Middle District of Pennsylvania

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jason R. Bonnewell, age 41, of North Abington Township, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury with conspiring to commit honest services fraud and filing false tax returns.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment returned against Bonnewell alleges that, during his tenure as a supervisor at a Pennsylvania food services company from 2014 to 2019, he and his coconspirators accepted cash bribes and other things of value from other coconspirators who owned and operated Global Staffing Services, Inc. and Penns Independent Staffing.  Global Staffing Services, Inc. and Penns Independent Staffing were two companies that leased temporary employees to Bonnewell’s company.  In exchange for the kickbacks, Bonnewell and his coconspirators entered contracts with and hired the temporary employees of the two staffing companies.  Allegedly, over $13,000,000 were paid to the two staffing companies, in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks.

Bonnewell also was charged with three counts of filing false tax returns, for tax years 2017 through 2019.  Bonnewell allegedly failed to disclose the cash payments on his tax returns, thus underreporting his total income and adjusted gross income for each year.

Five other individuals were previously prosecuted in this investigation:

• Mark Holmes, age 66, of Hughes Springs, Texas, pleaded guilty to accepting, as the General Manager of the Pennsylvania food services company, approximately $400,000 in bribes and kickbacks from Global Staffing Services, Inc. and Penns Independent Staffing, in exchange for hiring their employees.  The two temporary staffing companies, in turn, received approximately $7,800,000 from Holmes’s employer.  Holmes also pleaded guilty to failing to remit approximately $135,000 in employment taxes to the IRS that were owed by Encore Staffing Solutions LLC, another temporary staffing company that he owned and operated.  Encore Staffing Solutions LLC leased temporary employees to manufacturing businesses throughout Pennsylvania.  Holmes awaits sentencing.
• Nari Lam, age 31, of Wilmington, Delaware, pleaded guilty to failing to remit employment taxes to the IRS.  From 2016 through 2020, Nari Lam, as the owner of temporary staffing company Penns Independent Staffing, failed to pay approximately $300,000 in employment taxes owed by Penns Independent Staffing to the IRS.  Nari Lam awaits sentencing.
• Madeline Nieves, age 49, of Plains, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to a tax fraud conspiracy.  Nieves conspired with other individuals to defraud the IRS, from 2018 to 2020, in connection with staffing company Encore Staffing Solutions LLC, which she owned and operated.  Nieves failed to report Encore Staffing Solutions LLC employee wages to the IRS, resulting in approximately $67,000 in employment taxes owed, but never paid, by Encore to the IRS.  Nieves also failed to report her own personal income from Encore Staffing Solutions LLC to the IRS.  Nieves awaits sentencing.
• Danny Sing, age 60, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to conspiring with other individuals to evade federal income taxes for approximately $1,600,000 in wages paid by Global Staffing Services, Inc. to its employees, and to failing to withhold and remit approximately $1,360,000 in federal employment taxes to the IRS.  Danny Sing and his coconspirators paid Global Staffing Services, Inc. employees in cash, paid themselves in cash, and cashed all checks received from Global Staffing Services, Inc.’s clients, to conceal the income and wages from the IRS.  The criminal activities occurred between 2013 and 2020.  Sing also pleaded guilty to providing in excess of approximately $400,000 in bribes and kickbacks to managers and supervisors at Global Staffing Services, Inc.’s client, to obtain business for Global Staffing Services, Inc.  Sing awaits sentencing.
• Den Lam, age 49, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was charged in an information alleging that he conspired with other individuals to evade federal income taxes for approximately $1,600,000 in wages paid by Global Staffing Services, Inc. to its employees.  Den Lam also was charged with failing to withhold and remit approximately $1,360,000 in federal employment taxes owed, but never paid, by Global Staffing Services, Inc. to the IRS.

The cases were investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigations Division.  The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo.

The maximum penalty under federal law for each tax offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  The maximum penalty under federal law for the commercial bribery offense 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.

Indictments and 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 Tylee Brown, age 38, of Norristown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on October 3, 2023, before US. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charge of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Brown admitted to possessing between 1.5 kilograms and 5 kilograms of high-quality crystal methamphetamine for further distribution in the Susquehanna County area in April 2020.  

The charges against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).  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.

Under federal law, the offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, up to a maximum sentence of life in prison, 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.

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Nicholas Heriberto Vallecillo-Tejeda, age 41, was sentenced on September 29, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy Mannion, to 19 months’ imprisonment on the charge of illegal re-entry into the United States by a previously deported alien. Vallecillo-Tejeda was previously convicted of the offense after a two-day jury trial before Judge Mannion in April 2023.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Vallecillo-Tejeda was previously deported from the United States to Honduras in November 2008 and again in July 2009.  He re-entered the United States again sometime after July 2009 without first obtaining legal permission to do so. Vallecillo-Tejeda was encountered in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, on September 5, 2020, when he was arrested by the Shenandoah Police Department on charges which eventually led to convictions for simple assault and weapons possession. 

The matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).  Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. O’Hara and Brian J. Gallagher prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ernesto Richards, age 37, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion to 180 months of imprisonment.  Richards previously pleaded guilty to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on September 22, 2022, Richards received a package shipped from Panama at his Wilkes-Barre residence, containing over a kilogram of cocaine.  A subsequent search of the residence recovered an additional 150 grams of cocaine, over $11,000, and three firearms, one of which was stolen.  Richards has remained in custody since his arrest that day.

The case was investigated by agents from Homeland Security Investigations and troopers from the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo 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 –United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam honors sixteen individuals for their outstanding contributions to public safety. These awards are made each year to a select group of individuals who perform in an exceptional manner and who make significant contributions to our Office’s efforts to promote public safety.

