Eastern District of Virginia

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) deputy pled guilty today to providing drugs and other contraband to an inmate at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center (Fairfax ADC) in exchange for bribe payments.

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 arrested by FCSO, the Fairfax County Police Department, and federal agencies. From Dec. 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.

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.

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.

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, telling FCSO that childcare challenges were the reason for his resignation.

Sanford will remain detained until sentencing, which is scheduled for Sept. 18. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of two counts of 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; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; and Stacey A. Kincaid, Fairfax County Sheriff, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather D. Call 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-110.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

According to court documents, from August 2021 to July 2022, Jason Banks, 27, participated in a scheme to defraud banks by cashing or depositing fraudulent checks. At least one conspirator had obtained a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) arrow key, used by mail carriers to unlock USPS collection boxes, apartment panels, or parcel lockers. The conspirators used the key to steal mail, much of which included checks.

The conspirators created fraudulent checks, either by altering stolen checks or using information from stolen checks to create new fraudulent checks. Banks recruited accountholders who would share their bank account, PIN, and personally identifying information with him, which he would then provide to another conspirator. That conspirator supplied at least one fraudulent paper check to Banks or the other accountholders, who would deposit the fraudulent checks into their accounts. At other times, a conspirator would electronically deposit the fraudulent checks into the accounts of one of the other accountholders.

After the fraud proceeds were deposited, Banks coordinated the transfer of the funds to himself, from which he generally took a percentage and forwarded the rest of the funds to other conspirators.

The overall bank fraud conspiracy caused an actual loss of at least $501,096.15. Banks recruited at least four people to provide their bank account and personally identifying information to the conspirators and shared the personal identifying information of at least 25 individuals, some of whom were victims of identity theft.

Banks is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 28 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 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; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police; Ajay Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Troy W. Springer, Special Agent in Charge of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Shartar and Kathleen Robeson 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. 1:24-cr-91.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Oregon man was sentenced today to eight years and six months in prison for conspiracy to distribute massive amounts of both fentanyl and methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Sean Michael Johnson, 26, is 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. Johnson and the undercover officer agreed on a deal for 2,000 fentanyl pills and Johnson arranged for the pills to be mailed from California to Manassas, Virginia. In February 2023, Johnson and the undercover officer agreed to another sale, this time for 5,000 fentanyl pills and one pound of meth, both of which were mailed to Manassas. The meth tested at an approximate 100% purity rate.

Johnson arranged two more sales with delivery through the mail to Manassas, each for 5,000 fentanyl pills and 10 pounds of meth. Johnson and the undercover officer then negotiated an in-person deal for 25,000 fentanyl pills, 20 pounds of meth, and a kilogram of fentanyl powder to take place in California with Johnson’s supplier. Only three-fourths of the fentanyl powder was available, but the rest of the deal went forward as agreed. Eventually, the undercover officer and Johnson’s supplier negotiated another California in-person sale directly, from which Johnson expected a cut of the proceeds for making the connection. After the supplier distributed 100 pounds of meth as part of the deal, both Johnson and the supplier were arrested on Dec. 6, 2023.

In the six controlled purchases, Johnson was involved in distributing 63.1 kilograms of meth, 4.4 kilograms of fentanyl pills, and 800 grams of fentanyl powder. Johnson pled guilty on Feb. 29.

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; 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; Ajay Lall, Acting 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.

The Los Angeles Police Department provided significant assistance on this case.

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

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-41.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Stafford man was sentenced today to three years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

According to court documents, on Dec. 3, 2023, loss prevention personnel at a department store in McLean observed Najee O. Lewis, aka Bebo, 27, shoplifting merchandise. The personnel apprehended Lewis and contacted the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD). FCPD officers responded and recovered a loaded .40 caliber Glock handgun from Lewis’ pants. The firearm had a round in the chamber and 22 rounds in an extended magazine.

Lewis previously was convicted in Prince William Circuit Court of two separate felony robbery offenses that occurred two days apart and was subsequently sentenced at the same time for both offenses. In May 2018, Lewis was released from incarceration for these robbery convictions and began a 10-year term of supervised probation. Less than four months after his release from incarceration, while still on supervision in Virginia, a music video showing Lewis with a stolen 9mm handgun was posted to YouTube. Lewis was convicted of illegally possessing a firearm, violating the terms of his pre-existing supervised release. As a convicted felon, Lewis cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.

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 Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel I. Lipkowitz and Noah Sissoko 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-37.

RICHMOND, Va. – A King and Queen County man was sentenced today to five years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court documents, on March 17, 2022, a King and Queen County Sheriff’s Office Deputy responded to a report that George Franklin Gibson Jr., 34, was sitting in his truck at the end of a driveway, in violation of an emergency protective order. After another deputy arrived, the deputies arrested Gibson and, based on ammunition in plain view in the truck as well as in Gibson’s pocket, searched the truck.

In the center console of Gibson’s truck, the deputies found a plastic baggie with suspected meth. They also found a backpack in the backseat with more suspected meth in the front zipper pocket. The main compartment of the backpack was locked. The deputies obtained search warrants for the backpack and Gibson’s premises. The locked compartment of the backpack contained suspected marijuana, a digital scale, smoking devices, packaging materials, and suspected psychedelic mushrooms. A shed on the property contained large quantities of suspected marijuana and marijuana plants, packaging materials, a loaded 9mm handgun, and a safe containing more suspected meth and over $13,000. In total, law enforcement recovered 187.59 grams of meth.

Gibson pled guilty on Feb. 29.

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 William R. Balderson, King and Queen County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Wright and Kenneth R. Simon Jr. 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. 3:23-cr-10.

RICHMOND, Va. – A former postal carrier with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) in Richmond was sentenced today to one year and one month in prison for theft of mail.

According to court documents, Wendy Lawrence, 40, stole mail, removing gift cards, checks, and other items of value for her own use. Lawrence also dumped mail entrusted to her care. Law enforcement recovered stolen mail from Lawrence’s residence belonging to over 180 victims.

After stealing checks from the mail, Lawrence used the bank account and routing information on those checks to initiate electronic payments, which she used for such expenses as her tax bill, pest control, and rent. On at least one occasion, to prolong and conceal the fraud scheme, Lawrence initiated a fraudulent address change with the USPS on behalf of a victim, rerouting the victim’s mail to Lawrence’s address. Law enforcement also recovered checks from Lawrence’s residence that she forged for her own benefit, including checks in the name of at least 30 other individuals.

