Middle District of Pennsylvania

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on October 14, 2022, John Golom, age 57, of Florida, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced to 33 years and 9 months in prison for his involvement in a sex trafficking conspiracy.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Golom had previously pleaded guilty to trafficking two women as prostitutes through force, threat, and coercion from 2014 through 2018. Golom recruited women to engage in commercial sex acts, advertised them on websites to attract customers and transported them between Florida and Pennsylvania to conduct his prostitution business. Golom kept all proceeds of the business and used physical violence, threats, and false promises to keep the women working. At sentencing, the Court found that Golom had preyed upon his victims despite knowing that at least one of them was particularly vulnerable because of severe mental illnesses and homelessness. The Court further found that Golom had attempted to obstruct justice by making false statements to the FBI and trying to tamper with his victims’ testimony.

“The United States Attorney’s Office is grateful to the victims in this case for making the truth known,” said U.S. Attorney Karam.  “The women who bravely came forward to hold this trafficker accountable made this successful prosecution possible. They are survivors, who, despite the horrific trauma they suffered at Golom’s hands for years, made it possible for justice to be done here. I am sure that they have spared other potential victims from the same horrors.”

In accordance with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, the Court ordered Golom to pay over $300,000 in restitution. After serving his sentence of incarceration, Golom will be subject to a ten-year term of supervised release and must comply with sex offender registration requirements as applicable under federal, state, or local law.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Monroe County Detectives Office, Stroud Regional Police Department, and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni prosecuted the case.

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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kyle Jaden Morales, age 20, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on October 12, 2022, by a federal grand jury on charges of robbery of a business engaged in interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), brandishing and use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and related firearm offenses. 

According to United States Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on March 10, 2022, Kyle Jaden Morales entered a Sheetz convenience store in Dauphin County, approached the cashier, brandished a 9mm black handgun with gold barrel and fluted slide, instructed the cashier to open the cash drawers, and took the cash by means of actual and threatened force, violence, and fear of injury.  The indictment further alleges that on March 22, 2022, the defendant possessed two loaded firearms – the un-serialized 9mm pistol used during the March 10, 2022, robbery, along with a 9mm Taurus G2c pistol. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, and the East Pennsboro Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel S. Dalke is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for the charged offense is up to 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.

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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tami Mateljan, age 47, of York, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on October 11, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo to two years of probation for conspiring to commit wire fraud. Mateljan was also ordered to pay $8,427 in restitution.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Mateljan previously admitted that between October 2020 and December 2020, conspirators obtained pandemic unemployment assistance (PUA) benefits from Colorado and Ohio by using the names and personal information of other individuals without authorization. The states transferred the fraudulently obtained PUA benefits to accounts owned by Mateljan. She then used some of the money for her own benefit and transferred the remaining money to conspirators in other countries, including Nigeria.   

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

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

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HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Maricely Corona, age 34, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo to two years’ probation for purchasing a firearm for her brother.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on January 5, 2022, Corona pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm. Corona purchased a 9mm Glock handgun at a gun show in Harrisburg on March 10, 2019.  While purchasing the firearm, Corona lied on the Firearm Transaction Record form by stating that the gun was for herself, when in fact she was purchasing it for her brother, Joel Maldonado. Maldonado was prohibited from purchasing a firearm because he was previously convicted of a felony.   

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Ford 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 Luis Fernando Escalante, age 43, of Huehuetenango, Guatemala, was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday on illegal reentry charges.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on May 5, 2021, Escalante was removed from the United States through Santa Teresa, New Mexico to Guatemala, and it is alleged that he reentered the United States without first receiving legal permission to do so.  The indictment also alleges that Escalante was encountered on June 7, 2022, in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and the Swatara Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 2 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Matthew Luce, a/k/a “Luck,” age 36, of Effort, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to distributing fentanyl resulting in death.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Luce admitted that on February 6, 2021, he distributed ten bags of fentanyl, a Schedule II Controlled Substance, in Effort, Pennsylvania, to a New Jersey man who later used the drugs and was found dead in his home the next morning.  The victim’s cause of death was determined to be a fentanyl overdose caused by the drugs distributed by Luce.       

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), the Clinton Police Department (NJ), the Stroud Area Regional Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan is prosecuting the case.

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.

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.

Sentencing is not currently scheduled.  Luce faces a mandatory sentence of 20 years imprisonment.  The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Roger Joseph Kapinsky, age 42, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was indicted on October 11, 2022, by a federal grand jury and charged with the distribution of controlled substances resulting in death.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Kapinsky with the distribution of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and tramadol, a Schedule IV controlled substance, and death resulted from the use of the substances.

The charges stem from a joint investigation involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) in Scranton and the Kingston Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski 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 and fentanyl.  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.

The maximum penalty under federal law is 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.

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

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Molinaro, age 28, of Plains Township, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for intentionally damaging a business’ private computer system. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that between May 2022 and July 2022, Molinaro used the internet to transmit information which intentionally interrupted the network operations of a Lackawanna County business, resulting in a loss of more than $5,000.   

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

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

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 Gerinardo Rivera, a/k/a “Gerry, age 52, of Plains, Pennsylvania, Ramon Severino Fernandez, a/k/a “Yuca”, age 40, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, Andrew Pope, age 44, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and Kevin Davis, age 27, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, were indicted by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that between May 2021 and April 2022 in Luzerne County, Rivera, Fernandez, Pope and Davis conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana.  Rivera, Fernandez and Davis are also charged with possession with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and over 500 grams of methamphetamine on April 22, 2022.  Rivera and Fernandez are also charged with distributing quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl on various dates between December 2021 and March 2022. The indictment also alleges that between January 2022 and April 2022, Davis maintained a residence on North Meade Street in Wilkes-Barre for purposes of manufacturing, storing and distributing drugs.

