District of Oregon

EUGENE, Ore.—Tyler Wayne Fuller, 30, of Madras, Oregon, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for his role in a Central Oregon methamphetamine distribution conspiracy and for robbing a Madras bank.

According to court documents, Fuller is the son of career criminal and known drug dealer Ronald Wayne Thrasher, 49, also of Madras. By age 28, Fuller had his own extensive criminal history and had spent the majority of his adulthood incarcerated. In December 2016, after Fuller was released from federal prison, Thrasher began giving his son methamphetamine to sell. Within a month, Thrasher was supplying and Fuller was distributing quarter and half-pound quantities of methamphetamine throughout Central Oregon.

In February 2017, Fuller’s volatile relationship with his father led to a confrontation. Armed with a pistol, Fuller unsuccessfully attempted to rob his father of his methamphetamine supply. The resulting estrangement left Fuller without a supplier and illicit income. Now homeless, he continued selling drugs obtained from his father’s customers. In August 2017, Fuller robbed a U.S. Bank in Madras, collecting $517 in cash.

During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane ordered Fuller to pay $517 in restitution to U.S. Bank and forfeit any property or proceeds derived from his drug trafficking activities.

On April 25, 2018, Fuller pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fifty or more grams of methamphetamine and bank robbery.

Thrasher was convicted at trial in August 2019 for purchasing and transporting methamphetamine for distribution and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He will be sentenced on February 4, 2020.

Fuller is the first of 11 defendants to be sentenced for their involvement in his father’s drug trafficking conspiracy. One defendant, Russell Marvin Jones, 53, of Gresham, Oregon, was convicted at trial alongside his father. Nine others pleaded guilty. All are scheduled to be sentenced in the next six months before Judge McShane.

This case was investigated by Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Oregon State Police. It was prosecuted Frank R. Papagni Jr. and Judi Harper, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, with the assistance of the Jefferson, Crook and Deschutes County District Attorney’s Offices.

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.

EUGENE, Ore.—Jon Michael Walsh, 46, of Neskowin, Oregon, was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison and 10 years’ supervised release for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

According to court documents, in February 2018, Walsh was on post-prison supervision for a 2015 federal firearms conviction, when probation officers conducted a routine search of his vehicle outside a community center and found a stolen loaded pistol and concealed packages of methamphetamine and heroin.

During a subsequent search of Walsh’s Neskowin residence, officers found additional distribution quantities of methamphetamine and heroin. Walsh later admitted to buying and selling methamphetamine and heroin in Lincoln and surrounding coastal counties to support his own methamphetamine addiction.

U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane also ordered Walsh to forfeit the stolen pistol and any property derived from his drug trafficking activities.

On March 8, 2019, Walsh pleaded guilty to one count each of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute heroin and felon in possession of a firearm. Walsh admitted to dealing methamphetamine and heroin while possessing the loaded pistol to protect himself and drug supplies.

Walsh previously served nine years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine while in possession of a firearm after being sentenced in June 1998.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Oregon State Police, Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office and the Lincoln City Police Department. It was prosecuted by Frank R. Papagni, Jr., Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Michelle Branam, Lincoln County District Attorney.

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.

MEDFORD, Ore.—On Friday, September 13, 2019, Theodore Martin Kirk, 64, of Klamath County, Oregon, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for stealing more than $30,000 in Social Security benefits dispersed in the name of his elderly mother, Nadine Kirk. Ms. Kirk has been missing since March 2010 and is presumed to be deceased.

U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane announced his intent to sentence Kirk to 15 months in federal prison at a sentencing hearing on September 6, 2019, but held off on entering the judgement to allow Kirk one week to give the location of his mother’s remains to investigators. Kirk failed to produce this information and was formally sentenced on September 13, 2019.

According to court documents and information shared during trial, in July 2015, a concerned community member contacted the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office regarding the whereabouts of Ms. Kirk as she had not been seen for multiple years. At the time of this call, Ms. Kirk would have been 98 years old. Shortly thereafter, a sheriff deputy visited the residence shared by Ms. Kirk and her son in Bonanza, Oregon. Kirk claimed his mother had left with friends to travel to California two months prior, but would not permit the deputy to enter his property to confirm his mother was not there.

In an August 2015 interview with a detective, Kirk again told law enforcement he believed his mother was in California with friends. He added that it had been "quite some time" since his mother had seen a doctor despite having suffered from multiple strokes. Kirk claimed to be suspicious of his mother’s medications and reported previously removing her from them. Further, he acknowledged that he shared a joint checking account with his mother, into which her monthly Social Security payments were deposited.

Later in August, the Social Security Administration suspended payments to the Kirk’s joint checking account based on Ms. Kirk’s unknown whereabouts. A Social Security investigator reviewed Ms. Kirk’s bank records and found that the last transaction bearing her signature was dated January 2010. From January 2010 until August 2015, over $1,000 in benefits were deposited monthly into the joint checking account and nearly every month, Theodore Kirk would withdraw the entire amount in cash. All of the withdrawals from the account occurred in Oregon, not in California where Ms. Kirk was purported to be.

In August 2017, investigators conducted a search of the Kirk property and recovered a detailed calendar kept by Theodore Kirk. Prior to 2010, the calendar included activities for both Kirk and his mother. The calendar revealed a series of strokes experienced by Ms. Kirk beginning in 2004 and continuing into the beginning of 2010, where the calendar showed she experienced two strokes in three days. Following the multiple strokes, there were no additional calendar entries for Ms. Kirk’s activities.

During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane ordered Kirk to pay $30,868 in restitution to the Social Security Administration.

On March 13, 2019, Kirk was convicted at trial by a federal jury in Medford on one count of theft of government funds.

This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General with the assistance of the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Adam E. Delph and Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, announced today the indictment of a Hoover Criminal Gang member for the 2015 murder of Portland resident Kyle Polk.

Javier Fernando Hernandez, 23, is charged with murder in aid of racketeering, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, and causing the death of Polk through the use of a firearm.

The indictment alleges that on December 16, 2015, Hernandez murdered Kyle Polk for the purpose of maintaining and increasing his position in the Hoover Criminal Gang, a criminal enterprise engaged in racketeering in California, Oregon, Washington and elsewhere.

Hernandez made his initial appearance in federal court today and was detained pending a four-week jury trial on November 12, 2019 before U.S. Chief District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman.

Murder in aid of racketeering carries a maximum sentence of death or life in prison.

According to the indictment, the Hoovers are a criminal street gang operating in Oregon, and are known to engage in acts of violence including murder, assault, robbery, sex trafficking and the distribution of narcotics. The Hoovers originated in Los Angeles in the late 1960s and established a presence in Portland in the early 1980s. The gang has a loose hierarchical structure in which members have different amounts of power and influence based on age and gang activity. To maintain status and increase one’s position in the gang, members were expected to carry out violence on behalf of the enterprise.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Portland Police Bureau, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations and 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 is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.

Over 30 firearms and a large quantity of meth laid out across a conference table. Meth displayed on a trailer ramp next to the propane tank with false bottom where it was found. Seized meth displayed in a vehicle trunk next to the speaker box where it was recovered.

 

PORTLAND, Ore.—Abel Lomas Murillo, 26, of Weston, Oregon, was sentenced today to 235 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.   

Murillo previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine on April 15, 2019.

According to court documents, in November 2017, the Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team (BENT), the Oregon State Police (OSP) and the FBI began investigating a drug trafficking organization led by Murillo.

Abel Murillo sourced drugs from his older brother and co-defendant Noel Murillo who lived in Vacaville, California in the Eastern District of California. The investigation revealed that as early as July 2017, Noel Murillo transported drugs from Vacaville to Klamath Fall, Oregon where a courier would then deliver them to his brother. Abel Murillo and his co-conspirators also made multiple trips to Medford, Oregon to pick up drugs and transport them back to Morrow and Umatilla Counties for distribution in Northeast Oregon and Southeast Washington.

In January 2018, an OSP trooper stopped one of the Murillo brothers’ couriers, Luis Alberto Navarro, in a vehicle traveling near Klamath Falls en route to Umatilla County. A search of the vehicle revealed 11 concealed packages containing more than 8 kilograms of methamphetamine.

In early May 2018, as the investigation continued, Abel Murillo enlisted another courier, Noel Ponce Villegas, to drive methamphetamine from Medford to Boardman, Oregon. Investigators surveilled Murillo as he traveled from Umatilla County to a storage locker in Medford and loaded a trailer being pulled by his truck. Murillo paid Villegas to drive his truck and trailer while he followed to minimize his own risk. In the early morning hours of May 6, 2018, investigators from BENT, OSP and FBI stopped Murillo and Villegas as they drove near mile marker 102 on Interstate 84.

Investigators seized 42 packages of methamphetamine, 36 of which were concealed in a false bottom of a propane tank. The packages contained approximately 17.6 kilograms of methamphetamine. Later the same day, investigators executed a search warrant at Murillo’s residence, seizing 29 firearms and body armor. Pursuant to a separate search warrants, another 10 pounds of methamphetamine and five firearms were found in a Medford storage locker Murillo had visited earlier in the weekend.     

During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon ordered Murillo to pay $20,000 to satisfy a forfeiture money judgment. 

On May 7, 2018, Navarro pleaded guilty to one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. He will be sentenced on October 15, 2019.

On April 18, 2019, Villegas pleaded guilty to one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. He will be sentenced on December 3, 2019.

Co-defendant Noel Murillo is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. A three-day jury trial is scheduled for November 5, 2019.

This case was investigated by BENT, OSP and the FBI and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—After years of contentious litigation and attempts to obstruct justice, Andrew Franklin Kowalczyk, 44, formerly of Portland, was sentenced today to 270 years in federal prison followed by a life term of supervised release for the repeated sexual abuse, exploitation and torture of three young children.

On December 6, 2018, after a four-day trial and deliberating for just 20 minutes, a federal jury in Portland convicted Kowalczyk on nine counts of producing child pornography.

“Andrew Kowalczyk’s abuse and torture of his victims was unthinkable and will forever impact their lives,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Kowalczyk tried every conceivable tactic to delay prosecution and rob his young victims of the justice they deserve. Today his attempts to delay punishment for his horrific crimes have ended.”

“First and foremost, I commend the victims and their families for the strength they exuded while cooperating with a very difficult investigation,” said Brad Bench, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Seattle. “Individuals like Kowalczyk, who prey on those they are charged to care for, are extremely dangerous to our children and the community. HSI, along with our law enforcement partners, are committed to bringing these appalling crimes to an end.”

“One victim in this case asked Kowalczyk “why” he committed these horrible acts of violence. We can finally say to this now-young woman that Kowalczyk will never be able to hurt a child again. The bravery, resolve and strength this young woman demonstrated throughout this investigation is a big reason why,” said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon.

According to court documents and information shared during trial, law enforcement first learned of Kowalczyk’s abuse in early 2008. On December 27, 2007, a Des Moines, Washington police officer stopped Kowalczyk for several traffic violations. Kowalczyk did not own the vehicle he was driving, did not have a driver’s license and gave the officer a false name. After refusing the officer’s request to step out of the vehicle, Kowalczyk fled, leading police on a high-speed chase that was later terminated for public safety reasons.

Kowalczyk was later located at the Northwest Motor Inn in Puyallup, Washington. A records check run on the alias used by Kowalczyk to book his hotel room returned an outstanding arrest warrant for failing to appear in an unlawful use of a weapon case in Washington County, Oregon. Kowalczyk was arrested early the next morning when attempting to leave the hotel in a cab. Officers seized Kowalczyk’s personal belongings including several pieces of luggage and a backpack.

