Middle District of Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Matthew Moss, 36, of Bucks County, Pennsylvania was charged yesterday by a federal grand jury with methamphetamine trafficking.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Moss possessed with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in York County on November 22, 2021. The indictment further states that Moss had a prior conviction for drug trafficking in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.  

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Springettsbury Township Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Johnny Baer.

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

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

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

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Emmanuel Roman-Figueroa, age 39, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 28, 2022, to 180 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for possessing 120 kilograms of 100% pure methamphetamine for distribution.  Roman-Figueroa had pleaded guilty to the offense on July 29, 2021.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on October 8, 2020, Roman-Figueroa met his co-defendants, Julio Romero-Mancebo and David Jusino Ramirez, both of New Jersey, at a truck stop off interstate 80 in Sugarloaf Township.  Romero-Mancebo and Jusino-Ramirez had transported the methamphetamine in the cab of a tractor trailer from California to the Hazleton area.  When they arrived at the truck stop the 120 kilograms of methamphetamine was placed into Roman-Figueroa’s vehicle.  The methamphetamine had a street value of over $2 million.  Immediately after the methamphetamine was placed in the vehicle, law enforcement officers arrested all three individuals.  It is noted that approximately three months earlier, on July 2, 2020, Roman-Figueroa was stopped by the Hazleton Police Department for a traffic violation and $371,500 in drug proceeds were seized from his vehicle. 

Co-defendant David Jusino Ramirez was convicted by jury on October 29, 2021, on drug trafficking charges and is awaiting sentencing.  Julio Romero-Mancebo pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and is awaiting sentencing.The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Hazleton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.

This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works 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.

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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 28, 2022, Imer Jose Mejia-Morales, age 33, was sentenced to time served (26 days) of imprisonment and 1 year of supervised release, by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Mejia-Morales pleaded guilty to having illegally reentered the United States sometime after his last removal to Mexico in June 2016. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States again sometime after that time.  He was located in the United States on March 30, 2021, in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, after a vehicle stop performed by Enforcement and Removal Operations.  It is expected he will be removed to Mexico at the completion of his sentence.

This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joanne M. Sanderson.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Brandon Harris, age 29, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 28, 2022, to 192 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for robbery and weapons offenses.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Brandon Harris pled guilty to conspiring with four other individuals to commit a total of six armed robberies.  During a three-hour period on Saturday night, April 6, 2019, Harris and/or his co-conspirators wore masks and brandished guns, including an assault rifle, to rob five establishments in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  Harris also pled guilty to conspiring to rob, at gun point, a Rite Aid pharmacy in Harrisburg, on Monday, April 8, 2019.

His codefendant, David Rinehardt, age 21, of Statesville, North Carolina, also pled guilty to conspiring to commit the robberies and was sentenced to 111 months in prison.

Childes Neely, age 30, of Harrisburg, pled guilty to the April 6th robberies, as well Rite Aid pharmacy robbery. Kendrick Groover-Floyd, age 32, of Harrisburg, pled guilty to robbing the Rite Aid.  They are awaiting sentencing. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation brought this case in conjunction with the Harrisburg Bureau of Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio is prosecuting the case.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that James C. Cartwright, age 34, of Jefferson Township, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 27, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to two years of probation for possessing two firearms while an unlawful user of a controlled substance.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Cartwright previously admitted that between November 2, 2019, and through July 1, 2020, in Wayne and Lackawanna Counties, he was in possession of two firearms, a Taurus PT740 and a Heritage Arms revolver, while knowing that he was an unlawful user of a controlled substance.

The matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.

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

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 27, 2022, Carlos Santurtan-Teran, age 61, of Miami, Florida, was convicted by a jury of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana.  The jury returned the guilty verdict following a three-day trial before United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, DEA agents discovered an illegal marijuana trafficking conspiracy during a court authorized wiretap of a phone being utilized in furtherance of a drug trafficking scheme to import and distribute cocaine.  That wiretap and the later execution of a search warrant established that Santurtan-Teran participated in the conspiracy to grow and distribute marijuana in Tecumseh, Michigan.  Santurtan-Teran and his conspirators purportedly were growing the marijuana under color of Michigan’s medical marijuana law, when in truth, the Michigan grow operation was a front to distribute marijuana illegally in several other states including Pennsylvania.  The federal jury deliberated two-hours before returning the guilty verdict on January 26, 2022. 

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s offices in Scranton, Pennsylvania and Toledo, Ohio.  Assistant United States Attorneys Todd K. Hinkley and Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted 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.

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

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HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Donte Christian, age 46, of Catonsville, Maryland, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to two years of probation for making false statements during the purchase of firearms.  Christian was also ordered to pay a $5,500 fine.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Christian previously admitted that on four occasions in 2018, he provided a false state of residence and address when purchasing firearms in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.  Christian purchased a total of nine handguns.

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

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

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 25, 2022, Luke Shager, age 35, of New Milford, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual contact, online enticement, transportation of a minor and production of child pornography.    