Lawrence pled guilty on Feb. 29.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jeff Krafels, Special Agent in Charge of the Mid Atlantic Area Field Office for the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General; Ajay D. Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division; and Bradford W. Nunnally, Sheriff for Powhatan County, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. The Powhatan County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office provided substantial assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth 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-17.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Woodbridge man on May 24 on charges of false impersonation of an officer or employee of the United States.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Russel Guye Dadzie, 50, was a third-party contractor security guard for federal buildings since at least 2013. Dadzie received training that his authority was limited to the immediate area of the building he was assigned to guard and only during his assigned shift. That training also explains that he is not a federal employee, federal agent, or federal officer, that he should not identify himself as such in any context, and that engaging in this type of misrepresentation could result in criminal charges. Dadzie received this training on multiple occasions, including in January 2023. Access to the buildings to which Dadzie was assigned required Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards. Dadzie signed agreements with both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) that he would not use the PIV cards for non-employment-related purposes, that he would not display them to others outside of work, and that he would not use them to coerce, intimidate, deceive, or obtain any privilege, favor, preferential treatment, reward, or personal gain. He signed agreements acknowledging that noncompliance with these requirements might subject him to criminal penalties.

On Sept. 15, 2023, officers with the Prince William County Police Department (PWCPD) approached Dadzie’s vehicle in Woodbridge. Dadzie stated multiple times that he was “with DHS” and that he was a “DHS officer” and a “federal officer.” In lieu of a driver license, Dadzie presented officers with a DHS PIV card to bolster his claims that he was a federal officer. When asked about his vehicle, he challenged police, “You’re asking a federal officer if there’s anything illegal in his vehicle?”

On Nov. 9, 2023, a PWCPD officer encountered Dadzie, noting that the inspection sticker on the windshield of Dadzie’s vehicle was expired. When the officer requested to see Dadzie’s driver license, Dadzie instead showed the officer multiple federal PIV cards he possessed, handed the officer a USAID PIV card, and claimed to be a “federal officer” with USAID.

Dadzie faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison when sentenced on Sept. 12. 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 Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Harvey and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Lipkowitz 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. 1:24-cr-51.

This release was edited on May 28, 2024, to correct the date of conviction.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Nigerian national was sentenced today to four years in prison for stealing someone’s identity and fraudulently redirecting over a million dollars in business transaction payments.

According to court documents, in October 2020, after his co-conspirators gained access to email exchanges between Company 1 and Company 2, Abdulafeez Oluwatoyin Adebiyi, 34, learned that Company 1 had recently issued invoices to Company 2 for over a million dollars for work Company 1 had already performed for Company 2.

Operating outside the United States, Adebiyi created a phony email account for the president of Company 1 by using a domain name that differed from Company 1’s domain by a single letter. While impersonating the president, Adebiyi sent messages to Company 2 falsely claiming that Company 1 had recently changed bank accounts and provided account and routing numbers for a recently created account controlled by Adebiyi and his co-conspirators.

After Company 2 issued a wire transfer of over a million dollars to what they believed was an account for Company 1, the co-conspirators distributed the money through various transactions, including purchases of cryptocurrency and cashier’s checks and additional wire transfers.

The United Kingdom extradited Adebiyi in October 2023.

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 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 U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Schlessinger prosecuted the case.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with UK authorities to secure the extradition of Adebiyi.

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-21.

This release was edited on May 29, 2024, to correct the announcing official for FDIC-OIG.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Navy psychologist was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.

According to court documents, on May 25, 2023, Michael Andrew Widroff, 34, was a U.S. Navy officer serving as a psychologist in Norfolk when he came to the attention of law enforcement. On the Whisper social media platform, Widroff posted a picture of a male dressed in a U.S. Navy Service Dress White uniform with accompanying text indicating that he wished to engage in fraternization or other violations of military law. In the military context, fraternization is improper relationships between officers and enlisted personnel, including, as stated by Widroff, “when 2 people who aren’t supposed to date-hook up do.” The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) responded to the post in an undercover capacity as a 14-year-old girl.

Believing he was communicating with a child, Widroff moved the conversation to Snapchat and escalated the communications from casual to sexual. Widroff described to the child, in graphic detail, numerous sexual acts in which he wanted them to engage. Widroff requested “sexy” and nude photos of the child as well as sexually explicit recordings. Widroff then attempted to arrange for them to meet, repeatedly asking her to share the location of her house. Expressing anxiety about being seen, Widroff planned to enter her home through the back door.

On June 7, 2023, when Widroff arrived in the neighborhood where he intended to meet a 14-year-old to engage in sex, law enforcement performed a traffic stop on Widroff. As was being pulled over, Widroff deleted Snapchat from his phone.

Widroff pled guilty on Oct. 12, 2023.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Mack Hickman, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Liu and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi 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. 2:23-cr-78.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man pled guilty today to receiving images and videos depicting sexual exploitation of children.

According to court documents, in March 2021, the FBI began an investigation of hundreds of requests between October 2020 and May 2021 for suspected images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) at a specific IP address in Virginia Beach. Investigators determined the IP address belonged to Kevin Javon Taylor, 51.

On June 6, 2021, the FBI executed a search warrant at Taylor’s residence. During the search, a preliminary review of Taylor’s electronic devices revealed indications of possible CSAM. Agents found file names and file paths with titles synonymous with CSAM. Agents also discovered three physical binders containing printed CSAM.

A review of the electronic devices seized from Taylor’s residence contained approximately 14,100 images of CSAM, 642 videos of CSAM, and over 90,000 images of child erotica. These files were stored across thirty-three different electronic devices as well as physical copies.

Taylor is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 5. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty 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, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt 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-36.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Quinton man was sentenced today to five years in prison for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

According to court documents, in July 2021, the FBI identified an IP address used to seek CSAM. Law enforcement then identified that the IP address was assigned to the residence of Vincent Hopson, 66. On Nov. 29, 2021, agents executed a search warrant for the residence and seized several electronic devices, which were forensically examined. Hopson was in possession of 283 images and 95 videos of CSAM.

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. Attorney Heather H. Mansfield 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. 3:24-cr-5.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for federal drug and firearms offenses.

According to court documents, on Sept. 9, 2022, two Newport News Police Department (NNPD) officers observed Daquan Montreal Lane, 29, driving a vehicle with a seven-year-old child in the back seat who was not properly restrained. The officers conducted a traffic stop and spotted a knotted, plastic “corner bag” of suspected narcotics protruding from the pocket of Lane's hoodie. As the officers began to investigate, they spotted and seized a firearm in the driver door of the vehicle.

Lane refused to exit the vehicle. As officers attempted to remove him from the vehicle, several more bags containing narcotics fell from his hoodie pocket. NNPD recovered bags containing 8.37 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, 4.69 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, 8.19 grams of methamphetamine, 4.71 grams of cocaine, and a flip phone. NNPD also conducted a search of the vehicle, finding a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun, two digital scales containing narcotics residue, a cell phone, and approximately 140 grams of marijuana in 12 separate bags.

In 2013, Lane was convicted of shooting at an occupied building, attempted malicious wounding, two counts of use/display a firearm during commission of a felony, and reckless handling of a firearm. As a convicted felon, Lane could not legally possess a firearm or ammunition at the time of the traffic stop.

