner and McMahon were equal partners of AccountBot, but fulfilled distinct tasks. McMahon was primarily responsible for drafting computer code for the service’s website and managing customer payments. Joyner acquired the majority of stolen user credentials and was responsible for AccountBot customer service.

By March 2019, AccountBot purported to have over 52,000 different registered customers and more than 217,000 unique sets of stolen account credentials.

Joyner was arrested without incident today by the FBI and made his initial appearance in federal court before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and released pending a five-day jury trial scheduled to begin on July 13, 2021.

Conspiracy to commit computer and access device fraud is punishable by up to five years in federal prison. Trafficking and use of unauthorized access devices and possession of fifteen or more unauthorized access devices are each punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison.

McMahon was prosecuted for similar offenses in the District Court of New South Wales in Sydney. In April 2021, he was sentenced to two years and two months to be served by way of intensive corrections order, the most serious, non-custodial sentence imposed in New South Wales.

Acting U.S. Attorney Asphaug and Special Agent in Charge Ramsey made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Australian Federal Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Quinn P. Harrington is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Malicious cyber activity threatens the public’s safety and our national and economic security. The FBI is the lead federal agency for investigating cyber attacks and intrusions, collecting and sharing intelligence and engaging with victims while working to unmask those committing malicious cyber activities, wherever they are. Learn more about what you can do to protect yourself from cyber criminals, how you can report cyber crime, and the FBI’s efforts in combating the evolving cyber threat.

PORTLAND, Ore.— In honor of National Police Week, Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.

“This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Attorney General Garland. “I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude.”

“National Police Week is a time-honored tradition that affords all Americans the opportunity to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of law enforcement officers across the country. It also gives us the opportunity to reflect on the tremendous personal sacrifice made by officers and their families every day to keep our communities safe,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Asphaug. “I am personally very thankful for our law enforcement officers here in Oregon for their continued partnership with our office. We could not do the work we do without your steadfast dedication and service.”

In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.  

Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.

During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60 percent succumbed to COVID-19.

Additionally, according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website. 

The names of the 394 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 PM EDT. The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to October 13-17, 2021. An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for October 14, 2021.

Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF

The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net. To view the schedule of virtual Police Week events in May, please view NLEOMF’s Police Week Flyer.

To learn more about National Police Week in-person events scheduled for October, please visit www.policeweek.org.

EUGENE, Ore.— A Chinese national residing in Los Angeles pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to purchase hundreds of endangered and vulnerable turtles in the U.S. and smuggle them via U.S. mail and commercial airline flights to China.

Yuan Xie, 30, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiring to smuggle goods from the U.S.

According to court documents, beginning in at least May 2017 and continuing until October 2018, Xie conspired with another Chinese national, Xiao Dong Qin, 35, of Shanghai, China, to purchase more than 769 live turtles from reptile dealers in Alabama, California, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, Nevada, North Carolina, and South Carolina. All of the turtles purchased and smuggled by Xie are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

A two-year investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) revealed that in an 18-month period, Xie facilitated the purchase and transportation of approximately 134 Florida box turtles, 178 eastern box turtles, 127 North American wood turtles, 220 spotted turtles, 77 diamondback terrapins, 25 three-toed box turtles, seven yellow-blotched map turtles, and one Blanding’s turtle from his former residence in Eugene, Oregon. USFWS investigators determined the cost of the turtles involved in this investigation exceeded $150,000 and estimated the market value was more than double that amount in the Chinese pet trade.

In November 2018, Xie was arrested by USFWS agents at his residence in Los Angeles.

Xie faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on August 12, 2021 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane.

As part of the plea agreement, Xie has agreed to pay $2,233 in restitution to a rehabilitation facility near Chicago and The Turtle Conservancy near Los Angeles for costs associated with the care of turtles intercepted by law enforcement.

Qin was sentenced on February 27, 2020 to two years’ probation and paid nearly $8,000 in restitution.

This case was investigated by USFWS with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Pamela Paaso, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Turtles 01 Turtles 02 Turtles 03 Turtles 04

 

PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland has returned an indictment charging a Beaverton, Oregon, woman with arson after she allegedly set fire to the Portland Police Association building during a riot on April 13, 2021.

Alma Raven-Guido, 19, has been charged with one count of arson.

According to the indictment, Raven-Guido maliciously damaged the Portland Police Association building on North Lombard Street in Portland with fire.

Raven-Guido was arrested without incident by the FBI on May 5, 2021, and made her initial appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. She was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered released pending further court proceedings.

Arson is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years.

Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau with assistance from the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig Gabriel and Jaclyn Jenkins are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PORTLAND, Ore.—On May 4, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. proclaimed today, May 5, 2021, as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day.

The proclamation reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to solving all missing and murdered Indigenous persons cases and addressing the underlying causes of these crimes, including sexual violence, human trafficking, domestic violence, violent crime, systemic racism, economic disparities, and substance use and addition.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon joins its Tribal, federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in taking this opportunity to highlight the importance of supporting Tribal crime victims and synthesizing investigative leads and information across government and law enforcement agencies.

“The first step in seeking justice for missing and murdered Tribal victims is acknowledging the historical indifference to and neglect of these tragic cases. A lack of data and jurisdictional gaps have caused many solvable cases to go unsolved” said Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug. “Today’s commemoration reminds us of the hard work still to be done. We must not stop until we give every missing and murdered Tribal victim a voice and bring some degree of peace and comfort to their families.”

In June 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the hiring of its first Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) program coordinator. In February 2021, the office released its first annual MMIP program report, summarizing what is known about missing and murdered Indigenous people in Oregon and outlining the office’s plans and goals for the year ahead. The report was the first of its kind produced by a U.S. Attorney’s Office. Recently, the office began working with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs to develop a Tribal Community Response Plan as part of a Department of Justice pilot project.

MMIP is an important and sensitive issue to Tribal communities. Addressing MMIP in Indian Country is particularly challenging due to jurisdictional issues, lack of coordination and inadequate resources. However, for the first time in U.S. history, a national federal strategy—formalized by legislation, executive order, and departmental directive—is in place to address MMIP issues.

If you or someone you know have information about missing or murdered Indigenous people in Oregon, please contact the FBI Portland Field Office by calling (503) 224-4181 or by visiting tips.fbi.gov.

If you have questions about the U.S. Attorney’s Office MMIP program, please contact MMIP program coordinator Cedar Wilkie Gillette by emailing Cedar.Wilkie.Gillette@usdoj.gov or by calling (503) 727-1000.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man pleaded guilty today for his role in a fraud scheme whereby he and a co-conspirator would steal mail from residential mailboxes and use stolen personal identification information to defraud local banks.

Demontae Sanders, 48, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud and mail theft.

According to court documents, beginning on an unknown date and continuing until at least July 7, 2020, Sanders and an accomplice, Latanya Jenkins, 50, also of Portland, conspired with one another to steal mail from residential mailboxes throughout the Portland Metropolitan Area. Sanders and Jenkins stole checks, credit cards, and other personal identity information that they used to impersonate victims and open accounts at several local credit unions and banks. Sanders and Jenkins used the accounts to defraud these financial institutions.

To further their scheme, Sanders and Jenkins communicated with one another by text and used the internet at Jenkins’ residence to open several bank accounts using stolen information. Sanders and Jenkins collected hundreds of stolen financial documents including bank statements, checks, tax returns, U.S. Passports, and other government-issued identification documents. The pair also stole and cashed an Economic Impact Payment check issued by the U.S. Treasury.

On September 24, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an 18-count indictment charging Sanders and Jenkins with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and mail theft.

Sanders faces a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison; a $1.25 million fine or twice his criminally derived gains, whichever is larger; and five years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on July 20, 2021 before U.S. District Court Judge Anna J. Brown.

As part of the plea agreement, Sanders has agreed to pay restitution in full to his victims as identified by the government and ordered by the court.

Jenkins is on pre-trial release pending a three-day jury trial scheduled to begin on June 8, 2021.

Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.

Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service jointly investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Uram is prosecuting the case.

PORTLAND, Ore.—An Albuquerque, New Mexico man was sentenced to federal prison today after spending years abusing, terrorizing, and threatening to kill his ex-wife, former mother-in-law, and young daughters.

Oscar Adrian Marquez, 46, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

“Oscar Marquez is a serial abuser and perpetrator of domestic violence. Over a period of many years, he physically and emotionally tormented his spouses, daughters, and their extended families. I applaud the Portland Police Bureau’s quick and heroic efforts to arrest Marquez before he could inflict further and potentially deadly harm on his family,” said Scott Asphaug, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

“I’m grateful that this violent abuser is being held accountable for his actions,” said Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell. “My thanks go to the Portland officers who acted so quickly and professionally, and to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their hard work investigating and bringing this case to successful prosecution.”

“The stalking and violent threats were purely about control for Mr. Marquez, just as the abuse had been. His ex-wife and children suffered for years, and despite every effort to escape, they lived with the fear that he would find them. I am hopeful that today's lengthy sentence will, hopefully, allow them the peace to move forward with their lives,” said Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon.

According to court documents, Marquez’s history of abusing women spans more than 20 years, including the physical and emotional abuse of his first wife and their young daughter. This abuse continued into his daughter’s adolescent and young-adult years when Marquez would lock her in her bedroom for hours and beat her with a belt. As an adult, his daughter went to great lengths to hide from her father and, in 2018, secured a 40-year protective order against him.

Marquez remarried in 2001 and has two teenage daughters with his second wife. Marquez continued his abuse with his new family. In 2007, Marquez was convicted on two domestic violence charges after punching his second wife in the face while she was holding their then-three-year-old daughter. The final straw for his second wife came in August 2013, when Marquez physically assaulted her and trapped her and her daughters in separate bedrooms. In their divorce proceedings, Marquez’s second wife was given sole custody of their children and Marquez’s limited visitation rights were later revoked.

In the summer of 2014, Marquez kidnapped his two youngest daughters and fled to Mexico, resulting in an international amber alert. Marquez and the children were found several days later at a U.S.-Mexico border crossing. He was arrested and later convicted for the kidnapping. A new protective order was issued in October 2014, barring Marquez’s contact with his second wife and youngest daughters. Marquez repeatedly violated this new order. Thereafter, from January 2014 through July 2019, Marquez engaged in an increasingly aggressive course of conduct to intimidate and harass his second wife and her family.

In 2017, Marquez’s second wife changed her name and moved to Portland with her teenage daughters after learning of Marquez’s intent to murder her and her family. She provided a picture of Marquez to her daughters’ new school and advised them of the threat he posed to their family. In July 2018, Marquez posted a note on his mother-in-law’s fence in New Mexico threatening that he was on his way to find her daughter. In July 2019, Marquez obtained his second wife’s new name and Portland address via an online people-finding service.