In January 2008, Puyallup police detectives sought and obtained a state warrant to search computer equipment, a digital camera and digital storage devices found in Kowalczyk’s luggage. The search returned a tremendous amount of child pornography including a number of images and videos that appeared to be homemade. Numerous videos and images depicted an unidentified male sexually abusing two very young children. Metadata embedded in many of the digital images revealed that they were created using the same camera found in Kowalczyk’s luggage.

Puyallup Police officers later published certain non-pornographic images of the victims and an adult woman found on Kowalczyk’s devices in an attempt to identify the victims. An adult woman, later identified as the victims’ mother, saw the images and contacted Puyallup Police. She confirmed she knew Kowalczyk and that he had regular access to her daughters in Portland. After reviewing some of the images seized, the victims’ mother was able to identify locations where the images were taken.

The victims’ mother told investigators she met Kowalczyk, a friend of her deceased brother, in 2003. In 2005, after the victims’ mother and her children wound up in a domestic violence shelter, Kowalczyk offered to pay for them to stay in a motel. Between April and the beginning of June 2005, Kowalczyk arranged for the victims’ mother and her children to stay with or adjacent to him in three different Portland motels. Kowalczyk and the victims’ mother later rented separate apartments.

The victims’ mother frequently left her children alone in Kowalczyk’s care while she searched for work or housing. The victims’ mother believed Kowalczyk treated the victims well, buying them clothing, diapers, shoes, and even a birthday cake for their second birthday and was unaware of the abuse that transpired. The cake—with the victims’ names on it—appeared in some of the non-pornographic images found on Kowalczyk’s devices.

Investigators were later able to track down the Portland motel rooms Kowalczyk rented for the family. Kowalczyk took photos of himself sexually abusing two of the minor victims at each location. He took sexually explicit photos of the third minor victim at his apartment in Southeast Portland. In March 2008, investigators conducted a federal search warrant of a storage locker Kowalczyk rented in Woodlawn, Washington. They found a sofa, a mirror and several shirts depicted in the pornographic images found on Kowalczyk’s devices.

A federal grand jury charged Kowalczyk with a single count of sexual exploitation of children on February 2, 2008. A superseding indictment with eight additional counts of sexual exploitation of children was returned on March 21, 2012.

Since he was first indicted in February 2008, Kowalczyk sought the replacement of counsel more than a dozen times and filed extensive motions to suppress evidence, causing a decade-long delay in bringing the case to trial. Amidst his in-court attempts to delay, Kowalczyk also obstructed or attempted to obstruct justice from prison by asking his father to retrieve incriminating hard drives before they could be seized by law enforcement and soliciting the murder of an Assistant U.S. Attorney.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, the Portland Police Bureau, and the Puyallup and Des Moines, Washington Police Departments. It was prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin and Gary Y. Sussman, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

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. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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 www.fbi.gov/tips.

EUGENE, Ore.—Phillip Allan Beach, 49, of Cottage Grove, Oregon, pleaded guilty today to one count of acquiring or obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception of subterfuge.

According to court documents, in May 2015, an evidence coordinator at the Cottage Grove Police Department (CGPD) reported to their supervisor that Beach accessed the department’s evidence locker more frequently than other officers and seemed to do so for no apparent purpose. The coordinator said that Beach would repeatedly access the same evidence bag. A CGPD commander later examined the bag and observed that it was open and two plastic bags inside containing several ounces of methamphetamine crystals had been sliced open.

In June 2015, CGPD began an investigation of Beach’s conduct and placed two hidden cameras inside the evidence locker. On June 11, 2015, Beach was recorded on video entering the locker without signing the evidence log and accessing the evidence bag previously examined by the commander. The video shows Beach taking a small plastic baggie from his pants pocket and using it to take a small portion of meth from the evidence bag. Investigators later weighed the evidence bag and found a 7.3 gram reduction in weight.

Beach faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release. He will be sentenced on November 26, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane.

This case was investigated by the FBI, Oregon State Police and CGPD. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of Oregon.

TULSA, Okla.—U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams will meet with fellow members of the Attorney General’s Advisory Subcommittee on Native American Issues (NAIS) in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico, in order to discuss public safety and law enforcement issues that impact Native American and Alaska Native communities.

The annual meeting will begin today and run through Aug. 30. During this time, the NAIS will engage with tribal leaders and develop strategies and best practices to address missing and murdered indigenous people, drug trafficking, needed law enforcement resources, and safeguarding children from sexual abuse in Indian country.

The most common crimes investigated in Indian country include child sexual abuse, violent assaults, and adult sexual assaults, followed by homicide, other forms of child abuse, drug, and property crimes.  According to a 2016 study funded by the National Institute of Justice, more than four in five American Indian and Alaska Native adults have experienced some form of violence in their lifetime, and more than half of all American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence from an intimate partner. Native women and girls suffer a high rate of violence, including murder.

“United States Attorneys nationwide are committed to improving public safety in Indian country and rural Alaska. The work of Attorney General Barr’s Native American Issues Subcommittee is focused on reducing violent crime, improving law enforcement resources, and combating the distribution of methamphetamine and opioids,” said US Attorney Shores, Chair of the NAIS. “The disproportionate rates of violence affecting Native American and Alaska Native women is particularly troubling to me. With Attorney General Barr’s leadership, we will continue working with tribal leaders to find solutions to the epidemic of violence against indigenous women.”

“Pursuing justice on behalf of tribes in Oregon is a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The NAIS advances important work on behalf of the Attorney General that helps to protect tribal communities and bring swift justice for tribal members whose lives are impacted crime and violence,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “My colleagues and I are deeply committed to ensuring all tribes have the resources needed to protect their communities and administer justice on tribal land.”

Panel discussions will also focus on the Indian Arts and Crafts Act and preserving Native American cultural patrimony. The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 is a truth-in-advertising law that prohibits misrepresentation in the marketing of Indian arts and crafts products within the United States. It is illegal to offer or display for sale, or sell any art or craft product in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization, resident within the United States. 

U.S. Attorney John Anderson of the District of New Mexico will host the three-day conference.

The NAIS consists of 53 U.S. Attorneys serving in districts that include Indian Country or one or more federally recognized tribes and makes policy recommendations to the Attorney General. The NAIS has identified four priority areas: 1) Violent crime 2) Law enforcement resources 3) Drug trafficking and substance abuse, and 4) White collar crime. It is the longest standing subcommittee to the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee and helps develop, shape, and otherwise implement justice policies affecting Native Americans and Alaska Natives. U.S. Attorney Trent Shores of the Northern District of Oklahoma is the subcommittee Chair. U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme of the District of Montana is the Vice Chair.

In fiscal year 2018, the Department of Justice awarded $113 million in grant awards to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women, and support youth programs, to 134 Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages.  In addition, the Department awarded a total of 154 grants totaling $88 million as part of the first-ever Tribal Victim Service Set-Aside program; these awards were supported by the Crime Victims Fund, a repository of federal criminal fines, fees, and special assessments. The awards will help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims of crime by providing funding, programming and technical assistance.  Even more funding will be available – up to $168 million – under the set-aside this year. 

In July 2019, the Department announced a new tool giving tribal governments the ability to input data directly and gain access to the FBI’s National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR) using the Tribe and Territory Sex Offender Registry System (TTSORS).  TTSORS is a fully functioning registry system that complies with Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act requirements. The system connection will be available to all tribal governments already participating in the Tribal Access Program (TAP), which allows information sharing between tribal and federal government criminal information systems. TAP has been instrumental in assisting tribes with ongoing implementation of SORNA.  In fiscal year 2019, the department expanded TAP to 25 more tribes, for a total of more than 70 participating tribes across the country.

MEDFORD, Ore.—A federal criminal complaint was unsealed today charging a Southern Oregon man and frequent marijuana trafficker with attempting to pay for the murder of an associate.

John Tobe Larson, 68, of Josephine County, Oregon, is charged with using interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1958.

According to the complaint, beginning in May 2019, the Oregon State Police Southwest Region Marijuana Team (OSP-SWRMJ) learned that Larson was involved in the interstate distribution of marijuana from Southern Oregon throughout the U.S. and smuggling cash back into Oregon via a private plane Larson pilots. As a result, OSP-SWRMJ and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating Larson.

By May of 2019, investigators had learned that Larson was allegedly looking for someone to murder an associate who owed him approximately $75,000 in unpaid debt. In early June, investigators arranged for a special agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), acting in an undercover capacity, to meet with Larson in Grants Pass, Oregon to discuss his plans. Larson told the agent that he “would prefer that the body [of his associate] is never [expletive] found.” Larson went on to explain that he believed the intended victim was “a rat” who had worked with law enforcement in the past.

After further discussion, Larson and the agent agreed to a price of $20,000 for the murder. Before the meeting concluded, Larson told the agent that he was planning a flight on his private plane to deliver marijuana to and bring cash proceeds back from St. Louis, Missouri. Larson indicated that he would use the money he made from his trip to pay the agent a down payment for the planned murder.

On June 27, 2019, Larson met the agent at a hotel room in Grants Pass and delivered a $10,000 cash payment. Larson also provided the agent with the identity, address, phone numbers, and social media account information of the intended victim. He told the agent that he wanted his associate’s body dumped in the ocean where “lice and crabs” would naturally dispose of it and that he wanted a photo of the body going over the side of a boat before paying the remaining $10,000.

On August 21, 2019, Larson was arrested in Rogue River, Oregon. Immediately preceding the arrest, Larson provided the agent with $5,000 and concentrated marijuana after being lead to believe the murder was complete.

Larson made his first appearance in federal court today in Medford. A status conference and detention hearing are scheduled for September 16, 2019.

This case was investigated by the OSP-SWRMJ, DEA and ATF and is being prosecuted by Adam E. Delph and Marco A. Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorneys 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.

PORTLAND, Ore.—U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that Karanjit Singh Khatkar, 23, and Jagroop Singh Khatkar, 24, of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, have been charged with wire fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft for a scheme to steal bitcoin from an Oregon resident.

Together, Karanjit and Jagroop Khatkar face one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, five counts of wire fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft and multiple counts of money laundering.

According to the indictment, beginning in October 2017 and continuing until August 2018, the defendants used a Twitter account with the name @HitBTCAssist to trick victims into thinking they were communicating with a customer service representative from HitBTC, a Hong Kong-based online platform used to exchange virtual currency. HitBTC provides its customers with web-based “wallets” to store virtual currency and make transactions.

Using the fraudulent Twitter account, the defendants responded to the Oregon victim’s questions about withdrawing virtual currency from her HitBTC account. The defendants convinced the victim to send information they could use to log on and take over her email, HitBTC and Kraken accounts. Kraken is a U.S.-based online platform that offers services similar to HitBTC.

The defendants initiated transfers of 23.2 bitcoins from the victim’s HitBTC account to Karanjit Khatkar’s Kraken account. Karanjit Khatkar in turn transferred approximately 11.6 in stolen bitcoins to Jagroop Khatkar’s Kraken account. The stolen bitcoins have an estimated present value of approximately $233,220.

On July 18, 2019, Karanjit Khatkar was arrested upon arrival at the McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. The following week, a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Las Vegas ordered Karanjit Khatkar detained pending transport by the U.S. Marshals to the District of Oregon.

Karanjit Khatkar made his first appearance in the District of Oregon on August 12, 2019. At a hearing on August 20, 2019, he was ordered detained pending a four-day trial scheduled to begin on October 8, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon.

Jagroop Singh Khatkar remains at large and is believed to be in Canada.

This case was investigated by FBI and is being prosecuted by Quinn P. Harrington, Assistant U.S. Attorney 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.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Vasiliy V. Barbiyeru, Jr., 24, of Newberg, Oregon, pleaded guilty today to one count of transmitting a threatening interstate communication.