“In addition to a substantial quantity of methamphetamine and other drugs, these defendants are charged with trafficking enough fentanyl to supply more than 16,000 doses on the streets of Wilkes-Barre and other communities in our district, and each dose is a potential overdose death waiting to happen,” said United States Attorney Gerald M. Karam.  “This indictment is the product of an ongoing partnership between state and federal law enforcement agencies. With this kind of joint approach, we can bring to bear all available resources to combat drug trafficking in our communities. With the opioid epidemic still raging, and Pennsylvanians still dying of drug overdoses at alarming rates, we will not let up in our efforts to stop this wave of illegal drugs from coming into our state.”

“Today’s indictment holds these defendants accountable for their role in trafficking dangerous drugs into our communities and fueling an epidemic that claims the lives of 14 Pennsylvanians every day. I am grateful for the work of our law enforcement partners in getting drug dealers off our streets and helping to keep our communities safe,” stated Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania Attorney General. 

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotic Investigations, and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Hardik are 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 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.

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HARRISBURG, The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Stacy Taylor, age 27, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on 52 counts of Wire Fraud and 52 counts of Mail Fraud.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that between March 21, 2020, and December 30, 2020, Taylor made materially false and fraudulent pretenses to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and the Employment Development Department for the State of California, to obtain Pandemic Unemployment Assistance unemployment benefits, meant for individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended unemployment benefits. 

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania Department of Probation/Parole, the Lebanon County Drug Task Force, and the Lebanon City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating is prosecuting the case.

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

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 each of these offenses 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 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 a grand jury returned an indictment against Sydney Snelling, Jr., age 48, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, charging the unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on April 7, 2022, Snelling possessed an assault rifle bearing a modified barrel of under 16”, without possessing the requisite tax stamp to possess such a firearm.  At the time of the offense, Snelling was a Luzerne County Constable, but has since been removed from his position.

The case was investigated by agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo.

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

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

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HARRISBURG – The Justice Department announced today the results of its efforts over the past year to protect older adults from fraud and exploitation. During the past year, the Department and its law enforcement partners tackled matters that ranged from mass-marketing scams that impacted thousands of victims to bad actors scamming their neighbors. Substantial efforts were also made over the last year to return money to fraud victims. Today, the Department also announced it is expanding its Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force to amplify efforts to combat scams originating overseas.

“We are intensifying our efforts nationwide to protect older adults, including by more than tripling the number of U.S. Attorneys’ offices participating in our Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force dedicated to disrupting, dismantling and prosecuting foreign-based fraud schemes that target American seniors,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This expansion builds on the Justice Department’s existing work to hold accountable those who steal funds from older adults, including by returning those funds to the victims where possible.”

“Every day across the Middle District of Pennsylvania - and across the country – scammers are using technology to steal money from our most vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam. “Fighting fraud is a priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and we are committed to pursuing individuals who engage in such acts. We urge everyone who has been victimized to make a report so that we can continue this fight.”

During the period from September 2021 to September 2022, Department personnel and its law enforcement partners pursued approximately 260 cases involving more than 600 defendants, both bringing new cases and advancing those previously charged.

This past year, the Middle District prosecuted Itcace Abramovici, a 72-year-old citizen of Canada, for his leadership role in a Montreal-based telemarketing and money laundering organization that targeted elderly victims in the United States, including those living in central Pennsylvania. Abramovici and his co-conspirators informed prospective victims that they had won a substantial amount of money in a lottery or sweepstakes and then directed those victims to send money in order to obtain their winnings. The victims’ payments were falsely characterized as taxes, customs fees, processing fees, and legal and insurance fees. None of the victims received any money, and many of their losses were substantial, with more than $460,000 in victim losses being attributed to Abramovici’s role in the fraud, and with losses to victims of the broader fraud at more than $1.3 million. Abramovici received a sentence of 30 months’ imprisonment on May 9, 2022.

The Middle District also prosecuted Jabin Godspower Okpako, of Nigeria, and his wife Christine Bradley Okpako, of Sayre, Pennsylvania, for their roles in conspiring to launder approximately $1.89 million in mail and wire fraud proceeds. The scheme sought to defraud multiple female victims throughout the United States, ranging in age from 55 to 85. The victims had visited online game, relationship and dating web sites, including Instagram, Facebook, Words with Friends, and What’s App. The conspirators, located in the United States and West Africa, befriended the victims through interaction and exchanges of photos on the web sites via text and instant messaging. After cultivating online relationships with the victims, the conspirators fraudulently induced the victims to send and transmit funds for various fictitious reasons. Jabin Okpako received a sentence of 87 months’ imprisonment and Christine Okpako received a sentence of 37 months’ imprisonment.

The Middle District also charged five New York men, Josiah DeJesus, age 20, Jashua Noboa-Nival, age 20, Yeurys Peguero-Rosario, age 22, Ramon Peguero-Rosario, age 19, and Nelson Rivas-Bello, age 27, for their participation in a “Grandparent” mail fraud scheme. The indictment alleged that defendants traveled from New York to various locations in Pennsylvania, including addresses in Luzerne and Lackawanna County, and picked up UPS and Fed Ex packages containing thousands of dollars in cash sent by elderly victims under the false pretense that their grandchildren had been arrested and were in immediate need of money. The victims sent the money after receiving fraudulent phone calls made by the named defendants’ co-conspirators, who posed either as the victims’ grandchildren or as a public defender representing the victims’ grandchildren.

