Eastern District of Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Steven Pennycooke, 36, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine by United States District Court Judge John M. Gallagher for being a previously convicted felon illegally in possession of a firearm in connection with looting during a period of civil unrest and mandatory curfew in the City of Philadelphia in Spring 2020.

In April 2022, the defendant was convicted after trial of a single count of possession of a firearm by a felon. In June 2020, Philadelphia Police officers responded to a 911 call reporting that two men were seen pushing a looted ATM down a street in West Philadelphia. When the officers approached the block indicated in the call, they observed two men standing in the street less than a half a block away from a looted ATM loaded onto a cart. When the officers got closer to the suspects, they observed the defendant throw something into a vehicle; and one of the officers looked through the vehicle’s window and observed a firearm in the backseat. According to court documents, after both suspects were taken into custody, the defendant’s companion told police that they were both carrying firearms because, “they purging out here,” and because the defendant had recently been shot while at a gas station. As a previously convicted felon in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2011, Pennycooke was prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm.

“The crime of being a felon in possession of a firearm is a serious offense, particularly in Philadelphia where gun violence has been and continues to be our city’s most pressing threat to public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Repeat offenders like this defendant, who knowingly illegally carry handguns, are actively contributing to the dangerous circumstances on our streets, and our Office is doing all we can to combat and deter that criminal activity.”

“Gun violence has claimed and affected far too many lives in this city, so every illegal weapon taken off the street is a step in the right direction,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Philadelphia police discovered an armed Steven Pennycooke out and about amidst looting and unrest. This was someone who’d done time for a violent assault with a firearm. He wasn’t permitted to have a gun, he knew it, and he tried to hide it, so back behind bars he goes — in federal prison. The FBI and PPD will continue to work together to lock up criminals who refuse to respect the law. We’ve got to make Philadelphia safer all around.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alexandra Lastowski and Derek Hines.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Lee D. Weiss, 51, of Roslyn, NY, and Newton, MA, was sentenced today to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $7.5 million in restitution and a $250,000 fine for his conviction of investment adviser fraud. The charges arose from Weiss’ multi-year investment scam that targeted his own clients and caused investor losses of more than $7 million.

In March 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to investment adviser fraud in connection with this scheme to defraud his clients. Weiss was the principal of Family Endowment Partners, LP, an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which had an office in West Chester, PA, before it was closed by order of the SEC. The defendant used his position to fleece his own clients of millions of dollars through purported investments in a now-defunct Florida tobacco company and a series of private securities offerings. Weiss told his clients that their money would be used for investment purposes when, in fact, he diverted it to make Ponzi payments and to fund his lifestyle, and further told his clients that they were making money when their funds had already been misappropriated. Weiss continued to lie to them about the value of their investments to prevent them from learning of his thefts and to convince them to continue paying him fees for “managing” their money.

“Honesty, integrity, and trust all play a critical role in the relationship between a financial advisor and a client; when the advisor corrupts that relationship, the damage done to the financial security of the client can be catastrophic,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “The end result is as devastating and traumatic as if the victim had been robbed at gunpoint, and therefore we take it just as seriously. We will continue to hold accountable those who, like Mr. Weiss, commit life-shattering financial crimes.”

“Lee Weiss’s clients expected him to invest their money responsibly and he had a fiduciary duty to do so. Instead, he misappropriated millions for his and his company’s purposes,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “He used their funds for everything from car payments, to country club fees, to payouts to previous investors. Justice demands that financial fraudsters like Weiss be held accountable for their crimes and today’s sentencing ensures that.”

“The Postal Inspection Service has a long history of investigating investment frauds,” said Damon Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the Postal Inspection Service. “Today, Lee Weiss was sentenced for stealing millions of dollars from his clients, clients who had trusted him to invest their money in safe, blue-chip investments. Through a web of corporate entities, Mr. Weiss hid the reality of his investment strategy and his failing business and stole his clients’ money to cover his own losses and continue living well. Thanks to the hard work of the Postal Inspectors, special agents from the FBI and the Assistant United States Attorneys, Mr. Weiss has been held accountable for his deceitful practices.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Shapiro and Nancy E. Potts. The U.S. Attorney’s Office appreciates the substantial assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in this matter.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that William Merlino, 85, of Mays Landing, NJ, was convicted at trial of selling misbranded drugs online, arising from his scheme to sell a toxic industrial chemical as a weight-loss drug which he manufactured in a lab in his home.

In December 2019, the defendant was charged with one count of introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce in connection with operating a business through which he packaged and sold Dinitriophenol (DNP) for human consumption from at least November 2017 until March 2019. In the 1930s, before the law required drugs to be proven safe before they were marketed, DNP was used as a weight-loss drug despite significant negative side effects, including dehydration, cataracts, liver damage, and death. The chemical has never been approved for human consumption by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but has a variety of industrial/commercial uses, such as herbicides, dyes, and wood preservatives. Using Twitter to advertise, eBay to sell, and email to communicate with clients, Merlino earned approximately $54,000 from clients in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. through the sale of this drug. During trial, a witness from the shipping service the defendant used to ship the drug to customers testified that they referred to Merlino among their colleagues as ‘the yellow man,’ due to the fact that every time he would bring in a package to ship, he would have yellow dust from the chemical on his skin, nails and clothes.

After a year-long investigation by the FDA, investigators served a search warrant at the defendant’s residence, where they found bulk DNP, packaging and encapsulating materials, and a pill press. Subsequently, while awaiting trial on this charge, Merlino faked a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in order to attempt to avoid trial; the jury heard evidence that the defendant altered a doctor’s letter and his medical records. As a result, the defendant is now separately facing obstruction of justice charges related to these fraudulent submissions to the court.

“The United States sets standards for the foods and drugs we ingest in order to keep American consumers and patients safe,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “The defendant knowingly skirted our country’s regulations by marketing an unsafe chemical to people hoping for a quick and easy solution. This scheme put many people’s health and safety at risk. We urge everyone to refrain from ingesting DNP for any reason.”

“The distribution of misbranded, unapproved and dangerous drugs in the U.S. marketplace puts consumers’ health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge George A. Scavdis, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who jeopardize the public health.”

“The Postal Service has no interest in being the unwitting accomplice to anyone using the U.S. Mail to distribute contraband or other harmful substances,” said Damon Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “One of the Inspection Service’s key objectives is to rid the mail of illegal and dangerous substances that at best fleece our fellow citizens, and at worst, cause serious harm. William Merlino is no different than the snake oil salesmen from a century ago. Thanks to hard work of the Inspectors, Special Agents from the FDA and an Assistant United States Attorney’s Office, a jury saw through Merlino’s lies and held him accountable.”

The case was investigated by U.S. Food & Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, U. S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joan Burnes

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Maurice Bertrand, 34, of Newark, DE, pleaded guilty just before jury selection was set to begin for trial in front of United States District Court Judge Harvey Bartle III, to one count of fraudulently obtaining oxycodone, and one count of attempting to fraudulently obtain oxycodone. 

In September 2019, the defendant was charged in connection with his scheme to present forged prescriptions written under the name of a Center City doctor whom he had never met at a Marcus Hook area pharmacy. Evidence which would have been presented at trial would have shown that in May 2019, Bertrand obtained 90 oxycodone tablets, and in June 2019, he was intercepted by law enforcement while attempting to obtain 120 oxycodone tablets.

The charges against Bertrand and 12 other defendants were originally announced as part of the formation of the Newark/Philadelphia Regional Medicare Fraud Strike Force, a joint law enforcement effort that brings together the resources and expertise of the Health Care Fraud Unit in the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the District of New Jersey. The Strike Force focuses its efforts on aggressively investigating and prosecuting complex cases involving patient harm, large financial loss, and the illegal prescribing and distribution of opioids and other dangerous narcotics. Bertrand is the last of the 13 total defendants to plead guilty to federal charges in connection with this investigation and faces up to eight years in prison.

“Stopping prescription fraud in order to stem the tide of illegal opioid distribution and addiction in our District is a top priority for our Office,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “This thirteenth and final conviction in this investigation demonstrates our commitment to cutting off the supply of addictive drugs diverted to the streets in order to keep our communities safe.”

These cases were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Easttown Township Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Troyer.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Karanjot Singh, 25, of Upper Darby, PA, was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison, and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Joel H. Slomsky for cyberstalking a woman online for the better part of a year.

Beginning in March 2020 and continuing for more than 9 months, the defendant stalked a woman online by sending in excess of 100 sexually violent and threatening text messages to her. The defendant terrorized her repeatedly, messaging her at all hours of the day and night with escalating threats to rape and murder her and her family members. In order to disguise his true identity and as part of the course of his harassment of the victim, the defendant used multiple cell phone applications that allowed him to create numerous anonymous phone numbers. Following an intensive investigation, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation ultimately traced each of the “anonymous” phone numbers and linked them to the defendant, after which he was arrested.

“This defendant used his words as weapons, sending threatening messages and personal information to reinforce the targeted bullying of his victim,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “His behavior very well could have escalated, which is why sending threatening communications is a crime, and why our Office and our partners take threats so seriously.”

“Singh was strategic in his cyber torment of his victim,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “His actions were intended to inflict emotional harm and the fear of physical violence and that’s exactly what they did. Cyberstalking is a serious crime, and you can be sure the FBI will work to unmask and hold accountable anyone who uses today’s technology in such a vile way.”   

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony J. Carissimi.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Gavin Lee Casdorph, 23, of Anchorage, Alaska, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay over $7,700 in restitution and a $1,000 fine by United States District Court Judge Edward G. Smith for making false threats against Lafayette College in Easton, PA.

In April 2020, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of willfully making false threats in connection with claims he made online stating he planned to detonate several bombs across the Lafayette College campus. In 2018, while using the handle “BdanJafarSaleem.,” Casdorph posted on Twitter that he planned to bomb multiple locations on campus and pledged allegiance to ISIS. He included with his Twitter post an image of the ISIS flag and a photograph of several firearms. The defendant also sent a mass email to members of the College’s admissions staff containing similar disturbing threats and imagery.

Investigators quickly determined that the bomb threats were a hoax, and arrested Casdorph in Anchorage, Alaska in December 2018.

“This defendant thought he could make threats from the other side of the continent with impunity, but the dedicated agents of the FBI on this case proved him wrong,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Threats of mass violence and destruction, especially on school campuses or any public place, are taken extremely seriously by our Office and our federal partners. As was the case here, we will not stop until the culprits are identified, arrested and brought to justice.”

“The FBI takes all threats of violence seriously, as Gavin Casdorph learned the hard way,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “I hope today’s sentencing sends a message that hoax threats aren’t a joke, they’re a crime. Please don’t let keyboard courage short-circuit your future. Anyone who tries something like this shouldn’t be surprised when the FBI rolls up at your front door.”

This case was investigated by the Lafayette College Department of Public Safety, Easton Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Philadelphia and Anchorage Divisions. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph LaBar. Additional assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Shaquan Johnson, 23, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to 11 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,000,000 in restitution by United States District Court Judge R. Barclay Surrick for his participation in a home invasion robbery during which the defendant and his accomplices victimized the homeowners’ teenage daughter and stole approximately $1 million in currency and jewelry, and for smuggling contraband into federal prison while he was detained for the robbery.

In March 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act Robbery and brandishing a firearm during the commission of a violent crime in connection with the robbery incident in August 2018. According to court documents, Johnson and three co-defendants victimized the 17-year-old girl in her home while stealing the cash and valuables owned by her parents. Specifically, while she lay sleeping around midnight, the men entered her bedroom, pulled her from her bed, and struck her several times. They then held her at gunpoint and robbed her family of their life savings—the proceeds of their restaurant business a block-and-a-half away on Washington Avenue in South Philadelphia.

Further, while detained for the robbery charge in the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, the defendant was charged with using an infant to illegally bring narcotics and a cell phone into the prison. In March 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of obtaining contraband in prison.

“Mr. Johnson and his accomplices not only victimized a family by violating the sanctity of their home and stealing the life savings for which they worked very hard, they also physically assaulted their daughter while they thought she was safely at home in her bed,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “I imagine it will take many years for this family to feel whole and secure again. Spending more than a decade in prison will give the defendant some time to reflect on the damage his crimes caused, and serve as a warning to others who might be considering engaging in similar behavior.”

“Thanks to the diligent work of the investigators and prosecutors assigned to this case, the victims finally have justice for this horrific crime,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “ATF works tirelessly with the Philadelphia Police Department and United States Attorney’s Office to keep the public safe from this type of violence. Today, the community is safer knowing this violent individual will be behind bars for a long time.”

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Carissimi and Sarah Damiani.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Old Man’s Home of Philadelphia d/b/a Saunders House will pay $819,640 to settle claims that the skilled nursing facility provided medically unnecessary rehabilitation therapy to residents to maximize revenue, and without prioritizing clinical needs. Saunders House is located in Wynnewood, PA.

The settlement resolves allegations in a whistleblower complaint filed in federal court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. These provisions allow private citizens to bring civil actions on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery. The whistleblower, a physical therapist assistant who provided physical therapy services at Saunders House through his employment with a contracted therapy provider, generally alleged that Saunders House overbilled federal healthcare programs such as Medicare for therapy services. He alleged that Saunders House: (a) overbilled federal healthcare programs such as Medicare for therapy services provided; (b) billed for services not provided; (c) billed for unreasonable, unnecessary, and sometimes harmful therapy; and (d) allowed the therapy provider to manipulate clinical services to maximize billing.

During the relevant time period, Medicare Part A paid for services rendered to a beneficiary in a skilled nursing facility at a daily rate based, in part, on a Resource Utilization Group (RUG) to which the beneficiary is assigned. Each distinct RUG was intended to reflect the anticipated costs associated with providing nursing and rehabilitation services to beneficiaries with similar characteristics or resource needs. The highest reimbursement level was Ultra High or RU. The resolution is based on claims that Saunders House caused the submission of false claims for Ultra High RUG therapy levels despite evidence that the RU level of therapy was not reasonable or necessary for the respective patients.

“Focusing on profits over the needs of individual patients violates the public trust and creates a potential for harm of some of the most vulnerable among us,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “It also shifts taxpayers’ funds away from the vital services of law-abiding therapy providers. We thank the whistleblower for helping to make the government aware of these allegations. We also thank Saunders House for fully cooperating with the government’s investigation—that cooperation was taken into account when determining an appropriate resolution of these allegations.”

“Protecting the integrity of our Medicare program is of the utmost importance,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. “Patients need to depend on the decisions made by their health care providers and know those decisions are made to improve their conditions and not to increase providers’ individual profits. HHS-OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate allegations of fraudulent actions.”  