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on November 4, 2019, Shager traveled from Pennsylvania to New York to engage in illicit sexual conduct and between July 2020 and December 2020, Shager used the internet and a cellular device to entice a minor victim to engage in sexual activity.  The indictment also alleges that on August 1, 2020, Shager transported a minor from New York to Pennsylvania with the intent to engage in sexual activity and on August 2, 2020 Shager produced child pornography. 

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.

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

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 For more information about internet safety education, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

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 Thomas J. Hart, age 50, of Pittston, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 26, 2022, to 60 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for receipt and distribution of child pornography.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between July 10, 2019, and August 12, 2020, Hart used Kik Messenger to receive and distribute videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).  Assistant United States Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.

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

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 25, 2022, James Rodriguez, Jr. a/k/a “Mack Mulla,” age 29, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges. 

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that between January 2021 and January 2022, Rodriguez Jr. conspired with other individuals to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl.  It is alleged that on October 27, 2021, Rodriguez, Jr aided in the distribution of fentanyl which resulted in the death of an individual. The indictment further alleges that on January 20, 2022, Rodriguez was in possession of over 40 grams of fentanyl and additional quantities of marijuana which he intended to distribute, all while in possession of multiple handguns and a shot gun in furtherance of these drug trafficking activities. Finally, the indictment seeks forfeiture of the firearms and Rodriguez’s Porsche automobile.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Kingston Police Department and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.

This case was 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.

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

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

Indictments 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 on January 25, 2022, James Rushton, age 31, of Wapwallopen, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of drug delivery resulting in death. 

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on October 27, 2021, Rushton distributed fentanyl to an individual in Luzerne County and the use of that fentanyl resulted in the individual’s death.

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

This case was 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.

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

Indictments 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 Carlos Castillo, age 40, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 24, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to 51 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm by a felon.  Because Castillo is not a lawful resident of the United States, he faces deportation to the Dominican Republic and no term of supervised release was imposed.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Castillo previously admitted that in 2019, along with two other individuals, he participated in a drug distribution operation in Hazleton.  Castillo and these individuals used the basement of Castillo’s Hazleton home to prepare bulk amounts of fentanyl for sale and on several occasions that year sold hundreds of bags of fentanyl to others, including undercover informants working with law enforcement.  At the time of a June 2019 search of Castillo’s home, hundreds of grams of bulk fentanyl,  packaging materials that included 70,000 empty bags, and a hand gun were seized.  As a convicted felon, Castillo was prohibited from possessing the handgun.  

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

This case was 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.

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

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 25, 2022, Nazim Hassam, age 70, of Bartonsville, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on bank fraud and money laundering charges. 

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Hassam applied for and received multiple loans under the federal Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) while making false statements on the applications.  Hassam was indicted along with two businesses he co-owns, the Pocono Plaza Inn and Om Sri Sai, Inc., in 2019 on felony sex and drug trafficking charges.  When asked whether he or the companies applying for the loans were under indictment, Hassam falsely answered, “No.”  The indictment alleges that Hassam fraudulently obtained loans totaling $89,308.  Hassam then conducted unlawful monetary transactions with the bulk of those funds.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni is prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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.

If convicted, Hassam faces a maximum total penalty under federal law for these offenses of 120 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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

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HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert K. Burns, age 61, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner to 48 months’ imprisonment for tampering with consumer products.  The sentence also included a two-year term of supervised release, which will follow the term of imprisonment.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Burns previously admitted that in May 2019 he replaced pills in multiple bottles of lansoprazole with other items, resealed the bottles, and then returned the bottles to a store in Enola, Pennsylvania.  Burns similarly tampered with and then returned other products, including sinus relief products, which he returned to a Mechanicsburg store in May and June 2019, and toothpaste, which he returned to a different Mechanicsburg store in May 2019.  In August 2019, police executed a search warrant at Burns’ Mechanicsburg residence and found additional products that had been tampered with and other items indicative of product tampering, including hundreds of cut-up product packages and tamper-resistant seals.  In imposing the 48-month sentence, Judge Conner emphasized the sophisticated means Burns utilized, his repeated illegal actions, and the danger that this type of conduct creates. 

“FDA is fully committed to the vigorous criminal investigation and prosecution of any individual who threatens the U.S. consumer product supply,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark S. McCormack, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear signal that illicit tampering activity will not be tolerated.”

The case was investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Silver Spring Township Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli and former Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Clancy prosecuted the case.

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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Linda Grubb, age 74, of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 24, 2022, to 12 months’ and one day imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Sylvia Rambo for wire fraud.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Grubb pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme where the scheme participants manipulated a variety of pandemic relief programs to fraudulently obtain money. Specifically, international fraudsters made applications for pandemic related small business loans and pandemic unemployment assistance, sometimes using stolen identify information. The pandemic loan and unemployment payments were deposited into Grubb’s bank account in Huntingdon County.  Grubb allowed her bank account to be used in that manner and then assisted the fraudsters by wiring the funds to foreign bank accounts they identified.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio prosecuted the case.

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

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

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Lakeem Hunter-Knight, age 21, of Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Hunter-Knight pointed a firearm at two victims during a robbery of the Pickerel Inn General Store, in Dingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania, on May 20, 2020.  During the robbery, Hunter-Knight made the victims lie on the ground face down and threatened to shoot them if they moved.  Hunter-Knight stole six firearms from the store, which is a federal licensed firearms dealer, before fleeing the scene.  He was later apprehended after investigators found two of the stolen firearms in an abandoned vehicle which also contained a GPS device showing Hunter-Knight’s home address.  The remaining firearms, along with other evidence, was found when investigators executed a search warrant at Hunter-Knight’s residence.  

