Eastern District of Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA – Clarence Norwood, Jr., also known as Isaiah H. Tolson, 55, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by information with theft of government funds and making false statements, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

 

According to the information, Norwood accessed his deceased mother’s bank account and improperly received the Civil Service Retirement System benefit payments intended for his mother, whose death had not been reported to the Office of Personnel Management.  It is further alleged that when a letter was mailed to Norwood’s mother’s residence, Norwood falsely certified that his mother was still alive but had had a stroke and could not sign the response.  Between August 2011 and November 2013, Norwood allegedly improperly received $115,440.65 in benefit payments that he was not entitled to receive.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a possible sentencing guideline range of at least 10 to 16 months in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and full restitution of $115,440.65.

 

The case was investigated by the Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia M. Freind.

        

An Information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Rodrigo Pineda-Fernance, a/k/a “Jose Morales,” a/k/a “Jose Cardona,” 50, of Perkasie, PA, was charged today by Indictment with illegal reentry after deportation, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.  The Indictment alleges that on or about May 7, 2015, Pineda-Fernance, an alien, and native and citizen of Honduras, was found in the United States after having been deported from the United States on or about January 29, 2010, May 24, 2013, and July 31, 2013.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years.

 

The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ERO”), and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Priya T. De Souza.

 

An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA - Douglas Kremer, 52, of Bloomingdale, NJ, was charged by Information with wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud the University of Pennsylvania, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

 

Kremer, as the owner of Accent Construction, provided construction and renovation services to the Sheraton University City Hotel, which is owned by the University of Pennsylvania.  According to the information, between March 2013 and April 2013, Kremer was instructed by Co-conspirator 1, Kenneth Kapikian, charged elsewhere, to sign over Sheraton University City Hotel checks to him as kickbacks for a construction contract.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 special assessment.

 

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Melanie Babb Wilmoth.

 

An Information is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Hugo Morales-Utrera, a/k/a “Hugo Morales-Utrara,” a/k/a “Hugo Morales,” 43, of Lancaster, PA, was charged today by indictment with illegal reentry after deportation, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.  The indictment alleges that on or about May 11, 2015, Morales-Utrera, an alien, and native and citizen of Mexico, was found in the United States after having been deported from the United States on or September 24, 2004.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years.

 

The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ERO”), and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Albert S. Glenn.

 

An Indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA – Cartel Wright, 39, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged today by indictment with 11 counts of Hobbs Act robbery that largely targeted pharmacies in Philadelphia and the surrounding area, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. Wright allegedly robbed the same Rite Aid Pharmacy on three different occasions.

 

According to the indictment, between March 25, 2014, and January 19, 2015, in addition to Rite Aid Pharmacies, Wright robbed a CVS, a Walgreens, a Family Dollar store, and two different McDonald’s restaurants, twice committing two robberies on the same day. The indictment alleges that Wright robbed the Rite Aid Pharmacy at 5040 City Avenue on: March 25, 2014, August 30, 2014, December 27, 2014, and December 18, 2014, when he also robbed another Rite Aid Pharmacy at 5212 Baltimore Avenue in Philadelphia. It is further alleged that Wright committed the following robberies:

 

December 28, 2014, CVS Pharmacy, located at 7520 City Avenue, Philadelphia

           January 1, 2015, Family Dollar, located at 5814 Woodland Avenue, Philadelphia

           January 11, 2015, Rite Aid, located at 5440 Lansdowne Avenue, Philadelphia

           January 11, 2015, McDonald’s, located at 7500 City Avenue, Philadelphia

           January 12, 2015, McDonald’s, located at 101 South 52nd Street, Philadelphia

           January 19, 2015, Walgreens, located at 53 Chester Pike, Darby Borough

 

           In each robbery, Wright allegedly threatened the victims before stealing money from the establishment.

 

If convicted of all charges, Wright faces a possible advisory sentencing guideline range of 151 to 262 months in prison and a $1,100 special assessment, with a maximum statutory sentence of 220 years in prison, a $2.75 million fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release.

 

The case was investigated by the FBI, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Darby Borough Police Department and the United States Marshal Service Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force (VCFTF). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jose Arteaga.

                                                                      

An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA - Kurt Krumpholz, 55, of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, was charged today by indictment with attempting to entice a minor, production of child pornography, and receipt of child pornography announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

 

The indictment alleges that from November 2014 through January 2015, Krumpholz enticed and coerced minors, who were 11 and 14 years old, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography and did receive that child pornography.

 

The indictment also alleges that in January 2015, Krumpholz used the Internet to attempt to persuade an individual whom Krumpholz believed to be a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life and a mandatory minimum term of incarceration of 15 years, a minimum five years up to a lifetime of supervised release, a $1.75 million dollar fine, mandatory restitution, forfeiture, and a $700 special assessment.  .

 

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, East Norriton Police Department, Montgomery County Detectives, and Bucks County Detectives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Priya T. De Souza.

 

An Indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA – A superseding indictment was filed today against Dr. Jeffrey Bado, 59, of Philadelphia, PA, charging him with distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death and 82 additional counts of distribution of controlled substances.  Bado, a doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, was first indicted on February 4, 2015 for the alleged illegal distribution of pain medications from his Philadelphia and Bryn Mawr medical offices.  The superseding indictment also contains the original two counts of maintaining a drug-involved premises, 200 counts of illegally distributing oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance, outside the usual course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose, 33 counts of health care fraud, and four counts of making false statements to federal agents.

 

According to the superseding indictment, on January 24, 2011, Bado knowingly and intentionally distributed pills containing oxycodone to J.A.-1, and the death of J.A.-1 resulted from the use of those substances. The indictment alleges that Bado had been writing prescriptions for J.A.-1 despite the fact that, when tested at Bado’s office, the victim tested positive for illegal street drugs. Bado allegedly gave prescriptions for large numbers of oxycodone pills to “patients” who paid in cash for an “office visit” during which the “patient” would receive, at most, a cursory physical examination and little other medical care or treatment.  The superseding indictment alleges that Bado’s prescribing mirrored the needs of drug addicts and drug traffickers.  Bado would allegedly comply with patient requests for pills with specific concentrations of oxycodone, and Bado would allegedly switch patients to pills with a higher street value even though there was no medical justification for the switch.  Bado allegedly continued to prescribe high amounts of oxycodone even when he knew that his patients were addicted to oxycodone, were using illegal drugs, or were not even taking the oxycodone pills as prescribed.

 

If convicted of all charges, Bado faces an estimated sentencing guideline range of at least 24 years in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison up to life in prison, a special assessment of $32,200, substantial fines, criminal forfeiture, and supervised release.

 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, the Haverford Township Police Department and the Philadelphia Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nancy Beam Winter and Andrew J. Schell.

 

An Indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA - Kenneth Kapikian, 57, of Wayne, Pennsylvania, and Dennis Gagliardi, 60, of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the University of Pennsylvania.  Kapikian pleaded guilty to six counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering; Gagliardi pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.  Sentencing hearings are scheduled for September 14, 2015 for both defendants.

 

The defendants, engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain monies from the University of Pennsylvania by falsely billing the University for services the defendants never provided to the Sheraton University City Hotel.  They directed vendors of the Sheraton University City Hotel to inflate their invoices submitted to the hotel and then pay them the fraudulently inflated amounts as kickbacks.

 

Kapikian faces a maximum possible sentence of 140 years in prison; Gagliardi faces a maximum statutory sentence of 100 years in prison; special assessments, supervised release, and possible fines.

 

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Melanie Babb Wilmoth.