On Oct. 30, 2023, Lane pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

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 Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Osyf and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Levey-Weinstein 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. 4:23-cr-50.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two alleged members of a transnational money laundering organization were arrested on criminal charges related to their alleged involvement in a scheme to launder millions of dollars in illegal drug proceeds for Mexican drug trafficking organizations, including the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels (also known as CJNG).

Li Pei Tan, 46, of Buford, Georgia, was arrested today. Chaojie Chen, 41, a foreign national residing in Chicago, was arrested on April 18.

According to court documents, Tan and Chen allegedly worked for a money laundering organization that laundered millions of dollars in proceeds related to the importation of illegal drugs into the United States, primarily through Mexico, and the unlawful distribution of these drugs. Tan, Chen, and their co-conspirators allegedly traveled throughout the United States to collect proceeds derived from trafficking in fentanyl and other drugs (or to cause them to be collected). They allegedly communicated and coordinated with co-conspirators in China and other foreign countries to arrange for the laundering of these proceeds through financial transactions that were designed to conceal the illicit source of the drug proceeds.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Drug Threat Assessment, the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels are at the heart of the fentanyl crisis in the United States.

Tan and Chen are charged in separate criminal complaints with conspiring to commit money laundering. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

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 DEA Administrator Anne Milgram made the announcement.

The DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit is investigating the case, with assistance from the DEA’s Office of Special Intelligence, Document and Media Exploitation Unit and the DEA’s offices in Chicago, Atlanta, and Charlotte, North Carolina.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Edgardo J. Rodriguez for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Mary K. Daly of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of Georgia and Northern District of Illinois.

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

RICHMOND, Va. – A Petersburg man was sentenced today to 10 years and six months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.

According to court documents, from Sept. 9, 2022, to Feb. 8, 2023, the Virginia State Police 1B Task Force conducted five controlled purchases of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine from Richard Arthur Jones, 37. The last three of these transactions occurred at Jones’ apartment.

On Feb. 16, 2023, as the task force executed a search warrant on the apartment, Jones attempted to throw a plastic bag from his balcony. The bag became stuck in a tree, however, and was recovered by law enforcement. The bag contained a total of approximately 306.14 grams of meth and approximately 95.56 grams of heroin. From inside the apartment, law enforcement recovered approximately 32.5 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl and approximately 21.14 grams of methamphetamine, as well as a .40 caliber handgun in a Gucci cross-body bag.

Jones pleaded guilty on Jan. 4.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Travis C. Christian, Chief of Petersburg Bureau of Police; and Lt. Col. Brad J. Badgerow, Acting Chief of Chesterfield County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Miller and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon E. Schulz, 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. 3:23-cr-143.

This release was edited on May 29, 2024, to recognize the work of the Petersburg Bureau of Police on this case.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Honduran national today of illegally reentering the United States.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Sergio Alberto-Rodriguez, 38, was removed from the United States on Nov. 5, 2008. On June 24, 2020, U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) learned that Alberto-Rodriguez was incarcerated at the Arlington County Adult Detention Center after his arrest for aggravated sexual battery of a 10-year-old family member. Alberto-Rodriguez pled guilty to that charge on Feb. 7 in the Circuit Court of Arlington County and was taken into federal custody on Feb. 20. The jury found that Alberto-Rodriguez had reentered the United States illegally.

Alberto-Rodriguez faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison, $250,000 fine, and 1 year of supervised release when sentenced on Sept. 11. He also may be deported or removed thereafter. 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 Liana Castano, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the verdict.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariana Lazzaroni and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra Serano 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. 1:24-cr-56.

RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Richmond man yesterday for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Jan. 20, 2024, Richmond Police officers were patrolling the Fairfield Court community when they observed a car leaving Fairfield Court at a high rate of speed and running stop signs. When the officers attempted to catch the vehicle, the driver, Rashad Laroy Ebron, 32, suddenly stopped his car, exited the vehicle, and tossed something onto the floorboard. Ebron then closed the door and locked the car.

Officers observed a 9mm handgun in plain view on the floorboard of the vehicle. Ebron claimed that he could not unlock the vehicle because the keys were locked inside the car and that he had no wallet or identification. The officers were able to identify Ebron, however, and confirmed that he was a convicted felon. The officers arrested Ebron, located the car keys, unlocked the vehicle, and recovered the firearm.

Ebron was convicted of grand larceny in 2011, evading police in 2013, and robbery and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in 2016. As a previously convicted felon, Ebron cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.

Ebron faces up to 15 years in prison when sentenced on Sept. 29. 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; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, 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-47.

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

According to court documents, on Sept. 9, 2022, a Hanover County deputy sheriff performed a traffic stop in a car in which Jarec Dominique Brown, 23, was a passenger. At the time, Brown possessed a backpack at his feet. The deputy lawfully searched the backpack and recovered a 9mm firearm equipped with a machinegun conversion device (MCD), rendering the firearm capable of fully automatic fire. Brown was also in possession of three ammunition magazines and 66 rounds of ammunition. Brown admitted to purchasing the MCD on the darknet.

Brown has three previous convictions for possession of a concealed weapon.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Colonel David R. Hines, Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Miller and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon E. Schulz, 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. 3:23-cr-141.

RICHMOND, Va. – A North Chesterfield insurance and annuities agent was sentenced today to one year and three months years in prison for mail fraud after swindling his employer and clients in multiple schemes.

According to court documents, from August 2017 through March 2020, Joseph O’Carroll III, 52, scammed his employer for commissions and incentives by writing insurance policies for individuals without their consent or knowledge.

O’Carroll used the personal identifying information (PII) of clients, including their names, dates of birth, social security numbers, and bank account numbers, to apply for fraudulent life insurance policies in their names and forged their signatures on the applications. O’Carroll created and maintained email addresses purportedly belonging to his clients, which he then listed on the insurance applications to facilitate communications with the insurance companies. For one client, O’Carroll listed his own BB&T checking account from which the issuing insurance company was to automatically withdraw the premiums on applications for the policies. For other clients, O’Carroll listed the clients’ bank accounts.  When the policies were issued, the insurance companies began withdrawing and attempting to withdraw premium payments from the listed bank accounts. While attempts to withdraw payments from O’Carroll’s bank account were unsuccessful, resulting in the cancellation of those policies, premiums were withdrawn from other client accounts, resulting in thousands of dollars being taken from them.

On at least one policy, O’Carroll listed himself as the beneficiary. During an Aug. 4, 2020, interview with the Virginia State Corporation Commission’s Bureau of Insurance, O’Carroll admitted that the client was “out of it” at the time due to the death of the client’s wife, and ultimately admitted that he wrote that policy and others to assist himself in winning a 2019 incentive trip to the Riviera Maya in Mexico from his employer.