Assistant United States Attorneys Landon Y. Jones III and Elizabeth L. Coyne handled the case in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with assistance from auditor Dawn Wiggins, and worked with Albert Mayer, Trial Attorney, of the Civil Fraud Section of the Department of Justice. The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General.

The Department of Justice, committed to protecting our nation’s seniors through its Elder Justice Initiative, works in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to support the efforts of state and local prosecutors, law enforcement, and other elder justice professionals to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation, with the development of training, resources and information. Learn more about the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at http://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.

The case is docketed as United States et al. ex rel. Carson v. Select Rehabilitation, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 15-5708 (E.D. Pa.). The settled civil claims are allegations only. There has been no determination of civil liability.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced an agreement with Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse in Philadelphia to resolve the Department of Justice review of the restaurant for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The government inspected the restaurant for ADA compliance as part of its review of 25 Philadelphia restaurants launched by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in 2015. These restaurants were not reviewed in response to any specific complaint.

Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc. (“Del Frisco’s”) entered into a Voluntary Compliance Agreement to resolve the government’s ADA compliance review of its Philadelphia Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse location on Chestnut Street. Designed and built in what was a nearly empty space in 2008, the restaurant was found to have a number of architectural barriers that violate the ADA, which President George H.W. Bush signed into law 32 years ago this week.

The agreement announced today requires the restaurant to take steps to remove specific barriers to accessibility identified by the Department of Justice during its inspection. The agreement also requires Del Frisco’s to identify and correct violations of the ADA that may exist in each of its other locations nationwide, including 16 Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse restaurants and 17 Del Frisco’s Grille locations.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office initiated this compliance review to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to area restaurants to the full extent guaranteed by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The agreement announced today furthers that important goal,” said Romero. “Restaurants and other businesses must comply with the applicable accessibility provisions of the ADA. If they do not, we will continue to take all practical steps within our power to enforce compliance, including litigation if necessary.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has a proud history of prioritizing civil rights enforcement and the ADA in particular; it has continued that tradition in recent efforts. For example, in February 2020, the Office began a review of all polling places in the District to ensure compliance with the ADA in advance of the November election. In April 2019, in response to an investigation initiated by the Office, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, Inc., executed a settlement agreement in which it agreed to address barriers to access for individuals who use wheelchairs in Jefferson’s radiology outpatient clinic. After a lengthy investigation, in March 2019, the Pennsylvania Department of Education signed a settlement agreement to address alleged discrimination against students with disabilities in its alternate education programs. In a March 2018 settlement agreement, Allergy & Asthma Specialists, P.C. agreed to fix barriers to access for deaf individuals at its Jenkintown facility.

The ADA compliance review of Del Frisco’s was handled by U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero, previously the Civil Rights Coordinator for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, former Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Crutchlow, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren DeBruicker.

For resources on ADA compliance, visit www.ada.gov. To report a suspected violation of the ADA, visit www.ada.gov and click “File an ADA Complaint,” or email the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania at USAPAE-CivilRights@usdoj.gov.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Lore Elisabeth Blumenthal, 35, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison (30 months), two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay more than $95,000 restitution by United States District Court Judge R. Barclay Surrick in connection with the arson of two Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) vehicles during the Spring 2020 civil unrest in Philadelphia.

In June 2020, the defendant was charged by criminal complaint following investigations into multiple arsons of law enforcement vehicles during the protests that occurred in response to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN. The charges stemmed from incidents which occurred on May 30, 2020, during which Blumenthal set fire to two PPD vehicles that were parked on the north side of Philadelphia City Hall. In March 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of obstructing, impeding and interfering with law enforcement officers engaged in the lawful performance of their official duties during the commission of a civil disorder.

“Now that several of those arrested in Philadelphia in connection with arsons during the 2020 racial justice protests have been sentenced in federal court, it is important to reflect on the gravity of what happened in our city and across the country,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “We witnessed a movement that spurred thousands of people to take to the streets to peacefully protest unequal treatment under the law, but some saw it as an opportunity to commit violent, destructive crimes that endangered the lives of many, and ultimately robbed taxpayer-funded resources from the mission of protecting the public. That is unacceptable, and our Office will continue to work to ensure that all Americans can safely and freely exercise their First Amendment rights, while holding accountable those who would hijack peaceful protests for their own violent and selfish ends.”

“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message—when you are intent on conducting a violent act that breaks federal law, ATF and our law enforcement partners will make sure you are held accountable,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “This type of violent behavior puts our entire community in danger, so the outcome of this investigation is a small victory for all citizens of the Commonwealth.”

“Peacefully protesting is protected activity. Purposeful arson and destruction of property — those are crimes,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “The actions of Lore Elisabeth Blumenthal and others who similarly crossed the line endangered law enforcement and countless bystanders alike, and proved a huge distraction from the message carried by protesters seeking social justice. There are productive ways to express your anger and desire for change, but violence will never be one of them.”

“Investigative successes like this are a testament to the interagency cooperation being practiced by partnering agencies united in the common goal of ensuring our national security and keeping our communities safe,” said William S. Walker, Special Agent in Charge for the HSI Philadelphia Field Office. “I am exceptionally proud of how HSI Philadelphia’s Special Agents and Analysts teamed together with our federal, state and local partners in this case, utilizing technology and collaboration to bring the defendant to justice.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Philadelphia Police Department and the Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office, with assistance from the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, and is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Kevin Jamelle Archie, 40, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison,  and three years of supervised release by United States Court Judge Joel H. Slomsky for illegally possessing a loaded firearm.

In May 2019, the defendant was convicted after trial of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charges stemmed from an incident in September 2016, when Philadelphia Police officers responded to a 911 call for a person with a gun in the area of Frankford Avenue and Pacific Street in the Harrowgate section of lower Northeast Philadelphia. Officers approached Archie when they saw him drop a black metallic object near the wheel well of a parked car and heard the object hit the ground. The officers recovered a firearm loaded with ten rounds of ammunition, and subsequently arrested the defendant. At the time of his arrest, Archie had previously been convicted of a felony – possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances – which barred him from legally possessing a firearm.

“This is the second such sentence handed down today in two different, unrelated cases that are strikingly similar: both defendants were convicted by juries of the charge of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm, both incidents occurred in a particularly violent section of the city, and both defendants attempted to discard the firearms they were carrying so as not to be caught by police,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “These cases are noteworthy even if they appear to be simple at first glance because they demonstrate our commitment to fighting violent crime by targeting the most dangerous, repeat offenders.”

“There is no place in our community for firearms to be in the hands of convicted felons,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Office.  “ATF will always remain steadfast in our efforts to collaborate with our law enforcement partners and reduce violent crime.  Identifying, investigating, and incarcerating armed felons that threaten the safety of the community is at the forefront of our efforts to combat gun crime.”     

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

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tom Zaleski.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Asa Jackson, 40, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney for illegally possessing a loaded firearm.

In March 2022, a jury convicted Jackson of unlawfully possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony. The charges stemmed from an incident in May 2020 in the Harrowgate section of Philadelphia during which Philadelphia Police officers responded to a 911 call that someone had assaulted two women inside a Frankford Avenue corner store and threatened them with a firearm. When officers arrived, they observed a man one block away who fit the description in the call, later identified as Jackson. When Jackson saw the police, he ducked between two parked vehicles and dropped the firearm to the ground. Police apprehended Jackson and recovered a loaded pistol. At the time of his arrest, Archie had previously been convicted of a felony which barred him from legally possessing a firearm.

“Reducing violent crime – especially gun crime – is a priority for our Office, and deterring individuals from illegally carrying weapons on the streets of Philadelphia is part of our strategy,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “We are committed to working with the Philadelphia Police Department and other law enforcement partners to target the most dangerous, repeat offenders and bring them to justice.”

“This sentence ensures that a violent criminal is taken off the streets for a long time,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Keeping our communities safe from violent felons like Jackson will always be our top priority. This outcome highlights the value of the collaborative effort with our local, state, and federal partners to reduce violent crime.”

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

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiwana Wright.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that DeWitt Drayton, 46, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and five years of supervised release by United States Senior District Court Judge Anita B. Brody for manufacturing counterfeit pills using controlled substances, including methamphetamine, and for unlawfully possessing three firearms.

In March 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to the charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon. The defendant was charged with these offenses after federal investigators executed a search warrant at his home and uncovered what can be described only as a drug lab. This included multiple pill press machines and other supplies, which the defendant had been using to manufacture counterfeit prescription painkillers using a variety of narcotics, including fentanyl and the horse tranquilizer Xylazine, as well as methamphetamine-laced ecstasy pills.  Investigators recovered thousands of pills, which the defendant had manufactured, and which were destined for sale on the streets of Philadelphia. The discovery of these items was not surprising, as federal authorities had been tracking the defendant’s purchases of pill-making supplies from China and elsewhere.

Agents also executed a search warrant at a property in New Jersey used by the defendant, and between the two properties, they recovered three firearms, two of which had obliterated serial numbers, and all of which the defendant was prohibited from possessing given his criminal history.

“Drug distribution and gun violence are an epidemic in Philadelphia and the federal government is aggressively prosecuting both in order to get dangerous, repeat offenders like this defendant off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “DeWitt Drayton was a large-scale drug manufacturer and illegally possessed multiple firearms to protect his business, which are both offenses that put our community and the people who live here at risk. We want to thank our law enforcement partners in this case, the DEA and HSI, for their hard work and dedication.”

“Drayton was responsible for manufacturing and distributing fake opioid pills containing illicit fentanyl and fake stimulant pills containing methamphetamine out of a house in the heart of the Kensington section of Philadelphia,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division.  “The current overdose crisis is largely driven by criminals like Drayton who flooded our streets with fentanyl-laced fake pills.  Learn more about the dangers of fake pills through our One Pill Can Kill public awareness campaign, which can be accessed at www.dea.gov/onepill.”   

“This sentencing demonstrates how Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia Cyber Crime Investigations Task Force (C2iTF) working hand in hand with partners from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Philadelphia Police Department, Customs and Border Protection and the Pennsylvania State Police actively seeks to hold accountable criminals whose actions harm Americans,” said William S. Walker, Special Agent in Charge for the HSI Philadelphia Field Office. “Methamphetamine and illicit firearms are significant contributors to public safety concerns, and we will continue to dismantle criminal organizations which prey upon our communities.”

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Customs and Border Protection, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Stengel.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that the Department of Justice, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and the Attorneys General of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware announced today agreements to resolve allegations that Trident Mortgage Company (Trident), which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., engaged in a pattern or practice of lending discrimination by “redlining” in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, including neighborhoods in Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington. This resolution represents the Justice Department’s first redlining settlement against a mortgage company and is the second-largest redlining settlement in Justice Department history.   

“Redlining” is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid providing credit services to individuals living in certain communities or postal zip codes because of the race, color, or national origin of persons residing there. Under a proposed federal consent order, which is subject to court approval and was filed in conjunction with a complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Trident has agreed to invest over $20 million to increase credit opportunities in neighborhoods of color in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Trident will also pay a civil money penalty of $4 million.

The complaint filed in federal court alleges that: (1) Trident violated the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which prohibit financial institutions from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin in their mortgage lending services; (2) Trident further violated the Consumer Financial Protection Act, which prohibits offering or providing to a consumer any financial product or service not in conformity with federal consumer financial law; (3) from at least 2015 to 2019, Trident failed to provide mortgage lending services to neighborhoods of color in the Philadelphia metropolitan area; (4) Trident concentrated its offices in majority-white neighborhoods; (5) Trident failed to direct its loan officers to serve—and its loan officers did not serve—the credit needs of neighborhoods of color; (6) Trident’s outreach and marketing avoided those neighborhoods; and (7) Trident’s loan officers and other employees sent and received work e-mails containing racial slurs and messages referring to communities of color as “ghetto.”

The $20 million that Trident agrees, under the proposed consent order, to invest to increase credit opportunities for residents of neighborhoods of color in the Philadelphia metropolitan area includes at least: $18.4 million in a loan subsidy fund; $750,000 for development of community partnerships to provide services that increase access to residential mortgage credit; $875,000 for advertising and outreach; and $375,000 for consumer financial education.

Because Trident is no longer lending, it will contract with another lender to provide loan subsidies and services to the “redlined” communities and will ensure that the lender: maintains at least four mortgage loan officers dedicated to serving neighborhoods of color in and around Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington; maintains at least four office locations in those neighborhoods; and employs a full-time manager of community lending who will oversee the continued development of lending in neighborhoods of color in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

Separately, Trident has also entered into agreements with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the States of New Jersey and Delaware. Under those agreements, which resolve allegations against both Trident and Fox & Roach LP (a real estate affiliate of Trident): Trident will reimburse Pennsylvania and New Jersey for costs that they incurred in conducting their investigations; and Fox & Roach will invest $150,000 in marketing to communities of color in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.  

“For far too many years, Philadelphia’s Black, Latino, and other communities of color have lacked equal access to lending and legal deed ownership. These historically redlined areas of Philadelphia continue to experience disproportionate amounts of poverty, poor health outcomes, limited educational attainment, unemployment, and violent crime,” U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero said. “I am pleased that my office could support the Attorney General’s Combatting Redlining Initiative through this resolution, and I look forward to our continued partnership with the Civil Rights Division.”

“Last fall, I announced the Department’s Combatting Redlining Initiative and promised that we would mobilize resources to make fair access to credit a reality in underserved neighborhoods across our country,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As demonstrated by today’s historic announcement, we are increasing our coordination with federal financial regulatory agencies and state Attorneys General to combat the modern-day redlining that has unlawfully plagued communities of color.” 

“This settlement is a stark reminder that redlining is not a problem from a bygone era. Trident’s unlawful redlining activity denied communities of color equal access to residential mortgages, stripped them of the opportunity to build wealth and devalued properties in their neighborhoods,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement ensures that significant lending resources will be infused into neighborhoods of color in and around Philadelphia that have historically experienced racial discrimination. Along with our federal and state law enforcement partners, we are sending a powerful message to lenders that they will be held accountable when they run afoul of our fair lending laws.”

“Trident illegally redlined neighborhoods in the Philadelphia area, excluding qualified families seeking to own a home,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “With housing costs so high, it is critical that illegal discrimination does not put homeownership even further out of reach.”

This settlement is part of the U.S. Attorney General’s Combatting Redlining Initiative, announced in October 2021 and aimed at coordinating agencies’ enforcement efforts to address this persistent form of discrimination against communities of color. The Initiative is expanding the Justice Department’s reach by strengthening partnerships with U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country, with regulatory partners like CFPB, and with partners in States’ attorney general offices.