On July 29, 2019, Marquez’s second wife observed him driving slowly past her Portland home in a vehicle with New Mexico license plates. She barricaded her teenage daughters into a room, contacted the Portland Police Bureau, and prepared for a confrontation with Marquez. While a Portland police officer was writing a report at their home, Marquez again drove past the residence. Several Portland police officers quickly conducted a traffic stop and arrested Marquez. Inside his vehicle, they located a replica Glock handgun, a face mask, gloves, several digital devices, and more than $2,000 in cash.

On January 14, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a five-count indictment charging Marquez with cyberstalking, stalking, and interstate violation of a protection order. In November 2020, Marquez was convicted at trial on all charges.

During his trial, prosecutors learned that Marquez attempted to intimidate a government witness while in custody and lied under oath during his trial testimony. Prosecutors sought and obtained sentencing enhancements for this conduct.

During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Michel W. Mosman ordered Marquez to pay $10,818 in restitution to his victims.

Acting U.S. Attorney Asphaug made this announcement with Chief Lovell and Special Agent in Charge Ramsey.

This case was jointly investigated by the Portland Police Bureau and the FBI. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

All forms of stalking, including cyberstalking, are serious crimes prohibited by the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). In 2013, an amendment to VAWA made it illegal to use any computer or electronic communication service to conduct activity placing a person in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury, or that causes substantial emotional distress.

Anyone with information about real or perceived threats of violence should call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

For immediate threats to life and safety, please call 9-1-1.

MEDFORD, Ore.—A Klamath Falls, Oregon man pleaded guilty today after cashing more than $458,000 worth of social security checks issued in the name of his deceased aunt.

George Doumar, 74, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds.

According to court documents, in February 2020, the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Office of Anti-Fraud Programs identified a 114-year-old supercentenarian who appeared to be the second-oldest living person in the U.S. receiving Social Security retirement benefits. The last known update to the recipient’s SSA benefit record was in July 1989, when the recipient’s address was updated to Frontier Parcel & Fax Service on S. 6th Street in Klamath Falls.

In March 2020, an investigator with SSA-OIG interviewed two of the benefit recipient’s nieces. Both nieces claimed that their aunt died in the 1960s or 1970s and recalled attending her funeral in Brooklyn, New York, where she had reportedly lived her entire life. According to one niece, their aunt did not have any children and was not married. She recalled that Doumar was named the sole beneficiary of her aunt’s insurance payout.

Investigators soon discovered that Doumar himself was an active Social Security beneficiary and received his checks at the same address on S. 6th Street in Klamath Falls. According to SSA records, Doumar purchased the property on S. 6th Street seven days prior to the address on his aunt’s benefit record being changed to the same address.

On June 16, 2020, SSA-OIG investigators obtained a copy of the aunt’s death certificate from the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, confirming that she had died on March 7, 1971 in Brooklyn. Investigators determined that Doumar had added his aunt to he and his wife’s shared checking account in 1989. His aunt’s Social Security checks were often bundled in deposits with other checks made payable to Doumar.

Investigators obtained bank surveillance footage from February 2020 that showed a man, who appeared to match Doumar’s physical description, depositing one of his aunt’s retirement checks. On July 14, 2020, investigators from SSA-OIG and USPIS interviewed Doumar at his Klamath Falls residence. When asked about his aunt, Doumar sighed, slumped his head, and stated, “that’s a long story…what happened was, well she’s passed and yes, I’ve been collecting her Social Security.”

On August 11, 2020, Doumar was charged by criminal complaint with theft of government funds and mail theft.

Doumar faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on August 3, 2021 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane.

As part of the plea agreement, Doumar has agreed to pay $458,992 restitution to the SSA and $1,200 to the IRS.

Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.

The SSA-OIG and USPIS jointly investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Sowray.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Fort Lauderdale, Florida man was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in a bank fraud and identity theft scheme targeting female victims in the Portland Metropolitan Area.

Damian Fletcher, 27, was sentenced to three years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, Fletcher is a member of the Felony Lane Gang, an interstate criminal organization based in Florida that travels to locations throughout the U.S. to commit vehicle break-in and fraud sprees. The organization targets female victims who leave their purses, wallets, and valuables in parked cars. After victims exit their vehicles—often to drop off children, run errands, or visit a gym—Felony Lane Gang members break into the vehicle to steal targeted items. After the theft, conspirators quickly deploy associates to conduct fraudulent bank or merchant transactions using stolen identification, checks, and credit or debit cards.

In the fall of 2019, Fletcher and five co-conspirators traveled to Portland to target local victims. Once Fletcher and his partners stole items from a vehicle, they checked to see if one of several female co-conspirators resembled the victim. If one of their female co-conspirators could impersonate the victim, they would attempt to cash fraudulent checks written in the impersonated victim’s name. The conspirators would cash checks at various local banks, using the outer-most lane of each bank’s drive-up teller window to avoid detection.

Investigators identified 32 vehicle thefts and 22 instances of bank fraud committed during Fletcher’s most recent known Oregon crime spree. In total, this spree resulted in a financial loss of more than $98,000. Fletcher was arrested on March 9, 2020 in Florida.

On June 6, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 14-count superseding indictment charging Fletcher and five co-defendants with conspiring to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

On January 7, 2021, Fletcher pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman ordered Fletcher to pay $98,733 in restitution.

Co-defendants Delvin Mills, 29, of Lauderdale Lakes, Florida; Megan Spurlock, 27, a Washington State resident; and Linda Marie Lupo, 52, of Deerfield, Florida; have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

Co-defendants Justin Curry, 28 of Fort Lauderdale, and Treveon Donte Jordan, 23, of Lauderdale Lakes, are on pre-trial release pending a four-day jury trial scheduled to being on June 15, 2021.

Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the West Linn Police Department, Tualatin Police Department, and Clark County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Seth D. Uram and Quinn P. Harrington, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A local man has been charged with federal child exploitation crimes after using various social media applications, including Snapchat and TikTok, to stalk and sexually exploit a minor victim from Australia, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.

Jorge Rosales, 25, of Beaverton, Oregon, has been charged by criminal complaint with sexually exploiting children, distributing and possessing child pornography, cyberstalking, and enticing a minor online.

“This case demonstrates the extraordinary lengths sexual predators will go to victimize children. It also demonstrates the tenacity and reach of law enforcement when investigating these heinous crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Asphaug. “I applaud the incredible investigative efforts of our domestic and international law enforcement partners to identify this defendant and see to it that his ability to victimize vulnerable children across the globe ends immediately.”

“Protecting our children from predators lurking on the internet is truly a global challenge, requiring coordination with our international law enforcement partners” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in the Pacific Northwest. “HSI will continue to pursue online predators that exploit popular apps such as Snapchat and TikTok to lure innocent children.”

According to court documents, in April 2021, a special agent from HSI received an investigative referral from INTERPOL and the Australian Federal Police related to the sexual exploitation of a then-nine-year-old victim in Australia. According to the Australian authorities, in 2016 or 2017, an individual later identified as Rosales began communicating with the minor victim using Musical.ly, a social media application now known as TikTok. Rosales claimed he was a 36-year-old male named Alex.

Over a period of months, Rosales engaged the minor in a series of progressively more sexually explicit conversations even after the minor told him she was nine years old. Rosales sent the minor sexually explicit photos and videos to demonstrate how she could engage in various sex acts. These materials included photos and videos of older men having sex with toddlers and young girls. Rosales encouraged the victim to produce and send him sexually explicit photos and videos of herself. When the victim declined, he threatened to turn her friends and family against her, and, in at least one instance, sent her photos of animals beaten until injured. Eventually, the minor victim sent naked photos of herself to Rosales.

Rosales later began communicating with the minor victim using Snapchat, wherein he would send her videos of himself masturbating. He claimed he could see where the victim lived on Snap Map, a Snapchat feature where users can see the location of various Snaps, and threatened to come get her if she didn’t continue sending him explicit photos. These threats prompted the victim to send Rosales additional naked photos and videos, which she produced at his request.

Eventually, after receiving many similar requests from Rosales, the minor victim blocked Rosales’ accounts. In response, over a period of several years, Rosales created and used dozens of new social media accounts to stalk and torment the minor victim. Rosales began following several of the victim’s friends on TikTok. On one occasion, one of the victim’s friends followed a link posted by Rosales that led to a website displaying photos of young naked girls. The website included some of the photos the minor victim had sent to Rosales several years earlier.

Australian investigators obtained and sent to HSI the TikTok subscriber record for the first account Rosales used to communicate with the minor victim. This record included IP addresses later matched to Rosales’ mobile phone and Beaverton residence. Investigators from HSI searched the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline Reports and found 13 reports connected to Rosales’ mobile phone and home internet connection. These reports indicated that Rosales had used several social media platforms, including Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram, to distribute photos and videos depicting child sexual abuse to other users between September 2019 and November 2020. HSI investigators also discovered a parallel investigation into Rosales’ conduct being conducted by the Hillsboro Police Department.

Rosales was arrested on April 21, 2021, and made his initial appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge John V. Acosta. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.

This case was investigated by HSI and the Hillsboro Police Department with assistance from INTERPOL, the Australian Federal Police, and the Victoria Police in Victoria, Australia. It is being prosecuted by Gary Y. Sussman, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423or submit a tip online at www.ice.gov/tips.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Every April, the Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) to honor crime victims, promote their rights and recognize victim advocates. This year’s observance, the 40th annual commemoration, takes place April 18-24, 2021 with the theme: Support Victims | Build Trust | Engage Communities.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office joins its federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners in taking this opportunity to highlight the importance of providing necessary services at the earliest possible stage of victimization and litigation. Early intervention helps prevent further victimization and encourages victim involvement in the criminal justice system, mitigating the cycle of violence and restoring hope for the future.

“Protecting victims’ rights in all phases of the federal judicial process is a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. National Crime Victims’ Rights Week affords us the opportunity to reaffirm our ongoing commitment to crime victims,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug. “The courage victims show every day in courtrooms across the country motivates all of us in law enforcement to continue vigorously advocating on their behalf.”

During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, victim advocacy organizations, community groups and state, local, and tribal agencies traditionally host rallies, candlelight vigils, and other events to raise awareness of victims’ rights and services. This year, many communities are organizing virtual gatherings and online public awareness campaigns.

OVC and the U.S. Attorney’s Office encourages widespread participation in the week’s virtual events and in other victim-related observances throughout the year. For additional information about this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and how to assist victims in your community, please visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.gov. For ongoing updates from OVC and ideas throughout the year on how you can support victims, please subscribe to OVC’s email notifications at https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw/subscribe/.

If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, please call 911. If you believe you’ve been the target or victim of a crime, please contact your local law enforcement agency or your nearest FBI field office immediately. The FBI Portland Field Office can be reached at (503) 224-4181 or by submitting tips online at tips.fbi.gov.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug announced today that a North Bend, Oregon, man has been charged with sexually exploiting a minor female victim.

On April 15, 2021, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a three-count indictment charging Shannon Stacey Weatherbee, 47, with sexual exploitation of children.

