Middle District of Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Timothy Laird Boatman, age 39, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury with child pornography offenses.

According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Boatman with multiple counts of sexually exploiting children to produce child pornography and coercing and enticing children to do the same. The offenses occurred between March 1, 2023 and July 1, 2023, in Cumberland County.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.  Assistant U.S. Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe prosecuted the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. 

The maximum penalty upon conviction for the charged offenses is life imprisonment, a lifetime term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, a statutory assessment, and a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by a judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. 

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. 

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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jordan Bryan Griffie, age 22, of York Springs, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by the Honorable Jennifer P. Wilson to serve two years probation based upon his previously entered guilty plea to straw purchasing three firearms for individuals who were prohibited from possessing firearms.

According to United States Attorney Gerard Karam, on three separate occasions in 2020, Griffie purchased firearms from a licensed firearms dealer and falsely stated at the time of the purchases that he was the actual purchaser. He subsequently falsely reported that the firearms were stolen because he feared those firearms might be used in illegal activities.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by the York County Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  Assistant United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler and former Assistant United States Attorney Paul Miovas prosecuted the case.   

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SCRANTON - U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam announced today that the Middle District of Pennsylvania collected $7,136,955.82 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $4,789,318.17 was collected in criminal actions and $2,347,637.65 was collected in civil actions. 

Additionally, the Middle District of Pennsylvania worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $2,481,130.56 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $28,093.06 was collected in criminal actions and $2,453,037.5 was collected in civil actions.            

“We work for the people and the communities of the Middle District of Pennsylvania to keep our neighborhoods safe, and we hold no duty more sacred than that which we owe to our neighbors when they fall victim to crime,” said United States Attorney Karam.  “That’s why we do not stop working for victims of crime when the defendant is sentenced; we continue to fight for the victims and do what we can to make them whole. We collect restitution from convicted defendants on behalf of crime victims, we work to forfeit the ill-gotten gains that defendants obtain through illegal means, and we fight to get back money owed to taxpayers in criminal and civil cases. I am proud to say that we have collected millions of dollars over the last year for the taxpayers and for crime victims in our district. We are committed to keeping up the fight for our neighbors.”

The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

For example:

Penn State Health is a multi-hospital health system which owns Milton Hershey Medical Center and St. Joseph Medical Center.  On July 1, 2022, Penn State Health voluntarily disclosed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office that Penn State Health, through Milton Hershey Medical Center and St. Joseph Medical Center, submitted claims for payment to the Medicare Program, causing Medicare to make improper payments to Penn State Health.  A settlement agreement was entered into on February 28, 2023, in which Penn State Health agreed to pay $1,252,662.28.  The full amount was paid on March 1, 2023. 

Melinda Bixler owned and operated two businesses; one was a for-profit company, Elder Healthcare Solutions; and a non-profit company, Adult Care Advocates, Inc.  From June 2010 through January 2020, the defendant became the financial Power of Attorney and healthcare Power of Attorney for various elderly individuals.  She then used those Power of Attorney’s to apply for mortgages and purchases properties using the monies received from the elderly victims.  She was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $147,882.00, which she paid in full on May 25, 2023. 

Gordon Raymond conducted a bank scheme at 25 different PNC banks throughout Pennsylvania, Virginia, Indiana, and North Carolina between June 20 – October 2018. The defendant presented fraudulent drivers’ licenses in victims’ names to open a checking/saving account and apply for unsecured loans.  He was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $131,315.96.  He made a payment of $101,000.00 on February 14, 2023.  

Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $2,302,004 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

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WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dalon Sass-Maxwell, age 26, of Port Trevorton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by the Honorable Matthew W. Brann to serve two years of incarceration based upon his previously entered guilty plea to straw purchasing thirteen firearms for individuals who were prohibited from possessing firearms.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on six separate occasions in 2020 and 2021, Sass-Maxwell purchased firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers and falsely stated at the time of the purchases that he was the actual purchaser.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur prosecuted the case.   

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SCRANTON - United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office held an event at the Central York High School to promote the Department of Justice’s United Against Hate initiative.  The event, which included federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, focused on educating students on how to identify, report, and prevent hate crimes. 

In its auditorium and broadcasted to all of their classrooms, the Central York High School hosted subject matter experts from the United States Attorney’s Office, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office; the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Pennsylvania State Police, the City of York, York City Human Relations, the York County District Attorney’s Office, and other local law enforcement.  Presenters highlighted differences between hate crimes versus hate incidents and provided options for responding to hate incidents when situations do not constitute a federal or state crime. Presenters also distinguished unlawful conduct from protected First Amendment activity, including identifying protected speech versus speech that advocates violence or encourages people to commit hate crimes.

U.S. Attorney Karam previously hosted meetings in November 2022, in the Harrisburg area with an audience of various law enforcement agencies and community leaders from across the mid-state, March 2023, at Scranton High School for students and community leaders, and December 2023 in Harrisburg and Scranton with Jewish leaders. The United Against Hate initiative seeks to strengthen collaborative relationships of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies with communities in order to build trust and encourage the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents. 

“As our country has seen increased incidents of hate since October 7, 2023, the importance of identifying, reporting, and preventing hate crimes continues to be a priority,” said U.S. Attorney Karam.  “As we strengthen our partnerships with state and local law enforcement and community partners, we also include our district’s high school students, our future leaders in that partnership.  By reaching out to students, we provide them the tools to prevent further hate incidents that violate the fundamental principal of democracy.”

As part of its United Against Hate programming, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to partner with communities across the Middle District of Pennsylvania to expand connections with those communities, further hate crimes prevention efforts, and encourage more people to report hate crimes and hate incidents.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office is currently scheduling events at other district high schools and will soon meet with Islamic leaders. 

Those who believe they are subject to hate crimes or incidents should contact local law enforcement and the FBI.  Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/. Anyone in the Middle District of Pennsylvania may also report civil rights violations to the Civil Rights coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania by calling 717-614-4911 or emailing usapam.civil.rights@usdoj.gov.