According to court documents, on October 7, 2017, Barbiyeru sent a threatening email to several individuals and groups at Deep Springs College in Big Pine, California where he had been denied admission. Barbiyeru had previously sent threatening emails to the college’s president and other associated persons.

On March 1, 2019, Barbiyeru was charged with first degree disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, in Clackamas County Circuit Court after making similar threats of violence to Lake Oswego High School. Barbiyeru was arrested a short time later by the Lake Oswego Police Department. His state charges are still pending.

Barbiyeru faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on November 18, 2019 before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Michael W. Mosman.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Newberg and McMinnville Police Departments and is being prosecuted by Hannah Horsley, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, provided the below statement on the law enforcement response to the August 17, 2019 demonstration in Downtown Portland.

“As a prosecutor, I’ve had the honor of being involved in law enforcement in Oregon for nearly 30 years. Much of this time has been working with agencies in the Portland Metropolitan Area, and, as a federal prosecutor for the last 19 years, partners throughout the state.

This past Saturday, I had the privilege of watching more than 700 local, state and federal law enforcement, fire and medical professionals work tirelessly to protect the City of Portland. These dedicated, unselfish, and non-political public servants worked together to gather the resources needed to protect our community and, in the process, change the narrative of public safety in this city.

Law enforcement does not and cannot take sides in politically-charged public discourse. This weekend’s response effort was consistent with what I’ve observed throughout my career: public servants working together to ensure public safety and help others, irrespective of politics.

In an era where it’s become all too common for politicians and pundits to question the intentions of law enforcement, I hope this weekend’s police response will serve as a definitive counterpoint.

Please join me in thanking the men and women in uniform who gave up their time with family and friends to protect our community and allow people to exercise their rights here in Portland.

To our law enforcement partners throughout Oregon—the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Justice appreciate you and have your back.”

PORTLAND, Ore.—Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, announced today that a local woman has been indicted for a tax fraud scheme targeting Somali refugees in the Portland Metropolitan Area.

Rukia Mohamed, 35, a resident of Portland, has been charged with thirteen counts of making false statements by willfully aiding and assisting individual taxpayers to submit false or fraudulent tax returns claiming tax credits for which the taxpayers were ineligible. Mohamed is also charged with three counts of filing false tax returns for her own taxes.

The indictment alleges that from 2014-2017, Mohamed claimed more than $1 million in false tax credits on behalf of ineligible taxpayers.

“We encourage members of the public to carefully evaluate those from whom they take tax or other financial advice from,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “We are aware of fraudulent tax preparers targeting refugee communities in the Portland area and are working closely with the IRS to investigate these crimes and bring those responsible to justice.”

Mohamed was released pending a three-day jury trial before U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon.

This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Michelle Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney 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.

If you or someone you know have information about tax preparers you believe are engaged in fraudulent activity, please complete IRS Form #3949-A, print it and mail it to: IRS-Criminal Investigation, 1220 SW Third Avenue, G044 M/S 0326, Portland, Oregon 97204.

MEDFORD, Ore.—Colton Tony Dick, 22, of Oakridge, Oregon, pleaded guilty today to a single count of unlawfully taking an endangered species.

According to court documents, on October 5, 2016, using a rifle and scope, Dick shot at an endangered gray wolf without legal justification as the animal was walking away from him in the Fremont-Winema National Forest. Dick was unable to locate the wolf.

Although Dick did not admit to killing a gray wolf, an investigation began on October 6, 2016 when an adult female GPS-collared gray wolf known as “OR 28” was found dead in the Fremont-Winema National Forest near Summer Lake, Oregon. On November 9, 2016, the US Fish and Wildlife Service Forensic Lab determined OR 28 died as a result of injuries sustained from a single gunshot wound.

Gray wolves (Canis lupus), located in Western Oregon, are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

Unlawfully taking an endangered species carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison, a $100,000 fine and one year of supervised release.

Under a deferred sentencing agreement with the government, Dick has agreed to submit to one-year of supervised release, pay restitution of $2,500 to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, not hunt any wildlife for a period of one year and perform 100 hours of community service.

If Dick complies with these conditions, he will be allowed to withdraw his guilty plea and the government will move to dismiss his charge.

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

If you or someone you know has information about a wildlife crime, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement by emailing fws_tips@fws.gov or calling 1-844-397-8477.

EUGENE, Ore.—Michael James Friesen, 33, of Prineville, Oregon, was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for conspiracy to transfer and unlawful possession of a machine gun.

According to court documents, between May and June 2018, Friesen agreed to broker the sale of a Guide Lamp, Model M3A1, .45 ACP caliber machine gun for co-defendant John Widener Jordan, 38, also of Prineville. Between May 30 and June 5, Friesen discussed the sale price of the firearm with an undercover agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) posing as a potential purchaser. Friesen confirmed for the agent that he had seen the firearm function as a machine gun.

On June 6, Friesen met the undercover agent in a motel room in Prineville. Shortly thereafter, Jordan brought the firearm to the motel room and completed the transaction in exchange for $3,000 in cash. Jordan in turn paid Friesen for arranging the sale.        

On April 24, 2019, Friesen pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to transfer and unlawful possession of a machine gun.

 Jordan is awaiting a jury trial scheduled to begin on October 16, 2019.

This case was investigated by the ATF and is being prosecuted by Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Assistant U.S. Attorney 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.—Christopher James Hughes, 30, a resident of Portland, Oregon, was sentenced today to eight months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for endangering human life while illegally manufacturing hash oil, a controlled substance.

According to court documents, on March 7, 2016, Hughes was using compressed butane gas to extract hash oil from marijuana in a shed attached to a residence in Northeast Portland. During the process, an individual in an adjacent room lit a cigarette lighter, igniting an explosion of remnant butane gas. The explosion created a fireball that burned the defendant and the contents and walls of the shed. The blast knocked the shared wall of the shed and residence from its attachment to the ceiling.

At the time of the explosion and fire, three children were inside the residence, including an infant under the age of one. All of the children were safely evacuated and none sustained any physical injuries. Law enforcement seized marijuana, a Pyrex dish containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and dozens of cans of butane gas from the shed.

On February 20, 2019, Hughes pleaded guilty to a single count of endangering human life while illegally manufacturing a controlled substance.

This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau’s Drugs and Vice Division and Portland Fire & Rescue’s Arson Unit. It was prosecuted by Peter Sax, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

EUGENE, Ore.—U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that a federal jury in Eugene has found two men guilty of trafficking methamphetamine from Southern California to Central Oregon and the Portland Metropolitan Area for distribution.

On August 9, 2019, Ronald Wayne Thrasher, 49, of Madras, Oregon, was found guilty of purchasing and transporting methamphetamine for distribution. Thrasher’s supplier, Russell Marvin Jones, 53, of Gresham, Oregon, was found guilty of selling methamphetamine and possessing a stolen firearm. Both men were also found guilty of being felons in possession of a firearm.

Thrasher and Jones have each served time in prison for past convictions. Thrasher served time in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and Jones in Oregon state prison for first degree manslaughter.

Nine co-defendants have previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with Thrasher to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and are awaiting sentencing: Jordan Michael Johnson, 57, of San Diego, California; Brenda Ann Lederman, 46, of Santee, California; Jason James Puckett, 46, of Prineville, Oregon; Tyler Wayne Fuller, 30, Renee Marie Scarlett, 48, and Talina Shantel Ortiz, 45, of Madras; Jacklin Renee Bowlby, 36, of Bend, Oregon; Kerry Wayne Hopson, 33, of Redmond, Oregon; and Mistie Dawn Cooper, 39, of Alfalfa, Oregon. Fuller also pleaded guilty to robbing a bank in Madras.    

According to court documents and testimony produced at trial, in spring of 2016, Thrasher became acquainted with multiple co-defendants who were engaged in trafficking methamphetamine from Santee, San Diego and Portland for resale in Central Oregon. Thrasher used these connections to establish a source of supply for his own methamphetamine use and distribution.

In early 2017, after his primary supplier was arrested in Redmond, an associate introduced Thrasher to Jones, a methamphetamine manufacturer, dealer and user in the Portland, Oregon area. On or about February 17, 2017, Thrasher traveled to Portland with his associates to meet Jones. During this meeting, Jones sold Thrasher several pounds of methamphetamine. On March 20, 2017, after several additional methamphetamine deals, Jones sold Thrasher a stolen firearm.

By April 2017, Thrasher was distributing methamphetamine via multiple associates throughout Central Oregon. On April 9, 2017, he was introduced to new California-based methamphetamine suppliers including Stevens. Two weeks later, Thrasher and an associate drove to Santee to meet with his new suppliers. During this meeting, Thrasher purchased approximately 13 pounds of methamphetamine from Stevens.

In May 2017, a Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team investigation identified Thrasher as a high-volume methamphetamine supplier and distributor. On May 29, 2017, CODE detectives assisted by a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent arrested Thrasher and seized approximately 16 pounds of methamphetamine, $16,000 in cash, records of drug sales and the stolen firearm from his residence in Madras.

Thrasher and Jones will be sentenced on February 4, 2020 and November 14, 2019, respectively, before U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane.

This case was investigated by CODE, DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Oregon State Police. It was prosecuted Frank R. Papagni Jr. and Judi Harper, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, with the assistance of the Jefferson, Crook and Deschutes County District Attorney’s Offices.

EUGENE, Ore.—A federal criminal complaint was unsealed today charging two defendants with placing a hoax bomb at the Deschutes County Courthouse on July 29, 2019.

Kellie Kent Cameron, 31, and Jonathan Tyler Allen, 23, both of Bend, Oregon, were charged with conspiracy to make a threat regarding explosive materials in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 844(e) and (n) and false information and hoaxes in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1038.

This case is being investigated by the FBI and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Nathan J. Lichvarcik, 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.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A local man pleaded guilty today in federal court for violating the Clean Water Act by negligently discharging oil into the Willamette River in Portland.

Robert La Rue Webb, II, 59, pleaded guilty to one count of negligently discharging harmful quantities of oil into a water of the U.S.

According to court documents and disclosures at the hearing, on January 22, 2018, Webb, an employee of the engineering firm Mott MacDonald, was pumping oil into a 10,000-gallon used-oil tank at the Union Pacific Albina Railyard in Portland. While operating the pump, Webb walked away to make a phone call and was still distracted by his cell phone as the tank overflowed. More than 1,000 gallons of oil entered a storm water drain and were discharged into the Willamette River, resulting in a sheen and discoloration of the river’s surface.

Webb faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison, a $25,000 per day fine and one year of supervised release. He will be sentenced on October 28, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman.

This case was investigated by the EPA Criminal Investigation Division. It is being prosecuted by Ryan W. Bounds, an assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Oregon, and Will McLaren, a special assistant U.S. attorney for the district and criminal enforcement counsel for EPA Region 10.

According to court documents, between November 2017 and April 2018, Sanchez-Lopez stole more than $87,000 from the following six banks in Oregon and Southwest Washington:

• On November 27, 2017, $9,710 was stolen from the Albina Community Bank located at 2002 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Portland.
• On December 27, 2017, $26,000 was stolen from the Wells Fargo Bank located at 8699 SW Main Street in Wilsonville, Oregon.
• On January 11, 2018, $11,580.99 was stolen from the Wells Fargo Bank located at 6785 Beaverton Hillsdale Highway in Beaverton, Oregon.
• On January 30, 2018, $6,720 was stolen from the U.S. Bank located at 52313 Columbia River Highway in Scappoose, Oregon.
• On February 12, 2018, $15,400 was stolen from the Wells Fargo Bank located at 1800 Main Street in Vancouver, Washington.
• On April 30, 2018, 33,357 was stolen from the Wells Fargo Bank located at 7200 NE Butler Street in Hillsboro, Oregon.