In addition to applying for fraudulent life insurance policies in that client’s name, O’Carroll obtained most of the balance of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”) account belonging to the client with the promise to reinvest the funds in another qualified retirement account. After gaining access to the client’s ESOP account portal, a request was submitted directing the ESOP servicer to remit two checks on December 31, 2019: one to Equitable Financial Group at O’Carroll’s home address in the amount of $57,659.28, and a second in the amount of $4,627.92 to the client’s home address. O’Carroll deposited the $57,629.28 check into a bank account he controlled, and kept and used the funds for his own personal expenses without the client’s knowledge or consent.

O’Carroll pled guilty on Jan. 18.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ajay Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.

The U.S. Attorney thanks the Virginia State Corporation Commission’s Bureau of Insurance for their assistance in the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kashan Pathan and Mike C. Moore and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin G. Cooke prosecuted the case.

The Central Virginia Financial Crimes Task Force, created in 2022, is a partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and representatives of local financial institutions. Co-chaired by the Richmond Field Office of the United States Secret Service and the Washington Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Task Force utilizes the knowledge and experience of its many partners to develop intelligence and pursue investigations into crimes that target or involve financial institutions located throughout the Central Virginia region.

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-3.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Deloitte Consulting LLP, located in New York, agreed to pay $220,885.77 to settle claims that it billed the Department of Health and Human Services, Program Support Center (HHS-PSC) for labor performed by personnel who did not possess the security clearances required by a government contract.

Deloitte Consulting submitted a written contractor disclosure to HHS-PSC. Specifically, the disclosure stated that Deloitte Consulting was unable to validate the clearance status of seven employees who performed work on a contract awarded by HHS-PSC. As a result, Deloitte Consulting considered those employees not to have met the base clearance level in the contract. Following an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Deloitte Consulting agreed to pay the amounts billed for personnel whose clearance status could not be validated.

Deloitte Consulting received full credit under the Department of Justice’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation, and remediation into account: Justice Manual § 4-4.112.

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia; the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of General Counsel; the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Fraud Field Office; and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service – Economic Crimes Field Office, Washington, DC.

This matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Kapoor.

The civil claims settled by this agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pleaded guilty today after discharging a firearm as he robbed a convenience store.

According to court documents, on July 3, 2023, Darryl Nathaniel Cole, 59, entered a 7-Eleven on Mechanicsville Turnpike and attempted to purchase tobacco products. When another customer entered the store, Cole briefly left and returned minutes later. Attempting the purchase again, Cole swiped his own debit card in the point-of-sale machine, but his account had insufficient funds for the transaction. 

Cole then produced a handgun from his waistband and pointed the gun at the store clerk. Cole demanded and took money from the register as he continued to point the handgun at the clerk. As Cole began to leave the store, the clerk took a hammer from a drawer near the cash register and moved toward the back of the store, away from the front door. When the clerk was near a gap in the counter, Cole fired one shot from his handgun in the clerk’s direction, which struck a nearby coffeemaker. Cole then fled from the store with the stolen money.

Cole is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 26. He faces a mandatory minimum 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; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police; and Eric D. English, Chief of Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the plea.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Hubbard, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman 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-33.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced yesterday to 15 years and eight months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

According to court documents, on Sept. 27, 2022, an individual acting under the direction of law enforcement made contact with Jeremy Jermaine Blue, 35. They arranged to meet for Blue to deliver a kilogram of cocaine. As Blue drove to the prearranged meeting location to deliver the cocaine, law enforcement performed a stop on the vehicle before the exchange. After a drug-detecting K-9 alerted to the scent of narcotics in the car, law enforcement located the cocaine, as well as 48 grams of fentanyl and a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun.

Blue was convicted in 2009 of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. One month after Blue was released from supervised probation in July 2013, he possessed heroin with intent to distribute and was convicted in 2014. As a previously convicted felon, Blue cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General 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 Angela Mastandrea 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. 3:23-cr-40.

NORFOLK, Va. – A former Assistant Scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts of America from Virginia Beach pleaded guilty today to receiving images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

According to court documents, in June 2023, Virginia Beach Police (VBPD) investigating individuals sharing child sexual abuse material using file-sharing technology identified Andrew Harris Reshefsky, 42, as a distributor and recipient of the abuse material

On Aug. 17, 2023, VPBD officers executed a search warrant at the residence and seized multiple electronic devices in Reshefsky’s possession. Reshefsky’s phone contained images of sexual exploitation of children received in WhatsApp messages in 2021 and 2022. Forensic analysis of Reshefsky’s other electronic devices yielded numerous additional videos and imagery involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM) spanning years.

Reshefsky is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 18. He faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of twenty 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; 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 Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clayton D. LaForge and Joseph L. Kosky 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. 2:23-cr-146.

Anyone who believes they or someone they know may have been victimized by Reshefsky is encouraged to contact the HSI tip line at 1-877-4-HSI-TIP or through the CyberTipline on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's website.

NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted three Virginians yesterday for a series of armed robberies in Suffolk and attempting to dispose of evidence.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from November 2020 through February 2022, Harvey Lee Lewis IV, aka Hurricane, 36, of Suffolk, and Dennis Lee Adamson Jr., 29, of Portsmouth, planned and carried out a series of armed robberies of convenience stores.  In several of the robberies, Lewis discharged his semiautomatic firearm into the ceiling of the store as he entered, terrifying the employees and customers.

Lewis and Dennis Adamson robbed four convenience stores between Nov. 10, 2020, and Nov. 20, 2020, including two stores on the same date.  Over a year later, on Feb. 3, 2022, the two men robbed the EZ Food Mart & Deli in Suffolk, during which Dennis Adamson brandished a pistol at customers and Lewis fired several rounds, narrowly missing a store employee, before Lewis grabbed a cash register and the two men fled the store.

In addition to these robberies, Lewis and Dennis Adamson committed robberies separately.  Lewis robbed a 7-Eleven convenience store on Feb. 1, 2022.  On Oct. 14, 2022, several months after Lewis had been identified and arrested, Dennis Adamson robbed a Dollar General store in Portsmouth.

On Feb. 15, 2022, while he was in pre-trial detention, Lewis had a video call with Ieisha Marie Adamson, 32, of Portsmouth. During the call, Lewis directed Ieisha Adamson to remove items from his vehicle, including a box of ammunition from a secret compartment in the vehicle, which law enforcement had not discovered during a search of the vehicle the week prior. Lewis then directed Ieisha Adamson to leave the scene. When police encountered Ieisha Adamson approximately two hours later, she no longer had the box of ammunition.

Lewis was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, six counts of interference with commerce by means of robbery, three counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Lewis faces a mandatory minimum of 24 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on Sept. 19.

Dennis Adamson was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, six counts of interference with commerce by means of robbery, and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Dennis Adamson faces a mandatory minimum of 17 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on Sept. 19. 

Ieisha Adamson was convicted of accessory after the fact and misprision of a felony, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on Sept. 19.

