Middle District of Pennsylvania

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christopher Jones, age 53, of Old Forge, Pennsylvania, was charged on June 16, 2020, by criminal information with tax evasion.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the criminal information alleges that Jones failed to report over $500,000 in taxable income between 2014 and 2019 to avoid paying federal income taxes.  The information alleges that Jones failed to report income he gained from illegal bookmaking activities.  The information further alleges that Jones made false statements to federal agents in February 2019 during the investigation.

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni is prosecuting the case.

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

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

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

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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Erin Hossler, age 50, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, the former treasurer for Cressona Borough, Schuylkill County, was indicted on June 17, 2020, by a federal grand jury on three counts of tax evasion for 2015, 2016, and 2017 and 12 counts of failure to account for and pay over employment tax. 

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Hossler took hundreds of thousands of dollars between 2015 and 2018 from the Borough of Cressona, where she used to work as the Secretary/Treasurer. It is alleged that Hossler had numerous checks issued to herself, forged signatures on checks, and used online banking for the borough’s bank accounts to pay her personal bills.  The indictment further alleges that Hossler concealed her activities by altering federal records, withholding payment of federal employment taxes for Cressona Borough employees, and altering an audit from an independent accounting firm to make it appear that the firm approved of the borough’s finances.

The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the IRS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio is prosecuting the case.

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

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

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

 

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HARRISBURG – U.S. Attorney David J. Freed joined Attorney General William P. Barr and the entire Department of Justice in observing the 15th Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15, 2020. The Department echoes voices around the world condemning elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for our country and the world, but among those most severely affected by the threat of the novel virus are our senior citizens. During this time when seniors are most vulnerable and isolated from their families and loved ones by social distancing and quarantine restrictions, bad actors have immediately exploited this international tragedy to prey on the elderly through a whole host of scam and fraud schemes. As the world takes this day to remember the elderly during these uncertain times, the Department of Justice remains relentlessly committed, through its department-wide Elder Justice Initiative, to prevent and prosecute fraud on America’s seniors.

The Department will aggressively prosecute fraudsters exploiting the Covid-19 pandemic and targeting seniors offering them fake testing kits and fake help obtaining stimulus and Paycheck Protection Program Funds. On this day dedicated to recognizing our seniors, the Department of Justice sends a strong message that we continue the fight to keep seniors safe a top priority.

“Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important this year than perhaps ever before to bring awareness to elder abuse, neglect and exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Freed.  “As lockdowns and social distancing have limited interaction between people, this crisis has created numerous opportunities for scammers to prey on our most vulnerable citizens.  While the scams may have different names and use different methods, the goal remains the same: to separate law abiding citizens from their money.  In the Middle District of Pennsylvania we are proud to prioritize and prosecute elder fraud cases of all types.  I urge everyone to report these scams so that we can take down these brazen criminals.”

Earlier this year Attorney General Barr declared “Prevention and Disruption of Transnational Elder Fraud” to be an Agency Priority Goal, making it one of the Department’s four top priorities. 

Major strides have already been made to that end:

• National Elder Fraud Hotline: 833-FRAUD-11 Earlier this year Attorney General Barr launched a National Elder Fraud Hotline. Staffed by experienced case managers who provide personalized support to callers, the hotline serves to assist elders and caretakers who believe they have been a victim of fraud by reporting and providing appropriate services.
• Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force: Established in June 2019 to combat foreign elder fraud schemes, the Strike Force is composed of the Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and six U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along with FBI special agents, Postal Inspectors, and numerous other law enforcement personnel.  Since its inception, prosecutors in Strike Force districts brought cases against more than 140 sweep defendants.
• Annual Elder Justice Sweep: In March of this year, the Attorney General announced the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in department history. The Department, together with every U.S. Attorney’s office, charged more than 400 defendants, causing over $1 billion in loss through fraud schemes that largely affected seniors, including two cases in the Middle District. One being:
  • Omoefe Okoro, age 48, a citizen of Canada, was charged in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.  Okoro and others are alleged to have engaged in an attorney “collection scam” in Ontario, Canada, and elsewhere. In particular, Okoro and his co-conspirators are alleged to have conducted a scheme in which they contacted businesses and individuals, including elderly victims, and requested, among other things, to collect an outstanding debt.  The suspects, posing as the third party, then sent a counterfeit check to the victim for deposit and requested that the victim wire funds to an account overseas, typically in Japan, South Korea, or China.  Canada surrendered Okoro to the United States on Aug. 29, 2018. Okoro is currently scheduled for trial on August 3, 2020.

• Money Mule Initiative: Since October 2018, the Department and its law enforcement partners began a concentrated effort across the country and around the world to disrupt, investigate, and prosecute money mule activity used to facilitate fraud schemes, especially those victimizing senior citizens. In 2019 actions were taken to halt the conduct of more than 600 domestic money mules, exceeding a similar effort against approximately 400 mules in the previous year. The Middle District disrupted such a case in June 2019: 
  •  Anthony W. Redd, age 63, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, was charged in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. It is alleged that Redd was a “Money Mule” and participated in a scheme to defraud individuals out of money by making them believe they were eligible for cash and other prizes.  As part of the scheme, Redd is alleged to have caused the mailing of legitimate postal money orders from Mechanicsburg to his address in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and to have converted the known proceeds of the scheme to cash or to have sent the proceeds through Western Union or MoneyGram to Costa Rica.  Redd is currently scheduled to plead guilty on July 1, 2020.

• Holding foreign-based perpetrators and those that flee the United States accountable: Transnational criminal organizations are targeting our elder population in schemes including mass mailing fraud, grandparent scams, romance scams, lottery and sweepstakes scams, IRS and Social Security Administration imposter scams, and technical-support scams. One such case that the Middle District recently prosecuted was:
  • Jenmariey Burchell, a 26-year-old Jamaican citizen for her part in a scheme to defraud senior citizens that were falsely told they had won multi-million dollar international sweepstakes prizes.  The purported winners were directed to send Western Union and MoneyGram money transfers, money orders and checks to persons known as “money mules,” ostensibly to pre-pay taxes and other fictitious expenses, in order to collect the non-existent cash prizes. Burchell enlisted the “money mules” to receive and transfer the fraud proceeds to him and other conspirators in Jamaica.  Burchell ultimately received a sentence of 51 months’ imprisonment on November 12, 2019.

For more information on enforcement actions, training and resources, research, and victim services, please visit www.justice.gov/elderjustice.

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SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Cesar Moscoso-Sagastume, age 39, of Esquipulas, Guatemala, was sentenced on June 11, 2020 to serve 57 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Moscoso-Sagastume previously pleaded guilty to participating in the conspiracy during February 2018. Moscoso-Sagastume admitted that he agreed to transport approximately five kilograms of heroin (which is equivalent to approximately 200,000 individual retail baggies) from Chicago to New York City. The heroin was transported from Mexico to Chicago where it was placed in the his vehicle. Moscoso-Sagastume was stopped by Pennsylvania State Troopers on Interstate 80 while traveling to New York City.

Moscoso-Sagastume will likely face deportation after serving his prison sentence.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.

This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent 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 coordin effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.

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WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Gary Shoemaker, Jr., age 40, of Berwick, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 15, 2020, by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann to 72 months’ imprisonment for engaging in heroin trafficking.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Shoemaker pleaded guilty to the offense of distribution of a controlled substance (heroin).  Shoemaker was charged with this offense after he sold heroin to a confidential informant during an investigation targeting drug distribution activity in the Columbia and Montour County areas.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Montour County Drug Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur prosecuted.

This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent 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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WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tavon Johnson, age 30, previously of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced on June 15, 2020 by U.S District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann to 12 months’ imprisonment for possession of narcotics while incarcerated at the Allenwood Low Federal Correctional Institution (FCC Allenwood), Allenwood, Pennsylvania.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Johnson had previously entered a guilty plea to possession of contraband in a prison for possessing 120 strips of the narcotic Suboxone.  The sentence imposed on Johnson will run consecutively to the sentence he is presently serving.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur prosecuted.          

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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on June 9, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann sentenced Robert Carl Eaton, III, age 26, of York, Pennsylvania, to 48 months’ imprisonment for unlawful possession of a firearm.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Eaton pleaded guilty to a felony indictment admitting that he possessed a Smith and Wesson 9mm loaded firearm as a convicted felon on October 24, 2017, in York County.  Eaton was ordered to pay a $400 fine and serve three years of supervised release after his four-year prison term.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the York County Drug Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorney James T. Clancy prosecuted the case.