Exemplary Lifetime Service as a Law Enforcement Officer

• DEA Special Agent James Matsko

This award recognizes Special Agent Matsko’s remarkable ability to work on large scale drug trafficking cases over the span of his 25-year career.  Special Agent Matsko worked cases relentlessly to gather evidence which led to numerous drug and money seizures throughout the Northeastern United States and resulted in successful prosecutions of national and international drug trafficking organizations with ties to the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

• FBI Special Agent April Phillips

This award recognizes Special Agent Phillips’s tenacious work in multiple fraud and public corruption cases over the course of several years.  Those cases involved local public official bribery schemes, COVID-19 pandemic fraud, corporate kickback schemes, and embezzlements by corporate executives.  Her efforts have resulted in significant sentences for white collar defendants, and the recovery of hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent proceeds.

Outstanding Contributions to Cooperative Law Enforcement

• FBI Special Agent A. Porter Wilson

This award recognizes Special Agent Wilson’s successful efforts to create strong working relationships between federal, state, and local law enforcement to investigate and prosecute criminals who pose a danger to our community.  In particular, Special Agent Wilson assisted the Bloomsburg and Berwick Police Departments with a missing persons case.  Through his efforts with local law enforcement, they were able to solve a local homicide while also identifying serial killer Harold David Haulman who was sentenced to life in prison for two Pennsylvania murders. 

Distinguished Service as a Law Enforcement Officer

Eleven individuals received the United States Attorney’s Award for Distinguished Service as a Law Enforcement Officer for their exceptional work in multiple significant criminal prosecutions:

• FBI Special Agent Gary Leone
• FBI Special Agent Dan Wright
• FBI Supervisory Special Agent Joe Nelson
• DOT-OIG Special Agent Christopher Prout (formerly with DOJ-OIG)
• DOJ-OIG Special Agent Frank Adamo

This award recognizes the recipients’ significant and tireless efforts in U.S. v. Christopher Collare.  Collare, a state and federal law enforcement official, had inappropriate relationships with multiple female informants over many years, extorted sex from two women in exchange for agreeing to take official actions, provided heroin to informants, and falsified official paperwork.

• DEA Group Supervisor James Hischar
• DEA Diversion Investigator Lou Callavini
• DEA Investigative Assistant Denise Williamson

This award recognizes the recipients’ exceptional work in U.S. v. Raymond Kraynak, a case that involved a Northeastern Pennsylvania doctor who maintained two drug-involved premises and unlawfully prescribed high doses of opioids to multiple patients outside of the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medial purpose, causing the death of five patients.

• Kingston Police Department Chief Richard Kotchik
• ATF Task Force Officer Ned Palka
• Kingston Police Department Detective Robert Miller

This award recognizes the recipients’ keen investigatory skills and their unique ability to utilize the appropriate investigatory techniques to gather compelling evidence against drug law violators, including U.S. v. Jose Raymer Tejeda and Edwin Tejeda, and U.S. v. Charles Gibson.  Those cases involved drug trafficking organizations in the Wilkes-Barre region and elsewhere that distributed significant quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine.  A drug dealer in the Tejeda brothers’ drug trafficking organization, distributed fentanyl to an individual who overdosed and died.  The investigations resulted in the successful federal prosecutions of over two dozen defendants.

Exemplary Service in Support of Criminal Investigations

• FBI Tactical Specialist Shawn Skovronsky
• FBI Operational Support Technician Mary Hromek

The award recognizes the recipients’ outstanding contributions to the successes of the FBI Scranton Resident Agency’s investigations and this office’s prosecutions for more than 20 years. Mary Hromek handled a wide variety of essential administrative tasks at the Scranton FBI office and was the center of all communications in the FBI office and with its partner agencies. Shawn Skovronsky has provided tactical analysis and other investigative support to all special agents in the Scranton office. Their work has been instrumental in the investigative accomplishments of the Scranton FBI office and consequently in the successful prosecutions of FBI cases in this office.    

“We are pleased to recognize the achievements of our colleagues who have made outstanding contributions to promoting public safety, said United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam. “The exemplary work of these sixteen individuals deserves this special recognition, and I thank them for their service.”

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jesse Deitzler, age 44, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was charged yesterday by a federal grand jury with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. 

According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Deitzler attempted to coerce and entice a minor to engage in sexual activity on February 10, 2022, in Dauphin County.

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 investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Lower Paxton Township Police Department, and Dauphin County Human Trafficking Task Force.  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Varley is prosecuting the case.

Deitzler faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.  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 James Sollenberger, age 54, of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury with producing and distributing child pornography.

According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that between March 5-17, 2017, in Cumberland County, Sollenberger enticed a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography.  It is further alleged that Sollenberger distributed child pornography on March 21, 2017.

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 investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Haugsby is prosecuting the case.       

The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is up to 50 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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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Candacelee Ellis, age 37, of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on September 22, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to 30 months’ imprisonment on the charge of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Ellis previously pleaded guilty and admitted to conspiring with other individuals to distribute between 160 grams and 280 grams of fentanyl in the Luzerne County area between 2019 and 2020.

Previously, co-defendant Eric Hill, age 34, also of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by Judge Mariani to serve 10 years’ imprisonment for conspiring to distribute between 400 grams and 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl in the Luzerne County area. 

The charges 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 today that Bryce Stanger, age 35, of San Yisidro, California, was sentenced on September 22, 2023, by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann, to 18 years’ imprisonment on the charge of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Bryce Stanger and his wife, Tanya Stanger, age 33, also of San Yisidro, California, previously pleaded guilty and admitted to conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and more than 400 grams of fentanyl.  The charge stems from an incident on August 25, 2021, in which members of the Pennsylvania State Police made a traffic stop of a vehicle in Union County.  Bryce and Tanya Stanger were the occupants of the vehicle.  A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately thirty pounds of high-quality crystal methamphetamine and more than a kilogram of fentanyl.  Further investigation revealed that the defendants were transporting the drugs from California to Hazleton, Pennsylvania, for further distribution.