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Brownstein, age 52, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani to 36 months of imprisonment, for wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft offenses.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Brownstein and his coconspirators used stolen identities to create forged identification documents and credit and debit cards.  The conspirators used those forged items and stolen identities to open bank accounts, apply for lines of credit, and obtain retail merchandise.  The conspirators also used the stolen identities to apply for multiple COVID-19 pandemic relief loans issued under the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), including by submitted false federal tax documentation.  The conspirators fraudulently obtained over $100,000 in pandemic stimulus funds.

The PPP was designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Funded by the March 2020 CARES Act, PPP funds were offered in forgivable loans, provided that certain criteria were met, including use of the funds for employee payroll, mortgage interest, lease, and utilities expenses.

Brownstein’s coconspirator, Reynard Lewis, age 30, formerly of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, previously was convicted of wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft offenses, and sentenced to serve 42 months of imprisonment.  The coconspirators were ordered to pay $111,579.92 in restitution to the victims of their crimes.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and the Pottsville Bureau of Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Isiah Robinson, age 37, an inmate at the United States Penitentiary at Canaan, formerly of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced on January 23, 2024, by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to serve 27 months’ imprisonment for assaulting another inmate with a dangerous weapon.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Robinson previously pleaded guilty to assaulting another inmate at USP Canaan with a sharpened piece of metal commonly known as a “shank.” The charge stems from an incident which occurred in October 2020.  The injuries received by the victim inmate were not life-threatening.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.

At the time of the incident, Robinson was serving a sentence of 120 months from the District of Maryland for heroin trafficking.  That sentence has since expired.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Daquon Brooks, age 25, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution, Schuylkill, in Minersville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 25, 2024, by U.S. District Court Judge Julia K. Munley, to serve an additional 12 months in prison on the charge of possession of contraband in prison.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Brooks, formerly of Washington D.C., previously pleaded guilty and admitted to possessing a dangerous prison-made weapon, commonly known as a “shank.”  The charge stems from an incident in April 2023, in which staff at FCI Schuylkill found Brooks in possession of the weapon.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

At the time of the incident at FCI Schuylkill, Brooks was serving a sentence from Washington D.C. for assault with a dangerous weapon and stalking. That sentence does not expire until 2033.  The sentence imposed by Judge Munley for the charge of possession of contraband in prison will run consecutive to the Washington D.C. sentence.

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HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Denzel Moore, age 30, formerly of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by the Honorable Jennifer P. Wilson to serve 70 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised released based upon his previously entered guilty plea to distributing cocaine and possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on September 25, 2019, Moore was observed by Harrisburg police officers selling cocaine on Swatara Street, in Harrisburg. Moore fled the scene on a bicycle and when police apprehended him, they recovered a loaded .9mm semi-automatic pistol, two cellular phones, 24 oxycodone pills, and $585 in cash. Moore had two prior convictions for distributing cocaine and was designated a career offender by the Court.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by the Harrisburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler and Assistant United States Attorney Johnny Baer prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Paul Helring, age 47, a former Scranton police officer and the former elected police union president, pleaded guilty on January 25, 2024, before United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the offense of Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds.

According to the United States Attorney’s Office, the criminal Information to which Helring pleaded guilty alleges that, from approximately March 2021 to May 2022, while serving as the coordinator of Scranton Police Department’s extra duty overtime program, Helring knowingly obtained by fraud over $5,000.00 in compensation that was paid to him for certain extra duty patrol shifts at local, Scranton-area, lower-income housing complexes that Helring claimed to work but did not in fact work.

Pursuant to the terms of his plea agreement with the United States, Helring acknowledged that the monetary loss attributable to his conduct was between $15,000 and $40,000, and that he abused a position of public trust in a manner that significantly facilitated the commission of his offense.  Helring also agreed to make restitution to the affected housing complexes in the amount of $17,831.40.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Public Corruption Task Force with assistance from the Office of Inspector General within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffery St John and Phillip J. Caraballo are prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Yeurys Peguero-Rosario, age 25, of Bronx, NY, was sentenced on January 25, 2024, by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani to 21 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release, for his role as a courier in a Dominican Republic-based “grandparents” fraud scheme that preyed upon elderly American victims from states across the country.    

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, from approximately June 2020 to October 2020, along with a group of other men from Bronx, NY, Peguero-Rosario regularly traveled from New York City to locations in Pennsylvania to retrieve UPS and Fed Ex packages containing thousands of dollars in cash.  These packages were sent by elderly victims, who were induced to send the money based upon false claims that their grandchildren had been arrested and charged with serious crimes and, consequently, were in immediate need of money.  These false claims were made to the elderly victims in phone calls that they received from oversees co-conspirators in the Dominican Republic, who posed either as the victims’ grandchildren or as attorneys representing the victims’ grandchildren. 

At his sentencing, Peguero-Rosario was ordered to pay $220,000.00 in restitution to the victims of the scheme.   

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation –Philadelphia Division, and its state and local law enforcement partners in Berks County, PA.  Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ahmed Brima, age 36, of Staten Island, New York, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Julia K. Munley, to the charge of passing counterfeit federal reserve notes.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Brima admitted that on May 16, 2023, he passed or attempted to pass counterfeit $100 bills at the CVS Pharmacy in East Stroudsburg, the Rite Aid in Stroudsburg, the Rite Aid in East Stroudsburg, the Walgreens in Stroud Township, and the Dollar General in East Stroudsburg.  Brima was apprehended after the incident at the CVS Pharmacy in East Stroudsburg.  The total amount of counterfeit currency that Brima passed, attempted to pass, or possessed was $3800.

The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the United States Secret Service and the Stroud Area Regional Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for each charge is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tyrik Brown, age 29, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution, Schuylkill, in Minersville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on January 24, 2024, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charge of possession of contraband in prison.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Brown, formerly of Washington D.C., admitted to possessing a dangerous prison-made weapon, commonly known as a “shank.”  The charge stems from an incident in April 2023 in which staff at FCI Schuylkill found Brown in possession of the weapon.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rishi Budhadev, age 38, was sentenced yesterday to 57 months of imprisonment for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Budhadev is a citizen of India and has resided in Fredericksburg and Richmond, Virginia during visits to the United States.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Budhadev was found to be responsible at sentencing for over half a million dollars in fraudulent money transfers made to him between October and December 2015. Fraud victims transferred these funds to him through MoneyGram and Western Union wire transfers and through cash deposits to bank accounts that Budhadev opened and controlled.