The U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the CFPB jointly investigated the matter, with support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The investigation was coordinated closely with the attorneys general of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the States of New Jersey and Delaware.

A copy of the complaint, as well as additional information about the Justice Department’s fair lending enforcement, can be found at www.justice.gov/fairhousing. Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online.

Citizens in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania who believe that they may have been victims of lending discrimination may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania at 215-861-8200 or 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250, Philadelphia, PA 19106, ATTN: Civil Division Chief Gregory David.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Valentin Ortiz, 73, of Reading, PA, was sentenced to five years and 11 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $10,000 restitution by United States District Court Judge John M. Gallagher for repeatedly traveling to the Dominican Republic to engage in a sexual relationship with a 12 year old child, with whom he eventually fathered two children.

In November 2021, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of travel in foreign commerce with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and two counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place. The charges arose from an investigation which began when the defendant, a naturalized United States citizen, applied to bring his spouse to the U.S. by filing paperwork with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in June 2018. The defendant listed August 2013 as the date of their marriage, when his spouse and victim was 18 and he was 65 years old. Investigators discovered that beginning in 2007, when the defendant was 59 and the victim was just 12 years old, he pursued and maintained a sexual relationship with her when he traveled to the Dominican Republic. This ongoing illicit sexual relationship led to the victim becoming pregnant with their two children, when she was 13 and 15 years old, respectively.

“Valentin Ortiz is a sexual predator who targeted a very young and vulnerable victim, travelling internationally so he could prey on this child without the same legal consequences as he might face in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “But as a U.S. citizen, he is prohibited from engaging in such abhorrent conduct abroad, and accordingly, he has now been held accountable for his crimes.”

“Catching international predators requires international reach. When it comes to these types of cases, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is a premier U.S. government agency working to track, arrest, and convict these appalling criminals,” said William S. Walker, Special Agent in Charge for the HSI Philadelphia Field Office. “This case shows how HSI Philadelphia, along with our colleagues in the Dominican Republic, collaborated closely and stopped at nothing in pursuit of a dangerous sexual predator of children.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josh A. Davison.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that the United States filed a civil lawsuit against Murray-Overhill Pharmacy, Inc., located in Media, PA, and its co-owner pharmacist Martin Brian, alleging a years-long practice of illegal dispensing and distribution of opioid and other controlled substances as part of a sex-for-pills scheme. At the same time the civil suit was filed, the United States also filed a proposed consent judgment that, subject to the court’s approval, would resolve the lawsuit. The consent judgment would require Murray-Overhill Pharmacy and Brian to pay $750,000 in civil penalties under the Controlled Substances Act and would permanently prohibit them from dispensing controlled substances or obtaining another controlled substance registration in the future.

In the civil complaint, the United States alleged that Murray-Overhill Pharmacy, Inc., through its pharmacist and co-owner Martin Brian, exploited its access to controlled substances and engaged in a scheme of pills-for-sex with multiple individuals. The United States alleged that police arrived at the rear of the pharmacy due to a report of an unconscious male and female in a car, which contained drug paraphernalia. The complaint alleges that another woman exited the back of the pharmacy followed by Brian, with the woman and Brian initially claiming she came to the pharmacy from Maryland—on a Sunday when the pharmacy was closed—to show pictures of her children. According to the United States’ allegations, additional investigation revealed that the woman received oxycodone and alprazolam from Brian for sexual acts on several occasions over the prior year, without any legitimate prescription.

The complaint also alleges that Brian and Murray-Overhill engaged in a similar pills-for-sex scheme with another woman. Brian allegedly gave the woman bottles of oxycodone and alprazolam from Murray-Overhill multiple times a week without a prescription in exchange for sex acts. The complaint further alleges that additional evidence confirmed the schemes with these individuals, with over a hundred thousand missing pills of opioids and other controlled substances.

Murray-Overhill has already surrendered its pharmacy registration to the DEA. Murray-Overhill Pharmacy and Brian further agreed to resolve their civil liability under terms outlined in the proposed consent judgment, if accepted by the court. Among other things, Murray-Overhill and Brian would pay $750,000 in civil penalties under the Controlled Substances Act. The proposed resolution would also permanently prevent Brian from distributing or dispensing any controlled substances in the future and prevent Murray-Overhill Pharmacy from ever applying for a new controlled substance registration from the DEA.

The Delaware County District Attorney’s Office previously filed criminal charges against Brian for the same conduct.

“This case illustrates that the opioid epidemic continues to damage our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “This Office will never allow pharmacies and pharmacists, who held positions of trust, to take advantage of their access to controlled substances at the expense of those in our communities addicted to controlled substances.”

“The allegations against Brian that he repeatedly distributed powerful painkillers and other controlled substances in exchange for sexual acts are repulsive and demonstrate Brian’s total disregard for his legal and ethical responsibilities as a pharmacist,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “The DEA, working with its partners such as the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, the Media Borough Police Department, and the Pennsylvania Department of State, will aggressively pursue rogue pharmacists like Brian who are responsible for contributing to the opioid epidemic.”

“This case hits very close to home, involving as it does a pharmacy only a block from the courthouse. While the 81-year old pharmacist maintained a facade of respectability, in trading drugs for sex, he was no better than a dealer selling drugs on a street corner. The public should understand that the law enforcement community is committed to going after the dealers – whoever they may be, and wherever we may find them,” said Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer.

The case is being investigated by the Philadelphia Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, the Media Borough Police Department, and the Pennsylvania Department of State’s Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation. The civil investigation, litigation, and proposed resolution are being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony D. Scicchitano and auditor Dawn Wiggins, and was also handled by former Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Koob, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Anthony St. Joseph.

The complaint contains allegations only that the United States must prove if the case proceeds to trial. The proposed consent judgment would resolve any alleged civil liability.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Naod Tsegay, 22, of Collingdale, PA; Fode Bangoura, 20, of Philadelphia, PA; and Zyier Williams, 19, also of Philadelphia, PA, were arrested and charged by Indictment with bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, possession of stolen United States Postal Service (USPS) keys, and possession of stolen mail. The charges arise from the defendants’ alleged scheme to fraudulently alter and deposit personal and business checks that had been stolen from the U.S. mail. 

The Indictment alleges that between March and June 2021, Tsegay and his co-defendants recruited individuals to provide their bank account and debit card information, and then used those recruits’ bank accounts to deposit checks that had been stolen from blue USPS collection boxes located throughout the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Each of the victims confirmed that they placed their checks in the mail at various blue collection boxes near their homes but their checks never reached the intended recipients. According to the Indictment, after altering the checks by changing the designated payees and increasing the dollar amount of the checks—often from a nominal sum to a payment of several thousand dollars—Tsegay allegedly deposited the stolen checks into the recruits’ bank accounts and later withdrew or attempted to withdraw the fraudulently deposited funds. The Indictment further alleges that Tsegay was ultimately found in unlawful possession of dozens of checks and money orders stolen from USPS collection boxes, as well as two Arrow Keys—keys belonging to USPS that are used by Postal employees to access blue collection boxes throughout the District. The total amount stolen or attempted stolen as a result of the defendants’ scheme exceeded $200,000.

“The United States Postal Service provides an essential service to nearly every citizen, often conveying income, bills and expenses which are the basis of many livelihoods,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “If you choose to tamper with or steal U.S. mail for any reason, you can be assured that the federal government will conduct an intense investigation and aggressive prosecution, as we intend to in this case.”

“The United States Postal Inspection Service investigates many different crimes that affect the Postal Service, its customers, or that use the mail in the commission of the crime,” said Damon Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division. “One of its original missions however, was to investigate the theft of mail. When folks use the mail to pay bills, send birthday cards, send business documents, or simply hope to receive a new pair of shoes that were ordered online, they should do so without fear that those items might be stolen. We have been working, and will continue to work, to identify, investigate, arrest, and support the prosecution of those responsible for stealing mail and shaking our collective trust in the mail system. I want to thank the United States Attorney’s Office and the numerous local police departments for working with us to bring these charges against these three individuals.”

If convicted, the defendants face mandatory terms of imprisonment and a fine of at least $1 million.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Yeadon Borough Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Rice.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that William Watts, Sr., 56, of Philadelphia, PA, pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Joel H. Slomsky to the charges of receiving and possessing child pornography.

In June 2022, the defendant was charged by Information with child exploitation offenses. The FBI arrested the defendant in October 2021 after investigating a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. At the time of his arrest, the defendant was a police officer in Philadelphia’s First Police District and had amassed a collection of hundreds of images of child pornography between his online accounts and electronic devices. Watts has since resigned his position with the Department, and as a result of his conviction, he faces a sentence of up to forty years in prison, lifetime supervised release, and mandatory restitution of at least $3,000 per child victim, and other fines and penalties. Watts remains incarcerated at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia pending sentencing.

“Watts has admitted to seeking out videos of children being abused for his own gratification – thus adding to the demand for these types of images to be produced and more children to be victimized,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Our Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to doing the difficult work of investigating and prosecuting these heinous crimes in order to hold people like this defendant accountable, no matter their position in the community or occupation.”

“That William Watts repeatedly broke the law while sworn to uphold it is disappointing,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “That he was collecting images of children being sexually abused is disturbing. All those who seek out this despicable material are perpetuating the victimization of innocent children. That’s why the FBI so doggedly pursues these cases. Protecting kids from this physical and emotional trauma is our priority.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Harrell.

PHILADELPHIA –United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Brandon Segers, 34, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $142,069 in restitution for fraudulently applying for and obtaining emergency unemployment benefits related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, Segers and others submitted false applications claiming that prison inmates lost employment as a result of the pandemic, and false weekly certifications that inmates were available to work full-time despite their incarceration.

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was signed into law. The CARES Act created the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which provides unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended unemployment benefits, including individuals, families, and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligibility to receive weekly PUA benefits is predicated on an applicant’s unemployment for reasons related to the pandemic, and it requires that the applicant was able to work each day and, if offered a job, would have been able to accept it. Once an applicant is approved to receive benefits, the applicant is required to submit weekly certifications indicating that he or she: was ready, willing and able to work each day; was seeking full time employment; did not refuse any job offers or referrals; and had reported any employment during the week and the gross pay or other payments received.

In April 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and theft of government money. As part of his guilty plea, Segers acknowledged that applications were filed on behalf of inmates who did not lose their job due to COVID. Co-defendant and incarcerated individual, Michael Matthews, transmitted the necessary inmate information for the filing of PUA applications to Segers, a former federal inmate who was previously incarcerated with Matthews, via phone and email. Segers would then file the fraudulent applications and weekly certifications in the name of Matthews and other inmates Matthews provided. Segers compensated Matthews for providing the inmate information by depositing money into his federal prison commissary account. Matthews previously pleaded guilty to related charges and is due to be sentenced on July 22, 2022. Co-defendant Dionne Segers’ case is pending.

“Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and small business loan funds are intended to help working Americans and small business owners continue to pay their bills and make ends meet, even when revenues have dropped dramatically due to the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Thieves who attempt to take these funds are taking advantage of others’ misfortune – ripping them off while also ripping off all taxpayers who fund the program. Segers and Matthews fraudulently obtained thousands of dollars in funds that could have helped struggling businesses and individuals.”

“Today, Brandon Segers has been held accountable for using deceit and fraud to line his pockets with PUA funds,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “This is a warning to those out there who think the PUA program is a slush fund. IRS CI, along with our partners, remains committed to investigating those who fraudulently target the PUA program.”

This case was investigated by the United States Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Lanni.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that David Abell, 73, of Chincoteague Island, VA, and Rodney Martinez, 51, of Blackwood, NJ, were sentenced today by United States District Court Judge C. Darnell Jones for bribery and fraud offenses in connection with a scheme to defraud SEPTA of approximately $900,000. Abell was sentenced to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay over $213,000 restitution and to forfeit nearly $96,300. Martinez was sentenced to two years and six months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $292,000 restitution and to forfeit nearly $144,300. Both defendants had pleaded guilty to charges of federal program bribery and federal program theft -- Abell in November 2021 and Martinez in December 2021.

From about 2013 through 2019, management-level employees working in SEPTA’s Bridges and Buildings Department (“BBD”) including Abell, Martinez and Peter Brauner, 59, of Kintersville, PA, engaged in bribery and theft schemes with two SEPTA vendors. The BBD is responsible for maintaining, repairing, and renovating SEPTA facilities throughout the southeastern Pennsylvania region. To facilitate this work, SEPTA issued “procurement cards” (also known as P-Cards) to management-level employees working in the BBD. The P-Cards, which operate as SEPTA credit cards, are to be used for purchasing items needed for the legitimate work of the BBD.

In about 2013, Abell, who was the Senior Director of Maintenance at SEPTA, agreed with two codefendants who were SEPTA vendors, to exploit the P-Card system for their mutual benefit. Abell solicited the vendors to provide him with regular cash payments of approximately $1,000 to $2,000 per month. In exchange for those payments, the vendors falsely billed SEPTA through the P-Card system for items that the vendor was not providing to SEPTA. The false charges to SEPTA covered the cash payments to Abell, plus a substantial additional amount to generate fraud proceeds for the vendor. As part of the corrupt deals with the vendors, Abell encouraged other BBD managers to use and continue to use the vendors for SEPTA purchases, growing the vendors’ business with SEPTA.

At various times, beginning around 2014, several other SEPTA BBD managers began engaging in similar fraud activity with the vendors. Those managers included defendant Martinez, who in 2016 replaced Abell as Senior Director of Maintenance and took over Abell’s legitimate role in SEPTA’s BBD, as well as his role in the fraud and bribery scheme. Martinez regularly solicited cash payments from the vendors under the same arrangement that the vendors had with Abell. The cash payments to Martinez totaled over $144,000. The cash payments to Abell totaled approximately $100,000.

Other BBD managers, including defendant Brauner, individually solicited the vendors for cash and personal items. The vendors agreed to provide the cash and personal items to the managers, and then fraudulently billed SEPTA to cover the cost of those payments and products and to generate additional fraud proceeds for themselves. The personal items provided to the managers included valuable gold coins, electronic devices and appliances, designer clothing, and expensive tools and equipment. Together, the two vendors defrauded SEPTA of roughly $900,000. Brauner, a lower-level participant in the scheme, was sentenced today to two years of probation, and was ordered to pay over $33,000 restitution, also by Judge Jones.

One of the corrupt vendors, Mark Irvello, was sentenced by Judge Jones in May 2022, to two years and six months in prison. The government charged a total of nine individuals who participated in this bribery and fraud scheme. All defendants have pleaded guilty and have been or will be sentenced by Judge Jones.