In addition to the seven-year imprisonment sentence, Judge Mannion ordered Hunter-Knight to serve three years of supervised release upon release from custody and to pay $4,000 in restitution to his victims.

The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pocono Mountain Regional Police, the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, and the Pike County District Attorney’s office. Assistant United States Attorney James Buchanan prosecuted the case.

This case was 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 works 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.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anthony Quamaine Brown, a/k/a, “BX,” age 39, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 21, 2022, to 180 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Brown conspired to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin and more than 40 grams of fentanyl during the conspiracy.

Brown was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release upon release from custody. Brown was one of eleven defendants indicted in May 2020.  With the exception of Tysheen Gott, a/k/a “LB,” all other co-conspirators pleaded guilty.  Gott was convicted after trial in August 2021 and is awaiting sentencing. 

This case was the result of a year-long investigation, in part driven by multiple federal wiretaps conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, the Scranton Police Department, the Pittston City Police Department, the Plymouth Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, the Wyoming County District Attorney’s Office and the Office of Pennsylvania Attorney General.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Olshefski and Robert O’Hara prosecuted the case.

This case was 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.

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

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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 24, 2022, Salvador Dionisio-Guillermo, age 43, was sentenced to time served of 68 days’ imprisonment and one year of supervised release, by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Dionisio-Guillermo was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in November 2008.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States again sometime after that time.  He was located in the United States on January 12, 2020, in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, when a Pennsylvania State Police trooper charged him with Driving Under the Influence and various traffic related violations. 

This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joanne M. Sanderson.

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HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 21, 2022, Daniel Lee Boose, age 39, of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for receiving child pornography.  Boose was also ordered to register as a sex offender and serve 10 years of supervised release following his release from prison.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Boose previously pleaded guilty in this case to receiving images of child pornography within Middle District of Pennsylvania.  Gurganus noted that at the time of his arrest, Boose was found to be in possession of more than 1,000 images of child pornography, including images of prepubescent children, much of which consisted of sexually explicit material involving children between the ages of 7 and 13.

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

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

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 12, 2022, Shiloh Edris Johnson, age 18, and Kadie Jean Swartz, age 18, both of York, Pennsylvania, were indicted by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking and firearms offenses. 

According to U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Johnson and Swartz conspired to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana, and that they conspired to possess, and possessed, firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.  The indictment also charges Johnson with receiving a firearm while under indictment for robbery and aggravated assault.

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

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

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law for the offenses charged in the indictment is up to life imprisonment, a $1 million fine, and up to lifetime supervised release.  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.

This matter was prosecuted as part of the 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.

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WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 20, 2022, Geraldo Rodriguez-Diaz, a 27-year-old inmate at the Low Security Correctional Institution, Allenwood (LSCI Allenwood), pleaded guilty to possessing a cellphone in prison. 

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on May 10, 2021, an LSCI Allenwood correctional officer’s handheld metal detector alerted on Rodriguez-Diaz.  Staff then searched Rodriguez-Diaz and found a Samsung cellphone hidden in a pocket stitched on the inside of Rodriguez-Diaz’s prison uniform.  Federal law prohibits inmates from possessing cellphones due to the institutional security risks posed by their use.

Following the acceptance of the guilty plea, U.S. Magistrate Judge William I. Arbuckle sentenced Rodriguez-Diaz to two months’ imprisonment. Judge Arbuckle ordered the imprisonment term to run consecutively to his current 10-year prison sentence previously imposed in the Middle District of Pennsylvania for Rodriguez-Diaz’s involvement in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy.

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 Alisan V. Martin prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Efrain Sanchez, age 28, an inmate at Federal Correctional Institution-Schuylkill (FCI-Schuylkill), Minersville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 20, 2022, to 4 months’ imprisonment by United States Magistrate Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr. after pleading guilty to assault.  

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, at the time of the offense, Sanchez was an inmate at FCI-Schuylkill. Upon being informed that he was being removed from a drug abuse program, Sanchez became disruptive.  When a Correctional Officer tried to restrain him, Sanchez assaulted the Correctional Officer by resisting and scratching the officer’s face. 

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

# # #

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Iglesias McEntyre, a/k/a “Max Pain,” age 33, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 12, 2022, to five years’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion.  He had previously pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, McEntyre provided a drug user with approximately a gram of crack in exchange for a firearm.  McEntyre is a previously convicted felon and was on probation in Luzerne County for a drug trafficking charge at the time he committed that offense. 

The matter was investigated by the Scranton Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Detectives of the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department, and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case.

This matter was prosecuted as part of the 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.

# # #

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ericjon Thomas, age 46, residing in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 13, 2022, to three years’ probation by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani after pleading guilty to bribery of a public official.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Mr. Thomas, while employed as a prison chaplain at the United States Penitentiary at Canaan in Waymart, Pennsylvania, received money in exchange for smuggling items of contraband into the penitentiary, which included, among other things, cigarettes, a G-Shock watch, a pair of Gucci sunglasses, and pornographic magazines. His illegal conduct spanned a period of approximately 11 months. 