This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

           

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SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rhashean Strange, age 35, of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 10, 2020 by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to 14 years’ imprisonment for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Strange previously pleaded guilty to participating in the conspiracy during 2014 and 2015. Strange admitted that he and others in the conspiracy distributed between one and three kilograms of heroin, which is approximately equivalent to between 40,000 and 120,000 retail bags of heroin. The heroin was obtained from suppliers in Paterson, New Jersey, and Hazleton, Pennsylvania.

Strange, who used the street name “Chicago,” was the leader of the drug conspiracy and possessed firearms in connection with the criminal activity.

Judge Mariani also ordered Strange to serve five years on supervised release following his prison sentence, and to forfeit firearms and his share of cash seized during the investigation.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Shenandoah Police. Assistant United States Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.

This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent 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 Adam Holcomb, age 36, of Shickshinny, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on June 9, 2020, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Holcomb admitted to participating in a conspiracy to distribute between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine in the Luzerne County area between January 2017 and December 2018.   Holcomb was one of five individuals indicted by a grand jury in December 2018 for methamphetamine trafficking in Luzerne, Lackawanna and Schuylkill Counties.

Judge Mariani ordered that a presentence report be completed.  Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.     

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

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

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 charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years in prison under federal law. The maximum penalty for the charge is up to life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $10,000,000 fine.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs.  For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

 

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WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on June 10, 2020, Ted Johnson, Jr., age 38, of Erie, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann to 108 months’ imprisonment for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Johnson pleaded guilty to using a firearm during a crime of violence in connection with a January 2017 armed robbery of a Unimart in State College, PA. The robbery consisted of two co-conspirators entering the store and firing their weapons while Johnson acted as a lookout and getaway driver.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Ferguson Township Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur prosecuted.

This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

           

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Earl Lafayette Hall, III, age 38, previously of Chicago and Arlington, Tennessee, was sentenced to 101 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $96,431 in restitution on June 9, 2020, by U.S. District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo for veteran’s unemployment compensation fraud.

According to U.S. Attorney David J. Freed, Hall was convicted in November 2019 by a federal jury on two counts of conspiracy, 12 counts of mail fraud, 10 counts of money laundering, and 4 counts of aggravated identity theft. 

The evidence presented during the trial and the sentencing hearing, showed that Hall applied for and received $96,431 in unemployment compensation benefits under the Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Service Members Program, commonly known as “The UCX Program,” under the assumed identities (first name, last name, date of birth and Social Security Number) of eleven other individuals.

The UCX Program is a federally funded, U.S. Department of Labor program administered by the States.  The jury found that Hall fraudulently obtained the benefits paid on 7 false UCX claims submitted to Pennsylvania, 3 false UCX claims submitted in Utah, and another false identity UCX claim submitted to Hawaii in 2013 and 2014.

“On behalf of the investigative team, we are very pleased with the serious sentence and restitution order imposed in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Freed. “As I said at the time of conviction, it takes an especially devious and brazen criminal mind to defraud a program established to benefit those who have sacrificed so much for their fellow citizens. Fortunately the Defense Criminal Investigation Service, the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the United States Postal Inspection Service and numerous other federal, state and local partners were on the case.”

“The UCX Program, which provides unemployment benefits for eligible unemployed former service members following their separation from the military, is extremely important," stated Special Agent in Charge Leigh-Alistair Barzey, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Northeast Field Office.  "The sentencing announced today marks the conclusion of a successful joint investigation and confirms the DCIS' ongoing commitment to work with its law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Pennsylvania, to protect the integrity of DoD programs and the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces."

“Earl Lafayette Hall III schemed to defraud the Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Service Members Program in order to personally enrich himself at the expense of former military service members and tax payers,” said Derek Pickle Special Agent-in-Charge, Philadelphia Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.  “We will continue to aggressively pursue prosecution of those who seek to defraud our nation’s veterans and the DOL programs that support them.”

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering & Fraud Investigations, the U.S. Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Harrisburg.   The investigation was assisted by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Internal Audits Division, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Office of Unemployment Compensation Benefits and Policy, and the Pennsylvania Department of Treasury, Office of Unemployment Compensation Disbursements.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Douglas Daniel prosecuted the case.     

 

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Natural Advantage LLC a/k/a Taste Advantage LLC (“Natural Advantage”), a chemical manufacturer headquartered in Oakdale, Louisiana, entered a deferred prosecution agreement and was charged in a criminal information with the unregistered distribution and exportation of regulated List 1 chemicals.  Carol Callahan Byrne, age 65, and Dr. Brian Byrne, age 74, both of Oakdale, Louisiana, also were charged in a criminal information with the failure to report List 1 chemical manufacturing to the Attorney General.

Natural Advantage entered a three-year deferred prosecution agreement, under which the United States has agreed to defer prosecution of the company unless it fails to comply with the terms of the agreement.  Pursuant to the deferred prosecution agreement, Natural Advantage has agreed to forfeit $1,938,650.10, which represents the gross revenue of its List 1 chemical sales.  The company also has agreed, among other things, to undergo annual audits for List 1 chemical compliance, the results of which will be reported to the United States.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Carol Callahan Byrne served as the Chief Financial Officer and Dr. Brian Byrne served as the Chief Executive Officer of Natural Advantage, a company that manufactured chemicals for customers in the flavor, fragrance, and cosmetics industries.  Among the chemicals manufactured by Natural Advantage were Piperonal, Heliotropine, Phenylacetic Acid, Isoamyl Phenylacetate, and Ethyl Phenylacetate, all of which were List 1 chemicals that, in addition to legitimate uses, are also precursor chemicals for manufacturing methamphetamine and ecstasy.  List 1 chemicals are subject to extensive regulations, including licensing requirements for distributors and regular reporting to the United States.

As alleged, beginning in approximately January 2011, and continuing until January 2017, Natural Advantage distributed and exported in excess of 1,550 kilograms of List 1 chemicals to customers in the United States and worldwide, without obtaining the requisite registration from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and despite being warned by the DEA not to distribute List 1 chemicals.  None of the chemicals are alleged to have been diverted to narcotics traffickers.

Company executives are alleged to have known of Natural Advantage’s unlicensed distribution of List 1 chemicals, and of arrangements to use other domestic companies as intermediaries to sell List 1 chemicals to foreign customers who discovered that Natural Advantage was not licensed and refused to purchase the chemicals.  Company executives also are alleged to have concealed Natural Advantage’s List 1 chemical activities, including, as alleged against Carol Callahan Byrne and Dr. Brian Byrne, by failing to file annual manufacturing reports with the Attorney General.

“The defendants in this case violated the law when they sold and exported nearly $2 million-worth of precursor chemicals, without following the regulations and procedures designed to ensure that these chemicals do not end up on the black market,” said U.S. Attorney Freed. “As part of our responsibility to help protect the public from dangerous drugs, this office will continue to ensure that companies properly handle List I chemicals.”

“By intentionally evading the regulations in place for List I chemicals, Natural Advantage greatly increased the possibility that these chemicals could end up in the hands of cartels for the production of methamphetamine, ecstasy, and other dangerous and illicit substances,” said Jonathan A. Wilson, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Philadelphia Field Division.  “In light of the rise of methamphetamine use in the United States and the damage it causes to our families and our society, DEA will continue to enforce these regulations and seek out these violators.”

The case was investigated by DEA Diversion Investigators. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo, and the Financial Litigation Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office are prosecuting the case.

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

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

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

 

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SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Paul Taylor, age 53, of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, a former BOP Correctional Officer at the Federal Correctional Institute Schuylkill (FCI Schuylkill), Schuylkill, Pennsylvania, was charged on June 9, 2020, in a criminal information with bribery and corruption.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the criminal information alleges that between 2011 and 2016, Taylor smuggled tobacco into FCI Schuylkill while employed as a Correctional Officer, and provided the contraband to prisoners in exchange for money.

The investigation was conducted by special agents of the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley.

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

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

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 15 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational, and medical needs.  For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

           

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tony J. Liesenfeld, age 50, of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 8, 2020, by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann to a term of imprisonment of one year and one day for wire fraud.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Liesenfeld pleaded guilty and admitted that between June 11, 2001 and November 25, 2015, he embezzled over $77,000 from American Federation of Government Employees Local 148.  At the time, Liesenfeld was a correctional officer at Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary and conducted his fraudulent scheme while serving as the union’s treasurer and then president.  Liesenfeld allegedly used a union credit card to make unauthorized purchases and cash withdrawals, and forged checks from a union account to the same ends. 

Liesenfeld was ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution and will serve two years of supervised release after his prison term.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Labor-Management Standards and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni.