On September 21, 2023, Tanya Stanger was also sentenced by Chief Judge Brann to 18 years’ imprisonment.

The investigation was conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigations Safe Street Task Force. 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.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Nora Barile, age 43, of Lehighton, PA, pleaded guilty on September 20, 2023, before United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to wire fraud in connection with her submission of a false COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application.   

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the criminal Information to which Barile pleaded guilty alleges that on dates in May 2020 and June 2022, on behalf of her business Helping Hands Cleaning Services and Home Improvement, Barile submitted to the United States Small Business Association (“SBA”) a false EIDL application (with amended and supplemental filings) containing material misrepresentations.  In reliance on her certification that she would use the EIDL funds for business purposes, the SBA awarded Barile approximately $67,400.00 in COVID-19 relief funds over the two-year period.  Barile acknowledged that she used these funds for purely personal expenses.  Pursuant to the terms of her plea agreement with the United States, Barile agreed to make full restitution to the SBA.

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

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.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense 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 Roberto Magobet, age 45, of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for drug trafficking.

According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Magobet previously pleaded guilty on March 6, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine and fentanyl.  On August 31, 2021, state parole agents were attempting to conduct a residence inspection at Magobet’s residence in Jim Thorpe when they observed a package of methamphetamine on the front porch.  A search of the residence revealed seven grams of fentanyl and 243 grams of pure methamphetamine, along with drug packaging materials.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Jim Thorpe Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.

This case was 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 case is also 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 Tanya Stanger, age 33, of San Yisidro, California, was sentenced on September 21, 2023, by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann, to 18 years’ imprisonment on the charge of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Tanya Stanger and her husband, Bryce Stanger, age 34, also of San Yisidro, California, previously pleaded guilty and admitted to conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and more than 400 grams of fentanyl.  The charge stems from an incident on August 25, 2021, in which members of the Pennsylvania State Police made a traffic stop of a vehicle in Union County.  Bryce and Tanya Stanger were the occupants of the vehicle.  A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately thirty pounds of high-quality crystal methamphetamine and more than a kilogram of fentanyl.  Further investigation revealed that the defendants were transporting the drugs from California to Hazleton, Pennsylvania, for further distribution.

Bryce Stanger is currently awaiting sentencing.

The investigation was conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigations Safe Street Task Force. 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.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Javier Guzman, age 51, of Pottsville, Schuylkill County, pleaded guilty on September 20, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charge of possession with intent to distribute crystal methamphetamine.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Guzman admitted to possessing between 50 and 200 grams of high-quality crystal methamphetamine for distribution in the Schuylkill County area in 2022.  The charge stems from an investigation in which investigators made purchases of high-quality crystal methamphetamine from Guzman in March 2022 in Schuylkill County.

The charge against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force. 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.

Under federal law the charge carries a maximum sentence of up to twenty years in prison, a term of supervised release 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 Rodney Wilcox, age 55, of Monroe County, Pennsylvania, was indicted on September 19, 2023, by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Wilcox with distributing fentanyl and cocaine between June 2023 and August 2023, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.  Wilcox was also indicted for possessing multiple firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking operation and for possessing firearms as a previously convicted felon.

This matter was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police Troop N, the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Scranton Office. Assistant United States Attorney Brian J. Gallagher 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.

Wilcox faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, a one million dollar fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following imprisonment. 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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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eric Hill, age 34, of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on September 19, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to 10 years’ imprisonment on the charge of conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Hill previously pleaded guilty and admitted to conspiring with other individuals to distribute between 400 grams and 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl in the Luzerne County area between 2019 and 2020.  

The charge against the defendant 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 Kahlil Shelton, age 28, a federal prison inmate, was indicted by a federal grand jury for the offense of possessing contraband in prison.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on or about June 20, 2023, while an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution, Schuylkill (FCI Schuylkill), in Minersville, Pennsylvania, Shelton possessed a 6.5-inch metal implement with a cloth handle capable of being used as a stabbing weapon.   

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service.  Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense 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.

Indictments 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 today that Brandon B. Boyer, age 34, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today before United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to the computer hacking offense of obtaining information from protected computers.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the criminal Information to which Boyer pleaded guilty alleges that for a two-year period from 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.  More specifically, Boyer acknowledged accessing 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 accounts.    

Boyer agreed that the monetary loss attributable to his conduct was between $40,000 and $95,000.  

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Philadelphia Division.  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 Larry Massenburg, age 35, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution, Schuylkill (FCI Schuylkill), Minersville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to 18 months’ imprisonment for possessing contraband in prison.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Massenburg was an inmate at FCI Schuylkill, serving a sentence of imprisonment for a prior federal conviction for cocaine trafficking.  On March 2, 2022, correctional officers at FCI Schuylkill found Massenburg in possession of methamphetamine.  Judge Mariani ordered the 18-month sentence to run consecutive to Massenburg’s existing term of imprisonment.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Prisons’ Special Investigative Services.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Curtis Margle, age 33, of Lehighton, Carbon County, pleaded guilty on September 18, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charge of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of crystal methamphetamine.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Margle admitted to possessing between 200 grams and 350 grams of high-quality crystal methamphetamine for distribution in the Schuylkill County and Carbon County areas in 2022.  The charges stem from an investigation in which investigators made a purchase of crystal methamphetamine from Margle in March 2022 in Schuylkill County and then seized an additional quantity of crystal methamphetamine from Margle.