Thomas resigned his position as a Bureau of Prisons chaplain on April 26, 2017.  Thomas also forfeited $15,000 to the U.S. Marshal Forfeiture Fund prior to sentencing.

The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice – Office of Inspector General, Trenton, New Jersey.  Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case.

# # #

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Andrew Daniels, age 41, an inmate at United States Penitentiary Canaan (USP Canaan), Waymart, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 14, 2022, to 31 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for assaulting another inmate.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Daniels, while an inmate at USP Canaan, repeatedly stabbed another inmate with a sharp object. The victim was treated for eight puncture wounds around his upper chest and abdomen. The sentence will run consecutively to a 47-year sentence the defendant is already serving.

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

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SCRANTON -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Richard Notarfrancesco, age 30, formerly of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 13, 2022, to 57 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion after pleading guilty to methamphetamine trafficking.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Notarfrancesco possessed with intent to distribute between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Hazleton area on September 14, 2019.  

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

This matter was prosecuted as part of the 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 case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Josue Peguero, age 22, Bronx, New York was sentenced on January 12, 2022, to 24 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $19,138.01 in restitution by U.S. District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo after pleading guilty to a charge of aggravated identity theft.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on January 4, 2020, Steelton Borough Police observed Peguero and two other individuals tampering with a U.S. Mail blue collection box near an intersection in the Borough of Steelton, Pennsylvania.  One individual used an item to “fish” into the mailbox’s opening, while Peguero stood nearby as a lookout, and a third individual drove a getaway vehicle. The police made a traffic stop and found the Peguero and the other two in possession of numerous debit cards in others’ names.  They also possessed an ATM withdrawal receipt for one debit card and a $2,500 deposit receipt for a different debit card.  The receipts matched debit cards in the defendants’ possession.  These cards did not match any of the defendant’s names.

The United States Postal Inspection Service conducted a follow up investigation. It established that Peguero and the other two individuals had conducted multiple fraudulent debit card transactions in New York City just prior to traveling to the Harrisburg area to fish into mailboxes and obtain stolen checks.  These transactions involved the use of stolen, altered checks and debit cards belonging to other people.  The investigation further determined that the three had been involved in the stealing of checks and the depositing of these checks in a fraudulent manner for several months leading up to the time of their arrest.  The other two individuals also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft; one has been sentenced and the other is pending sentencing. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma prosecuted the case.

# # #

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that 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, all of Bronx, New York, were indicted by a federal grand jury for their participation in a mail fraud scheme that targeted older victims and fraudulently induced them to send money through the mail under false pretenses.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on diverse dates in July through October 2020, the above-named 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 indictment further alleges that 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.   

The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Philadelphia Division) and the Berks County District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John is prosecuting the case.

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

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 20 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

# # #

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 12, 2022, Christopher Capozza, age 40, of Newington, Connecticut, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to one count of online enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of production of child pornography.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Capozza admitted at his guilty plea that between July 23, 2020, and December 31, 2020, he used Snapchat to arrange to meet and have sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old at motels and other places.  Capozza also admitted that on August 23, 2020, he persuaded the same minor victim to make several pornographic videos and then send those videos to him via Snapchat.

The charges stem from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Omaha, Nebraska Police Department, and the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Connecticut and Nebraska.  Assistant United States Attorney James M. Buchanan is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalties under federal law for these offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The production of child pornography charge carries a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison. The online enticement charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. 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.

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

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Brian Larry, age 60, of Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 94 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for fraud, aggravated identity theft, and false statement offenses.  A federal jury previously convicted Larry of all 13 charges in his indictment on May 10, 2021.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Larry defrauded his former employer, a Wilkes-Barre based automobile warranty company, out of over $400,000.  From January 2014 through October 2018, Larry, the manager of the claims department, stole the personal information of warranty policy owners.  Larry then provided it to his coconspirators, who created false invoices for nonexistent automobile repair work supposedly performed at various garages in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. The scheme included the forgery of the policy owners’ signatures on the paperwork.  The false and forged documentation was then sent to the warranty company, where Larry approved payment of the invoices, in exchange for cash kickbacks.  During the course of the scheme, Larry and his coconspirators obtained approximately $400,000 paid out by the warranty company pursuant to the false invoices, including thousands of dollars in repair work for Larry’s personal vehicle that he charged to other policy owners.  The evidence at trial showed that Larry then falsified internal warranty company documents in an attempt to conceal his crimes.  When confronted by FBI special agents, Larry denied receiving cash kickbacks in exchange for his participation in the scheme.

In pronouncing the sentence, Judge Mannion highlighted that Larry had expressed no remorse for his illegal conduct.  Judge Mannion also ordered Larry to pay $394,701.96 to the victim of his crimes, and to serve three years of supervised release following service of his imprisonment term.