           

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on June 5, 2020, United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Nathaniel Murphy, age 45, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to one year and one day in prison for trafficking in heroin.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Murphy pleaded guilty to taking part in a drug trafficking conspiracy with Juan Roman-Polanco and others, distributing heroin in Luzerne County in 2016 and 2017.

Roman-Polanco, the leader of the drug trafficking organization, previously pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge, admitting to responsibility for the distribution and possession with intent to distribute over one kilogram of heroin, one kilogram of cocaine, and over 65 grams of cocaine base.  Polanco was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment.  One kilogram of heroin is the equivalent of approximately 40,000 individual doses of heroin.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Wilkes-Barre Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni is prosecuting the case.

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

 

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HARRISBURG, PA —The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Savage Family Pharmacy, located in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay the United States $180,480 in civil penalties for allegedly failing to comply with recordkeeping and other requirements of the Controlled Substances Act.  These alleged violations enabled the diversion of opioids from the pharmacy over an extended period of time.

The Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. sections 801 et seq. (CSA), was passed to combat illegal distribution and abuse of controlled substances, including prescription medications.  The CSA’s recordkeeping and prescribing requirements are to prevent the diversion of controlled substances for illegal purposes.  The CSA is enforced by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Diversion Control Division, whose mission is to prevent, detect, and investigate the diversion of controlled pharmaceuticals and listed chemicals from legitimate sources while ensuring adequate and uninterrupted supply for legitimate medical, commercial, and scientific needs.  Under the CSA, entities registered with the DEA who purchase, distribute, dispense, transfer, or sell controlled substances must comply with inventory and documentation requirements.  Regulations promulgated under the CSA require that each DEA registrant, including pharmacies, maintain complete and accurate records of each substance manufactured, received, sold, delivered, dispensed or otherwise disposed of by the registrant.  These requirements play a vital role in ensuring the appropriate handling, accounting, and distribution of controlled substances.  Violations of the record-keeping requirements subject DEA registrants to civil monetary penalties. 

According to the allegations, between 2015 and 2019, Savage Family Pharmacy did not adequately monitor the conduct of its employees, and failed to keep complete and accurate inventories and records regarding the receipt and dispensing of Schedule II controlled substances, including but not limited to oxycodone and hydrocodone.  These alleged violations enabled the altering of incoming inventory counts, as well as the altering of dispensed counts of the controlled substances over an extended period of time.  Inventories, when conducted, were not reconciled with the perpetual log.  Additionally, pages of the perpetual log were removed, allegedly, by an employee diverting the controlled substances.

As a result of Savage Family Pharmacy’s alleged actions, tens of thousands of doses of controlled substances went unaccounted for and were potentially diverted for illicit purposes.

An act of employee theft of Controlled Substances at the pharmacy in May of 2019 led to the present civil investigation.  Savage Family Pharmacy has since enhanced its recordkeeping and compliance program, including instituting a process of reconciling the inventories to the perpetual log, in response to concerns raised by the DEA in the course of this investigation.  This settlement addresses the independent obligation of Savage Family Pharmacy to ensure it has systems in place adequate to prevent theft and fraudulent inventory and dispensing, as required by 21 U.S.C. §§ 827, 842, and associated regulations.

“There is no doubt that diversion and subsequent misuse and abuse of high powered opioids has been devastating to many communities throughout the United States, and the Middle District of Pennsylvania is no exception,” said U.S. Attorney Freed.  “The ability to dispense powerful controlled substances carries with it the grave responsibility to appropriately monitor the receipt and distribution of those drugs.  In the midst of a crisis, lax controls and shoddy record keeping is not only irresponsible, it is dangerous.  I commend the owners of Savage Pharmacy for taking responsibility to correct these problems and ensure that they do not reoccur.”

“Pharmacists are entrusted with securing and properly documenting the dispensing of powerful prescription painkillers such as oxycodone so as to prevent illicit diversion,” said Jonathan A. Wilson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division.  “If Savage Family Pharmacy had maintained adequate records and controls they could have prevented or deterred the diversion of tens of thousands of opioids.” 

This Settlement Agreement is neither an admission of liability by the pharmacy nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well founded.

This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration’s Diversion Control Division.  The investigation was handled by Assistant United States Attorney, Tamara J. Haken and the Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) Unit within the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

 

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SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jarrett Edmonds, age 37, of Ashley, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 4, 2020, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to 27 months’ imprisonment followed by six years on supervised release for possessing with intent to deliver quantities of heroin, fentanyl and crack cocaine.  

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Edmonds previously pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to deliver quantities of heroin, fentanyl and crack cocaine in Luzerne County in July 2017.

The case was investigated by task force officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Luzerne County Detectives, and Wilkes-Barre Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.  

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent 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.

 

# # #

Over $1.3 Million Awarded to Hazleton Police Department

HARISBURG – The Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney David J. Freed announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP), with more than $1.3 million going to the Hazleton Police Department in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

The Attorney General announced the awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. 

“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support.  The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr.  “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”

“In the Middle District of Pennsylvania, we value nothing more highly than our strong relationships with our partners in state and local law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Freed.  “We are proud to work with the elected leaders of the City of Hazleton and their police department to provide resources for more officers.  Hazleton is a dynamic community that is working hard to confront the challenges of 21st century policing.  More officers means more opportunities to build relationships across the community and more ways to serve and protect.”

Of the eight grants awarded in Pennsylvania, one of them is to Hazleton Police Department in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.  This grant of $1,342,497 will allow Hazleton Police Department to hire four additional full-time officers.

CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area.  43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention.  The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions. 

The complete list of awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/chp/Award_List.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery. To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp.  For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

 

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that David Bomboy, age 60, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on May 29, 2020, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Bomboy admitted to participating in a conspiracy to distribute between 350 and 500 grams of methamphetamine in the Scranton area between February and April 2019. 

Judge Mariani ordered that a presentence report be completed.  Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.

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

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

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 charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison under federal law. The maximum penalty for the charge is up to forty years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $5,000,000 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 Bruce Redmond, age 31, of Dallas, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on June 2, 2020, before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to the illegal possession of firearms and methamphetamine trafficking.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Redmond admitted to being an illegal user of controlled substances in possession of firearms and to the possession of methamphetamine for further distribution. The charges stem from an incident in which law enforcement authorities served search warrants at Redmond’s residence in Dallas and business office in Kingston and seized approximately 58 firearms, 6,664 rounds of ammunition and a quantity of methamphetamine.

This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kingston Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce crime.

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 drug offenses is twenty years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  The maximum penalty for the firearms offenses is ten years’ imprisonment, 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.

 

# # #

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Petr Kostenetskiy, age 21, of Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 2, 2020, by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to thirty-six months’ imprisonment to be followed by two years of supervised release for armed bank robbery.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, on July 22, 2019, Kostenetskiy entered a bank in Jefferson Township armed with what was later determined to be a BB gun, pointed the weapon at a teller, demanded money and ultimately stole $7,537.  Kostenetskiy was located and arrested shortly thereafter and the stolen funds were recovered.       

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.

This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

 

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WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Bruce Evans, Sr., age 67, former Greenfield Township Sewer Authority Manager, Greenfield Township, Pennsylvania, was charged on May 28, 2020, in a thirty-six count superseding indictment by the federal grand jury with additional violations of the Clean Water Act.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Evans, Sr. and his son, Bruce Evans, Jr., age 38, both of Greenfield Township, were previously charged in an initial indictment returned in January 2019.  The superseding indictment alleges that at times material to the charges, Evans, Sr. was a Greenfield Township Supervisor, a Greenfield Township Sewer Authority Board Member, Manager of the Greenfield Township Sewer Authority, and the Township’s “roadmaster.”  Evans, Jr. was an employee of both Greenfield Township and the Greenfield Township Sewer Authority.  It is alleged that on various dates between April 2013 and December 2017, Evans, Sr. and Evans, Jr. failed to operate and manage the municipality’s waste water treatment plant in accordance with regulations and limitations specified in a permit issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) and the 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.  It is also alleged that as a result of such failures, pollutants were discharged in violation of the permit. 