PHILADELPHIA – Calvin Duncan, 63, a former Philadelphia Water Department employee, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release for a scheme to defraud the City of Philadelphia of more than $1 million.  Duncan, of Philadelphia, worked as a mailroom clerk and was responsible for purchasing supplies, including printer ink and toner cartridges, for PWD’s administrative offices.  Between January 1, 2006 and January 5, 2012, Duncan ordered printer ink and toner cartridges, for which the City of Philadelphia paid approximately $1,368,091.19, falsely claiming that the cartridges were for PWD employees’ use.  Instead, Duncan sold the cartridges for approximately $545,412.79 and had them shipped to his co-conspirators using PWD’s UPS shipping account. Duncan pleaded guilty, on August 9, 2013, to five counts of mail fraud.

 

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Jan E. DuBois ordered restitution in the amount of $1,368,091.19 and ordered forfeiture of $545,412.39.  Duncan’s co-conspirators, Derek and Danita Willis, who own Laser Cartridge Plus, Inc. in Russellville, Arkansas, pleaded guilty on April 29, 2014. Derek Willis was sentenced to 36 months in prison; Danita Willis was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in prison.

 

Amy Kurland, Inspector General for the City of Philadelphia , testified at the sentencing hearing for Derek Willis and Danita Willis and described the harm as follows:

“The City of Philadelphia could have used that money for a number of things.  Approximately 500 students could have been educated.  Teachers could have been hired to educate that number of students.  That money would have funded the entire Fire Inspection Department at L&I for a year.  The money could have also been used for equipment, for body cameras for 200 officers. …When something like this happens, when people are able to steal that amount of money from the city, it makes the citizens lose confidence in government and lose confidence in the city’s ability to function appropriately.”

 

The investigation was initiated by the Philadelphia Office of the Inspector General and included the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tomika N. Stevens Patterson.

PHILADELPHIA – Mark Haynes, 56, of West Chester, PA, pleaded guilty today to all counts contained in a superseding information charging child exploitation. Haynes, a former parochial Vicar, pleaded guilty to using the Internet to entice a minor to engage in sexual conduct, transfer of obscene material to a minor, distribution of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and destruction or concealment of evidence. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 10, 2015. Haynes faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison with a maximum sentence of life, possible fines, and at least five years up to a lifetime of supervised release.

 

According to court documents, around 2010, Haynes posed as a 16-year old girl named “Katie” on a teen dating website.  As “Katie,” Haynes would meet minor girls online and allegedly request that they take and send sexually explicit pictures.  Haynes is also charged with distributing other images and videos of children being sexually assaulted over the Internet in 2014, again posing as “Katie.”

 

The case was investigated by the FBI in conjunction with the Chester County Criminal Investigative Division.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.

 

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.

PHILADELPHIA - David Slater, 52, of Coatesville, PA, was charged by information, filed May 29, 2015, with two counts of use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor to engage in sexual conduct, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. According to the information, on June 1, 2013 and November 11, 2013, Slater used the internet to entice and coerce persons whom he believed were under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment in prison, a $500,000 fine, 5 years up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment.

 

The case was investigated by FBI, the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.

           Davoris Carter and Rodney Williams were charged today by indictment with robbery which interferes with interstate commerce, and using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger.  The indictment charges that Carter and Williams committed a gun-point robbery of the Garcia Grocery, located at 1327 Dyre Street, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 27, 2015.  Carter and Williams are also charged with using and carrying firearms during the robbery charged in the indictment.

 

           If convicted of all counts, Carter and Williams each faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with a mandatory seven year minimum sentence, a $500,000 fine, five years supervised release, and a $200 special assessment.

 

           This case has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Philadelphia Police Department.  The case has been assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski.

 

An Indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

A 108-count superseding indictment unsealed today charges 37 people (see chart) as participants in a multi-state heroin trafficking organization with ties to Mexico.  The charges, which include conducting a continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to commit money laundering, 62 counts of money laundering and 43 substantive drug charges, were announced by U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Tuggle for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). 

Members of the Laredo Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) are charged with the distribution and attempted distribution of multi-kilogram quantities of heroin in Philadelphia. According to the indictment, since 2008, the Laredo DTO has manufactured and imported heroin from its operation in Mexico and supplied other DTOs in Philadelphia, Chicago Camden, New Jersey,  and elsewhere.

Brothers Antonio and Ismael Laredo, the alleged leaders of the Laredo DTO, are charged with engagement in a continuing criminal enterprise.  They allegedly supervised 21 defendants who are charged with participation in a conspiracy to import heroin from Mexico into the United States and conspiracy to distribute kilogram quantities of heroin manufactured in and smuggled from Mexico into the United States.  According to the superseding indictment, the Laredo DTO smuggled-in from Mexico approximately 1,000 kilograms of heroin using various concealment techniques including placing kilogram quantities of heroin in car batteries, car bumpers, concealed vehicle traps and sealed fruit and vegetable cans.  Antonio and Ismael Laredo allegedly recruited and hired couriers in the United States to transport and deliver multi-kilogram shipments of heroin, originating in Mexico, to heroin distributors affiliated with the Laredo DTO located in Philadelphia, Camden, New Jersey, Chicago, Atlanta, and New York, New York.  Defendant Antonio Marcelo Barragan allegedly served as a Mexican-based supplier of raw opium.  Defendant Alejandro Sotelo allegedly served as a stash house operator and distributor of the DTO’s product in Chicago, where he arranged trans-shipment of multi-kilogram quantities of heroin to Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York.

It is further alleged that the Laredo DTO supplied street level heroin bagging and packaging operations in Philadelphia; that heroin, in quantities ranging from 15 to 50 kilograms at a time was regularly moved between the Chicago, operation and the Philadelphia operation; and that members of the DTO, including the Laredo brothers, used violence, such as assaults and kidnapping, threats of violence, including murder and arson and firearms to protect the DTO’s product and proceeds and to prevent members from withdrawing from the organization.  The indictment alleges that the Laredo DTO supplied multi-kilogram quantities of heroin to other drug traffickers in the Philadelphia area, including the (Christian) Serrano DTO, charged elsewhere, the (Darbin and Gabriel) Vargas DTO and the Camden, New Jersey, based (Confesor) Montalvo organization, among others.

According to the indictment, members of the Laredo DTO would transport heroin shipments by various means, including car and train.  In 2012, a courier concealed three kilograms of heroin inside a car battery for transport from Mexico to Philadelphia; another shipment of four kilograms was concealed inside a car speaker box; a shipment of 7.6 kilograms of heroin was concealed in sealed fruit and vegetable cans in Texas and the couriers were directed to deliver the heroin to defendants Darbin Vargas and Gabriel Vargas, of the Vargas DTO in Philadelphia, in September 2012.  The indictment alleges that the Laredo brothers arranged for the manufacture and production of car batteries in Mexico containing concealed compartments to hold multiple kilograms of heroin which were then used to surreptitiously import heroin into the United States.

The indictment further alleges that the Laredo brothers had numerous relatives and associates set up “funnel accounts” that were used for the purpose of laundering the proceeds of the drug operation back to Mexico.  According to the indictment, using a variety of money laundering techniques, including the use of the funnel accounts, wire transfers of funds and Western Union money grams, the DTO was able to launder at least $5 million of its heroin proceeds back to Mexico, where the Laredo brothers resided.  It was further a part of the conspiracy that the Laredo brothers directed defendant Osmar Flores, doing business as Tri-Country Auto Sales Inc. in Rockford, Illinois, to collect and deposit large sums of cash representing proceeds of the Laredo DTO's heroin trafficking sales in the U.S. to the business bank account of Tri Country Auto Sales Inc.  Portions of those funds were allegedly used to purchase multiple vehicles used to transport heroin from Mexico and bulk U.S. currency from the United States to Mexico, in concealed compartments.  In addition, defendant Osmar Flores transmitted proceeds of the heroin operation back to the Laredos, both by wire transfers and bulk transfers of cash. 