As part of the Middle District’s elder fraud efforts, it engages in outreach to the community and industry to raise awareness about scams and exploitation and preventing victimization. This year, we partnered with the FBI and AARP to reach approximately 4,000 seniors during an interactive telephone town hall which discussed the facts of the latest financial scams targeting seniors. The Middle District also took part in various senior expos in the district to help educate seniors on financial scams.

The Department also highlighted three other efforts: expansion of the Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force, success in returning money to victims and efforts to combat grandparent scams. 

The Department announced that as part of its continuing efforts to protect older adults and bring perpetrators of fraud schemes to justice it is expanding the Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force, adding 14 new U.S. Attorney’s Offices. Expansion of the Strike Force will help to coordinate the Department’s ongoing efforts to combat largest and most harmful fraud schemes that target or disproportionately impact older adults.

In the past year, the Department has notified over 550,000 people that they may be eligible for remission payments. Notifications were made to consumers whose information was sold by one of three data companies prosecuted by the Department and were later victims of “sweepstakes” or “astrology” solicitations that falsely promised prizes or individualized services in return for a fee. More than 150,000 of those victims cashed checks totaling $52 million, and thousands more are eligible to receive checks. Also notified were consumers who paid fraudsters perpetrating person-in-need scams and job scams via Western Union. In the past year, the Department has identified and contacted over 300,000 consumers who may be eligible for remission. Since March of 2020 more than 148,000 victims have received more than $366 million as a result of a 2017 criminal resolution with Western Union for the company’s willful failure to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program and its aiding and abetting of wire fraud.

Over the past year, the Department pursued cases against the perpetrators of “grandparent scams,” otherwise known as “person-in-need scams.” These scams typically begin when a fraudster, often based overseas, contacts an older adult and poses as either a grandchild, other family member or someone calling on behalf of a family member. Call recipients are told that their family member is in jeopardy and is urgently in need of money. When recently sentencing one of eight perpetrators of a grandparent scam indicted under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, a federal judge described such scams “heartbreakingly evil.” The Department is working with government partners and others to raise awareness about these schemes.

Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcements efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professional who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting or connect them with agencies, and provide resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.[ET]. English, Spanish and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov.  

Some of the cases that comprise today’s announcement are charges, which are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jose Torres, age 27, and Luis Gonzalez, age 26, of Texas, were indicted by a federal grand jury for cocaine trafficking. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Torres and Gonzalez with conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, as well as possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine on September 29, 2022.   

The investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Pennsylvania State Police and the Scranton Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

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.

The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison.  The maximum penalty under federal law is up to 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.

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 Michael Marchese, age 30, of Swoyersville, Luzerne County, was sentenced on October 3, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to five years’ imprisonment on the charge of conspiracy to distribute more than fifty grams of methamphetamine. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Marchese previously entered a guilty plea and admitted to conspiring with other individuals to distribute methamphetamine in the Luzerne County area in 2020. The charge resulted from an investigation in May 2020 in which police obtained a search warrant for a residence in Swoyersville where Marchese was residing and seized crystal methamphetamine, a scale, drug packing materials, and $2245 in U.S. Currency.

The investigation was conducted by the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, the Kingston Police Department, the Swoyersville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.

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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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania promotes the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative throughout the Middle District, announced U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam. On September 27, 2022, the Middle District partnered with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and AARP Pennsylvania to raise awareness and to educate older adults about the latest financial scams, so they do not fall victim.  Approximately 4,000 seniors in the Middle District participated in the interactive telephone town hall as part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative. 

Scammers are targeting seniors at an alarming rate. Statistics collected by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center show that victims of all ages lost approximately $6.9 billion dollars to fraud in 2021, with 92,371 victims over the age of 60 accounting for $1.68 billion of those losses. According to the same statistics, in Pennsylvania, over 17,200 people lost over $207 million dollars, putting Pennsylvania in the top ten states by number of victims.

“The elder fraud cases the FBI investigates are simply infuriating,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Anyone who targets vulnerable older folks for their assets lacks both a heart and a moral compass. The FBI will continue working to shut down these types of schemes and to educate the elders of our community about common fraud red flags.”

“Report, report, report. That's a good lesson for everybody on the line,” AARP Pennsylvania Consumer Issues Task Force Chair Mary Bach told listeners. “If you think you're the victim of a scam, you should contact the proper authorities." She also noted AARP’s commitment to helping those who think they’ve been the victim of a scam. “Scam artists are out there looking for new ways to scam their next victims, but you can protect yourself … Visit AARP.org/FraudWatchNetwork or call the AARP Fraud Watch Help Line at 1-877-908-3360.”

The DOJ Elder Justice Initiative aims to combat elder financial exploitation by expanding efforts to investigate and prosecute financial scams that target seniors; educating older adults on how to identify scams and avoid getting ripped off by scammers; and promoting greater coordination with law enforcement partners.

Some examples of financial frauds targeting seniors discussed during the town hall were:

• Social Security impostor schemes: defraud victims by posing as Social Security Administration agent and claiming that there is an issue with the victims’ account;
• IRS impostor schemes: defraud victims by posing as IRS agents and claiming that victims owe back taxes;
• Lottery phone scams: callers convince seniors that a large fee or taxes must be paid before one can receive lottery winnings;
• Romance scams: lull victims to believe that their online paramour needs funds for a U.S. visit or some other purpose;
• Grandparent scams: convince seniors that their grandchildren have been arrested and need bail money;
• Tech support scams: scammers offer assistance with viruses or malware they claim were detected on the victim’s computer; and

Below are some tips shared with participants during the town hall on how to avoid falling victim to a financial scam:

• Don’t share personal information with anyone you don’t know.
• Don’t pay a fee for a prize or lottery winning.
• Don’t click on pop-up ads or messages.
• Don’t send gift cards, checks, money orders, wire money, or give your bank account information to a stranger.
• Don’t fall for a high-pressure sales pitch or a lucrative business deal.
• Delete phishing emails and ignore harassing phone calls.
• If a scammer approaches you, take the time to talk to a friend or family member.
• Keep in mind that if you send money once, you’ll be a target for life.
• Remember, it’s not rude to say, “NO.”
• A good rule of thumb is, if it sounds too good to be true, it’s likely a scam.