The government’s investigation determined that Budhadev, working with other unnamed co-conspirators, defrauded victims using common advance-fee mass marketing scams. The government found that Budhadev received nearly 500 MoneyGram money transfers worth over $500,000, including about 300 transfers that he picked up from seven different Walmart stores around the Richmond area. Budhadev also received around 20 Western Union money transfers and over $40,000 in deposits to his bank accounts. The government’s investigation also determined that around 50 people who sent funds to Budhadev subsequently identified themselves to MoneyGram and Western Union as victims of various scams, including investment scams, romance scams, person-in-need scams, internet purchase scams, IRS tax scams, and loan scams. At sentencing, dozens more individuals who sent funds to Budhadev identified themselves as fraud victims.

At the time of his guilty plea, Budhadev admitted to receiving a series of fraudulent MoneyGram money transfers from several individuals he did not know in October 2015. He also admitted to receiving a fraudulent deposit for $9,000 in his checking account from a person he did not know. He admitted to receiving each of these transfers at the request of a coconspirator located in India. In each of these transactions, Budhadev admitted believing that the funds being transmitted to him had very likely been obtained through fraud. He admitted consciously using deliberate efforts to avoid confirming the fraudulent nature of these transactions, despite his concerns that they were fraudulent.

Budhadev admitted to using the proceeds of the fraudulent MoneyGram money transfers to purchase iPhones, which he delivered to the same coconspirator located in India in February 2016. He also admitted to personally withdrawing the $9,000 in cash from his bank account the same day that it was deposited and later delivering the cash to the same coconspirator in India around February 2016.

Budhadev maintained that he was responsible only for the fraudulent activity that he admitted to during his guilty plea. At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson determined that the evidence showed Budhadev to be responsible for the entire amount of fraudulent activity alleged by the United States, in the amount of $584,276.84.

In addition to the sentence of 57 months, Budhadev was also ordered to pay $62,672.29 in restitution to fraud victims and to serve a period of supervised release of three years following his imprisonment. Budhadev faces potential deportation following his term of imprisonment.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 19, 2024, Matthew Robinson, age 31, formerly of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for attempting to entice a minor online.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Robinson pleaded guilty to attempting to entice an individual under the age of 18 to engage in sexual intercourse, between July 16, 2022 and August 2, 2022.  During that time period, Robinson exchanged sexually explicit conversations and photographs with a person that he believed to be 13 years of age.  Robinson has been in custody since his arrest on August 2, 2022.

The case was investigated by agents from Homeland Security Investigations.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo.

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

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Brandon B. Boyer, age 34, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 18, 2024, by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to 18 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a two-year term of supervised release, for the computer hacking offense of obtaining information from protected computers.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, for a two-year period from approximately February 2020 to February 2022, Boyer unlawfully accessed the computers of dozens of adult female victims in order to search for and obtain nude photographs that he could then sell.  Boyer accessed victims’ Snapchat accounts at the behest of “clients” who paid him to break into the accounts and obtain the images.  Boyer admitted that he accomplished this, in part, through use of an app that allowed him to send text messages to victims posing as a Snapchat representative.  Through a technique known as “phishing,” Boyer then coaxed the victims into changing their passwords and sending him the verification codes that were generated.  This allowed him to then access the otherwise private sections of the accounts.  Boyer acknowledged earning between $50,000 and $60,000 from this activity.  Some of Boyer’s “clients” utilized the photographs that they obtained via Boyer to cyberstalk and to attempt to extort victims into providing additional photographs.       

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Philadelphia Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Leidi M. Paulino, age 46, owner of LP Multiservices, a tax preparation business located in Freeland, PA, was sentenced on January 19, 2024, by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley, to 24 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a one-year term of supervised release, for the offense of aiding and assisting in the filing of false tax returns claiming hundreds of thousands of dollars in unearned education credits.  

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, over the course of 2019 and 2020, Paulino assisted hundreds of clients in preparing and filing false tax returns that were materially false in that they sought on the clients' behalf certain education tax credits, including the American opportunity tax credit, to which the clients were not entitled.  Indeed, the vast majority of Paulino's clients were not enrolled in college at all.  Paulino’s conduct resulted in hundreds of thousand dollars of loss to the government

At her sentencing, Paulino was ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the amount of $888,377.00.

This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigations.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Zsanett Nagy, age 32, was given a sentence of time served, followed by two years of supervised release, for the offense of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Nagy was previously indicted, along with her then-husband Earl Marshawn Washington, for selling counterfeit artistic goods known as “woodblocks” or “woodcuts” to various buyers and then laundering the proceeds from the sale of those goods between 2018 and 2021. Washington and Nagy both pleaded guilty last year.

According to the indictment, xylography is the art of making “woodcuts,” or engravings made from wooden blocks, especially for printing using historical techniques. In traditional xylography, an artist uses a sharpened tool to carve a design into the surface of a woodblock. The raised areas that remain after the block has been cut are inked and printed, while the recessed areas that are cut away do not retain ink and will remain blank in the final print. Woodblock images can be printed onto paper, fabrics, textiles, or other materials. The technique has been used in different geographic regions at different times. One woodblock tradition stems from Germany starting around the 14th century and continuing for several hundred years thereafter.

Washington and Nagy sold inauthentic woodblocks and prints made from woodblocks that they as advertised as being from between the 15th and early 20th centuries. The buyers included a pair of woodblock collectors residing in France, as well as a buyer of a woodblock print who then resided in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The buyers of the woodblocks in France made PayPal payments to Nagy before learning that the woodblocks they purchased were not from the 15th and 16th centuries, as advertised. Nagy received these payments, moved the proceeds to a bank account in her name, and then quickly converted the proceeds to cash through withdrawals of several thousand dollars or more.

Nagy was ordered to pay restitution to these victims in the amount of $107,159.25. She also faces potential deportation for her conviction.