“This indictment and the arrests this morning are a significant victory in our efforts to combat drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Memeger.  “Because of the persistent and collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies across the country, a major supplier of heroin to the Philadelphia region is out of business.”

“Heroin is the top enforcement priority of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Field Division,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Tuggle.  “Dismantling this extremely violent international drug trafficking organization ended the flow of hundreds of kilograms of Mexican based heroin into the Philadelphia region and is a direct result of DEA’s resolve to make our communities safer.  This was a cooperative effort with local, state and federal agencies.  The flow of Mexican produced heroin into southeast Pennsylvania has been significantly impacted.”

If convicted, the Laredo brothers each face a mandatory sentence of life in prison, tens to hundreds of millions of dollars in fines, as well as a criminal forfeiture judgment to the United States of up to $60 million; most of the remaining drug trafficking defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of at least 10 years in prison (see attached chart).

The case was investigated by the  DEA’s offices in Philadelphia, Camden, New Jersey, Mexico City, Mexico, Chicago and Rockford, Illinois, Newark, New Jersey, New York, New York, Tyler, Texas, Raleigh, North Carolina, Jefferson City and St. Louis, Missouri, Richmond, Virginia, and the DEA Special Operations Division; FBI in Philadelphia; U.S. Marshal Service; Homeland Security Investigations in Philadelphia and Richmond, Virginia; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the Philadelphia Police Department; Darby Borough Police Department; SEPTA Transit Police Department; Berks County District Attorney’s Office; Bucks County District Attorney’s Office in New Jersey; the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, Parole Board, Cherry Hill Police Department, Delaware River Port Authority Police, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, Camden County Sherriff’s Office; in Illinois: Rockford Police Department, Will County Sheriff's Department, Skokie Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Oak Lawn Police Department, Addison Police Department, Prospect Heights Police Department, Chicago Police Department, Arlington Heights Police Department, West Chicago Police Department, Cook County Sheriff's Department and McHenry County Narcotics Task Force; in Texas: Texas Department of Safety, CID Mt. Pleasant, Mt. Pleasant Police Department; in Missouri: Missouri State Highway Patrol, Audrain County Sheriff’s Department, East Central Drug Task Force; in Virginia: the Mecklenberg County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and the Virginia State Police; and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina.  Assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Northern District of Illinois and the Eastern District of Virginia.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph T. Labrum III.

PHILADELPHIA – A 108-count superseding indictment, unsealed today, charges 37 people (see chart) as participants in a multi-state heroin trafficking organization with ties to Mexico. The charges, which include conducting a continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to commit money laundering, 62 counts of money laundering, and 43 substantive drug charges, were announced by United States Attorney Zane David Memeger and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Tuggle. Members of the Laredo Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) are charged with the distribution and attempted distribution of multi-kilogram quantities of heroin in Philadelphia. According to the indictment, since 2008, the Laredo DTO has manufactured and imported heroin from its operation in Mexico and supplied other DTOs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Camden, New Jersey, in Chicago, Illinois, and elsewhere.

 

Brothers Antonio and Ismael Laredo, the alleged leaders of the Laredo DTO, are charged with engagement in a continuing criminal enterprise. They allegedly supervised 21 defendants who are charged with participation in a conspiracy to import heroin from Mexico into the United States, and conspiracy to distribute kilogram quantities of heroin manufactured in, and smuggled from, Mexico into the United States. According to the superseding indictment, the Laredo DTO smuggled-in from Mexico approximately 1,000 kilograms of heroin using various concealment techniques including placing kilogram quantities of heroin in car batteries, car bumpers, concealed vehicle traps, and sealed fruit and vegetable cans. Antonio and Ismael Laredo allegedly recruited and hired couriers in the United States to transport and deliver multi-kilogram shipments of heroin, originating in Mexico, to heroin distributors affiliated with the Laredo DTO located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Camden, New Jersey, Chicago, Illinois, Atlanta, Georgia, and New York, New York. Defendant Antonio Marcelo Barragan allegedly served as a Mexican-based supplier of raw opium. Defendant Alejandro Sotelo allegedly served as a stash house operator and distributor of the DTO’s product in Chicago, Illinois, where he arranged trans-shipment of multi-kilogram quantities of heroin to Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York.

 

It is further alleged that the Laredo DTO supplied street level heroin bagging and packaging operations in Philadelphia; that heroin, in quantities ranging from 15 to 50 kilograms at a time was regularly moved between the Chicago operation and the Philadelphia operation; and that members of the DTO, including the Laredo brothers, used violence, such as assaults and kidnapping, threats of violence, including murder and arson, and firearms to protect the DTO's product and proceeds and to prevent members from withdrawing from the organization. The indictment alleges that the Laredo DTO supplied multi-kilogram quantities of heroin to other drug traffickers in the Philadelphia area, including the

(Christian) Serrano DTO, charged elsewhere, the (Darbin and Gabriel) Vargas DTO, and the Camden, New Jersey based (Confesor) Montalvo organization, among others.

 

According to the indictment, members of the Laredo DTO would transport heroin shipments by various means, including car and train. In 2012, a courier concealed three kilograms of heroin inside a car battery for transport from Mexico to Philadelphia; another shipment of four kilograms was concealed inside a car speaker box; a shipment of 7.6 kilograms of heroin was concealed in sealed fruit and vegetable cans in Texas, and the couriers were directed to deliver the heroin to defendants Darbin Vargas and Gabriel Vargas, of the Vargas DTO in Philadelphia in September 2012. The indictment alleges that the Laredo brothers arranged for the manufacture and production of car batteries in Mexico containing concealed compartments to hold multiple kilograms of heroin which were then used to surreptitiously import heroin into the United States.

 

The indictment further alleges that the Laredo brothers had numerous relatives and associates set up “funnel accounts” that were used for the purpose of laundering the proceeds of the drug operation back to Mexico. According to the indictment, using a variety of money laundering techniques, including the use of the funnel accounts, wire transfers of funds, and Western Union money grams, the DTO was able to launder at least $5 million of its heroin proceeds back to Mexico, where the Laredo brothers resided. It was further a part of the conspiracy that the Laredo brothers directed defendant Osmar Flores, doing business as Tri-Country Auto Sales, Inc., in Rockford, Illinois, to collect and deposit large sums of cash representing proceeds of the Laredo DTO's heroin trafficking sales in the U.S. to the business bank account of Tri Country Auto Sales, Inc.  Portions of those funds were allegedly used to purchase multiple vehicles used to transport heroin from Mexico and bulk U.S. currency from the United States to Mexico, in concealed compartments. In addition, defendant Osmar Flores transmitted proceeds of the heroin operation back to the Laredos, both by wire transfers and bulk transfers of cash.

 

“This indictment and the arrests this morning are a significant victory in our efforts to combat drug trafficking,” said Memeger. “Because of the persistent and collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies across the country, a major supplier of heroin to the Philadelphia region is out of business.”

 

“Heroin is the top enforcement priority of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Field Division,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Tuggle. “Dismantling this extremely violent international drug trafficking organization ended the flow of hundreds of kilograms of Mexican based heroin into the Philadelphia region and is a direct result of DEA’s resolve to make our communities safer. This was a cooperative effort with local, state and federal agencies. The flow of Mexican produced heroin into southeast Pennsylvania has been significantly impacted.”

 

           If convicted, the Laredo brothers each face a mandatory sentence of life in prison, tens to hundreds of millions of dollars in fines, as well as a criminal forfeiture judgment to the United States of up to $60 million; most of the remaining drug trafficking defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of at least 10 years in prison (see attached chart).