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 James Buie, Interim Chief of Suffolk Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker accepted the verdict.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the Portsmouth Police Department and Western Tidewater Regional Jail for their assistance in this investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan M. Montoya and Anthony Mozzi 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. 2:22-cr-62.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Texas man was sentenced today to 17 years and six months in prison after he was caught traveling to Virginia to have sex with a minor.

According to court documents, on Aug. 25, 2023, Elisha Jason Albert, 25, of Garland, Texas, began communicating with a 15-year-old victim through Snapchat. The communications began with Albert soliciting pornographic material from the victim, and Albert paid the victim to send him pornographic images. Albert also sent the victim spending money for incidental expenses.

On Sept. 8, 2023, after Albert falsely claimed to be 22 years old, the victim specifically told Albert that she was only 15. After knowing the victim’s age, Albert continued to solicit pornographic images of the victim and proposed meeting the victim in Virginia for sex.

After the victim’s guardian submitted an online tip to the FBI, on Sept. 22, 2023, the FBI took custody of the victim’s phone and continued to communicate with Albert over Snapchat and by text messages. Albert proposed meeting the victim on Sept. 25, 2023, and arranged to meet at a grocery store in Haymarket. Albert drove five and a half hours from Long Island, New York, to Prince William County, Virginia. He was arrested upon his arrival in the grocery store parking lot.

At the time of his arrest, Albert had with him his phone, which contained a folder titled “good videos” that stored sixty-four videos of children as young as four to six years old engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Albert’s phone had iMessage communications with other minors between fifteen and sixteen years old, which included additional production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and incidents of coercion and enticement.

For example, beginning in August 2021, Albert engaged with a victim in Texas knowing that she was only 15 years old. Albert drove to the victim’s home and had sex with her on multiple occasions. Albert made a video recording of one of his sexual encounters with the victim, which was still on his phone at the time of his arrest.

On Feb. 1, Albert pled guilty to production of child pornography, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and transportation of child pornography.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura D. Withers and Zoe Bedell prosecuted the case.  The Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated 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-172.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico man pled guilty today to the armed robberies of two local stores.

According to court documents, on Jan. 22, 2024, Josue Cano-Morales, 19, entered a Lucky Mart on Staples Mill Road and walked around the counter. Brandishing a handgun, Cano-Morales demanded money. After the clerk handed over money from the register, Cano-Morales demanded more money and forced the clerk at gunpoint to go to the back office. Cano-Morales took money from desk drawers, stole a Snickers candy bar, and fled on a bicycle.

Cano-Morales then proceeded to a nearby Smokers World store, which he entered holding a handgun and a backpack. Cano-Morales demanded money from the register, then forced the clerk to the backroom where he took more money. Cano-Morales stole several vapes from a display before attempting to flee through the back door. The door was locked, however, and Cano-Morales fled through the front door.

Henrico County Police officers responding to the Lucky Mart robbery spotted Cano-Morales bicycle at a nearby shopping center. While inspecting the bicycle, they saw Cano-Morales leaving Smokers World. Cano-Morales immediately fled on foot but was quickly apprehended in a parking lot.

Cano-Morales is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 11. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for robbery and, consecutive to the sentence for robbery, seven years to life in prison for using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. 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 Eric D. English, Chief of Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony 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-44.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax man pled guilty today to his role in two scams that defrauded victims and retailers out of over a million dollars.

According to court documents, from Nov. 19, 2020, to Aug. 13, 2023, Sunyu Qian, 31, participated in a scheme to con people into purchasing gift cards that he used to acquire high-value items. Members of a criminal organization contacted individuals, mostly elderly victims, across the United States via telephone or email and, through a variety of false pretenses, convinced them to purchase gift cards from large retailers and convey the gift card information to the fraudsters, including Qian. The value of the cards could be aggregated by Qian to purchase electronics, which Qian then shipped to his co-conspirators. During this scheme, Qian used approximately $1.1 million through unauthorized access.

From April 19, 2023, to March 23, 2024, Qian engaged in another scheme using counterfeit price tags to purchase large containers of baby formula at the lower price of a much smaller cans of baby formula. For instance, on April 19, 2023, Qian scanned counterfeit price tags for 13oz cans of formula priced at $4.99 each that he had placed on larger containers of the same formula priced at $62.99 each. Qian would then deliver the baby formula to co-conspirators who paid him in cash. During this scheme, Qian defrauded two retailers of a total of at least $124,000.

Qian’s total culpability over the two schemes is approximately $1.25 million.

Qian pled guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18 and faces a maximum penalty of 25 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 Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hood 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-60.

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

According to court documents, on Sept. 5, 2023, Henrico County Police officers performed a traffic stop on Nathaniel Jay Brown, 35, after observing Brown committing traffic infractions. During the traffic stop and in response to an officer’s questions, Brown indicated that he was in possession of a firearm. After Brown got out of the vehicle, the officer retrieved from Brown’s waistband a .380 caliber semiautomatic handgun with a fully loaded magazine.

As a previously convicted felon, Brown cannot legally possess a firearm. At the time of the incident, Brown had multiple felony convictions, including a 2013 conviction for being a felon in possession of a 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; and Eric D. English, Chief of Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick J. McGorman and Stephen E. Anthony 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. 3:23-cr-146.

NORFOLK, Va. – An Atlanta man pleaded guilty today to making interstate threats just three days after a gunman shot and killed six people at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia.

According to court documents, on Nov. 25, 2022, DeAndre Tamir Murphy, aka DeAdre Murphy, 30, called two Walmart stores in Virginia Beach and threatened that he had gunmen in place prepared to enter the stores. That date was the day following Thanksgiving, known as “Black Friday,” when stores were full for the busiest shopping day of the year. Identifying himself as “Mohammed,” Murphy demanded $20,000 or, he threatened, his gunmen would enter the stores and “start shooting people.”

Investigators - who recorded the second call - traced the call back to Murphy in Atlanta.

Murphy is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 27. He faces a statutory maximum 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, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky 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. 2:24-cr-9.

Correction: This release has been revised to reflect that six people, not eight, were killed in the shooting in Chesapeake on Nov. 22, 2022.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Hopewell man was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl.

According to court documents, on Aug. 22, 2022, Hopewell police encountered an Audi vehicle stopped in a roadway within a trailer park. When the officers illuminated the vehicle, the driver, Riezon Mekhi Murphy, 24, turned off the headlights of his vehicle and reversed down the roadway to a grassy area. At that time, two other individuals who had been seated together in the front passenger seat of the Audi got out of the car and raised their hands.

An officer requested that Murphy lower his window, then observed an open bottle of tequila and currency strewn about the car. During a lawful search of the Audi, investigators located a loaded 9mm pistol under the driver seat and a gray backpack in the back passenger area, which belonged to Murphy. The backpack contained $1000 in cash, along with several individual baggies that contained approximately 45 grams of heroin/fentanyl mixture, 4.7 grams of fentanyl, 26 grams of cocaine, 96 grams of methamphetamine, and 220 grams of marijuana.