The superseding indictment charges Evans, Sr. with additional violations of the Clean Water Act specifically related to the Greenfield Township Sewer Authority’s pump station located at State Route 106.  It is alleged that Evans, Sr., rather than the licensed operator hired by the Authority to operate the treatment plant, managed and operated the sewer lines and pump stations.  It is alleged that Evans, Sr. was not certified by the PADEP to operate or manage the pump stations.  The violations associated with the State Route 106 pump station involve multiple unlawful bypasses of sewage, sanitary sewage overflows, and Evans, Sr.’s failure to report the same to the PADEP.  It is also alleged that Evans, Sr. failed to notify the PADEP of the actual amount of hauled-in waste dumped directly into the State Route 106 pump station by an outside hauler, all in violation of the PADEP permit issued to the Authority.  The PADEP learned that the Greenfield Township Sewer Authority was accepting hauled-in waste when it received complaints about odors and sewage overflows at that location, and started to investigate. 

The superseding indictment further alleges that Evans, Sr. engaged in a scheme to defraud the Greenfield Township Sewer Authority by fraudulently converting funds and property of the Sewer Authority for his own personal benefit and for the benefit of a family member, including unlawful payments for a personal cell phone and internet service, fueling of personal vehicles, educational expenses, and unlawful use of Greenfield Township Sewer Authority labor.  Evans, Sr. is also charged with obstructing U.S. Mail correspondence.

“When citizens elect officials at any level, we put our trust in them to act on behalf of their constituents – not against their interests,” said U.S. Attorney Freed.  “Theft, fraud, self-dealing and nepotism are not part of the job description.  And what makes this case worse is the environmental damage inflicted on top of the other crimes.  I commend and appreciate the hard work of our state and local partners in this case and look forward to presenting our case in court.”

“It's a problem when a municipal employee views their job as not just a paycheck, but a personal piggy bank,” said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. “The fraud and serious environmental violations alleged here indicate both a disdain for the rule of law and a clear-cut case of greed. The FBI stands ready to investigate and hold accountable anyone engaged in such criminal activity.”

“Proper operation of sewage treatment plants is essential to protect human health and the environment”, said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Lynn of the EPA Criminal Investigations Division in Pennsylvania. “The EPA holds those accountable for their conduct which puts our communities infrastructure at risk.”

The charges stem from an investigation jointly conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski is prosecuting the case.  

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

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

In this case, the Clean Water Act violations are punishable by up to 3 years’ imprisonment and a sliding scale for fines of $5,000 to $25,000 per violation, per day.  The maximum penalty under the Wire Fraud statute is 20 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.  The maximum penalty under the Obstruction of Correspondence statute is 5 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.  Each crime also carries 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.

 

# # #

WILKES-BARRE - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Tysheen Gott, age 43, of Wilkes-Barre, PA; Damien Julmal Navarro, age 25, of Wilkes-Barre, PA; Robert Thompson, age 44, of Pittston, PA; Jean Almonor, age 44, of Wilkes-Barre, PA; Amanda McPhillips, age 36, of Scranton, PA; Anthony Quamaine Brown, age 37, of Scranton, PA; Tariek Henson Mitchell, age 32, of Plymouth, PA; Juliette Grayson, age 44, of Plymouth, PA; Nicole Ann Bozek, age 31, of Scranton, PA; Susan Marie Kimsel, age 40, of Exeter, PA; and Aisha Maria Stephens, age 39, of Wilkes-Barre, PA, were indicted by a federal grand jury on May 28, 2020, on drug trafficking charges. The indictment was unsealed following the arrests of the defendants.  Mitchell remains at large and is considered a fugitive. 

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base or “crack” in Luzerne County between 2013 and March 2020. The amount of heroin involved in the conspiracy that is attributable to each of the defendants is as follows:

• Tysheen Gott, a/k/a “LB”: in excess of one kilogram of heroin;

• Damien Julmal Navarro: in excess of one kilogram of heroin;

• Robert Thompson, a/k/a “Jeffrey Parker”: in excess of one kilogram of heroin;

• Jean Almonor, a/k/a “Hollywood”: in excess of 100 grams of heroin;

• Amanda McPhillips: in excess of one kilogram of heroin;

• Anthony Quamaine Brown, a/k/a “BX”: in excess of one kilogram of heroin;

• Tariek Henson Mitchell: in excess of one kilogram of heroin;

• Juliette Grayson: in excess of one kilogram of heroin;

• Nicole Ann Bozek: in excess of one kilogram of heroin;

• Susan Marie Kimsel: in excess of 100 grams of heroin; and

• Aisha Maria Stephens: maintaining drug involved premises.

This indictment 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 City 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. Attorney Michelle Olshefski is prosecuting the case.

This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

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.

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

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

The maximum penalty under federal law for the drug trafficking offenses is life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, 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.

 

# # #

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on May 29, 2020, Marlon Valoy De La Rosa, age 21, of Bronx, New York was indicted by a federal grand jury on mail theft, attempted bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and criminal conspiracy charges.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that on January 4, 2020 in the borough of Steelton, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, De La Rosa along with two other individuals, tampered with a U.S. Mail blue collection box using a white rope with an object attached to it to “fish” into the mailbox’s opening.

The indictment also alleges that De La Rosa, along with two other individuals, were in possession of what appeared to be a “washed” check—a check from which the writing had been visibly removed—several debit cards in different names, and a stolen license plate that is believed to have been used for mail fishing.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Steelton Borough Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma 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 attempted bank fraud is punishable by up to 30 years’ imprisonment. Mail theft and conspiracy are each punishable by up to five years in prison. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year sentence consecutive to sentences imposed for other offenses. All three charges 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 on May 28, 2020, Roberto Sanchez, age 42, formerly of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, for conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Sanchez pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute heroin and crack cocaine in Pennsylvania from approximately 2013 through March 2015.  Sanchez admitted to trafficking in excess of five kilograms of cocaine and 10 kilograms of heroin, the latter of which is the equivalent of approximately 400,000 potentially fatal doses of heroin.

Sanchez was originally scheduled for sentencing in August 2017, but failed to appear.  He remained a fugitive until his apprehension, in New York, in March 2019, and has remained in custody since.  The United States seized and forfeited over $54,000 from Sanchez.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phillip J. Caraballo and Sean A. Camoni prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

This case also 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.

 

# # #

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on May 19, 2020, Eliseo Sierra, age 43, of New Jersey, was charged in a criminal information with embezzling over $34,000 from Lincoln Charter School in York, Pennsylvania.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Sierra committed the crime in May 2014, while employed at Lincoln Charter School as a school operations manager.  During that time, the school received grants funded by the U.S Department of Education.           

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli is prosecuting the case.

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

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

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is imprisonment for ten years, 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 May 15, 2020, United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Jason Rodriguez, age 25, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, to 18 months’ imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release, for drug trafficking.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, during June 2018 and February  2019, Rodriguez possessed with the intent to distribute cocaine, heroin and the synthetic opioid, fentanyl.  After his initial June 2018 arrest by state authorities, Rodriguez returned to drug trafficking in February 2019, prompting the initiation of the instant federal case.   

The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Stroud Area Regional Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent 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.

 

# # #

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Brandon Black, age 35, formerly of Etters, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo to 84 months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release for committing armed bank robbery.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Black previously pleaded guilty to robbing the S&T Bank in Camp Hill on August 31, 2018.  Black used a knife during the robbery and took approximately $2,823.         

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Camp Hill Borough Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.

This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

 

# # #

HARRISBURG - U.S. Attorney David J. Freed recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement. The week will be observed Sunday, May 10 through Saturday, May 16, 2020.

In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices.  Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.   

“Today more than ever, even in the face of a dangerous pandemic, the men and women serving our communities as police show up day after day to face uncertain, perilous and even deadly situations, without expectation of thanks – simply because it is their duty,” said U.S. Attorney Freed.  “As the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and a prosecutor for more than 20 years, I have had the incredible privilege to work side by side with these everyday heroes.  Their commitment, sacrifice and dedication deserve our recognition and gratitude.”

“There is no more noble profession than serving as a police officer,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The men and women who protect our communities each day have not just devoted their lives to public service, they’ve taken an oath to give their lives in order to ensure our safety. And they do so not only in the face of hostility from those who reject our nation’s commitment to the rule of law, but also in the face of evolving adversity – such as an unprecedented global health pandemic. This week, I ask all Americans to join me in saying ‘thank you’ to our nation’s federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers. Their devotion and sacrifice to our peace and security will not be taken for granted.”

Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities they swore to serve.

Based on data collected and analyzed by the FBI’s Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 89 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2019, including one officer here in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

Comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing most of the fatal attacks are included in the sections of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2019.

The names of the fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Memorial will be read on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, during a Virtual Annual Candlelight Vigil. Of those, Lieutenant Robert Earl McCallister of the Susquehanna Township Police Department, served our great community.

Because public events have been suspended as a result of COVID-19, the vigil will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 pm (EDT).  The online event can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF.

