Eastern District of Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to four years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.

According to court documents, on Sept. 24, 2023, a Virginia State Police (VSP) trooper observed Jayquan Jermaine Harris, 30, run a red light and attempted a traffic stop. Harris accelerated, driving approximately 65 miles per hour in a residential area in the rain. Harris continued to flee for over 13 miles, driving more than double the speed limit, running stop signs, backing into the police car, and traveling on the wrong side of the road.

Harris eventually entered I-95 northbound, traveling at over 100 miles per hour before running into the median and striking a wall. After the vehicle came to a stop, the trooper approached the car and observed a plastic bag containing suspected narcotics between the cupholders and the right passenger seat. The suspected drugs were tested and confirmed to be 5.59 grams of a solid containing cocaine, 7.73 grams of powder containing cocaine, and 9.31 grams of powder containing fentanyl.

In 2021, as law enforcement performed a traffic stop of a vehicle, Harris and another passenger exited the vehicle and fled. Officers found a bag in the backseat of the car with 10 grams of crack cocaine, 17 grams of heroin, 20 grams of marijuana, and Harris’ identification card. Harris was convicted in February 2023 of two counts of possession with intent to distribute Schedule I or Schedule II controlled substances. Harris was in custody until Sept. 5, 2023, less than three weeks before he committed the offense for which he was sentenced today.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Wright and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Hubbard, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-54.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) deputy was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for conspiring to distribute drugs and other contraband to an inmate at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center (Fairfax ADC) in exchange for bribe payments, as well as to women whom the defendant sexually trafficked out of an apartment he rented for his own financial gain and sexual gratification.

According to court documents, from May 2021 to June 21, 2023, Robert Theodore Sanford Jr., 37, was a correctional officer at Fairfax ADC, which holds detainees being held both pre- and post-trial in Fairfax County, Virginia. From December. 2022 through May 2023, Sanford smuggled contraband into Fairfax ADC and provided the contraband and confidential, law-enforcement-sensitive information to an inmate. The contraband included a cell phone and distribution quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and Suboxone. Sanford also supplied latex gloves and glue to the inmate to help conceal the contraband. The inmate then trafficked the drugs to other inmates.

Outside Fairfax ADC, Sanford procured drugs from the inmate’s associates. In addition to the drugs Sanford smuggled into Fairfax ADC, Sanford distributed drugs to women who lived in and prostituted themselves out of an apartment that Sanford leased.

“Robert Sanford preyed on the vulnerabilities of people in his care,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “His corruption didn’t stop with profiting from feeding the addictions of inmates in his charge. Rather than assisting homeless and addicted members of his community, Sanford used drugs to entrap them in a life of prostitution for his own gain.”

Sanford provided the inmate with information such as advance warning of cell searches by deputies, cell blocks to which deputies were proceeding in those searches, whether deputies would be conducting strip searches, and where drug-sniffing dogs were being utilized. Sanford also provided the inmate with information regarding other inmates, including which inmates might be providing information to law enforcement, which assisted Sanford’s co-conspirator in intimidating potential witnesses.

"Robert Sanford violated his oath as a sworn law enforcement officer by distributing contraband, drugs, and confidential information to inmates, who then trafficked the drugs into the detention center,” said David Geist, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. “Additionally, he placed the lives of inmates and his law enforcement peers in danger. Sanford threatened the security of the community and abused the public trust."

“I am incredibly grateful for the diligent efforts of our F.C.S.O. investigators and their federal colleagues that uncovered corruption that put deputies and inmates at extreme risk,” said Stacey A. Kincaid, Fairfax County Sheriff. “This criminal conduct within the A.D.C. is unacceptable and we will relentlessly pursue those who abuse their positions of trust for personal gain. We express our thanks to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI for their collaboration and partnership in bringing this criminal to justice.”

On May 4, 2023, FCSO deputies at Fairfax ADC conducted a strip search of Sanford’s co-conspirator, and in the inmate’s long underwear deputies found a cellphone, two charging cables, one portable cellular phone charger, one USB charging brick, 92 counterfeit oxycodone pills, 174 strips of Suboxone, and over three grams of cocaine. The following day, Sanford was informed of the seizure during roll call. Sanford removed his cash tag name and personal email address from the CashApp account he used to receive bribe payments for smuggling contraband into Fairfax ADC. He also stopped sending messages and making calls to the inmate and other conspirators and deleted related messages. Within two weeks of FCSO discovering the contraband, Sanford began the process of resigning from his job, falsely telling FCSO that childcare challenges were the reason for his resignation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather D. Call prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-110.

RICHMOND, Va. – U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis hosted a Safe Housing Summit in Richmond on Sept. 16 focused on combatting sexual misconduct, promoting environmental justice, and protecting the civil rights of residents in HUD-assisted housing.

The summit was attended by representatives from a number of organizations, including the Richmond Redevelopment Housing Authority, Virginia Organizing, Community Climate Collaborative, Legal Aid Justice Center, Richmond Tenants Union, Storefront for Community Design, Virginia Environmental Justice Collaborative, Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) of Virginia, Virginia Poverty Law Center, Discoverself Fellowship, United Communities Against Crime, and the University of Richmond.

“The Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office play an important role in fulfilling the promise of HUD-assisted housing,” said U.S. Attorney Aber. “We are very pleased to be joined by community groups and residents, providing an opportunity both to listen to their concerns and to share with them information regarding resources and recourse. Our message today is that the law is on your side and assistance is available to you.”

“Along with the strong commitment from U.S. Attorney Aber, community outreach events like we hosted today in Richmond allow HUD OIG to amplify for HUD tenants and applicants seeking housing that they have a right to housing that is void of sexual misconduct, and safe from lead and environmental hazards,” said Inspector General Oliver Davis. “We remain committed to investigating those who risk the health and safety of HUD-assisted families or who victimize vulnerable people receiving HUD assistance with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

Participants discussed the Justice Department’s environmental justice enforcement strategy. In particular, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prioritizes cases that will reduce harm to public health and the environment for overburdened and underserved communities, and lead paint is a matter of priority for HUD OIG. Participants discussed the Environmental Protection Agency’s mapping of environmental justice indicators like lead paint across the Eastern District of Virginia.

The event also featured a presentation on combatting sexual harassment in housing through civil and criminal enforcement of the Fair Housing Act. Participants discussed how to identify sexual harassment affecting or impairing housing rights, from quid pro quo demands to a hostile housing environment, and covered various options for enforcing those rights, either privately, through administrative remedies within HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, or via criminal charges. Participants learned about the case of Joseph Centanni, a New Jersey Section 8 landlord who agreed to pay $4.5 million in a civil enforcement action relating to numerous accusations of demands for sexual acts from tenants.

The summit also addressed the enforcement of civil rights laws in housing.  The discussion centered on criminal enforcement of the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits violence or threats of violence on the basis of race or other protected categories to deny a resident’s enjoyment of a housing right, such as leasing or occupying a dwelling. One recent example from the Eastern District of Virginia is the prosecution of David L. Merryman, a landlord in Hampton and Newport News, for fraud, identity theft, and multiple civil rights offenses. In his guilty plea, Merryman admitted to acts of violence and numerous threats to tenants on account of their race. The presentation from the U.S. Attorney’s Office noted that race-based interference with fair housing is the most frequently charged hate crime statute in the United States.

If you have or someone you know has information about environmental hazards and unsafe unit conditions in HUD-assisted housing or you have or someone you know has been a victim of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or sexual exploitation—even if the events occurred years ago—report it to the HUD Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-347-3735 or visit the website at www.hudoig.gov/hotline.  You may also file a complaint with HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at https://www.hud.gov/fairhousing/fileacomplaint.  

You may also contact the U.S. Department of Justice at 1-844-380-6178 or visit www.civilrights.justice.gov. Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of environmental injustices or housing discrimination may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (804) 819-5400 or by email at usavae.usattys@usdoj.gov.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man with multiple previous convictions for child sexual offenses pled guilty today to transportation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

According to court documents, on April 11, 12, and 27, 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received Cybertipline reports of files containing CSAM uploaded to a Google account. The files were uploaded by Justus Clay Pease, 51, a registered sex offender who was convicted in Hampton Circuit Court in 2005 of two counts of indecent liberties with a child by a custodian and in 2007 of one count of indecent liberties with children.

In addition to the CSAM identified in the reports to NCMEC that was uploaded to Pease’s Google account, Pease’s Google Photos account included more files containing CSAM.

Pease is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 16, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Heath is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-28.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) has created the EDVA Whistleblower Non-Prosecution Pilot Program (Whistleblower Program), designed to encourage early voluntary self-disclosure of criminal conduct by participants in certain non-violent offenses.

“Our new Whistleblower Program emphasizes our continued focus on fraud and public corruption cases,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber. “We encourage people to come forward, report these crimes, and cooperate with us. In exchange for this information and ongoing cooperation, we promise that eligible whistleblowers will not be prosecuted. And if you choose not to come forward, someone else might.”  

In exchange for such self-disclosure and cooperation, EDVA will enter into a non-prosecution agreement where certain specified conditions are met, including that the criminal conduct was neither previously made public nor known to the government. Eligible disclosure must relate to the actions of individuals who are equally or more culpable than the whistleblower, cannot be made in response to an inquiry or investigation, and must be complete. Non-prosecution agreements under the program are not available to elected federal or foreign officials, officials or agents of federal law enforcement agencies, or officers who exercise primary control over the operations of the public or private organization where the misconduct occurred.  By providing clarity on the requirements and the benefits of such self-disclosure, this published policy – and others across the Department of Justice – incentivize individuals and their counsel to provide timely, actionable information. That, in turn, will help bring more misconduct to light and better protect communities within EDVA.

Reporting individuals must also forfeit any benefit or profit they received through their participation in the criminal conduct and make restitution commensurate with their role in the offense.

The EDVA Whistleblower Program is different and separate from the Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program (Whistleblower Awards Program) of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. EDVA’s pilot program is for individuals who participated in criminal activity and face criminal liability. The Whistleblower Awards Program is for those who did not meaningfully participate in criminal activity that falls within specific subject areas. 

Information for the Whistleblower Non-Prosecution Pilot Program is available on the EDVA website, including links for the full policy and access to our intake form for voluntary self-disclosure. Completed forms may be submitted to the U.S. Attorney’s Office at USAVAE-WBP@usdoj.gov.

NORFOLK, Va. – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. 

In the Eastern District of Virginia, the South Hampton Roads (Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach) jurisdiction has been designated.

The Justice Department - through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions - will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms. 

Communities have been designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. They include rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence.

The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders.  All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Stafford man was sentenced today to 10 years and 10 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to court documents, from at least February 2023 through January 2024, Thomas Lee Smith Jr., 35, obtained thousands of counterfeit oxycodone pills, which were imprinted with “M30” but contained fentanyl, and provided them to redistributors, including co-defendant Shane Darontae Anderson, 37, to sell. Smith’s co-conspirators obtained these drugs from a cartel-connected source in Arizona.

Anderson sold or agreed to sell over 17,500 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl to a cooperating source (CS). The total weight of these pills was approximately 1,500 net grams. Smith supplied Anderson with all the counterfeit pills provided to the CS and drove Anderson to multiple controlled buys. Smith’s vehicle, which Anderson drove to a controlled buy, contained a trap compartment for concealed storage. Anderson also offered to sell cocaine to the CS, as Smith was able to obtain cocaine as well.