Murphy was previously convicted of distributing marijuana and possessing a .380 caliber handgun. Six months later, Murphy was convicted for possession of marijuana and a concealed firearm. Four months later, Murphy was again arrested and convicted of selling Schedule I or II controlled substances and driving on a suspended license. Murphy was discharged from supervised probation on Feb. 7, 2022, six months before his arrest in this case.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Greg Taylor, Chief of Hopewell Police Department, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter S. Duffey and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon E. Schulz, 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. 3:23-cr-101.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, around June 2023, Fernando Alexis Orellana Banegas, 24, came to the attention of agents investigating drug trafficking and firearms sales in the Woodbridge area. Orellana was using the Telegram app to sell drugs and firearms under the username, “Boofpak Exotics.” Through this username, Orellana advertised various illicit narcotics, including counterfeit oxycodone pills, and firearms for sale.

From July 12, 2023, to Nov. 15, 2023, the FBI conducted six controlled purchases from Orellana. Over those six transactions, Orellana sold approximately 495 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, three firearms, and two machine gun conversion devices. On two occasions Orellana sold fentanyl pills and firearms in the same transaction, and on another occasion he sold fentanyl pills along with machinegun conversion devices.

Orellana is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 29. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for drug trafficking and an additional mandatory minimum of five consecutive years in prison for the firearms charge. 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 J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edgardo Rodriguez and Catherine Rosenberg 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. 1:24-cr-92.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Colombian man was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison for cocaine trafficking, the final defendant sentenced in this case

According to court documents, Yunier Renteria-Renteria, 28, was part of a group attempting to move more than two tons of cocaine into the United States. On Jan. 3, Renteria pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine on board a vessel.

On March 17, 2023, a maritime patrol aircraft spotted a go-fast boat, which are frequently used to transport large quantities of cocaine from the Colombian coast to larger transfer vessels en route to the United States. When the crew of the boat became aware of the presence of law enforcement, they began to jettison their cargo, which the U.S. Coast Guard recovered. The cargo included 1,504 kilograms of cocaine.

The crew of the go-fast boat transporting the cocaine included Renteria, Luis Valencia-Renteria, 27, of Colombia, and Cesar Rodriguez, 30, of Ecuador. Valencia pled guilty on Aug. 3, 2023, and Rodriguez pled guilty on Aug. 14, 2023. On Jan. 9, Valencia and Rodriguez were sentenced to two years and six months 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 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 Jamar K. Walker.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt 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. 4:23-cr-36.

NORFOLK, Va. – An indictment was unsealed today in the Eastern District of Virginia charging seven men with racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations (RICO) conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy in connection with their alleged participation in a large-scale gas pump skimming device organization.

According to court documents, the defendants, led by Eduardo Rodriguez, also known as Ogbe Bara, 40, of Fort Myers, Florida, allegedly installed skimming devices on gas pumps throughout the United States to fraudulently collect credit and debit card information from customers. From 2014 to April 2024, they allegedly used the stolen card data to create fraudulent credit and debit cards, which they used to purchase items including gift cards and electronics, to make ATM withdrawals, and to make cashback purchases from retail stores. Members and associates of the organization also used “fences” to sell the illegally obtained items for cash. The defendants also allegedly engaged in acts involving access device fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, interstate transportation of stolen goods, and the sale and receipt of stolen goods.

In addition to Eduardo Rodriguez, the following defendants have been charged in the indictment:

• Idalberto Rivero, also known as El Monstro, El Mostro, and Monster, 53, of Miami
• Anyelo Jesus Muino Ayala, also known as Justin Bieber, 26, of Miami
• Pedro Raul Zequeira Alvarez, also known as Yery Yery, 33, of Miami
• Raul Ferrao Pons, also known as Rauli and Ninja, 32, of Miami
• Jorge Enrique Fonseca Vazquez, also known as Ogberoso, 32, of Miami
• Luis Gustavo Diaz, also known as Ogberdi, 39, of Miami

The defendants are charged with one count of RICO conspiracy and one count of money laundering conspiracy. If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.

U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Special Agent in Charge Brian Dugan of the FBI Norfolk Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Norfolk, Miami, Tampa, New York, and Albany Field Offices and Ft. Myers Resident Agency; U.S. Secret Service; Virginia State Police; Northampton County (Virginia) Sheriff’s Office; Norfolk Police Department; and Mooresville (North Carolina) Police Department are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen S. Taylor and Clayton D. LaForge for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Ben Tonkin of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the Southern District of Florida, the Middle District of Florida, the District of New Jersey, and the Southern District of New York.

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-28.

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

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Honduran national was sentenced yesterday to 13 years in prison for moving prodigious amounts of cocaine bound for the United States.

Erasmo Avila Palacios, aka Nelsi Erasmo Avila or “Monstruo,” 49, was a prominent boat captain and long-time trusted associate of the Montes Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) based in Colón, Honduras, which distributed multi-metric-ton quantities of Colombian cocaine through Central America bound for the United States. Avila used go-fast vessels to move workers as well as cocaine for the DTO, and even received cocaine loads via airplane.

From 2010 to 2014, under the leadership of Noe Montes-Bobadilla, Avila averaged at least two go-fast-vessel shipments of cocaine per month, with each shipment consisting of approximately 500 to 900 kilograms of cocaine. Avila then curried shipments of millions of dollars in cash in the opposite direction.

After Noe Montes-Bobadilla’s arrest in 2017, the Montes DTO continued under new leadership.  From 2017 to 2022, Avila became a trusted advisor for the DTO’s new leadership, providing maritime advice and helping to coordinate maritime cocaine shipments for the Montes DTO and consulting for other DTOs as well. Avila directed and advised several individuals on operating maritime vessels, plotting maritime coordinates to receive cocaine shipments to avoid detection and seizure, bribery of Honduran officials, and acts of violence towards suspected rival narcotraffickers in Honduras and elsewhere. During this time, Avila also managed a team of trusted workers who performed the hands-on jobs in the distribution of cocaine shipments. Honduran authorities intercepted three shipments of cocaine during this time, ranging from 1,500 to 2000 kilograms of cocaine, that Avila was involved in transporting.

After his October 2023 extradition from Honduras to the United States, Avila pled guilty on Feb. 6 to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine for importation into the United States.

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 Leonie M. Brinkema.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin S. Starr prosecuted the case.

Assistance in the investigation and prosecution was provided by the DEA’s Washington Division in coordination with the Honduran National Police and the Tegucigalpa Country Office. Local assistance was provided by the Virginia State Police, and the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing Avila’s arrest and extradition.

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-16.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Florida man was sentenced today to three years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

According to court documents, beginning around February 2020, at the start of the pandemic lockdown, Jose Manuel Santiago, 43, of Sarasota, identified unoccupied homes in Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, and other states and stole the identities of the homeowners, then sold their homes out from under them to unsuspecting buyers.