Three of Larry’s coconspirators also were convicted in this investigation:

1. Matthew Gershkoff, age 64, of North Providence, Rhode Island pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire and mail fraud, and to aggravated identity theft, and was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release.  Gershkoff was convicted of preparing false invoices for nonexistent automobile repairs at multiple automobile repair shops located in Rhode Island and in Massachusetts, and for forging policy owners’ signatures.  Gershkoff pleaded guilty on May 18, 2020, to causing between $250,000 and $550,000 of fraudulent loss to the Wilkes-Barre based automobile warranty company, and was ordered to pay restitution of $385,352.19.

1. Herman Cabral, age 62, of Cranston, Rhode Island, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud, and was sentenced to 10 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release.  Cabral was convicted of processing false invoices for nonexistent automobile repairs through his Providence, Rhode Island automobile detailing shop, A Plus Auto Services.  Cabral pleaded guilty on July 23, 2019, to causing between $150,000 and $250,000 of fraudulent loss to the Wilkes-Barre based automobile warranty company, and was ordered to pay $211,644.03 in restitution.
2. Jason Pannone, age 40, of North Providence, Rhode Island pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire and mail fraud, and to aggravated identity theft, and was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release.  Pannone was convicted of processing false invoices for nonexistent automobile repairs through his Providence, Rhode Island automobile detailing shop, Platinum Auto Services, and through Ultra Auto Services, where he was employed.  Pannone pleaded guilty on March 23, 2021, to causing between $95,000 and $150,000 of fraudulent loss to the Wilkes-Barre based automobile warranty company, and was ordered to pay restitution of $128,667.16.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phillip J. Caraballo and Jeffrey St John prosecuted the case.

# # #

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Samuel Snader, age 39, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and Hector Colon, age 30, of Puerto Rico, were indicted on January 5, 2021, by a federal grand jury and charged with conspiracy to manufacture and deal firearms, and manufacturing and dealing firearms without a license.      

According to U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that between August 2021 and January 2022, in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, Snader and Colon worked together to acquire firearm parts for the purpose of manufacturing and commercially dealing Privately Made Firearms (PMFs), often referred to as “ghost guns.”  It is alleged that Snader would manufacture the PMFs, which did not possess serial numbers.  Colon allegedly located potential firearm buyers and directed them to Snader who personally delivered the firearms in exchange for money.  In total, Snader and Colon allegedly manufactured and sold, without the required federal license, at least 28 such firearms and obtained approximately $27,600 as a result of the offenses. 

The case was unsealed following yesterday’s arrests of Snader and Colon. During the arrests, law enforcement seized additional ghost guns and PMF parts in both Lebanon County and Puerto Rico.  Snader had his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Martin C. Carlson in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and Colon is scheduled to have his initial appearance in the District of Puerto Rico. 

“As in this case, ghost guns are un-serialized and difficult to trace by law enforcement. They look, feel, and function like factory-made firearms, and are just as lethal in the wrong hands,” said U.S. Attorney Gurganus.  “We will do everything in our power to take illegal guns off the streets and prosecute those who are involved in their unlawful manufacture, trafficking and possession.”

“Ghost guns are a danger to public safety all across Pennsylvania and we must close the loophole that allows them to be sold without a background check,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “We are committed across local, state, and federal law enforcement to stop traffickers of these untraceable firearms that have quickly become the weapon of choice for criminals, and appreciate our partners’ efforts to hold these defendants accountable.”

“The unlawful sale of firearms is a primary focus of ATF and a critical threat to the safety of our citizens,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division.  “The result of this investigation is a tribute to the longstanding collaboration with our local, state, and federal partners.  I would like to thank the dedicated work of the investigators and prosecutors for dismantling this illegal firearm distribution operation.”

“The United States Postal Inspection Service is committed to investigating individuals who use the U.S. Mail to ship gun parts for the purpose of creating illegal firearms without serial numbers or “ghost guns,” said Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood.  We are committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners, the US Attorney’s Office, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General to bring those who traffic in illegal firearms to justice.”

Below are photographs of some of the ghost guns seized by law enforcement:

 

 

   

The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Ford is prosecuting the case.   

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

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty for each offense is up to 5 years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

# # #

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Alnaldo Perez-Rodriguez, age 35, of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, was indicted on January 11, 2022, by a federal grand jury for firearms and drug trafficking offenses.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment charges Perez-Rodriguez with being in possession of a Walther .380 caliber pistol in furtherance of drug trafficking, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and being in possession of fentanyl and methamphetamine for distribution in Schuylkill County on December 3, 2021.  

The case was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force, State Parole Agents, and the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

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

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

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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

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SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that William Hill, age 40, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 10, 2022, to 33 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for a firearm offense.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Hill previously pleaded guilty on June 28, 2021, to possession, barter, and sale of a stolen firearm.  Hill, a heroin user, admitted to trading a firearm to codefendant Ronald McKenna in exchange for heroin.  Hill’s sentence was enhanced because he fled the jurisdiction while on supervised release and was later apprehended in Florida.

McKenna had previously pleaded guilty to a firearms violation and was sentenced to 36 months in prison.  A third codefendant, Drew Miller, also pleaded guilty to a firearms felony, and was sentenced to 42 months in prison.

The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Stroud Area Regional Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francis P. Sempa and Sean A. Camoni prosecuted the case.