On Jan. 24, Smith and Anderson planned to sell 4,500 counterfeit pills to the CS for $8,000. When Smith and Anderson arrived at the meeting location in Stafford, law enforcement arrested them after the Smith and Anderson attempted to flee. Law enforcement searched Smith’s vehicle and located the trap compartment, which contained 4,999 counterfeit pills, as well as a loaded handgun.

Anderson pled guilty on May 8 to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. On Sept. 5, he was sentenced to 10 years and five months in prison.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin S. Starr and Catherine Rosenberg prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:24-cr-106 (Smith) and 1: 24-CR-95 (Anderson).

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on Jan. 25, 2022, Antonio James Hill, 33, sold a .38 caliber handgun and five rounds of ammunition to a confidential informant (CI) for $200. During this controlled purchase, Hill was wearing a shoulder holster holding another firearm.

Hill was previously convicted of felonies, including malicious wounding and use or display of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He also was convicted of assaulting a corrections officer while incarcerated for the prior felony convictions. As a convicted felon, Hill cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, and Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis. The Newport News Police Department and Hampton Police Department provided significant assistance in the investigation of this case.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson C. Yates, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.

Assistance was provided by the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-12.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man and a Washington man were sentenced for the burglary of a federal firearms licensee (FFL) from which they stole 50 firearms.

According to court documents, on April 29, 2023, Victor Jones, 22, of Washington, Cedric Minger, 22, of Brandywine, Maryland, and two other co-conspirators drove a stolen Acura ILX from Washington to an FFL in Springfield, Virginia, with the intention of breaking in and stealing firearms. After his initial attempts to gain entry, including shooting a round at the door with a firearm, were unsuccessful, Minger was able to wriggle his way through an opening at the top of the doorframe. Once inside, Minger quickly grabbed firearms from around the store and passed them through the door to Jones and the others, who then loaded them into the stolen Acura ILX.

Jones, Minger, and their co-conspirators then transported the stolen firearms to Washington and later offered them for sale. One of the stolen firearms was recovered from a student at an elementary school.

Jones and Minger pled guilty on June 20 to conspiracy to steal firearms from an FFL and stealing firearms from an FFL. On Sept. 4, Jones was sentenced to nine years in prison. Minger was sentenced today to nine years and six months in prison.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Steve T. Descano, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Fairfax County; James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith J. Edwards and Cristina Stam prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-39.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison for possession of a machinegun.

According to court documents, on Aug. 25, 2023, Latoye Octavius Cooper, 21, posted a picture of himself on social media with a .40 caliber pistol partially stuffed into the waistband of his pants.

Police immediately responded to the area where the photo was taken and observed Cooper entering a vehicle. Officers followed Cooper to a local convenience store and made contact with him inside the store. The officers seized the .40 caliber pistol, which was equipped with a machine gun conversion device (MCD), which rendered the pistol fully automatic. The pistol was loaded, with a large capacity ammunition magazine and had one bullet in the chamber, ready to fire.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman prosecuted the case.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-155.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Hopewell man was sentenced today to four years and six months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

According to court documents, on Dec. 19, 2022, Virginia State Police (VSP) encountered Eric Michael Vaughan Jr., 32, in a Hopewell motel room when VSP executed a search warrant on the room. The room was rented by Vaughan’s brother, Quadir McKinnon, 34, of Hopewell, who previously sold 74.37 grams of cocaine, 4.43 grams of heroin, and 96.73 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential source. VSP recovered four firearms, 27.74 grams of cocaine, and 5.93 grams of a mixture containing heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl from the room.

On Jan. 18, 2023, VSP apprehended McKinnon during a traffic stop. Vaughan was in the vehicle with McKinnon. In plain view on the center console of the vehicle was a loaded 9mm handgun. When McKinnon stepped out of the vehicle, a backpack that had also been present in the motel room during the search warrant was tangled in his feet. Inside the backpack were 41.85 grams of cocaine and 6.99 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, baggies, and marijuana.

Under the front passenger seat, where Vaughan was sitting, was a loaded 9mm handgun and on the seat was a loose 9mm hollow-point round. In Vaughan’s pockets were .35 grams of a mixture of heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl and .76 grams of cocaine.

On July 16, 2012, Vaughan, armed with a sawed-off shotgun, and a co-defendant robbed individuals in a home in Petersburg. Vaughan was convicted of eleven felonies, including robbery, burglary, use of a firearm in commission of a felony, and abduction. Vaughan was sentenced to 13 years in prison. Less than two months after Vaughan was released from prison, Vaughan threw a firearm from the window of his vehicle as a VSP Trooper attempted to stop him for speeding. Vaughan was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon, reckless driving, eluding police, and driving without a license. Vaughan was sentenced to two years and 8 months in prison. Vaughan was on pre-trial release for those charges when he was encountered in the motel room on Dec. 19, 2022, and when he was arrested with his brother on Jan. 18, 2023. As a previously convicted felon, Vaughan cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.

McKinnon pled guilty on Sept. 13, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. On Jan. 31, McKinnon, a career offender, was sentenced to 14 years and seven months in prison.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after Vaughan was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Wright prosecuted the cases. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon E. Schulz, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, assisted in the prosecution of this case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 3:23-cr-152 (Vaughan) and 3:23-cr-116 (McKinnon).

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News woman pled guilty today to laundering proceeds of a pandemic-benefit fraud scheme.

According to court documents, on March 17, 2021, Shenita R. Banks, 50, applied for a loan for her company, Wireless Queen, Inc., through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a COVID-19 relief program intended to provide loans backed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to certain businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other entities to help them retain their employees or stay afloat during the pandemic. Banks incorporated Wireless Queen, Inc., on July 27, 2015, but it had no business operations, employees, or sales in 2020.

In her PPP application, Banks fraudulently claimed that the purpose of the loan was for payroll costs, rent/mortgage interest, utilities, and covered supplier costs. Banks falsely stated that her average monthly payroll costs were $58,900.00. As part of the application, Banks submitted copies of tax returns (IRS Forms 940, 941, and 1120) for tax year 2020, in which she reported payments to employees totaling $705,941.44. However, the IRS has no record of Banks filing these forms for tax years 2018 through 2022 or of Banks filing an individual Form 1040 tax return for those tax years.

On March 24, 2021, Banks’ PPP loan application was approved, and on March 25, 2021, Banks electronically signed the PPP application attesting that the information provided was true and accurate and that she understood the criminal penalties associated with providing false statements to the SBA. Banks specifically certified that she was eligible to receive a loan under the rules issued by the SBA and that all loan proceeds would be used only for business-related purposes.

On March 31, 2021, Banks received $145,833 for the awarded PPP funding to her business account held in the name of Wireless Queen Inc., which Banks opened the day before submitting the initial PPP application. On April 5, 2021, Banks laundered $33,030 of the PPP loan funds by withdrawing them from the Wireless Queen bank account.

Banks is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 29, 2025, and faces a up to 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Therese O'Brien and Mack Coleman are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-41.

NORFOLK, Va. – Seventeen members of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) have pled guilty to their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and other drugs.

According to court documents, from at least February 2021 through October 2023, the conspirators, led by Corey Wright, 47, of Chesapeake, and Malik Dillard, aka “Mayo,” 48, of Virginia Beach, procured methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl from out-of-state sources and had it shipped in wholesale quantities to Virginia for further distribution. They supplied a number of mid-level distributors including: Akime Russell Porter, 41, of Norfolk; Darryl Deangelo Bond, 40, of Chesapeake; Clyde Byrd Jr., 31, of Norfolk; Jared Wayne Haddock, 46, of Virginia Beach; Holly Elizabeth Triplett, 37, of Portsmouth; Christopher Eanes, 38, of Chesapeake; Leo Charles Frueh, 43, of Virginia Beach; Bryan Austin Ruscoe, 27, of South Mills, North Carolina; Julius Justin Freeze, 34, of Virginia Beach; Jesse Ryan Martin, 34, of Norfolk; Richard Olsak-Finn, 44, of Chesapeake; Sebastien Balthazar, 25, of Port-au-Prince, Haiti; and Jessica Brunelle, 40, of Norfolk. Aimee Brooke Yanez, 45, of Suffolk, and Lisa Michelle Clark, 46, of Norfolk, were also involved in the DTO and agreed to use their residences to receive, store, and process the drugs.

This investigation spanned over two years, and involved Special Agents, Task Force Officers, detectives, investigators, officers and other personnel, who reviewed thousands of phone calls and text communications and worked with confidential informants to identify and dismantle this large network of narcotics distributors.

Wright pled guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. As part of the conspiracy Wright distributed fentanyl in the form of pressed imitation prescription pills purporting to be Roxicodone. California suppliers shipped packages of narcotics hidden in stuffed animals to Wright, who was previously convicted in U.S. District Court in Alexandria for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine (Case No. 1:05-cr-183). Wright is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 1 and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.

Porter pled guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. He faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison. Porter is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 17, 2025.

Eanes and Haddock pled guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. On May 17, U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. sentenced Haddock to 15 years and six months in prison. Eanes, who faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 18.

Byrd and Frueh pled guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. They face a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison. Byrd is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 3, 2025; Frueh is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 10, 2025.

Bond pled guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute cocaine and faces up to 20 years in prison. Bond is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 6.

Triplett pled guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine. She faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison. Triplett is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 28, 2025.

Brunelle pled guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute cocaine and fentanyl. She faces up to 20 years in prison. Brunelle is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 10, 2025.

Clark and Yanez pled guilty to maintaining a drug-involved premises. They face up to 20 years in prison. Clark is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 1; Yanez is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 6.

Dillard pled guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine. On Feb. 2, Dillard was sentenced to 30 years in prison by U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. Dillard, working with Wright, supplied Martin, Olsak-Finn, and Balthazar. Martin was sentenced to 12 years in prison; Balthazar was sentenced to three years in prison; and Olsak-Finn is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 4.

Ruscoe pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  Ruscoe faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct 3.

Freeze pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Freeze faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 12.

A federal district court judge will determine any remaining sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys John F. Butler, Anthony C. Mozzi, Darryl J. Mitchell, and Luke J. Bresnahan are prosecuting the case.

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

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos.: 2:23-cr-127; 2:23-cr-65; 2:24-cr-37; 2:24-cr-39; and 2:22-cr-102.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man with multiple previous convictions for drug trafficking crimes was sentenced yesterday to 14 years in prison for distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, between May 2022 and October 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Norfolk Police Department (NPD) conducted six controlled purchases of methamphetamine and cocaine from Lashawn D. Pullie, aka Bam, 50, and a co-conspirator utilizing a confidential informant (CI).

On Sept. 20, 2022, the CI contacted Pullie to purchase cocaine and methamphetamine. Pullie met the CI in Norfolk to exchange the narcotics, but Pullie had only the cocaine with him. Pullie exchanged the cocaine with the CI, and the CI paid Pullie. They arranged to meet at a second location in Norfolk to exchange the methamphetamine. Pullie returned to his residence, switched vehicles, and proceeded to the second location. Pullie handed the methamphetamine to the CI. During the transaction, Pullie sold 107 grams of methamphetamine and 87 grams of cocaine to the CI. During the investigation Pullie sold the CI over 300 grams of methamphetamine and over 400 grams of cocaine.