“Philadelphians deserve public employees who do their jobs honestly, without gaming the system to line their own pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “At a time when SEPTA is facing significant challenges to continue serving and protecting its riders, the defendants’ actions – and those of their co-conspirators – are the definition of selfish greed.”

“Stealing money from SEPTA, which so many folks depend on day to day, is both shameful and shortsighted,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “This is not the way to increase your take-home pay. The FBI takes federal program theft seriously and, as in this case, we’ll work to ensure justice is done and fraudsters are held appropriately accountable.”     

“The auditors and investigators in the SEPTA Office of Inspector General worked diligently to uncover this difficult-to-detect fraud,” said SEPTA Inspector General Denise S. Wolf. “Our ridership deserves that these wrongdoers be held accountable for their illegal activity. We express appreciation for the FBI and United States Attorney’s Office for bringing these defendants to justice.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the SEPTA Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. SEPTA’s Internal Audit Division launched an investigation after receiving tips from employees, and the Authority’s Inspector General shared the findings with the FBI.

PHILADELPHIA – Yesterday, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the recipients for the 69th Annual Attorney General’s Awards, recognizing Department of Justice employees and partners nationwide for extraordinary contributions to the enforcement of our nation’s laws. This year, 298 Justice Department employees received awards, while 54 non-department individuals are also being honored for their work.  

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Jacqueline C. Romero was proud to note that one of the 2022 Attorney General’s Award recipients was EDPA Assistant United States Attorney and Chief of the Office’s Appeals Unit, Robert A. Zauzmer. Mr. Zauzmer received the Mary C. Lawton Lifetime Service Award, which recognizes employees who have served at least 20 years in the Department and who have demonstrated high standards of excellence and dedication throughout their careers. This award is presented only in exceptional circumstances to individuals of special merit and is not awarded to express general appreciation for tenure alone. Only two Mary C. Lawton Awards were presented this year.

“This year’s awardees have served selflessly to further the Department’s important work upholding the rule of law, keeping our country safe, and protecting civil rights,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am proud to recognize these individuals for their professionalism, skill, and leadership, and I am grateful for their service to our Department and our nation.”

“Our Office is incredibly fortunate to be able to call Bob Zauzmer a colleague and friend,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “His unparalleled contributions to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the Department of Justice as an institution are certainly deserving of this recognition, but the Award alone does not go far enough in expressing how grateful we all are for his wisdom, integrity and masterful advocacy in the courtroom.”

During Mr. Zauzmer’s accomplished tenure with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, which he joined in March 1990, he has prosecuted an array of federal crimes focusing on corruption and fraud matters, including several noteworthy public corruption matters in Philadelphia: the 2005 Philadelphia City Hall corruption case in which the City Treasurer and others were convicted of corrupt conduct in city government affairs; the 2009 corruption case against former State Senator Vincent J. Fumo; and the 2017 prosecution of former District Attorney R. Seth Williams who pleaded guilty during trial to bribery and fraud offenses.

In addition, since 1998, Mr. Zauzmer has served as Chief of the Office’s Appeals Unit, supervising all federal criminal appeals in the District, and appears frequently before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in that capacity. He has also served in a variety of leadership positions with the Department of Justice, including as the national chair of the committee of appellate chiefs from 2012 to 2014 during which he advised the Attorney General on appellate matters, and as the Pardon Attorney in the Department of Justice from 2016 to 2017 to assist President Obama’s initiative to extend executive clemency to nonviolent drug offenders serving exceptionally long sentences.

This year’s Attorney General’s Award is not the first time Mr. Zauzmer has been recognized for his service to the Department. He has twice received the John Marshall Award, the DOJ’s highest award for litigation activities: in 1992 for the prosecution of a drug organization that terrorized a Philadelphia neighborhood, and again in 2008 for his participation on the team of DOJ attorneys which oversaw the response to amendments to the Sentencing Guidelines for certain drug offenses which required the resentencing for thousands of defendants nationally.

A complete list of the 69th Annual Attorney General’s Awards and recipients can be found here.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Andrew Dickson, 58, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to twenty years in prison, and lifetime supervised release by United States District Court Judge C. Darnell Jones for the production, receipt, and possession of voluminous amounts of child pornography, and for accessing a website with the intent to view child pornography.

In 2015, the FBI infiltrated an extensive child exploitation website hidden on the dark web and, as part of that investigation, identified the defendant as a member of the site. The investigation showed that the defendant had produced and created his own child pornography by paying overseas child sex traffickers for online live-streaming shows of children being raped and sexually abused, and then recorded the live-streaming and saved it. When the FBI arrested him, Dickson was found in possession of over 78,000 images of children being sexually abused and exploited, which the defendant had collected over a span of at least 15 years. 

This prosecution was a result of Operation Pacifier, an exceptional FBI investigation which has led to hundreds of prosecutions for crimes against children. Operation Pacifier was led by Special Agent Daniel Alfin, who was tragically murdered in Florida on February 2, 2021, during the execution of a child exploitation search warrant in a separate case.

“Not only did this defendant commit the heinous crime of possessing child pornography, but he actively created it for himself and others by exploiting vulnerable children around the world,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “The size and scope of Mr. Dickson’s ‘collection’ is truly heinous, and we gratefully acknowledge the work of Special Agent Alfin and all the men and women of the FBI who seek to bring these offenders to justice.”

“Andrew Dickson’s actions caused vulnerable children to undergo unimaginable horrors,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “These kids were sexually abused at his direction, while he watched and recorded the exploitation in order to repeatedly relive it. Given the subject matter, cases like this are some of the most difficult the FBI works. They’re also some of the most meaningful. Operation Pacifier is a prime example of the dedication shown by agents like Dan Alfin and FBI Crimes Against Children investigators in Philadelphia and across the country, who are driven to put predators like Dickson behind bars where they can’t harm another child.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Priya T. De Souza.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Jerry Collins, 42, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 5 years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Gerald A. McHugh for his role in a broad daylight armed robbery of an armored vehicle containing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash nearly three years ago.

In November 2021, the defendant pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and related offenses including using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a violent crime in connection with the incident. On August 1, 2019, at approximately 10:00 a.m., Collins’ co-defendant, Tyree Holmes, and another individual, both wearing masks and gloves and armed with semi-automatic weapons, exited a Chevy Trailblazer that had parked behind a Garda armored truck near the 3500 block of Market Street as one of two guards removed three black bags containing a total of $434,000 in United States currency.  As the robbers approached the guard holding the money bags, they pointed their firearms at the guard and announced a robbery while Collins waited nearby in the driver’s seat of the Chevy Trailblazer. Holmes grabbed the bags of money and attempted to get back into the Chevy Trailblazer when both guards drew their firearms and began shooting at the fleeing robbers. During the ensuing gunfire, Holmes dropped the bags of money and fled on foot while the other robber got into the Trailblazer with Collins and fled the scene. Collins and Holmes were both arrested several months later by the Philadelphia Police Department and charged by federal indictment.

“This defendant orchestrated an armed robbery of an armored vehicle in the middle of the day in a busy section of downtown Philadelphia, putting the lives of the guards and many bystanders at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Mr. Collins will now spend years behind bars for this serious and violent offense.”

“This daylight armed heist by Collins and his buddies was as brazen as it was foolish,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. “The way it all unfolded on that busy block, it's a miracle no one was hurt, or worse, in the gunfire that ensued. I'd like to thank the FBI-PPD Violent Crimes Task Force for their great work on this case. We and our law enforcement partners are fighting day in and day out to get violent criminals off the street and make Philly safer for all.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney José Arteaga. 

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Patrick Harrison, 39, of Pottstown, PA, was sentenced to nine years in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Chad F. Kenney for a gunpoint robbery of a Rite-Aid pharmacy in Philadelphia that occurred on November 18, 2021.

On March 23, 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to an Indictment charging him with Hobbs Act robbery; carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during the commission of a violent crime; and possession of a firearm by a felon. In pleading guilty, Harrison acknowledged that he brandished a firearm and demanded money from store employees. The defendant then fled the store after stealing approximately $600. The defendant also admitted to illegally possessing a firearm, in this case a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol, which he was not permitted to do as a previously convicted felon.

“Mr. Harrison threatened the lives of employees in this pharmacy with a loaded weapon and stole $600, and for that crime he will now spend nearly a decade in prison,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Repeat offenders who commit reckless violent crimes like this defendant will soon face serious federal charges and years in prison.”

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

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division announced that Wayne Garvin, 57, currently of Columbia, South Carolina, and a former IRS employee, was sentenced to 13 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $74,662 restitution for filing false tax returns and providing fabricated records to the IRS in an attempt to obstruct an audit of those returns.

In March 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to multiple tax fraud charges. Garvin was a long-time IRS employee who most recently worked as a Supervisory Associate Advocate with the IRS’s Taxpayer Advocate Service in Philadelphia. For the years 2012 through 2016, while working as an IRS employee, Garvin prepared and filed with the IRS personal income tax returns on which he claimed false deductions and expenses associated with rental properties, fictitious real estate taxes on his personal residence, and fabricated charitable contributions. Moreover, on his 2013 tax return, Garvin deducted nearly $16,000 in false expenses associated with his employment with the U.S. Army Reserves. Although Garvin was formerly a member of the U.S. Army Reserves, he did not perform any reservist duty in 2013 and was not entitled to deduct any expenses related to that employment. In total, Garvin caused a loss to the IRS of more than $74,000.

Further, court documents also show that after the IRS began an audit of the defendant’s 2013 and 2014 tax returns, Garvin attempted to obstruct the audit by submitting fictitious documents to the IRS. For example, to justify the false deductions and expenses on his tax returns, Garvin fabricated and submitted to the IRS auditors receipts from a church, invoices from a contractor and a letter from the Department of the Army. After learning he was under criminal investigation, Garvin later submitted some of the same fraudulent documents to IRS-Criminal Investigation.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiwana Wright and Trial Attorney Melissa S. Siskind of the Department of Justice Tax Division.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Thomas Staszak, 47, of Philadelphia, PA, a former employee of the Philadelphia Water Department (“PWD”), was sentenced to fourteen months in prison, two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $153,367 restitution by United States District Judge Joel H. Slomsky for stealing inventory from a City of Philadelphia storage facility.

In January 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to multiple counts of theft from a federally funded program and computer fraud. On multiple occasions from approximately April 2017 through at least November 2018, the defendant accessed PWD’s computerized inventory control system without authorization, using log-in credentials associated with PWD employees under his supervision, at a PWD storeroom. Staszak created false entries in PWD’s electronic records to provide justifications for removing maintenance materials, for example bulk wire, from the storeroom. The defendant then physically took the materials from PWD’s inventory, transported them to local scrap yards, sold the materials, and kept the proceeds. In this fashion, Staszak stole items valued at approximately in excess of $150,000 before he was caught. As a City of Philadelphia agency, PWD receives millions of dollars in federal funds and assistance annually.

“Mr. Staszak used his position as a supervisor with a public sector agency to enrich himself to the detriment of all Philadelphians who expect and deserve honest services from their government,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “The Philadelphia Water Department is entrusted with a task which is vital to the health of our city and region; the defendant’s actions took money and resources for that mission directly out of the hands of taxpayers and moved the proceeds into his own bank account.”

“Thomas Staszak apparently felt his city salary wasn’t enough,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “But stealing and selling your employer’s property certainly isn’t the way to enhance your paycheck. In doing so, Staszak cheated the Philadelphia Water Department, the taxpayers who help fund it, and all the honest municipal employees who do the right thing, in the right way, every day. He’ll now pay for his crimes through restitution and prison time.”  

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric L. Gibson.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division announced that Joseph Smith, 57, formerly of Fishkill, New York, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,100,450 in restitution by Unites States District Court Judge Gerald J. Pappert for his scheme to defraud prospective franchisees of more than $2.1 million, collectively.

In February 2022, the defendant. the owner of New York Bagel Enterprises, Inc., (“New York Bagel”), which operated in Pennsylvania and other states, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and tax evasion in connection with this scheme. According to court documents and statements made in court, Smith and Dennis Mason, charged separately, made numerous misrepresentations to individuals interested in buying a New York Bagel franchise. These misrepresentations included: a guarantee that New York Bagel could get financing for the prospective franchisee, the actual costs to open a franchise, the number of franchises that were already open or opening, and the profitability of existing franchises. The defendant and Mason charged prospective franchisees fees ranging between $7,500 and $44,500 to gain rights to open stores. When some prospective franchisees learned of the misrepresentations and demanded their money back, Smith refused to refund these fees. As a result of the fraud, Smith and New York Bagel sold more than 160 franchises and obtained more than $2.1 million in franchise fees.

Further, from 2014 through 2016, Smith deposited more than $1.3 million in franchise fees into New York Bagel bank accounts which he controlled. The defendant spent these funds on personal items unrelated to the business, including rent for his home, travel, car payments for personal vehicles and living expenses. Smith did not file corporate or individual income taxes for these three years or pay the taxes he owed to the IRS.

Mason previously pleaded guilty to related charges and was sentenced to three years in prison in April 2022.

“Individuals seeking to own and operate business franchises are seeking opportunity and financial stability for themselves and their families; they deserve honesty and forthrightness in their business dealings so they can make informed decisions,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Mr. Smith took advantage of his position to swindle millions of dollars from people seeking legitimate business opportunities, and for that crime he will now spend years in prison.”

“While Smith was defrauding investors out of their franchise fees, he also evaded nearly $175,000 in taxes due on that income,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. “Business owners who pay the IRS their fair share of taxes deserve to compete on a level playing field. Competitors who cut corners and seek to skirt their legal obligations should know they will be investigated and prosecuted.”

“Mr. Smith’s scheme served no purpose other than to mislead and defraud perspective franchisees,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “Furthermore, he took steps to hide his earnings from IRS, thus shirking his tax liability. The sentence he received is a victory for all Americans who play by the rules.”

“Joseph Smith peddled what looked like a great opportunity to potential franchisees,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “But once they signed on the dotted line, they learned he’d been peddling something else instead. Smith treated their franchise fees like found money. It was a clear-cut case of fraud and this sentence puts him behind bars and provides some justice for his victims. The FBI will always fight to hold crooks like this accountable.”    

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Ignall and Trial Attorney Eric B. Powers of the Department of Justice Tax Division.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that three area railroad workers have agreed to pay over $75,000, collectively, to resolve claims of unemployment benefits fraud under the False Claims Act. In three civil actions filed this week, the government alleges that Shohana Culberson, of Philadelphia, PA; Keith Abele, of Levittown, PA; and James T. Billups, of Newark, DE; applied for and received unemployment benefits from the United States Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) when they were, in fact, gainfully employed.