According to the indictment, beginning around July 2017, Weatherbee is alleged to have knowingly coerced a minor female to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. These visual depictions were transmitted online.

On April 16, 2021, investigators arrested Weatherbee while executing a search warrant on his North Bend residence.

Weatherbee made his initial appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending a jury trial scheduled to begin on June 22, 2021.

This case is being investigated by the FBI with assistance from the North Bend Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Anyone who has information about possible crimes committed by Weatherbee, or the physical or online exploitation of any children, are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

If a child discloses an incident that did happen to him or her, or that they observed happen to someone else, the parent should not ask the child detailed questions about the incident. Instead, please contact your local law enforcement agency or the FBI immediately.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Two known Hoover Criminal Gang members have been arrested in Portland after being charged with illegal firearm possession, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.

On April 6, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Samuel Deoshay Marquise Mason, Jr., 24, and Cocoa Dalonta Taplin, 26, both residents of Portland, with illegally possessing firearms after previous criminal convictions.

According to court documents and testimony, law enforcement obtained several images of Mason posing with numerous firearms, leading investigators to obtain and execute a search warrant on his residence. Investigators located an assault rifle and 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number. Both firearms were fully loaded with rounds in the chamber. A subsequent search of Mason’s mobile phone revealed photos of Taplin holding and posing with two firearms three days prior to the search. Mason confessed to possessing the seized firearms. He also admitted to being shot at the week prior and firing one round in return from a third unknown gun.

Mason and Taplin made their initial appearances in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. They were arraigned and pleaded not guilty.

This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, Gresham Police Department, and FBI. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Aumontae Wayne Smith, 27, a known Hoover Criminal Gang member and resident of Portland, is facing federal drug and gun charges for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.

On April 6, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Smith with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents and testimony, Smith and an unnamed accomplice conspired with one another to distribute fentanyl disguised as oxycodone pills in and around Portland. Smith advertised selling the fake oxycodone pills and guns via Snapchat posts that were observed by law enforcement. Investigators seized six firearms from Smith and his accomplice and, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Further investigation revealed Smith purchased 16 firearms since 2019 that linked to 17 different shootings in the Portland area between April and December 2020.

Smith voluntarily surrendered to law enforcement today and made his initial appearance in federal court before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was arraigned and pleaded not guilty. A three-day jury trial is scheduled to begin on June 15, 2021.

This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau, FBI, and ATF. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Washington County, Oregon man pleaded guilty today for using stolen bank checks and debit cards to defraud local residents and illegally possessing distribution quantities of methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.

William Anthony McCormack, Jr., 39, pleaded guilty to a superseding criminal information charging him with one count each of bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court documents, between June and September 2020, McCormack devised a scheme whereby he would steal bank checks and debit cards from community mailboxes, primarily in Washington County, and use them to make unauthorized withdrawals from victims’ bank accounts. On at least five separate occasions, McCormack deposited stolen checks into victims’ Rivermark Community Credit Union accounts and immediately made unauthorized withdrawals from the same accounts.

On September 29, 2020, during a traffic stop for speeding and driving with a suspended license, a Tualatin Police officer arrested McCormack pursuant to a federal arrest warrant. At the time of his arrest, McCormack possessed 30 small plastic baggies containing at least 5 grams of methamphetamine and two 9mm handguns in the glove compartment of his vehicle. Officers also found several driver’s licenses, U.S. passports, and pieces of mail that did not belong to him in McCormack’s trunk and hotel room.

McCormack faces a maximum sentence of 72 years in prison, a $6.25 million fine, and five years’ supervised release. He is subject to a mandatory minimum prison sentence of seven years. McCormack will be sentenced on July 27, 2021 before U.S. District Court Judge Anna J. Brown.

As part of his plea agreement, McCormack has agreed to pay restitution in full to his victims as ordered to the court.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Meredith Bateman and Scott Bradford, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

If you or someone you know are the victim of or witness a mail-related crime, please contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service by visiting www.uspis.gov/report.

EUGENE, Ore.—Susan Tranberg, 62, of Eugene, Oregon, was sentenced to federal prison today for defrauding her former employer, the Weyerhaeuser Company, out of more than $4.5 million, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.

Tranberg was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, beginning as early as June 2004 and continuing to January 2019, Tranberg defrauded Weyerhaeuser out of more than $4.5 million by submitting fraudulent invoices for payment to a fake vendor she created. Tranberg had worked for Weyerhaeuser in Springfield, Oregon in various positions for more than 40 years. A financial analysis determined that the vast majority of the money was used to fund a lavish lifestyle of expensive dinners, vacations, six-figure wedding expenses, and shopping sprees.

At some point in or before June 2004, Tranberg created a fake timber contract between the company and a vendor she named after her mother, who was unaware of the scheme. Over the next 10 years, Tranberg would use her positions in the company’s accounting and finance departments to request cashier’s checks, which she then cashed into her own bank account. During this time period, Tranberg requested and received more than $2.6 million.

In June 2014, Weyerhaeuser transitioned to a new payment processing system. To continue her scheme, Tranberg set up a fake vendor account in the new system and attached a letter purportedly from her mother describing the documentation provided to set up the account. This documentation included a Form SSA-1099 Social Security Statement and a forged Form W-9 Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification. At the time Tranberg sent the letter and documentation, Tranberg’s mother had been deceased for five years.

After setting up the fake vendor account, Tranberg continued her scheme by forging colleagues’ signatures on check requests and using her colleagues’ computer login credentials without authorization to create requests and approve fraudulent payments. All requested cashier’s checks were sent via private or commercial interstate carrier directly to Tranberg. During these final five years, ending in January 2019, Tranberg requested and received nearly $1.9 million.

On January 29, 2020, Tranberg was charged by superseding criminal information with mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, and tax evasion. On January 30, 2020, she waived indictment and pleaded guilty to all three charges.

During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane also ordered Tranberg to pay more than $5.3 million in restitution, to include $775,984 to Weyerhaeuser, $3,805,223 to the Crime Victims Fund, and $807,033 to the IRS.

This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and FBI, and prosecuted by Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland resident and purveyor of Chinese homeopathic remedies pleaded guilty and was sentenced today for selling pangolin scales illegally imported into the U.S., announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.

Agnes Yu, 53, was sentenced to three years’ federal probation and a $5,000 fine.

“Illegal trafficking poses a grave and persistent threat to wildlife populations across the globe. The purchase or sale of these animals is a serious crime and priority for federal law enforcement,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Asphaug.

“We commend the Department of Justice and all other agencies that played a role in aiding this investigation and prosecution,” said James Ashburner, a Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “Trafficking of pangolins, and other protected species, is a huge part of global illegal wildlife trade. The Service will continue to use every tool at its disposal to fight wildlife trafficking and bring to justice the individuals who are depriving our planet of these magnificent creatures for their own profit.”

According to court documents, Yu and her husband operated Wing Ming Herbs, a store selling Chinese homeopathic remedies and other merchandise in Southeast Portland. On December 7, 2003, U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel screened Yu and her husband at the U.S.-Canada border. The inspection recovered 10 dried sea snakes and 49 dried big-toothed sea snakes. As a result of this encounter, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sent the Yus a letter informing them about federal laws and regulations governing the import and export of wildlife into and out of the U.S, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). CITES lists each of the wildlife species whose trafficking it regulates under one of three appendices, with the most endangered and protected listed in Appendix I.

On November 14, 2017, an undercover Postal Inspector with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service went to Wing Ming and spoke with Yu in Chinese. The inspector covertly recorded and videotaped the meeting. In the course of their transaction, Yu sold the inspector thirty grams of pangolin scales for approximately $165. Personnel at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory later confirmed the scales had been taken from a pangolin, a species of scaled anteater-like mammals endemic to Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.  All species of pangolins (which form the genus Manis) are listed in CITES Appendix I, meaning that all commercial trafficking in pangolins is prohibited by the Convention.

Yu was aware of U.S. and foreign restrictions on the import, export, and sale of CITES-listed plants and wildlife but did not comply with those restrictions. Yu repeatedly exported American ginseng to customers in China in 2017 and 2018. American ginseng is listed on CITES appendix II, requiring exporters to obtain and ship such ginseng with a valid CITES certificate. Neither Yu nor Wing Ming Herbs procured such certificates.

On July 24, 2018, an undercover agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service went to Wing Ming Herbs and purchased giant sea horses, which are protected by CITES appendix II and fourteen shark fins, four of which originated from scalloped hammerhead sharks, which are protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA). On the same date, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a search warrant at Wing Ming Herbs and seized additional pangolin scales, ground Asian elephant ivory which is protected by CITES Appendix I and ESA, eleven penises and fifteen gall bladders of red deer which are protected by ESA, and giant devil ray which is protected by CITES Appendix II. Yu agreed to abandon all the wildlife seized in the search warrant, which included thousands of additional wildlife items.

On March 22, 2021, Yu was charged by criminal information with recklessly selling pangolin illegally imported into the U.S. in violation of CITES.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Plant Protection Quarantine, and the Oregon State Police. It was prosecuted by Ryan W. Bounds, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for protecting America’s wildlife from poaching, illegal commercialization, and other kinds of wildlife crime. If you have information related to a wildlife crime, please call 1-844-FWS-TIPS (1-844-397-8477) or email fws_tips@fws.gov.

Click here for a Simplified Chinese translation of this press release Confiscated dried sea horses Confiscated fried pangolin scales Confiscated Asian elephant ivory powder Confiscated dried shark fins

 

PORTLAND, Ore.—Errol Andam, 49, of Beaverton, Oregon, a former marketing manager at Nike, Inc., pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, money laundering, and making false statements on a loan application as part of a scheme to defraud his former employer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.

According to court documents, from 2001 until his termination in 2018, Andam was employed by Nike at its headquarters in Beaverton. Most recently, Andam worked as a manager in the company’s North American Retail Brand Marketing division wherein he managed the design, build-out, and operation of “pop-up” retail venues, temporary Nike shops situated near and tailored to sports competitions and other special events around the U.S.

In the summer of 2016, Andam recruited a childhood friend to establish a company to design and build the pop-up venues as an independent contractor for Nike. Andam used his authority as a manager at Nike to ensure that his friend’s company was consistently awarded the contracts for these jobs. Though he had no formal role in his friend’s company, Andam assumed control of much of the company’s financial operations, managing financial accounts and issuing invoices to Nike.

To conceal his role in the scheme, Andam used an alter ego, “Frank Little,” to invoice Nike and manage the contract company’s account with Square, Inc., a California-based provider of mobile credit-card-processing services. In 2016, Andam also renewed the lapsed registration of an Oregon-based limited liability corporation (LLC) he owned so that he could use the defunct entity as a shell company to funnel the proceeds diverted from Nike and his friend’s company to accounts under his personal control.