 

# # #

 

HARRISBURG, PA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Pennsylvania State University has agreed to pay the United States $151,000 to resolve potential liability under the False Claims Act.

According to U.S. Attorney David J. Freed, the investigation arose from alleged mischarges to various grants and contracts from the National Science Foundation, the Department of the Navy, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Air Force.  The grants and contracts were awarded to Penn State in 2012-2017 and the isolated alleged mischarges identified occurred in 2013-2016.

“We are fortunate in the Middle District of Pennsylvania to be the home of a major research university,” said U.S. Attorney Freed.  “Part of the important work that takes place at such institutions involves appropriate management of federal grants and contracts.  When mischarges occur, investigative arms of federal grant-making entities have a responsibility to act to on behalf of the taxpayers.  In this matter, a cooperative investigation among all parties has resulted in a fair settlement and appropriate policy changes to prevent a reoccurrence of such mischarges.”

"The integrity of the DoD grant and contracting process is a top priority for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS)," stated Special Agent in Charge Leigh-Alistair Barzey, DCIS Northeast Field Office.  "The settlement agreement announced today is the result of a joint investigative effort and demonstrates the DCIS' commitment to work with the USAO-MDPA and its law enforcement partners to ensure that claims submitted to the U.S. Department of Defense by academic institutions are reasonable, allocable, allowable and supported by adequate documentation."

"Those who do business with the federal government must ensure they charge the US taxpayer appropriately. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI), along with its law enforcement partners, has, and always will, aggressively investigate and seek justice to protect the USAF procurement process and ensure the trust of the American taxpayer," stated Special Agent-in-Charge Jason T. Hein, OSI, Office of Procurement Fraud for the Air Force.

Pennsylvania State University cooperated with the investigation and has implemented policy changes to prevent mischarges in the future. The settlement agreement is not an admission of liability by Penn State.

This matter was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the NSF Office of Inspector General, the NASA Office of Inspector General, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service.  The investigation was handled by Assistant United States Attorney, Tamara J. Haken and the Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) Unit within the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

 

# # #

Harrisburg – U.S. Attorney David J. Freed announces that in coordination with the Department of Justice, Attorney General William Barr directed U.S. Attorneys across the nation to deploy all available enforcement tools against anyone who tries to capitalize on the current COVID-19 crisis by sexually harassing people in need of housing.  

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, as a result of the measures taken to slow the spread of COVID-19, many Pennsylvanians have lost jobs or wages.  Some tenants may be unable to make rent payments.  While many landlords have responded with understanding, there are reports of landlords across the country who have attempted to exploit the crisis by responding to cash-strapped tenants with demands for sex acts or inappropriate sexual favors.  Such conduct is not only despicable and wrong, it is illegal.

The Department of Justice brings cases each year involving unlawful landlord conduct, including allegations that defendants requested sexual favors in exchange for reduced rents or making necessary repairs, made unrelenting and unwanted sexual advances to tenants, and evicted tenants who resisted their sexual overtures.

"Sexual harassment in housing egregiously violates a person’s right to fair housing," said U.S. Attorney Freed.  "We will not tolerate opportunistic landlords or property managers using the coronavirus crisis as an opportunity to extort sexual acts, or even commit assaults, against vulnerable tenants struggling to pay rent. Our office is dedicated to uncovering such violations where they exist and vigorously enforcing the law."

Anyone who has experienced sexual harassment in housing, or knows someone who has, should contact the Civil Rights Division by calling 1-(844) 380-6178 or emailing fairhousing@usdoj.gov.  Individuals may also present a complaint to the Civil Rights coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania by calling 717-614-4911 or emailing usapam.civil.rights@usdoj.gov.

More information about the Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is available on its webpage at https://www.justice.gov/crt/sexual-harassment-housing-initiative.

 

# # #

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a Wyoming County dentist, Christopher Bereznak, age 50, of Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on April 20, 2020, by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to a term of imprisonment of time served, approximately eight and a half months, on unlawful drug distribution charges.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, In August 2019, after a 7-day trial, a federal jury found Bereznak guilty on eight counts of unlawfully distributing controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.  It was alleged at trial that Bereznak initiated a sexual relationship with a young woman after answering her ad posted on Craig’s list wherein the young woman advertised that she was looking for a “sugar daddy.”  Bereznak answered the young woman’s ad and thereafter initiated an intimate and sexual relationship with her. The relationship involved Bereznak providing prescriptions for controlled substances for the young woman in exchange for intimacy and sex.  Bereznak’s sexual and unlawful relationship with the young woman was evidenced to the jury, in part, through the introduction of approximately 1,000 text messages between the two.

In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Mariani ordered that Bereznak be supervised by a probation officer for three years following his release from prison, and also imposed a $5,000 fine.

Bereznak’s license to practice dentistry in Pennsylvania has been suspended and his DEA registration has been revoked.

The charges stem from an investigation initiated by Drug Diversion Agents located in Scranton, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Scranton, the Olyphant Police Department, and the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Olshefski and Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.

 

# # #

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania joins with the Justice Department to raise public awareness of victims’ rights in observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

“Every year, millions of Americans suffer the shock and trauma of criminal victimization, affecting their well-being and sense of security and dignity,” said Attorney General William P. Barr.  “To these victims, we affirm our unwavering commitment to supporting them in their hour of need.  We also commend the thousands of victim advocates and public safety professionals who labor tirelessly to secure victims’ rights and support survivors.”

“There is no greater honor for a prosecutor than to speak on behalf of a victim of crime,” said U.S. Attorney David J. Freed. “There can be no justice if the rights of victims of crime are not upheld.  We are proud to join with our federal, state and local partners to commemorate Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2020.”

“While we have made tremendous progress driving down crime and violence across the country, far too many Americans continue to suffer the pain and loss of criminal victimization,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs.  “This week, we stand by these survivors and their families, and we pledge our ongoing support to the countless men and women who serve them with such extraordinary skill and compassion.”

Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first Victims’ Rights Week in 1981, putting crime victims' rights, needs, and concerns in a prominent spot on the American agenda.  He also established the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime, which laid the groundwork for a national network of services and legal safeguards for crime victims.  President Trump and his administration have implemented historic levels of support for victim assistance and victim compensation.

Some 3.3 million Americans age 12 and older were victims of violent crime in 2018, according to the National Crime Victimization Survey.  The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), part of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs, supports more than 7,000 local victim assistance programs and victim compensation programs in every state and U.S. territory.  Funds for these programs come from the Crime Victims Fund, which is made up of federal criminal fines, penalties and bond forfeitures.

During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, victim advocacy organizations, community groups and state, local and tribal agencies traditionally host rallies, candlelight vigils, and other events to raise awareness of victims’ rights and services.  This year, many communities are organizing virtual gatherings and online public awareness campaigns.

This year’s commemoration began yesterday, 25 years to the day when a truck bomb exploded in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, taking the lives of 168 people, including 19 children, as well as injuring hundreds of others.  The mass murder remains the worst act of domestic terrorism in our nation’s history and led to the establishment of the Antiterrorism Emergency Reserve, which is administered by OVC, and has been used to provide direct services to hundreds of victims of mass violence and terrorism.

“Crime victims deserve to know that they have the encouragement and support of the American people,” said OVC Director Jessica E. Hart.  “I hope that citizens throughout the nation will take the opportunity this week to remember all victims of crime and their heroic stories of survival.  I encourage everyone to also find meaningful ways to express their appreciation to the many committed and compassionate service providers across the country who work tirelessly supporting these survivors.”

This year, the annual National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Ceremony will be postponed until a time when we can honor this year’s award recipients in person.  During the ceremony, OVC will present awards recognizing individuals and organizations from across the nation for their outstanding service on behalf of crime victims.  The awardees will be selected from public nominations in 11 categories, including federal service, special courage, public policy, and victim services.  Visit www.ovc.gov/gallery to learn more about past recipients.

For more information on how to create your own public campaigns to raise awareness about crime victims’ rights online and at events throughout the year, please visit: https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw2020/overview.html.

 

# # #

 

HARRISBURG – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that three Canadian men were sentenced on April 15, 2020, for their roles in a bogus sweepstakes scam that defrauded 45 victims across the United States out of $302,045.

Konstantine Filippas, age 74, Michael Dissos, age 68, and Michael Pare, age 55, all from the greater Montreal, Canada area, were sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner after pleading guilty last year to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud charges. Dissos and Pare received a sentence of time served of approximately nine months each, and Filippas was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment. 