Santiago and Rosson Dwayne Hamilton, 40, opened and controlled bank accounts in the names of the property owners. Santiago recruited other people, including Vernon Lavoie, 59, whom Santiago instructed to appear before mobile notaries with high-quality false identification, fraudulently represent themselves as the property owners, and forge the owners’ signatures on closing documents. After money from the sales of the homes was deposited in the accounts, the recruits withdrew the money and provided it to Santiago and Hamilton. Santiago paid recruits with small amounts of cash or illegal drugs. Santiago and Hamilton also wired money from those bank accounts to various retailers.

Though some purchases were reversed, in at least one case the third-party purchaser refused to return the home to the rightful owner despite acknowledging the fraudulent nature of the sale. In another case, the rightful owner lost his irreplaceable military memorabilia and other personal belongings as a result of the fraudulent sale of his home.

During the conspiracy, Santiago and his co-conspirators attempted to fraudulently sell at least 10 properties and stole the identities of at least 10 people. They successfully obtained $581,808 and attempted to obtain an additional $768,175. Santiago pled guilty on Feb. 20.

Hamilton pled guilty on Feb. 6 and was sentenced to one day in prison. Lavoie, who charged separately, pled guilty on July 28, 2021, and was sentenced to two years seven months in prison.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Russell L. Carlberg and Christopher Hood prosecuted the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Carina Cuellar prosecuted Lavoie and significantly contributed to 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-193.

This release was revised on May 7, 2024, to correct the sentence of Vernon Lavoie. The original version showed a sentence of seven months in prison.

A Hopewell man was sentenced today to five years and five months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

According to court documents, on Nov. 19, 2022, Hopewell Police officers found Azontay Malik Perry, 27, passed out in the driver seat of a BMW with the engine running in the intersection of Ashland Street and Oaklawn Boulevard. Officers awakened Perry and ordered him out of the vehicle. Perry ignored their commands and drove into the back of a parked police vehicle. Perry attempted to flee at high speed, but crashed into a dumpster at an apartment complex. Perry then fled on foot.

At the scene, officers observed a.40 caliber handgun on the floor of the vehicle. The firearm included an extended magazine with 27 rounds of ammunition. Officers later obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and recovered 18 grams of methamphetamine and 10.84 grams of fentanyl.

In 2016, Perry was convicted of possession of schedule I or II drugs after being caught with narcotics in his vehicle during a traffic stop. Later that year, Perry was convicted again of possession of schedule I or II drugs, as well as possession of a concealed weapon, possession of a firearm while in possession of schedule I or II drugs, and monument damage. In 2023, Perry was convicted of a probation violation related to his multiple 2016 convictions for not turning himself in on outstanding warrants and absconding from supervised probation. In 2019, Perry once again was convicted of possession of schedule I or II drugs, along with driving on a suspended license.

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

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Greg Taylor, Chief of Hopewell Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon E. Schulz, 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. 3:23-cr-106.

A former Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) attorney was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for conspiring to sexually exploit numerous children.

According to court documents, from January 2018 to October 2021, Mark Black, 50, of Arlington, Virginia, was a member of two online groups dedicated to locating prepubescent girls online and convincing the girls to livestream themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Black and his co-conspirators covertly recorded these livestreams and shared the videos with each other.

In July 2019, Black induced a prepubescent minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct on a live-streaming application while screen-recording that activity. That same month, Black and a co-conspirator also groomed another prepubescent minor to engage in sexually explicit acts on a photo- and video-sharing application. The co-conspirator surreptitiously hacked into that girl’s live-video feed and recorded the sexual acts before sending them to Black.

Between July 2019 and March 2022, Black and the same co-conspirator were members of two additional groups dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children and the sharing of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). In January 2021, Black sent CSAM of a minor to one of the groups.

Black’s electronic devices were found to contain approximately 172,707 images of suspected CSAM. Of those files, over 1,300 depicted identified victims of his conduct.

Black was formerly the Arlington Aquatic Club (AAC) board president.

Black pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to produce child pornography and coercion and enticement of a minor.

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; Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Shimon Richmond of the FDIC Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) made the announcement.

The FBI Washington Field Office and FDIC-OIG investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys McKenzie Hightower, Kaylynn Foulon, and James E. Burke IV of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) attorney was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for conspiring to sexually exploit numerous children.

According to court documents, from January 2018 to October 2021, Mark Black, 50, of Arlington, Virginia, was a member of two online groups dedicated to locating prepubescent girls online and convincing the girls to livestream themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Black and his co-conspirators covertly recorded these livestreams and share the videos with each other.

In July 2019, Black induced a prepubescent minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct on a live-streaming application while screen-recording that activity. That same month, Black and a co-conspirator also groomed another prepubescent minor to engage in sexually explicit acts on a photo and video-sharing application. The co-conspirator surreptitiously shared access to girl’s live-video feed and recorded the sexual acts before sending them to Black.

Between July 2019 and March 2022, Black and the same co-conspirator were members of two additional groups dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children and the sharing of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). In January 2021, Black sent CSAM of a minor to one of the groups.

Black’s electronic devices were found to contain approximately 172,707 images of suspected CSAM. Of those files, over 1,300 depicted identified victims of his conduct.

Black was formerly the Arlington Aquatic Club (AAC) board president.

Black pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to produce child pornography and coercion and enticement of a minor.

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; Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Shimon Richmond of the FDIC Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) made the announcement.

The FBI Washington Field Office and FDIC-OIG investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys McKenzie Hightower, Kaylynn Foulon, and James E. Burke IV of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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-146.

Any individuals who believe they or someone they know may have been victimized by Black are encouraged to contact the FBI at 202-278-2000 and ask to speak to the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to create and distribute animal crushing videos.

According to court documents, from at least Nov. 4, 2021, through Aug. 5, 2022, Michael Macartney, 51, and his co-conspirators administered a private online chat group and were members of other private online chat groups on an encrypted messaging platform for the purpose of funding, viewing, distributing, and promoting videos depicting, among other things, the torture, murder, and sexually sadistic mutilation of animals, specifically, juvenile and adult monkeys.

Macartney received over 300 electronic payments from coconspirators for the purposes of promoting, creating, obtaining, receiving, and distributing the torture videos. On one occasion, Macartney raised additional funds for a bonus payment to a videographer who, at the request of the co-conspirators and on short notice, created a video of a juvenal monkey being tortured with a jar of ants, leading to the monkey’s death.

 In March 2022, Macartney agreed to sell copies of all his animal crush videos to a co-conspirator for $100. The co-conspirator sent Macartney $75 electronically and Macartney sent the co-conspirator website links where his videos were stored. Macartney stated there were just under 2,300 videos. On Aug.5, 2022, Macartney possessed at least 500 videos depicting animal crushing.