The charges against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force. 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 charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum sentence under federal law is up to forty years in prison, a term of supervised release 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 Omoyoma Christopher Okoro, age 49, of North Carolina, was found guilty of all charges against him following a five-day jury trial that concluded on September 15, 2023. The indictment charged Okoro with conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, mail fraud affecting a financial institution, and bank fraud. In addition, Okoro was charged with two counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution, one count of mail fraud affecting a financial institution, and one count of bank fraud.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Okoro, a naturalized U.S. citizen of Nigerian origin, resided in Nigeria before moving to the United States around 2013. Between 2006 and 2010, Okoro, along with other unnamed coconspirators, conspired to defraud attorneys located in the United States through what became known as the “attorney collection scheme.” Through this scheme, attorneys in the United States were contacted by a prospective “client” in a foreign country who purported to be in need of legal representation. The client would typically claim to be owed money from someone in the United States resulting from a business transaction, settlement from a dispute, or an accident. If the attorney responded to the initial inquiry, the attorney would then be told that the other party had agreed to settle the matter and was prepared to make a payment. Soon after that, the attorney would receive a counterfeit “official check” supposedly issued by a U.S. bank in the mail. The attorney was directed by the client to deposit the check into his or her law firm escrow account, keep a portion of the funds as payment for services, and wire the balance to a foreign bank account, typically located in an East Asian country. Once the funds reached the foreign bank account, they were immediately withdrawn by a member of the conspiracy, generally before the attorney victim realized that he or she had been defrauded. The attorney and the attorney’s bank would then be left responsible for the loss once they realized that the official check was counterfeit.

The evidence at trial showed Okoro communicating with numerous other members of the conspiracy, including individuals responsible for furnishing the financial accounts in East Asia used to receive victim funds, as well as individuals who appeared to be in contact with attorney victims. On numerous occasions, Okoro was either the sender or recipient of emails confirming that an attorney victim had wired funds to a foreign bank account. In addition, evidence at trial showed funds flowing back to Okoro from coconspirators located in the area of Toronto, Canada, where several key members of the conspiracy resided.

In total, it is believed that over $20 million in fraudulent proceeds were actually obtained through the attorney collection scheme, and over $70 million in attempted fraud occurred. Okoro represents the latest defendant to be prosecuted in this district for his role in the attorney collection scheme. Prior defendants include Emmanuel Ekhator and Yvette Mathurin, previously residents of Canada and Nigeria, and Kingsley Osagie of Nigeria. For more information, please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/nigerian-national-sentenced-100-months-involvement-scheme-defraud-lawyers-out-millions. They also include Henry Okpalefe, previously a resident of Toronto, Canada and Nigeria. For more information, please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/canadian-man-sentenced-18-years-imprisonment-multi-million-dollar-fraud-targeting-us.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma, Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams, and U.S. Department of Justice Trial Attorney Shaunik R. Panse prosecuted the case and handled the case at trial. This case and other prior cases related to the attorney collection scheme were previously handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christy Fawcett, Kim Douglas Daniel, Chelsea Schinnour, and Paul J. Miovas, Jr.

The maximum penalty under federal law for each of the five charges against Okoro 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.

# # #

The Justice Department today announced that the Western Union Remission Fund began a distribution of approximately $40 million in funds forfeited to the United States from the Western Union Company (Western Union) to approximately 25,000 victims located in the United States and abroad. These victims stand to recover the full amount of their losses.

This is the first distribution in the second phase of the Western Union Remission distributions. The first phase of distributions paid more than $365 million to over 148,000 victims, all of whom received full compensation for their losses. The Justice Department anticipates authorizing more distributions for victims in the coming months.

The second phase of the Western Union Remission was opened in March 2022 to provide victims who had not filed petitions in the first phase of distributions an opportunity to file for remission. The Justice Department continues to accept petitions for remission from those victimized by the scheme. 

“The latest distribution of the Western Union Remission Fund compensated thousands more victims harmed by predatory schemes,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Victim assistance is a primary goal of the Department’s Asset Forfeiture Program, and this latest distribution is a testament to the impact asset forfeiture can have in compensating and making victims whole.”

“Today’s distribution of $39.6 million to thousands of victims to compensate them for their losses demonstrates our commitment to hold all responsible parties accountable and to ensure justice for the victims who were financially harmed,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “We thank our law enforcement partners who continue to work tirelessly on behalf of the victims.”

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is committed to protecting victims of fraud and will continue to investigate those perpetrating such schemes,” said Postal Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen of the USPIS Philadelphia Division. “This $39 million disbursement to 25,000 victims brings the total disbursed to over $404 million to over 174,000 victims in the Western Union Remission process. We would like to thank our partners in this extraordinary effort especially the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.”

In 2017, Western Union entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the United States. Pursuant to the DPA, Western Union acknowledged responsibility for its criminal conduct, which included violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and aiding and abetting wire fraud, and agreed to forfeit $586 million, which has been made available to compensate victims of the international consumer fraud scheme through the remission process. Western Union simultaneously resolved a parallel civil investigation with the Federal Trade Commission.

In this scheme, fraudsters targeted consumers, including seniors, through multiple scams. Three specific scams directed towards seniors include the grandparent scam, where the fraudster would pose as the victim’s relative in need of immediate money to avoid personal harm, lottery, or sweepstakes scams; where the fraudster would tell the victim that they had won a large cash prize but had to pay fees such as taxes to claim the prize; and romance scams, where the fraudster would pose as an online love interest and request funds for a visit or for another purpose. In each of these scams, the fraudsters convinced their victims to send money through Western Union.

Certain owners, operators, or employees of Western Union agent locations were complicit in the schemes. Western Union aided and abetted the fraud scheme by failing to suspend or terminate complicit agents and by allowing them to continue to process fraud-induced monetary transactions. Western Union fulfilled its obligations under the DPA and the court granted the motion to dismiss the information.