The Railroad Retirement Act provides unemployment benefits for railroad workers who are out of work. The program is administered by the RRB and is financed by taxes paid by railroad employees. 

The government alleges that defendant Culberson submitted 20 false claims for unemployment benefits between March and December 2017, while she was employed by Comcast. The government also alleges that Abele submitted 31 false claims for unemployment benefits between November 2016 and April 2018, while he was employed by Terminal Switching Company, LLC and Watco Transloading, LLC. Finally, the government alleges that defendant Billups submitted 13 false claims for unemployment benefits between September 2017 and February 2018, while he was employed by FedEx and Comcast. Between them, the government alleges, the defendants received a total of $37,127 of unemployment compensation on days when they knew they were not eligible for it.

The United States filed lawsuits against Culberson, Abele, and Billups under the False Claims Act, which provides for three times the government’s damages plus civil penalties for each false claim. To resolve these matters, the defendants each agreed to enter into a consent judgment subject to the Court’s approval that would resolve the matter without litigation.

The claims resolved by the settlements announced today are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

“Unemployment benefits, no matter if they are administered by the government, a union, or a private entity, are very plainly meant to help individuals through a difficult time while unemployed, not as slush fund from which to obtain surplus income,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “We will continue to work with all of our investigative partners and use every tool at our disposal to remediate this type of fraud.”

The allegations arose from investigations led by the Railroad Retirement Board Office of Inspector General in Philadelphia. The cases are being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren DeBruicker.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Roberto DeJesus Negrin, 35, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to ten years in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Nitza I. Quinones-Alejandro for multiple narcotics offenses stemming from his role as a drug trafficker and a leading supplier of heroin in one of the most drug-laden neighborhoods in Philadelphia.

In January 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to an Indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute heroin, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin. In pleading guilty, the defendant acknowledged that he coordinated shipments of heroin into Philadelphia and arranged for it to be packaged into street-level, sale-ready quantities at two locations which he obtained for the purpose of operating this bagging operation. During much of 2018, the defendant was the main heroin supplier to a drug trafficking organization that controlled an open-air drug market in the Kensington section of the city. In November 2018, when law enforcement executed search warrants at the two locations controlled by the defendant, they recovered over two kilograms of heroin in each place and other items consistent with drug trafficking.

“Drug use and the violence that surrounds it are – and have been – an epidemic in Philadelphia, and the federal government is aggressively prosecuting those who seek to profit from it,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “This defendant played a key role in the supply chain of heroin distribution, for which he will now spend a decade in prison. We want to thank our law enforcement partners in this case, the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department, for their hard work and dedication.”

The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Timothy M. Stengel.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Marques Russell, 37, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to seven years in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $3,100 special assessment and forfeiture of $129,600 by United States District Judge C. Darnell Jones, II, for his role in an inter-state prescription forgery ring.

In October 2021, the defendant pleaded guilty to 31 counts of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone. The charges stem from Russell’s participation in a forged prescription ring, in which he and others presented fake prescriptions, forging doctors’ signatures, to pharmacies in order to obtain large amounts of oxycodone for illegal resale. The defendant admitted to presenting such prescriptions on 31 occasions to pharmacies in Drexel Hill and Kennett Square, PA. Over a roughly two-year period from about February 2017 through May 2019, Russell obtained 4,320 oxycodone tablets totaling 129,600 milligrams. The defendant was charged by Indictment in 2019, along with eleven others who presented forged prescriptions, and one complicit pharmacist in New Jersey.

“Pharmacies and pharmacists have a responsibility to serve as gatekeepers of a closed system of prescription drug distribution. This defendant and his co-conspirators took advantage of that system to flood the streets of our region with dangerous opioid drugs, no doubt exacerbating the epidemic,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Our Office will continue to investigate and prosecute healthcare fraud crimes like this in an effort to deter such conduct and keep our communities safe.”

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Easttown Township Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David E. Troyer.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Craig Alex Levin, 66, of King of Prussia, PA, pleaded guilty to six counts of child exploitation offenses before United States District Court Judge Harvey Bartle, III, stemming from his travel to the Philippines over a nearly three-year period for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minor children, some as young as 12 years of age. He also engaged in commercial sex trafficking by brokering the sale of a minor girl, who was pregnant at the time, for sex with an adult sex offender in exchange for money.

In May 2021, the defendant was charged by Superseding Indictment with multiple counts of interstate and foreign travel for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, sex trafficking of a minor, use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity, distribution of child pornography, transfer of obscene material to a minor, and transportation of child pornography. Levin was first indicted with child exploitation offenses related to his travel to the Philippines in February 2020.

According to Court documents, Levin was a retired special education teacher for the Lower Merion School District. Between August 2016 and May 2019, the defendant traveled to the Philippines nine times to have sex with minor children. Prior to and during his travels, Levin created and maintained Facebook accounts that he used to communicate with minors in the Philippines for the purpose of enticing them to engage in illicit sexual conduct with him during his visits to the island nation. In addition, the defendant used Facebook Messenger to send child pornography to minors in the Philippines.

“Mr. Levin, someone who worked for years in a position of trust as a teacher, traveled to country and stayed for months at a time in order to prey on children undetected – or so he thought,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Our Office, together with our law enforcement partners, works day and night to investigate and track criminals like this defendant, even when they try to hide on the other side of the world. Our message to them with this case is simple: you cannot hide; we will find you and we will hold you accountable in a court of law.”

“Craig Levin apparently thought, because he was halfway around the world, he could commit these heinous crimes with impunity,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “He could not have been more wrong. As this case shows, the FBI’s reach is long, and we’ll do everything in our power to end the sexual exploitation of children, be they in Philadelphia or the Philippines. Protecting vulnerable kids from predators like Levin continues to be one of the Bureau’s top priorities.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Damiani and Trial Attorney Austin M. Berry of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Al-Ashraf Basem Khalil, 28, of Philadelphia, PA, was arrested on June 24, 2022, after being charged by Criminal Complaint with arson on June 23, 2022.  During a news conference held today with officials from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; and the Philadelphia Fire Department; First Assistant United States Attorney Nelson S. T. Thayer, Jr., detailed the charges outlined in the Complaint accusing the defendant of causing the arson at 300 W. Indiana Avenue in Philadelphia on June 18, 2022, which resulted in the death of Philadelphia Fire Lieutenant Sean Williamson. The announcement comes the day after funeral services were held for Lt. Williamson.

Specifically, the defendant has been charged with one count of malicious damage by means of fire of a building used in interstate commerce resulting in death, one count of aiding and abetting and willfully causing the same, and one count of making materially false or fraudulent statements. Khalil was arrested Friday afternoon at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, NY, by United States Marshals who thwarted Khalil’s efforts to leave the United States, getting as far as Jordan, until he was forced to return to face these charges. Khalil made his initial appearance before a United States Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of New York, where he was detained and ordered transferred to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

As detailed in the Complaint, voluminous video surveillance recovered by investigators showed two suspects – minutes before the fire began in the early morning hours of June 18 – walk behind a dumpster and enter the basement doors of the property at 300 W. Indiana Avenue. The video surveillance further shows the two suspects leave the location about twenty minutes later, shortly after which smoke can be observed that gradually grows thicker emanating from the area of building.

On June 20, 2022, ATF agents interviewed the defendant, the owner of the property, as part of their federal investigation into the origin and cause of the fire. The Complaint alleges that Khalil provided false information about where he was at the time he learned of the fire, and that he stated that he had no plans to travel outside the U.S. in the next year. While he was being interviewed, agents noted that some of the defendant’s clothing appeared to be similar to one of the two suspects captured on the video surveillance footage.

Further, the following day on June 21, 2022, Khalil again met with investigators at their request, and later that day booked a flight from JFK airport to Amman, Jordan with a layover in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. On June 22, 2022, the defendant left the United States on that flight.

“Whenever there is a fire in our city, the brave men and women of the Philadelphia Fire Department put their lives on the line to protect us. Intentionally causing a fire and deliberately putting firefighters and innocent victims in harm’s way is truly unconscionable,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “We are grateful to all of the investigators on this case who moved rapidly to determine the origins of the fire, identify a suspect, and return him to U.S. soil so he can answer these charges before the court. And while we mourn the loss of Lt. Williamson, we are grateful for his life and his service to our city, and hope that by seeking justice in this case we honor his memory.”

“ATF is dedicated to investigating and preventing violent crime,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Arson, just like gun crime, can have serious consequences and as alleged in this case, caused the death of a beloved public servant. Our team of investigators and dedicated prosecutors will continue to seek justice for the victims of these violent acts.”

“The phenomenal effort between U.S. law enforcement agencies and our international partners in quickly capturing this fugitive while attempting to flee to the Middle East demonstrates our global reach and unwavering commitment to justice,” said U.S. Marshal Eric Gartner. “Our hope is that this rapid capture will provide some measure of comfort to the family of Lt. Sean Williamson and the Philadelphia Fire Department.”

“We respond to more than 3,500 structure fires annually, and the majority are unintentional. However, intentional fires are still a problem: last year, more than 650 incendiary incidents were investigated by our Fire Marshal's Office in close partnership with the Philadelphia Police Department and ATF,” said Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam K. Thiel. “This incident demonstrates the tragic consequences of arson. Our thoughts remain with Lt. Williamson’s family, friends and PFD colleagues as this case moves forward and justice is served.”

If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum term of seven years in prison if, as here, personal injury results to any person. If death results to any person, including a public safety officer performing duties, the statute carries a maximum penalty of life in prison or the death penalty.

The case was investigated by ATF Philadelphia and the ATF’s National Response Team, the Philadelphia Fire Department Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Philadelphia Police Department, with significant assistance provided by the Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Diplomatic Security Service in Amman, Jordan and Dubai, UAE, and INTERPOL Washington. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeanine Linehan and Sarah Damiani.

An Indictment, Information, or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that John Nusslein, 18, of Philadelphia, PA, was arrested and charged by Indictment with carjacking resulting in death, carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, conspiracy to commit carjacking, and carrying and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, all in connection with two carjacking incidents that occurred in December 2021 in Northeast Philadelphia. The defendant made his initial appearance in federal court on these charges today and was detained pending trial.

The Indictment alleges that on December 2, 2021, the defendant, in concert with others, placed a food delivery order to an address on the 3000 block of Teesdale Street as a ruse to lure their intended victim to that location. That evening, when the food delivery driver arrived on that block with the order, the defendant and his coconspirators approached the driver and struck him repeatedly, stole his vehicle and fled the area. As a result of the injuries sustained in this attack, the victim delivery driver succumbed to his injuries and died.

Then, on December 16, 2021, the defendant, in concert with others, followed the same plan and placed another food delivery order to an address on the 9000 block of Hilspach Street to lure another victim. When the food delivery driver arrived to deliver his cargo, the defendant and others approached the driver, pointed a firearm at him, demanded his money and struck him, stole his vehicle and then fled.

“Through our Office’s Carjacking Task Force, we are continuing to investigate, arrest and prosecute those responsible for the spate of carjackings we have seen in Philadelphia in recent months,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “As alleged, this defendant violently attacked two hard-working people, one of whom died as a result of his injuries. Carjacking is not game or a fun pastime, it is a serious federal crime with severe consequences.”

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

The total maximum sentence for the defendant is the death penalty, or alternatively, a period of imprisonment up to life, with a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence of imprisonment, and a $1,000,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren E. Stram and Robert E. Eckert.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Angela DiPietro-Sabatine, 57, of Pennsauken, NJ, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $2,644,543 in restitution and the same amount in criminal forfeiture by United States District Court Judge Joshua D. Wolson for her theft of more than $2.6 million dollars from her former employer, the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation (DRWC), an organization whose mission is to design, develop, and manage the central Delaware River waterfront from Oregon to Allegheny Avenues for the benefit of Philadelphia residents.

In February 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and bank fraud in connection with a scheme to create false financial records for the non-profit and then steal the funds for her personal use. As Accounting Administrator for DRWC, her duties included managing the accounts payable and receivable, bank reconciliations, and general ledger work. DiPietro-Sabatine used the non-profit’s computerized accounting software to create false expense items for legitimate vendors of DRWC in order to invoice services that were never rendered. The defendant then generated DRWC checks for these false expense items, manipulated the computerized accounting software to change the payee on the check from the legitimate vendor to herself, and forged the signatures of DRWC’s authorized signatories, the President and Vice President, on these unauthorized checks made payable to herself. She spent the stolen proceeds, more than $2.6 million, on personal expenses, including gambling and luxury vacations.

“Organizations, especially non-profits and charities with a mission to benefit the public good, must be able to rely on the honesty of employees who handle money,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “DiPietro-Sabatine went to great lengths to hide her criminal conduct from her employer for many years, but justice finally caught up with her. We appreciate DRWC’s cooperation in this investigation so the defendant could be held accountable for her actions.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy Potts.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Eduardo Castelan-Prado, 39, of Leonia, NJ, and Jose Ochoa, 32, of Moreno Valley, CA, were convicted after trial of kidnapping charges arising from the abduction of a teenage victim from Northeast Philadelphia to New Jersey just over one year ago in June 2021.

In June 2021, the defendants were charged by Indictment with conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping in connection with their actions, along with a third conspirator, to kidnap a 17-year-old in the parking lot of a restaurant in Philadelphia, which was the teen’s place of employment, after his shift ended. Evidence presented at trial showed that on June 14, 2021, Castelan-Prado, Ochoa, and a third co-conspirator then transported the victim to a residence in New Jersey, where they held him at gunpoint while making ransom demands of $500,000 to his parents. The FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department were able to determine the victim’s location by tracing the ransom calls, and in the early morning hours of June 16, 2021, an FBI SWAT team executed a search warrant at an apartment complex in Leonia, New Jersey, rescued the victim, and arrested the defendants.

“The events of this case are every parent’s worst nightmare: someone with ill intentions forcefully taking their child. These defendants kidnapped a teenager in an effort to extort money, a crime for which they will now be appropriately penalized,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “As was the case here, our investigators and prosecutors will work quickly and tirelessly to identify, locate and charge anyone who attempts this type of violent crime in our district.”

“These defendants abducted a child in order to extort his parents,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “This boy was made a pawn in a despicable and dangerous ploy for money. I’m so proud of all the folks who worked around the clock to locate and recover him, before his abductors inflicted any physical harm. These kidnapping convictions mean they’ll be off the street and behind bars for decades, unable to victimize anyone else’s child.”  

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

The case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia and FBI Newark, and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Oshana and Kate Shulman.

PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Scott E. Diamond, 62, of Philadelphia, PA, and Jesse M. Cohen, 42, of Los Angeles, CA, were charged together by Information with one count of mail fraud and one count of wire fraud. Diamond was an attorney who was a partner in a Philadelphia law firm, and Cohen was an associate in the same law firm. The firm specialized in complex commercial litigation, representing plaintiffs in personal injury matters, and representing insurance companies in insurance subrogation matters.

According to the Information, for approximately two years from 2018 through 2020, Diamond and Cohen engaged in a scheme to divert the fees from numerous personal injury and subrogation matters from the firm to themselves by secretly resolving the cases without the other firm partners knowing about the resolutions. Diamond and Cohen then caused insurance companies and other payors on those cases to send legal fees to themselves instead of to their employer, the law firm. When that was not possible, Diamond went through the firm’s mail and removed checks covering legal fees on the stolen cases made payable to the firm. Diamond then deposited checks from the cases they diverted into bank accounts that he controlled and shared the proceeds with Cohen. Diamond concealed the illegal conduct from his employer by closing the files for those matters and making it appear in the computer records of the firm that there were no settlements or resolutions and that the cases were not viable.

The personal injury and subrogation matters that Diamond and Cohen diverted from the law firm generated approximately $750,000 in initial payments to the defendants, from which they distributed funds to clients and covered other costs in the litigation, maintaining the balance of the fraud proceeds (approximately $320,000) for themselves.

If convicted, the defendants each face maximum possible sentences of 40 years in prison.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Mashaq White, 24, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to nine years and two months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Karen S. Marston, for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon stemming from an incident which occurred during the period of civil unrest in Philadelphia over two years ago.

On June 1, 2020, Philadelphia police responded to a burglary in progress call at a looted Rite-Aid at 57th and Chestnut Streets in West Philadelphia.  When they arrived, the officers found the Rite-Aid ransacked. White was encountered inside and was found to be in possession of a firearm loaded with 18 rounds of ammunition. Police saw the defendant moments before his arrest with a companion at an ATM machine located at the front of the store, and defendant was seen drilling into the machine. In October 2021, the defendant pleaded guilty to the one-count Indictment charging the firearms offense.

“Our Office is committed to prosecuting those who commit violent crimes including illegally possessing firearms, which is a federal crime” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “In this case, a previously convicted felon illegally possessed a loaded firearm, which presents a clear danger to our community that is struggling under a surge of violent gun crime.”

“ATF, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to do everything in our power to take guns out of the hands of violent felons and disrupt violent gun crime in our community,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division.  “This sentence is a small victory in the perpetual battle against gun violence, and should send a clear message to those criminals who endanger our citizens.” 

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

The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James R. Pavlock.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Andrew Wolf, 42, of Philadelphia, PA, and Kray Strange, 20, of Carthage, NY, both pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney to multiple child exploitation offenses in connection with their scheme to manipulate and catfish children online, including Wolf’s own middle school students.

In February 2022, the defendants were indicted on charges of conspiracy to manufacture child pornography, along with several counts of manufacture and attempted manufacture of child pornography. These charges, to which they pleaded guilty today, stem from conduct which occurred over a period of one year. Between May 2020 and October 2021, Wolf and Strange developed and carried out an elaborate online child exploitation catfishing scheme, in which they impersonated minor girls to entice their child victims to self-produce and send them sexually explicit images. As part of their scheme, Wolf provided identifying information for his own middle school students to Strange so that Strange could target them online.

“Both of these defendants violated the privacy and innocence of children, but Andrew Wolf also violated the trust of the community in which he taught by victimizing his own students,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Our Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to doing the difficult work of investigating and prosecuting these crimes in order to hold child sexual predators accountable.”

“A teacher facilitating the sexual exploitation of his young students is the stuff of parents’ nightmares — and an instant priority for the FBI,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Andrew Wolf and Kray Strange now admit taking advantage of vulnerable boys for their own vile gratification. Our Crimes Against Children Task Force works around the clock to identify, investigate, and lock up predators like these two — and, sadly, there are many. We’d urge adults to remind the kids in their lives that not everyone is who they say they are online.”

Defendant Wolf faces a maximum possible sentence of 240 years in prison, and defendant Strange faces a maximum possible sentence of 210 years in prison. Both defendants face a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison.

The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Harrell.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging Moses Slanger Wright, 69, of Philadelphia, PA, with fraudulently attempting to obtain citizenship, fraud in immigration documents, false statements in relation to naturalization, and perjury in connection with his fraudulent attempt to obtain U.S. citizenship.

During Liberia’s First Civil War, the Armed Forces of Liberia was locked in a brutal campaign for control of the country with various rebel groups, most notably Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia. The Indictment alleges that the defendant, when applying for U.S. citizenship, was not truthful about his activities during Liberia’s First Civil War while he was a member, and ultimately the commanding general of, the Armed Forces of Liberia. According to the Indictment, Wright either personally committed, or ordered Armed Forces of Liberia troops under his command to commit numerous atrocities, including but not limited to, the following list of acts: 1) persecution of civilian noncombatant Gio and Mano tribesmen; 2) murder of civilian noncombatants; 3) assault of civilian noncombatants; 4) false arrest of civilian noncombatants; and 5) false imprisonment of civilian noncombatants.

In May 2013, Wright, who had been granted asylum in the U.S. in 2000 and lawful permanent residency in 2008, applied for U.S. citizenship. In applying for both asylum and lawful permanent residency, the defendant lied about his conduct during Liberia’s First Civil War. During his August 2016, in-person citizenship (naturalization) interview, Wright falsely swore and falsely certified under penalty of perjury that “[his citizenship] application, and the evidence submitted with it, [were] all true and correct.” His application included his false denials that he had: 1) “ever persecuted (either directly or indirectly) any person because of race, religion, national origin,  membership in a particular social group, or political opinion;” 2) “ever committed a crime or offense for which [he was] not arrested;” and 3) “ever given false or misleading information to any U.S. Government official while applying for any immigration benefit or to prevent deportation, exclusion, or removal.” Additionally, while under oath, the defendant falsely answered similar queries posed by the examining USCIS officer.

“Wright sought to escape to the United States and start anew, where he lied about his appalling wartime conduct on federal immigration forms and to the faces of U.S. officials. The United States will not be a safe haven for human rights violators and war criminals,” said United States Attorney Romero.

“HSI is committed to upholding the law, both within the United States and abroad. Moses Wright, the former commanding general for the Armed Forces of Liberia, is alleged to have misrepresented his participation in the First Liberian Civil War when he came to the United States, hiding his leadership of forces that committed -- with his participation and under his command -- persecutory atrocities against innocent civilians,” said William S. Walker, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations, Philadelphia. “HSI continues steadfastly in our commitment to ensure the United States will never be a safe haven for those who seek to flee from atrocities they commit abroad.”

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 165 years in prison and a $7,000,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia Field Office with assistance from HSI’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center in Washington D.C., the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and the United States Embassy in Liberia, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Linwood C. Wright, Jr. and First Assistant United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA - United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero, together with other federal law enforcement officials announced today charges against 19 defendants for defrauding federal programs funded by the CARES Act and designed to provide a financial safety net for Americans during the pandemic.  Collectively these defendants sought to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program of over $24 million.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, commonly called the CARES Act, was intended to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

• The PPP authorized banks to provide forgivable loans to small businesses for the specific purpose of enabling the businesses to meet payroll expenses and retain employees. 
• Under the EIDL program, the Small Business Administration (SBA) provided low interest loans for small businesses to obtain financial relief due to any disruption or harm to their business resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.  The loan proceeds were required to be used on normal operating expenses, such as working capital and payroll. 
• The PUA program provided emergency unemployment compensation to workers who were unemployed as a result of the pandemic but who were not eligible for regular unemployment compensation.

Each of the 19 defendants is alleged to have defrauded one or more of these programs.  As alleged in 4 indictments and 7 informations, each defendant applied or conspired with others to apply for benefits even though they knew they were not eligible for the benefits.  They each were responsible for submitting false applications to fraudulently obtain the benefits.  They each succeeded in fraudulently obtaining emergency benefits or helping others to obtain emergency benefits.  In some cases, the defendants are also alleged to have spent the emergency funds, not to make payroll or for other authorized business purposes, but instead spent the money on personal items.

Frank Hamilton, 52, of Simi Valley California; Michael Jones, 55, of Azusa, California; Kenny Tran, 38, of Diamond Bar, California: Tina Chen, 39 of Diamond Bar, California; Tim Park, 37, of Northridge, California; Peter An, 37, of Chatsworth California; Joe Greco, 42, of Simi Valley, California; Edwin Bonilla, 36, of Los Angeles, California are charged with conspiring to defraud the SBA and numerous financial institutions of over $9.4 million. These defendants submitted over 33 applications for PPP and EIDL loans seeking over $9.4 million in loans, $7 million of which were funded. From January 2018 through August 2021, Barrie Osborne (a co-conspirator previously charged who is now deceased), Frank Hamilton, Michael Jones, Kenny Tran, Tina Chen, Tim Park, Peter An, Joe Greco, and Edwin Bonilla used shelf corporations (which exist on paper but have no functioning business and no employees) to apply for over $9.4 million in SBA loans, including PPP loans and EIDL loans. After the conspirators obtained $7 million in loan payments, they took steps to transfer the funds among themselves in an effort to disguise the transfers as payroll payments. Part of the proceeds were used to trade in the stock market, and in addition, defendant Hamilton paid off his home mortgage; defendant Jones took luxury vacations and purchased a fleet of used vehicles.

Francis J. Battista, 37, of Aston, Pennsylvania, filed 19 fraudulent applications for PPP and EIDL loans in 2020 and 2021, seeking over $10 million in loans.  Battista allegedly supported his fraudulent loan applications by submitting fake tax documents, bank records and payroll summaries.  He succeeded in obtaining $8.4 million in loan funds, and he caused the funds to be spent on unauthorized purchases and debts and laundered a significant portion of the funds.  He allegedly used emergency pandemic funds to purchase a Limited Edition CPO Range Rover Sport 4WD, to make a down payment for a real estate deal, to settle old business debts, and to engage in stock trading.  The government has located and seized $6.3 million of those funds through forfeiture proceedings.

Resondoe Bradley, 44, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who ran a tax business and also worked as a contractor with the SBA processing EIDL loan applications during the pandemic, filed over 50 fraudulent EIDL loan applications and obtained approximately $3.4 million in funded loans.  Two of Bradley’s clients have also been charged. Tamara Wheeler 50, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, filed a false EIDL application and obtained over $180,000 in loan proceeds. Ryan Killebrew, 31 Philadelphia Pennsylvania, filed a false EIDL application and obtained $125,000 in EIDL loan funds. 

John Columbo, 53, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, filed multiple fraudulent applications for EIDL and PPP loans worth over $700,000 and as a result he received over $550,000 in funds to which he was not entitled. Columbo allegedly obtained both EIDL and PPP funds by falsely stating the finances of companies, including the number of employees, the wages paid to employees, and the intended use of the emergency funds.  To fraudulently increase the number of employees, he submitted a payroll schedule with false social security numbers for purported employees.  To make other applications for emergency benefits, he allegedly used companies that had in fact closed all business and were defunct years before the pandemic, but which he falsely represented to be going concerns.  He is also charged with obstruction of justice for filing false tax returns to make his loan applications appear to be truthful.

Lamar Ebron 35, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Lamott Ebron, 32, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, are charged with filing fraudulent applications for PUA benefits in their own names, as well as the names of thirteen other persons, and obtained over $400,000 in PUA benefits.  These defendants are also charged with filing fraudulent applications with the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation to obtain benefits under the Renters Assistance Program, another federally funded program under the CARES Act.  The Renters Assistance Program was meant to help renters unable to pay their rent due to loss of income caused by the pandemic.  In their fraudulent applications, the defendants are alleged to have sought rental assistance in the names of multiple renters on a single property, listed different landlords for the same property, sometimes used their own names as tenant or landlord, or used the names of others.

Vincent Rotondi, 44, Langhorne, Pennsylvania, who was employed as a detective by the City of Philadelphia in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, filed multiple claims for PUA benefits and obtained over $30,000 to which he was not entitled.  In addition to filing fraudulent applications, Rotondi is alleged to have filed 40 false weekly certifications in which he reported that he was not working and received no income, despite the fact that he was working full-time during that period for the City of Philadelphia.

Steven Ball-Vaughn, 39, Oreland, Pennsylvania, filed multiple fraudulent applications for PPP and EIDL program loans, and obtained over $70,000 in benefits to which he was not entitled.  Ball-Vaughn allegedly submitted fraudulent applications to three banks and, despite the requirement that the funds be used for business expenses, he used program funds for personal and unauthorized expenses, including at restaurants, theme parks, electronic stores and gambling sites.

Michael Daniels, 47, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who was employed at the time of the offense by the City of Philadelphia as a constituent services representative for a member of Philadelphia City Council, was charged with theft of public money for taking over $27,000 worth of PUA benefits.  Daniels allegedly certified repeatedly that he was unemployed and not receiving any income, while he was employed and being paid by the City of Philadelphia.

Tai Brown, 19, of Collingdale, Pennsylvania, was charged with theft of public money and the government is seeking forfeiture of $44,238 in PUA funds that are proceeds of the offense.

“Our office has been able to bring charges against these 19 defendants, who deliberately defrauded programs of over $24 million that were intended to help individuals who lost their jobs because of the pandemic and small businesses that were struggling to survive during the global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. “Thanks to the hard work of our agency partners in the Covid Fraud Working Group of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, we are protecting the integrity of our taxpayer funded programs from fraudsters, a priority for our office and our law enforcement partners.”

“The Covid pandemic has caused serious hardships for so many families and businesses,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “But then, you’ve got all the criminal opportunists who apparently looked at pandemic relief programs as their golden ticket. Together with our partners, the FBI continue to doggedly pursue anyone defrauding the federal government like this. You’ll be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and that ‘easy money’ won’t seem so easy after all.”

“The charges announced today show IRS-CI’s commitment to defend the integrity of the pandemic relief programs,” said Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation.  “IRS-CI will continue to aggressively investigate those who schemed to defraud these programs that were intended to help struggling individuals and businesses.”

“An important part of the mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud related to unemployment insurance programs. We will continue to work with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations,” stated Syreeta Scott, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Philadelphia Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

“Instead of using these government funds to help keep small businesses afloat and provide financial relief to those suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic, these individuals are alleged to have stolen the money for their own personal use and enrichment, taking it out of the hands of those who truly needed it,” said William S. Walker, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations, Philadelphia. “HSI is proud to join our partners in the Covid Fraud Working Group as we continue to focus our efforts on uncovering fraud schemes perpetrated during the pandemic.”