Washington is scheduled to be sentenced in March 2024.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Art Crime Team.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Hakim Jamison, age 37, of York, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 16, 2023, to 60 months in prison by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Jamison previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Jamison purchased a .45 caliber Glock semi-automatic pistol and a box of Winchester .45 caliber ammunition from Stoneybrook Shooting Supply for two codefendants, who were using those firearms in furtherance of their own drug trafficking activities.

Codefendants Shiloh Idris Johnson and Kadie Jean Swartz are scheduled for trial on April 1, 2024.  

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).  Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Haugsby prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted, and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Riley Simmons, age 32, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 16, 2023, to time-served (13 months in prison) by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for making materially false statements in connection with acquisition of firearms.  Judge Conner also ordered Simmons to serve a two-year term of supervised release, including six months on home detention, and to pay a $700 fine.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Simmons previously pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm. Between September 2018 and February 2019, Simmons purchased five firearms from Federal Firearms Licensees in Dauphin and Cumberland Counties, knowing that they were for friends who were prohibited from possessing them due to prior felony convictions.  Three of the firearms were later recovered in possession of felons with whom Simmons lived or associated.  One of the firearms was used in a Harrisburg shooting in February 2019 and one bore the print of an individual wanted for attempted murder in Williamsport.  Two of the firearms remain missing today.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Haugsby prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted, and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.

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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Warionex Martinez-Medina, age 35, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to 106 months’ imprisonment for attempting to possess with intent to distribute approximately 2 kilograms of cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that offense.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Martinez-Medina previously admitted to accepting a package that he believed contained over 2 kilograms of cocaine. When law enforcement executed a search warrant at Martinez-Medina’s Lebanon residence, they found a loaded handgun, drug-packaging materials, and over $123,000.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Parmod Kumar, age 41, and Reecha Saini, age 36, both of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, were sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo for conspiring to steal interstate shipments of cell phones. The Court sentenced Kumar to 12 months’ imprisonment and Saini to 8 months’ imprisonment. The Court also ordered that Kumar and Saini pay over $142,000 in restitution.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Kumar and Saini previously admitted that from 2018 to 2021, they enlisted employees at a UPS facility in Harrisburg to steal packages that they believed contained smartphones. Kumar and Saini then paid the employees for the phones and arranged for their sale at a convenience store in Harrisburg. The stolen phones had a total value of over $142,000.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Swatara Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.
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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that it filed a lawsuit charging Franklin County Jail (the Jail) with violating Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  The lawsuit alleges that the Jail unlawfully terminated a correctional officer whose disability substantially limited her ability to walk, stand, concentrate, and sleep.  The correctional officer sought, but was denied, a modification of the Jail’s policy that a probationary employee could only have two unscheduled absences during her probationary period.  Although the Jail initially provided the employee an accommodation, it later relied on the absence policy to terminate her. 

“Employers must make reasonable accommodations so that employees with disabilities can earn a living,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam.  “Lyme Disease creates debilitating health issues for numerous Pennsylvanians yearly, and employers should find reasonable solutions to allow employees with any kind of disability to work and not terminate them because of that disability.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to enforce civil rights laws and ensure equal employment opportunities for all.” 

Title I of the ADA prohibits employers from discriminating against a qualified individual on the basis of disability in regard to the hiring, advancement, or discharge of employees; employee compensation; and other terms, conditions, or privileges of employment.  An employer may not demote, terminate, or deny employment opportunities to an employee who is otherwise qualified if the demotion or termination is based on the need to make reasonable accommodations for the employee.

The U.S. Employment Opportunity Commission, Philadelphia District Office, found that the Jail violated the ADA and referred the matter to the Department of Justice.  The United States is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Butler, Civil Rights Coordinator, and Attorney Kimberly Scheckner of the Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section.

For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov.  Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/report/. Anyone in the Middle District of Pennsylvania may also report civil rights violations to the Civil Rights Coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania by calling 717-614-4911 or emailing usapam.civil.rights@usdoj.gov. 

The complaint alleges unlawful conduct, but the United States must still prove that allegation in federal court.

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Pedro Millan-Montero, age 36, of Mexico, was indicted on January 3, 2024, by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Millan-Montero was previously removed from the United States on June 15, 2012, through Hidalgo, Texas, and it is alleged that he was subsequently found in the United States without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the country. The indictment also alleges that on December 14, 2023, Millan-Montero was encountered in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania.

This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is ten years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Abel Rodriguez-Moreno, age 43, of Chiapas, Mexico, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on a charge of illegal reentry

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Rodriguez-Moreno was previously removed from the United States on June 27, 2012, through Calexico, California, and it is alleged that he was subsequently found in the United States without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the country. The indictment also alleges that on October 29, 2023, Rodriguez-Moreno was encountered in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the Chambersburg Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark G. Monroe is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Antwain Sharrell Davender, age 38, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 28, 2023, by United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to 45 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a 4-year period of supervised release, for methamphetamine trafficking.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, from approximately January 2022 until April 29, 2022, in Schuylkill County, PA, Davender possessed with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine.  A felon convicted of a prior drug trafficking offense and therefore not permitted to possess firearms, Davender also unlawfully possessed an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.      

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Pottsville Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Yerigardy Tejeda-Zoquier, age 23, of West Hazleton, Luzerne County, was sentenced on December 21, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to 70 months’ imprisonment on the charge of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of crystal methamphetamine.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Tejeda-Zoquier previously pleaded guilty and admitted to possessing between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of highly pure crystal methamphetamine for further distribution in the Luzerne County and Carbon County areas in 2021.  Investigators purchased crystal methamphetamine from Tejeda-Zoquier on multiple occasions between January and March 2021, in both Luzerne and Carbon Counties, and then seized additional crystal methamphetamine from two vehicles utilized by Tejeda-Zoquier.

The charges against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Daniel Wasielewski, age 59, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 21, 2023, by United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion to 24 months of imprisonment, for committing pandemic fraud.  Wasielewski also was sentenced to serve a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Wasielewski pleaded guilty to filing and assisting others in filing fraudulent applications for pandemic stimulus funds, including under the Payment Protection Program (PPP), for Economic Injury and Disaster Loans (EIDLs), and for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits.  The PPP and EIDL applications submitted by Wasielewski and his coconspirators were filed on behalf of corporate entities that did not, in fact, have actual business operations, and that bore false revenues and other business information.  The applications also included forged IRS tax documents and stolen personal information.