The Justice Department, through the Asset Forfeiture Program, works diligently to restore lost funds to victims of crime and acknowledges the significant assistance of the USPIS Philadelphia Division’s Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Office in the Western Union remission. The victim compensation payments in the Western Union case would not have been possible without the extraordinary efforts of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the Central District of California, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the Southern District of Florida. The FBI Los Angeles Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia, the Federal Reserve Board and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Office of Inspector General, and the Department of the Treasury Office of Inspector General provided valuable assistance.

More information about the Western Union Remission Fund and its compensation to victims is available at www.WesternUnionRemissionPhase2.com. Further questions may be directed to the Western Union Remission Administrator by phone at (855) 786-1048 or by email at info@WesternUnionRemissionPhase2.com.

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that an Indictment was returned by a grand jury charging a Monroe County man with attempted online enticement of a minor and attempted production of child pornography.

The Indictment alleges that Kenneth Lesser, age 49, a resident of Monroe County, Pennsylvania, used the internet and an electronic device to attempt to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a person who he believed to be 13 years old to engage in sexual conduct. Additionally, the indictment alleges that Lesser attempted to cause the production of child pornography.

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Allentown Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski.

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

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.

The maximum penalty under federal law for the crimes charged in the Indictment is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that James Torrez Smith, age 24, of Jackson Mississippi, was charged with violation of law on an aircraft. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the information alleges that on June 6, 2023, Smith was a passenger on a flight from O’Hare International Airport to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport.  Throughout the flight, Smith exposed his genitalia and engaged in masturbation.

 The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 90 days 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.

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

# # #

WILLIAMPSORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Joseph John Waldron, age 64, of Horsham, Pennsylvania, pled guilty to a criminal Information charging Interstate Transportation of Stolen Goods. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the information charges Waldron with transporting goods valued above $5,000 across state lines between August and December 2021.  The stolen items included a Kabota Backhoe valued at approximately $70,000, a Kubota Excavator valued at approximately $40,757, a John Deere Tractor valued at approximately $26,397, among other items.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.  

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 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.

# # #

WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that James Michael Barr, age 68, of Cogan Station, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on federal tax charges.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Barr, as the owner of Barr Construction, failed to withhold payroll taxes from his employees from 2017 through 2020, and failed to pay these taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur

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

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.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jeremy Pauley, age 41, of Thompson, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann to conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen property.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Pauley admitted to his role in a nationwide network of individuals who bought and sold human remains stolen from Harvard Medical School and an Arkansas mortuary.  In pleading guilty to a felony Information, Pauley admitted that he purchased human remains from multiple individuals knowing that those remains were stolen.  Pauley also admitted to selling many of the stolen remains to others, at least one of whom also knew they had been stolen. 

Previously, other individuals were also indicted on charges of conspiracy and interstate transport of stolen property as part of the same investigation.  The indictments allege that from 2018 through 2022, Cedric Lodge, who managed the morgue for the Anatomical Gifts Program at Harvard Medical School, located in Boston, Massachusetts, stole organs and other parts of cadavers donated for medical research and education before their scheduled cremations.  Lodge at times allegedly transported stolen remains from Boston to his residence in Goffstown, New Hampshire, where he and his wife, Denise Lodge, sold the remains to Katrina Maclean, Joshua Taylor, and others, making arrangements via cellular telephone and social media websites.  At times, Cedric Lodge allegedly allowed Maclean and Taylor to enter the morgue at Harvard Medical School and examine cadavers to choose what to purchase.  On some occasions, Taylor transported stolen remains back to Pennsylvania.  On other occasions, the Lodges shipped stolen remains to Taylor and others out of state.

Maclean and Taylor allegedly sold the stolen remains for profit, including to Jeremy Pauley in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.  Jeremy Pauley also allegedly purchased stolen human remains from Candace Chapman Scott, who stole remains from her employer, a Little Rock, Arkansas mortuary and crematorium.  Scott allegedly stole parts of cadavers she was supposed to have cremated, many of which had been donated to and used for research and educational purposes by an area medical school, as well as the corpses of two stillborn babies who were supposed to be cremated and returned as cremains to their families.  Scott allegedly sold the stolen remains to Pauley and shipped them to Pauley in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.  Pauley sold many of the stolen remains he purchased to other individuals, allegedly including Matthew Lampi.  Lampi and Pauley bought and sold from each other over an extended period and exchanged over $100,000 in online payments.

The individuals charged along with Pauley as a result of the investigation are pending trial:

• Cedric Lodge, age 55, of Goffstown, New Hampshire;
• Katrina Maclean, age 44, of Salem, Massachusetts;
• Joshua Taylor, age 46, of West Lawn, Pennsylvania;
• Denise Lodge, age 63, of Goffstown, New Hampshire; and
• Mathew Lampi, age 52, of East Bethel, Minnesota.

Additionally, Candace Chapman-Scott has been indicted in federal court in the District of Arkansas for her role in the conspiracy and for defrauding the mortuary that employed her.

The United States Attorney’s Office has and will continue to attempt to identify and contact as many of the victims and victims’ families affected by this case as possible. If anyone believes they or a family member may have been affected by the conduct described above, please contact our Victim and Witness Unit at USAPAM.Victim.Information@usdoj.gov or (717) 614-4249.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the East Pennsboro Township Police Department, and the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 15 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.

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

# # #

WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Naim Taylor, age 25, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 96 months of imprisonment on charges related to fentanyl trafficking.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Taylor was the manager of a drug trafficking organization that brought fentanyl from Philadelphia to Williamsport and other areas in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.  Taylor previously entered a guilty plea in which he admitted to being responsible for trafficking at least 74 grams of fentanyl, the equivalent of nearly 3,000 individual doses. Taylor’s sentence was enhanced because of his possession of a firearm in connection with these activities.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur prosecuted the case.