“Attempts to defraud the government, and ultimately our nation’s community members with legitimate businesses within our financial infrastructure, will not go unanswered for,” said U.S. Secret Service Philadelphia Field Office Special Agent in Charge Michael Centrella. “So long as efforts to exploit pandemic relief funds continue, so will Secret Service investigators and our partners ceaseless investigative work to ensure our national financial environment remains safe and secure.”

“This indictment demonstrates the commitment of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to investigate and bring to justice those who would corruptly manipulate and use IRS resources in order to exploit Federal programs for unlawful personal gain,” said J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.  “We appreciate the efforts of the U.S. Department Justice and our law enforcement partners in this effort.

“Fraudsters that conspired to falsify information in order to access funds vital to the nation’s small businesses for personal gain will be brought to justice,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “OIG will continue to relentlessly root out fraud and protect the integrity of SBA’s programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”

These cases were investigated by special agents of seven different federal agencies – FBI, Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, IRS-Criminal Investigations, United States Secret Service, Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.  All of these agencies are members of the Covid Fraud Working Group of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.  The Working Group, begun in March 2020 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, combines resources and expertise of nineteen federal agencies and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General to fight pandemic-related fraud. These cases are being prosecuted by AUSA Judy Smith; AUSA Nancy Potts, AUSA David Metcalf, AUSA Nancy Rue, AUSA Tim Lanni and Trial Attorneys David A. Stier and Patrick B. Gushue of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced today a new executive leadership team to lead the Office’s enforcement mission. 

“This seasoned leadership team of career public servants will bring to bear an extraordinary breadth and depth of experience and judgment to meet the threats our communities face.  Whether addressing gun violence, the flow of fentanyl, opioids and other dangerous drugs, domestic and international terrorism, ruinous financial fraud and schemes, corrupt officials, or the exploitation of our vulnerable communities, each member of this team has dedicated their professional life to seeking and doing justice with integrity and impartiality.  Always seeking to do the right thing, the right way, and for the right reasons, they will continue to vigorously and tirelessly work together to protect our communities and to seek justice for victims,” U.S. Attorney Romero said.

Ms. Romero named Assistant U.S. Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr. as First Assistant U.S. Attorney.  Mr. Thayer joined the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in 1993 through the Attorney General’s Honors Program.  As a Trial Attorney in the Division’s Criminal Section, he investigated and tried hate crime and law enforcement brutality cases across the country, including U.S. v. Davis, the first capital civil rights prosecution and conviction.  In 1998, Mr. Thayer joined the Office as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, prosecuting a wide variety of crimes as a member of the Narcotics Unit, and in 2002, transferred to the New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office, where he served as a line prosecutor and then as Deputy Chief of its public corruption unit.  In 2005, Mr. Thayer took a leave of absence to prosecute war crimes at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague, where he spent six years prosecuting and convicting at trial eight high-level Bosnian Serb military commanders for their roles in the 1995 genocide of over seven thousand Bosnian Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica, the largest massacre on European soil since The Holocaust.  Upon returning to the New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2011, Mr. Thayer served as Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton branch office, then as Deputy U.S. Attorney, responsible for overseeing the office’s mission in New Jersey’s twelve middle and southern counties.  In 2015, Mr. Thayer returned to the Office, where he served in the National Security and Cyber Crime unit.  Mr. Thayer has received numerous Department of Justice and agency awards, including the Department of Justice Director’s Award twice, the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Director’s Award, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director’s Award, and the Department of Justice John Marshall Award.  Mr. Thayer earned a B.A., cum laude with Distinction in the Major, from Yale University, and his J.D. as a Public Interest Scholar from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Ms. Romero named Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard P. Barrett as Chief of the Criminal Division.  Mr. Barrett joined the Office in 1990, and has served in a variety of supervisory positions, including Chief of the Firearms unit; Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division for Violent Crime, Firearms and Narcotics; and Chief of the Corruption, Civil Rights and Labor Racketeering unit.  Prior to joining the Office, Mr. Barrett served as an Assistant District Attorney with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office for five years in the Rape Prosecution unit.  Mr. Barrett has prosecuted and tried numerous notable public corruption cases, and recently received the Department of Justice’s John Marshall Award for his work in United States v. Linda Weston, at al.  Weston and her four co-defendants were convicted of racketeering and historically significant violations of the Shepard/Byrd/Hate Crime Act for targeting mentally disabled victims over a period of ten years while stealing their disability and Social Security payments; beating them; confining them in locked closets, basements, and attics; depriving them of adequate food and medical care, and directly causing the deaths of two, who died while in captivity.  Mr. Barrett is also an Adjunct Professor at Temple University School of Law, where he teaches courses in Corruption Law and Policy, International Criminal Law, and Trial Advocacy.  He is the co-author of Lessons of Yugoslavia Rape Trials:  A Role for Conspiracy Law in International Tribunals, 88 Minnesota Law Review 30 (2003).  Mr. Barrett earned a B.A. from Temple University, and his J.D. from Temple University School of Law, where he was on the Law Review. 

U.S. Attorney Romero also named two veteran prosecutors in the Office as Deputy Criminal Chiefs who will report to Mr. Barrett.

U.S. Attorney Thomas R. Perricone was named as Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division for Narcotics and Violent Crime.  Mr. Perricone joined the Office in 1994, most recently serving as Chief of the National Security and Cyber Crime unit since 2018, and is the Office’s Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council Coordinator.  He previously served as Chief of Narcotics and Organized Crime from 2005 to 2018.  Mr. Perricone has prosecuted and tried numerous significant cases in the Office, including complex fraud, narcotics, and violent crime, including murder for hire, and received the Department of Justice’s Director’s Award.  Prior to joining the Office, Mr. Perricone was an Assistant District Attorney in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office for eleven years, the last four of which were in the Homicide unit.  For the past fifteen years, Mr. Perricone has also been an Adjunct Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, teaching Trial Advocacy and coaching its Mock Trial Team. Mr. Perricone has also been an instructor at the National College of District Attorneys and at the National Advocacy Center.  He earned a B.A. from Princeton University and his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. 

Ms. Romero named Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine E. Sykes as Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division for White Collar Crime.  Ms. Sykes joined the Office in 1997, serving in the Organized Crime Strike Force for eleven years.  She has most recently served as the Deputy Chief of the National Security and Cyber Crime unit.  Ms. Sykes previously served for eight years as Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division for Narcotics, Organized Crime, and Violent Crime, and as Senior Litigation Counsel.  Ms. Sykes has prosecuted numerous organized criminal enterprises, including Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra, outlaw motorcycle gangs, national and international narcotics traffickers and money launderers, and murder for hire conspiracies.  Ms. Sykes has received the Attorney General Award for Special Achievement, and the FBI Director’s Award, among others.  Ms. Sykes began her career with the Department of Justice in 1992 as an Honors Attorney in the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drugs Section, and then served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia.  She earned her B.A. from Pennsylvania State University, and her J.D. from Temple University School of Law.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory David will continue to serve as Chief of the Civil Division.  Prior to his selection as Civil Chief in 2018, Mr. David led several significant civil cases on behalf of the Office, including a multi-district False Claims Act investigation that resulted in a $150 million settlement with Amedisys, the largest DOJ recovery ever against a home health company.  Mr. David has been involved in numerous other affirmative civil enforcement resolutions, and has also defended the United States in a variety of different cases that the Office handles. Mr. David is a member of the Civil Chief’s Working Group, a component of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, and also chairs its Frauds Subcommittee.  Mr. David earned a B.A. with high distinction from the University of Virginia and his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he was a senior editor of the Law Review and Order of the Coif. He began his legal career serving as a law clerk for the Honorable Anthony J. Scirica, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and then worked as a litigator for the Philadelphia law firm Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller before joining the Office.

Two experienced Deputy Civil Chiefs will continue to report to Mr. David

Susan R. Becker is the Deputy Chief for Defensive Litigation. She joined the Office in 2002, and has served as Deputy Chief since 2016.  She has taught numerous appellate writing classes at the National Advocacy Center and regularly teaches deposition skills and tort law programs for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute.  Prior to joining the Office, Ms. Becker clerked for the Honorable Harvey Bartle, III, U.S. District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, then practiced labor and employment law at Ballard Spahr, LLP.  Ms. Becker earned a B.A. from Williams College and her J.D. from George Washington Law School.

Charlene Keller Fullmer is the Deputy Chief for Affirmative Litigation.  Ms. Fullmer joined the Office in 2007, and has served as Deputy Chief since 2014.  Ms. Fullmer led the team that investigated off-label promotion by Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals, resulting in a $2.2 billion global settlement, the largest settlement for a single drug.  Ms. Fullmer also served on the team that investigated off-label promotion and kickback allegations against Pfizer, leading to a $2.3 billion civil and criminal settlement, at the time the largest health care fraud settlement in DOJ’s history. For these efforts, Ms. Fullmer was awarded the Attorney General’s Award for Fraud Prevention, among others. She is also the recipient of the Attorney General Award for Exceptional Service.  Ms. Fullmer began her federal service career in the Honors Program in 1996, and served as an Attorney Advisor for the FBI Office of Professional Responsibility, followed by six years in private practice at Duane Morris, LLP.  Ms. Fullmer earned a B.A., cum laude, from Lehigh University, and her J.D., cum laude, from Temple University School of Law, where she was on the Law Review.  

PHILADELPHIA – Jacqueline C. Romero, who has served as an Assistant United States Attorney with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for over 16 years, was sworn in today as the United States Attorney for the District.

The Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Juan R. Sánchez, administered the oath of office to Ms. Romero, who was nominated by President Biden to serve as U.S. Attorney on April 21, 2022 and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on June 13, 2022. A public investiture ceremony will be held on a date to be announced in the coming weeks.

“I am deeply honored to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and I am humbled by the opportunity to lead an office in which I have worked for so many years,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “I look forward to continuing to work with the dedicated men and women in the Justice Department, and those in law enforcement agencies at state and local levels, in pursuit of our shared values of protecting Americans’ civil rights, public safety, and the rule of law.”

Prior to her appointment as U.S. Attorney, Ms. Romero was an Assistant United States Attorney representing the government in both affirmative and defensive civil litigation, as well as criminal prosecutions and appeals. She prosecuted cases involving firearms, drugs, fraud, environmental, civil rights, and tax matters, and defended cases including tort, employment, civil rights, and administrative law matters. For the past seven years, Ms. Romero served as the Civil Rights Coordinator for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, supervising all civil rights investigations in the District. She was also assigned to the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Strike Force, focusing on fraud, opioid abuse, and civil rights prosecutions. Finally, Ms. Romero also had collateral duties with Federal Reentry Court (STAR program), Philadelphia Youth Court, and the Office’s Hiring Committee. In addition to her work at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Romero has taught as an Adjunct Professor at Temple University’s James E. Beasley School of Law Trial Advocacy Program for over five years, and has been a volunteer faculty member with the National Institute of Trial Advocacy for the last four years.

Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Romero previously served as Senior Counsel for the United States Mint where she served as in-house counsel giving advice to the Mint on manufacturing processes, the unionized workforce, and international e-commerce; as a Trial Attorney with the Justice Department’s Commercial Litigation Section; and as a Litigation Associate with the firm Lowenstein Sandler PC in New Jersey. She is a former fellow of both the German Marshall Fund and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, has served as President of the Hispanic Bar Association of Pennsylvania in 2018 and has served on its Board, as well as the Board of the LGBTQ Bar Association of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Judicial Commission. Further, she is a lifetime member of the Hispanic National Bar Association and served on its Special Commission on Law Enforcement Reform and Racial Justice and on its Latina Commission.

As U.S. Attorney, Ms. Romero is the chief federal law enforcement officer responsible for all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, which is one of the nation’s most populous districts with over 5 million people residing within its nine counties (Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, and Philadelphia counties), covering about 4,700 square miles.  Ms. Romero supervises a staff of approximately 140 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and a similar number of non-attorney support personnel at offices in Philadelphia and Allentown.

Jennifer Arbittier Williams, who for the past 18 months served as Acting U.S. Attorney and then as Court-appointed U.S. Attorney, announced that she will remain with the Office for a period of time to assist with the transition before moving on. Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., was appointed to serve as the Office’s First Assistant U.S. Attorney.

Ms. Romero is the 40th U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, an office that was established in 1789. She resides in Philadelphia, PA, and is the first woman to be appointed by a President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to hold the position. She is also the first woman of color and the first person to identify as LGBTQIA+ to lead the Office. Ms. Romero earned her B.A., magna cum laude, with a major in English and a minor in Political Science from the College of New Jersey, and earned her J.D. from Rutgers Law School, Newark.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Rodney Kent a/k/a “Hott Rodd”, a/k/a “Hott,” 50, of Philadelphia, PA, was convicted at trial of sex trafficking, arising from his forcible coercion of a minor to engage in prostitution.

In September 2018, Kent was charged by Indictment for sex trafficking of a minor via force, fraud and coercion stemming from his actions to traffic the victim. The defendant and the victim first met on a digital social networking application in June 2016. Kent then met the victim, who was a teenager, and transported the victim to a house where he manipulated the victim into posing for photographs. The defendant then advertised the minor victim for sex on Backpage.com over the course of several weeks; during this time he also verbally and physically abused the victim, including using cigarettes to burn the victim. The victim was eventually able to escape from the defendant’s house and alert law enforcement. In April 2018, the Justice Department seized Backpage, which was the Internet’s leading forum for prostitution ads, including ads depicting the prostitution of children.

“The crime that this defendant committed is one of the most devastating to victims that our Office prosecutes,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Kent forced a young person, a minor child, to sell their body for his own greed and financial gain. We will continue to work collectively to investigate these destructive crimes against the most vulnerable victims.”

“While this defendant will face years in prison for his vile actions, his victim will carry the effects of those actions for the rest of their life,” said Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire. “The FBI works tirelessly to find and capture the monsters who prey on our children. To those who participate in this brand of evil as a means to make a living – we are looking for you, we will find you, and you will find yourself paying the price inside the walls of penitentiary.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tinicum Township Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alexandra M. Lastowski and Vineet Gauri.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Adam Teichman, DPM, Thomas Rocchio, DPM, R T Equity Holdings LLC (“R T Equity”), and PA Foot & Ankle Associates LLC (collectively, “PA Foot”) have agreed to pay $181,758 to resolve liability under the False Claims Act for the alleged improper billing of “Sanexas” devices.