In case you missed the Telephone Town Hall, you can view the recording via audio stream Vekeo.

Attacking exploitation and fighting fraud are two priorities of the Middle District, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to aggressively pursuing individuals who engage in such acts. Some recent prosecutions include:

The Middle District of Pennsylvania prosecuted Itcace Abramovici, a 72-year-old citizen of Canada, for his leadership role in a Montreal-based telemarketing and money laundering organization that targeted elderly victims in the United States, including those living in central Pennsylvania. Abramovici and his co-conspirators informed prospective victims that they had won a substantial amount of money in a lottery or sweepstakes and then directed those victims to send money in order to obtain their winnings.  The victims’ payments were falsely characterized as taxes, customs fees, processing fees, and legal and insurance fees. None of the victims received any money, and many of their losses were substantial, with more than $460,000 in victim losses being attributed to Abramovici’s role in the fraud, and with losses to victims of the broader fraud at more than $1.3 million. Abramovici received a sentence of 30 months’ imprisonment on May 9, 2022.

The Middle District also charged five New York men, Josiah DeJesus, age 20, Jashua Noboa-Nival, age 20, Yeurys Peguero-Rosario, age 22, Ramon Peguero-Rosario, age 19, and Nelson Rivas-Bello, age 27, for their participation in a “Grandparent” mail fraud scheme. The indictment alleged that defendants traveled from New York to various locations in Pennsylvania, including addresses in Luzerne and Lackawanna County, and picked up UPS and Fed Ex packages containing thousands of dollars in cash sent by elderly victims under the false pretense that their grandchildren had been arrested and were in immediate need of money.  The victims sent the money after receiving fraudulent phone calls made by the named defendants’ co-conspirators, who posed either as the victims’ grandchildren or as a public defender representing the victims’ grandchildren.  

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

If you think you have fallen victim to a scam or need assistance, you can contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311), the Victim Connect Hotline at 1-855-4VICTIM (1-855-484-2846), the FBI Internet Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.  Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 1-877-FTC-HELP. You may also contact the AARP Fraud Watch Network free helpline at 1-877-908-3360 to report a scam.   

For more information about the Elder Justice Initiative, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Catherine Latoski, age 52, formerly of Exeter, Pennsylvania and currently a resident of Davenport, Florida, was charged in a criminal information with committing wire fraud.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the information alleges that Latoski was the Director of Accounting Services for a Scranton-based for-profit educational institution.  Beginning in November 2016, through her termination in June 2021, Latoski allegedly charged approximately $2,000,000 in personal expenses on corporate credit cards issued by her former employer, spending the funds on vacations, Disney timeshares and cruises, personal utility bills and shopping expenses, her child’s college tuition, and to fund her and her family members’ personal businesses selling health and beauty products.  Latoski then used her accounting position to facilitate having her former employer pay off the credit card charges, including by creating false entries in the company’s books and records to conceal the expenses.

The United States is forfeiting five Disney timeshares purchased by Latoski using the stolen funds, and held in the names of her family members.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for the offense is 30 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.

Criminal Informations are only allegations. 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 that on September 29, 2022, Angel Antonio Anchondo, age 20, an inmate at the Low Security Correctional Institution, Allenwood (LSCI Allenwood), in White Deer, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment by United States Magistrate Judge William I. Arbuckle for possessing a cellphone in prison. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on December 15, 2021, a correctional officer at LSCI Allenwood seized a scarf from Anchondo while pat searching him,  and found an LG cellphone and charger hidden within the scarf

The sentence will run consecutively to Anchondo’s current federal sentence for smuggling over 9 kilograms of cocaine into the United States.  Additionally, the Federal Bureau of Prisons sanctioned Anchondo by disallowing 40 days of good conduct time, placing him in disciplinary segregation for 30 days, and suspending his commissary and phone privileges for 6 and 12 months respectively.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew O. Inman and Assistant U.S. Attorney George J. Rocktashel prosecuted the case.

# # #

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on September 26, 2022, Matthew Robinson, age 29, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was charged in a criminal information with attempting to entice a minor.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the information alleges that Robinson attempted to entice an individual under the age of 18 to engage in sexual intercourse, between July 16, 2022 and August 2, 2022.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.

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

The penalty under federal law is a minimum of 10 years and maximum life term 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.

# # #

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jorge Roque, Jr., age 35, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on September 27, 2022, to 90 months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for drug trafficking and possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of drug trafficking.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Roque was arrested in Lebanon, Pennsylvania in December 2021, in connection with a shooting investigation.  At the time of his arrest, Roque was found in possession of methamphetamine, drug-trafficking paraphernalia, a loaded 9-millimeter handgun, and an additional loaded magazine.  Roque pleaded guilty to the charges underlying the sentence imposed by Judge Wilson.

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

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 Darryl Elliott, age 36, of Sunbury, Pennsylvania, Steven Pierro, age 34, of Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, and Heather Carper, age 34, of Northumberland, Pennsylvania, were indicted on September 20, 2022, by a federal grand jury and charged with the distribution of controlled substances resulting in death.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Elliott, Pierro, and Carper of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine within the Middle District of Pennsylvania, resulting in an overdose death that occurred in Lewisburg, Union County.

The charges stem from a joint investigation involving the FBI in Williamsport, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Sunbury Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski 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 and fentanyl.  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 was also 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.