 

           The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s offices in Philadelphia, PA, Camden, NJ, Mexico City, Mexico, Chicago and Rockford, IL, Newark, NJ, New York, NY, Tyler, TX, Raleigh, NC, Jefferson City and St. Louis, MS, Richmond, VA, and the DEA Special Operations Division; FBI, Philadelphia; U.S. Marshal Service; Homeland Security Investigations in Philadelphia, PA and Richmond, VA; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the Philadelphia Police Department; Darby Borough Police Department; SEPTA Transit Police Department; Berks County District Attorney’s Office; Bucks County District Attorney’s Office; in New Jersey: the N.J. Attorney General’s Office, N.J. Parole Board, Cherry Hill Police Department, Delaware River Port Authority Police, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, Camden County Sherriff’s Office; in Illinois: Rockford Police Department, Will County Sheriff's Department, Skokie Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Oak Lawn Police Department, Addison Police Department, Prospect Heights Police Department, Chicago Police Department, Arlington Heights Police Department, West Chicago Police Department, Cook County Sheriff's Department, and McHenry County Narcotics Task Force; in Texas: Texas Department of Safety, CID Mt. Pleasant, Mt. Pleasant Police Department; in Missouri: Missouri State Highway Patrol, Audrain County Sheriff’s Department, East Central Drug Task Force; in Virginia: the Mecklenberg County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and the Virginia State Police; and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Northern District of Illinois and the Eastern District of Virginia. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph T. Labrum, III.

PHILADELPHIA – An indictment, filed today, charges three Philadelphia men with robbing Verizon wireless stores of expensive cellular telephones for the purpose of reselling them and splitting the nearly $80,000 in proceeds, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.  Darryl Alston, 39, Rynell Bennett, 34, and Chamir Isaiah Lewis, 21, all of Philadelphia, are charged with committing Hobbs Act robbery.  Alston is charged in all five robberies: on October 11, 2014, at 421 West Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania; on January 20, 2015, at 625 West Chester Pike, Haverford Township, Pennsylvania; on January 21, 2015, at 301 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia; and on January 27, 2015, at 1692 Clements Bridge Road, Deptford Township, New Jersey; and on April 13, 2015, at 322 South Street, Philadelphia. Bennett is charged with one robbery and Lewis is charged with two robberies.

 

According to the indictment, the three defendants robbed the stores by researching the businesses over the Internet; entered the businesses wearing dark clothing, gloves, scarf, ski mask, baseball hats, and a hooded sweatshirt to conceal their identities; used a firearm and a BB handgun to terrorize the owners and employees of the businesses, tied the victims’ hands with duct tape and rope, in order to prevent them from interfering with the robbery and to enforce compliance with their demands; and stole approximately $78,906 in cellular phones. Alston and Bennett are also both charged with using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and felon in possession of a firearm.

 

If convicted of all charges, Alston and Bennett each faces a minimum mandatory sentence of seven years in prison, in addition to an advisory sentencing guideline range of 188 to 235 months for Alston, and 360 months to life imprisonment for Bennett. Lewis faces a sentencing guideline range of 151 to 188 months imprisonment.

 

The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department, the Plymouth Meeting Police Department, the Haverford Township Police Department, and the Deptford Township, New Jersey Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jose Arteaga.

 

An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA – A federal jury, yesterday, handed up guilty verdicts against Robert G. Wray, 75, of Torrey, Utah, on charges that he conspired with a Lehigh County doctor of osteopathy to defraud the Department of Health and Human Service and the Internal Revenue Service. The fraud scheme, in which Wray participated, amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Wray was found guilty of one count of conspiracy, 30 counts of wire fraud, one count of bankruptcy fraud, and one count of failure to appear.

 

Wray uses many different names for himself in an attempt to evade federal and other laws by arguing that he has not been properly identified in legal documents.  Wray also claims to be a “sovereign” citizen who is not subject to federal laws, including laws regarding personal income taxation.  Wray conspired with Dr. Dennis Erik Fluck Von Kiel, of Macungie, Pennsylvania, to help Dr. Von Kiel evade a six-figure debt he owed to HHS for unpaid medical school loans and avoid paying personal income taxes to the IRS.  Dr. Von Kiel pleaded guilty and was sentenced, on April 20, 2015, to 41 months in prison.  Von Kiel was also ordered to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $256,920, to the Department of Health and Human Services in the amount of $262,303.11 to the Department of Education in the amount of $36,314, forfeiture of $165,988.29, and a $1,325 special assessment.

 

Wray faces a possible advisory sentencing guideline range of 51 to 78 months in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution and a $3,300 special assessment. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 2, 2015.

 

The case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigations and the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark B. Dubnoff.

Tariq Haitham Alkhudayri, 28, of Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, was charged today by indictment with one count each of distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. The indictment alleges that on or about August and November 2014, Alkhudayri distributed, received, and possessed images of child pornography.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 50 years in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.

 

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 Criminal Investigation Division of Delaware County and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Josh A. Davison.

 

An Indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA - Nathaniel Sloh, 25, of Darby, PA, and Kevin “Prince” Kpou, 22, of Philadelphia, PA, were charged by indictment, unsealed today, with one count of conspiracy, three counts of manufacturing counterfeit currency, and two counts of dealing in counterfeit currency, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.  The indictment alleges that from August 2014 to November 2014, Sloh and Kpou conspired to manufacture and sell counterfeit currency.

 

If convicted, Sloh and Kpou, each face a maximum possible sentence of 105 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $1.5 million, and a special assessment of $600.

 

The case was investigated by United States Secret Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laurie Magid.

 

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

PHILADELPHIA - Kenneth Kapikian, 57, of Wayne, Pennsylvania, and Dennis Gagliardi, 60, of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, were charged today by Information with a scheme to defraud the University of Pennsylvania.  The defendants are each charged with seven counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

 

According to the Information, the defendants, engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain monies from the University of Pennsylvania by falsely billing the University for services the defendants never provided to the Sheraton University City Hotel.  The Information further alleges the defendants directed vendors of the Sheraton University City Hotel to inflate their invoices submitted to the hotel and then pay them the fraudulently inflated amounts as kickbacks.

 

If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 160 years in prison, a three-year period of supervised release, a fine of up to $500,000, and an $800 special assessment.

 

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Melanie Babb Wilmoth.

 

An Information is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA - Bevis Vanterpool, 37, of Philadelphia, was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for conspiring to distribute oxycodone, a Schedule II narcotic controlled substance, and money laundering.  Between May 2010 and December 19, 2011, Vanterpool owned and operated TraceMark Pharmacy at 4839 North Broad Street in Philadelphia, where he was the sole pharmacist. During that period, Vanterpool accepted and filled nearly 5,000 fraudulent prescriptions for at least 447,761 mg. of oxycodone.  Vanterpool knew that the prescriptions were forged and fraudulent, as they had not been written by physicians.  Vanterpool laundered at least $1,180,000 in proceeds from his illegal activity.

 

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Mary A. McLaughlin ordered a fine of $1,000, a special assessment of $200, and three years of supervised release to follow imprisonment.

 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Unit, and the Philadelphia Police Department.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary E. Crawley.

PHILADELPHIA – Xiaoxing Xi, 47, of Penn Valley, PA, was charged by indictment, unsealed today, with four counts of wire fraud in an alleged scheme involving the exploitation of technology for the benefit of third parties in China. Xi, a naturalized U.S. citizen and a native of the People’s Republic of China, is a world-renowned expert in the field of magnesium diboride thin film superconducting technology. The fraud, it is alleged, was an effort to assist Chinese entities in becoming world leaders of the superconductivity field.

 

The charges were announced today by United States Attorney Zane David Memeger, and FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Edward J. Hanko.