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, all three defendants were indicted in 2014, along with four other alleged co-conspirators.  The seven defendants allegedly defrauded approximately 65 victims, most of whom were elderly, for losses exceeding $1.2 million.  Filippas, Dissos and Pare were eventually extradited from Canada to the Middle District of Pennsylvania last summer. The defendants admitted during their guilty plea proceedings to allowing their Canadian bank accounts to be used to receive monies sent by victims who were lead to believe they had won substantial winnings in a fictitious sweepstakes contest.  The defendants also admitted to cashing out Western Union and MoneyGram money transfers sent by some victims.

Chief Judge Conner also ordered Dissos to pay $34,080, Pare to pay $90,745, and Filippas to pay $177,220 in restitution to the 45 victims. Chief Judge Conner further ordered Dissos and Pare to self-deport back to Canada within seven days of their release from custody.

The case was investigated by the Harrisburg Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Kim Douglas Daniel is prosecuting the case.

# # #

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that today the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ordered the reinstatement of a jury’s convictions of Willie Tyler, age 68, formerly of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, of witness tampering by murder and witness tampering by intimidation.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the case involved the brutal murder of a law enforcement confidential informant from the Carlisle area.  The victim was scheduled to testify in Cumberland County Court against David Tyler, the brother of the defendant, on the day of her murder.  Willie Tyler planned to murder the victim, along with four other individuals, who were convicted for their role in the murder in previous federal and state court proceedings.

Tyler was first tried in state court in 1994, and acquitted of the murder.  The case was then adopted for federal prosecution, and Tyler was convicted after a federal jury trial in 1996.  The Third Circuit overturned Tyler’s conviction, and he was convicted again following a re-trial in 2000.  In 2013, the Third Circuit overturned the 2000 conviction in light of a change in the law and remanded the case to the district court for a new trial.  Tyler was then tried and convicted for the third time in July 2017.  The jury returned its verdict after two hours of deliberation following a four-day trial.

In February 2018, the district court vacated the jury’s verdict, concluding that there was not sufficient evidence to support the convictions.  Today, the Third Circuit reversed the district court’s decision and remanded with instructions to reinstate the jury’s verdict and proceed to sentencing.  Tyler’s conviction for witness tampering by murder carries a mandatory life sentence.

“Today we are one week shy of 28 years from the exact date that Doreen Proctor was beaten and murdered by the drug dealers that preyed upon her community,” said U.S. Attorney Freed.  “Through one trial at the state level and three trials followed by years of appeals at the federal level, the dedicated law enforcement officers and prosecutors working on this case have never faltered in their efforts to achieve justice for Doreen.  While it is certainly likely that more appeals are on the immediate horizon, we are pleased that this conviction has been reinstated and will continue to pursue this case until the end.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and the Pennsylvania State Police with cooperation from the Carlisle Police Department. The case was prosecuted at the trial level by Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea Schinnour and Joseph J. Terz and Special Assistant United States Attorney Gordon A. Zubrod.  Assistant United States Attorneys Carlo D. Marchioli and Stephen R. Cerutti handled the appeal.

 

# # #

$743,821 Available to Middle District of Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG– The Department of Justice announced that it is making $850 million available to help public safety agencies respond to the challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19. The Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump, will allow eligible state, local and tribal governments to apply immediately for these critical funds. The department is moving quickly to make awards, with the goal of having funds available for drawdown within days of the award.

According to U.S. Attorney David J. Freed, over $740,000 is available to the Middle District of Pennsylvania with monies destined for Dauphin, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, and York Counties and the cities of Harrisburg, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Williamsport and York for preventing, preparing for, and responding to the coronavirus by helping with overtime, supplies and prisoner medical needs.

“When this grant was announced, I immediately shared the details with our trusted District Attorney partners in each of the named counties” said U.S. Attorney Freed. “Our philosophy, whether with law enforcement or community engagement resources, is to target areas in the district with the greatest needs.  These vital dollars will go directly to supporting the important work of public health and safety of entire communities, including people in prison or detention.” 

“This is an unprecedented moment in our nation’s history and an especially dangerous one for our front-line law enforcement officers, corrections officials, and public safety professionals,” said Office of Justice Programs Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “We are grateful to the Congress for making these resources available and for the show of support this program represents.”

The solicitation, posted by the Bureau of Justice Assistance in the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will remain open for at least 60 days and be extended as necessary. OJP will fund successful applicants as a top priority on a rolling basis as applications are received. Funds may be used to hire personnel, pay overtime costs, cover protective equipment and supplies, address correctional inmates’ medical needs and defray expenses related to the distribution of resources to hard-hit areas, among other activities. Grant funds may be applied retroactively to Jan. 20, 2020, subject to federal supplanting rules.

Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for this emergency funding. A complete list of eligible jurisdictions and their allocations can be found at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/fy20-cesf-allocations.

For more information about the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, please visit https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-18553. For more information about the Office of Justice Programs, please visit https://www.ojp.gov/.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

 

# # #

HARRISBURG – U.S. Attorney David J. Freed today released the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania’s 2019 Annual Report. 
    
U.S. Attorney Freed stated, “we seek to provide transparency and accountability by publicly reporting on our work each year. In 2019, we worked on cases and initiatives to further our goal of improving the quality of life for the people of our district. The lawyers and support professionals in our Harrisburg, Scranton and Williamsport Offices, along with our partner agencies, achieved significant accomplishments this year. This report is representative of the Office’s yearly casework and initiatives.”  Among them are:

• 325 criminal cases filed against 413 defendants;
• 799 cases handled by the Civil Division;
• Collected over $15 million in criminal and civil actions, far exceeding our operating budget;
• $150 million in grants for various projects in the Middle District of PA;
• Continued to participate in reentry programs such as CARE Court, and the York Group Violence Initiative; and
• Organized and participated in community events, including York City community walk, and National Night Out.

“I am extremely proud to issue our 2019 Annual Report,” said U.S. Attorney Freed.  “The report shows an innovative, effective and efficient operation, highlighted by our many successes in Court, our community outreach efforts, our recovery of tax dollars and our continuing and valuable partnerships with state and local entities.  I encourage everyone to spend some time with this document to get a full picture of our challenging work.”

# # #

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Corbin Kauffman, age 31, of Lehighton, Pennsylvania, was charged on March 27, 2020, by a criminal information with interstate transmission of threats to injure the person of another.  Kauffman was originally charged by a criminal complaint on April 1, 2019.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, The criminal information alleges that Kauffman posted a threatening image on a social media website on March 13, 2019.  The image was a digitally-created image of Kauffman’s arm and hand aiming an AR-15 rifle at a congregation of praying Jewish men, gathered in what appears to be a synagogue.  Kauffman used various aliases online to post hundreds of anti-Semitic, anti-black, and anti-Muslim messages, images, and videos.  Several of these posts, like the one charged in the information, included threats to various religious and racial groups.  Other posts expressed a desire to commit genocide and “hate crimes,” and called for or depicted images of the killing of Jewish people, black people, and Muslim people.  Kauffman also created and posted videos combining footage of a mass shooting at a Christchurch, New Zealand mosque with various audio tracks to celebrate the shooting, including video game sound effects and music.

Kauffman also posted pictures of acts of vandalism he committed, including the defacement of a display case at the Chabad Lubavitch Jewish Center in Ocean City, Maryland with white supremacist and anti-Semitic stickers.  Kauffman faces additional state charges in Pennsylvania and potentially in Maryland for those acts.

“Pennsylvanians know all too well how dangerous these kinds of white supremacist threats can be,” said U.S. Attorney Freed.  “The last thing we want is to see another tragedy like we saw at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, or at Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch, or at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston.  We don’t know what might have happened, but we take these threats seriously, and I commend the FBI for their vigilance and quick action in this case.”

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni is prosecuting the case.

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

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

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 5 years of imprisonment for each violation, 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.

 

# # #

HARRISBURG – U.S. Attorney David J. Freed of the Middle District of Pennsylvania today urged the public to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or to the NCDF e-mail address disaster@leo.gov.

In coordination with the Department of Justice, Attorney General William Barr has directed U.S. Attorneys to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of Coronavirus fraud schemes. The NCDF Hotline can receive and enter complaints into a centralized system that can be accessed by all U.S. Attorneys, as well as Justice Department litigating and law enforcement components to identify, investigate and prosecute fraud schemes.

“As with any crisis, there are criminals who will try to use the situation to their advantage,” said U.S. Attorney Freed.  “All of law enforcement is united to help our fellow citizens during this difficult time.  The NCDF Hotline will allow us to get the jump on fraudsters and shut them down as quickly as possible.”