This case was 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 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.

# # #

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Reynard Lewis, age 30, formerly of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani to 42 months of imprisonment, for wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft offenses.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Lewis 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 allegedly received over $100,000 in pandemic stimulus funds.

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

Lewis previously was charged in a criminal complaint and arrested on September 16, 2022.  He has remained in detention since his arrest.  Lewis’s alleged coconspirator, Robert Brownstein, age 51, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was previously charged in a criminal information with wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.

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 is prosecuting 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 Yerigardy Tejeda-Zoquier, age 23, of West Hazleton, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on September 7, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to 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 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 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.

Under federal law, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, up to a maximum sentence of life in prison, 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 United States Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Robert Jackson, age 45, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, to life imprisonment for the distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Jackson was found guilty of multiple federal crimes on February 8, 2022, following a six-day jury trial before Judge Mannion.  Jackson was specifically found guilty for his sale of fentanyl on July 25, 2020, which resulted in the death of a 58-year-old Monroe County man.  Jackson was also found guilty of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

During the trial, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office presented the testimony of Dr. Rameen Starling-Roney, a Forensic Pathologist, and Dr. Michael Coyer, a Forensic Toxicologist, who opined that fentanyl caused the death of the Monroe County man.  Additional testimony was provided by officers and detectives from the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department, and the FBI – Scranton Office who testified that Jackson sold fentanyl to the victim in the evening of July 25, 2020, resulting in his death on July 28, 2020. 

The life sentence imposed by Judge Mannion was mandated pursuant to federal law for defendants found guilty of distributing a controlled substance resulting in death, after having previously been convicted of a felony drug offense.  Jackson’s criminal history involved multiple felony drug offenses, which also rendered him a career offender under federal law.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Scranton, the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, and the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Olshefski and Robert O’Hara prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin and other opioids. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin and opioid 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.

# # #

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Terrance Tyson, age 45, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on September 6, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to 63 months’ imprisonment on the charge of bank robbery.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Tyson previously entered a guilty plea and admitted to committing a robbery of the NBT Bank in East Stroudsburg, on September 24, 2019.  Tyson stole approximately $5,226 in the robbery and was apprehended by investigators the following day. 

The case was investigated by the Stroud Area Regional Police Department and the FBI 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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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jeffrey Oakley, age 40, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to two years of probation for submitting a fraudulent claim for U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) benefits on behalf of his wife. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Oakley submitted a disability claim to the VA on behalf of his wife.  When that claim was denied, he forged his wife’s DD214, and submitted the fraudulent document along with a new claim.  As a result of his actions, his wife received $14,127.02 in VA disability benefits to which she was not entitled. 

Oakley previously admitted to submitting the claim and fraudulent DD 214.  In addition to the sentence of probation, Oakley was also ordered to pay $14,127.02 in restitution, representing the total amount of funds he received through fraudulent reimbursement requests. At sentencing, Oakley presented a check for his restitution payments. 

The case was investigated by the Veteran’s Affairs Office of Inspector General.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Ford prosecuted the case.

# # #

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Sergey Duman, age 46, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo to 27 months’ imprisonment for wire fraud.  The Court also ordered a 3-year term of supervised release to follow the term of imprisonment and over $4.8 million in restitution. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Duman previously admitted that he participated in a scheme to defraud private health insurance companies, the United States, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  Duman purchased Cedar Care Pharmacy in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in January 2020.  For the next six months, the pharmacy effectively acted as a shell pharmacy for a telemedicine-fraud scheme.  During that time, an entity purporting to be a telemedicine company regularly submitted prescriptions to the pharmacy that had been written without the knowledge of the listed patient.  The pharmacy then fraudulently submitted private insurance and Medicaid claims for the prescriptions even though the pharmacy never provided the prescribed medications to patients.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.

# # #

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Salem Christopher Diop, age 22, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a sexual assault charge. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on July 8, 2023, Diop was on a cruise when he engaged in sexual assault with a victim incapable of appraising the nature of the conduct.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life 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.

# # #

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Derr, age 40, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on August 29, 2023, to 125 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for a drug trafficking offense.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Derr previously pleaded guilty to distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine.  On July 29, 2021, in Luzerne County, Derr distributed over 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, and was during the course of the scheme was responsible for the distribution of between 200 grams and 350 grams of methamphetamine.  Derr also possessed a 20-gauge sawed-off shotgun.

The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, the Kingston Police Department, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney James Buchanan 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.

# # #

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Charles Vincent Benincasa, age 40, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury with drug trafficking and firearms offenses.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Benincasa with distribution of a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of an unregistered firearm (commonly known as an untraceable “ghost gun”) related to conduct that occurred in July of 2023, in Luzerne County. 

The case was investigated by the Luzerne County Drug Task Force together with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti 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 this offense is a term of life 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.

# # #

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Lee Crawford, age 61, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on August 28, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to the charge of conspiracy to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and the charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Crawford admitted to conspiring with a co-defendant, John Williams, age 43, of Kingston, and with others, to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl in the Luzerne County area between July 2020 and February 2021.  Investigators made several purchases of fentanyl from Crawford and then obtained a search warrant for Crawford’s residence in Wilkes-Barre, where an additional amount of fentanyl was seized.  Crawford also admitted to a separate charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting from the search of his residence.

Williams previously pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and is awaiting sentencing.

The charges against the defendants resulted from an investigation conducted by the Kingston Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force.  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.

This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin and fentanyl.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin and fentanyl 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 and fentanyl related offenses.