Wasielewski received approximately $350,000 in PPP, EIDL, PUA, and other fraudulently-obtained funds, for himself and others.  Instead of using the funds on business expenses, Wasielewski and others used them to purchase cryptocurrency and on other personal expenses.  Banking and law enforcement officials successfully froze and recovered approximately $150,000 of the stolen funds, and Wasielewski was ordered to pay restitution to the remaining victims.

The PPP and EIDL programs, both funded by the March 2020 CARES Act, were designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic.  PPP funds were offered in forgivable loans, provided that certain criteria are met, including use of the funds for employee payroll, mortgage interest, lease, and utilities expenses.  EIDL funds are offered in low-interest rate loans, designated for specific business expenses, such as fixed debts, payroll, and business obligation.  The PUA program was created by the CARES Act, as part of the United States government’s efforts to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public’s health and economic well-being.  The PUA program was designed to provide unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended unemployment benefits.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.

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HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Taisha Ruiz, age 39, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 20, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner to serve five years’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised released based upon her previously entered guilty plea to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Harrisburg Police Officers executed a search warrant at Ruiz’s residence and observed her throw a bag from her bedroom window that contained approximately 600 bags of fentanyl, $900 in cash, and her Pennsylvania driver’s license. A search of her bedroom uncovered a .9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, ammunition, and digital scales.  

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by the Harrisburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  Assistant U.S. Attorney Johnny Baer and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Windall Mitchell, age 34, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on December 18, 2023, before United States District Court Judge Julia K. Munley, to the charge of conspiracy to make false statements in connection with the purchases of multiple firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Mitchell admitted to conspiring with his girlfriend, Yesenia Ramos, age 43, of Stroudsburg, to provide false information to federally licensed firearms dealers regarding the purchases of ten firearms between May 15, 2021 and June 14, 2022 in Monroe County.  The firearms were purchased from various federally licensed firearms dealers in Monroe County, including Dunkelberger’s Sports Outfitters in Stroudsburg and Brodheadsville, Pocono Mountain Firearms in Scotrun, The Gun Place in East Stroudsburg, and Lopez Firearms in Pocono Summit.  The investigation began after one of the purchased firearms was recovered from another individual by police in New York City.

The charge against the defendants resulted from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results. 

The maximum penalty under federal law for conspiring to make false statements to firearms dealers is five years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Casey Read, age 40, of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, was sentenced on December 19, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to 66 months’ imprisonment on the charge of conspiracy to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Read previously pleaded guilty and admitted to obtaining between 40 grams and 160 grams of fentanyl from coconspirators Eric Hill, age 34, of Plymouth, and Candacelee Ellis, age 37, also of Plymouth, which Read then distributed in the Luzerne County area between 2019 and 2020.  Hill, Ellis and Read were indicted by a grand jury in August 2020 for fentanyl trafficking.

Previously, Judge Mariani sentenced Eric Hill to serve ten years’ imprisonment and Candacelee Ellis to serve 30 months’ imprisonment for conspiring to distribute fentanyl in the Luzerne County area.

The charge against the defendants resulted from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the Kingston Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Gallagher, age 73, of Crowley, Texas, was sentenced on December 14, 2023, by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani to two years of probation, following his convictions for committing mail fraud.  In pronouncing the sentence, Judge Mariani emphasized Gallagher’s age and significant health complications.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Gallagher, a former resident of Pennsylvania, owned and operated J. Douglas Environmental Systems, a fumigation and pest control company.  Gallagher altered his and his employee’s expired pesticide applicator certifications, and an expired business license, and forged insurance policy certificates, associated with his work as a licensed applicator for pesticides restricted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state environmental agencies.  Gallagher provided the altered and forged documents to a pesticide supplier in Virginia, to various clients in Pennsylvania and New York, and to those clients’ auditors.  As a result, his business secured over $888,000 worth of contracts through use of the falsified documents.

“The defendant’s decision to illegally portray himself as a trained and licensed commercial pesticide applicator, and his failure to properly inform his customers of the health hazards of a restricted use pesticide, resulted in presenting inexcusable health risks to the public,” said Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Allison Landsman of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Pennsylvania.  “EPA is committed to protecting the health of our communities and holding people criminally responsible for such egregious actions.”

The case was investigated by the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jashua Noboa-Nival, age 22, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced on December 15, 2023, by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani to 21 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release, for his role as a courier in a Dominican Republic-based “grandparents” fraud scheme that preyed upon elderly American victims from states across the country.    

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, from approximately June 2020 to October 2020, along with a group of other men from Bronx, NY, Noboa-Nival regularly traveled from New York City to locations in Pennsylvania to retrieve UPS and Fed Ex packages containing thousands of dollars in cash.  These packages were sent by elderly victims, who were induced to send the money based upon false claims that their grandchildren had been arrested and charged with serious crimes and, consequently, were in immediate need of money.  These false claims were made to the elderly victims in phone calls that they received from oversees co-conspirators in the Dominican Republic, who posed either as the victims’ grandchildren or as attorneys representing the victims’ grandchildren.  At his sentencing, Noboa-Nival was ordered to pay $195,000.00 in restitution to the victims of the scheme.   

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation –Philadelphia Division, and its state and local law enforcement partners in Berks County, PA.  Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John is prosecuting the case.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Michael William Wright, age 30, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 13, 2023, to 18 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, for violating the terms of his federal supervision for his commission of the crime of using or carrying a firearm during the commission of a drug trafficking felony. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Wright was found to be in violation of his supervision based on both possession and use of controlled substances, and activity that occurred in Williamsport on October 7, 2023, resulting in his arrest for a domestic violence assault.