On Oct. 13, 2022, investigators executed search warrants on Pullie's residence, storage unit, and vehicle. Investigators recovered approximately 300 grams of marijuana, 1,446 grams of cocaine, 393 grams of methamphetamine, 184 pills of oxycodone, $7,674, and two loaded firearms.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, prosecuted the case.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-41.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Bealeton woman was sentenced yesterday to 40 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for sexual exploitation of children.

According to court documents, in 2023 and 2024, Anna Grace Layher, 27, produced sexually explicit videos and images of two children, ages six and three, both of whom were family members. Layher sent the videos to her boyfriend, Davey Jonathan Sisk, 29, of Culpeper, Virginia.

Layher pled guilty on May 2 to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. Sisk pled guilty on July 9 to attempting to sexually exploit a child and receiving child pornography. Sisk is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 21.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alessandra Serano and Christina Schiciano prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-52.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Nigerian national was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison and ordered to pay nearly $5 million in restitution for participating in a computer hacking and business email compromise (BEC) scheme that caused over $5 million in losses to multiple victims in the United States and elsewhere. Franklin Ifeanyichukwu Okwonna, 34, pled guilty on May 20 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for his role in the scheme.

Okwonna’s co-defendant, Nigerian national Ebuka Raphael Umeti, 35, was sentenced on Aug. 27 to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $5 million in restitution. Umeti was convicted by a federal jury on June 13 of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to cause intentional damage to a protected computer, and intentional damage to a protected computer.

According to court documents and evidence presented at Umeti’s trial, between February 2016 and July 2021, Umeti, Okwonna, and their co-conspirators caused millions of dollars in unauthorized wire transfers by sending victim businesses phishing emails. These emails falsely appeared as though they originated from trusted sources, such as a bank or a vendor. After the victim opened an attachment, their computers would be infected with malicious software or “malware” that allowed the defendants and their co-conspirators to gain unauthorized access to the victim’s computer systems and email accounts. The defendants and their co-conspirators then exploited that access to obtain sensitive information, which they used to deceive individuals at the victim companies into executing wire transfers to accounts specified by the co-conspirators. As a result of this scheme, the defendants and their co-conspirators caused or attempted to cause over $5 million in losses to the victim companies.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and David Sundberg, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers for the Eastern District of Virginia and Senior Counsel Thomas S. Dougherty of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) prosecuted the case. CCIPS Senior Counsel Aarash Haghighat assisted in the investigation and indictment of the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Nairobi, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Kenya’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and Directorate of Criminal Investigation to secure the extradition of Umeti and Okwonna.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-123.

A Nigerian national was sentenced today in the Eastern District of Virginia to five years and three months in prison and ordered to pay nearly $5 million in restitution for participating in a computer hacking and business email compromise scheme that caused over $5 million in losses to multiple victims in the United States and elsewhere. Franklin Ifeanyichukwu Okwonna, 34, pleaded guilty on May 20 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for his role in the scheme.

Okwonna’s co-defendant, Nigerian national Ebuka Raphael Umeti, 35, was sentenced on Aug. 27 to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $5 million in restitution. Umeti was convicted by a federal jury on June 13 of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to cause intentional damage to a protected computer, and intentional damage to a protected computer.

According to court documents and evidence presented at Umeti’s trial, between February 2016 and July 2021, Umeti, Okwonna, and their co-conspirators caused millions of dollars in unauthorized wire transfers by sending victim businesses phishing emails. These emails falsely appeared as though they originated from trusted sources, such as a bank or a vendor. After the victim opened an attachment, their computers would be infected with malicious software, or “malware,” that allowed the defendants and their co-conspirators to gain unauthorized access to the victim’s computer systems and email accounts. The defendants and their co-conspirators then exploited that access to obtain sensitive information, which they used to deceive individuals at the victim companies into executing wire transfers to accounts specified by the co-conspirators. As a result of this scheme, the defendants and their co-conspirators caused or attempted to cause over $5 million in losses to the victim companies.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.

Senior Counsel Thomas S. Dougherty of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case. CCIPS Senior Counsel Aarash Haghighat assisted in the investigation and indictment of the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Nairobi, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Kenya’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and Directorate of Criminal Investigation to secure the extradition of Umeti and Okwonna.

RICHMOND, Va. – The final defendant pled guilty on Aug. 29 in a healthcare fraud scheme that resulted in nearly $1 million in loss.

The Virginia Medicaid Program provides medical assistance to indigent individuals who meet certain eligibility requirements. Under its consumer directed care program, Medicaid authorizes the provision of personal and respite care services to eligible Medicaid recipients by a personal care attendant (PCA). Personal care services include a range of support services to enable Medicaid recipients to remain at or return home rather than enter a nursing facility and include assistance with activities of daily living, access to the community, self-administration of medication, or other medical needs, supervision, and the monitoring of health status and physical condition.

According to court documents, from May 2015 through at least November 2023, Jamahl Rennelle Burch, aka Jarod or Jerrod Burch, 43, of Hampton, identified and selected Medicaid recipients to sign up for Medicaid reimbursed personal care or respite care services. Burch and his co-conspirators executed agreements that designated numerous different individuals as PCAs for those recipients. The conspirators used the personal identifying information (PII) of the Medicaid recipients and purported PCAs to create accounts for the submission of timesheets for purported personal care and respite care services.

For over eight years, the conspirators submitted fraudulent timesheets to Medicaid showing thousands of hours of personal care and respite care services. Burch and his coconspirators approved these timesheets attesting that services were provided, when the conspirators knew that none of the PCAs provided any personal or respite care services to the Medicaid recipients.

In total, Burch and his co-conspirators knowingly caused Medicaid to pay at least $936,950.70 in fraudulent reimbursements for personal care and respite care services that never occurred.

Burch pled guilty Aug. 29 to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud, and aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 9, 2025, and faces up to 10 years in prison for the healthcare fraud counts and a minimum of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other term of imprisonment for aggravated identity theft.

Tonisha Staton, 36, of Hampton, and William Carter Jr., 40, of Newport News, were Medicaid recipients and acquaintances of Burch.

In 2015, Carter signed up to receive personal care and respite care services, and purportedly hired seven PCAs. None of the seven PCAs provided any services to Carter. In total, the conspirators submitted $262,373.27 in fraudulent timesheets to Medicaid for services that had never been provided to Carter. Similarly, in 2016, Staton signed up to receive personal care and respite care services, and purportedly hired 10 different PCAs, none of whom ever provided any services to her. The conspirators submitted $228,972.44 in fraudulent timesheets to Medicaid for services that had never been provided to Staton.

In 2017, Jesse Jerome Hendren, 46, of Henrico, signed up his relative, a Medicaid recipient identified in court records as Recipient 1, to receive personal care and respite care services. Hendren and his co-conspirators purportedly hired two people as PCAs, neither of whom provided any services to Recipient 1. The conspirators submitted $150,425.99 in fraudulent timesheets to Medicaid for services that had never been provided to Recipient 1.

Staton, Carter, and Hendren pled guilty in February to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. Each faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced in 2025.

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); and Troy W. Springer, Special Agent in Charge, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted Burch’s plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carla Jordan-Detamore and Brian R. Hood are prosecuting the case.

The Virginia Department of Medical Assistive Services Fraud and Abuse Referral Hotline is available for concerned citizens to report allegations related to inappropriate use of Medicaid benefits. Follow this link for more information.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 3:23-cr-151 (Burch), 3:24-CR-6 (Carter), 3:24-CR-7 (Hendren) and 3:24-cr-8 (Staton).

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Five members of the Black P. Stone Nation gang pled guilty to federal charges relating to an abduction of the victim in Richmond and her ultimate murder in York County.

According to court documents, in the early morning hours of May 6, 2023, Hezekiah Carney, 25, of Norfolk, Jamica Langley, 25, of Richmond, Donnisha Goodman, 27, of Portsmouth, and Acacia Jackson, 19, of New York, traveled to the victim’s residence on Bethel Street in Richmond, Virginia, to conduct a physical beating of the victim for a gang infraction. The group left the apartment after beating the victim.

Around an hour later, Goodman, Jackson, Carney, and Langley returned to the victim’s apartment, this time with an additional co-conspirator and fellow gang member, Jayquan Jones, 21, of Richmond. Some of them were armed and wearing masks. The group attacked the victim again before taking her from her residence. The group drove the victim in a Hyundai Sonata approximately an hour east of Richmond to a remote area off Old Williamsburg Road in York County, where they removed her from the car and executed her. The Medical Examiner found eight gunshot wounds to the head, abdomen, back, buttocks, and legs.

Upon returning to Portsmouth after the murder, Carney instructed Goodman, Jackson, and Langley on ways to evade law enforcement, including burning their clothing, and told them to stay together and not to speak with law enforcement.

At approximately 6:30 a.m., deputies with the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office found the victim’s body, along with numerous shell casings with an "S&B” headstamp.  On May 7, 2023, the Norfolk Police Department located and stopped the Sonata. Jackson, Goodman, and Langley were in the vehicle at the time.  Investigators recovered a 9mm cartridge from the vehicle with the same “S&B" headstamp from casings found at the scene of the murder.

Carney, Goodman, and Jones pled guilty to using a firearm causing death. Under the terms of their plea agreements, each faces a minimum of 35 years in prison and up to 45 years in prison.  Carney and Jones are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 9, 2025. Goodman is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 7, 2025.

Jackson and Langley pled guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and each faces up to life in prison. Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 31. Langley is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 7.

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Norfolk Field Office; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Ronald Montgomery, York County Sheriff, made the announcement.

The Richmond Area Violent Enterprise (RAVE) Task Force provided significant assistance in the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa McKeel and Mack Coleman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Levey-Weinstein are prosecuting the case with substantial assistance provided by the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-1.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. –  A Great Falls man pled guilty on July 23 to wire fraud and a Florida man was sentenced yesterday for his role in the wire fraud conspiracy.

According to court documents, Rick Tariq Rahim, 56, defrauded customers who wanted to invest using Rahim’s automated trading bots, some of which traded forex, and by “copying” Rahim’s supposed trading activities that he posted to Discord. He marketed his products under BotsforWealth, TradeAutomation.com, ProChartSignals.com, OptionCopier.com, CopyAndWin.com, SnipeAlgo.com, and QQQtrade.com. Rahim charged customers a subscription fee for access to Rahim’s bots, software, and copying his supposed trades. Rahim also offered a “lifetime membership” to which customers received access to Rahim’s private Discord channel, some of his products, as well as his “in-office” trading days. Additionally, Rahim personally traded stocks for at least two individuals, claiming that "We'll hit home runs and make $500k+ per day very very often." Instead, Rahim lost over $300,000 of his clients’ funds in eight months.

Rahim induced customers to subscribe to his products by using video-centric, internet-based social media tools, including TikTok, YouTube, and Discord. He posted false information to his websites and to his social media accounts claiming to “beat the stock market every day” and promising extreme profit margins.

Rahim also sought to induce customers by claiming he was extremely wealthy, boasting about trading millions of dollars and posting about his large home, pool, and luxury cars, including his Lamborghini. Despite claiming to regularly beat the market, however, he exaggerated his personal trading success, in part by not posting trades in which he lost money. In fact, Rahim realized over $500,000 in losses from February 2021 through December 2022. He did not invest millions in the market during this time period as he had claimed.  As part of his fraud scheme, Rahim also created at least 20 Discord user profiles to post emojis, likes, and symbols showing agreement and excitement regarding Rahim’s posts. Rahim earned at least $1,397,000 in subscription fees during the course of his schemes. After accepting the guilty plea, the court ordered that Rahim not give any financial investment advice to anyone for a fee. 