The maximum penalty under federal law is life 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 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 on September 23, 2022, Robert Brownstein, age 51, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was charged in a criminal information with wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the information alleges that Brownstein and his coconspirators used stolen identities to create forged identification documents and credit and debit cards.  It is alleged that 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 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.

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.

The maximum penalty under federal law for the wire fraud conspiracy offense is 30 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  The aggravated identity theft offense carries a mandatory two-year sentence of imprisonment that is to run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed.  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.

# # #

WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christian Mendez-Castro, age 29, an inmate of Federal Correctional Institution Allenwood (FCI Allenwood), White Deer, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on September 21, 2022, before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann, to possessing contraband in prison.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Mendez-Castro admitted that he possessed a homemade weapon while he was an inmate at FCI Allenwood. The charge stemmed from an incident on November 16, 2019, when a correctional officer searched Mendez-Castro and found a hard piece of plastic fashioned into a knife with a rubber handle, as well as papers that were soaked in synthetic cannabinoids.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew O. Inman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur are prosecuting the case.

Chief Judge Brann ordered the U.S. Probation Office to complete a presentence investigation report for Mendez-Castro.  Sentencing has not been scheduled.

The maximum penalty for possessing contraband in prison is five years’ imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.

# # #

WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Demetri Carroll, age 27, of Philadelphia, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Carroll with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and nine counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, including methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine base, and cocaine between October 2021 and August 2022, in Clinton and Lycoming Counties. 

This case was investigated by the Lycoming County Narcotics Enforcement Unit, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.

This case was 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 the most significant offenses is 40 years’ imprisonment and a fine. A sentence for each of these offenses also includes a period 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 by indictment 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 Tyshawn Mack, age 30, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 40 months in prison by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for illegally possessing two firearms. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on January 18, 2019, Mack possessed a .380 caliber Ruger LCP pistol and a .32 caliber River Johnson Arms revolver, while prohibited by law to possess firearms because of a previous felony conviction.  Both firearms were loaded at the time of Mack’s possession of them.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Scranton and the Stroud Area Regional Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case.

This case was also 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.

# # #

HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Samson Yohe, age 30, of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for malicious attempt to destroy a building by fire and explosive.  Judge Wilson also ordered Yohe to pay restitution in the amount of $280. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on the evening of December 22, 2019, Yohe threw an incendiary device consisting of an antique bottle filled with an unidentified liquid, several matches, and a white cotton sock at a window of the Adams County Courthouse.  The device did not ignite, but did damage the window causing $280 in damage. 

The conviction was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Gettysburg Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daryl F. Bloom and Scott R. Ford prosecuted the case. 

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Walik Skeete, age 46, of Binghamton, New York, was sentenced on September 20, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to 20 months’ imprisonment for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the charge stems from an incident in which members of the Pennsylvania State Police stopped Skeete’s vehicle in Susquehanna County for vehicle code violations and subsequently located a loaded Beretta 9mm pistol in Skeete’s vehicle. Skeete has a prior felony conviction and is therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

The investigation was conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).  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 Dario George, age 31, of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking offenses.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges George with four counts of distribution of fentanyl and/or cocaine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin and cocaine.  The offenses occurred between November 23, 2021 and May 19, 2022, in Luzerne County.

The charges against George resulted from an investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

The 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.

Under federal law, George faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum sentence of 40 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.

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

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dary T. Son, age 36, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was charged in a criminal information yesterday with failing to collect and pay over employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the information alleges that from June 2015 through August 2019, Son, the owner of Pennsylvania-based temporary staffing company DS Agency, failed to collect and pay on behalf of her employees approximately $591,822.99 in taxes owed to the IRS.

The case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty for this offense under federal law is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine of up to $10,000. 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.

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 that on September 19, 2022, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed both the conviction and 210-month sentence of Anthony Diaz, age 54, formerly of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.  That sentence was imposed by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion on March 26, 2021, after Diaz was convicted by a jury on multiple counts of wire fraud and mail fraud.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, from approximately 2008 through April 2015, Diaz owned and operated Financial Planners Group of America, a financial planning business in East Stroudsburg and Scotrun, Pennsylvania.  Diaz persuaded his clients to invest in high risk, illiquid “alternative investment products,” including real estate investment trusts, business development companies, oil and gas drilling companies, and equipment leasing companies.  Diaz convinced clients to invest their life savings in the alternative investments through a series of false representations, including that the investments were low-risk, with guaranteed protection of principle and guaranteed rates of return, and that the investments were liquid, giving investors access to their funds in an emergency.

On appeal, Diaz asserted a litany of challenges to his conviction and sentence, prompting the Court of Appeals to remark, “On appeal, parties sometimes throw everything against the wall to see what sticks. Here, nothing does.”  The Court of Appeals found that the government properly presented evidence of the full scope of Diaz’s scheme to defraud, including conduct occurring after the wires and mailings that were specifically charged in the indictment.  For instance, evidence showed that Diaz was terminated by five broker-dealers and permitted to resign by a sixth broker-dealer.  Diaz’s former employees testified that they were ordered to conceal his firings and lie to the clients about his changes between broker-dealers.  Diaz also  was suspended by the Certified Financial Planners Board of Standards in 2013, and under investigation by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the Pennsylvania Department of Banking, both of whom ultimately barred Diaz from the securities industry in 2015.  Diaz’s clients testified that he failed to disclose and concealed the true nature of his firings, suspension, and regulatory investigations.

The Court of Appeals upheld the admission of that evidence, finding the concealment of such information from clients to be intrinsic to Diaz’s offenses.  Likewise, testimony that Diaz and a former employee destroyed documentation to stymy a regulatory investigation was deemed properly admitted, despite coming to light for the first time mid-trial.