This matter was prosecuted as part of the 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.

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

This 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.

# # #

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Edgar Mendoza, age 29, formerly of Drums, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to 108 months’ imprisonment for methamphetamine trafficking.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on July 23, 2021, Mendoza pleaded guilty to conspiring with several other individuals to distribute and possess with intent to distribute between 5 and 15 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Hazleton area between October 2019 and February 2020. Mendoza also pleaded guilty to conspiring with several other individuals to launder drug proceeds. During the scheme, conspirators mailed parcels containing methamphetamine from Arizona to Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, for retrieval and distribution. Mendoza was involved in retrieving parcels, selling the methamphetamine and depositing drug proceeds into a bank account in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy.

The methamphetamine trafficking case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office as 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 case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts.

# # #

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nicholas Eastman, age 32, of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 7, 2022, to 140 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for drug trafficking.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Eastman previously pleaded guilty to possessing at least 500 grams of methamphetamine for further distribution in the Middle and Eastern Districts of Pennsylvania between 2017 and 2019.  

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney William Behe prosecuted the case.

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

# # #

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John William “JW” Eddy, age 39, of Fayette County, Pennsylvania was charged by criminal information with one count of wire fraud for misappropriating funds from clients of his law practice between 2016 and 2020.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the information alleges that Eddy was required to maintain a trust account for client funds, also known as an Interest on Lawyer Trust Account or “IOLTA.” This account was to be used for the securing of client funds, such as proceeds from legal settlements, fees advanced for services not yet performed, or money for court fees. The information alleges that Eddy misappropriated $242,975.89 of client funds during this time-period.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma is prosecuting the case.

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 wire fraud is 20 years’ imprisonment. This charge may also carry a fine and a term of supervised release following imprisonment. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

# # #

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that David Collazo, age 34, of Frackville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 6, 2022, to 100 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for possession with intent to distribute crystal methamphetamine.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Collazo previously pleaded guilty and admitted to possessing between 50 and 150 grams of highly-pure crystal methamphetamine for further distribution in the Schuylkill County area between December 2018 and February 2019.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.

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

# # #

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Christina Covey, age 34, formerly of Drums, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to 48 months’ imprisonment for methamphetamine trafficking, and 15 months’ imprisonment for committing pandemic unemployment fraud, five months of which is to run consecutive to the methamphetamine trafficking sentence.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on May 20, 2021, Covey pleaded guilty to conspiring with several other individuals to distribute and possess with intent to distribute between 1.5 and 5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Hazleton area between October 2019 and February 2020.  During the scheme, conspirators mailed parcels containing methamphetamine from Arizona to Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, for retrieval and distribution.  Covey was involved in identifying and providing addresses of vacant houses to receive the parcels.  On one occasion, she retrieved a parcel containing methamphetamine from a vacant house located on Sycamore Drive, in Drums, Pennsylvania. 

The methamphetamine trafficking case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Postal Inspection Service, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office as 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.

Covey also pleaded guilty to committing pandemic unemployment fraud while on pretrial release for the federal narcotics charges.  In that case, she filed false PUA applications on behalf of two federal inmates—her codefendant in both cases, Fredy Mendoza, and another inmate.  The applications sought unemployment benefits for both inmates by claiming that they were laid off because of the COVID-19 pandemic and available to work, despite their incarceration on underlying federal drug trafficking charges.  The conspirators subsequently filed false weekly certifications required to continue receiving PUA benefits, ultimately securing nearly $30,000 dollars, which were mailed in debit cards to Covey.  Covey used the majority of funds on gambling expenses, and was ordered to pay $29,799 in restitution.

“Christina Covey engaged in a scheme with her co-defendant to defraud the PUA program by obtaining personal information from inmates in Lackawanna County Jail and submitting fraudulent claims for PUA benefits on behalf of those inmates even though they were incarcerated and not able and available to work.  The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General is grateful for our partnerships with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and our many law enforcement partners. We also want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their continued efforts to prosecute those who violate public benefit programs and commit fraud,” stated Syreeta Scott, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Philadelphia Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.

The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program was created by the March 2020 CARES Act, as part of the United States government’s efforts to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public’s health and economic well-being.  The PUA program was designed to provide unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended unemployment benefits.

Fredy Mendoza remains in custody, pleaded guilty in the methamphetamine trafficking case, and awaits sentencing.  Mendoza is pending trial in the pandemic unemployment fraud case.

The methamphetamine trafficking case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts.  The pandemic case was investigated by the Postal Inspection Service and by the Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo.

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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WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 5, 2022, Jason White, age 27, an inmate at Federal Correctional Institution, Allenwood (FCI Allenwood) pleaded guilty to possessing a cellphone in prison.  After accepting White’s guilty plea, Magistrate Judge William I. Arbuckle sentenced White to four months’ imprisonment to run consecutively to his current prison sentence.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on November 16, 2020, FCI Allenwood staff found White to be in possession of a bundle containing a L8star mini cellphone and several scraps of paper soaked in a synthetic cannabinoid.  Federal law prohibits inmates from possessing cellphones due to the institutional security risks posed by their use.

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 Alisan V. Martin prosecuted the case.