Beginning in September 2016, Andam caused credit-card sales at various pop-up venues around the U.S. to be run through card readers associated with a Square account owned by his friend’s company. These proceeds were transferred to Square in California and then to Andam’s LLC bank account in Oregon. Andam represented to both Nike and his friend that the proceeds of these sales were credited against the total amount Nike owed to his friend’s company. In truth, Andam simply pocketed the proceeds and, as “Frank Little,” invoiced Nike for the full cost of the contracted services.

From September 2016 through December 2018, Andam diverted and embezzled nearly $1.5 million in Nike proceeds for his own use. In July 2018, Andam submitted a fake financial statement from his LLC in support of a residential mortgage loan application. The financial statement falsely reflected as revenue checks for $194,000 drawn on a bank account owned by his friend’s business. Andam forged his friend’s signature on one of the checks and withdrew much of that money without his friend’s knowledge.

On February 4, 2021, Andam was charged by criminal information with wire fraud, money laundering, and making false statements on a loan application.

Under the terms of Andam’s plea agreement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will recommend a sentence of 37 months in federal prison when he is sentenced on July 12, 2021. Andam will ask for a sentence of not less than 24 months. He has also agreed to pay more than $1.6 million in restitution and forfeit $212,838 in criminally-derived proceeds.

This case was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Ryan W. Bounds, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

EUGENE, Ore.—A Lincoln City, Oregon man with multiple felony convictions was sentenced to federal prison today for distributing methamphetamine in and around Lincoln City, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.

Jerad Joseph White, 39, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison and 5 years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, on March 12, 2018, White and an accomplice, Patricia Rose Hendrick, 25, of Lincoln City, Oregon, arrived in a vehicle to the parking lot of the Lincoln City Outlets. As had been previously arranged, White sold three ounces of methamphetamine to an undercover agent for $900.

On December 12, 2018, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a two-count indictment charging White and Hedrick with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

By December 2020, White and Hendrick had both pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On October 29, 2020, Hendrick was sentenced to time served in prison and five years’ supervised release.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Lincoln City Police Department; and the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

PORTLAND, Ore.—The leader of and final defendant in a darknet drug distribution conspiracy was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in operating a narcotic vendor site that facilitated thousands of purchases of MDMA and generated nearly $200,000 in drug trafficking revenue, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.

James Campbell Cardwell, 28, of Tigard, Oregon, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, Cardwell operated a large MDMA darknet vendor site called “The Collective.” Cardwell, through The Collective, distributed nearly six kilograms of MDMA in one and ten-gram quantities. Cardwell oversaw and ran the operation from his Tigard residence. Cardwell’s three co-conspirators, Gordon Filemu Cady, 35, of Portland; Heidi Gravier, 31, of Portland; and Ruth Lacy Gloe, 38, of Salem, Oregon, conspired to import and possess with intent to distribute MDMA, ketamine and cocaine.

During a search of Cardwell’s residence in May 2018, investigators located drug packaging paraphernalia, numerous pills, digital scales, mailing envelopes, an unknown white powder, a grinder containing an unknown white powder, 11 baggies containing 21 grams of MDMA, $1,670 in cash, several cell phones and computers, and a loaded 9mm firearm. Based on a review of records seized, Cardwell was involved in more than 3,000 transactions generating more than $197,000.

In August 2018, following Cardwell’s arrest and while he was on pretrial supervision, federal agents learned he was attempting to sell the login credentials for two darknet vendor accounts that he had operated during the charged offense. Later, in November 2018, Cardwell arranged to purchase a counterfeit Canadian passport and British Columbia driver’s license so he could leave the country.

On June 26, 2018, Cardwell, Cady, Gravier, and Gloe were all indicted on drug trafficking offenses. By February 2021, all of Cardwell’s co-conspirators had pleaded guilty and been sentenced to time served in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

This case was investigated by a HIDTA Interdiction Task Force comprised of Homeland Security Investigations and the Portland Police Bureau. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

This case was brought as part of the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. The Oregon HIDTA program was established by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) in June of 1999. In 2015, the program expanded into Idaho and was renamed the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA. The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA consists of 14 counties and the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. Counties in the HIDTA include Oregon’s Clackamas, Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson, Lane, Linn, Malheur, Marion, Multnomah, Umatilla and Washington counties, and Idaho’s Ada, Bannock and Canyon counties.

EUGENE, Ore.—A Vancouver, Washington man pleaded guilty today to sending sexually explicit emails and text messages to an undercover law enforcement officer posing online as a 13-year-old girl, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.

Daniel Lee Baldie, 34, pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.

According to court documents, in January and February 2020, Baldie sent emails and text messages to a Benton County Sheriff’s Office deputy posing online as a 13-year-old girl. Baldie’s emails included requests for a nude photo and descriptions of sexual acts he could engage in with the child. Baldie also sent the deputy a photo of his genitals. As part of the email and text message exchange, Baldie arranged to meet the purported child and bring her back to his residence in Vancouver for a sexual encounter.

On February 7, 2020, law enforcement officers followed Baldie from his residence to a meeting location in Corvallis where he was arrested. Baldie admitted he intended to meet the child and take her back to his residence as planned.

On February 11, 2020, Baldie was charged by criminal complaint with traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, attempted production of child pornography, and coercion and enticement.

Baldie faces a maximum sentence of life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence, a $250,000 fine, and a life term of supervised release. He will be sentenced on July 8, 2021 before U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken.

Under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Baldie will be required to register as a sex offender in any state in which he resides.

This case was investigated by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Jeffrey Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for a bank fraud scheme whereby he would recruit others, including minors, to deposit fraudulent checks into their personal bank accounts and withdraw cash, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.

Marcus Raiford, 22, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $75,681 in restitution.

According to court documents, beginning in August 2017 and continuing until at least September 2018, Raiford and others recruited individuals, primarily minors, young adults, and students at various local high schools, to deposit counterfeit checks at banks and credit unions throughout the Portland Metropolitan Area. Raiford and his accomplices used social media platforms, including Snapchat and Instagram, to recruit the minors and young adults, promising significant cash payments in exchange for their participation in the scheme.

Individuals recruited by Raiford and his accomplices were instructed to open accounts at various banks or use existing accounts to deposit counterfeit checks made payable to the recruits. The recruits were told they worked for a company that held inactive investments and accounts in need of liquidation, thereby concealing the scheme. In some instances, the recruits were told they needed to deposit the counterfeit checks to help the company avoid tax liability.

Raiford and others requested the recruits’ identification, ATM card, and pin number so counterfeit checks could be made payable to them and deposited into their accounts. Raiford and his accomplices then withdrew the money from ATMs or made point of sale purchases with the ATM cards at various commercial businesses. Over the course of the conspiracy, Raiford and his accomplices deposited more than $150,000 in counterfeit checks.

On December 19, 2018, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 14-count indictment charging Raiford and his accomplices with conspiring to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering. On August 26, 2020, Raiford pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge.

This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Vancouver Police Department. It was prosecuted by Rachel K. Sowray, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man who previously served 12 years in California state prison for sexually abusing a child was sentenced to federal prison today for enticing an adolescent boy to produce sexually explicit videos of himself and share them via Facebook Messenger, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.

Scott Andrew Lawrence, 57, was sentenced to a total of 17 years in federal prison and a life term of supervised release after pleading guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography.

“Scott Lawrence is a sexual predator who posed online as a woman to prey on a vulnerable teenager,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Asphaug. “Online sexual exploitation is a grave threat to children and families, even older children. We implore parents and guardians everywhere to talk frankly with their children about the risks posed by online predators, and to monitor their children’s use of social media.”

“Seventeen years is a rightfully long sentence for a man who has repeatedly abused children. The victims targeted by Scott Lawrence, however, are the ones who will pay a higher price as they must live with the effects of that exploitation for a lifetime,” said Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon.

According to court documents, in April 2001, Lawrence was convicted in San Diego County Superior Court of sexually abusing a child and sentenced to a total of 14 years in prison. He was paroled in 2013 and completed his parole term three years later. In September 2018, Lawrence was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon of failing to register as a sex offender and, at the end of February 2019, was sentenced to time served plus five years of supervised release.

Three months into his supervised release term, Lawrence began communicating via Facebook Messenger with a 16-year-old boy from South Dakota whose family Lawrence lived with previously. During one exchange, Lawrence confirmed the boy’s age. In online conversations with the boy, Lawrence posed as an adult female named “Mary,” sent the boy several sexually explicit images, and repeatedly asked for videos of the boy masturbating in return. During at least three separate chat conversations, the boy sent Lawrence a total of six videos and one image of himself masturbating. Lawrence sent the image to at least two other people.

FBI agents arrested Lawrence on October 24, 2019. He admitted to chatting with the boy while posing as a woman and asking him for sexually explicit images and videos. He also admitted sending an image of the boy to two other people.

On November 19, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a nine-count indictment charging Lawrence with production, receipt, and distribution of child pornography, and committing a felony offense involving a minor while registered as a sex offender. On December 21, 2020, he pleaded guilty to distribution and receipt of child pornography.

This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Gary Y. Sussman, Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator for the District of Oregon.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man was sentenced to federal prison today for perpetrating two separate fraud schemes targeting his family and friends, resulting in losses exceeding $650,000, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.

Joseph D. Galvan, 46, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison and 3 years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $658,060.39 in restitution.

According to court documents, between January 2018 and August 2020, Galvan devised a scheme to defraud his ex-wife’s family and friends, most of whom had emigrated to the U.S. from Romania or were of Romanian descent. Galvan posed as a savvy, high-rolling investment trader and promised his victims he would invest their money and help them achieve financial security, retire early, and live a good life. He also promised to teach his victims, many of whom were elderly and spoke English as a second language, how to successfully navigate the stock market.

Once victims transferred their funds into an account controlled by Galvan, he failed to open investment accounts on their behalf as promised. Galvan used an app called StockMaster to create false investment profile accounts for each victim and would periodically send them phony screen shots of their profiles. Galvan subsequently spent victims’ money on various personal expenses including rent, car payments, travel, dining, food, guns, and voluntary cosmetic procedures. Total losses incurred by these victims exceeded $518,000, which, for many, constituted their entire life savings.

During this same time, Galvan engaged in a separate scheme targeting his own family and friends. In July 2019, he told a victim he had purchased a house in Lake Oswego, Oregon for $900,000, despite the home being worth approximately $2 million. He further told the victim that he sued the owners of the house after they refused to leave. According to Galvan, a court judgment allegedly required the owners to pay him a large settlement that was placed into an escrow account. Galvan falsely claimed the settlement had grown in escrow to $1 million, but that the court would not release the funds until certain conditions with Galvan’s bank account were met.

Galvan convinced the victim to pay for various fees and costs associated with the house purchase while he awaited the settlement funds. Galvan told the victim he would pay him $250,000 if the victim agreed to provide these funds. Galvan also promised to pay the victim an additional $100,000 every time the victim provided more funds toward house purchase expenses. Galvan encouraged the victim to convey a similar offer to several of the victim’s relatives and a family friend. Based on Galvan’s false promises, the victim and several others paid him more than $130,000. In reality, Galvan had never purchased a home in Lake Oswego and there were no settlement funds in escrow.