Ian Taylor Higgins, 33, conspired with Rahim on one of Rahim’s bot offerings, TradeAutomation. Higgins owned and ran FXPrimary, an online trading platform that purportedly acted as a brokerage house and would manage investors’ cryptocurrency deposits for TradeAutomation. Higgins admitted that investors had little chance of making any profit despite being told they could. He also admitted that the investments were much higher risk than advertised by Rahim. Higgins profited by over $4 million, with which he purchased a Florida home for over $2 million, two Teslas for $70,000, Rolexes for $44,500, as well as other luxury goods.  Higgins was sentenced to three years in prison and will be ordered to pay restitution.

On March 15, Rahim pled guilty to failing to pay over to the IRS the taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks. Rahim has not filed a personal income tax return since 2012 despite earning more than $34 million in gross income, resulting in a loss to the IRS of at least $1,844,489.

Rahim is scheduled to be sentenced for both the wire fraud scheme and his tax fraud on Dec. 20. He faces up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud scheme and five years in prison for his tax fraud conviction. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David E. Geist, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea for Rahim and after the sentencing of Higgins by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly M. Shartar and Kenneth R. Simon Jr. are prosecuting Rahim for his wire fraud conduct and, with assistance from the Tax Division, his tax fraud. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shartar is prosecuting Higgins for his role in the investment fraud scheme.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:24-cr-179 (Rahim’s Investment Fraud Case),  1:23-cr-173 (Rahim’s Tax Fraud Case), and 1:24-cr-26 (Higgins’s Investment Fraud Case).

NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk woman pled guilty yesterday to one count of healthcare fraud and six counts of making false statements relating to healthcare matters.

According to court documents, from June 2016 through October 2018, Whitteney Guyton, 43, engaged in a scheme to defraud the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS), which administers Medicaid in the Commonwealth. Guyton owned and operated Synergy Health Systems LLC (Synergy), Which provided healthcare services to patients covered by Medicaid.  Ms. Guyton billed Medicaid for the services she claimed Synergy provided to patients.  However, the company’s records were falsified, incomplete, failed to comply with basic Medicaid requirements, and included inflated time.

Synergy offered two types of care: personal and respite care, and mental health skill building (MHSS). The services that Synergy offered required assessments by licensed professionals to comply with Medicaid regulations. To be paid for personal care, a registered nurse (RN) must complete the patient assessment. A licensed mental health professional (LMHP), such as a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) is required to fill out assessments for, and periodically re-assess, patients receiving mental health services.

​​​While Guyton had an LCSW contractor from 2016 to July 2017, she did not have another LMHP to do the assessments or reassessments until October 2018. Guyton instructed her staff to forge the original LCSW's signature on assessments and certifications. Guyton and Synergy submitted documents to DMAS for authorization for MHSS for over 35 patients that contained forged signatures and authorizations, fraudulently billing and receiving over $740,000 from DMAS.

Guyton and Synergy did the same for personal care and respite services. Guyton and Synergy forged signatures of an RN and fraudulently billed and received over $50,000 from DMAS. Synergy billed and received from DMAS an additional $480,000 for patients for whom there was no documentation that any assessment had ever been done or while they were in the hospital or at other care settings. Guyton and Synergy also inflated the time for billing for mental health services.

As a result of these schemes, Guyton illegally obtained approximately $1,320,088.

Guyton is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 10, 2025. She faces up to 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); and Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth M. Yusi and Clayton D. LaForge are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-35.

NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted two Nicaraguan nationals on Aug. 23 for possession with intent to distribute over two tons of marijuana on the high seas, in international waters in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, on board a stateless vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Sept. 27, 2023, while on routine patrol in the Eastern Pacific, a maritime patrol aircraft located a go-fast vessel (GFV) in international waters 97 nautical miles southwest of Malpelo Island, Colombia. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) James (WSML 754), a National Security Cutter, was patrolling nearby and maneuvered to intercept the GFV.

After requesting and receiving authority, Cutter James launched a helicopter, which first attempted to contact the GFV on a maritime channel, then activated its blue warning lights, fired three warning shots across the bow, and, as the vessel failed to yield, engaged a precision gunner to disable the GFV’s engines.

A boarding team launched from the Cutter James and found three individuals onboard, including Maximo Zacarias, 43, Ismael Alexis Martinez, 29, and Bernacio Solares Ramon, 30. The boarding team determined the GFV, El Tanque, was without nationality. The team was authorized to recover 74 bales of marijuana, weighing of 4,610 pounds, and a five-gallon bucket containing electronics devices such as a GPS, SAT phone, ship-to-ship walkie-talkie, and other communication devices. Ramon was in possession of paperwork with GPS coordinates for the routes of travel to near a Pacific island off the coast of Costa Rica.

Zacarias and Ramon are scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 19. They face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison.

Martinez pled guilty on Aug. 8 to possession with intent to distribute more than 1000 kilograms of marijuana on board a vessel. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 17, and faces a mandatory minimum of ten years and up to life in prison.

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Rear Admiral Joseph R. Buzzella, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes accepted the verdict. The Maritime and Counternarcotics Unit within the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division provided substantial assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin M. Comstock, Eric M. Hurt, and Joseph E. DePadilla are prosecuting the case.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-129.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal judge convicted a former U.S. Marine today on charges of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in February 2021, Eman Goodwin, 33, attempted to obtain CSAM from a CSAM trafficker on Kik, who was later convicted of production of child pornography.  Goodwin told the trafficker he was specifically looking for “younger than HS” and “12 and under.”

On March 24, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant and seized 21 electronic devices from Goodwin’s apartment, his pocket, and his car.  Forensic examination of the devices revealed that Goodwin used two laptops to download CSAM from the Internet and stored the CSAM on an external hard drive.  The hard drive contained nearly 5,000 images and videos depicting children, including prepubescent children, engaged in sexually explicit conduct and bestiality.  Goodwin categorized the files into folders with explicit titles, including “CP FULL” and “under 18 nude girl vids.”  The defendant also saved hundreds of CSAM files on three cell phones, including on the phones from his pocket and his car. 

Goodwin faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison when sentenced on Dec 13. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Brian Platt, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton entered the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Halper and Seth Schlessinger are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-161.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Hopewell man was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine throughout the Tri-Cities region of Central Virginia.

According to court documents, from at least May 2021 through October 2023, Cleveland Lamont Parson, 51, conspired with Aaron Larde Heath, 39, of Chester, and others to broker the purchase of kilogram quantities of cocaine from various sources in Virginia, North Carolina, Mexico, and elsewhere and to coordinate cocaine shipments. Parson used his residence in Hopewell as a stash house to distribute, store, and transfer the cocaine. Parson and Heath were held responsible for distributing between 50-150 kilograms of cocaine during the course of the conspiracy.

On May 18, 2023, Jerrell Stanley Bugg, 46, of Chester, purchased three kilograms of cocaine from Parson. After Bugg left Parson’s residence with the cocaine, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop, during which Bugg recovered a 9mm semi-automatic handgun to law enforcement. When a K-9 unit alerted to narcotics in the vehicle, Bugg attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended at the scene. Law enforcement then recovered the cocaine from the vehicle. On Dec. 8, 2023, Bugg pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and, on May 7, was sentenced to seven years in prison.

In August 2023, Parson and Heath received 18 kilograms of cocaine, but upon inspection, determined a portion of the cocaine was of poor quality and decided to return that portion. On Aug. 6, 2023, couriers Jose Misael Reyes, 33, of El Salvador, and Corina Chavez, 31, of Bailey, North Carolina, transported the low-quality cocaine to their residence in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. On Aug. 7, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence and recovered the cocaine. On Jan. 12, Reyes pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and, on June 13, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison. On Jan. 19, Chavez pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and, on June 13, was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison.

On Aug. 20, 2023, Heath traveled from Virginia to Charlotte, North Carolina, and acquired 20 kilograms of cocaine. Heath recruited Antonio Shaw, 61, of Hopewell, to serve as a courier for Heath and agreed to pay Shaw to transport the cocaine to Virginia. At a hotel in Charlotte, Heath provided the 20 kilograms of cocaine to Shaw. As Shaw traveled to Virginia, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop in Randolph County, North Carolina, and recovered the cocaine from the trunk of Shaw’s vehicle. On Jan. 16, Shaw pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and, on July 12, was sentenced to five years and six months in prison.

On Oct. 25, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Parson’s residence. During the search, law enforcement recovered a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun, a .38 caliber revolver, a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun with an extended 30 round magazine, a .762 caliber AK-47 semiautomatic rifle, two shotgun magazines, a money counter, $37,261, and multiple cellphones.

On Dec. 5, 2023, Heath pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and, on May 3, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erik S. Siebert, Shea M. Gibbons, Jessica Wright, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Hubbard, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-133.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach woman was sentenced today to four years in prison for two counts of wire fraud after perpetrating embezzlement and COVID-19 program schemes resulting in over a million dollars in losses.

According to court documents, Maria Gene Reich, 45, was President of ASOC. Inc. d/b/a On Call Accountants (OCA), a Virginia Beach-based business which offered bookkeeping, accounting, and payroll services to small business clients. Beginning in February 2012, Reich and On Call Accountants performed bookkeeping for a family-owned company, identified in court records as Company A, that manufactures condiments. Reich would prepare checks and schedule electronic payments on behalf of Company A to pay the company’s bills.

For most of the period during which she performed services for Company A, Reich did not have signature authority over any of the company’s financial accounts, but possessed a stamp bearing the signature of the owner of Company A, which she used to draft checks for Company A’s business expenses. Reich also had online access to Company A’s financial accounts, which enabled her to view account balances, transfer funds, and initiate electronic payments as needed.

Based on the agreement between Reich and Company A, the maximum total compensation she should have received for services rendered to the company between January 2015 and December 2018 was $98,400. A financial analysis of activity during that time period revealed that Reich’s OCA business account received 270 payments totaling $596,418 from Company A accounts, including 138 checks and 132 electronic payments. Reich also used Company A’s money to pay off her credit cards, which she used for numerous personal expenses. The financial analysis showed that Reich made 366 payments totaling approximately $629,265 to her Capital One personal and business credit card accounts using funds from Company A’s business bank accounts. Reich used Company A’s money to pay for personal expenses such as dining, travel, entertainment, and retail purchases.

In total, Reich stole approximately $1,132,693 from Company A.

In March 2020, Reich applied to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for a $150,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) on behalf of OCA and requested a $150,000 loan. The purpose of the EIDL program was to enable small businesses to meet financial obligations and operating expenses in light of the coronavirus pandemic. In the EIDL application, Reich certified that none of the EIDL funds would be used for non-business expenses. In May 2020, the SBA funded the loan.

In April 2021, Reich applied for a modification of the EIDL loan to increase the amount to $500,000. In July 2021, the SBA approved the modification and funded the loan for an additional $350,000. On Aug. 3, 2021, a wire deposit from the SBA for $350,000 was made to OCA’s bank account, and Reich immediately transferred $150,000 to her personal banking accounts. On Sept. 27, 2021, Reich withdrew approximately $93,416 from her savings account and used the money for a downpayment on the purchase of a home in Virginia Beach, where Reich and her family continue to reside.

In addition to the downpayment for the residence, Reich used the EIDL funds from that transfer to put money into her minor children’s bank accounts and to make payments for her mortgages, credit cards, personal loan, and life insurance policy.