The defendant was being supervised by the United States Probation Office.  Assistant United States Attorneys Geoffrey MacArthur and Luisa Honora Berti prosecuted the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this supervised release violation is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Luksh, age 64, owner of Luksh Electric, located in Nanticoke, PA, pleaded guilty on December 13, 2023, before United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to criminal tax evasion.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the criminal information to which Luksh pleaded guilty alleges that during 2019 and 2020, Luksh operated his business in cash in order to evade payment to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of business-related taxes that he owed from previous tax years. 

Luksh acknowledged that the monetary loss attributable to his conduct was between $100,000.00 and $250,000.00, and he agreed to make restitution to the IRS in the amount of $237,146.98.

These charges stem from an investigation by IRS-Criminal Investigations.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Esteban Mercado-Colon, age 32, an inmate at United States Penitentiary Canaan, Waymart, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to 51 months’ imprisonment for assaulting another inmate with a dangerous weapon.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Mercado-Colon previously pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon.  On September 22, 2021, Mercado-Colon assaulted another inmate using a 6’ sharpened object wrapped in a bedsheet.  The other inmate lost his eye as a result of Mercado-Colon’s conduct.

The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  Assistant United States Attorney James Buchanan prosecuted the case.

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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Sam Xen Duong, age 49, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo to one year in prison for failing to withhold and pay employment taxes.  The Court also ordered a one-year term of supervised release to follow the term of imprisonment and over $1.5 million in restitution. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Duong previously admitted that between 2012 and 2018, he failed to pay employment taxes for two companies that he owned or co-owned, BCS, Inc., and ETS, Inc.  Both companies were located in Harrisburg and provided temporary workers to other businesses.  To perpetuate his scheme, Duong often paid employees in cash and submitted false forms to the Internal Revenue Service.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.

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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on December 14, 2023, Adam Fouse, age 30, of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Yvette Kane to one year of probation, including 30 days on home confinement, for stealing mail while employed as a U.S. Postal Service employee.  Judge Kane also ordered Fouse to pay $1,200 in fines and assessments.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Fouse previously pleaded guilty to theft of mail by a postal employee.  Fouse opened gift cards and other mail that had been entrusted to him as a rural carrier associate and stealing money from that mail to help finance a sports gambling addiction.  Fouse agreed to resign from the Postal Service and not to seek or accept a position of public trust for a period of 10 years.

The matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.  Assistant United States Attorney Christian T. Haugsby prosecuted the case.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Florentina Mayko, age 40, of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 14, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Yvette Kane to 30 months in prison.  In June 2023, Mayko pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging her with conspiracy to commit health care fraud for defrauding Medicare and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services between 2017 and 2019.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Mayko agreed with others to defraud Medicare by submitting medically unnecessary urine drug tests for chronic opioid patients at medical clinics where she was the chief executive officer, including a group of clinics known as Pain Medicine of York or “PMY” (also known as All Better Wellness).

Mayko became the CEO of Pain Medicine of York around January 2018. Prior to that, Mayko served as Director of Operations of a group of medical practices known in the Information as “Practice Group 1.” Mayko was hired to work at Practice Group 1 by an individual known in the Information as Physician 1.

The owner of PMY, known as “PMY Owner” in the Information, was friends and business partners with Physician 1. “PMY Owner” refers to Rodney L. Yentzer, who has separately pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering for his participation in the same scheme to defraud Medicare.  Yentzer is still awaiting sentencing. 

Physician 1 was imprisoned for health care fraud and federal tax offenses in mid-2017, at which point the operation of Practice Group 1 was transitioned to PMY. When Mayko was promoted to the position of CEO of PMY, her responsibilities did not materially change. From the time of her promotion onward, Mayko was in charge of the day-to-day management of PMY’s operations, which included the practices previously associated with Practice Group 1.

PMY had a policy, established in 2016 by Physician 1 and Yentzer, of ordering multiple urine drug tests for each patient at every PMY office visit, despite a lack of medical necessity. From mid-2017 onward, Mayko and Yentzer were repeatedly confronted with information regarding the unlawful nature of the company’s UDT billing practices but continued to utilize the practice until search warrants were executed at PMY’s various locations in November 2019. PMY ceased operations soon thereafter because it could no longer retain medical providers.

PMY billed Medicare for more than $10 million in urine drug tests from mid-2017 through the end of 2019, and Medicare paid out over $5 million for these urine drug tests. The urine drug tests ordered by PMY were sent to an in-house laboratory at PMY whenever possible. As a result, when medically unnecessary tests were billed to Medicare, the proceeds from them went to PMY itself. A large portion of these proceeds went to Yentzer and Mayko. In 2018 and 2019, for instance, Mayko earned around half a million dollars per year.  Mayko, in turn, purchased several investment properties using these funds.

Judge Kane also ordered Mayko to pay $1,408,976.48 in restitution and to forfeit to the United States several properties located in Ocean City, Maryland and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Control Program, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Smultkis prosecuted the case.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Troy Allen Shirey, age 48, formerly of Lewistown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to serve 40 months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised released based upon his previously entered guilty plea to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Shirey was prohibited from possessing firearms because of an active Protection From Abuse (PFA) order issued in Mifflin County. On March 8, 2021, United States Marshals executed a search warrant at Shirey’s residence in Lewistown and recovered approximately 30 grams of methamphetamine, 23 packets of fentanyl, $1140 in cash, a digital scale, and miscellaneous drug paraphernalia indicating drug distribution. In addition, four firearms were seized including a handgun with an obliterated serial number and another handgun reported missing.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by the United States Marshals, the Lewistown Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Johnny Baer and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Wazny, age 33, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to a term of 84 months’ imprisonment for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence – bank robbery.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Wazny pleaded guilty to brandishing a firearm during the bank robbery at an M&T Bank located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on July 23, 2021.  During the robbery, Wazny pointed a 12-gauge shotgun at employees, demanding cash. After the robbery, Wazny fled the area in a vehicle while in high-speed pursuit by local officers. Wazny crashed his vehicle into a pole and fled on foot with a backpack containing the cash from the bank robbery. Police quickly apprehended him, took him into custody, seized the backpack, recovering the cash from the bank. Police also recovered a single-shot Sears and Roebuck 12-gauge shotgun and three buckshot shells from the crash location.