 

The indictment alleges that, in 2002, Xi participated in China’s 863 Program, which was a Chinese government program intended to boost high-technology innovation and development in China. Thereafter, in 2002 to 2003, the indictment alleges that Xi took a sabbatical from his university position and worked with a U.S. company in the field of thin film superconductivity research. During his tenure at the company, individuals there invented a piece of technology which revolutionized the field of superconducting magnesium diboride thin film growth. The indictment alleges that, starting in January 2004, Xi made efforts to obtain the technology from the company. The indictment further alleges that Xi applied for and was awarded a U.S. Defense Department grant to finance his purchase of the device for research relevant to the Department of Defense. In January 2006, Xi obtained the device for 12 months subject to an agreement that he not reproduce, sell, transfer or otherwise distribute the device or any copies of the device to any third party. The indictment alleges that Xi signed this agreement as part of a scheme to defraud the company into providing him the technology, so that he could provide it to entities in China and assist those entities in further exploitation and use of the technology. The indictment further alleges that Xi repeatedly reproduced, sold, transferred, distributed, and otherwise shared the device with, and exploited it for the benefit of, government entities and other third parties in China. It is further alleged that, in exchange for his efforts, Xi repeatedly sought lucrative and prestigious appointments in China.

 

According to the indictment, Xi’s emails include a communication on May 14, 2010, to an associate in China, confirming the delivery of certain technology to a laboratory in China; and three emails to separate associates in China, in June 2010 and December 2010, in which Xi offers to build a world-class thin film laboratory.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 80 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $1 million, and a $400 special assessment.

 

The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams.

 

An Indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Celeste Palmer, 54, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced today to a day in custody followed by three years supervised release, with the first four months of supervised release to be served in a halfway house, and the next six months to be served on house arrest, for scheming to receive disaster relief assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), when she was not entitled to receive those benefits. Palmer pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on December 1, 2014.

 

After Hurricane Irene came through the Philadelphia area on August 26, 2011, Palmer made fraudulent claims to FEMA for disaster assistance, which Palmer supported with falsified rent receipts and leases.  Palmer’s scheme led FEMA to award her disaster rental assistance in the total amount of $14,487, to which Palmer knew she was not entitled. 

 

The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary E. Crawley.

PHILADELPHIA – Daniel Shank, 39, of Philadelphia, was charged today by indictment with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

 

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison, up to lifetime supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

 

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

 

An indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA - Edwin Jimerson, 24, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged today by indictment with three robberies at Metro PCS stores in Philadelphia, in April of 2015, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.  Jimerson is charged with robbery which interfered with interstate commerce and brandishing, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.  According to the indictment, on April 3, 2015, Jimerson robbed the Metro PCS at 6342 Rising Sun Avenue, of approximately $905; on April 6, 2015, Jimerson robbed the Metro PCS at 1414 Point Breeze Avenue, of approximately $1500; and on April 8, 2015, Jimerson robbed the Metro PCS at 7219 Frankford Avenue, of approximately $200.

                    

If convicted of all charges, Jimerson defendant faces a mandatory minimum of sentenced of 57 years in prison up to life, up to five years of supervised release, a possible fine, a special assessment of $600, restitution, and forfeiture of the firearm and ammunition.

 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Philadelphia Police Department, and the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ewald Zittlau.

 

An indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA – Richard Cooper, 37, of Philadelphia, was indicted today on four counts of bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.  The indictment alleges that Cooper robbed a TD Bank, located at 6635 Frankford Avenue, on April 11, 2015; alleges he robbed a Citizens Bank, located at 7327 Frankford Avenue, on April 13, 2015; alleges he robbed a TD Bank, located at 2267 East Butler Street, on April 15, 2015; and alleges he robbed TD Bank, located at 6635 Frankford Avenue, on April 17, 2015.  The defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of up to 80 years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release, up to $1,000,000 in fines, and $400 in special assessments.

 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Bologna.

 

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

PHILADELPHIA - A superseding indictment was filed May 14, 2015 charging Corderro Cody, 27, of Allentown, PA, four additional counts, three additional counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, or attempt, and one count of sex trafficking of a minor.  Cody was originally indicted on October 30, 2014, on charges of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and conspiracy to transport individuals both intrastate and interstate for the purpose of prostitution.

 

The superseding indictment alleges that Cody recruited women to work as prostitutes, referred to his prostitution business as the “program,” and advertised the women on Backpage.com.  The women were sometimes driven to other states and forced to perform sexual acts.  Cody recovered and kept most, if not all, of the money generated by the sexual acts, and used physical force in the form of beatings when the women did not adhere to the “program,” and to maintain the women performing commercial sexual acts.

 

If convicted, the defendant faces a a mandatory minimum prison term of 15 years up to a maximum of life, a fine of up to $2.5 million, a mandatory minimum five years supervised release up to lifetime supervised release, and a $1,000 special assessment.

 

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Allentown Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sherri A. Stephan, and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.

 

An Indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA - Thomas Luther, 49 of Southampton, Pennsylvania was charged today by Information with wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison, a three-year period of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 special assessment.

 

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Melanie Babb Wilmoth.

 

An Information is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA - Lisa Stratton, 55, of Avondale, Pennsylvania was charged today by Information with wire fraud announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison, a three-year period of supervised release, fine in the amount of $ 250,000, and a $100 special assessment.

 

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Melanie Babb Wilmoth.

 

An Information is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA - Damian Gasdaska, 38, of Phillipsburg, NJ, was sentenced today to 144 months in prison for an identity fraud scheme that involved stealing personal information, including from old court records.  Gasdaska pleaded guilty in November 2014 to conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and bank fraud.  U.S. District Court Judge Edward G. Smith also ordered restitution in the amount of $257,029, $381,070 in forfeiture, five years of supervised release, and a $400 special assessment.

 

Gasdaska and his co-conspirators, Randall McMahon, of Easton, PA, John Cordero, of Breinigsville, PA, Brandon Jones, of Reading, PA, and Johnnie Rhines, of Lindenwold, NJ, used the stolen information to create false identities which they then used to apply for credit cards and for purchasing or renting vehicles. Gasdaska provided some of the fraudulent credit cards he acquired to his co-conspirators and kept some for himself. He also showed his co-conspirators how to commit the fraud. Gasdaska took steps to create favorable credit profiles for these false identities, and to improve the individuals’ credit profiles. These steps included: obtaining reports on the individuals, requesting the modification of information in the reports, and engaging in transactions in the names of the false identities to improve their credit profiles. Gasdaska and his associates applied for loans in the name of the false identities for which Gasdaska had improved their credit profiles. The defendants secured fraudulent loans exceeding $200,000 to buy cars under false pretenses. They purchased or attempted to purchase five different vehicles.

 

Gasdaska used Post Offices boxes in the name of the false identities to receive mail for various purposes, such as in connection with credit card applications. He used computers at public libraries to further the conspiracy. After co-conspirators made their purchases, they often provided the purchased items to Gasdaska who then sold them and paid the co-conspirators for their illegal services. When Gasdaska was arrested in January 2013, he was driving a car he had purchased through his fraud scheme that was filled with fraudulent documentation Gasdaska had generated and received during his scheme.

 

Gasdaska’s co-conspirators all pleaded guilty.  Rhines was sentenced in March to 30 months in prison; Jones pleaded guilty today. McMahon and Cordero are awaiting a sentencing hearing scheduled for June 9, 2015.

 

The case was investigated by United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Lehigh County Auto Theft and Insurance Fraud Task Force.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Murray.

PHILADELPHIA – An indictment was unsealed today, charging a Philadelphia-based group with conspiracy to commit violent robberies, including an attempted robbery of a Center City jewelry store in which the defendants impersonated police officers.  Additionally, the indictment alleges that the robbers tracked their target victims with GPS devices to rob them in their homes.  The indictment charges 16 defendants with conspiring to commit Hobbs Act Robbery and various other charges.  Various defendants are charged in violent home invasion robberies or attempted robberies that included shooting one victim, water boarding and pouring boiling water on another, and, in one incident, assisting the scheme by playing the role of a robbery victim.