In all six robberies, Sanchez-Lopez jumped over the bank teller counter and threatened bank employees with a knife.

Each bank robbery charge carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years’ supervised release. Sanchez-Lopez will be sentenced on November 5, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman.

As a non-citizen and lawful permanent resident, Sanchez-Lopez’s guilty plea will subject him to removal from the U.S. by immigration authorities.

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

PORTLAND, Ore.—Rodrigo Caro-Gonzalez, 35, a noted drug trafficker residing in Eagle Point, Oregon, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and illegally possessing a firearm.

According to court documents, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating Caro-Gonzalez in May 2016. A few months later, based on a tip, the Oregon State Police (OSP) stopped a car driven by one of Caro-Gonzalez’s associates carrying more than 30 pounds of methamphetamine. The investigation of Caro-Gonzalez continued when, in March 2017, a person believed to have obtained methamphetamine from Caro-Gonzalez was stopped with approximately 16 pounds of methamphetamine.

Later in March 2017, a confidential source met with Caro-Gonzalez and a third associate. The group arranged a drug deal. The deal never occurred, but the associate was arrested a few days later with more than five pounds of methamphetamine. The DEA then executed a search warrant at Caro-Gonzalez’s Eagle Point residence and seized $9,585, an AK-style firearm, a thirty-round magazine, a pistol and ammunition. Caro-Gonzalez admitted to being in the U.S. illegally, making his possession of the weapons unlawful.

On April 2, 2019, Caro-Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as an illegal alien.

This case was investigated by DEA, the Springfield Police Department, INET and OSP and prosecuted by Jeffrey Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney 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.

EUGENE, Ore.—An Oregon couple was sentenced today to federal prison for robbing six banks in four Southern Oregon counties over a two month period.

John Steven Shepard, 38, of Trail, Oregon, was sentenced to 51 months in prison and three years’ supervised release. Kimberly Ann Blank, 39, also of Trail, was sentenced to 33 months in prison and three years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, on January 27, 2017, Shepard robbed the Evergreen Bank in Rogue River, Oregon. He fled with $1,950 in a vehicle driven by Blank. During the robbery, Shepard wore a cowboy hat and a jacket, the first of many disguises.

Five days later, Shepard robbed the Key Bank in Grants Pass, Oregon wearing a wig, glasses and a hat. He left the bank with $10,145 as a security dye pack hidden in the money spewed a cloud of red smoke. A witness said it looked like a road flare had gone off in Shepard’s pocket. Again, he fled in a vehicle driven by Blank.

Between February 7 and March 30, 2017, Shepard, wearing various disguises, robbed four additional banks with Blank’s assistance: Banner Banks in Riddle and Cottage Grove Oregon, a Bank of the Cascades in Medford, Oregon, and an Umpqua Bank in Ashland, Oregon.

After their final robbery, police located Blank in a vehicle matching the description of the getaway vehicle used in previous robberies. Shepard was located nearby in a second vehicle. Both were released while police obtained search warrants for Blank’s car and the couple’s residence in Trail. On April 4, 2017, Shepard and Blank were arrested in Fortuna, California.  

During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Ann L. Aiken ordered Shepard and Blank each to pay $31,045 in restitution. On April 17, 2019, Shepard and Blank each pleaded guilty to multiple counts of bank robbery.

This case was investigated by the FBI working together with the City of Medford, Grants Pass, Cottage Grove, Ashland and Rogue River Police Departments and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, working together with the Josephine and Jackson County District Attorney’s Offices.

EUGENE, Ore.—Randall Neal Wynn, 59, of Goshen, Oregon, was sentenced today to 125 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release for possessing methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Wyn’s criminal history spans nearly four decades. His drug, gun and elude offenses date back to the 1980s, and he has previously been sentenced to prison on at least six separate occasions, including a 17-year sentence imposed in 1993.

After multiple supervised release violations and four additional years in prison, Wynn’s criminal behavior continued. A Lane County Interagency Narcotics Team (INET) investigation revealed, in 2017, that Wynn was again dealing methamphetamine. INET arrested Wynn twice in 2017, after searches led to the seizure of narcotics, weapons and cash.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) also investigated Wynn, as did the City of Springfield and Cottage Grove, Oregon Police Departments. On March 22, 2018, ATF arrested Wynn in Cottage Grove, seizing more than a pound of methamphetamine and a quarter pound of heroin.

Wynn’s criminal conduct has repeatedly endangered the public. In 1985, Wynn eluded police in a vehicle, nearly striking two officers; in 1993, while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, he seriously injured a woman in a head-on crash, causing her to be taken by life flight to a Portland-area hospital; and on multiple occasions in 2018, Wynn evaded police in dangerous vehicle escapes.

On December 12, 2018, Wynn pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

This case was investigated by ATF, INET and the City of Springfield and Cottage Grove Police Departments, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, working with the Lane County District Attorney’s Office.

PORTLAND, Ore.—U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that a third Portland-area man was sentenced to federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to traffic large quantities of methamphetamine into the Portland Metropolitan Area.

Ulises Mayares Jr., 26, of Portland, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison and five years’ supervised release for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Mayares’ sentence follows two sentences previously imposed for related conduct. On June 3, 2019, Francisco Alvarez, 49, also of Portland, was sentenced to 188 months in prison and five years’ supervised release. On May 1, 2019, Carlos Ortega-Estrella, 35, of Beaverton, Oregon, was sentenced to 140 months in prison and five years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, over a period of years, Alvarez, a convicted felon, supervised a drug trafficking organization responsible for obtaining hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine from a supplier for distribution in and around Portland. He was typically the only person in the trafficking organization who had direct contact with Ortega-Estrella, his supplier.

Alvarez supervised multiple runners, including Mayares, who stored methamphetamine, firearms and large amounts of cash in locations throughout Multnomah County. Mayares was Alvarez’s closest associate and supervising runner. He was responsible for obtaining methamphetamine from Alvarez, storing it, giving it to other runners to distribute and collecting money from other runners for their services. Mayares admitted to making some deliveries himself and, at times, dealing directly with Ortega-Estrella.

Ortega-Estrella would transport large quantities of drugs from California and deliver them to Oregon. He maintained two separate residences in Beaverton, Oregon to store and repackage methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine. Upon searching these properties, investigators found several pounds of these drugs along with two assault-style weapons, four semiautomatic pistols and approximately $90,000 in cash.

In a search of Mayares’ residence, investigators seized an additional 28 pounds of methamphetamine, $90,000 in cash, and two handguns.

Ortega-Estrella pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on June 20, 2018. Alvarez and Mayares each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 11 and 21, 2019, respectively.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Gresham Police Department and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that Robert Arnold Koester, 52, a photographer from Yamhill County, Oregon, has been charged with six counts of production of child pornography.

According to the indictment, beginning in January 2015, Koester is alleged to have knowingly coerced six minor victims in Oregon to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct.

Koester is a suspected serial sexual predator who took nude photos of models and is alleged to have sexually assaulted many of these models, some of whom are minors. Koester, also known as Bert Kay, Rhake Winter, and Qitooly, has potentially been engaging in these criminal acts since 1994, continuing until his initial arrest in Carlsbad, California, on November 13, 2018.

Koester faces dozens of additional state and federal charges for related criminal conduct in Yamhill County and Carlsbad. On November 15, 2018, Koester was charged in San Diego County Superior Court with six felony counts involving sex crimes against minors. A week later, 35 additional related state charges were added. On February 6, 2019, Koester was charged with 32 related felony charges in Yamhill County Circuit Court. And finally, on March 7, 2019, Koester was charged in a two-count criminal information with production of child pornography by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of California.

Federal law enforcement officials across the country have been working closely with local law enforcement in Carlsbad, Yamhill County and elsewhere to identify potential victims in this case. The FBI has created an online system to collect victim information.

If you have information about this ongoing investigation or believe you or someone you know may have been victimized by Koester, the FBI requests that you complete this secure, confidential online questionnaire. Information and tips from the public may also be submitted confidentially via email to modelcase@fbi.gov.

Identified victims may be eligible for certain services and rights under federal and/or state law. More information is available at fbi.gov/modelcase.

This case was investigated by the FBI in Portland and San Diego, the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office and the Carlsbad Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Ravi Sinha, Assistant U.S. Attorney 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.

EUGENE, Ore.—Dannie Kay Alston, 67, was sentenced today to 110 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for robbing four Oregon and Southwest Washington banks in a four-week period beginning in August 2017. Alston has no known permanent residence.

On February 21, 2019, Alston pleaded guilty in federal court to the following bank robberies:

1. August 7, 2017; Chase Bank in Vancouver, Washington; collecting $2,300
2. August 15, 2017; Wells Fargo Bank in Medford, Oregon; collecting $4,690
3. August 24, 2017; Wells Fargo Bank in Salem, Oregon; collecting $1,317
4. September 9, 2017; First Interstate Bank in Roseburg, Oregon; collecting $3,441

In each of his robberies, Alston attempted to disguise his identity by wearing sunglasses and some type of ball or ski cap. He communicated with the targeted bank tellers primarily through handwritten notes or signs. At his last robbery, in Roseburg, witnesses were able to provide a description of Alston’s getaway vehicle, leading to his quick arrest by the Oregon State Police. Police recovered the note used in the Roseburg robbery, a starter’s pistol with loaded caps, a Taser, sunglasses, wig and $3,441 cash from Alston’s person and vehicle.

Alston is a career offender with a criminal history spanning five decades and four states. He has previous burglary convictions in California and Texas, robbery convictions in California, Florida and Oregon, as well as assault, theft and narcotics convictions.

During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane ordered Alston to pay $11,748 in restitution.

This case was investigated by the FBI, Clark County Washington Sheriff’s Office, Medford Police Department, Oregon State Police and Roseburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Pamela Paaso, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

The case is 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.—Joseph Richard Caruso, 34, a prolific darknet narcotics vendor residing in Lake Oswego, Oregon, was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for illegally distributing fentanyl that was linked to a 2017 fatal overdose in Wisconsin.

“A highly-coordinated effort by four law enforcement agencies led to Mr. Caruso’s arrest less than two days after his most recent inbound fentanyl package was discovered. It’s this sort of nimble and decisive law enforcement work that’s required to keep synthetic opioids off of our streets and prevent additional overdoses,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “I applaud the tremendous work of everyone involved in this case.”

“This sentence is a significant step forward in eliminating deadly drugs from our community,” said Brad Bench, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Seattle. “Fentanyl is an extremely deadly substance. Blatant disregard for the safety of those who could have come into contact with it will not be tolerated. This case is a testament to the hard work HSI, and our law enforcement partners, do every day to combat these drugs from making it to our streets.”

According to court documents, on November 19, 2017, a U.S. Postal Inspection Service inspector discovered a suspicious package addressed to Caruso at the U.S. Postal Service Portland Air Cargo Center. The package was transported to the Portland Police Bureau’s Drugs and Vice Division for further examination in a safe environment. Wearing a ventilated hood for protection, a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent assigned to the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Interdiction Taskforce opened the heat-sealed package and found a clear Ziploc baggie containing a fine powdery substance. A test conducted the following day at the Oregon State Police Laboratory confirmed the substance was cyclopropylfentanyl, a power opioid and Schedule I controlled substance.

Investigators removed the cyclopropylfentanyl from the package and replaced it with an inert powder similar in appearance. On November 21, 2017, they conducted a controlled delivery of the package with the inert powder to Caruso’s residence in Lake Oswego. Shortly thereafter, Caruso was observed retrieving the package from his apartment postal box. HSI agents and other task force officers confronted Caruso and placed him under arrest.

On April 3, 2019, Caruso pleaded guilty to one count of distributing a controlled substance resulting in death. At sentencing, he was ordered to forfeit more than $764,000 and a 2013 Audi A4 sedan.