This case was jointly investigated by the FBI in Scranton and the Wilkes-Barre Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Todd K. Hinkley prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that the Borough of Bellefonte has agreed under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that proper auxiliary aides and services, including qualified sign-language interpreters are made available to those with hearing disabilities at all its public meetings.  When the Borough records or broadcasts its meetings, the Borough will ensure that those meetings will have an “in frame’ American Sign Language interpreter.  The Borough will also identify an ADA Coordinator, provide notice to those with disabilities on how to contact the ADA Coordinator, and establish an ADA grievance procedure.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the United States Attorney’s Office received a complaint from an individual with a hearing disability that the Borough did not provide her with an auxiliary device during in-person council meeting or have an interpreter for the taped broadcast.  The Borough also did not have a process by which the disabled could request accommodations or file complaints of inaccessibility, nor did it have an ADA coordinator.  After an investigation, with the Borough’s cooperation, the United States Attorney’s Office found that the complaint had merit. 

“The right to participate, attend, or watch public local government meetings is a fundamental right in a democracy, and those with hearing disabilities cannot be excluded” said U.S. Attorney Karam.  “This agreement ensures that individuals with disabilities in the Borough will now have an ADA Coordinator who can answer questions, accept accommodations requests like auxiliary aides for council meetings, and receive disability complaints.”

This investigation was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Butler, the Civil Rights Coordinator.  Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/. Anyone in the Middle District of Pennsylvania may also report civil rights violations to the Civil Rights Coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania by calling 717-614-4911 or emailing usapam.civil.rights@usdoj.gov. 

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Darius Jamal Scott, age 46, of Tobyhanna, PA, was sentenced on December 7, 2023, by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani, to 72 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a 4-year period of supervised release, for heroin, fentanyl and cocaine trafficking.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, from approximately April 2022 until June 15, 2022, Scott conspired with others to distribute and did distribute over 40 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, as well as over 100 grams of cocaine, in Tobyhanna and surrounding areas in Monroe County, PA.  Scott was out on state parole for a prior handgun offense at the time of his commission of this federal narcotics offense.  At his sentencing, Judge Mariani ordered that Scott’s 72-month federal sentence run consecutively to the 24-month sentence that Scott received for his parole violation.     

“This investigation demonstrates HSI’s commitment to identifying the most determined recidivists that peddle poison and prey on the most vulnerable,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia William S. Walker. “HSI will leverage every resource and partnership, especially our outstanding collaboration with the PA Office of the Attorney General - Bureau of Narcotics Investigations, to rid our communities of the drug traffickers that plaque them.”

This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigations (BNI).  Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that John Bartel age 64, of Pottsville, Schuylkill County, was sentenced on December 7, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to 16 months’ imprisonment on the charge of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Bartel previously pleaded guilty and admitted to possessing methamphetamine and fentanyl for further distribution.  The charge stems from an investigation in which the Pennsylvania State Police made a traffic stop of a vehicle Bartel was driving on August 3, 2022, in Pottsville, and seized approximately 55 grams of methamphetamine, 1,371 packets of fentanyl and $1,974 in U.S. currency.  Bartel was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

The charge against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Vinaykumar Patel, age 33, a citizen of the Republic of India, was convicted of multiple counts related to visa fraud and conspiracy following a three-day jury trial that concluded on December 6, 2023. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Patel was the manager of the Fuel-On convenience store in Lock Haven, PA.  In June 2019, Patel contacted an associate of his in New Jersey and asked that person to hire someone to stage a robbery at the Fuel-On store.  After the staged robbery occurred, it was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police.  Patel then used the PSP reports of the robbery to apply for a U-visa.  The U-visa is a special visa offered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to non-citizens who are victims of crime and who are cooperative with law enforcement.  Patel had no lawful immigration status in the United States at the time of the staged robbery.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Clinton County District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorneys Geoffrey MacArthur and Alisan Martin prosecuted the case.

Patel faces a maximum penalty of 25 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Omar Vargas, age 32, of Drums, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to a term of two years’ imprisonment for trafficking methamphetamine.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Vargas pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on August 21, 2023. The conviction was the result of an encounter between Vargas and law enforcement officers on January 4, 2021, when officers initiated a traffic stop of a car in which Vargas was a passenger. Vargas fled from the scene and entered a third-party residence where he was arrested having been found hiding in the attic. Officers located a baggie containing approximately 56 grams of methamphetamine lying next to the front tire of one of the vehicles that Vargas ran between as he was attempting to flee.

This case was jointly investigated by the DEA in Scranton and the Hazleton (Pennsylvania) Police Department.   Assistant United States Attorney Todd K. Hinkley prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Carlos Rodriguez-Cruz, age 32, formerly of Puerto Rico, and an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution, Schuylkill, in Minersville, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday for assaulting a federal corrections officer and for possession of contraband in prison.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Rodriguez-Cruz with assaulting a corrections officer and possessing contraband on October 6, 2023.  The charges stem from an incident in which Rodriguez-Cruz engaged in a physical confrontation with a corrections officer. After the confrontation, staff at FCI Schuylkill searched Rodriguez-Cruz and found him in possession of a dangerous prison-made weapon, commonly known as a “shank.” 

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

In this case, the maximum penalty under federal law is up to 13 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Michael Sealover, age 45, of Adams County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 5, 2023, by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to 300 months’ imprisonment for producing child pornography.  Judge Wilson also ordered Sealover to serve 15 years on supervised release after the conclusion of his prison sentence and to pay $5,100 in assessments.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Sealover previously pleaded guilty and admitted to contacting multiple pre-adolescent girls online in July 2020, and coercing and enticing them to send him sexually explicit images at his direction.  As part of the scheme, Sealover often posed as a teenage boy to gain the girls’ trust and then enticed his victims to send him sexually explicit images, falsely promising to give the victims cell phones as compensation.  When Sealover’s victims resisted his instructions or expressed despair at being exploited, Sealover would threaten to publish their images online unless they complied with his demands.

The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Adams County District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Christian T. Haugsby prosecuted the case.