Of the remaining EIDL funds from the $350,000 EIDL loan, Reich used them to pay for: personal, household, and family expenses; payments to her credit card and PayPal accounts; home improvement costs and automobile expenses; and dining, grocery, and entertainment expenses.

In total, Reich illegally spent $249,102 of the EIDL funds she received.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-135.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Providence Forge man was arrested today related to his alleged embezzlement of funds from his former employer, the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program (Birth-Injury Program).

John Hunter Raines, 38, the Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Director of the Birth-Injury Program, is charged in a criminal complaint with felony fraud.

The Birth-Injury program pays monetary compensation to families of infants who suffer from brain or spinal cord injuries resulting from the birth process that render the infant developmentally and/or cognitively disabled. According to Court documents, Raines’ role required that he oversee the finances of the Birth-Injury Program, including approximately $650 million in investments in 2023.

From at least January 2022 through at least October 2023, Raines allegedly stole over $4.8 million from the Birth-Injury Program, including by using his access to the Birth-Injury Program bank account to initiate at least 59 separate wire transactions, sending funds to bank accounts in Raines’ own name. Raines also allegedly used the Birth-Injury Program debit card for personal gain. According to the criminal complaint, Raines spent embezzled Birth-Injury Program money on various personal expenses. For example:

1. Raines allegedly purchased numerous vehicles, including eight luxury golf carts for over $160,000 and a 2023 Chevrolet Suburban;

1. Raines allegedly spent over $100,000 on gambling, including at Rivers Casino in Portsmouth, Virginia, Colonial Downs Racetrack in New Kent, Virginia, and the Virginia Lottery;

1. Raines allegedly spent over $9,000 to hire private limousines, including to chauffer Raines and his guests to Virginia-area vineyards;

1. Raines allegedly made numerous purchases of cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin and Dogecoin, and transferred funds to his brokerage accounts;

1.  Raines allegedly paid over $30,000 for private jet travel to take his wife and friends to Nashville, Tennessee, for three days;

1. Raines allegedly paid over $60,000 to pay down his student loan debt, his mortgage, and other loans; and

1.  Raines allegedly spent over $19,000 to purchase eight separate 2022 1-oz American Gold Eagle Bullion coins and a 100-oz silver bar.

If convicted, Raines faces up to 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office; and Michael C. Westfall, State Inspector General for the Commonwealth of Virginia, made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Avi Panth and Kashan K. Pathan are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-mj-75.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Vienna man pled guilty today to possession of ricin by an unregistered person.

According to court documents, in December 2022, Russell Richardson Vane IV, 42, conducted a number of searches on his federal government workplace computer for instructions on how to isolate ricin toxin from castor beans. At some time in December 2022 or January 2023, Vane obtained castor beans and successfully separated ricin toxin from them in his residence in Vienna. Vane disposed of the byproducts of the production and stored a sample of the ricin in a test tube for further testing but was unable to readily obtain testing equipment. He kept the test tube in a storage box in his home.

On April 10, 2024, laboratory equipment that Vane used to isolate the ricin was recovered during a search of his residence. Vane does not have a registration as required by regulations under the Public Health Services Act to lawfully possess ricin, which is a deadly poison.

Vane is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 7. He faces up to five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Sanjay Virmani, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Counterterrorism Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda St. Cyr and Danya E. Atiyeh are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-101.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Stafford man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to court documents, on Oct. 2, 2023, the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office recovered a parcel with 16,245 counterfeit blue oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and stamped with "M30." On Oct. 17, 2023, agents executed a search warrant at the residence of Dwaine Tyrone Jones Jr., 27, which he shared with his girlfriend and his girlfriend's parents.

During the search of the residence, agents recovered approximately 20,240 blue M30 pills containing fentanyl, along with approximately 40.5 grams of cocaine, a scale, $47,770 in cash, a half-pound of marijuana, and a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun. The total weight of the fentanyl pills was 2,137.04 grams.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-27.

RICHMOND, Va. – A North Carolina scrap metal dealer pled guilty today to theft and tax charges related to his participation in a multi-state catalytic converter theft conspiracy.

According to court documents, Theodore Nicholas Papouloglou, 45, used his business, DG Auto South in Emporia, Virginia to purchase stolen catalytic converters from thieves. Papouloglou then transported the stolen catalytic converters to his co-conspirators in New Jersey for shipment of the catalytic metals to Japan. In 2020 and 2021, Papouloglou received over $12.2 million in wired payments from his co-conspirators in New Jersey, including for proceeds from his illicit sale of catalytic converters. Papouloglou spent the money he received from DG Auto South on personal expenses, such as purchasing real estate and a luxury motorcycle for his girlfriend and to gamble at casinos in Las Vegas. Despite realizing income from DG Auto South, Papouloglou paid no taxes in 2020 and 2021.

Papouloglou separately helped his co-conspirators in New Jersey to purchase stolen catalytic converters from other sellers, including sellers in Texas and Oklahoma, by facilitating bulk cash payments. The total value of the funds that Papouloglou illicitly transferred was at least $6.6 million.

Law enforcement seized and Papouloglou agreed to forfeit various vehicles associated with the offense:

(1) 2021 Ford F250 (Roush)

(2) 2021 Jeep Gladiator Sport (Apocalypse)

(3) 2017 Lamborghini Huracan (Convertible)

(4) 2020 McLaren 720s (Convertible)

(5) 2021 Mercedes-AMG G63

(6) 2019 Ferrari 488 Pista

(7) 2021 McLaren 765LT

(8) 2021 Ford F450 (Super Duty)

Catalytic converters, which reduce toxic gas and pollutants from a vehicle’s exhaust system, use precious metals in their centers, or “cores,” and are regularly targeted for theft due to the high value of these metals, especially palladium, platinum, and rhodium. Some of these are more valuable per ounce than gold, and the black-market price for catalytic converters can be above $1,000. A catalytic converter can be stolen from an automobile undercarriage in less than a minute.

Papouloglou is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 20, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office; and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Avi Panth and Kashan K. Pathan are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section assisted with the prosecution.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-42.

RICHMOND, Va. – A federal judge convicted a Powhatan man today on two counts of healthcare fraud.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Richard Davis, 51, was the sole owner and CEO of Innovative Family Services LLC (IFS), which he enrolled as a Medicaid provider in Virginia in 2012. IFS provided Therapeutic Day Treatment (TDT), a mental health program for children and adolescents often offered as an after-school program, and Intensive In-Home services (IIH), interventions for children at risk of being removed from their homes. To be eligible for Medicaid reimbursement, TDT and IIH services must be provided in person.

From December 2015 through July 2019, Davis directed IFS employees to bill the maximum allowable service units per day by billing two or more hours per day for group planning, case documentation, excessive coordination of care with adults in the children’s lives, and transportation, even though Medicaid disallows these services from payment.  By doing so, Davis and his company routinely billed Medicaid for five hours of TDT when only two or three hours of actual care were provided. Davis’ company billed excessive hours for nearly every Medicaid recipient almost every day TDT was provided for the entire time IFS operated as a company.

Davis’ fraudulent billing scheme caused a loss to Medicaid of at least $218,392.

Davis faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on Feb. 7, 2025. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. entered the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shea Gibbons and Brian Hood are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-135.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Maryland man pled guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on Nov. 8, 2023, Damontae James Garner, 24, of Silver Spring, was driving a stolen Cadillac when Virginia State Police observed him making erratic lane changes. When the trooper attempted to initiate a traffic stop, Garner accelerated. Garner drove the stolen vehicle over stop sticks that had been deployed by another trooper, puncturing the tires and stopping the car when it collided with the rear guard of a parked tractor trailer in a weigh station. Garner and a female passenger got out of the Cadillac and briefly fled on foot before troopers detained them.

While conducting an inventory search to tow the Cadillac, a trooper found a backpack containing a 7.62 caliber, semi-automatic firearm loaded with 26 rounds of ammunition. Garner admitted in today’s plea that he possessed the firearm. As a previously convicted felon, Garner cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.

Garner is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 8, 2025. He faces up to 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Wright is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-49.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to seven years in prison for distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).

According to court documents, on Oct. 12, 2023, Dustin Roy Harrell, 39, distributed CSAM in a group on an end-to-end encryption messaging app that keeps communications private. Harrell shared a link to a Mega.nz account within the private channel that allowed users to download a video depicting the sexual abuse of a newborn baby.

Law enforcement seized multiple electronic devices, including three cellphones. Forensic examinations of the phones revealed 267 images, 32 computer-generated images, and five videos of CSAM. One device contained conversations in which Harrell discussed topics of child pornography and incest. Harrell engaged in online groups named “Cute Teens 16-19,” “Uncensored Teens,” Family Maza Incst,” and more.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Heck prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-19.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Springfield man yesterday on three charges of possessing and receiving stolen mail.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Kenshaun Thompson, 26, participated in a conspiracy to steal mail on several occasions in October 2023. Thompson’s co-conspirator, Adam Bekele, 33, of Annandale, accessed several mailboxes including the mailbox at the West Springfield Post Office on Rolling Road and took the mail from the box into a vehicle. On multiple occasions, and specifically on Oct. 24, 25, and 26, 2023, Bekele transported the stolen mail to an apartment in Falls Church where he transferred it to Thompson, who knew when he received the mail that it had been stolen.

On Feb. 22, Bekele pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail theft. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when he is sentenced on Oct. 3.

Thompson faces a maximum of 15 years, five years for each count of receiving stolen mail in prison when sentenced on Dec. 5. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra Serano and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Antara Saikat Joardar are prosecuting the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Hiller provided valuable assistance on this case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-137.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico man was sentenced today to 27 years in prison for fentanyl distribution and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, from Feb. 10, 2022, to March 3, 2022, law enforcement in Richmond conducted three controlled purchases of fentanyl from Jason Dominic Coley, 38.

On March 22, 2022, law enforcement executed search warrants for locations and vehicles associated with Coley. During a search of Coley’s residence, investigators recovered two semiautomatic handguns, a semiautomatic rifle, 13.8 ounces of fentanyl, and 4.3 ounces of cocaine. At another residence associated with Coley, investigators recovered $16,085, and a .45 caliber handgun. The same day, law enforcement detained and arrested Coley, whom they found in possession of a .40 caliber handgun. Coley admitted that for the past year, he had been purchasing approximately two kilograms of fentanyl from California for distribution.

Coley is a career criminal with previous felony convictions, including in federal court. As a convicted felon, he cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-126.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to three years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on Oct. 3, 2023, Henrico County Police (HCPD) responded to a call for service regarding a fight at an apartment complex on Henrico Arms Place. A woman who was not involved in the fight approached the officers and reported that she had just been assaulted by Jamie Louis Cook, 39, who is the father of her child. When an HCPD officer attempted to place Cook into custody for domestic assault, Cook attempted to flee from the officers.

As Cook fled, he reached into his waistband, removed a loaded 9mm handgun, and dropped it on the ground. Cook eventually stopped running and was taken into custody. The officers recovered the firearm that Cook dropped, which had been stolen in November 2021.

Cook has previous felony convictions including for robbery, use of a firearm in commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Eric D. English, Chief of Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Hubbard, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-26.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A California woman was sentenced today to eight years and eight months in prison for her part in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.