On August 19, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a seventeen-count indictment charging Galvan with wire fraud and money laundering for the scheme perpetrated on his ex-wife’s family and friends. For the scheme targeting his own family and friends, on November 19, 2020, Galvan was charged by criminal information with wire fraud. On November 23, 2020, he pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering to resolve both cases.

This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Claire M. Fay, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A former Boise, Idaho resident was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in a darknet drug distribution scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug. Kevin Marc Crotteau, 25, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, in July and August 2018, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers intercepted several packages containing MDMA and ketamine shipped from France to Crotteau’s co-conspirator, Brandon Paul Bart, 25, of Portland, at four different Portland addresses. On August 30, 2018, federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and officers from the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) assigned to a federal drug interdiction task force detained Bart after he attempted to retrieve two of the parcels, and executed search warrants on the parcels and Bart’s residence.

Investigators seized approximately eight kilograms of MDMA and two kilograms of ketamine. They determined that the packages had been imported from France to Bart’s addresses by Crotteau. The following day, August 31, 2018, investigators from HSI and PPB traveled to Boise and executed a search warrant at Crotteau’s residence.

Crotteau’s drug trafficking scheme generated significant proceeds. Investigators determined that Crotteau had sold Bitcoin valued at more than $108,000 and deposited the proceeds into a personal bank account. Crotteau used proceeds to purchase a Tesla valued at $136,200. Federal agents seized the Tesla.  

On October 3, 2019, Crotteau was charged by criminal information with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. On August 4, 2020, he pleaded guilty to the same charge.

On June 26, 2019, Bart was charged by criminal information with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. On August 27, 2019, he pleaded guilty to the same charge. Bart was sentenced to five years’ probation on September 13, 2020.

This case was investigated by the HIDTA Interdiction Task Force comprised of HSI and PPB with assistance from CBP and the Boise Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

This case was brought as part of the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. The Oregon HIDTA program was established by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) in June of 1999. In 2015, the program expanded into Idaho and was renamed the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA. The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA consists of 14 counties and the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. Counties in the HIDTA include Oregon’s Clackamas, Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson, Lane, Linn, Malheur, Marion, Multnomah, Umatilla and Washington counties, and Idaho’s Ada, Bannock and Canyon counties.

PORTLAND, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon and the FBI Portland Field Office condemn recent acts of violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

“Recent acts of violence targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are a tragic reminder that our country has much work to do to achieve the promise of equal protection and justice for all,” said Scott Erik Asphaug, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Hate-motivated crimes against anyone will not be tolerated. Federal law enforcement will continue to use every available tool and resource to identify and prosecute these crimes whenever and wherever they occur.”

“Asian American and Pacific Islander families in Oregon make up an important part of our cultural identity and heritage, past and present,” said Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. “They—like every other community in our state—deserve respect and the ability to live, work, and raise their children without fear. The people of the FBI stand with them, and we will thoroughly investigate any violations of federal law, including threats or acts of violence based on race or ethnicity.”

Recent reports of hate-related activity in our state are deeply concerning to members of our law enforcement community. Beyond local reports, Oregonians have likely seen an increase in news reports and social media posts about alleged hate crimes and harassment across the country. These reports have caused many in our community to fear for their safety.

Under federal law, acts of bias are unlawful if they involve violence, threats, or deprive people of their civil rights. A hate crime is a violent act against a person committed because of the person’s actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. Victims and witnesses of crime are not responsible for determining whether an action rises to the level of a hate crime, and we encourage reports to law enforcement officers trained to investigate.

Federal law also protects against discrimination based on race and national origin in several important areas of daily life, including but not limited to:

1. Housing, see www.justice.gov/crt/fair-housing-act-1.
2. Immigration and Employee Rights, see www.justice.gov/crt/immigrant-and-employee-rights-section.
3. Public Accommodations, see www.justice.gov/crt/title-ii-civil-rights-act-public-accommodations.
4. Educational Opportunities, see www.justice.gov/crt/types-educational-opportunities-discrimination.

These basic civil rights take on special significance during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. More information about these and other federal civil rights protections is available at www.civilrights.justice.gov/#your-rights.

If you or someone you know have been physically harmed or otherwise believe you are the victim of a crime, please call 911. You can also contact the FBI Portland Field Office by calling (503) 224-4181, or by submitting a tip online at www.tips.fbi.gov.

If you or someone you know have been the victim of unlawful discrimination in housing, employment, places of public accommodation, educational opportunities, or other areas, the Department of Justice may be able to help. You can report violations online via the Civil Rights Reporting Portal at www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon at (503) 727-1000.

EUGENE, Ore.— A U.S. Department of State employee and his spouse were sentenced today for their roles in an international conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods from the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Gene Leroy Thompson Jr., 54, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Thompson Jr.’s wife, Guojiao “Becky” Zhang, 40, was sentenced to three years’ supervised release to include 8 months of home detention. Thompson Jr. and Zhang were also ordered to forfeit a combined total of $229,302 and pay $740 in restitution.

Thompson and Zhang previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods on Dec. 20. 2020.

According to court documents, Thompson Jr. was an Information Programs Officer employed by the Department of State at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, a position that required him to maintain a security clearance. Zhang resided with him in Seoul. Between September 2017 and December 2019, Thompson Jr. and Zhang sold counterfeit goods on a variety of e-commerce platforms.

Thompson Jr. and Zhang conspired with one another to sell counterfeit Vera Bradley handbags from e-commerce accounts to persons throughout the United States. Thompson Jr. used his State Department computer to create numerous accounts on a variety of e-commerce platforms. Once Thompson Jr. created these accounts, Zhang took primary responsibility for operating the accounts, communicating with customers, and procuring counterfeit merchandise to be stored in Oregon. Thompson Jr. and Zhang also directed a co-conspirator in Oregon to ship items to purchasers across the United States.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon; and Assistant Director Ricardo Colón of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the DSS Office of Special Investigations with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Counsel Frank Lin of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Trial Attorney Jay Bauer of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Potter of the District of Oregon.

 

A former U.S. Department of State employee and his spouse were sentenced today for their roles in a conspiracy to traffic hundreds of thousands of dollars in counterfeit goods through e-commerce accounts operated from State Department computers at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Gene Leroy Thompson Jr., 54, and Guojiao “Becky” Zhang, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods on Dec. 20. 2020. Thompson Jr. was sentenced to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Zhang was sentenced to three years of supervised release, the first eight months of which will consist of home confinement. Thompson Jr. and Zhang were also ordered to forfeit a combined total of $229,302.

According to court documents, Thompson Jr. was an Information Programs Officer employed by the Department of State at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Republic of Korea, a position that required him to maintain a security clearance. Zhang resided with him in Seoul. Between September 2017 and December 2019, Thompson Jr. and Zhang sold counterfeit goods on a variety of e-commerce platforms. Thompson Jr. used his State Department computer at the embassy to create numerous e-commerce accounts, including additional accounts under aliases to continue the conspiracy and avoid detection after several e-commerce platforms suspended the couple’s other accounts for fraudulent activity. Zhang took primary responsibility for operating the accounts, communicating with customers, and procuring merchandise to be stored in the District of Oregon. Thompson Jr. and Zhang also directed a co-conspirator in the District of Oregon to ship items to purchasers across the United States.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon; and Assistant Director Ricardo Colón of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the DSS Office of Special Investigations with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Counsel Frank Lin of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Trial Attorney Jay Bauer of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Potter of the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Romanian National was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in a bank fraud scheme wherein he and an accomplice used counterfeit credit and debit cards to withdraw money from local banks, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.

Ciprian Simion, 35, of Romania, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison followed by five years’ supervised release. Simon was also ordered to pay more than $27,000 in restitution.

According to court documents, Simion is an experienced credit card skimmer. In April 2018, he was arrested in New York City after using fake ATM cards and pins to withdraw cash from an ATM. After his arrest, Simion consented to a search of his hotel room where officers found nearly 100 forged debit cards and three forgery devices. He was later indicted by a New York grand jury on more than 200 counts related to his fraud activity. The New York court issued a warrant for his arrest in August 2018.

At some point after being charged in New York, Simion relocated to Oregon. His precise movements in the months leading to his arrest in Oregon are unknown. On or about March 16, 2019, Simion and an accomplice, Gabriel Tigmarau, 51, also of Romania, installed a credit card skimmer on a Rivermark Community Credit Union ATM in Newberg, Oregon. Simion and Tigmarau later removed the device to obtain stolen account information and pins, damaging the ATM in the process. Around the same time, the pair installed skimming devices on several other area ATMs.

Simion and Tigmarau used the stolen account information to produce counterfeit credit and debit cards and withdraw cash from local ATMs. On April 27, 2019, officers from the Portland Police Bureau arrested Simion and Tigmarau after they were caught tampering with an IBEW Credit Union ATM on SE Washington Street in Portland. Officers seized several counterfeit bank cards and a skimming device from the pair. While in Oregon, Simion stole at least 354 account numbers.

On July 24, 2019, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an eleven-count indictment charging Simion and Tigmarau with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, counterfeit access device fraud, illegal possession of device-making equipment, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. On July 29, 2020, Simion pleaded guilty to one count each of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Simon’s New York state charges are still pending.

On November 4, 2020, Tigmarau pleaded guilty to the same charges. He was sentenced on February 17, 2021 to 42 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Portland Police Bureau. It was prosecuted by Quinn P. Harrington, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Bank card skimming occurs when devices are illegally installed on ATMs, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, or fuel pumps to capture cardholders’ bank account information or PINs. Criminals use the stolen data to create fake debit or credit cards and steal from victims’ accounts. It is estimated that skimming costs financial institutions and consumers more than $1 billion each year. Consumers are encouraged to look carefully at ATMs and POS terminals before using them. If you observe evidence of tampering or anything unusual, do not use the machine. If you suspect you’ve been the victim of skimming, please contact your financial institution immediately.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Coachella, California man pleaded guilty today to transporting five pounds of methamphetamine from Coachella to Aumsville, Oregon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.

Gerardo Figueroa-Felix, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, on January 7, 2019, Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call that squatters had returned to a foreclosed property in Aumsville and that there was methamphetamine inside the house. Deputies had locked the property four days prior in response to a court order. Two deputies approached the house together and spotted a white Chevrolet pickup truck with a California license plate backed into the driveway. As they approached, the deputies saw Figueroa-Felix tying up a tarp near the back of the vehicle.

One of the deputies approached Figueroa-Felix and asked why he was on the property. Figueroa-Felix produced three identification cards with his name and photograph on them. The deputy watched as Figueroa-Felix began to reach his hands into the front pockets of his jacket and ordered him to remove them. The deputy then proceeded to search Figueroa-Felix’s person and located a loaded semi-automatic Ruger 9mm handgun in his left-front pants pocket. The deputy discovered a second loaded handgun tucked into Figueroa-Felix’s waistband. Figueroa-Felix also had a double magazine pouch attached to his belt.