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

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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Johnny Jenkins-Armstrong, age 26, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced on December 4, 2023, to life imprisonment for his role in the June 25, 2016 murders of three individuals in Mercersburg, Franklin County, one of whom was cooperating with state and federal drug investigators. The sentence was imposed by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner, who also sentenced Jenkins-Armstrong to a consecutive 20-year term of imprisonment on a companion robbery charge.  

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Corbett’s conviction was the result of a seven-year investigation into three murders that occurred on June 25, 2016, on a property along Welsh Run Road in Mercersburg, Franklin County. When Pennsylvania State Police officers were called to the scene, they found the bodies of Wendy Ann Chaney, 39, Hagerstown, Md, Brandon Cole, 47, Fayetteville, PA, and Phillip Matthew Jackson, 36, Mercersburg, PA, in a barn on victim Jackson’s property. All were shot. The three victims had their hands zipped-tied behind their backs and had been set on fire. Jackson and Cole were shot once in the head. Chaney was shot twice, once in the back and once in the back of her neck. Wendy Chaney and Brandon Cole were already dead when the police responded to the scene.  Phillip Jackson was transported to York Hospital where he died shortly after arrival.

The evidence previously presented at Jenkins-Armstrong’s guilty plea and earlier related proceedings established that Wendy Chaney was in a relationship with co-defendants Kevin Coles and Torey White and had been previously assisting both with their drug distribution operation. Coles, White, co-defendant Devin Dickerson and co-defendant Kenyatta Corbett, also a heroin trafficker in Hagerstown and areas of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, learned that Chaney was cooperating with federal authorities and contracted for her to be murdered. Corbett, and co-defendant Jerell Adgebesan who worked for Corbett recruited members of a Baltimore based gang known as the Black Guerilla Family and others from Baltimore to include Jenkins-Armstrong to travel to the Jackson property to kill Wendy Chaney. Adgebesan knew these individuals from Baltimore. The killers were promised that they could take as payment $20,000 that was to be in a safe in the barn and any drugs and firearms that they could locate on the Jackson property. Once there, the killers encountered not only Wendy Chaney but also Brandon Cole and Phillip Jackson. The victims had their hands bound behind their backs with zip-ties, all were shot execution style and their bodies set on fire. Jenkins-Armstrong shot victim Chaney once in the back while co-defendant Johnson shot her in the back of the neck. Chaney was killed to protect the drug trafficking activities of Corbett, Coles, White, Dickerson, and others. Jackson and Cole were murdered to prevent them from being witnesses to the crimes of violence that were committed at the Jackson property. The killers never found any money on the property but stole some drugs and firearms.

The following individuals were charged along with Corbett as a result of the investigation:

• Jerell Adgebesan, age 35, of Baltimore and Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced to life imprisonment for participating in the murder of three people including a federal witness;
• Devin Dickerson, age 31, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack cocaine and was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment;
• Torey White, age 32, Waynesboro, PA, was convicted by a federal jury in May of 2023 of three counts of first-degree murder. His conviction is on appeal;
• Michael Buck, age 30, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing;
• Nicholas Preddy, age 29, Baltimore, pleaded guilty to attempting to kill a witness and was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment;
• Kenyatta Corbett, age 41, of Hagerstown and Baltimore, was sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in the murders and a consecutive 20 year term of imprisonment on a Hobbs Act robbery charge. Corbett pled guilty to those charges;
• Terrance Lawson, age 31, Baltimore, sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness;
• Tyrone Armstrong, age 30, Baltimore, sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness; and
• Christopher Johnson, age 31, Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to multiple counts including murder for hire and is awaiting sentencing;   
• Mark Johnson, 35, Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to obstructing the grand jury’s investigation and was sentenced to 110 months’ imprisonment;
• Llesenia Woodard, 46, Hagerstown, Maryland, pled guilty to providing false testimony to the grand jury investigating the murders and is awaiting sentencing
• Kevin Coles, Kevin Coles, age 36, of New York, NY and Hagerstown, Maryland, was found guilty in April 2022 of multiple crimes, including murder for hire, robbery, and drug trafficking, and was sentenced to multiple consecutive life sentences;
• Yolanda Diaz, 31, Hagerstown, Md, indicted on multiple counts of perjury and obstruction of justice based upon her testimony at the Coles trial. Her trial is currently scheduled for February 2024.

Joshua Davis, age 30, previously pled guilty to participating in the conspiracy to locate and kill an individual believed to be cooperating with federal authorities in the investigation of the triple murders. Davis was sentenced to serve 100 months’ imprisonment.

The following federal, state and local law enforcement agencies participated in the investigation:  Drug Enforcement Administration Harrisburg Resident Office; Pennsylvania State Police, Chambersburg; Pennsylvania State Police, Troop H; Franklin County Drug Task Force; Franklin County Adult Probation; Pennsylvania State Probation and Parole; Hagerstown Police Department, Criminal Investigation Division; Drug Enforcement Administration, Hagerstown Resident Office; Washington County Narcotics Task Force; Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office, Strike Force Group 1; Maryland State Police Homicide Unit; Baltimore Police Department Narcotics, Fugitive And Homicide Units; Baltimore County Police Department Narcotics and Gang Unit; Federal Bureau of Investigation Evidence Management Unit, Quantico, VA; US Marshal’s Service Harrisburg, PA and Phoenix, AZ; Franklin County District Attorney’s Office; United States Attorney’s Office, District Of Maryland; and the Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Judy Fernandez, Manager of Analytic Services at LexisNexis Special Services, Inc., (LNSSI) provided expert assistance to investigators and the prosecutors in the areas of analysis, support, and the rendering of her expert opinion.

Assistant United States Attorney William A. Behe, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, and Senior Litigation Counsel Michael Consiglio prosecuted these cases 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.

This prosecution is also part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) identified as “Retribution for Welsh Run”.  OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets. 

All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Michael Carbaugh, age 37, of York County, Pennsylvania, was indicted on November 29, 2023, by a federal grand jury with child pornography offenses.

According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Carbaugh distributed child pornography from November 3-7, 2023, in York County. The indictment further alleges that Carbaugh was in possession of child pornography on November 15, 2023.  

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

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Varley is prosecuting the case.

The total maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is up to 40 years’ imprisonment, a term of up to lifetime supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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