According to court documents, in September 2022, Lily Marlene Contreras Lopez, 35, took over the drug-trafficking business of her romantic partner, who was arrested on firearms and narcotics charges in California. One of her customers was Chase Scott Jones, 27, who supplied drugs to Sean Michael Johnson, 26, a long-time supplier of narcotics to customers across the nation.

Law enforcement learned that, dating back to at least May 2020, Johnson had sold tens of thousands of fentanyl pills to an individual in Virginia. An undercover officer contacted Johnson to gauge his fentanyl drug supply. Law enforcement made a total of six controlled purchases from the conspiracy beginning in January 2023. Johnson negotiated the controlled purchases with the undercover officer and sent the details to Jones, who then sourced most of the drugs from Contreras Lopez.

The fifth and six controlled purchases were conducted in person in California. The sixth deal involved 100 pounds of meth and 10 kilograms of fentanyl powder. On Dec. 6, 2023, before the deal took place, Contreras Lopez distributed the meth to Jones. Jones then proceeded to the deal location, with Contreras Lopez waiting nearby to complete the transactions. After Jones distributed the meth to the undercover officer, both Jones and Contreras Lopez were arrested.

During searches of Contreras Lopez’s apartment and storage, law enforcement recovered two kilograms of fentanyl powder, five handguns, a digital scale, a money counter, several empty promethazine bottles, and drug ledgers.

On Feb. 29, Johnson pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and meth. Johnson was sentenced on May 29 to eight years and six months in prison.

On Feb. 4, Jones pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and meth. Jones was sentenced on June 6 to 10 years in prison.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Carter prosecuted the case.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-46.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man pled guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on Feb. 27, officers with the Arlington County Police Department and a United States Marshals Service Task Force took Christian Lamont Thompson, 40, of Waldorf, into custody at a hotel in Arlington County on an outstanding warrant for a parole violation following a drug distribution conviction in the District of Columbia. As officers placed Thompson into custody, crack cocaine fell from his pants. During a search of Thompson’s room, investigators recovered a vial of PCP, plastic baggies, $680, suspected marijuana, and a loaded handgun with an affixed laser sight.

As a previously convicted felon, Thompson cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.

Thompson is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 21. He faces a maximum punishment of 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Charles “Andy” Penn, Arlington County Chief of Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the plea.

USMS provided valuable assistance in the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-113.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – WASHINGTON – A Belarussian and Ukrainian national charged in the District of New Jersey and Eastern District of Virginia with leading international computer hacking and wire fraud schemes made his initial appearance in Newark, New Jersey, today after being extradited from Poland.

As alleged in court documents unsealed today, Maksim Silnikau, also known as Maksym Silnikov, 38, led two multi-year cybercrime schemes. At different points, Silnikau has been associated with the online monikers “J.P. Morgan,” “xxx,” and “lansky,” among others.

In the District of New Jersey, Silnikau, along with alleged co-conspirators Volodymyr Kadariya, a Belarussian and Ukrainian national, 38, and Andrei Tarasov, a Russian national, 33, are charged with cybercrime offenses associated with a scheme to transmit the Angler Exploit Kit, other malware, and online scams to the computers of millions of unsuspecting victim Internet users through online advertisements — so-called “malvertising” — and other means from October 2013 through March 2022. In the Eastern District of Virginia, Silnikau is charged for his role as the creator and administrator of the Ransom Cartel ransomware strain and associated ransomware operations beginning in May 2021.

“Today, the Justice Department takes another step forward in disrupting ransomware actors and malicious cybercriminals who prey on victims in the U.S. and around the world,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “As alleged, for over a decade, the defendant used a host of online disguises and a network of fraudulent ad campaigns to spread ransomware and scam U.S. businesses and consumers. Now, thanks to the hard work of federal agents and prosecutors, along with Polish law enforcement colleagues, Maksim Silnikau must answer these grave charges in an American courtroom.”

“This case reemphasizes the importance of both cybersecurity and our crucial law enforcement partnerships worldwide,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Online threats emerge within the digital ecosystem among those who exploit the very tools that help us connect and collaborate. In turn, we must maximize our investigative collaborations globally to address those threats. This investigation demonstrates the positive results of leveraging international partnerships to combat international crimes.”

“As alleged in the indictment, Silnikau and his co-conspirators distributed online advertisements to millions of internet users for the purpose of delivering malicious content,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These ads appeared legitimate but were actually designed to deliver malware that would compromise users’ devices or to deliver ‘scareware’ designed to trick users into providing their sensitive personal information. Silnikau’s arrest and extradition demonstrate that, working with its domestic and international partners, the Criminal Division is committed to bringing cyber criminals who target U.S. victims to justice, no matter where they are located.”

“These conspirators are alleged to have operated a multiyear scheme to distribute malware onto the computers of millions of unsuspecting internet users around the globe,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “To carry out the scheme, they used malicious advertising, or ‘malvertising’, to trick victims into clicking on legitimate-seeming internet ads. Instead, the victims would be redirected to malicious internet sites that delivered malware to their devices, giving the conspirators access to the victims’ personal information. The conspirators then sold that access and information to other cybercriminals on the dark net. Throughout the scheme, the conspirators attempted to hide their identities from law enforcement, including by using fraudulent aliases and online personas.”

“This arrest underscores a long-term investigation by the U.S. Secret Service, in coordination with foreign, domestic and private partners, of cybercrime organizations that allegedly distributed the notorious Angler Exploit Kit, conducted malvertising, and operated the Ransom Cartel ransomware organization,” said Assistant Director of Investigations Brian Lambert of the U.S. Secret Service. “Cybercriminals should know that even if they attempt to hide their criminal conduct behind the anonymity of the internet that eventually, through the dedication of international law enforcement professionals, they will be apprehended and held accountable for their actions.”

“Silnikau and his co-conspirators allegedly used malware and various online scams to target millions of unsuspecting internet users in the United States and around the world,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “They hid behind online aliases and engaged in complex, far-reaching cyber fraud schemes to compromise victim devices and steal sensitive personal information. The FBI will continue to work with partners to aggressively impose costs on cybercriminals and hold them accountable for their actions.”

“The FBI will continue to work alongside our partners both overseas and in the states to identify and dismantle cyber threats, and to pursue those criminals who attempt to target and defraud victims in the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office.

District of New Jersey Indictment

According to the indictment unsealed in the District of New Jersey, from October 2013 through March 2022, Silnikau, Kadariya, Tarasov, and others in Ukraine and elsewhere used malvertising and other means to deliver malware, scareware, and online scams to millions of unsuspecting Internet users in the United States and elsewhere. The malvertising campaigns were designed to appear legitimate, but often redirected victim Internet users who viewed or accessed the advertisements to malicious sites and servers that sought to defraud the users or delivered malware to the users’ devices. The conspirators’ scheme caused unsuspecting Internet users to be forcibly redirected to malicious content on millions of occasions, and defrauded and attempted to defraud various U.S.-based companies involved in the sale and distribution of legitimate online advertisements.

One strain of malware that Silnikau and others allegedly took a leading role in disseminating was the Angler Exploit Kit, which targeted web-based vulnerabilities in Internet browsers and associated plug-ins. At times during the scheme, the Angler Exploit Kit was a leading vehicle through which cybercriminals delivered malware onto compromised electronic devices. The conspirators also allegedly enabled the delivery of “scareware” ads that displayed false messages claiming to have identified a virus or other issue with a victim Internet user’s device. The messages then attempted to deceive the victim into buying or downloading dangerous software, providing remote access to the device, or disclosing personal identifying or financial information.

For years, the conspirators tricked advertising companies into delivering their malvertising campaigns by using dozens of online personas and fictitious entities to pose as legitimate advertising companies. They also developed and used sophisticated technologies and computer code to refine their malvertisements, malware, and computer infrastructure so as to conceal the malicious nature of their advertising. 

As alleged, Silnikau, Kadariya, Tarasov, and conspirators used multiple strategies to profit from their widespread hacking and wire fraud scheme, including by using accounts on predominantly Russian cybercrime forums to sell to cybercriminals access to the compromised devices of victim Internet users (so-called “loads” or “bots”), as well as information stolen from victims and recorded in “logs,” such as banking information and login credentials, to enable further efforts to defraud the victim Internet users or deliver additional malware to their devices.

Eastern District of Virginia Indictment

According to the indictment unsealed in the Eastern District of Virginia, Silnikau was the creator and administrator of the Ransom Cartel ransomware strain, created in 2021. Silnikau allegedly had been a member of Russian-speaking cybercrime forums since at least 2005 and was a member of the notorious cybercrime website Direct Connection from 2011 to 2016, when the site was shuttered after the arrest of its administrator.

Beginning in May 2021, Silnikau allegedly developed a ransomware operation and began recruiting participants from cybercrime forums. On various occasions, Silnikau allegedly distributed information and tools to Ransom Cartel participants, including information about compromised computers, such as stolen credentials, and tools such as those designed to encrypt or “lock” compromised computers. Silnikau also allegedly established and maintained a hidden website where he and his co-conspirators could monitor and control ransomware attacks; communicate with each other; communicate with victims, including sending and negotiating payment demands; and manage distribution of funds between co-conspirators.

On Nov. 16, 2021, Silnikau allegedly executed a ransomware attack on a company based in New York, and on March 5, 2022, Ransom Cartel ransomware was deployed against a company based in California. The hackers removed confidential data without authorization and demanded a monetary payment to refrain from releasing the victim’s data.

*          *          *

In the District of New Jersey, Silnikau, Kadariya, and Tarasov are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit computer fraud, and two counts of substantive wire fraud. If convicted, Silnikau, Kadariya, and Tarasov face maximum penalties of 27 years in prison for wire fraud conspiracy, 10 years in prison for computer fraud conspiracy, counts, and 20 years in prison on each wire fraud count.

In the Eastern District of Virginia, Silnikau is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit access device fraud, and two counts each of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

The U.S. Secret Service and FBI Kansas City Field Office are investigating the charges in the District of New Jersey, and the U.S. Secret Service is investigating the charges in the Eastern District of Virginia. The Department also appreciates the extensive cooperation and coordination by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency and Crown Prosecution Service over the course of several years, as well as significant support provided by the Security Service of Ukraine Cyber Department and Prosecutor General’s Office; Guardia Civil of Spain, Spanish Ministry of Justice, and the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Audiencia Nacional; Policia Judiciaria of Portugal; Germany—Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) and Landeskriminalamt (LKA) Berlin; and Polish authorities, in particular assistance provided by Poland’s Central Cybercrime Bureau, Border Guard, Ministry of Justice, and National Prosecutors Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Keim and Zoe Bedell are prosecuting the case in the Eastern District of Virginia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Fasanello, Chief of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit, for the District of New Jersey and Senior Counsel Aarash A. Haghighat, Cyber Operations International Liaison Louisa K. Becker, and Trial Attorney Christen Gallagher of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting Silnikau and his co-defendants in the District of New Jersey. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Trombly, Chief of the General Crimes Unit, for New Jersey, and Christopher Oakley for the District of Kansas also provided substantial assistance to the New Jersey case.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance in the extradition of Silnikau and the collection of evidence.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-108.

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

RICHMOND, Va. – A superseding indictment was returned yesterday charging two Iranian citizens, brothers Shahab Mir’kazei (Shahab), and Yunus Mir’kazei (Yunus), and one Pakistani citizen, Muhammad Pahlawan, for conspiring to provide and providing material support to Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program resulting in death and conspiring to commit violence against maritime navigation and maritime transport involving weapons of mass destruction resulting in death. Pahlawan is currently awaiting trial, while Shahab and Yunus remain at large.