This case was investigated by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Interdiction Taskforce, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Portland Police Bureau Drugs and Vice Division. It was prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin and Julia E. Jarrett, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

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.

Drug abuse affects communities across the nation, and opioid abuse continues to be particularly devastating. The CDC reports that from 1999 to 2016, more than 630,000 people have died from a drug overdoses. In 2016, 66% of drug overdose deaths involved an opioid. Drug overdose is now the leading cause of injury or death in the United States. In Oregon, the total number of deaths related to drug use increased 11 percent between from 2013 to 2017, with 546 known drug related deaths in 2017.

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.—Johnell Lee Cleveland, 37, of Happy Valley, Oregon, was sentenced today to 57 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for distributing cyclopropyl fentanyl, possessing a machine gun and money laundering.

According to court documents, in March 2018, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB), FBI, and IRS executed a series of search warrants on Cleveland’s residence in Happy Valley, his storage unit in Clackamas, Oregon and a stash house in Vancouver, Washington as part of an ongoing investigation of Cleveland, a suspected distributor of oxycodone pills in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area.

During the search of Cleveland’s home in Happy Valley, investigators seized $27,372 in cash, seven firearms, a ballistic vest, and more than 300 suspected oxycodone pills wrapped in two plastic baggies. One of the firearms seized was a fully-automatic machine gun with a drum magazine. In Cleveland’s garage, investigators found a white Mercedes-Benz with exterior bullet holes believed to be involved in a December 2017 downtown Portland shooting that left one man critically injured.

In searches of Cleveland’s storage unit and the Vancouver stash house, investigators found an additional $124,040 in cash, more than 900 additional suspected oxycodone pills and more than $100,000 worth of jewelry and Rolex watches. Laboratory tests revealed that the suspected oxycodone were in fact counterfeit pills made with cyclopropyl fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid.

On March 22, 2019, Cleveland pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute cyclopropyl-fentanyl, one count of possessing a machine gun and two counts of money laundering. As part of his plea, Cleveland agreed to abandon any interest in the seized firearms and forfeit all criminally-derived proceeds as identified by the government.

Cleveland is currently awaiting trial in Multnomah County Circuit Court for attempted murder with a firearm related to the December 2017 shooting in Portland.

This case was investigated by PPB, FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Peter Sax and Benjamin Tolkoff, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Skylaar Daylan Ford, 24, of Portland, Oregon, was sentenced today to 86 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for using the darknet to sell ecstasy to customers across the U.S.

According to court documents, in June 2017, Ford was on post-prison supervision after a previous conviction for possession of a Schedule II controlled substance in Lane County Circuit Court. During a June 9, 2017 visit to and search of Ford’s Northeast Portland home, a Multnomah County Probation and Parole Officer found more than 100 grams of heroin. Upon discovery of the heroin, the probation and parole officer contacted the Portland Police Bureau for assistance. PPB officers and a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent responded.

When the officers and agent arrived, they placed Ford under arrest and received consent to search his residence. During the search, the HSI agent located an unopened parcel addressed to Ford. The package was opened and found to contain nearly 500 grams of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) also known as “ecstasy” or “molly.” Ford admitted to purchasing the ecstasy from a vendor in the Netherlands and reselling on AlphaBay, a darknet marketplace. Investigators were later able to confirm that Ford had been an AlphaBay vendor since November 2016 and had completed more than 500 confirmed sales of ecstasy.

On January 9, 2019, Ford pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute MDMA, a Schedule I controlled substance. As part of his plea agreement, Ford agreed to forfeit any property used to facilitate his crimes as identified by the government.

This case was investigated by HSI and the Portland Police Bureau. It was prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Robert Glenn Warner, 36, a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, was sentenced today to 300 months in federal prison and 10 years’ supervised release for the repeated sexual abuse and rape of an 11-year-old child.

“This young victim demonstrated tremendous courage in reporting Warner’s repeated abuse and fully participating in the judicial process. Her brave actions put in motion our ability to stop this heinous crime and prosecute the defendant. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains fiercely committed to holding child predators accountable and safeguarding the rights and dignity of victims,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

“Warner used his position of power to perpetrate multiple, violent sexual assaults on a victim who was vulnerable and accessible. We are thankful to the victim, who has shown great strength, and to our partners at the Warm Springs Tribal Police who help end the abuse of this child,” said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon.

According to court documents, in July 2016, the victim, a minor member of the Warm Springs Tribe, told a friend’s mother that they had been repeatedly sexually abused and raped by Warner, a person known to the victim. Most recently, Warner raped the victim in a trailer parked in a wood cutting lot on the outskirts of the Warm Springs Reservation. The victim reported the abuse to the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department and Warner was arrested the same day.

On July 16, 2018, Warner pleaded guilty to one count of abusive sexual contact with a minor before U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon.

This case was investigated by the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department and the FBI. It was prosecuted by Natalie Wight, 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.

On March 3, 1994, the FBI initiated “Operation Safe Trails” with the Navajo Department of Law Enforcement in Flagstaff, Arizona. The operation, which would later evolve into the Safe Trails Task Force (STTF) Program, unites FBI and other federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in a collaborative effort to combat the growth of crime in Indian Country. STTFs allow participating agencies to combine limited resources and increase investigative coordination in Indian Country to target violent crime, drugs, gangs, and gaming violations.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Kermit Tyler Poulson, 40, pleaded guilty today to one count of transmitting threatening communications with the intent to extort Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler.

According to court documents, on October 9, 2018, Poulson posted multiple threatening comments on Mayor Wheeler’s personal Instagram account. Poulson threatened to firebomb the mayor’s home if he did not immediately fire a Portland police officer recently involved in an on-duty shooting. Investigators tracked the IP address associated with the comments to a Portland residence where Poulson was staying. Poulson was present when investigators searched the property and after initially making a number of misleading statements, admitted that he alone was responsible for the comments.

Poulson faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on October 2, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon.

As part of the plea agreement, Poulson has agreed to forfeit property used to facilitate his crimes identified by the government prior to sentencing.

This case was investigated by the Portland FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) and the Portland Police Bureau (PPB). The Portland JTTF includes FBI special agents and more than a dozen state and local law enforcement officers.

MEDFORD, Ore.—U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that former Bandon School District educational assistant and coach Sean Jeffrey Haga, 33, was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison and a life term of supervised release for sexually abusing a 2-month-old infant and distributing photos of the abuse on the internet.

“Mere hours passed between FBI agents first discovering the photographic evidence of Sean Haga’s abuse online and their rescue of the infant victim assisted by local law enforcement. Unfortunately, Haga’s victimization of this child did not stop with his arrest. These images will continue to be circulated on the internet forever, a heartbreaking fact this child will one day come to understand,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “We believe the sentence imposed will prevent Haga from abusing other children and hope that it brings some measure of solace and comfort to the victim’s family and community.”

“The sexual abuse of this victim—an infant—is reprehensible. Sean Haga's further exploitation of this baby as he shared that abuse with other pedophiles is unconscionable. I want to thank the FBI agents and local partners at the Bandon Police Department and Coos County Sheriff's Office who worked around the clock to rescue this child and arrest Haga,” said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon.

On June 17, 2016, Haga shared photos depicting the sexual abuse of children online with an undercover FBI task force officer using Kik Messenger, an instant messaging mobile application. Haga told the undercover officer that he wanted to travel to have sex with the officer’s minor daughter and that he possessed photos of himself sexually abusing a minor victim. Haga sent multiple pictures depicting this abuse to the undercover officer.

The FBI worked through the night to identify the person associated with the Kik account and the location from which it was being used. Based on the information collected, FBI agents from the Medford Resident Agency were able to obtain search and arrests warrants for Haga who was arrested on June 18, 2016 without incident.

On April 25, 2018, Haga pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor.

This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Judi Harper and Amy Potter, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

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.

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.

PORTLAND—U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will join the FBI and other Portland area law enforcement agencies to host a safety and security seminar for faith communities.

Leaders and subject matter experts from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, Oregon State Police, Portland Police Bureau and the Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington County Sheriffs’ Offices will jointly present information designed to support and update existing house of worship security protocols and preparedness measures.

All senior faith leaders and congregation security personnel in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties are encouraged to attend. The training will include a robust question and answer period.

Please note: this training is being offered for information and preparedness purposes only and is not responsive to any active or known threats to area congregations.

WHAT: Safety Seminar for Faith Communities

WHEN: Sunday, June 30, 2019 from 3:00-6:00pm PDT

WHERE: Congregation Neveh Shalom—2900 SW Peaceful Lane, Portland, Oregon

This training is free and designed for senior faith leaders and congregation security personnel.

A news conference featuring senior leaders from OneCOP and participating law enforcement agencies will be held on Thursday, June 27, 2019 at 12:30 p.m. on the 15th floor of the Justice Center (Chief's Office Conference Room). Media can arrive at 12:00 p.m. for set-up and a representative will meet interested media in the lobby to assist with entry.

WASHINGTON— Attorney General William P. Barr’s Advisory Subcommittee on Native American Issues (NAIS) convened this week during the U.S. Attorney’s National Conference in Washington, D.C., to discuss a wide range of justice issues affecting Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores, Subcommittee Chair, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, Subcommittee Vice Chair and U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams, Subcommittee Member.

“The Native American Issues Subcommittee is focused on reducing violent crime against women and children in Indian Country, including missing and murdered indigenous persons,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “I am thankful for Attorney General Barr’s leadership on these issues. He understands the law enforcement and jurisdictional challenges faced by Native Americans and Alaska Natives. We look forward to working with him and with our federal, tribal, state and local partners to find viable solutions that will improve public safety in Indian country.”

“Pursuing justice on behalf of native women is a priority for our office and has been for many years. We are deeply committed to the advancing rights of native women, increasing their access to justice, and combatting invisibility and erasure” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Reducing violence in tribal communities, especially against native women, is a sacred duty. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues from the Native American Issues Subcommittee on this issue and many others affecting public safety in Indian Country.”

On Tuesday, the NAIS met with Tara Katuk Mac Lean Sweeney, Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior, and discussed cross-agency collaboration in order to provide more responsive and effective justice services to Indian Country. They further discussed Indian Country case investigations, case intake and tracking databases, and tribal law enforcement resource allocation. The NAIS also reviewed President Trump’s priorities for Indian Country justice. Those priorities include protecting Native American children in the Indian Health Services system, collaboration among Department of Justice, the Department of the Interior, and tribal law enforcement agencies, reducing violent crime, and providing services to help victims to overcome trauma.

On Wednesday, Trent Shores, NAIS Chair and U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma, moderated a panel titled Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women: A Crisis in Urban America & Indian Country. Panelists included Charles Addington, Director of the Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs; Kurt Alme, U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana; Tracy Toulou, Director of the Office of Tribal Justice; Laura Rogers, Acting Director of the Office on Violence Against Women; and Bryan Vorndran, Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI. The panel discussed the development and implementation of protocols to investigate murdered and missing indigenous persons and how to more accurately measure the scope of the problem in both urban America and Indian Country in order to develop strategies to address it.

In August, the subcommittee is scheduled to reconvene in Indian Country in New Mexico.

The NAIS consists of the approximately 53 U.S. Attorneys serving in districts that include Indian Country or one or more federally recognized tribes. The NAIS focuses exclusively on Indian Country issues, both criminal and civil, and makes policy recommendations to the Attorney General regarding public safety and legal issues that impact tribal communities.

The NAIS is the longest standing subcommittee to the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee and helps develop, shape, and otherwise implement justice policies affecting Native Americans and Alaska Natives. The NAIS has identified four priority areas: 1) Violent crime 2) Law enforcement resources 3) Drug trafficking and substance abuse, and 4) White collar crime.