In affirming Diaz’s sentence, the Court of Appeals upheld a sentencing enhancement imposed by the District Court for defrauding at least 25 victims, holding that although the District Court did not specifically identify each victim at sentencing, it was entitled to draw reasonable inferences from the record in support of the enhancement.  The Court of Appeals likewise upheld four other sentencing enhancements for engaging in a scheme that involved sophisticated means, violating securities laws (even though no securities law charge was included in the indictment), having an aggravating role in directing others to engage in criminal activity, and obstruction of justice for committing perjury when testifying during trial.  Overall, the Court of Appeals found Diaz’s sentence substantively reasonable, noting that the District Court sentenced him more than four years below his advisory guidelines.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorneys Phillip Caraballo and Robert O’Hara prosecuted the case.

# # #

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Timothy Streitmatter, age 44, of Peoria, Illinois, was found guilty on September 16, 2022, of attempted online enticement and attempted sex trafficking of a child, after a five-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, jurors deliberated for a little more than an hour before rendering guilty verdicts against Streitmatter for using the internet and an electronic device to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a person who he believed to be 13 years old to engage in unlawful sexual activity, and to engage in a commercial sex act in exchange for U.S. currency. 

Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office offered testimony from multiple special agents from the FBI-Allentown Office and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and an FBI special agent from the Philadelphia Office who offered expert testimony in cell phone forensics and undercover online child exploitation investigations. 

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Philadelphia Division, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.  Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Olshefski and Sean Camoni prosecuted the case.

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

The maximum penalty under federal law is life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, sex offender registration under the Adam Walsh Act, and a fine.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature 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 today that United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Miguel Renteria-Gomez, age 38, of Perris, California, to 135 months’ imprisonment and a 5-year term of supervised release for his supervisory role in a drug trafficking organization that moved large quantities of Heroin, Fentanyl, Cocaine and Methamphetamine from California to various major Midwest and East Coast cities, including through locations in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Renteria-Gomez owned a ranch in Perris that was a primary distribution hub for this nationwide drug trafficking organization.  Renteria-Gomez managed a group of couriers and other co-conspirators who packaged the drugs in suitcases and then transported the drugs via commercial flights to cities like New York and Boston, where the drugs were then distributed locally.  On July 16, 2019, after a lengthy investigation, Renteria-Gomez was arrested in California.  Six kilograms of Fentanyl were seized from his vehicle.  Another six kilograms were seized from his ranch and other locations in the area.       

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and was   prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John.

The 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.

# # #

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Calvin Foust, age 40, of Dover Township, Pennsylvania, was charged yesterday with drug trafficking and firearms offenses. 

According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Foust distributed methamphetamine and engaged in the business of manufacturing and dealing firearms without a license in Cumberland and Dauphin Counties between March 1, 2021 and April 26, 2022.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian T. Haugsby is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for the offenses charged in the indictment is up to 105 years’ imprisonment, a $11,250,000 fine, and up to lifetime supervised release.  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.

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.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged by indictment 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 Victor Blanco, age 39, and Isaac Carreno, age 25, inmates at United States Penitentiary Canaan (USP Canaan), Waymart, Pennsylvania, were indicted on September 13, 2022, by a federal grand jury for assault and unlawfully possessing a prohibited object.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on August 24, 2022, Blanco and Carreno assaulted another inmate using a sharpened piece of metal with a bed sheet handle. The indictment further alleges that Carreno was in possession of the weapon. 

The matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant United States Attorney James Buchanan is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is ten years’ 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.

# # #

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Melvin R. Thomas, age 43, of Steelton, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on intimidation of a witness and firearms charges. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on August 24, 2022, in Dauphin County, Thomas retaliated against a federal witness who testified in a federal proceeding. The indictment also charges that Thomas used a firearm in furtherance of the retaliation.  

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Steelton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio 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 and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

# # #

HARRISBURG, The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Juan Wence-Mendoza, age 45, of Michoacán, Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of Illegal Reentry.   

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on or about July 24, 2022, Wence-Mendoza was found in Cumberland County Pennsylvania after previously having been removed from the United States. The indictment also alleges that Wence-Mendoza had been removed from the United States through Laredo, Texas, and reentered without first obtaining legal permission to do so.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and the Lower Allen Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating is prosecuting the case.

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

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 David Paul Quick, age 26, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 6, 2022, for drug trafficking and firearms offenses. The case was unsealed following Quick’s arrest.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on June 8, 2022, in Lackawanna County, Quick possessed methamphetamine for further distribution, possessed a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possessed a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and was a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The charges against Quick resulted from an investigation conducted by the Scranton Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian Gallagher are 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, for the drug charges, Quick faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of forty years, a term of supervised release and a fine. For the firearms charges, Quick faces an additional mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, which must run consecutive to any other sentence, a maximum sentence of life, 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.

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

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Moises Vargas-Olivio, age 21, of Olyphant, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms offenses.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on May 25, 2022, in Lackawanna County, Vargas-Olivio sold cocaine to another individual, possessed additional cocaine for further distribution, and possessed firearms, including an illegal shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches in length, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

The charges against Vargas-Olivio resulted from an investigation conducted by Lackawanna County Detectives, the Olyphant Police Department, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian Gallagher are prosecuting the case.

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.

Under federal law, for the firearms charges, Vargas-Olivio faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, which must run consecutive to any other sentence, a maximum sentence of life, a term of supervised release and a fine. For the drug trafficking charges, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of twenty years, 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.

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

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Matthew Berresford, age 44, of Straban Township, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury with child pornography charges.