Under federal law, Crawford faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, up to a maximum sentence of life in prison, 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 Roger Daniel Williams, age 44, of Meshoppen, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to 300 months in prison for the production of child pornography videos and images.  Williams previously pleaded guilty to the crime on March 30, 2022.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Williams produced videos and images of himself and a child while Williams was engaged in the act of raping the child.  The production of these videos and images occurred on various dates beginning in December 2019 and continued through May 2021.  Williams also possessed thousands of child pornography videos and images at his residence.

The sentence imposed by Judge Mariani was imposed to run consecutively to a state sentence Williams is currently serving.  On January 13, 2022, Williams was sentenced in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania to serve a minimum of 240 months in prison and a maximum of 480 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of rape of child.  Judge Mariani’s sentence ensures a minimum sentence of 45 years’ imprisonment for Williams.

Williams is also required to serve a term of five years of supervised release upon release from federal custody and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $45,000 to the identified victims of the child pornography he possessed.

The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Philadelphia Division and the Meshoppen Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case.

Upon release from custody, Williams will also be required to comply with the requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) upon release from custody.

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. 

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WILLIAMSPORT – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Daniel P. Sickels, age 49, of Lewistown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday to 12 months and one day in prison by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann for wire fraud. Sickels was also ordered to pay $267,264.87 in restitution. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Sickels previously worked as a Network and Systems Manager at Pennsylvania State University (PSU) Office of Development and Alumni Relations (ODA), located in State College, PA.  Sickels fraudulently acquired equipment through false representations to PSU ODA that the equipment was necessary to upgrade, replace, or maintain PSU ODA servers, when, in fact, Sickels knew that the equipment was not necessary.  Sickels subsequently sold the equipment for his personal benefit to third parties. The scheme lasted from approximately 2005 to 2017, in Centre and Mifflin Counties.  

The matter was investigated by investigators at PSU and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a former Special Agent with the Department of Labor, Thomas Hartley, age 49, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on August 23, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to 33 months’ imprisonment on the charge of mail fraud in connection with multiple schemes to commit fraud.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Hartley previously pleaded guilty and admitted that he obtained a total of $197,366 through multiple fraud schemes.  Between April 2020 and September 2021, Hartley applied for and collected Pennsylvania unemployment compensation benefits by claiming that he was unemployed, when in fact Hartley was employed on full time active duty with the New Jersey National Guard.  Further, in applying for unemployment benefits, the defendant failed to disclose that he was on military leave from his full-time federal civilian employment with the United States Department of Labor.  Hartley thereby utilized the mail to collect approximately $60,284 in unemployment compensation funds to which he was not entitled.

Hartley also fraudulently obtained $23,582 in Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) funds paid by the Department of the Army, $50,000 in “lost wage” benefits paid by USAA insurance, and $63,500 from his Thrift Savings Plan.

 In August 2022, a grand jury issued a second superseding indictment charging Hartley with multiple fraud schemes.  In addition to the scheme to fraudulently obtaining Pennsylvania unemployment compensation funds, the second superseding indictment also charged that Hartley, while on leave from his position with the Department of Labor and serving with the New Jersey National Guard, submitted false documents to the Department of the Army and thereby obtained approximately $23,580 in housing allowance funds to which he was not entitled.

The second superseding indictment also charged Hartley with fraud in connection with the filing of a lost wage claim with USAA Insurance following an automobile accident.  Hartley falsely claimed that he had lost wages, resulting from an automobile accident, when in fact Hartley was suspended without pay from his employment with the Department of Labor as a result of an ongoing criminal investigation.  Hartley thereby collected approximately $50,000 in lost wage benefits to which he was not entitled.

 Finally, the second superseding indictment charged Hartley with fraudulently obtaining funds from his Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) by falsely claiming that he was not married, when in fact he was at all times married. Hartley thereby transferred the funds to himself personally, or to a bank account solely in his name, without the knowledge or consent of his wife. 

The charges against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Special Investigations; the United States Army, Criminal Investigation Division; and the USAA Insurance Special Investigations Unit.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a federal grand jury in Scranton has indicted a Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, man for bank robbery.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on July 14, 2023, Damen Drakeford, age 29, committed a robbery of the M&T Bank located at 900 North Ninth Street in Stroud Township, Monroe County.

The charges against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Stroud Area Regional Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

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

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

 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.

 Under federal law, Drakeford faces a maximum sentence of up to twenty years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

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HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Leidi M. Paulino, age 46, owner of LP Multiservices, a tax preparation business located in Freeland, PA, pleaded guilty on Monday, August 14, 2023, before United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner, to aiding and assisting clients in the preparation and filing of false tax returns.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the criminal Information to which Paulino pleaded guilty alleges that during 2019 and 2020, Paulino assisted clients in preparing and filing tax returns that were materially false in that they sought certain education tax credits, including the American Opportunity Tax Credit, to which the clients – the vast majority of whom were not even college students – were not entitled. 

Pursuant to the terms of her plea agreement with the United States, Paulino acknowledged that the monetary loss attributable to her conduct was between $550,000 and $1.5 million dollars, and she agreed to make restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the amount of $888,377.

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

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is three 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.

WILLIAMSPORT- The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Charles Derr, age 47, of Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, was charged by a federal grand jury with drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin.  The case was unsealed following Derr’s arrest.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Derr with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin on June 17, 2021.  The indictment also seeks the criminal forfeiture of $10,754 in cash recovered the same day.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.

This case was 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.

The maximum penalty under federal law for each of these offenses is 20 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.