PORTLAND, Ore.—On June 24, 2019, Bob Ibenne Ugwa, 50, of Portland, pleaded guilty to cyberstalking and anonymous telecommunications harassment after making repeated threatening and harassing telephone calls to seven individuals over an eight-year period.

According to court documents, between 2011 and 2018, Ugwa made thousands of anonymous, interstate telephone calls from Oregon to seven victims in Pennsylvania. In these calls, Ugwa threatened or harassed each victim by breathing heavily, moaning, and saying sexually explicit things. Telephone records were used to confirm Ugwa’s threatening calls. Each of the victims made multiple unsuccessful attempts to stop Ugwa from calling, citing substantial emotional distress.

Ugwa faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on September 10, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman.

This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Hannah Horsley, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Mary Holden Ayala, 59, of Portland, was sentenced today to 33 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for stealing over $1 million from an Oregon foster care agency, money laundering and filing false personal income tax returns.

On February 7, 2019, after eight days of trial, Ayala was convicted by a federal jury in Portland on five counts of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, two counts of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property and seven counts of filing a false federal tax return.

From at least 2008 to 2015, Ayala, a longtime Portland resident, served as the President, Executive Director and primary agent of Give Us This Day (GUTD), a private foster care agency and residential program for youth.

“Mary Holden Ayala was responsible for protecting and caring for children in Oregon’s foster care system. Instead she callously stole from them,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Stealing from vulnerable children she was entrusted to serve with taxpayer money is a despicable act and warrants severe consequences.”

“Foster children have already lost almost everything—their parents, their homes, their sense of security. Mary Holden Ayala took from them the last thing they had—faith in a foster care system that is supposed to give them a chance at a better life. To steal from society’s most vulnerable children to enrich yourself is simply unconscionable,” said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon.

“Mary Ayala’s crimes include stealing funds intended to provide support for juvenile foster kids entrusted in her care, spending the funds selfishly on a luxurious lifestyle, and then hiding her personal use of the funds by filing false tax returns,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Justin Campbell. “Today’s sentence holds Ayala accountable. IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to work with our partners and investigate those who steal from the most vulnerable in our society.”

“Stealing money meant to pay for foster care expenses is reprehensible,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven Ryan of the HHS Office of Inspector General. “Such greed-fueled fraud can impact those in need and cheats taxpayers; however, today’s sentence shows that our hardworking investigators and law enforcement partners are committed to making sure criminals are held accountable for their actions.”

According to court documents, since its inception in 1979, GUTD was primarily funded by the Oregon state and federal government for foster care services including hiring and screening foster parents for community placements, compensating foster parents for services and placing foster children in residential or group homes. GUTD federal funding originated from the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and was administrated by ODHS.

From 2009 through 2015, Ayala exercised sole and complete control over GUTD finances. No other GUTD employee or board member had access to the organization’s bank accounts or statements during this time. With no internal controls in place, Ayala wrote checks, used the GUTD debit card and withdrew cash at will, using the organization’s bank accounts as her own.

Ayala used the money stolen from GUTD to pay her mortgage, remodel her home and fund other retail, travel and transportation expenses. Additionally, she used the money to fund other, non-GUTD business ventures including a media company, Big Mary’s fish and ribs restaurant in Portland, and to purchase and flip a commercial property.

In total, Ayala stole over $1 million from GUTD. As a result, her employees, foster parents and foster children in GUTD’s care suffered. GUTD residential house managers complained about a lack of basic necessities, including but not limited to food, toiletries and cleaning supplies.

In 2015, the day after Ayala resigned her position at GUTD, she filed five false federal income tax returns for tax years 2009 through 2013. Shortly thereafter, she filed a sixth false return for tax year 2014. Ayala failed to file a tax return in 2015.

During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Marco A. Hernandez ordered Ayala to pay $239,192 in restitution to the IRS and $1,025,235 to satisfy a forfeiture money judgement. The court also forfeited to the U.S. more than $451,000 in net proceeds from the sale of a commercial property on NE Martin Luther King Boulevard in Portland that Ayala purchased with stolen GUTD funds.

In a superseding indictment returned on May 3, 2017, a federal grand jury in Portland charged Ayala with five counts of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, one count of concealment of money laundering, one count of failure to file a personal federal tax return and two counts each of engaging in monetary transactions with criminally derived property and filing a false personal federal tax return. The government dropped the concealment of money laundering charge prior to trial.    

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and IRS-Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Donna Maddux, Clemon Ashley and Julia Jarrett, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Eric L. Scully, of Cottage Grove, Oregon, was sentenced today to 78 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release for endangering human life and illegally possessing and manufacturing marijuana during a November 2017 butane honey oil (BHO) explosion in Cottage Grove.

Scully was also sentenced to six months in prison for violating the supervised release conditions of a previous federal money laundering conviction. The two prison sentences will run consecutively, for a total of 84 months in prison.

According to court documents, on November 16, 2017, the Cottage Grove Police and Fire Departments responded to an explosion at a storage facility in Cottage Grove. Officers found Scully at a local hospital where he was being treated for serious burn injuries. Investigators later learned that, at the time of the explosion, at least three other individuals were inside the facility.

Two days later, Cottage Grove Police and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents executed a search warrant at the storage facility. Inside, they found a large, sophisticated, and unlicensed BHO extraction lab. BHO is a concentrated form of marijuana extracted using highly flammable or combustible solvents. During the search, agents found 1,200 pounds of processed marijuana, 728 marijuana plants and over 80 pounds of marijuana extract.

The investigation determined that while manufacturing BHO, one of Scully’s machines, located in a room containing highly combustible materials and equipment, caught fire. The machine and combustibles exploded, injuring Scully and placing the other individuals present at substantial risk of harm.          

At the time of the explosion, Scully was on federal supervision stemming from a money laundering conviction from 2016. In that case, Scully owned and operated a large, illegal marijuana grow in Eugene from 2012 through 2014. That investigation found that Scully collected over $1,000,000 in proceeds from his illegal business, which fed a luxury lifestyle of high-end cars, watches, jewelry, clothing, real estate, and firearms. At the time of the search Scully’s properties in 2015, investigators uncovered over 230 pounds of marijuana, 219 marijuana plants, $179,860 in cash, and numerous high-value items and vehicles.

Scully pleaded guilty to money laundering and served a 90-day prison sentence at the beginning of 2017. While in prison, Scully continued to actively develop his illegal BHO business in Cottage Grove, and expanded the operation while on federal supervision up to the date of the explosion. 

During sentencing, Scully was ordered to forfeit the personal property used to facilitate his crimes, which includes a truck, trailer, and over $25,000 in cash

On November 15, 2018, Scully pleaded guilty to one count each of endangering human life and illegally possessing and manufacturing marijuana.

This case was investigated by DEA and the Cottage Grove Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland returned a six-count indictment today charging Lebanon, Oregon business owner Robert A. Lund, 62, with evading $1.7 million in income taxes, failing to file individual income tax returns, obstructing or impeding the IRS and theft of government funds as part of a multi-year scheme to defraud the U.S.

According to the indictment, in June 2002, after an IRS audit and a lengthy period of litigation, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a U.S. Tax Court finding that Lund owed more than $444,000 in underreported tax liabilities. After the ruling, the IRS Collection Division continued its efforts to collect the taxes Lund owed. In response, Lund sent the IRS frivolous correspondence, threatened to the sue the IRS Revenue Officers, attempted to quash various summonses and subpoenas, filed false bankruptcy petitions, transferred real property to nominees and used nominees to open financial accounts and conceal his income.

From December 2000 to November 2013, Lund incorporated or controlled over 160 nominee business entities and used them to conceal his assets and income from the IRS. He operated four businesses—a computer consulting company, a bookstore, a nutrition store and a scuba diving company—from a building in downtown Albany, Oregon. Additionally, he operated a trailer park in Sweet Home, Oregon from which he rented trailer units to individuals receiving government rental assistance.

Lund will be arraigned on July 10, 2019 in Portland.

This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Oregon Department of Human Services and is being prosecuted by Seth D. Uram and Clemon D. Ashley, Assistant U.S. Attorneys 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.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Harold Blackwolf Jr., 35, of Warm Springs, Oregon, was sentenced today to 71 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for involuntary manslaughter and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.

According to court documents, on September 28, 2017, Blackwolf was at a friend’s house on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. While under the influence of alcohol, Blackwolf left his friend’s house and entered his Dodge Durango, a sport utility vehicle. Blackwolf drove away at a high rate of speed with his headlights off. As he was departing, he struck two adult men who were in the road, killing both. Blackwolf, a convicted felon, was arrested on April 20, 2018 and found to be in possession of a Taurus .38 special revolver.

A restitution hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Anna J. Brown will be held at a later date.

On February 27, 2019, Blackwolf pleaded guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Paul Maloney, Benjamin Tolkoff and Craig Gabriel, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

On March 3, 1994, the FBI initiated “Operation Safe Trails” with the Navajo Department of Law Enforcement in Flagstaff, Arizona. The operation, which would later evolve into the Safe Trails Task Force (STTF) Program, unites FBI and other federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in a collaborative effort to combat the growth of crime in Indian Country. STTFs allow participating agencies to combine limited resources and increase investigative coordination in Indian Country to target violent crime, drugs, gangs, and gaming violations.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Christina Sue Barkley, 30, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and resident of Pilot Rock, Oregon, was sentenced today to 21 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for assault with a dangerous weapon.

According to court documents, during a psychotic episode on March 31, 2018, Barkley came into a room where another adult member of the tribe was making necklaces and stabbed the victim with a pair of scissors. The victim tried to get away, but she fell while backing away from Barkley. Barkley jumped on top of the victim and continued stabbing her. The assault continued until the victim’s spouse walked into the room and pulled Barkley off the victim.

The victim sustained multiple serious injuries, was taken to St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton, Oregon and later transported via Life Flight to Oregon Health and Sciences University in Portland for additional treatment.

During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman ordered Barkley to continue mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, and to participate in anger management and family counseling as part of her supervised release.

On February 20, 2019, Barkley pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Umatilla Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Jennifer Martin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—William Borges, 21, of Otis, Oregon, was sentenced today to 96 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release for distributing child pornography.

According to court documents, investigators identified Borges in September 2016 as part of an ongoing investigation by the FBI’s Sacramento Field Office into the use of Dropbox, a cloud-based file sharing application, to distribute media depicting the sexual exploitation of children. A federal search warrant issued to Dropbox produced the email address Borges used to create a Dropbox account identified by investigators as containing child pornography. Investigators later matched three video uploads to Dropbox depicting the sexual abuse of young children to the IP address of Borges’ home in Otis. During a search of Borges’ home, he admitted to possessing child pornography and trading images and videos using Kik Messenger and Dropbox.

On November 13, 2018, Borges pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography.

The FBI Sacramento Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) and FBI Salem Resident Agency investigated this case. It was prosecuted by Amy Potter, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

The FBI’s CETF conducts sexual exploitation investigations—many of them undercover—in coordination with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering underage victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation.

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 www.fbi.gov/tips.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Dat Quoc Do, 28, of Madras, Oregon, was sentenced today to three years’ probation after being convicted at trial for the unlawful use of a firearm during a road rage altercation on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in September 2017.

According to court documents and information shared during trial, on September 14, 2017, Do was riding in the front passenger seat of a vehicle driven by his girlfriend. The two were driving at night eastbound on Highway 26 on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation when they came upon another eastbound vehicle being driven by an adult member of the tribe. Also in the second vehicle were the driver’s adult daughter and her 12-year-old niece.