Drs. Teichman and Rocchio are podiatrists and co-owners of PA Foot & Ankle Associates LLC, with office locations in Allentown, Easton, Northampton, and Lansford, Pennsylvania. From approximately September 2019 through March 2021, PA Foot submitted over 7,000 claims for payment to Medicare involving application of an RST Sanexas neoGEN-Series device (“Sanexas”), often billed with accompanying vitamin injections under various procedure codes (97012, 97016, 97032, 97112, G0283, and 99072) and injection codes (96372, J1955, J3411, J3415, J3420, and J3490). 

Sanexas is an electric stimulation device marketed by RST Sanexas, Inc. (“RST”) to treat various forms of pain and other medical conditions.  It consists of a large central unit and electrical leads that are temporarily affixed to the area being treated.

PA Foot principally used Sanexas treatment for patients suffering from diabetic neuropathy. Patients at PA Foot received treatment on an outpatient basis and typically received two treatments per week for twelve weeks, for a total of 24 treatments.  Treatment times generally lasted approximately 30 to 40 minutes.  In conjunction with Sanexas treatment, PA Foot injected patients with a vitamin blend. The United States contends that Medicare did not permit reimbursement of Sanexas or vitamin injections used in conjunction with Sanexas in the way in which PA Foot administered them.  In particular, National Coverage Determination 160.7.1 states:  “Electrical nerve stimulation treatments furnished by a physician in his/her office, by a physical therapist or outpatient clinic are excluded from coverage by § 1862(a)(1) of the Act.”   Similarly, Local Coverage Determination (“LCD”) L35456 reinforces that “[t]he use of electrostimulation alone for the treatment of multiple neuropathies or peripheral neuropathies caused by underlying systemic diseases is not medically reasonable and necessary.”  Other LCDs contain the same or similar statements, such as L35457, L37642, L35222, and L36850.

The United States Food and Drug Administration cleared Sanexas as substantially equivalent to a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (“TENS”) in January 2003. Sanexas treatment was not FDA cleared for use in combination with vitamin injections, the vitamin blend was not FDA approved, and the vitamin blend was produced in bulk, rather than prescribed for individual patients. 

The United States contends that vitamin injections used in conjunction with Sanexas treatment as PA Foot administered them do not fall under the limited coverage available for prescription drugs under Medicare Part B.  Several LCDs reinforce that vitamin injections that act as nerve blocks are not medically reasonable and necessary, such as L35456, L35457, L37642, L35222, and L36850.

“Providers cannot blindly rely on a marketer’s advice or a medical billing service, especially when a healthcare billing scheme sounds too good to be true,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “We would encourage anyone who may have been involved in similar billing to come forward voluntarily and self-disclose the misconduct.”

Williams continued, “we appreciate Drs. Teichman and Rocchio’s willingness to promptly negotiate a resolution in this matter, and we will continue working closely with our partners at CMS’s Center for Program Integrity, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country to hold accountable those responsible for causing similar false claims to be submitted.”

“We thank our partners at the Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General for working hard with us to identify, investigate, and eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in our federal healthcare programs,” said Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. “Patient care and safety are top priorities for us, and every dollar saved is critical to the sustainability of our Medicare program and the needs of our beneficiaries.”

“Accurately billing for services provided to Medicare beneficiaries is required of all health care providers,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. “HHS-OIG, CMS’s Center for Program Integrity, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to evaluate and pursue inaccurate billings of Sanexas and similar devices.”

The settled civil claims are allegations only. There has been no determination of civil liability. This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General.  The investigation and settlement were handled by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric S. Wolfish, Assistant U.S. Attorney and Civil Division Chief Gregory B. David, and Auditors Dawn Wiggins and Andrew Schobert.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that George Steve Rugel, 46, of Reading, PA, was sentenced to fourteen years in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Leeson, Jr., for possessing with intent to distribute the dangerous narcotic fentanyl. In addition to the fentanyl, other drugs including heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, as well as firearms were found inside the defendant’s Reading apartment that he used as a stash house for his drug distribution activities.

In November 2021, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession of a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The charges stem from an investigation conducted by Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agents and Task Force Officers based in New York City and Allentown into Rugel’s distribution of the dangerous narcotics fentanyl, heroin, and other controlled substances in New York City and in the Reading area of Berks County. During the investigation, Rugel delivered fentanyl to individual in New York. When Rugel attempted a second delivery of fentanyl to an individual in Reading in June 2020, he was arrested by DEA Special Agents and Task Force Officers. At the time of his arrest, Rugel was found in possession of approximately one kilogram of fentanyl in his car, and a loaded firearm on his person. The investigation also led to the discovery of Rugel’s apartment in Reading, where he stored additional controlled substances, including another kilogram of fentanyl, and firearms.

“Drug distribution and gun violence are an epidemic in cities like Reading and across the Eastern District, and the federal government is aggressively prosecuting these crimes to get dangerous criminals like this defendant off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “George Rugel was a large-scale, armed drug trafficker, which put our community in grave danger. We want to thank the DEA and the Berks County District Attorney’s Office, and all of our involved law enforcement partners for their hard work and dedication.”

“Rugel not only trafficked in illicit fentanyl, a dangerous street drug that is largely responsible for the overdose crisis, but also carried a loaded handgun at the same time,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division.  “His criminal behavior involving both drugs and guns are representative of two of the most pressing threats that are endangering the safety of our communities.”

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration – Allentown Resident Office, Berks County District Attorney’s Office Detectives, and Reading Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mary A. Futcher and Kishan Nair.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Samuel Bullock, 72, of Langhorne, PA, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay $3,501,261 restitution by United States District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson for his orchestration of a tax fraud scheme to avoid paying nearly $1.3 million in federal income taxes, and millions more in interest and penalties.

In February 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the filing of a false federal tax return, and one count of willful failure to file a federal tax return, all relating to his efforts to avoid paying taxes on income from his construction business. In 2009, after the defendant had repeatedly failed to file his federal income tax returns, the Internal Revenue Service secured liens for more than $1.9 million that the defendant owed in taxes, interest and penalties. The defendant responded by taking steps to avoid collection by arranging to have his business income paid over to a sole proprietorship that he had set up in the name of his spouse, including providing his clients with new Forms W-9 with his spouse’s Social Security number and opening a new business checking account in his spouse’s name as the alleged sole proprietor. The defendant then reported his own income on the tax return of his spouse, using the filing status “Married filing separately.” Although he was aware that he had earned income and was obliged to file a federal income tax return, Bullock failed to do so.

“Samuel Bullock’s scheme to enrich himself and avoid paying his fair share of income taxes victimized honest American taxpayers and business owners who do pay their tax obligations,” U.S. Attorney Williams said. “By ignoring the IRS and its legitimate demands for information from him, the defendant created a self-inflicted wound: compounding his already-significant tax debt. This type of fraud will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted by this Office.”

“Every American who pays his or her taxes can breathe easy knowing that tax cheats, like Mr. Bullock, are being held accountable,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “IRS-CI has several investigative tools at its disposal to detect schemes like this. Those who think that they can outsmart the IRS should think again.”

The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Abrams.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that David Elmakayes, 26, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and three years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Chad F. Kenney for using an explosive device to damage an ATM machine and for illegally possessing a firearm.

The defendant was charged on June 18, 2020, with malicious damage of property with an explosive device and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, charges which were the result of an incident that occurred during a period of civil unrest and protests in Philadelphia in response to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN. In addition to the largely peaceful protests, incidents of looting, burglary, arson, destruction of property, and other violent acts occurred.

On the night of June 3, 2020, the defendant used an explosive device to heavily damage an automated teller machine on the sidewalk at 217 East Westmoreland Street in North Philadelphia. When he was arrested a short time later, police discovered that had three more explosive devices in his possession, as well as a .32 caliber pistol and other firearms.

“This defendant took advantage of a volatile situation on the streets of Philadelphia to commit a dangerous act that could have injured many people,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Damaging property with an explosive device and illegally carrying a firearm are federal crimes which our Office will aggressively prosecute. Elmakayes will now spend 15 years in prison for these crimes.”

“This defendant possessed and recklessly used an explosive device which had the potential to cause significant damage and injure countless people,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Office. “ATF is committed to protecting our communities from harm and working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt violent activity.” 

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Philadelphia Police Department, and the Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. LaBar

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has resolved its civil suit on behalf of the U.S. Secretary of Labor against Local 98, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (“Local 98”) for violating the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (“LMRDA”). In the settlement announced today, Local 98 has agreed to conduct its next nominations and election of officers under the Secretary of Labor’s supervision.

“Elections belong to the people, and union members have a federally-protected right to free and fair union elections,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Today’s agreement will protect the civil rights of all Local 98 members and ensure every member in good standing can freely exercise their rights to seek elected office and nominate and vote for candidates of their choosing without intimidation or fear of reprisal from those in positions of power.”

In its January 2021 complaint (Secretary of Labor v. Local 98, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Civ. No. 21-96 EDPA), the United States alleged that Local 98, through its incumbent officers and their supporting members, intimidated and threatened other members who sought to challenge incumbent union leadership in the union’s June 2020 elections, causing these members to withdraw from nominations. As a result, incumbent union leadership ran unopposed and all officers – including the president and five executive board members – were declared reelected without opposition. The United States alleged that Local 98’s interference, threats, and retaliation against the intended challengers violated its members’ rights under the LMRDA to nominate, be nominated, and vote for or otherwise support the candidates of their choice without improper interference or threat of reprisal.

In the civil lawsuit, the United States alleged that Local 98 convinced three of its members to withdraw from nominations in its June 2020 officer election through a pressure campaign orchestrated by its entrenched leadership, including then-Business Manager John Dougherty and President Brian Burrows. The alleged campaign included a promise by Dougherty to a member intending to run for office that Dougherty would associate the member with offensive comments on a website “if he ran with [an opposition] ticket” and threats such as “If you ain’t with me, you’re against me!” and “It’ll be a long three years if you lose.” It included an unannounced and knowingly unwelcome visit by business agent Robert Bark to a member’s home two nights before nominations, which “put the fear of God” into the member’s wife and family. It also included an in-person nomination requirement imposed by incumbent president Burrows that both required challengers to walk a “gauntlet” of Dougherty supporters to be nominated for office and violated the union’s constitution. Finally, it included enlisting a member’s elder relative and former Local 98 business agent to deliver a message that supporting a challenging candidate for office would disgrace the family’s generations-old reputation in the union.

The United States further alleged that Local 98, which at the time was controlled by a slate of officers that had not changed in years, had a pattern of interfering with the efforts of rank-and-file members to run for local union office since at least 2014. Dougherty resigned as Business Manager of Local 98, a position he had held since 1993, in November 2021, the day after he was convicted on federal conspiracy and corruption charges.

Under the agreement announced today, Local 98 will conduct its next regular election for the offices of president and five executive board members under the Secretary’s supervision.

“Today’s agreement will help ensure every Local 98 member will have his or her voice heard in a free and fair officer election. If you interfere with anyone’s rights to vote, or to seek office, the United States will hold you accountable,” Williams said.

“The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) is committed to protecting the rights of union members by ensuring that every member can participate fully in a fair union officer election,” said OLMS Northeastern Regional Director Megan Underwood.  “We will work to ensure that the rights of IBEW Local 98 members are protected during the upcoming officer election.”

The claims resolved by the settlement announced today are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.

The civil investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS), and is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren DeBruicker.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that David Roda, 36, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by Criminal Information with insider trading.

The defendant was an employee of Penn Interactive, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Penn National Gaming, Inc., and served as its Director of Backend Architecture. The Information alleges that in this capacity, Roda learned in early July 2021 that Penn National was considering a potential acquisition of Score Media and Gaming, Inc., and knew that he had a duty to keep this information confidential. Nonetheless, on July 22, 2021, using this material, non-public information, Roda purchased 200 Score Media call option contracts for approximately $13,000.  Moreover, after a senior officer at Penn Interactive informed Roda in August 2021 that the acquisition would be announced within days, Roda allegedly purchased 300 more Score Media call option contracts for approximately $7,000. The following day, Penn National announced its agreement to acquire Score Media, and Score Media’s stock price rose drastically.  The defendant then closed out his Score Media call option contracts for approximately $580,000, netting personal profits of approximately $560,000.

“Insider trading undermines faith in our financial markets and harms ordinary investors who play by the rules,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “As alleged, David Roda placed himself above the law by using information to which he had privileged access to cheat the market and other investors. Our Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to maintain the integrity of the financial markets.”

“David Roda allegedly traded on material, non-public information and made out like a bandit,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Insider trading like that is patently unfair to investors and a direct threat to the integrity of our financial markets. The FBI takes this crime seriously, and if you decide the risk of such illegal behavior is worth the potential reward, know that we will investigate and ensure you’re held accountable.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Murray. The parallel civil enforcement proceeding was filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Philadelphia Regional Office, under the direction of Norman Ostrove.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Terrance Darby, 41, of Philadelphia, PA, and Ontavious Plumer, 32, of Due West, South Carolina, were charged by Superseding Indictment with gun trafficking offenses in connection with their scheme to straw purchase and transport across state lines almost 60 firearms.

Specifically, the defendants were charged with unlicensed dealing and transport of firearms, and conspiracy to engage in unlicensed dealing of firearms and to make false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer. Darby was also charged with drug trafficking and gun possession stemming from his possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and unlawful possession of two firearms in his home in November 2021.

According to the Superseding Indictment, between November 2020 and February 2021, the defendants conspired with at least four other individuals to illegally straw-purchase almost 60 firearms from federally licensed gun shops in South Carolina, then transport these firearms via car into Philadelphia. Darby would allegedly place orders for firearms with Plumer, who would then direct co-conspirators to straw purchase firearms and transport them to Darby and his co-conspirator in Philadelphia.

This Superseding Indictment is the third set of charges brought by this Office in the last two months targeting the illegal trafficking of firearms from southern states into Philadelphia, a large northeastern city, a fact pattern which is known as the ‘iron pipeline.’ In April 2022, multiple defendants were Indicted in two federal cases involving the unlawful trafficking of approximately 400 firearms up the ‘iron pipeline’ into the city.

“Earlier this year, the Justice Department announced strategies to fight violent crime, including cracking down on firearms trafficking and the ‘iron pipeline,’ and our Office announced the indictment of fourteen people engaged in that that black-market business. With today’s charges, we have shut off yet another valve to stem the flow of guns into Philadelphia,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Our Office is working with urgency and determination to get guns off the streets of our city.”

“At a time when our communities have seen a spike in violent gun crime, it is more important now than ever that we hold those accountable for criminal actions,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “The diligence of our local, state, and federal partners prevented more guns from circulation into the community, as the indictment alleges.”

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

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Jeanette Kang.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.