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HARRISBURG - U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus announced today that the Middle District of Pennsylvania collected $12,218,096.76 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021.  Of this amount, $8,037,586.68 was collected in criminal actions and $4,180,510.08 was collected in civil actions.

“Our office is committed to protecting the citizens of the Middle District of Pennsylvania by bringing to justice those that violate the law and, when doing so, stripping them of their ill-gotten gains,” said United States Attorney Gurganus.  “The office’s staff will continue to strive daily to obtain restitution for crime victims, and to recover funds pilfered through theft, fraud and false claims.” 

The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims.  The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss.  While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.  The Middle District of Pennsylvania worked to collect from 2,247 criminal debtors and 127 civil debtors in FY 2021.

Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, working with partner agencies and divisions, obtained forfeiture judgments amounting to $10,213,652 in criminal and civil asset forfeiture actions in FY 2021, including both physical assets and forfeiture money judgments.  Generally, under federal law assets such as currency, real property, and personal property can be forfeited to the government when they constitute proceeds of illegal activity or were used to facilitate crime.  Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

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HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jahzaire Gilliam, age 20, of York, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner to five years’ imprisonment for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.  The sentence also included a two-year term of supervised release, which will follow the term of imprisonment.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Gilliam previously admitted that while distributing marijuana in York in March 2021, he possessed a 9mm Century Arms Canik 55 semi-automatic pistol.  The firearm was loaded with 18 rounds.

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

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the York County Drug Task Force, and the York City Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kaleaf Brown, age 26, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 3, 2022, to 140 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for drug trafficking and weapons offenses. 

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Brown and his codefendants ran a drug trafficking conspiracy from 2018 to the present. Members of the conspiracy were affiliated with a music group named “Never Forget Loyalty” or “NFL.” As a part of their drug trafficking operation, the “NFL” posted videos on YouTube which were filmed in various Harrisburg locales, including the drug involved premises of 1621 Market Street. In the videos, members of the group brandished various weapons, flashed cash, and displayed drugs. In a yearlong investigation, ATF and the local law enforcement conducted a series of searches. During these searches police recovered part of their arsenal, including a machine gun, assault rifles, and various weapons with extended magazines.

Kaleaf Brown was the latest in a series of defendants to be sentenced for drug trafficking and weapons offenses as a result of the investigation.  Brown’s codefendants’ court proceedings are summarized as follows:

• Tyquann Langston, age 26, of Harrisburg, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for his role in the conspiracy to trafficking crack cocaine and other drugs in the City of Harrisburg;
• Donza Brown, age 57, of Harrisburg, was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment for selling crack cocaine and maintaining a drug involved premises at 1621 Market Street in Harrisburg;
• Jaionne Miller, age 21, and Adieas Johnson, age 33, both of Harrisburg, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and weapons offenses. They are awaiting sentencing; and
• Qushawn Brown, age 30, Wesley Garner, age 28, and Anderson Ortiz, age 22, all of Harrisburg, have pleaded not guilty to their role in these offenses. They are scheduled for trial in March 2022.

The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Harrisburg Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Consiglio is prosecuting the case.

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

This case was also made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.

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 Lamar Johnson, age 34, of York, was sentenced on December 20, 2021, to 20 years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for trafficking kilos of cocaine and heroin laced with fentanyl.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the investigation began with an overdose death in the City of York on December 2, 2017.  Investigators identified the victim’s drug source as Johnson. They further determined that Luis Minier, a/k/a “Cito” and Brandon Orr, a/k/a “B Orr”, were bringing kilogram quantities of heroin and cocaine into York on a weekly basis from September 2017 until December 2017.  Police arrested and seized over 700 grams of heroin and a kilogram of cocaine during police searches in December 2017.

Johnson’s coconspirators were sentenced to the following:

• Luis Minier, a/k/a “Cito,” age 29, of York, entered a guilty plea to drug trafficking and was sentenced to 10 years in prison;
• Javiel Snellings, age 28, of York entered a guilty plea to drug trafficking and was sentenced to two years of probation; and
• Brandon Orr entered a guilty plea to drug trafficking and was sentenced to 18 ½ years in prison.

The case was investigated by the Capitol Safe Streets Task Force, which included representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, the York County Drug Task Force, and Springettsbury Township Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio. 

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent

crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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

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 David Rinehardt, age 21 of Statesville, North Carolina, was sentenced on December 21, 2021 to 111 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for a robbery spree.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Rinehardt had pleaded guilty to committing five armed robberies of stores and bars in Uptown Harrisburg on April 6, 2019.  He also pleaded guilty to robbing at gun point a Rite Aid pharmacy on April 8, 2019.

Rinhardt’s coconspirators, Brandon Harris, age 29, and Childes Neely, age 30, both of Harrisburg, pleaded guilty to robbing the Uptown stores as well as robbing the Rite Aid pharmacy. On December 14, 2021, Kendrick Groover-Floyd, age 32, of Harrisburg, pleaded guilty to robbing the Rite Aid.  They are awaiting sentencing. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in conjunction with the Harrisburg Bureau of Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio is prosecuting the case.