 

The charges were announced today by First Assistant United States Attorney Louis Lappen and Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Kelly D. Brady with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

 

Charged are: Khalil Smith, Mark Woods, Marcus Bowens, Michael Queen, Terrace Munden, Robert Hartley, Hasan Chaney, Levern Jackson, Braheim Ballard, William Jefferson, Daniel Hayes, Jeffrey Bellamy, Romel Anthony, Eric Scott, Brandon Segers, all of Philadelphia, PA, and Jamal Doggett, of Willingboro, NJ.

 

According to the indictment, between September 2012 and April 29, 2014, in Philadelphia, Ambler, Hatfield, and elsewhere, the defendants conspired to commit robbery to obtain drugs, the proceeds from drug sales, jewelry and money from their victims by means of actual and threatened force, violence, and fear of injury.  On July 15, 2013, the indictment alleges that Daniel Hayes and Brandon Segers entered the Platinum Jewelers, at 1136 Market Street, Philadelphia, wearing disguises and posing as customers.  Smith and Marcus Bowens, it is alleged, entered the store posing as police officers. Smith allegedly pointed a gun at the store clerk and yelled “police,” while defendants Mark Woods, Michael Queen and Jeffrey Bellamy kept watch outside and/or monitored a police scanner.  The defendants fled the scene after police were notified by a store clerk who pushed an alarm button.

 

In a previous alleged incident, on September 3, 2012, Eric Scott was among the guests in the victim’s Ambler home when he notified Smith and William Jefferson that they could rob the home. The indictment alleges that Smith and Jefferson entered the home wearing masks and armed with guns, which they pointed at the homeowner and guests, including Scott who pretended to be a victim. They tied up the victims, stole jewelry, cash, and a small amount of cocaine.

 

The indictment charges that between November 2013 and April 2014, Smith, Bowens, and a combination of other defendants committed four other home invasion robberies or robbery attempts.  In November of 2013, Smith and Queen allegedly placed a GPS tracking device on vehicles driven by their target victim to find his home in Hatfield, PA.  When the victim arrived home, he was met by the defendants who forced him inside at gunpoint where he was restrained, threatened, and assaulted. It is further alleged that Smith, Bowens, Queen, Doggett, and Ballard stole guns, electronics, and the victim’s BMW.

 

In January 2014, Smith, Bowens, Woods, Jackson, and Bellamy robbed a residence in Philadelphia of half a kilogram of cocaine, $10,000, and other items, while restraining, threatening, and assaulting the occupant.

 

In April 2014, defendants Smith, Bowens, Woods, Jackson, Bellamy, Munden, Hartley, and Chaney allegedly forced two victims to strip naked while robbing their Philadelphia home, and threatened to sodomize and kill them. They water boarded one victim and poured boiling water on him before stealing jewelry, an iPad and a 2009 Toyota Camry.

 

Later that month, defendants Smith, Bowens, Woods, Munden, Bellamy and Hartley tracked a Philadelphia resident they believed to be a drug dealer.  They burglarized the home, stealing jewelry and electronics.  Believing they missed the drugs and drug money, they returned a few days later and held two victims at gunpoint, shooting one of them before fleeing empty handed.

 

“These defendants are charged with engaging in a brazen crime spree of robbery and violence,” said Lappen. “They terrorized their victims, stole their money and property, and had the audacity to impersonate police officers in an effort to perpetrate their crimes.  If convicted, the defendants face mandatory prison terms and lengthy guideline sentences which will ensure that they are off the street for a very long time.”

 

“These 16 defendants allegedly committed serious acts of violence that included armed home invasions, a shooting, and brutal physical torture,” said Brady. “They were well-organized, well-planned and well-armed. Now, this violent pattern of robberies has ended and these defendants face serious prison terms if convicted. ATF is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime and increase public safety.”

 

The investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department, the Hatfield Township Police Department and the Whitpain Township Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Salvatore Astolfi and Jeanine Linehan.

 

An indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA - Robin Wood, 45 of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was charged today by Indictment with wire fraud and theft of approximately $45,312 in government funds, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

 

According to the indictment, for approximately 100 weeks between November 10, 2007, and July 3, 2010, the defendant received unemployment compensation, for which she fraudulently claimed each week she was eligible when, in fact, she was employed by the Internal Revenue Service and receiving a salary.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible statutory sentence of 20 years in prison, restitution, up to three years of supervised release, and a $300 special assessment.

 

The case was investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrea G. Foulkes.

 

An Indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Matthew Krapf, 45, of Collegeville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to life in prison for 10 counts, each, of using or inducing a child to pose for child pornography, use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor to engage in sexual contact, three counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.  He was also sentenced to 10 years supervised release.  Krapf pleaded guilty on Oct. 28, 2014, to all 24 counts.

Krapf met his victims online and directed the conversation to sexually explicit chats.  As early as December 2012, the defendant recorded Skype video chats, later recovered by police, that depicted the defendant directing one victim to masturbate for him.  In the months that followed, the defendant met the victim at his parent’s home and engaged in sexual conduct from their very first encounter.  A 13-year old victim met the defendant online and engaged in sexually explicit chats from the beginning of their communication, even after informing the defendant that he was just 13-years old.  The defendant videotaped his encounters and later distributed the videos over the Internet.

In October 2013, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, detectives received consent to take over one victim’s identity and corresponded with the defendant on-line and via text messaging.  The defendant, believing that he was speaking with the 14-year old victim, made arrangements to meet him at his parents’ home on Nov. 2, 2013 to have sex again.  Krapf was arrested by Montgomery County detectives after he entered the victim’s house.

When agents seized his computers, cell phones and collection of DVDs and CDs, a forensic exam uncovered more than two million images of child pornography, including more than 100 videos that the defendant manufactured of the victim teenage boys.  Krapf’s collection is believed to be the largest ever seized in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Krapf admitted to meeting one victim on at least eight occasions during the summer of 2013 and engaging in oral sex, anal sex and digital penetration.  He also admitted that he knew the victim was just 14-years old before he had any sex with him.  Krapf told police that during the time he was engaging in the sexual abuse of this boy, he directed him to have sex with other juvenile boys, record the sex and then send the recording to him and to take nude and sexually explicit photographs of himself.  Defendant Krapf also confirmed the July 2013 sexual abuse of the two minor boys, admitting that he engaged in oral and anal sex with these boys, knowing that they were minors and videotaped the encounter.  In his confession the defendant also admitted to sexually abusing at least four other underage boys.  His abuse of these boys was over a nine year period, dating back to 2005.

“This predator used the internet to identify and begin the process of sexually exploiting his numerous victims,” said U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.  “He then took full advantage of his vulnerable victims through a series of horrific sexual assaults over several years.  His post-arrest admissions provide disturbing insight into the methods he used to entice his young victims for his criminal gratification.  The sentence handed down today is the only way to guarantee that he will never again victimize an innocent child.”

“The heinous crimes this pedophile committed are something his victims will have to deal with for the rest of their lives, but the community will now be safe from this menace,” said Special Agent in Charge John P. Kelleghan of Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) of Philadelphia.  “He will be spending his life in prison as a result of the excellent cooperative efforts of the Limerick, Pennsylvania Police Department, HSI, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.”

The case was investigated by HSI, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office and the Limerick Township Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Rotella of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

PHILADELPHIA - Matthew Krapf, 45, of Collegeville, PA, was sentenced today to life in prison for 10 counts, each, of using or inducing a child to pose for child pornography, use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor to engage in sexual contact, three counts of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.  He was also sentenced to 10 years supervised release.  Krapf pleaded guilty on October 28, 2014 to all 24 counts.