According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Beresford with producing and attempting to produce child pornography, receiving child pornography, and coercing or enticing a child to engage in unlawful sexual activity.  The indictment also alleges that in 2010, Berresford was convicted in Maryland of a felony sex offense, which may subject him to increased penalties if he is convicted of the federal offenses charged in the indictment.

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

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Haugsby is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is up to life 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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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dwayne Sherman, age 48, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was convicted yesterday by a federal jury on money laundering and drug trafficking conspiracy charges after a six-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson.   

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the evidence introduced at trial showed that on three occasions between October 2015 and January 2016, Sherman delivered over $555,000 in cash to an informant working with the FBI. Each of the deliveries happened in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The money was transported to San Diego, California and then smuggled across the border into Tijuana, Mexico. During the years of the conspiracy, Sherman made numerous trips across the border into Mexico, including in late March 2016.  In April 2016, police in Los Angeles, California, stopped Sherman’s vehicle and found him in possession of two kilograms of cocaine and 15,000 pills, some of which contained methamphetamine.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, the Hawthorne (California) Police Department, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael A. Consiglio and Carl Marchioli prosecuted the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 40 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 James J. Peperno, Jr., age 57, of Old Forge, Pennsylvania, was convicted following a jury trial, of conspiracy, federal program bribery, honest services wire fraud, Travel Act, false statement, and perjury offenses. The nine-day trial was held before United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion in Scranton.

Peperno was convicted of soliciting cash payments and debt forgiveness from a local business owner, to provide to Robert Semenza, Jr., the former President of the Old Forge Borough Council. Peperno also was convicted of providing and promising cash and future employment to Semenza, in exchange for Semenza performing and promising to perform official acts, in relation to a state court civil litigation between Old Forge Borough and the local business owner. Semenza advocated on behalf of the local business owner with the Old Forge Borough Council, the Old Forge Borough Solicitor, and Old Forge zoning officials, including by proposing a resolution to the civil litigation that had been prepared by Peperno. Peperno kept the majority of the cash payments paid by the local business owner.

Peperno also was convicted of making false statements and giving perjured testimony in connection with an outstanding restitution obligation owed from a prior federal conviction for mail fraud. Peperno claimed, in a written filing and when testifying under oath, that he did not have any income or access to any bank accounts, despite receiving approximately $6,000 from the local business owner, in the weeks immediately preceding his false statements and perjured testimony. Peperno, who owed approximately $390,000 on his outstanding restitution obligation, had not made any payments towards that debt in approximately one and one-half years.

The jury returned a guilty verdict after approximately seven hours of deliberation. Peperno was convicted of: one count of conspiring to commit federal program bribery and honest services wire fraud; two counts of federal program bribery; two counts of honest services wire fraud; one count of violating the Travel Act; one count of false statements; and two counts of perjury. The jury acquitted Peperno of money laundering charges.

Robert Semenza, Jr., pleaded guilty in June 2021 to federal program bribery, and awaits sentencing.

The case was investigated by the Scranton Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Public Corruption Task Force, which consists of members of the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and federal agents from the FBI and Internal Revenue Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phillip J. Caraballo and Jeffrey St John.

The maximum penalty under federal law for the most serious offense is 20 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.

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WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rauon Gordon, age 28, a former inmate of FCI Allenwood, pled guilty on September 7, 2022, before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann, to possessing contraband in prison.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Gordon admitted that he possessed buprenorphine, a Schedule III narcotic, while he was an inmate at FCI Allenwood, in White Deer, Pennsylvania. The charge stemmed from an incident on September 21, 2021, when correctional officers searched Gordon and found 16 paper strips of Suboxone in his right pants pocket. Laboratory testing confirmed the Suboxone contained buprenorphine.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney George J. Rocktashel and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Inman are prosecuting the case.

Chief Judge Brann ordered the U.S. Probation Office to complete a presentence investigation report for Gordon. Sentencing has not been scheduled.

The maximum penalty for possessing contraband in prison is five years’ imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that an inmate at the United States Penitentiary, Canaan, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Scranton for assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of contraband in prison.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Isiah Robinson, age 36, with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm and possessing contraband in prison. The charges stem from an incident in October 2020 in which Robinson stabbed another inmate with a 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.

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 each charge is 10 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.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Juan Diaz, age 38, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for a drug delivery resulting in death.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Diaz previously pleaded guilty to selling a mixture of heroin and fentanyl that killed a Cumberland County man on March 3, 2018. First responders found the victim deceased in his Mechanicsburg apartment surrounded by empty heroin bags stamped with the word “Venom.” The Cumberland County Drug Task Force and the Harrisburg City Police Vice Unit were able to trace the sale of fatal drugs to Diaz through a series of undercover drug operations.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mechanicsburg Police Department, Cumberland County Drug Task Force, and the Harrisburg City Police Department.  

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.

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HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Nana Mensah, age 37, of Delaware, was sentenced to 99 months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson following Mensah’s conviction on 15 counts of mail fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft. Judge Wilson also ordered Mensah to pay restitution to Sprint, Inc. in the amount of $357,565.92. 

Judge Wilson also sentenced co-defendant Shaderick Jojo Opare, age 32, of Reading, Pennsylvania, to three days’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit mail fraud.  Opare was also ordered to pay restitution to Sprint, Inc. in the amount of $185,272.  

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Mensah and Opare were involved in an international scheme in which co-conspirators, often located in Ghana, would steal victims’ identity in order to open Sprint cell phone accounts.  As part of opening the new accounts, the co-conspirators would order new cell phones and have them delivered to vacant homes where they would be picked up by other co-conspirators and eventually resold. The conspiracy involved more than 270 packages containing over 830 cell phones that were valued at over $595,000.  The conspiracy took advantage of over 240 identity theft victims. 