Some examples of these schemes include:

• Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud;
• Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
• Malicious websites and apps that appear to share Coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received;
• Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations; and
• Medical providers obtaining patient information for COVID-19 testing and then using that information to fraudulently bill for other tests and procedures.      

In a memorandum to U.S. Attorneys issued March 19, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen also directed each U.S. Attorney to appoint a Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator to serve as the legal counsel for the federal judicial district on matters relating to the Coronavirus, direct the prosecution of Coronavirus-related crimes, and to conduct outreach and awareness activities.  The Middle District of Pennsylvania’s Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator is AUSA Phillip Caraballo.

The NCDF can receive and enter complaints into a centralized system that can be accessed by all U.S. Attorneys, as well as Justice Department litigating and law enforcement components to identify, investigate and prosecute fraud schemes.  The NCDF coordinates complaints with 16 additional federal law enforcement agencies, as well as state Attorneys General and local authorities.

To find more about Department of Justice resources and information, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

# # #

HARRISBURG – U.S. Attorney David J. Freed for the Middle District of Pennsylvania today announced that more than $60 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities address public safety by supporting successful reentry of adult and juvenile offenders into their communities.

“While we will never abdicate our duty to keep law abiding citizens safe, we also have a duty to those who have paid their debt to society,” said U.S. Attorney Freed.  “We encourage eligible entities to take advantage of these grants to help ease the process of Reentry.”

“Our nation is facing difficult public safety challenges that demand strong and immediate action. The high rate of recidivism poses a dire threat to community safety and is being met with a robust response by this Administration,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this persistent challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”

The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including adult and juvenile reentry initiatives and research projects designed to improve our knowledge of what works in reentry programming. 

A number of funding opportunities are currently open, with several more opening in the near future. 

Correctional Adult Reentry Education, Employment, and Recidivism Reduction Strategies Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17104

Total Available $7.2 million                                       Deadline 4/27/2020

 

Improving Community Supervision Outcomes Through Swift, Certain, and Fair Responses

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17096

Total Available $3 million                                          Deadline 4/28/2020

 

Improving Reentry for People with Substance Use Disorders Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/SCASUD20

Total Available $13.2 million                                     Deadline 4/27/2020    

 

Innovations in Reentry Initiative: Building System Capacity & Testing Strategies to Reduce Recidivism

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17281

Total Available $4 million                                          Deadline 5/4/2020

 

Research and Evaluation on Promising Reentry Initiativeshttps://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17295

Total Available $6 million                                         Deadline 5/5/2020      

 

Review and Validation of the First Step Act Risk Assessment Tool https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-fsa

Total Available: Determined after selection               Deadline 4/10/2020

 

Second Chance Act Community-Based Reentry Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17110

Total Available $13.5 million                                     Deadline 5/4/2020

 

Second Chance Act Evaluation Participation Support

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17680

Total Available $4 million                                         Deadline 4/28/2020

 

Second Chance Act Youth Offender Reentry Program

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh176/files/media/document/ojjdp-2020-17350.pdf

Total Available $7 million                                          Deadline 4/28/2020

           

For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities

 

# # #

 

 

HARRISBURG – U.S. Attorney David J. Freed for the Middle District of Pennsylvania today announced that more than $83 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities improve school security and protect students, teachers and faculty from threats of violence.

“We know that school districts across the Middle District of Pennsylvania are committed to ensuring the safety of their students,” said U.S. Attorney Freed. “These grants have the potential to allow districts to take their preparations to the next level in guarding against threats both large and small.”

“School violence is no longer an abstract threat but has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities. Moving to meet this challenge is among the Administration’s top domestic priorities,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”

The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including programs designed to tighten school security and improve the reporting of threats. 

A number of funding opportunities for school safety are currently open, with another opening in the near future: 

Research and Evaluation on School Safety

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17308

Total Available $5 million                                         Deadline 4/13/2020    

STOP Act School Violence Program (FY20)

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17308

Total Available $71.4 million                                     Deadline 4/13/2020

Strategies to Support Children Exposed to Violence  

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17926

Total Available $7 million                                           Deadline 4/27/2020

For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities

 

# # #

 

 

HARRISBURG – U.S. Attorney David J. Freed of the Middle District of Pennsylvania, today announced that more than $65 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities combat human trafficking and serve adults and children who are victimized in trafficking operations.

“While we have come a long way in our ability to recognize and prosecute cases of human trafficking, there is more work to be done especially in the area of both prevention of human trafficking and services to victims of human trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Freed.  “These grant opportunities will have a direct positive impact on those who have suffered at the hands of traffickers.”

“Our nation is facing difficult challenges, none more pressing than the scourge of human trafficking. Human traffickers pose a dire threat to public safety and countering this threat remains one of the Administration’s top domestic priorities,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight against this insidious crime. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”

The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including programs that support human trafficking task forces and services for human trafficking survivors. 

A number of funding opportunities are currently open, with several more opening in the near future. 

Missing and Exploited Children Training and Technical Assistance Program

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17351

Total Available $1.8 million                                      Deadline 4/6/2020 (Extended)

Multidisciplinary Task Force Program to Combat Human Trafficking

Total Available $22 million                                       Opens week of 3/16/2020

Preventing Trafficking of Girls

Total Available $1.7 million                                       Opens week of 3/16/2020

Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons   https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17324

Total Available $2.5 million                                       Deadline 4/20/2020   

Services for Victims of Human Trafficking

Total Available $16.5 million                                     Opens week of 3/16/2020

Specialized Training and Technical Assistance on Housing for Victims of Human Trafficking                                                                Total Available $2 million                                     Opens week of 3/16/2020

Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Program

Total Available $5 million                                          Opens week of 3/16/2020

Improving Outcomes for Child and Youth Victims of Human Trafficking                          

Total Available $6 million                                          Opens week of 3/16/2020

Integrated Services for Minor Victims of Labor Trafficking

Total Available $8 million                                          Opens week of 3/16/2020

For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities

 

# # #

HARRISBURG – U.S. Attorney David J. Freed for the Middle District of Pennsylvania today announced that more than $163 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities address America’s addiction crisis.

“This round of funding creates exciting opportunities for local courts, governments and non-profit entities,” said U.S. Attorney Freed. “In particular, the funding for specialty courts, prescription drug monitoring and mentoring programs goes directly to programs that have been shown to produce successful outcomes.  We urge our local partners to take advantage of these opportunities.”

“Our nation is facing the difficult challenge of curbing substance addiction, which threatens public safety and is among the Administration’s top domestic priorities,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”

The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including programs designed to prevent overdose deaths and break the cycle of addiction and crime. 

A number of funding opportunities that address the addiction crisis are currently open: 

Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17098

Total Available $1.75 million                                     Deadline 5/14/2020    

Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/COSSAP20

Total Available $27 million                                        Deadline 5/21/2020

Enhancing Community Responses to America's Addiction Crisis: Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims

https://www.ovc.gov/grants/pdftxt/fy-2020-enhancing-community-responses-to-drug-crisis.pdf

Total Available: $19 million                                       Deadline: 5/4/2020        

Family Drug Court Program

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17090

Total Available $18.2 million                                     Deadline 4/8/2020 (Extended)

Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17754

Total Available $28.1                                                 Deadline 5/5/2020

Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17051

Total Available $7.2 million                                       Deadline 4/13/2020 (Extended)

Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-16930

Total Available $48 million                                        Deadline 4/13/2020  

Opioid Affected Youth Initiative

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17352

Total Available $9 million                                          Deadline 4/20/2020

Research and Evaluation on Drugs and Crime          

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17275

Total Available $1 million                                          Deadline 4/20/2020                            

Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners

https://bja.ojp.gov/RSAT20

Total Available $4.5 million                                       Deadline 4/6/2020

For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities

 

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Corey Foster, age 36, of Edwardsville, Pennsylvania, was indicted in October 2019, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges. The case was recently unsealed.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Foster conspired to traffic in excess of 40 grams of fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl between February 2018 and February 2019, in Luzerne County.  Foster also was charged with distributing fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl on January 30, February 3, and February 25, 2019, and with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl on February 26, 2019.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Luzerne Country Drug Task Force, and the Kingston Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

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.

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

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

The maximum penalty under federal law for the most serious offense is 40 years of imprisonment, including a five-year mandatory term of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

 

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anthony Rankins, age 38, William Barton, age 38, Michael Adams, age 42, Denzel Swan, age 36, Dorral Basknight, age 40, and Furman Dennis, age 38, all of York County, Pennsylvania, were indicted on March 4, 2020, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the 14-count indictment alleges that the six men distributed and conspired to distribute more than 280 grams of cocaine base between March 27, 2019, and December 19, 2019, in York County.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the York City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Johnny Baer is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent 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.