 

Krapf met his victims online and directed the conversation to sexually explicit chats.  As early as December 2012, the defendant recorded Skype video chats (later recovered by police) that depicted the defendant directing one victim to masturbate for him.  In the months that followed, the defendant met the victim at his parent’s home and engaged in sexual conduct from their very first encounter.  A 13-year old victim met the defendant online and engaged in sexually explicit chats from the beginning of their communication, even after informing the defendant that he was just 13-years old.  The defendant videotaped his encounters and later distributed the videos over the Internet.

 

In October 2013, Montgomery County detectives received consent to take over one victim’s identity and corresponded with the defendant on-line and via text messaging.  The defendant, believing that he was speaking with the 14 year old victim, made arrangements to meet him at his parents’ home on November 2, 2013 to again have sex.  Krapf was arrested by Montgomery County detectives after he entered the victim’s house.

 

When agents seized his computers, cell phones, and collection of DVDs and CDs, a forensic exam uncovered more than 2 million images of child pornography, including more than 100 videos that the defendant manufactured of the victim teenage boys.  Krapf’s collection is believed to be the largest ever seized in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

 

Krapf admitted to meeting one victim on at least eight occasions during the summer of 2013 and engaging in oral sex, anal sex, and digital penetration.  He also admitted that he knew the victim was just 14 years of age before he had any sex with him.  Krapf told police that during the time he was engaging in the sexual abuse of this boy, he directed him to have sex with other juvenile boys, record the sex, and then send the recording to him, and to take nude and sexually explicit photographs of himself.  Defendant Krapf also confirmed the July 2013 sexual abuse of the two minor boys, admitting that he engaged in oral and anal sex with these boys, knowing that they were minors, and videotaped the encounter.  In his confession the defendant also admitted to sexually abusing at least four other underage boys.  His abuse of these boys was over a nine year period, dating back to 2005.

 

“This predator used the internet to identify and begin the process of sexually exploiting his numerous victims,” said U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger. “He then took full advantage of his vulnerable victims through a series of horrific sexual assaults over several years.  His post-arrest admissions provide disturbing insight into the methods he used to entice his young victims for his criminal gratification.   The sentence handed down today is the only way to guarantee that he will never again victimize an innocent child.”

 

“The heinous crimes this pedophile committed are something his victims will have to deal with for the rest of their lives, but the community will now be safe from this menace,” said John P. Kelleghan, HSI Philadelphia special agent in charge. “He will be spending his life in prison as a result of the excellent cooperative efforts of the Limerick Police Department, HSI, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

 

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the  Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, and the Limerick Township Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.

PHILADELPHIA - Titus Kellam, 20, and Kimberly Monfort, 24, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were charged today by indictment in a scheme involving six armed robberies of pizza delivery employees in Philadelphia, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. Kellam is charged with committing all six robberies, between November 26, 2014 and December 21, 2014, and with brandishing a firearm in two of those robberies. Monfort is charged in one robbery. The charges include Hobbs Act robbery and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

 

The indictment alleges that on November 26, 2014, Kellam and Monfort robbed a pizza delivery employee of Key Pizza, located at 1846 S. 12th Street, of cash, food, and a cell phone belonging to that employee, by means of actual and threatened violence. Kellam is further charged in the armed robberies of pizza delivery employees of: Wolf Street Pizza, located at 2135 Wolf Street; City Pizza, located at 100 Snyder Avenue; Uncle Oogie’s Pizzeria, located at 2010 Gerritt Street; Not Just Pizza, located at 2240 S. 11th Street; and Isabella Pizza, located at 1824 East Passyunk Avenue, all in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

 

If convicted, Kellum faces a maximum possible statutory sentence of life in prison, with a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 32 years imprisonment; Monfort faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison.

 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yvonne Osirim.

PHILADELPHIA – Healthcare technology company Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. (“SMS”) has agreed to pay $5.9 million to resolve an investigation into the overcharging of the federal government for purchases of medical imaging equipment.  The civil resolution was announced today by United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

 

On behalf of the United State Department of Defense (“DoD”), the Defense Supply Center of Philadelphia (“DSCP”) negotiated and entered into an agreement with SMS for the purchase of medical imaging equipment and support products between 2002 and 2008 (the “DSCP Contract”).  The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) also purchased medical imaging equipment through the DSCP Contract.

 

The United States alleged that SMS failed to provide the best price for certain DoD purchases made pursuant to the DSCP Contract.  Specifically, SMS did not give the DoD the largest discount that a private or commercial customer had received for a “like system,” and, in doing so, overcharged the government.  SMS also withheld information about this overcharging and kept money that it was not entitled to retain.  After SMS uncovered evidence of the overcharging, SMS issued mass discounts on multiple occasions to address the misbilling on a prospective basis.  SMS did not correct the overcharging that had occurred and further concealed it from the United States.

 

The United States also alleged that SMS overcharged the VA for certain imaging equipment orders – purchases made under the DSCP Contract – that had been converted to a newer model.  Specifically, certain VA orders did not receive the larger discount that applied to the newer model which was delivered.

 

The allegations arose from an investigation led by the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General's Defense Criminal Investigative Service.  The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Eric D. Gill and Viveca D. Parker.

PHILADELPHIA - David Fili, Jr., 45 of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, was charged today by information with 10 counts of wire fraud and two counts of bank fraud in a $9.7 million scheme, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

 

From 2005 to March 2013, Fili was co-owner of Capital Financial Mortgage Corporation (“CFMC”), based in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. According to the information, during that time, Fili defrauded numerous lenders into purchasing mortgages issued by CFMC that were represented as first mortgages but that were, in reality, worthless second mortgages.  He also allegedly defrauded other lenders who loaned money to CFMC on a warehouse line of credit.  The information alleges that Fili helped defraud lenders out of approximately $9.7 million, some of which Fili used to pay his own mortgage on a vacation home and for extensive casino and sports gambling.

 

If convicted, Fili faces a potential advisory sentencing guideline range of 78 months to 135 months in prison, a five-year period of supervised release, full restitution, a fine of up to $10.5 million, and a $1,200 special assessment.

 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael S. Lowe.

 

     An Information is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA - The United States filed a civil healthcare fraud lawsuit today against John M. Hastings and Sarah Cintron Hastings, of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, and their medical supply company, Diabetic Care Solutions, Inc.  The complaint, announced by United States Attorney Zane David Memeger, alleges that the couple operated the company in an attempt to bypass Hastings’ exclusion from the Medicare program.

 

Hastings was convicted of healthcare-related criminal charges in 1999, resulting in his exclusion from Medicare. During his exclusion, the complaint alleges that Hastings operated the company from store locations in Drexel Hill and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and billed claims to Medicare. Although Hastings concealed his role, he controlled the company’s finances, managed its operations, and fitted and sold specialty medical shoes to nursing home residents. The company deposited Medicare payments into bank accounts that Hastings accessed. Sarah Cintron Hastings served as the company’s nominal president, allegedly to avoid detection.

 

The lawsuit is captioned United States of America v. John M. Hastings, Sarah Cintron Hastings, and Diabetic Care Solutions, Inc. (E.D. Pa.). To resolve the matter, the parties are asking the court to enter a consent judgment that will require defendants to pay $200,000, adhere to the rules of exclusion, and accept additional periods of exclusion.

 

The public can search the government’s database of excluded providers on a website, http://exclusions.oig.hhs.gov/.

 

The allegations arose from an investigation led by the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Michael S. Macko.

 

The United States filed the lawsuit under the False Claims Act. Under the False Claims Act, a person who causes false or fraudulent claims to be submitted to the government for payment is liable for three times the government’s damages, plus civil penalties for each false claim. The allegations against Hastings, Cintron Hastings, and the company are allegations only and not findings of liability.