 

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HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that David Robinson, age 32, of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 20, 2021, to 15 years’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for production and possession of child pornography.  The sentence also includes a 15-year term of supervised release, which will follow the term of imprisonment.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Robinson previously admitted that in July 2020 he sexually abused his 8-month-old daughter and filmed and photographed the abuse.  Robinson then uploaded the videos and images to a public file-sharing program so that others could view the abuse.  Additionally, Robinson downloaded and possessed images and videos depicting child pornography and child sexual abuse from on-line websites.  He was arrested in July 2020 and subsequently pleaded guilty to the two offenses.

The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and Homeland Security Investigations.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Daryl F. Bloom and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Miovas, Jr. prosecuted the case.

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

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HARRISBURG -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Terrance Harden, age 30, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania was sentenced on December 8, 2021 to 151 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Harden possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine on May 31, 2018, in Harrisburg, and possessed a loaded 9mm handgun in furtherance of drug trafficking as a convicted felon. Harrisburg City Police arrested Harden following a search of his car outside of the Pennsylvania State Parole office.

The case was investigated by the Harrisburg Bureau of Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Johnny Baer prosecuted the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent

crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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

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HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ibrahim Adam, age 33, and Kelvin Aggrey-Arthur, age 28, both Ghanaian citizens, were sentenced to prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud.  Adam was sentenced today to 33 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner.  On December 17, 2021, Aggrey-Arthur was sentenced to 40 months’ imprisonment by Judge Conner.  Both sentences also include a two-year term of supervised release, which will follow the term of imprisonment.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, both men previously admitted to perpetrating a romance scam in 2019 and 2020 in which they and other co-conspirators developed online relationships with victims and then requested that those victims send them money for various fraudulent reasons, including travel, medical treatment, housing, and schooling.  Both men were also ordered to pay restitution to victims, $94,100 for Adam and $25,100 for Aggrey-Arthur.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Susquehanna Township Police Department, and the Dauphin County Criminal Investigation Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Bruce Evans, Sr., age 68, and Bruce Evans, Jr., age 40, both of Greenfield Township, were found guilty on December 17, 2021, after trial of multiple counts of Clean Water Act violations that occurred at the Greenfield Township wastewater treatment plant beginning in 2013 through 2017.  Evans, Sr. was also found guilty of multiple counts of wire fraud and obstruction of correspondence.  The trial took place before United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion.

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

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

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

The evidence presented at trial established that after many years of permit non-compliance at the GTSA, the EPA and FBI initiated a criminal investigation in late 2013, which involved the use of covert cameras positioned to surveil activity at the actual GTSA facility and a pump station located on Route 106 in Greenfield Township.  The investigation uncovered repeated warnings about deficient facility inspections, permit non-compliance, community complaints about foul odors and visible raw sewage routinely overflowing from the Route 106 pump station, and false statements reported to the PADEP by both Evans Sr. and Evans, Jr.  It was also learned that information concerning deficient plant operations and clean water act violations was routinely conveyed directly to Evans, Sr. as the GTSA’s responsible corporate officer from the PADEP, but Evans, Sr. concealed that information from his fellow GTSA board members over a period of many years. 

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

The maximum penalty under federal law for wire fraud is 20 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  The Obstruction of Correspondence violations carry a maximum of 5 years’ imprisonment.  The Clean Water Act violations carry a maximum of 3 years’ imprisonment.  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 Christine Bradley Okpako, age 54, of Sayre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 15, 2021, to 37 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann for conspiring to launder approximately $1.89 million in mail and wire fraud proceeds.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Okpako and her husband, codefendant Jabin Godspower Okpako, age 36, of Nigeria, received approximately $1,898,046 million in proceeds from a mail and wire fraud scheme, laundered the funds through numerous bank and wire transactions in multiple states, and transferred the funds out of the United States to three separate bank accounts in Nigeria. 

The mail and wire fraud 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 and purposes, including to assist a worker in Alaska who fell from a tower, to purchase an apartment in Washington, D.C., to assist the United Nations, to repair machinery and equipment on an oil drilling rig, to pay for medicine, to recover a $6 million inheritance, and to make an investment in gold.  After fraudulently inducing the victims to provide funds for these fictitious reasons, the unindicted conspirators instructed the victims to transmit checks and cash to Okpako and Bradley at their residence in Sayre, Pennsylvania. 

Chief Judge Brann sentenced Jabin Godspower Okpako on November 23, 2021, to 87 months’ imprisonment.

The case was investigated by the FBI.  Assistant U.S. Attorney George J. Rocktashel prosecuted the case.

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HARRISBURG -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that James Larnerd, age 48, of North Cornwall Township, Lebanon County, was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for drug trafficking and firearm offenses.  

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Larnerd was convicted on March 24, 2021, following a trial by jury of distributing methamphetamine, possession of a firearms by a prohibited person, and using or maintaining drug premises.  Evidence at trial showed that during the execution of a search warrant at Larnerd’s North Cornwall Township residence on June 4, 2019, law enforcement recovered methamphetamine, drug distribution materials, and two loaded handguns. Several witnesses gave testimony at trial detailing the drug trafficking activity at Larnerd’s home.

The case was investigated by the North Cornwall Township Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Johnny Baer prosecuted the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent

crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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