Do’s girlfriend was driving aggressively and tailgating the crime victims’ vehicle for over a mile when the crime victim motioned for her to pass. At some point in the encounter, the driver’s adult teen daughter threw a water bottle at, but did not hit Do’s vehicle. In response, Do fired several shots out the front passenger window of their vehicle, but did not hit the crime victims’ vehicle. After the initial shooting, Do’s girlfriend raised the passenger window and continued to tailgate the other vehicle. When she had a clear lane to pass, Do’s girlfriend moved to change lanes.

As Do’s girlfriend began to overtake the other car, Do extended his hand holding a handgun out of their vehicle’s front passenger window. Believing that Do was pointing the gun in her direction, the victim driver rapidly applied her brakes. Do fired several additional rounds as they drove away.

The victim driver called Warm Springs Tribal Police to report the incident while continuing to follow Do’s vehicle. A patrol officer later stopped their vehicle and ordered Do and his girlfriend out at gunpoint. Both were taken into custody. Officers recovered a Springfield Armory XD .45 caliber handgun in the front-passenger door pocket of the vehicle and a .45 caliber magazine partially loaded with five rounds in the center console.          

During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon ordered Do to pay $1,158 in restitution to his victims to cover their lost wages during trial preparation and mileage to and from pretrial meetings, trial and sentencing in Portland.

On March 15, 2019, Do was convicted by a federal jury in Portland on two counts of unlawful use of a weapon.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department and prosecuted by Paul T. Maloney and Lewis S. Burkhart, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

On March 3, 1994, the FBI initiated “Operation Safe Trails” with the Navajo Department of Law Enforcement in Flagstaff, Arizona. The operation, which would later evolve into the Safe Trails Task Force (STTF) Program, unites FBI and other federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in a collaborative effort to combat the growth of crime in Indian Country. STTFs allow participating agencies to combine limited resources and increase investigative coordination in Indian Country to target violent crime, drugs, gangs, and gaming violations.

PORTLAND, Ore.—U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that Olaf Janke, a former owner and chief financial officer of Aequitas Management, LLC and several other Aequitas-owned entities, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud and money laundering.

According to court documents, Janke, 48, of Portland, Oregon, along with Brian A. Oliver, 54, of Aurora, Oregon and other unnamed co-conspirators, used the Lake Oswego, Oregon, company to solicit investments in a variety of notes and funds, many of which were purportedly backed by trade receivables in education, health care, transportation, and other consumer credit areas. Janke was the company’s chief financial officer and executive vice president until early 2015 and shared responsibility for the operation and management of Aequitas-affiliated companies and investment products as well as for the use of investor money.

From June 2014 through February 2016, Janke, Oliver and others solicited investors by misrepresenting the company’s use of investor money, the financial health and strength of Aequitas and its related companies, and the risks associated with its investments and investment strategies. Janke and his co-conspirators also failed to disclose other critical facts about the company, including its near-constant liquidity and cash-flow crises, the use of investor money to repay other investors and to defray operating expenses, and the lack of collateral to secure funds.

In March 2015, Janke ended his employment with the Aequitas companies and cashed out his equity in Aequitas Management. From January 2015 through June 2015, he received more than $1.3 million for his equity, knowing that it was paid with fraudulently obtained investor money.

Janke faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, fines of $500,000 or twice the gross monetary gains or losses resulting from his crimes, and three years’ supervised release. He will be sentenced on September 25, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon.

As part of the plea agreement, Janke has agreed to pay restitution in full to each of the victims as determined and ordered by the court.

Co-conspirator Oliver pleaded guilty to the same charges on April 19, 2019.

This case is being investigated by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration. It is being prosecuted by Scott E. Bradford and Ryan W. Bounds, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Osasuyi Kenneth Idumwonyi, 58, of Houston, Texas was sentenced today to 108 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for illegally distributing opioids.

According to court documents, in January 2015, Idumwonyi along with codefendant and former nurse practitioner Julie Ann DeMille opened the Fusion Wellness Clinic on Southeast 122nd Avenue in Portland. From the clinic’s opening until July 2016, DeMille illegally wrote thousands of prescriptions for opioids including oxycodone and hydrocodone.

Idumwonyi has a history of operating medical clinics purporting to offer legitimate pain management services. His earliest clinic was started in 2009 in Houston, Texas. To maintain an appearance of legitimacy, Idumwonyi would employ physicians or nurse practitioners who were willing to illegally prescribe controlled substances in a manner that would not draw the attention of law enforcement or state regulators.

Idumwonyi and DeMille first met in late 2010 or early 2011. A mutual acquaintance with healthcare industry experience knew of DeMille as someone who willing to write illegal prescriptions. At the time, DeMille lived in the Houston area and was licensed to dispense controlled substances by the State of Texas.

Idumwonyi hired DeMille after interviewing her about her willingness to write prescriptions for a specific combination of controlled substances that were in demand at the time in Houston. Idumwonyi and DeMille worked together at his clinics in Houston from early 2011 to mid-2014.

As early as 2013, DeMille began planning a move from Houston, Texas to Portland. She was attracted to Oregon where licensed nurse practitioners can write prescriptions without the oversight and approval of a physician. She moved to Portland in 2014 and was hired by a publicly funded, county health clinic. From the beginning, DeMille planned to subsidize her county income by operating an illegal opioid pill mill.

After DeMille arranged to lease an office for newly-created Fusion Wellness Clinic, Idumwonyi drove a moving truck from Houston to Portland with the equipment from their last pill mill. Idumwonyi chose not move to Oregon and instead made plans to commute between Houston and Portland each week.

From January 2015 to his arrest in July 2016, Idumwonyi served as the gatekeeper, office manager and enforcer for the Fusion Wellness Clinic. He oversaw the recruitment of new patients, reviewed intake paperwork, collected payments, coordinated with patients and DeMille to ensure the patients received the drugs they were seeking and supervised the clinic’s two other employees. Idumwonyi’s patient-recruiting efforts included visiting a Narcotics Anonymous meeting and a homeless shelter in search of people susceptible to opiate addiction.

Idumwonyi eventually began to require some patients to kick back a portion of their prescribed pills to him for the “privilege” of returning to the clinic for additional prescriptions. He also required other patients to sell him a portion of their oxycodone pills, which he gave to his girlfriend, who was heavily addicted to the drug.

Idumwonyi and DeMille split the clinic’s cash proceeds. In a typical day at the clinic, DeMille saw up to 20 patients, charging each $200 in cash. In 2015, the clinic generated at least $388,000 in revenue. In 2015 alone, according to data from the Oregon Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, DeMille wrote more than 1,940 prescriptions for controlled substances. Together, these prescriptions resulted in the distribution of more than 219,000 pills, 96.7% of which were opioids.

Idumwonyi pleaded guilty on February 28, 2017 to conspiring to distribute or dispense and possessing with intent to distribute or dispense oxycodone and hydrocodone.

During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Jones ordered Idumwonyi to pay $294,000 to satisfy a forfeiture money judgement, representing illegal proceeds from the clinic that were traced to Idumwonyi’s bank accounts.

Codefendant DeMille was sentenced on March 26, 2019 to four years in federal prison for illegally distributing prescription opioids, filing a false tax return and lying to federal agents.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service and Portland Police Bureau. It was prosecuted by Thomas S. Ratcliffe and Donna Brecker Maddux, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

Drug abuse affects communities across the nation, and opioid abuse continues to be particularly devastating. The CDC reports that from 1999 to 2016, more than 630,000 people have died from a drug overdoses. In 2016, 66% of drug overdose deaths involved an opioid. Drug overdose is now the leading cause of injury or death in the United States.

In Oregon, the total number of deaths related to drug use increased 11 percent between from 2013 to 2017, with 546 known drug related deaths in 2017. Nearly half of all prescriptions for controlled substances filled at Oregon retail pharmacies in 2017 were for opioids. Oregon has one of the highest rates of prescription opioid misuse in the country, with an average of three deaths every week from prescription opioid overdose.

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.—Joel Malcom Salt, 29, of Umatilla, Oregon, was sentenced today to time served, having already served 22 months in custody, plus three years’ supervised release for strangling his significant other in the presence of their four children.

According to court documents, on April 12, 2017, Salt, a Navajo Indian, violated a tribal protective order by going to the crime victim’s house. The victim is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, who lives on the reservation with their four children. When Salt arrived at the house, he grabbed the victim by her hair, threw her to the ground in front of their children, and dragged her to the bedroom. Once in the bedroom, Salt pinned the victim to the floor, punched her and strangled her, causing her to lose consciousness several times.

To divert his attention, victim told Salt their children probably left the house to tell her father, who lived next door, that Salt was beating her. Hearing this, Salt released his victim and left the room to check. While he was out of the room, the victim escaped out of the window and ran to her father’s house. Her father retrieved the four children and called the police. Salt fled before the police arrived, but was later arrested.

On June 13, 2017, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a one-count indictment charging Salt with assault by strangulation. He pleaded guilty to the charge on November 27, 2018.

During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Anna J. Brown ordered Salt to attend an intensive batterer’s intervention program and to undergo substance abuse and mental health treatment. Among other conditions of supervision, Salt is prohibited from entering the Umatilla Indian Reservation or contacting the victim and their children without advance approval of his probation officer and notice to the United States Attorney’s Office.

This case was investigated by the Umatilla Tribal Police Department and FBI Portland’s Safe Trails Task Force. It was prosecuted by Jennifer Martin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

The Safe Trails Task Force (STTF) unites FBI and federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in a collaborative effort to combat the growth of crime in Indian Country. STTF allows participating agencies to combine limited resources and increase investigative coordination in Indian Country to target violent crime, drugs, gangs and gaming violations.

Benjamín Jaramillo Hernández, de 70 años, de Eugene, Oregón, fue condenado ayer a 15 meses de cárcel federal y tres años de libertad vigilada por el delito de odio que cometió contra la iglesia católica St. Mary Catholic Church en Eugene en septiembre del 2018 y por la posesión ilícita de municiones. Eric Dreiband, el Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles, y Billy J. Williams, el Fiscal Federal para el Distrito de Oregón lo anunciaron.

«El Departamento de Justicia no tolerará amenazas de violencia e intimidación odiosa», declaró el Fiscal General Auxiliar Eric Dreiband. «Tal y como se ha demostrado en este caso, la División de Derechos Civiles enjuiciará activamente a cualquier persona que vulnere el derecho de individuos o comunidades enteras al libre ejercicio de sus creencias religiosas».

«El Sr. Hernández empleó intimidación y amenazas de violencia para aterrorizar una congregación, pero el daño provocado por delitos de odio como este se extiende más allá de individuos específicos o los grupos que son el objetivo del mismo. Estos delitos amenazan la seguridad, la libertad y el bienestar de comunidades enteras», dijo Billy J. Williams, el Fiscal Federal para el Distrito de Oregón. «Ninguna condena puede revertir el daño causado por el Sr. Hernández, pero esperamos que ofrezca cierto sentido de justicia a los feligreses de St. Mary y a la comunidad entera de Eugene».

«Nuestro derecho a rezar de manera libre y sin miedo es fundamental en la vida en los Estados Unidos», comentó Renn Cannon, el Agente Especial Encargado del FBI en Oregón. «Sea cual sea su religión, el FBI y nuestros socios trabajaremos para proteger su derecho a expresar sus creencias y a vivir en paz».

Según los documentos judiciales, el 9 de septiembre del 2018, Hernández fue escoltado fuera de la propiedad de St. Mary tras un ataque de ira durante el sacramento de la comunión. Cinco días más tarde, el 14 de septiembre, un empleado de la iglesia informó a la Policía de Eugene que alguien había dispensado aerosol de pimienta en los mangos de las puertas exteriores y en la ranura para el correo de la puerta principal de la oficina de St. Mary. Los empleados declararon sentir una sensación de ardor en sus dedos y dificultades para respirar. Un policía de Eugene y un agente del FBI identificaron a Hernández en unas videosecuencias de vigilancia de la iglesia como la persona responsable de los dos incidentes.