The investigation revealed Figueroa-Felix was a drug mule from Coachella and was paid to transport five pounds of crystal methamphetamine from Southern California to Oregon. He previously sold two pounds of methamphetamine on the Aumsville property and returned that day to sell more. Deputies seized three pounds of methamphetamine and large quantities of live .45 caliber ammunition from his truck along with another handgun.

On March 20, 2019, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Figueroa-Felix with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Figueroa-Felix faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine, and four years of supervised release. With Figueroa-Felix’s continued acceptance of responsibility, the government has agreed to a recommended sentence of 70 months in prison and four years’ supervised release. Figueroa-Felix will be sentenced on June 7, 2021 before U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut.

This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Salem Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). It is being prosecuted by Hannah Horsley and Pamela Paaso, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

EUGENE, Ore.—A Lincoln City, Oregon man with multiple felony convictions was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine in and around Lincoln City and illegally possessing a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.

Felix Daniel Garcia-Mendoza, 28, was sentenced to 204 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to doing everything we can to reduce drug trafficking and violent crime across Oregon. A key pillar of our strategy is to reduce illegal gun ownership and use by drug traffickers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Asphaug. “I applaud our law enforcement partners for their persistence in bringing Mr. Garcia-Mendoza to justice and making our coastal communities safer in the process.”

“The brazenness of Garcia-Mendoza’s actions clearly warrant this significant sentence,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jonathan E. Blais. “He showed a complete disregard for the law and jeopardized the community as a whole. The removal of Garcia-Mendoza and his co-conspirators from the streets will help make Lincoln City and Lincoln County safer.”

According to court documents, beginning in March 2018, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) began infiltrating the Lincoln City methamphetamine market. Soon after, one of Garcia-Mendoza’s co-conspirators brokered the sale of a quarter pound of methamphetamine from Garcia-Mendoza to an undercover agent. At their initial meeting, agents purchased 113 grams of methamphetamine from Garcia-Mendoza.

Garcia-Mendoza met repeatedly with undercover agents and sold them increasingly larger quantities of methamphetamine. On one occasion, in June 2018, Garcia-Mendoza sold the agents more than one and half pounds of methamphetamine. Garcia-Mendoza also sold the undercover agents a handgun later determined to have be stolen from a Lincoln City gun shop. He wore a Glock pistol prominently in his waistband during various transactions and displayed it by raising his shirt and pulling it out during deals.

On December 12, 2018, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned an 11-count indictment charging Garcia-Mendoza with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was arrested on January 5, 2019 and pleaded guilty to all but three of the charges on January 20, 2020.

Three other co-defendants—Billy Jack Reese, Jr., 42, of Lincoln City, Oregon; James Levi Boyer, 51, of Springfield, Oregon; and Patricia Rose Hedrick, 25, of Newport, Oregon—were charged and have pleaded guilty to conspiring with Garcia-Mendoza to distribute methamphetamine. All were sentenced to time served in federal prison and are serving five-year terms of supervised release.

This case was investigated by ATF, the Lincoln City Police Department, and the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Nathan J. Lichvarcik and William M. McLaren, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

EUGENE, Ore.—A former Eugene elementary school teacher was sentenced to federal prison today for sexually abusing a minor female, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.

William Hamann, 38, was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison and ten years supervised release. Hamman was also ordered to pay restitution to his victim.

According to court documents, on several occasions beginning in 2018 and continuing until July 2019, Hamann paid a minor female for oral sex and recorded the minor performing the sex acts. The minor female was 15 years old during the first encounter with Hamman. Eugene Police Department detectives and FBI agents arrested Hamann on July 26, 2019, when he came to meet the minor a fourth time. Agents searched his mobile phone and found a recording of one of the sex acts. Hamman used social media to arrange the meetings with the minor.

A search of Hamman’s residence and digital devices revealed that he had previously approached several other females online who said they were minors. Investigators uncovered evidence that Hamman had engaged in sexually explicit conversations with them even after they said they were underage.

On August 21, 2019, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a four-count indictment charging Hamann with sexual exploitation and trafficking of a child, possession of child pornography, and attempted sex trafficking of a child. On January 19, 2021, he pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a child.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Eugene Police Department. It was prosecuted by Jeff Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Katherine Green, Lane County Deputy District Attorney.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, child victims suffer re-victimization each time the image of their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s website at www.missingkids.org.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A former certified public accountant and former chief financial officer of a McMinnville, Oregon company faces federal criminal charges after allegedly evading $99,000 in personal income taxes, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.

Kent Jensen, 58, a resident of Gilbert, Arizona, has been charged by criminal information with two counts of felony tax evasion.

According to court documents, in 2014 and 2015, Jenson, who also previously worked as an auditor with an international accounting firm and a financial consultant for a business in Milwaukie, Oregon, allegedly set up several nominee companies and nominee bank accounts to conceal most of his personal income from the IRS. Jensen arranged for his financial consulting clients to pay his consulting fees to these nominee companies. He then deposited the funds into nominee bank accounts and used the proceeds for personal expenses. In 2014 and 2015, Jensen submitted fraudulent personal income tax returns that substantially underreported his personal income and the taxes owed.

“Now that the tax filing season has begun, and tax revenues are right now being used to assist Americans through the COVID pandemic, cases like this are a reminder that all taxpayers have a lawful duty to file accurate tax returns and pay their fair share of taxes,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “This office and the IRS will aggressively investigate and prosecute anyone who criminally abuses the tax system.”

Jensen faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years’ supervised release for each of two counts of tax evasion. He will be arraigned on March 18, 2021 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge.

This case is being investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Seth D. Uram, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

A criminal information is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PORTLAND, Ore.—U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that Christopher Claypool, 52, of Spokane, Washington, the former general manager of the Jacklin Seed Company, a producer and marketer of grass seed and turfgrass based in Liberty Lake, Washington, has been charged by criminal information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering as part of multiple schemes to defraud Jacklin’s former owner, the J.R. Simplot Company, and its customers.

As general manager of Jacklin, Claypool oversaw the company’s product sales to domestic and foreign distributors. Jacklin contracted with independent growers in Oregon for the production of proprietary grass seed varieties and fulfilled orders from a distribution facility in Albany, Oregon. Differences in grass seed yield rates resulted in the over-delivery of some varieties and underproduction of others.

At some point between 2013 and 2015, Claypool and other Jacklin employees realized that growers’ preference for higher-yield grasses was creating substantial shortages of lower-yield varieties Jacklin had contracted to deliver to its customers. Claypool and a colleague who oversaw product fulfillment at the company’s Albany distribution facility recognized that these shortages would either cause Jacklin to fail to deliver on its existing contracts or require Jacklin to pay a premium to growers to acquire necessary inventory, substantially eroding company profits. Claypool and his colleague anticipated that either result would negatively affect their careers.

From January 2015 and continuing until at least the summer of 2019, Claypool and his colleague directed Jacklin employees, at the Albany facility and elsewhere, to fulfill customer orders with different varieties of grass seed than the customers had ordered, to conceal such substitutions from the customers, and to invoice the customers as though no substitutions had taken place. Claypool and his colleague referred to this scheme as “getting creative.”

To conceal the unauthorized substitutions, Claypool and his colleague directed Jacklin employees to package the substitute seed varieties with false and misleading labels. They also directed employees to invoice the customers under the original terms of their contracts, notwithstanding the unauthorized substitutions. As a result of this scheme, Jacklin invoiced customers for more than $1.1 million of grass seed the company never delivered.

In addition to the undisclosed seed substitutions, Claypool engaged in several other fraudulent schemes while serving as Jacklin’s general manager. In one scheme, he directed an accomplice to create a limited-liability corporation (LLC) to pose as an independent grass seed broker. Claypool and a colleague conspired to route a portion of Jacklin’s overseas sales through a competing grass-seed seller based in Jefferson, Oregon. The company would, in turn, add its own mark-up to the sales and kick back outsized commissions to Claypool through his accomplice’s LLC. From December 2018 through August 2019, Claypool generated more than $369,000 in fraudulent commissions.

In a third scheme, Claypool conspired with the owner of an independent travel agency in Spokane to inflate the purported costs of Claypool’s international business travel. Claypool traveled overseas extensively for business and had authority to approve his own travel expenses. In lieu of using Simplot’s contract travel agency, Claypool booked his flights through the independent travel agent. The agent booked economy and other lower-cost fares for Claypool, but created fake first-class bookings on the most expensive comparable itineraries in order to generate inflated invoices that he transmitted to Simplot, through Claypool, for payment. In total, the agent overbilled more than $500,000 for international airfare, the majority of which Claypool ultimately received in kickbacks from the agent.

In the most lucrative fraud scheme, Claypool directed Simplot’s payment of more than twelve million dollars in “rebates” and “commissions” to entities that were posing as foreign sales partners but were, in fact, fronts for Claypool’s coconspirators in embezzling those funds.  The coconspirators then transmitted part of their ill-gotten gains from accounts in Hong Kong to real estate investments in Hawaii under Claypool’s control.  Years later, Claypool sold the real estate and wired the proceeds to investment accounts in Spokane as part of an elaborate money laundering operation.

Claypool faces a maximum sentence of 70 years in prison, fines of more than $15 million, and 5 years’ supervised release. His arraignment has not yet been scheduled.

This case is being investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Ryan W. Bounds, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

A criminal information is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PORTLAND, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon released its first annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) program report today, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams. The report is the first of its kind produced by a U.S. Attorney’s Office since the Justice Department launched a new national strategy to address missing and murdered Native Americans in November 2019.

“For generations, American Indians and Alaskan Natives have suffered from disproportionately high levels of violence. Tragically, this is not a crisis of the past; it’s a crisis of the present,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “In this report, we look back and forward, summarizing what is known about missing and murdered Indigenous people in Oregon and outlining our plans and goals for the year ahead. While we won’t solve this problem overnight, our office is working closely with Oregon law enforcement partners, other U.S. Attorney’s Offices, and the U.S. Department of Justice to end endemic violence in Indian Country.”

The District of Oregon report provides tribal communities, law enforcement and the public with an overview of current MMIP cases connected to Oregon and the U.S. Attorney Office MMIP strategy for 2021. As outlined in the report, an initial analysis of available MMIP data conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office indicates there are eleven missing and eight murdered Indigenous persons connected to Oregon.

In 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will conduct formal tribal consultations with Oregon’s nine tribal governments to discuss MMIP issues, develop MMIP community response plans, create a District of Oregon MMIP Working Group, further develop data surrounding Oregon MMIP cases, and increase collaboration among all involved entities who interact with MMIP cases.