According to court documents, Shahab and Yunus work for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Muhammad Pahlawan, 48, is a Pakistani citizen who allegedly worked for the Mir’kazei brothers as the captain of a smuggling vessel, known as a dhow, named the “Yunus,” which is owned by Shahab.

Pahlawan allegedly worked with Shahab to prepare the dhow for multiple smuggling voyages, and Shahab paid Pahlawan in Iranian Rials from a bank account in Shahab’s name. Pahlawan allegedly arranged to receive payments from Shahab and Yunus in Iran and distribute the money to his family and others.

On Jan. 11, U.S. Central Command Navy forces operating from the USS LEWIS B. PULLER, including Navy SEALs and members of the U.S. Coast Guard, boarded the dhow off the coast of Somalia. Two Navy SEALs lost their lives during the interdiction.

As alleged, the U.S. boarding team encountered 14 individual mariners on the vessel, including Pahlawan. During a search of the dhow, the U.S. boarding team allegedly located and seized what is believed to be Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry. Preliminary analysis of the advanced conventional weaponry indicates that it includes critical components for medium range ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles, to include a warhead and propulsion and guidance components. The type of weaponry found aboard the dhow is allegedly consistent with the weaponry used by the Houthi rebel forces in recent attacks on merchant ships and U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

In addition to the charges described above, Pahlawan is charged with providing materially false information to U.S. Coast Guard officers during the boarding of the dhow regarding the vessel’s captain, and witness intimidation for threatening one of the crewmembers on the dhow.  

Pahlawan, Shahab, and Yunus all face up to life in prison.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; and Executive Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBI's National Security Branch made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Troy A. Edwards Jr. and Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Lesley Woods of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-41.

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Note: View the superseding indictment here. 

A superseding indictment was returned yesterday charging two Iranian citizens, brothers Shahab Mir’kazei (Shahab) and Yunus Mir’kazei (Yunis), and one Pakistani citizen, Muhammad Pahlawan, for conspiring to provide and providing material support to Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program resulting in death and conspiring to commit violence against maritime navigation and maritime transport involving weapons of mass destruction resulting in death. Pahlawan is currently awaiting trial, while Shahab and Yunus remain at large.

According to the court documents, Shahab and Yunus work for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Pahlawan, is a Pakistani citizen who allegedly worked for the Mir’kazei brothers as the captain of a smuggling vessel known as a dhow, named the “Yunus,” which is owned by Shahab.

Pahlawan allegedly worked with Shahab to prepare the dhow for multiple smuggling voyages, and Shahab paid Pahlawan in Iranian Rials from a bank account in Shahab’s name. Pahlawan allegedly arranged to receive payments from Shahab and Yunus in Iran and distribute the money to his family and others.

On the night of Jan. 11, U.S. Central Command Navy forces operating from the USS LEWIS B. PULLER, including Navy SEALs and members of the U.S. Coast Guard, boarded the dhow off the coast of Somalia. Two Navy SEALs lost their lives during the interdiction.

As alleged, the U.S. boarding team encountered 14 individual mariners on the vessel, including Pahlawan. During a search of the dhow, the U.S. boarding team allegedly located and seized what is believed to be Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry. Preliminary analysis of the advanced conventional weaponry indicates that it includes critical components for medium range ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles, including to include a warhead and propulsion and guidance components. The type of weaponry found aboard the dhow is allegedly consistent with the weaponry used by the Houthi rebel forces in recent attacks on merchant ships and U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

In addition to the charges described above, Pahlawan is charged with providing materially false information to U.S. Coast Guard officers during the boarding of the dhow regarding the vessel’s captain and witness intimidation for threatening one of the crewmembers on the dhow.  

If convicted, Pahlawan, Shahab and Yunus all face maximum penalties of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Troy A. Edwards Jr. and Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Lesley Woods of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Washington man was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison for wire fraud.

According to court documents, from at least June 2020 through at least June 2021, Clayton Rosenberg, aka Kenneth Clayton and Kobe, 31, and his co-conspirators submitted fraudulent applications to defraud multiple COVID-19 relief programs.  Rosenberg used these stolen funds to increase his typical lifestyle, including luxury vehicle purchases and $1,800 for beard care products.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided emergency financial assistance expeditiously to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the pandemic. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans to small businesses for such expenses as making payroll payments to remain afloat. Federal programs also expanded unemployment insurance (UI) eligibility and increased unemployment benefits during the pandemic to assist those who lost their jobs or were otherwise unable to work through no fault of their own.

Rosenberg and his co-conspirators prepared and submitted at least 16 fraudulent PPP loan applications for businesses or purported businesses. In the applications, Rosenberg and his co-conspirators grossly inflated employee numbers and monthly payroll costs. They also created and submitted false tax returns and fake bank statements in support of the applications.

After the financial institutions approved and funded the loan applications, the business owners would share the loan proceeds with Rosenberg and his co-conspirators. During this time, Rosenberg and a co-conspirator controlled various shell companies to which the business owners often would transfer a percentage of the PPP loan proceeds. The payout of these fraudulent PPP loans and the wire fraud conspiracy caused a total loss of at least $9.3 million, of which Rosenberg received at least $1,666,290.

Rosenberg and his co-conspirators also submitted fraudulent UI applications using other individuals' personal identifying information (PII) that they obtained online. The benefits were issued on prepaid debit cards mailed to addresses the conspirators listed on the applications. Along with individuals' PII, the conspirators included false information in the applications and certifications, including false employment and wage history as well as false contact information. Rosenberg applied for and received over $110,308 in UI and pandemic unemployment assistance benefits.

Rosenberg also possessed device-making equipment in his residence, including equipment to create fraudulent documents, black check paper, card stock for IDs, holograms used for passports and driver licenses, at least six fraudulent Social Security cards, and at least eight fake driver licenses. Rosenberg made at least two fake Burkina Faso passports and at least one unauthorized United States passport.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; Matt McCool, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Michael McGill of the Social Security Administration (SSA) - Office of Inspector General (OIG) Philadelphia Field Division; Charles “Andy” Penn, Arlington County Chief of Police; Troy W. Springer, Special Agent in Charge, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Jason J. Scalzo, Special Agent in Charge of the Electronic Crimes Unit for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and Zachary H. Ray prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-61.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Mexican national was sentenced today to four years and four months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

According to court documents, on Nov. 15, 2023, Jesus Alejandro Ibarra-Morales, 30, had crossed into the United States at the Veteran's International Bridge-Los Tomates Port of Entry at Matamoros, Tamaulipas, and Brownsville, Texas, using his border crossing card, and driving a Chevrolet Suburban with Mexico license plates. Ibarra-Morales then picked up two car dollies, the axles of which were packed with 15 bricks of cocaine, with a total weight of over 15 kilograms.

Law enforcement agents received information that a shipment of narcotics was being transported from Texas to Richmond, Virginia, and on Nov. 27, 2023, agents learned that the Suburban was near the drop location in Richmond. Agents stopped the vehicle and identified Ibarra-Morales as the driver. A drug detection canine alerted to the presence of illegal controlled substances on the car dollies and a search of the axles resulted in the recovery of the cocaine.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-24.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Weems man was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison for designing and executing a scheme over the course of 15 years to defraud his employer, a local financial institution, by issuing fraudulent loans to other individuals and using the loan proceeds for himself.

According to court documents, James Stevens, 47, was employed at Primis Bank (formerly known as Sonabank, Eastern VA Bank, and Southside Bank) from 2000 to June 2023 as a Commercial Lender, Branch Manager, and Assistant Branch Manager. As a Commercial Lender for Primis, Stevens had the authority to issue loans on behalf of the bank, as well as the ability to open and access customer accounts and transfer funds into and out of customer accounts.

Beginning in 2008, and continuing through June 2023, Stevens exploited his position of trust at Primis Bank to issue numerous fraudulent loans—on behalf of his unwitting bank employer—in the names and using the identities of numerous other individuals. Stevens would often create fraudulent documentation to support these loan applications, using the personal information of multiple Primis Bank customers in the process. Stevens would then use proceeds of these fraudulently issued loans to make payments on other previously-issued fraudulent loans, to pay himself, or to pay others. Through this loan scheme, Stevens caused a loss to Primis Bank of more than $2.3 million.

Stevens also exploited his personal relationship with one Primis Bank customer to access the customer’s personal savings and checking accounts and to withdraw funds from the customer’s accounts. Stevens used his access to the customer’s accounts to change the mailing address on the accounts so that the bank customer remained unaware of the thefts, which eventually totaled more than $97,000. Altogether, the frauds and thefts perpetrated by Stevens resulted in a total loss to Primis Bank of $2,477,643.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas A. Garnett and Robert Day prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-10.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man pled guilty today to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and race-based interference with housing and employment.

According to court documents, David L. Merryman, 59, owns 39 rental properties in Newport News and 23 more in Hampton.  Many of Merryman’s rental properties were in poor condition and located in low-income neighborhoods. He primarily rented the properties to underprivileged African American tenants with limited credit and housing options.

From 2019 through at least January 2024, Merryman engaged in a multifaceted scheme that included obtaining rent relief benefits to which he was not entitled, as well as fraudulently obtaining large initial payments in the form of security deposits, prepaid rent, and other fees for rental homes that were in poor repair. Merryman implied to prospective tenants that he would lease the rentals for longer tenancy terms but intended to evict them as quickly as possible to restart the cycle of fraud and collect more high initial payments from new tenants.

On several occasions, Merryman harassed his minority tenants with slurs, comments about slavery, mocking comments, death threats, and other assaultive conduct related to their race, all in violation of their right to occupy and lease a dwelling free from racially motivated harassment, threats, and force. He also interfered with at least one victim’s right to enjoy employment free from racial threats and assaultive conduct.

Merryman fabricated lease documents, often with incorrect information related to the tenants, and backdated documents before forging tenants’ signatures and falsely representing that he was authorized to act on their behalf.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, state and federal governments made rent relief benefits available to those struggling during the national health crisis. Merryman filed fraudulent rent relief applications and used his tenants' names and personal information without their consent and forged their signatures. In many cases, he obtained significant sums of rent relief without telling the tenants, even evicting, or seeking to evict, the very same tenants for unpaid rent. To obtain housing-assistance payments from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Merryman also made false representations about the condition of his rental properties and whether he was receiving other payments that would be duplicative of federally funded rental assistance.

Merryman also defrauded tenants by obtaining money and property from them under false pretenses, primarily through false representations that he would repair his properties to induce tenants to pay significant upfront fees for neglected, even uninhabitable, properties that he never intended to improve.

For example, a tenant, identified as L.G., made requests for necessary repairs to the home she was renting, to which Merryman repeatedly made racially derogatory responses. In April 2019, Merryman threatened to turn L.G. and her children into “potting soil.” L.G. obtained a protective order against Merryman, who then responded by, among other things, parking his vehicle just outside the prohibited radius of the order and intimidating L.G. and her family. 

Another tenant, identified as E.P., regularly paid Merryman rent from 2015 until she was laid off from her job in 2021 during the pandemic after suffering medical problems resulting in her hospitalization. On May 10, 2021, Merryman applied to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development for approximately $15,100 in rent relief benefits for E.P. and forged her signature, all without her consent. Despite obtaining those benefits for E.P., Merryman evicted her, citing her unpaid rent. E.P. then lost all her belongings when Merryman sent a crew to remove them from her home and tow her car when she was hospitalized.