Ronald Pacheco Vasquez, a/k/a “Ricardo Hernandez,” a/k/a “Samuel Batista,” 29, of Queens, NY, was charged today by Indictment with illegal reentry after deportation, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.  The indictment alleges that on or about April 7, 2015, Pacheco Vasquez, an alien, and native and citizen of Colombia, was found in the United States after having been deported from the United States on or about September 30, 2013.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years.

 

The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ERO”), and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Petkun.

 

An Indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA – Keisha Regusters, 38, of Philadelphia, PA, pleaded guilty today to a fraud scheme involving kickbacks from an ambulance company. U.S. District Court Judge William H. Yohn, Jr. scheduled a sentencing hearing for August 11, 2015.  Regusters faces a possible advisory sentencing guideline range of six to 12 months in prison, up to three years of supervised release, restitution, a fine of up to $500,000, and a $200 special assessment.     

 

In July 2010, Feda Kuran, charged elsewhere, began operating Brotherly Love Ambulance, Inc. with a co-schemer. In approximately October 2010, Keisha Regusters began being transported to dialysis by Brotherly Love, even though she could walk and could have been transported safely by means other than ambulance and was, therefore, not eligible for ambulance service under Medicare requirements. Kuran billed Medicare for those ambulance services as if they were medically necessary when she knew that they were not. Regusters accepted monthly kickback payments to induce her to continue to ride with Brotherly Love, and she solicited payments to induce her to continue to ride with Brotherly Love.

 

As a result of the defendant’s actions and those of Brotherly Love, the Medicare program paid more than $52,000 in inappropriate bills.  As a result of the overall scheme at Brotherly Love, the Medicare program was billed for more than $4.9 million and paid more than $2 million in inappropriate bills.  In November 2014, Feda Kuran was sentenced to 64 months in prison.

 

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mary E. Crawley and Paul W. Kaufman.

PHILADELPHIA - Jacob Corropolese, Sr., 65, of Norristown, PA, pleaded guilty today to tax charges in connection with his sports bookmaking operation.  Corropolese admitted to filing false tax returns when he ran a sports bookmaking operation.  Corropolese received more than $500,000 in proceeds from bettors but did not report any income from his bookmaking activities on his federal income tax returns for 2010 and 2011. As a result he substantially underreported his income in each year.

 

U.S. District Court Judge Jan E. DuBois scheduled a sentencing hearing for DATE.  Corropolese faces a maximum possible sentence of six years in prison, one year of supervised release, a $200,000 fine, and restitution to the IRS.

 

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy E. Potts.

PHILADELPHIA - Khayree Gay, 31, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by indictment, on April 30, 2015, with attempted Hobbs Act Robbery and kidnapping, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison.

 

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

 

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

Cesar Augusto Perez, a/k/a “Erick Alberto Perez,” 41, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged on April 30th by indictment with illegal reentry after deportation, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.  The indictment alleges that on or about March 26, 2015, Perez, an alien, and native and citizen of Guatemala, was found in the United States after having been deported from the United States on or about July 9, 1999 and April 6, 2006.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of ten years.

 

The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ERO”), and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Strauss.

 

An Indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Lamberto Lorenzo-Santos, a/k/a “Jose Hernandez-Santos,” a/k/a “Alfredo Perez,” 35, of Norristown, PA, was charged today by Indictment with illegal reentry after deportation, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.  The indictment alleges that on or about March 8, 2015, Lamberto-Santos, an alien, and native and citizen of Mexico, was found in the United States after having been deported from the United States on or about January 13, 2005 and September 19, 2006.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible penalty of twenty years imprisonment, a three year period of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and a $100 special assessment.

 

The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Linwood C. Wright, Jr.

An Indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA - Maria Houck, 59, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, was charged by indictment, unsealed yesterday, with 12 counts of mail fraud, two counts of theft of government funds, and one count of Social Security fraud, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.  According to the indictment, the defendant received retirement and pension benefits from the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs that were intended for her deceased mother, after her mother’s death in June 2005.  The defendant’s alleged actions resulted in a loss to the Social Security Administration of approximately $54,399 and a loss to the Department of Veterans Affairs of approximately $110,354, for a total loss to the government of approximately $164,753.       

 

If convicted, the defendant faces a substantial period of incarceration, restitution of $164,753 to the government, three years of supervised release, and possible fines.

 

The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General.  It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Amanda R. Reinitz.

Kenneth Daniels, 38, of Chester, Pennsylvania was charged today by Indictment with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment, a 15 year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment, 5 years supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.

 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Task Force, and the Chester Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery W. Whitt.

PHILADELPHIA - Nakia Calicat, 38, of Philadelphia, PA, pleaded guilty today to concealing the death of her child in order to continue receiving Supplemental Security Income payments for her deceased daughter.  Calicat pleaded guilty to 10 counts of wire fraud, one count of theft of government money, two counts of false statements, and one count of Social Security representative payee fraud.  U.S. District Court Judge Petrese B. Tucker scheduled a sentencing hearing for July 30, 2015.

 

Calicat gave birth to a child in December 2006 and filed for SSI benefits in March 2007.  The child died in July of 2010 but the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) did not learn of the death until August of 2013.  SSA sent notice to Calicat that the benefits for her child would be terminated.  In October 2013, Calicat told an SSA employee that her child was still alive.  In August 2014, Calicat spoke to a Special Agent with the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and, again, lied about her daughter’s death.  Between July 2010 and August 2013, Calicat illegally received Social Security benefits on behalf of her deceased child defrauding the government of approximately $26,224.        

 

Calicat faces a possible advisory sentencing guideline range of at least six to 12 months in prison, up to three years of supervised release, restitution of $26,224 and a $1,400 special assessment.

 

The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Amanda R. Reinitz.

PHILADELPHIA - Rodnell Griffin, 67, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was charged by indictment, unsealed today, with wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud the non-profit organization where she worked, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.  Griffin was the executive director of a non-profit organization in Philadelphia.

 

According to the indictment, Griffin withdrew more than $85,000 from the organization's bank accounts, between January 2007 and October 2013, and used the cash for personal expenses.  Griffin allegedly obtained automated teller machine cards for some of the non-profit organization’s bank accounts.  Her alleged use of the cards also caused the non-profit organization to incur more than $5,300 in bank fees and charges.

 

If convicted, Griffin faces a possible advisory guideline sentencing range of 30 to 37 months in prison, a three-year period of supervised release, restitution to the organization, and a $1,000 special assessment.

 

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 Elizabeth Abrams.

 

PHILADELPHIA - Ronald Mays, 63, of Wilmington, Delaware was charged by indictment, unsealed today, with three counts of attempted possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.  Mays, who works for the Port of Wilmington, in Delaware, was arrested today by special agents with Homeland Security Investigations.

 

The indictment alleges that on or about January 6, 2014, February 12, 2014, and May 6, 2014, in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Mays attempted to possess cocaine.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 60 years in prison, a maximum fine of $3 million, at least four years of supervised release, and a special assessment of $300.

 

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sozi Pedro Tulante.

 

An Indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA – Keonna Thomas, a/k/a “Fatayat Al Khilafah,” a/k/a “YoungLioness,” 30, of Philadelphia, was charged today by indictment with knowingly and intentionally attempting to provide material support and resources, including herself as personnel, to a foreign terrorist organization, to wit: the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger and FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Edward Hanko.  Thomas was arrested on April 3, 2015 on a criminal complaint.

 

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 15 years in prison.

 

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Philadelphia Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams and Trial Attorney Paul Casey of the Counterterrorism Section in the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

 

 An indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA - Ivan Zubiaga, 51, of Waxhaw, NC, was charged today by indictment with one count of transporting images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct and one count of possession of images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

 

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 40 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, a mandatory minimum term of five years of supervised release up to a lifetime of supervised release, a $500,000 dollar fine, and a $200 special assessment.

 

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, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Levy.

 

An indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.