MMIP is an important and sensitive issue to tribal communities. Addressing MMIP in Indian Country is particularly challenging due to jurisdictional issues, lack of coordination and inadequate resources. However, for the first time in U.S. history, a national federal strategy—formalized by legislation, executive order, and departmental directive—is in place to address MMIP issues.

If you or someone you know have information about missing or murdered Indigenous people in Oregon, please contact the FBI Portland Field Office by calling (503) 224-4181 or by visiting tips.fbi.gov. If you have questions about the U.S. Attorney’s Office MMIP program, please contact MMIP program coordinator Cedar Wilkie Gillette by emailing Cedar.Wilkie.Gillette@usdoj.gov or by calling (503) 727-1000.

PORTLAND, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney Office for the District of Oregon announced today that the federal criminal investigation into the arrest of Portland resident Michael Fesser on February 25, 2017 has been closed after finding insufficient evidence to support federal criminal prosecution.

In February 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and the FBI opened a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr. Fesser’s arrest following media reports that the West Linn Police Department had settled a civil lawsuit with Mr. Fesser. This federal investigation sought to determine whether the evidence of events leading to Mr. Fesser’s arrest was sufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that any officers’ actions violated federal criminal civil rights or public corruption statutes.

The FBI conducted an independent investigation of the facts surrounding Mr. Fesser's arrest. It interviewed 18 people, including Mr. Fesser, current and former police officers, current and former City of West Linn City employees, and community members. The FBI received approximately 28,000 pages of material in response to 24 subpoenas, including investigative records, training and disciplinary records, phone records, and financial records.

After examining the circumstances surrounding Mr. Fesser’s arrest and the evidence gathered, the FBI and career Justice Department prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Civil Rights Division concluded that they could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that officers involved in Mr. Fesser’s arrest willfully violated Mr. Fesser’s civil rights or federal public corruption statutes. In this case, under the applicable federal criminal civil rights laws, the government would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Fesser’s constitutional rights were violated and, if a violation occurred, the actions taken by law enforcement officers were willful.

Willfulness requires proof that an officer acted with the specific intent to do something the law forbids.  It is not enough to show that an officer made a mistake, acted negligently, acted by accident or mistake, or even exercised bad judgment. Here, the government cannot prove that the manner in which Mr. Fesser was arrested violated a federally protected right, or that the actions taken by law enforcement officials were willful as defined above.

To the extent that the criminal investigation into Mr. Fesser’s arrest raised issues concerning the broader policies and practices of the West Linn Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has taken steps to connect West Linn and its police department to national community oriented policing technical assistance.

The Justice Department remains committed to investigating wrongful arrest allegations and will continue to devote the resources required to ensure that all allegations of civil rights violations are thoroughly examined. The department aggressively prosecutes criminal civil rights violations whenever there is sufficient evidence to do so and pursues alternatives when there is not.

EUGENE, Ore.— Carlos Alberto Berrios, Jr., 30, of Ontario, Oregon, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release for trafficking methamphetamine in and around Malheur County, Oregon, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.

According to court documents, on April 24, 2018, Berrios was riding in a vehicle when it was stopped for a traffic violation by a Malheur County Sheriff’s Office deputy. Berrios was seated in the vehicle with a backpack on the floor between his legs and a gun holster between his left leg and the vehicle’s center console. After determining that Berrios had an outstanding felony arrest warrant and the driver did not have a license or insurance, the deputy called for a tow truck and began impounding the vehicle. An Ontario Police Officer on scene identified Berrios as a suspect in a recent firearm theft. The deputy searched Berrios’ backpack and found a .45 caliber firearm and approximately eight ounces of methamphetamine.

On June 19, 2019, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a two-count indictment charging Berrios. On January 23, 2020, he pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

This case was investigated by the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office, Ontario Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Pamela Paaso, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that, effective February 28, 2021, he will step down as U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Today’s announcement marks the end of Williams’ 20-year career in the Department of Justice, which began in October 2000. During his tenure with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Williams has held multiple leadership positions, including First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Criminal Division Chief, Violent Crimes Unit Chief, and Indian Country Assistant U.S. Attorney and Tribal Liaison.

“It has been an incredible honor to serve the people of Oregon as U.S. Attorney. In more than 20 years with this office, I have had the distinct privilege to engage with countless colleagues, friends, community members, law enforcement partners, litigants, and others committed to making our communities better, safer places to live and thrive. There is still much work to do in our collective pursuit of justice and equity for all, but I am proud of what we’ve accomplished together,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Most of all, I am grateful to have worked with so many federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers who daily put themselves at risk to protect Oregonians. You have and always will be a great inspiration to me.”

Williams has served as the chief federal law enforcement officer in Oregon since May 2015. With the support of Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, Williams was nominated by former President Donald J. Trump on November 17, 2017 to serve a four-year term and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 7, 2018.

As U.S. Attorney, Williams has served on several Attorney General Advisory Subcommittees. In November 2018, he was appointed chair of the Attorney General’s Marijuana Working Group, part of the Controlled Substances Subcommittee. He also served on the Native American Issues Subcommittee, Civil Rights Subcommittee, Border & Immigration Subcommittee, and Domestic Terrorism Executive Committee.

Prior to his federal service, Williams served as a Senior Deputy District Attorney in Multnomah County where he supervised the Career Criminal Unit. As a state prosecutor, Williams handled major crimes of violence, including aggravated murder, adult and child sex offenses, domestic violence, narcotics trafficking, vehicular homicide, and officer-involved shootings.

Williams, a native of Goldendale, Washington, received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Washington State University in 1981 and his law degree from the Willamette University College of Law in 1989.

Following Williams’ departure, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug will become Acting U.S. Attorney pending the senate confirmation of a presidential nominee.

MEDFORD, Ore.—A Klamath Falls, Oregon man pleaded guilty today for sending cards to former coworkers containing a white powdered pesticide threatened to be anthrax, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.

Kelly Michael Burns, 71, pleaded guilty today to eight counts of mailing threatening communications.

According to court documents, on or about December 19, 2019, Burns mailed four Christmas cards, postmarked in Medford, to former coworkers containing a white powder pesticide later identified as carbaryl. The cards were addressed to the victims’ workplace and contained violent threats such as “Merry Anthrax (obscenity)! Eat (obscenity) and die more to come.” Three people at Burns’ former workplace were exposed to the carbaryl, forced to undergo an extensive physical decontamination process, and were administered a high-dose antibiotic. One of the victims exposed was ten weeks pregnant at the time of exposure. As a result of the contamination, law enforcement ordered company employees out of the building and the company was closed for further decontamination.

Later, on February 13, 2020, Burns again mailed cards containing carbaryl to the same four victim recipients. This second wave of cards also contained violent statements with added threats directed at the victims’ families.

On February 26, 2020, an FBI laboratory completed a chemical analysis of the powder found in the December cards and confirmed that it was carbaryl, a known pesticide toxic to humans. A few days later, FBI handwriting analysts presumptively matched the handwriting on the envelopes and cards mailed in December to Burns’ own handwriting obtained from a job application and recent tax documents.

In March 2020, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Burns’ residence. They found handwritten notes in which Burns threatened to kill a former coworker, sabotage his former workplace, and conduct a drive-by shooting. Agents also recovered several books including, “The Poisoner’s Handbook,” “The Joy of Cold Revenge,” “U.S. Army Guide to Boobytraps,” and “Silent Death.”

On March 5, 2020, Burns was charged by criminal complaint with mailing threatening communications and false information or hoaxes. Later, on January 15, 2021, he was charged by criminal information with eight counts of mailing threatening communications.

Burns faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years’ supervised release. He will be sentenced on May 6, 2020 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane.

As part of the plea agreement, Burns has agreed to pay restitution in full to his victims as identified by the government prior to sentencing and ordered by the court.

This case was investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by John C. Brassell, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

EUGENE, Ore.—On February 4, 2021, a White City, Oregon man was sentenced for violating the Lacey Act by illegally poaching a trophy bull elk in Crater Lake National Park, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.

Adrian Duane Wood, 44, was sentenced to five years’ federal probation to include a six-month stay at a residential reentry center. The court also ordered that Wood be banned for life from Crater Lake National Park, be restricted from hunting for the duration of his probation, and pay $42,500 in restitution to the National Park Service.

“Our nation’s environmental laws are in place to protect vulnerable wildlife populations and ensure that future generations will have the opportunity to enjoy these animals as we do today. Mr. Wood preyed on elk and deer who were unaccustomed to being hunted and thus uniquely vulnerable to poaching,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Beyond the depravity of his crimes, Mr. Wood further engaged his minor son in his illegal acts and bragged about his criminal behavior to others. Thanks to the hard work of federal and state investigators, justice has been served and Mr. Wood has been permanently banned from Crater Lake.”

“Our public lands are special places for both people and wildlife,” said James Ashburner, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “The defendant's blatant disregard for the law caused great harm to the elk herd in the park. This joint case demonstrates the resolve of National Park Service, Oregon State Police, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in protecting our nation’s natural resources. A special thank you goes out to the Service's National Wildlife Forensics Lab for their incredible work on this case, as well as to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon for placing an emphasis on environmental crimes that impact the natural world we all enjoy.”

According to court documents, in July 2014, the National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and Oregon State Police (OSP) began a multi-year investigation into Wood’s illegal hunting activities based on reports that he was poaching wildlife in Crater Lake National Park. At least two sources stated that Wood had killed several deer and elk on the west side of the park after baiting them into meadow with rock salt. OSP received further reports that Wood was illegally poaching wildlife at night.

On August 31, 2014, an OSP trooper observed Wood and his son leaving the national park after dark. When the trooper approached him, Wood hurried toward his vehicle and acted as if he were trying to hide something. After speaking with Wood, the trooper located a loaded AR-15 semi-automatic rifle outfitted with night optics beneath his truck. Wood initially claimed the rifle was for bear hunting, but after the trooper pointed out that the rifle was not lawfully equipped to hunt any wildlife, Wood then claimed it was for personal protection. The trooper cited Wood for being a felon in possession of a firearm and seized the rifle. Wood was convicted in state court of the charge and placed on probation.

Throughout 2015, NPS and OSP continued receiving reports of Wood’s illegal poaching. NPS rangers found carcasses and piles of rock salt in an area of the park frequented by Wood. In October 2015, an NPS ranger found an elk skull, jaw, and vertebrae in the national park. The remains were determined to be near a custom track log found on Wood’s GPS unit. Investigators later learned Wood entered and won second or third place in a Sportsman’s Warehouse Big Bull elk hunting contest.

In August and September 2016, Wood engaged in several incriminating text conversations. On August 28, 2016, Wood texted his wife about his attempt to locate a bleeding elk he had shot. A photo later discovered on Wood’s phone, taken on August 28, appeared to depict a trail of blood. Investigators also found a custom waypoint named “Hit” on Wood’s GPS device created the same morning as the date-stamped photo. The “Hit” location was within the boundaries of the national park.