El 16 de septiembre del 2018, a Hernández lo vieron nuevamente cerca de St. Mary. Un testigo vio a Hernández al otro lado de la calle de la iglesia cuando paró cerca de la Biblioteca Municipal de Eugene y gritó al testigo, «Aquí tengo algo para tí», mientras señalaba a una bolsa que llevaba consigo.

Varios días más tarde, el 20 de septiembre, los empleados de St. Mary avisaron que habían encontrado una nota amenazante y siete balas explosivas de una Sig de 10mm en la oficina. La nota amenazaba a la iglesia con «2 MP5 con 50 cartuchos cada uno», un tipo de metralleta. La nota concluyó así: «A Eugene lo van a poner en el [palabrota] mapa».

Un policía de Eugene revisó nuevamente las videosecuencias de vigilancia de la iglesia e identificó a Hernández como el individuo que había dejado la nota y las balas. El 21 de septiembre del 2018, Hernández fue detenido por la Policía de Eugene en la Biblioteca Municipal de Eugene. Durante un registro de Hernández, los agentes hallaron una lata parcialmente vacía de aerosol de pimienta, tres cartuchos de una escopeta .410 y 13 balas explosivas de una Sig de 10mm. Las balas de 10mm eran de la misma marca y el mismo calibre que las balas que se encontraron en St. Mary junto con la nota amenazante.

El 12 de febrero del 2019, Hernández se declaró culpable ante la lectura formal de dos cargos de obstrucción o intento a obstrucción al libre ejercicio de creencias religiosas y la posesión ilícita de municiones.

El personal y los feligreses de St. Mary Catholic Church han declarado que las amenazas de Hernández los han dañado físicamente y los ha dejado asustados y preocupados por su propia seguridad y sin la posibilidad de participar libremente en el ejercicio de sus creencias religiosas. El acoso ha afectado no solo a feligreses individuales sino a la parroquia completa. Varios miembros de la comunidad de St. Mary han declarado que la iglesia ha sufrido una baja en asistencia y en los donativos semanales tras la conducta de Hernández.

Este caso fue investigado por la Policía de Eugene y el FBI y enjuiciado por Gavin W. Bruce, un Fiscal Federal Auxiliar de la Fiscalía Federal de Oregón, Cameron Bell, un Abogado de Litigios de la División de Derechos Civiles.

Para más información sobre el trabajo del Departamento de Justicia por combatir y prevenir los delitos de odio, vaya a www.justice.gov/hatecrimes: es un único portal con enlaces a recursos del Departamento de Justicia relacionados con delitos de odio para la policía, los medios de comunicación, investigadores, víctimas, grupos de apoyo y otras organizaciones y personas.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Daniel Stewart Gregg, 67, of Ashland, Oregon, was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison and two years’ supervised release for engaging in a conspiracy to traffic Oregon-grown marijuana across state lines.

According to court documents, in 2015, Illinois law enforcement seized a 354-pound load of marijuana originating in Southern Oregon, valued at approximately $885,000. Following the seizure, investigators seized more than $153,000 from the courier’s residence in North Carolina. Further investigation revealed that Gregg had coordinated this shipment and other later out-of-state shipments of marijuana.

On June 8, 2018, Gregg waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiring to distribute a controlled substance.

Gregg has a long history with controlled substances. He was convicted of marijuana possession in 1970 and 1975, of distributing a hallucinogen in 2004 for which he served 15 months in federal prison and of selling marijuana in 2012.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service, Medford Police Department and prosecuted by Julia E. Jarrett and Steven T. Mygrant, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

This case was brought as part of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, the centerpiece of the department’s strategy for reducing the availability of drugs in the U.S. OCDETF was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack on drug trafficking by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in coordination with state and local law enforcement.

EUGENE, Ore.—Benjamin Jaramillo Hernandez, 69, of Eugene, Oregon, was sentenced today to 15 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for committing a hate crime targeting St. Mary Catholic Church in Eugene in September 2018 and illegally possessing ammunition. The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams of the District of Oregon.

“Threats of violence and hateful intimidation will not be tolerated by the Department of Justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Dreiband. “As demonstrated by this case, the Civil Rights Division will vigorously prosecute those who violate the right of individuals or entire communities to freely exercise their religious beliefs.”

“Mr. Hernandez used intimidation and threats of violence to terrorize a single congregation, but the harm from hate crimes like this extends beyond the specific individuals or group targeted. These crimes threaten the security, freedom and well-being of entire communities,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “No conviction can reverse the harm caused by Mr. Hernandez, but we hope it provides some measure of justice to St. Mary parishioners and the entire Eugene community.”

“Our right to worship freely and without fear is fundamental to life in America,” said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. “Whatever your faith, the FBI and our partners will work to protect your right to express your beliefs and live in peace.”

According to court documents, on Sept. 9, 2018, Hernandez was escorted from St. Mary property following an angry outburst during the sacrament of communion. Five days later, on September 14, a church employee reported to the Eugene Police Department that someone had dispensed pepper spray on the exterior door handles and through the mail slot of the St. Mary office front door. Employees reported burning sensations in their fingers and respiratory distress. A Eugene police officer and FBI agent identified Hernandez in church surveillance footage as the person responsible for both incidents.

On Sept. 16, 2018, Hernandez was again spotted near St. Mary. A witness saw Hernandez across the street from the church when he stopped near the Eugene Public Library and shouted at the witness, “I’ve got something for you right here,” while pointing to a bag he was carrying.

A few days later, on Sept. 20, St. Mary employees reported finding a threatening note and seven 10mm Sig hollow point bullets left in the office. The note threatened the church with “2 MP5s w/ 50 rounds each,” a type of submachine gun. The note concluded: “Eugene is going on the [expletive] map.”

A Eugene police officer again reviewed church surveillance footage and identified Hernandez as the individual who dropped off the note and bullets. On September 21, 2018, Eugene Police arrested Hernandez at the Eugene Public Library. During a search of Hernandez’s person, officers located a partially empty can of pepper spray, three .410 shotgun shells, and thirteen 10mm Sig hollow point bullets. The 10mm bullets were the same brand and caliber as the bullets left at St. Mary with the threatening note.

On Feb. 12, 2019, Hernandez pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with obstruction or attempted obstruction of persons in the free exercise of their religious beliefs and unlawful possession of ammunition.

St. Mary Catholic Church staff and parishioners have reported that Hernandez’s threats have left staff and churchgoers physically injured, frightened, concerned about their own safety and unable to participate freely in the exercise of their religious beliefs. The harassment has not only affected individual parishioners, but the parish as a whole. Multiple members of the St. Mary community have reported that the church has experienced a drop in attendance and in weekly collections after Hernandez’s conduct.

This case was investigated by the Eugene Police Department and the FBI and prosecuted by Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Cameron Bell, Trial Attorney for the Civil Rights Division.

For more information about the Department of Justice’s work to combat and prevent hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes: a one-stop portal with links to department hate crimes resources for law enforcement, media, researchers, victims, advocacy groups, and other organizations and individuals.

Benjamin Jaramillo Hernandez, 70, of Eugene, Oregon, was sentenced yesterday to 15 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for committing a hate crime targeting St. Mary Catholic Church in Eugene in September 2018 and illegally possessing ammunition. The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams of the District of Oregon.

“Threats of violence and hateful intimidation will not be tolerated by the Department of Justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “As demonstrated by this case, the Civil Rights Division will vigorously prosecute those who violate the right of individuals or entire communities to freely exercise their religious beliefs.”

“Mr. Hernandez used intimidation and threats of violence to terrorize a single congregation, but the harm from hate crimes like this extends beyond the specific individuals or group targeted. These crimes threaten the security, freedom and well-being of entire communities,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “No conviction can reverse the harm caused by Mr. Hernandez, but we hope it provides some measure of justice to St. Mary parishioners and the entire Eugene community.”

“Our right to worship freely and without fear is fundamental to life in America,” said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. “Whatever your faith, the FBI and our partners will work to protect your right to express your beliefs and live in peace.”

According to court documents, on Sept. 9, 2018, Hernandez was escorted from St. Mary property following an angry outburst during the sacrament of communion. Five days later, on September 14, a church employee reported to the Eugene Police Department that someone had dispensed pepper spray on the exterior door handles and through the mail slot of the St. Mary office front door. Employees reported burning sensations in their fingers and respiratory distress. A Eugene police officer and FBI agent identified Hernandez in church surveillance footage as the person responsible for both incidents.

On Sept. 16, 2018, Hernandez was again spotted near St. Mary. A witness saw Hernandez across the street from the church when he stopped near the Eugene Public Library and shouted at the witness, “I’ve got something for you right here,” while pointing to a bag he was carrying.

A few days later, on September 20, St. Mary employees reported finding a threatening note and seven 10mm Sig hollow point bullets left in the office. The note threatened the church with “2 MP5s w/ 50 rounds each,” a type of submachine gun. The note concluded: “Eugene is going on the [expletive] map.”

A Eugene police officer again reviewed church surveillance footage and identified Hernandez as the individual who dropped off the note and bullets. On Sept. 21, 2018, Eugene Police arrested Hernandez at the Eugene Public Library. During a search of Hernandez’s person, officers located a partially empty can of pepper spray, three .410 shotgun shells, and thirteen 10mm Sig hollow point bullets. The 10mm bullets were the same brand and caliber as the bullets left at St. Mary with the threatening note.

On Feb. 12, 2019, Hernandez pleaded guilty to a two-count Information charging him with obstruction or attempted obstruction of persons in the free exercise of their religious beliefs and unlawful possession of ammunition.

St. Mary Catholic Church staff and parishioners have reported that Hernandez’s threats have left staff and churchgoers physically injured, frightened, concerned about their own safety and unable to participate freely in the exercise of their religious beliefs. The harassment has not only affected individual parishioners, but the parish as a whole. Multiple members of the St. Mary community have reported that the church has experienced a drop in attendance and in weekly collections after Hernandez’s conduct.

This case was investigated by the Eugene Police Department and the FBI and prosecuted by Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Cameron Bell, Trial Attorney for the Civil Rights Division.

For more information about Department of Justice’s work to combat and prevent hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes: a one-stop portal with links to Department of Justice hate crimes resources for law enforcement, media, researchers, victims, advocacy groups, and other organizations and individuals.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Juan Carlos Ramon, 33, of Portland, pleaded guilty today to two counts of production of child pornography after sexually exploiting two minor victims, aged six and eight, using musical.ly, a social media application now known as TikTok.

According to court documents, on or about June 28, 2017, Ramon began communicating with two minors using the musical.ly app. He used the screen name “@lexithetiger” and pretended to be a minor female. Ramon encouraged his victims to play a “Simon Says” type game where he would send sexually explicit photos of a minor female and ask his victims to take and send him photos imitating the positions and acts depicted. The minor victims agreed and sent Ramon a series of progressively more explicit self-produced images. A relative of the two victims later discovered the communications and reported it to law enforcement.

Each count of production of child pornography carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison with a 15-year mandatory minimum, a $250,000 fine, a $5,000 special assessment and a life term of supervised release with a five-year mandatory minimum. Ramon will be sentenced on September 5, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Jones.

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

This case was investigated by FBI Portland’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) and is being prosecuted by Natalie Wight, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

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.

The FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) conducts sexual exploitation investigations – many of them undercover – in coordination with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The Portland FBI’s CETF consists of agents and task force officers from the Beaverton Police Department, Portland Police Bureau, Tigard Police Department, Hillsboro Police Department, and the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. The FBI’s CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering underage victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation.

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 www.fbi.gov/tips.