Mensah and Opare’s codefendants were initially indicted in November of 2017, with the following codefendants: 

• Patrick Barkers-Woode was sentenced on July 13, 2022, to 111 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $357,565.92 in restitution following his conviction of 15 counts of mail fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit mail fraud and identity theft;   

• Jason Moskovitz was sentenced on July 13, 2022, to 39 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $201,574 in restitution following pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft;

• Mody Kalle was sentenced on March 4, 2020, to two years’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $201,574 in restitution following pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft; and

• Sean Murphy was sentenced on August 27, 2020, to two years’ probation and ordered to pay $79,944 in restitution following pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud.    

The investigation was handled by Homeland Security Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Delaware State Police, and the Derry Township Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott R. Ford and Christian T. Haugsby prosecuted the case. 

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a Scranton physician, Kurt Moran, age 70, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to 140 months’ imprisonment for unlawful distribution of controlled substances and engaging in a health care fraud scheme.

According to the United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Moran previously pleaded guilty to crimes related to the unlawful distribution of a controlled substance (Subsys), maintaining drug-involved premises, and health care fraud.  As part of his plea agreement, Moran also agreed that he knowingly and intentionally distributed oxycodone and fentanyl, Schedule II controlled substances, outside the usual course of professional practice and not for legitimate medical purposes, and that the death of one of his patients resulted from the use of the substances. 

With respect to the health care fraud scheme, Moran admitted that between December 2014 and through 2017, he conspired with others to receive bribes in exchange for prescribing the drug Subsys (sublingual fentanyl spray) to his patients.  Subsys is a transmucosal immediate release fentanyl (TIRF) drug.  It is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only for use in cancer patients suffering from breakthrough cancer pain.  Moran admitted that Insys Therapeutics paid him approximately $140,000 over a two-year period to prescribe Subsys to his patients for pain not associated with cancer.  In order to conceal and disguise that kickbacks and bribes were being paid to Moran to prescribe Subsys, the company falsely designated the payments to Moran as “honoraria” for purportedly providing educational presentations regarding Subsys.  Moran prescribed millions of micrograms of the sublingual fentanyl spray to patients with no cancer diagnosis and not suffering from breakthrough cancer pain.  

Moran surrendered his DEA registration on September 18, 2020.  His license to practice medicine in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was suspended on October 7, 2020.

Judge Mariani ordered Moran to serve 3 years of supervised release upon release from custody.  Forfeiture of illicit proceeds were also ordered forfeited by Judge Mariani and included unlawful proceeds in the amount of $140,000; his medical license; the contents of a bank account in the amount of $12,570.45; and $5,430.00 seized from Moran in January 2018. 

Restitution in the amount of $6,586.00 related to funeral expenses was also ordered.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) located in Scranton, the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Olshefski and Michael Consiglio prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted 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 opioid trafficking offenses.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Johnathan Fisher, age 40, of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on August 29, 2022, to 151 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for methamphetamine trafficking and firearms offenses.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Fisher possessed with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine on May 7, 2020, in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. Fisher also possessed a Remington .380 handgun and a Stevens 12-gauge shotgun when he knew that his previous convictions prohibited him from possessing a firearm.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Waynesboro Police Department, and the Franklin County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating 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 U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tyrone Smith, age 31, of Chester, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday to 235 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for his role in distributing at least 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in central and southeastern Pennsylvania.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Smith conspired to and did distribute approximately 16 pounds of methamphetamine from June of 2017 until December 19, 2020, in Dauphin, Cumberland, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lancaster, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, and Philadelphia counties.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, as well as many law enforcement agencies in the counties where the distribution activities were occurring. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William A. Behe and Christian Haugsby 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.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense was life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum sentence of 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.

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Patrick Raymond Russin, age 52, of Dallas, Pennsylvania, was charged yesterday by criminal information with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.    

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the information alleges that between January 2021 and March 12, 2022, Russin conspired to distribute at least 40 grams of fentanyl in Luzerne County. 

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kingston Municipal Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts 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.

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.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 40 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.

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

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nyree Letterlough, a/k/a “Gram” or “Grammie,” age 51, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on August 29, 2022, to 111 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for cocaine trafficking and weapons offenses.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, in November 2021, a jury convicted Letterlough of drug trafficking, possessing a gun in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a stolen gun. These items were seized during a February 1, 2018, sweep of her home and other properties associated with her and her fellow drug trafficker, Saqueena Williams, a/k/a “Queenie,” following a years-long investigation.   

Williams, the operator of Queenies Café, was convicted at the same trial of running a drug trafficking conspiracy from 2012 to 2018. The jury found that Williams trafficked in excess of five kilograms of cocaine, and that she possessed guns in furtherance of her drug trafficking operation.

Letterlough surrendered her interests in Grams Grill, located in Harrisburg, and other property. Williams also surrendered her interests in Queenies Café, located in Harrisburg, as well as the liquor license and other properties.

At Letterlough’s sentencing, issues regarding the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines were resolved after hearing argument from the parties. The sentence of 111 months’imprisonment imposed by Judge Conner was within the sentencing guideline range

The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Harrisburg Police Department and numerous other law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Consiglio and Samuel Dalke are prosecuting the case.

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Martin Perez-Amaro, age 33, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to 8 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani for illegally reentering the United States after being previously deported.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Perez-Amaro, who had been deported on two prior occasions, most recently in 2018, unlawfully reentered the country sometime thereafter and was located in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, in May of 2022.  Perez-Amaro did not obtain the required authorization prior to reentering the country.  He had pleaded guilty to the offense immediately before sentencing.      

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.

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