On September 7, 2016, Wood texted another individual, bragging about his hunting activities: “I’ve been in the elk since opening season and passed up 5 last Sunday because I have a problem shooting a small 5 point when there is a monster 50 yards away screaming at me…I’m pretty good at finding elk around here, I’ve killed 24 and get one every year.”

On September 22, 2016, OSP contacted Wood in his vehicle as he was pulling a horse trailer near the boundary of the national park. Although Wood stated he had not been hunting in 2016, the trooper observed blood on Wood’s hands and clothing. Wood then gave the trooper a partially validated Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) archery elk tag, which also had blood on it. The next day, an OSP trooper returned to the area where they had contacted Wood, walked a short distance into the national park, and discovered a freshly killed and partially butchered elk. The carcass was in the same meadow wherein Wood was previously reported to have hunted elk. The trooper noted that the elk’s head was sawed off and some meat was removed. Shortly thereafter, Wood texted photos of himself posing with the elk. OSP obtained the photos and matched them to the carcass.

On October 4, 2016, FWS agents executed a federal search warrant on Wood’s residence. They located multiple firearms, assorted ammunition, and several wildlife specimens. FWS special agents later searched Wood’s GPS units and confirmed he was in the national park when he killed the bull elk on September 22 and had marked the location of the kill. They further confirmed that the majority of his GPS hunting waypoints and track logs between 2011 and 2016 were within the boundaries of the national park.

Forensic scientists at the FWS National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Lab, conducted forensic examinations and genetic analyses of the wildlife specimens taken from Wood’s residence and compared them to animal remains recovered in the national park. DNA analyses revealed that Wood possessed parts of at least 13 elk, 12 deer, and one black bear, and the blood found on Wood’s ODFW archery tag matched the DNA of the elk poached on September 22. A forensic pathologist further determined the elk killed on September 22 had been killed by a gunshot. In total, investigators definitively linked six seized specimens to elk or deer poached by Wood in the national park in 2015 and 2016.

On May 1, 2019, Wood was indicted by a federal grand jury in Medford, Oregon for violating the Lacey Act by unlawfully taking and transporting a trophy bull elk from Crater Lake National Park and illegally possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. On August 17, 2020, Wood pleaded guilty to the Lacey Act charge and agreed to pay restitution to NPS for the wildlife illegally taken from the national park.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, National Park Service, and the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division. It was prosecuted by Adam E. Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for protecting America’s wildlife from poaching, illegal commercialization, and other kinds of wildlife crime. If you have information related to a wildlife crime, please call 1-844-FWS-TIPS (1-844-397-8477) or email fws_tips@fws.gov.

PORTLAND, Ore.—U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that Errol Amorin Andam, 49, of Beaverton, Oregon, a former marketing manager at Nike, Inc., has been charged by criminal information with wire fraud, money laundering, and making false statements on a loan application as part of a scheme to defraud his former employer.

According to the information, from 2001 until his termination in 2018, Andam was employed by Nike at its headquarters in Beaverton. Most recently, Andam worked as a manager in the company’s North American Retail Brand Marketing division wherein he managed the design, build-out, and operation of “pop-up” retail venues, temporary Nike shops situated near and tailored to sports competitions and other special events around the U.S.

In the summer of 2016, Andam recruited a childhood friend to establish a company to design and build the pop-up venues as an independent contractor for Nike. Andam used his authority as a manager at Nike to ensure that his friend’s company was consistently awarded the contracts for these jobs. Though he had no formal role in his friend’s company, Andam assumed control of much of the company’s financial operations, managing financial accounts and issuing invoices to Nike.

To conceal his role in the scheme, Andam used an alter ego, “Frank Little,” to invoice Nike and manage the contract company’s account with Square, Inc., a California-based provider of mobile credit-card-processing services. In 2016, Andam also renewed the lapsed registration of an Oregon-based limited liability corporation (LLC) he owned so that he could use the defunct entity as a shell company to funnel the proceeds diverted from Nike and his friend’s company to accounts under his personal control.

Beginning in September 2016, Andam caused credit-card sales at various pop-up venues around the U.S. to be run through card readers associated with a Square account owned by his friend’s company. These proceeds were transferred to Square in California and then to Andam’s LLC bank account in Oregon. Andam represented to both Nike and his friend that the proceeds of these sales were credited against the total amount Nike owed to his friend’s company. In truth, Andam simply pocketed the proceeds and, as “Frank Little,” invoiced Nike for the full cost of the contracted services.

From September 2016 through December 2018, Andam diverted and embezzled nearly $1.5 million in Nike proceeds for his own use. In July 2018, Andam submitted a fake financial statement from his LLC in support of a residential mortgage loan application. The financial statement falsely reflected as revenue checks for $194,000 drawn on a bank account owned by his friend’s business. Andam forged his friend’s signature on the check and withdrew much of that money without his friend’s knowledge.

Andam faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, fines of up to $4.5 million, and 5 years’ supervised release. He will be arraigned on March 5, 2021, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge.

This case is being investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Ryan W. Bounds, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

A criminal information is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone fraudulently obtained from local pharmacies.

Chase Adam Conway, 36, was sentenced to four years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, in June 2018, agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating Conway. They learned that Conway, who had a long history of committing drug frauds, was enlisting female runners to fraudulently obtain oxycodone from pharmacies in the Portland area. Conway would deliberately seek out runners who were heavily addicted to oxycodone and willing to risk criminal liability in exchange for a portion of the prescriptions filled or a small amount of cash.

Conway obtained medical prescription paper and used a home printer to place the names and DEA registration numbers of real doctors on the prescriptions. He would then provide his co-conspirators with fraudulent identification to use in conjunction with the fake prescriptions at various pharmacies. After obtaining the oxycodone pills, Conway redistributed to them for profit to large quantity vendors and street customers.

In the fall of 2018, agents tracked Conway’s car and obtained evidence from several pharmacies where he and his accomplices filled prescriptions. In February 2019, agents executed a search warrant on Conway’s rented room and mobile phone, seizing prescription paper, lists of runners and pharmacies, doctors’ names and DEA numbers, and dozens of communications call logs and text messages with various co-defendants.

On October 6, 2020, Conway was charged by criminal information with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone and, one week later, he pleaded guilty. As part of his plea agreement, Conway is also subject to a $10,000 money judgement.

This case was investigated by the DEA. It was prosecuted by Kemp Strickland, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Billy. J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, released the following statement on racist and threatening letters sent to Portland area community leaders and activists:

“We are aware that some Portland area community leaders and activists have, in recent months, received racist letters threatening violence against them, their families, or people they know. I want to reassure the community that the U.S. Attorney’s Office takes these threats very seriously and, together with our partners at the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, are engaged in an active investigation to determine who is responsible for creating and sending these letters and to evaluate criminal wrongdoing.

We need the public’s help to keep our communities safe and protect all Oregonians. To that end, we urge you to submit any information you have about these or other threats of violence. Tips can be submitted directly to the FBI’s Portland Field Office by calling (503) 224-4181 or by visiting tips.fbi.gov. While our investigation is ongoing, we must respectfully decline further comment.”

EUGENE, Ore.—A Vancouver, Washington man was sentenced to federal prison today for failing to comply with sex offender supervision and registration requirements designed to protect the community from predatory acts, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.

Joseph Alonzo Lugo, 50, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. As a condition of his post-prison supervision, Lugo will be required to undergo sex offender treatment and mental health counseling.

According to court documents, Lugo was required to register as a sex offender after pleading guilty in state court, in August 2017, to communicating with a minor for immoral purposes and, less than a year later, pleading guilty to second-degree child molestation. In the latter case, Lugo sexually abused a family member younger than five and served 11 months in prison. He was released in September of 2019 and stopped registering as a sex offender in December of 2019.

On December 31, 2019, Lugo absconded from Washington State supervision and took up residence in Eugene. Shortly thereafter, U.S. Marshals Service deputies began investigating Lugo’s whereabouts and, on April 14, 2020, located him at a house in Eugene. The deputies’ investigation revealed that Lugo had interacted with several children at the house while in non-registration status, though the investigation revealed no evidence of additional sexual offenses. Lugo was arrested on April 14, 2020.

On April 13, 2020, Lugo was charged by criminal complaint with failing to register as a sex offender. He pleaded guilty on October 15, 2020.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. McLaren and Certified Law Student Kara Greenaway.

The United States Marshals Service is the federal government’s primary law enforcement agency for sex offender and fugitive investigations. The United States Marshals Service has implemented an aggressive strategy across the nation, including complex sex offender investigations and multiagency enforcement operations. Protecting children in our communities is a critical part of the multiagency sex offender mission in Oregon.

The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) is Title I of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. The act provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA strengthens the nationwide network for the protection of the community.

EUGENE, Ore.—A former Eugene elementary school teacher pleaded guilty today for sexually abusing a minor female, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.

William Hamann, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking of a child.

According to court documents, on several occasions beginning in 2018 and continuing until July 2019, Hamann paid a minor female for oral sex and recorded the minor performing the sex acts. The minor female was 15 years old during the first encounter with Hamman. Eugene Police Department detectives and FBI agents arrested Hamann on July 26, 2019, when he came to meet the minor a fourth time. Agents searched his mobile phone and found a recording of one of the sex acts. Hamman used social media to arrange the meetings with the minor.

On August 21, 2019, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a four-count indictment charging Hamann with sexual exploitation and trafficking of a child, possession of child pornography, and attempted sex trafficking of a child.

Hamann was also charged with multiple counts in Lane County Circuit Court, including sodomy and sex abuse.

Hamann will be sentenced on March 1, 2021 before U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will recommend a sentence of 160 months in federal prison to be served consecutively to a 20-month prison sentence in Lane County.

As part of the plea agreement, Hamann has agreed to pay restitution in full to his victim.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Eugene Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Jeff Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Katherine Green, Lane County Deputy District Attorney.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, child victims suffer re-victimization each time the image of their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s website at www.missingkids.org.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Billy. J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, released the following statement on recent political violence:

"Like most Americans, I watched in disgust and anger as radical insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol in a shocking display of political violence. There is no question these violent acts were domestic terrorism aimed at disrupting Congress’ Constitutional duty to certify the electoral victory of President-elect Joe Biden. The Justice Department and U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country are working tirelessly to investigate and prosecute all forms of domestic terrorism including this attack on our government, and those responsible will be brought to justice.

As we approach next week’s inauguration, the threat of similar political violence around the country and here in Oregon remains. Our office is working closely with the FBI, Federal Protective Service, Oregon State Police, Portland Police Bureau, and other local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and disrupt anyone intent on engaging in violence here in Oregon.

We need the public’s help to keep our communities safe and protect all Oregonians’ First Amendment rights. We urge you to submit any information you have about real or potential threats of violence at any upcoming demonstrations or events throughout the state. Tips can be submitted directly to the FBI by calling (503) 224-4181 or by visiting tips.fbi.gov.”