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

 

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on March 12, 2020, United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Kerry Sprouse, age 23, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, to 24 months’ imprisonment for drug trafficking.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Sprouse distributed and possessed with the intent to distribute cocaine in February 2016, in Monroe County, Pennsylvania.  Sprouse previously admitted during his guilty plea, to having distributed between 100 and 200 grams of cocaine as part of his trafficking activities.         

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

# # #

The Department of Justice announced today that the Western Union Remission Fund began its first distribution of approximately $153 million in funds forfeited to the U.S. government from the Western Union Company (Western Union) to over 109,000 victims located in the United States and abroad. These victims, many of whom were elderly victims of consumer fraud and abuse, will be recovering the full amount of their losses.

“The $153 million distribution announced today brings some measure of justice for the elderly and other victims who were financially harmed by the fraudulent schemes in this case,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.  “The department remains resolute in its efforts to not only prevent fraud from occurring in the first place, but also to find and return ill-gotten gains.”

“Money Transfer Businesses such as Western Union are particularly susceptible to misuse by scammers,” said U.S. Attorney David J. Freed for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.  “In nearly every case of this nature that we have encountered in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, money transfer businesses are used to facilitate the crimes.  Working together with MLARS and the skilled and dedicated investigators of the Postal Inspection Service, we have achieved outstanding results – bringing fraudsters to justice and holding businesses such as Western Union accountable.  In addition to increased fraud detection and protections, an integral part of that accountability involves Western Union making victims whole.  $153 Million is a good start.”

“The losses and the number of victims in this case are staggering.  This initial disbursement will provide relief to more than 100,000 individuals, who lost $153 million,” said Assistant Postal Inspector in Charge John Walker of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Philadelphia Division.  “Some lost their life’s savings as a result of these scammers.  Postal Inspectors continue to be out front when it comes to investigating these con men and in protecting American citizens from them.  Today, we are happy to play a third role — returning money to those who were scammed.  Delivering justice, and in this case, delivering restitution.”

“Western Union turned a blind eye to the fraudulent payments made through its money transfer system,” said Andrew Smith, Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.  “We’re glad to be returning money to those consumers who were ripped off by fraudsters exploiting the Western Union system, and we will not tolerate Western Union or other payments companies facilitating fraud.”   

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

In this case, fraudsters specifically targeted seniors through primarily three distinct scams.  First, in grandparent scams, the fraudster would pose as the victim’s relative, usually a grandchild, in need of immediate money to avoid personal harm such as a payment for medical expenses or ambulatory transportation.  Second, in lottery or sweepstakes scams, victims received phone calls telling them that they had won large cash prizes but had to pay fees such as taxes to claim the prize.  Many of these victims were re-victimized several times, as they were told to transfer large sums of money in multiple transactions on the promise that they would receive their prizes.  Third, romance scams preyed on seniors searching for love or companionship on the internet.  These victims were lulled into believing that their online love interest needed funds for a visit to the United States or some other purpose.

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

This first round of payments is one of several expected to occur in the Western Union remission.  The Department of Justice sent petitions for remission to over 500,000 potential victims of the Western Union fraud and anticipates authorizing compensation for many more victims in the coming months. 

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

More information about the Western Union remission and its compensation to victims is available on the Western Union remission website at www.westernunionremission.com.  Further questions may be directed to the Western Union Remission Administrator by phone at 844-319-2124 or by email at info@WesternUnionRemission.com.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

HARRISBURG – U.S. Attorney David J. Freed joined Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, in announcing that the Western Union Remission Fund began its first distribution of approximately $153 million in funds forfeited to the U.S. government from the Western Union Company (Western Union) to over 109,000 victims located in the United States and abroad.  These victims, many of whom included elderly victims of consumer fraud and abuse, will be recovering the full amount of their losses.

 “Money Transfer Businesses such as Western Union are particularly susceptible to misuse by scammers,” said U.S. Attorney David J. Freed for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.  “In nearly every case of this nature that we have encountered in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, money transfer businesses are used to facilitate the crimes.  Working together with MLARS and the skilled and dedicated investigators of the Postal Inspection Service, we have achieved outstanding results – bringing fraudsters to justice and holding businesses such as Western Union accountable.  In addition to increased fraud detection and protections, an integral part of that accountability involves Western Union making victims whole.  $153 Million is a good start.”

“The $153 million distribution announced today brings some measure of justice for the elderly and other victims who were financially harmed by the fraudulent schemes in this case,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.  “The Department remains resolute in its efforts to not only prevent fraud from occurring in the first place, but also to find and return ill-gotten gains.”

 “The losses and the number of victims in this case are staggering.  This initial disbursement will provide relief to more than 100,000 individuals, who lost $153 million,” said Assistant Postal Inspector in Charge John Walker of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Philadelphia Division.  “Some lost their life’s savings as a result of these scammers.  Postal Inspectors continue to be out front when it comes to investigating these con men and in protecting American citizens from them.  Today, we are happy to play a third role—returning money to those who were scammed.  Delivering justice, and in this case, delivering restitution.”

“Western Union turned a blind eye to the fraudulent payments made through its money transfer system,” said Andrew Smith, Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.  “We’re glad to be returning money to those consumers who were ripped off by fraudsters exploiting the Western Union system, and we will not tolerate Western Union or other payments companies facilitating fraud.”   

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

In this case, fraudsters specifically targeted seniors through primarily three distinct scams.  First, in grandparent scams, the fraudster would pose as the victim’s relative, usually a grandchild, in need of immediate money to avoid personal harm such as a payment for medical expenses or ambulatory transportation.  Second, in lottery or sweepstakes scams, victims received phone calls telling them that they had won large cash prizes but had to pay fees such as taxes to claim the prize.  Many of these victims were re-victimized several times, as they were told to transfer large sums of money in multiple transactions on the promise that they would receive their prizes.  Third, romance scams preyed on seniors searching for love or companionship on the internet.  These victims were lulled into believing that their online love interest needed funds for a visit to the United States or some other purpose.

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

This first round of payments is one of several expected to occur in the Western Union remission.  The Department of Justice sent petitions for remission to over 500,000 potential victims of the Western Union fraud and anticipates authorizing compensation for many more victims in the coming months. 

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

More information about the Western Union remission and its compensation to victims is available on the Western Union remission website at www.westernunionremission.com.  Further questions may be directed to the Western Union Remission Administrator by phone at 844-319-2124 or by email at info@WesternUnionRemission.com.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

# # #

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that ten previously deported aliens were indicted separately on March 4, 2020, by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States. These matters arose in counties throughout the District including Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Northumberland, and York Counties.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Heriberto Garcia-Juarez, age 26, of Guatemala, was previously deported from the United States to Guatemala in April 2018.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after April 2018, and was found in the United States in Franklin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Carlos Garcia-Enriquez, age 40, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in April 2016.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after April 2016, and was found in the United States in York County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Gerardo Say-Lopez, age 40, of Guatemala, was previously deported from the United States to Guatemala in December 2018.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after December 2018, and was found in the United States in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Manuel Ibarra-Sustaita, age 38, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in April 2016.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after April 2016, and was found in the United States in York County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Noe Andres Escarcia-Ortega, age 30, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in September 2018.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after September 2018, and was found in the United States in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Laureano Melgoza-Zambrano, age 28, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in October 2006. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after October 2006, and was found in the United States in York County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Adrian Avina-Quinones, age 35, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in July 2008.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after July 2008, and was found in the United States in Adams County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Augusto Garay-Junco, age 38, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in July 2018.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after July 2018, and was found in the United States in York County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Garcia-Juarez, Garcia-Enriquez, Gerardo Say-Lopez, Ibarra-Sustaita, Escarcia-Ortega, Melgoza-Zambrano, Avina-Quinones and Garay-Junco face a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. 

Anacleto Ruiz-Ruiz, age 34, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in September 2012.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after September 2012, and was found in the United States in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Oscar Campos-Lara, age 39, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in March 2019.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States again sometime after March 2019, and was found in the United States in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Ruiz-Ruiz and Campos-Lara face a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. 

These cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).  Assistant United States Attorney Joanne Sanderson is prosecuting the cases.

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 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.

 

# # #

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Mikal Jones, age 22, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on March 4, 2020, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Jones possessed marijuana with the intent to distribute on April 11, 2019, in Harrisburg City. The indictment further states that he possessed a firearm during and in relation to his drug trafficking activities.

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

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.

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

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

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

 

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