After Merryman failed to complete a driveway construction project, the customer hired a concrete construction business owner, identified as E.S., to finish the job. E.S. had worked in the concrete construction business for more than 40 years. On July 8, 2020, shortly after E.S. finished the project, he received a call from Merryman, who repeatedly threatened him. E.S. obtained a protective order against Merryman, after which, in March 2021, Merryman came to a different jobsite where E.S. was working and stared at him and his team. 

Merryman is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 18. He faces up to twenty years in prison for wire fraud, up to one year in prison on both the race-based interference with housing count and the race-based interference with employment count, and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed for aggravated identity theft. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Rae Oliver Davis, Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General; and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys D. Mack Coleman, Julie D. Podlesni, and Brian J. Samuels are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-4.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Dale City man pled guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, on Jan. 18, 2024, the U.S. Marshals Service’s Capital Area Regional Task Force located Sirri Webb, 40, for whom they had an arrest warrant, in an apartment in Lorton. The apartment was rented in the name of another person who did not know Webb was using the apartment, had not given Webb permission to use the apartment, and gave law enforcement consent to enter the apartment. After knocking and announcing their presence several times with no response, law enforcement entered the apartment, defeating a brace securing the door from the inside.

As law enforcement apprehended Webb, officers observed in plain view a scale with white residue, loose baggies, loose ammunition on the floor, a shotgun resting against a wall, various drugs, large quantities of cash, and a collection of size 12 shoes. Officers seized 745 grams of cocaine, 526 grams of cocaine base, 20 Oxycodone pills, 42 grams of N,N-Dimethylpentylon, a .357 caliber handgun, three 9mm handguns, a .40 caliber handgun, a .38 caliber handgun, an AK47, a 12-gauge shotgun, assorted ammunition, a high-capacity drum magazine, a bulletproof vest, a frame device for stabilized shooting, and $7,080.

Webb is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 1. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison for the possession with intent to distribute cocaine charge and a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison to be served consecutively with any other term of imprisonment for the firearm charge. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Shannon Saylor, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police; and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Walutes Jr. is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-66.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury in Alexandria convicted an Arlington man today on charges of obtaining another person’s healthcare information and destroying evidence in a federal investigation.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from 2017 to 2019, Trent James Russell, 34, was employed by an organ donation coordination entity, which allowed him access to certain electronic medical records. In Jan. 2019, Russell remotely accessed the medical records of a federal official and took a screenshot of the official’s protected health information.

After Russell learned his access was disabled on Feb. 10, 2019, he reformatted his computer two days later in an attempt to destroy evidence and obstruct the investigation. When FBI agents interviewed Russell on Feb. 21, 2019, Russell falsely stated that his cellphone had been stolen.

Russell faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on Nov. 7. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; and Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff accepted the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zoe Bedell and Laura D. Withers are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-195.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to a year and nine months in prison for illegally possessing a machine gun.

According to court documents, on March 25, 2023, Sterling Alexander Davis, 21, failed to stop at the intersection of Orcutt Lane and Kimrod Road and Richmond police performed a traffic stop. Davis told officers there were no firearms in the vehicle, but officers recognized the two passengers in the back seat and knew that they had possessed firearms in previous encounters. The officers checked both backseat passengers and found firearms in their pants.

The officers then performed a protective sweep of the vehicle for additional weapons and located a 9mm handgun under the driver seat. The handgun was equipped with a laser guide and an extended magazine. The firearm also included a machinegun conversion device (MCD) that rendered it capable of fully automatic fire, meeting the legal definition of a machinegun.

After Davis was arrested, law enforcement executed a search warrant on his cellphone. The search revealed text messages dating back two years in which Davis discussed buying and selling MCDs, claiming he had both the “built-in” and the “regular” type that replace the backplate of the firearm. 

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police; and Colette Wallace McEachin, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-32.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man pled guilty today to coercion and enticement of minors.

According to court documents, in September 2022, law enforcement interviewed Witness 1 (W-1), who admitted that he used Telegram to purchase child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from a Telegram user later identified as Shannon Ashley Robbins, 50. W-1 and Robbins negotiated the price of multiple sales of CSAM and used Cash App for W-1 to pay Robbins.

Robbins asked W-1 questions to assess the age range of victims W-1 preferred. After W-1 sent $100 to Robbins using Cash App, Robbins sent several images and videos of CSAM via Telegram.  The approximate age range of the depicted victims is 12 to 14 years of age. W-1 identified one boy of whom he requested more CSAM. Robbins told W-1 that his collection of this boy was “290 pieces” and told W-1 to make Robbins an offer. Robbins sold the lot for $100 and sent to W-1 14 images and six videos depicting a victim of 12 to 13 years of age. Robbins and W-1 conducted at least two other transactions for CSAM.

On Sept. 8, 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTipline report indicating a user had saved, shared, or uploaded four files of suspected CSAM, which was confirmed by NCMEC. On Sept. 19, 2022, NCMEC received another CyberTipline report relating to the same IP address of the Sept. 8, 2022, report. In this second report, 17 files of suspected CSAM were identified. The IP address was assigned with Robbins’ residence in Virginia Beach.

Robbins created multiple accounts on social media both to evade detection and to deceive multiple child victims by assuming false identities. Beginning at least as early as 2021 and continuing until the date of his arrest on Oct. 25, 2023, Robbins engaged with numerous juvenile victims to entice or coerce them into producing CSAM. As Robbins approached minor victims on social media, he presented himself as a minor, sometimes female, other times male. At times Robbins sent CSAM to the minor victims, either to create the impression that Robbins and the victims were mutual participants or to demonstrate the poses Robbins preferred. Robbins used Cash App to pay a 12-year-old victim to produce and send CSAM to Robbins.

The material Robbins sold to W-1 included 135 sexually explicit images and 153 sexually explicit videos depicting one of the victims Robbins engaged through social media and enticed or coerced to produce CSAM.   

Robbins was acquainted with two of his victims, each of whom lived near him. Between July 11 and Oct. 24, 2023, Robbins exchanged approximately 1,775 text messages with one of these victims. Between May 21 and Oct. 24, 2023, Robbins exchanged approximately 3,958 text messages with the other victim.  He spent time with them when no other adult was present and frequently allowed them to spend time in his garage, where the victims played darts and socialized. Robbins took the victims on outings to Bass Pro Shops and to Busch Gardens with no other adult present. Robbins previously coached a local travel baseball team.

Law enforcement seized Robbins’ cellphone on Oct. 25, 2023. On the phone, Robbins possessed a large volume of CSAM image and video files.

Robbins is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 28, 2025. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and up to life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony C. Marek is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-20.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Midlothian man pled guilty yesterday to mail fraud, federal program theft, and tax evasion in connection with a scheme to misappropriate millions of dollars from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).

According to court documents, beginning on Aug. 10, 2013, Adam Lamar Harrell, 41, was an employee of VDH and on Sept. 10, 2019, became the Associate Director of the Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS). As OEMS’s Associate Director, Harrell was responsible for managing Virginia’s emergency response programs, epidemiology research, and the information technology systems that Virginia’s emergency medical service providers rely on, among other responsibilities.

Harrell used his position to direct payments from VDH to a company he registered and controlled, Strategic Tech Innovations, LLC. Harrell concealed his ownership of and affiliation with Strategic Tech from VDH and OEMS, and used this entity to embezzle funds from his employer through two separate means.

From January 2021 through May 2023, Harrell created 15 fraudulent invoices for services and technology that Strategic Tech would purportedly provide to OEMS. Harrell set exorbitant and non-market prices for the various line items on the invoices, knowing the vast majority of those items would not be provided by Strategic Tech. Without OEMS’s knowledge or approval, Harrell would submit these fraudulent invoices to the Western Virginia EMS Council (WVEMS), a regional emergency medical services council that serves as a pass-through for OEMS payments to vendors. Each of these invoices were paid by WVEMS with OEMS funds. By directing the invoices to WVEMS instead of Accounts Payable at OEMS, Harrell circumvented the requirement that Strategic Tech be approved as a vendor to VDH and OEMS and evaded scrutiny by the Accounts Payable department. As the Associate Director of OEMS, Harrell was able to unilaterally approve the same fraudulent Strategic Tech invoices he drafted.

Harrell deposited each of the checks he illegally received from WVEMS into the Strategic Tech checking account he controlled and used the funds for personal expenses, including the purchase of real estate, luxury vehicles, dozens of firearms, and jewelry. In total, Harrell received $4,337,395 in OEMS funds.

On March 9, 2021, Harrell filed a joint federal income tax return with his spouse for tax year 2020. On the IRS Form Schedule C, Profit or Loss from Business, Harrell reported being the sole proprietor of Strategic Tech, reporting $193,076 in gross receipts. He falsely reported expenses for Strategic Tech of $200,340, for a net loss of $7,264, fraudulently lowering his taxable income and generating a refund of $934. Harrell then ceased reporting any income from Strategic Tech on the federal income tax returns he filed for tax years 2021, 2022, and 2023. From November 2020 through March 2024, Harrell evaded a total of $1,880,287.34 in income taxes.

Harrell is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 20. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Summer L. Speight accepted the plea.

The Virginia State Police and the Office of the State Inspector General provided significant assistance in the investigation of this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas A. Garnett and Kashan Pathan are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-92.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced yesterday to four years and nine months in prison for aggravated identity theft, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and defrauding a COVID relief program.

According to court documents, in May 2021, Marquell Lamont Moon, 31, who is a member of the Crips gang, fired approximately 27 rounds at a victim while the victim’s 3-year-old child was with him. At least one of the rounds struck the victim’s left hand. Law enforcement in Chesapeake later pursued Moon, who attempted to flee in a vehicle at high speed but crashed into a residence, fled the vehicle, and discarded a black backpack and other objects as he ran. Law enforcement recovered $8,275.66 and a stolen .45 semiautomatic handgun from Moon’s vehicle.

Moon was previously convicted of carrying a concealed weapon, reckless driving, resisting arrest, and forging credit cards. As a previously convicted felon, Moon cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.

Law enforcement also recovered evidence that Moon was engaged in a financial fraud scheme. Among the items recovered from Moon’s vehicle and backpack were credit and bank cards, a card embossing machine, a notebook detailing the fraudulent scheme, and correspondence with the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC). A total of 34 cards were either in another person’s name or there was no name associated with the card. There were also 28 blank debit/credit cards with no identifying information on the magnetic strip.

Moon fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits that had been expanded and initiated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Moon unlawfully obtained the personally identifiable information (PII) of 10 individuals and used that information to fraudulently apply to VEC for unemployment insurance benefits totaling $112,633. The notebook detailed the steps for committing fraudulent requests and documenting the PII of the individuals whose identities Moon used to apply for the funds. Federal agents across several states located and interviewed the PII victims and determined that they did not know Moon and had not filed for unemployment insurance in Virginia.  One victim was deceased.  Another victim was too apprehensive to even comply with law enforcement.

In addition to applying for benefits in the victims’ names, Moon used VEC's online portal to enter weekly re-certifications attesting that the applicants were ready and willing to work during the week and actively seeking employment. One of the identity theft victims could not have been willing to work during the week and actively seeking employment because he was deceased. Another victim was not willing to work during the week and actively seeking employment because he was retired.

Moon is currently incarcerated for malicious wounding.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clayton D. LaForge and Amanda L. Cheney prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-35.