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

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Moises Vargas-Olivio, age 22, of Olyphant, Lackawanna County, was sentenced on August 11, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to eight years’ imprisonment on the charge of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Vargas-Olivio previously pleaded guilty and admitted to possessing a loaded .357 Magnum revolver, a loaded .22 caliber handgun, and an illegal “sawed-off” shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches in length, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  The charge stems from an incident on May 22, 2022, in which Lackawanna County Detectives and members of the Olyphant Police Department made a purchase of cocaine from Vargas-Olivio and then obtained a search warrant for Vargas-Olivio’s residence in Olyphant.  A search of the residence resulted in the seizure of an additional amount of cocaine packaged for distribution, approximately $20,000 in U.S. currency, numerous pills, marijuana, two loaded handguns, and a loaded “sawed-off” shotgun.

The investigation was conducted by Lackawanna County Detectives, the Olyphant Police Department, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. O’Hara and Brian J. Gallagher 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.

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert H. Thomas, age 64, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on August 9, 2023, by a federal grand jury on escape charges.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on March 18, 2023, Thomas escaped from custody of the Capital Pavilion Residential Reentry Center in Dauphin County, where he was confined.  Following the escape, he was apprehended on July 21, 2023. 

The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Behe 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.

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

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Angela Castillo, age 39, of Freeland, PA, pleaded guilty on August 9, 2023, before United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani, to a wire fraud scheme involving the preparation and submission of numerous false Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications.   

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the criminal Information to which Castillo pleaded guilty alleges that between June 2020 and September 2020, on behalf of other individuals and in exchange for payment, Castillo prepared and submitted to the United States Small Business Association (SBA) at least 40 false EIDL applications containing material misrepresentations.  Castillo’s conduct resulted in the SBA paying out approximately $163,000.00 in COVID-19 relief funds to individuals, none of whom actually owned a qualifying small business, and who therefore were not entitled to receive such funds under the program.  Pursuant to the terms of her plea agreement, Castillo acknowledged that the monetary loss attributable to her conduct was between $150,000.00 and $250,000.00, and she agreed to make restitution to the SBA.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John is prosecuting 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.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense 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 today that Daquon Brooks, age 28, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution, Schuylkill, in Minersville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on August 8, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson, to the charge of possession of contraband in prison.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Brooks was found by staff on April 20, 2023, 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.

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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SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Bruce Evans, Sr., age 70, of Greenfield Township, Pennsylvania was sentenced on August 8, 2023, to two years in prison by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for violating the Clean Water Act, wire fraud, and obstructing the delivery of correspondence.  Evans, Sr. was convicted after trial in December of 2021.

Evans, Sr. knowingly failed to operate and maintain the municipality’s wastewater treatment plant in accordance with regulations and limitations specified in a permit issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) and the United States Environmental Protections Agency (EPA).  The permit requires that the permittee at all times maintain in good working order, and properly operate and maintain all facilities and systems, which were installed and used by the permittee to achieve compliance with the terms and conditions of the permits.  As a result of the defendant’s failures, pollutants were discharged in violation of the permit on multiple occasions.

Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the EPA presented testimony from 34 witnesses over the course of a trial that began on November 15, 2021 and ended on December 17, 2021.  Evans, Sr. and co-defendant Bruce Evans, Jr. were tried together.  Witnesses included Greenfield Township Sewer Authority (GTSA) board members, Greenfield Township Supervisors, FBI and EPA Special Agents, and multiple PADEP inspectors and supervisors.  

Throughout the time covered by the charges, Bruce Evans, Sr. was a Greenfield Township Supervisor, a Greenfield Township employee, a GTSA Board Member, and Manager of the GTSA.  Evans, Jr. was an employee of Greenfield Township and the GTSA.  Evans, Sr. was convicted of twenty (20) counts of Clean Water Act violations; four (4) counts of wire fraud involving the misappropriation of GTSA funds for his personal benefit and the benefit of his family; and four (4) counts of obstruction of PADEP certified mail addressed to his fellow GTSA board members but intercepted by Evans, Sr.  Evans, Jr. was convicted of four (4) counts of Clean Water Act violations, and one (1) count of submitting a false statement to the PADEP related to representations and certifications made by Evans, Jr. regarding his professional work experience.

Evans, Jr. was previously sentenced to serve 12 months plus one day in prison, a one-year term of supervised release upon release from federal custody, and restitution in the amount of $678.

In addition to the sentence of imprisonment, Evans, Sr. was ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon release from federal custody.  Judge Mannion reserved ruling on a restitution amount involving Evans, Sr.

“The defendant demonstrated disregard for the environment and continuously falsified data required under the Clean Water Act, said Acting Special Agent in Charge Lisa Matovic of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This sentencing demonstrates that deliberate violations of the Clean Water Act will be held accountable.” 

The investigation was jointly conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Criminal Investigations Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Scranton Field Office, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection - Northeast Region.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Olshefski and EPA Attorneys W. Martin Harrell and Patricia C. Miller prosecuted the case. 

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Brandon Williams, age 35, of Mercer County, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on August 8, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to the charge of passing counterfeit federal reserve notes.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Williams admitted to passing $1,400 in counterfeit bills at the Michaels store in Dickson City, on April 20, 2022, and to passing $750 in counterfeit bills later that same day at the CVS Pharmacy located on Green Ridge Street in Scranton.  On April 23, 2022, Williams passed $280 in counterfeit bills at the Walmart in Montoursville, $160 in counterfeit bills at the Weis Market in Montoursville and attempted to pass additional counterfeit bills at the Dollar Tree in Bloomsburg but was unsuccessful.

The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the United States Secret Service, the Dickson City Police Department, the Scranton Police Department, the Montoursville Police Department, and the Hemlock Township 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 today that Eshawn Harrell, age 29, of Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 1, 2023, for drug trafficking and firearms charges.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Harrell with possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of stolen firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking on June 29, 2023.  

This matter was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police, the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney Brian J. Gallagher 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.

Harrell faces a maximum penalty of forty (40) years in prison and a lifetime 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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