Macartney is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4, 2024. He faces a maximum of 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 Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi 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. 2:24-cr-25.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Annandale doctor pleaded guilty today to maintaining a drug-involved premises.

According to court documents, Lino Cueto Montilla, 57, was licensed to practice medicine in 1995. Montilla practiced as an obstetrician-gynecologist (ob-gyn). Montilla did not specialize in pain management, nor did he receive training on how to treat patients suffering from chronic pain.

From 1999 to 2015, Montilla worked as an ob-gyn with Fairfax Ob-Gyn Associates, rarely prescribing Schedule II pain medication to his patients. In January2016, Montilla began to treat patients at Fairfax Pain Clinic (FPC), which specialized in pain management. From January 2016 through September 2020, Montilla was the primary doctor prescribing Schedule II controlled substances at FPC.

FPC was only open during the morning on two days per week. During an approximate three-hour period on those days, Montilla would see and prescribe opioids to approximately 20 patients, spending, on average, less than 10 minutes with each patient. Despite conducting only cursory exams of patients, Montilla prescribed excessive amounts of opioids to many of these patients for years.

Montilla prescribed high opioid dosing without first confirming diagnoses, performing relevant medical examinations, or reviewing prior medical records, which were relevant and necessary steps when prescribing such high opioid dosages. Montilla rarely ordered his patients to seek physical therapy or any other treatment for their chronic pain. Montilla maintained very limited documentation in the patient files, including failing to document his reasons for prescribing high opioid dosages.

Montilla is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 9. 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, and David J. Scott, 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.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Morgan and Zoe Bedell 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. 1:24-cr-72.

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

According to court documents, at around 10:00 p.m. on Aug. 3, 2023, Richmond Police observed Walter Lavelle Allen, 25, displaying a firearm in an Instagram story that Allen posted at around 8:00 p.m. At around 11:30 p.m., a Richmond Police officer on foot patrol on North 25th Street found Allen asleep in the passenger seat of a parked vehicle, with the firearm, a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol, under Allen’s leg. The officer secured the firearm and detained Allen.

On June 23, 2020, Allen was convicted for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. As a previously convicted felon, Allen cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.

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

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Hubbard, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s 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. 3:23-cr-121.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Franklin area man was sentenced today to 22 years and nine months in prison for conspiracy to commit murder and other crimes.

Malik Trevonte Newsome, aka “Red,” “Redd,” and “Hitman Red,” 31, of Ivor, Virginia, was the final defendant sentenced for his role in a violent spree committed by members and associates of a Blood-affiliated criminal Enterprise that operated in and around Franklin, Virginia. Newsome; Ronald Damone Jenkins, Jr., aka “G,” 42, of Franklin; Japree Lortez Brooks, aka “Choppa,” and “Primo,” 40, of Murfreesboro, North Carolina; Montrail Je’Quan Manley, aka “Yay,” 28, of Portsmouth; and Deon Dominick Sykes, aka “Animal,” 35, of Franklin, participated in three shootings between late 2017 and early 2019. When a high-ranking member of the Enterprise was murdered by a rival Crip-affiliated gang, the group hunted down and shot members and associates of the Crip gang. One of the victims was shot in the hand and leg, two other victims sustained gunshots to their torsos, leaving each with colostomy bags and other permanent injuries.

A federal jury convicted Newsome, Jenkins, and Brooks on December 11, 2023. Newsome was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and witness tampering and obstruction of an official proceeding.

Jenkins was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. On April 16, 2024, Jenkins was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Brooks was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, carrying and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and witness tampering and obstruction of an official proceeding. On April 18, 2024, Brooks was sentenced to 35 years in prison, plus an additional year for a violation of conditions of supervised release in a separate matter.

Manley pleaded guilty on June 6, 2023, to conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. On January 4, 2024, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Sykes pleaded guilty on July 27, 2023, to conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering. On January 4, 2024, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

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; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations; Steve Patterson, Chief of Franklin Police; and Josh Wyche Sr., Southampton County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Taylor for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Christopher Taylor of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division 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. 2:22-cr-101.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA), announced today the availability of over $500,000 in grant funding for Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) initiatives.

"Addressing violence requires an all-hands effort," said U.S. Attorney Aber. "Communities that work closely together are more successful in driving down violent crime rates. Prevention, intervention, and enforcement go hand in hand to tackle the root causes of violent crime. PSN grant funding is an important resource in a strategy that assists communities and neighborhoods to work together."

Since 2022, local organizations in EDVA have received over $750,000 in PSN grant funding. The last two years of PSN recipients include the following:

• Project Safe Alive and Free (SAF) supports a Group Violence Intervention effort in Hopewell and the surrounding Tri-Cities area that pairs community violence intervention methods and intense life coaching with a trauma-based violence intervention program. This program also works collaboratively with Assistant United States Attorneys from EDVA’s Richmond Division.
• Parents Against Bullying Virginia (PABVA) facilitates anti-bullying programs in the Newport News public school system including “Girl & Gent Talk” group sessions with at-risk youth and the STAR Bright Kidz Puppet program.

• The City of Richmond RVA League for Safer Streets, focuses on prevention and intervention for young individuals who may be susceptible to or involved in gangs by facilitating a Midnight Basketball League where youth are engaged in workshops on topics such as conflict resolution.
• Ballistic IQ technology for the police departments of the cities of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, and Hampton.
• A three-year research grant on the impact of effectiveness of Group Violence Intervention by the George Mason Center for Evidence Based Policy.

• Real Life Group Violence Intervention and services for individuals making re-entry into the community from correctional facilities.

EDVA’s PSN violence reduction strategy, which is supported by these initiatives, sets the following goals to reduce violent crime:

• Engage, collaborate, and invite community stakeholders to share responsibility in efforts to reduce violent crime. The Group Violence Intervention (GVI) strategy is an example of this.
• Build trust between law enforcement and the community through effective communication, regular interaction, and the support and protection of crime victims.
• Reduce accessibility and possession of handguns among minors.
• Reduce re-offending and break the cycle of re-victimization.
• Disrupt and dismantle the region’s most organized and violent gangs.
• Identify chronic violent offenders responsible for a disproportionate level of violent crime.
• Work with citizens in neighborhoods most impacted by violent crime on harm reduction strategies.

The U.S. Attorney and the PSN Grant Committee encourage organizations and local and state agencies whose programs support our PSN goals within the district to apply for the remaining grant assistance by visiting the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) website at https://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/grants/programs/fy-2024-project-safe-neighborhoods-grant-program-eastern. Applications must be submitted in the DCJS Online Grants Management System (OGMS) no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 29, 2024.

PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The PSN Grant Committee is currently prioritizing three regions impacted most by violent crime - Richmond, Newport News, and Norfolk - but will evaluate grant applications from across the Eastern District. Applicants submitting a grant may apply for funds between $25,000 and $200,000.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Two Virginia men were sentenced to four years in prison for their roles in the armed robbery of a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier.

According to court documents, on May 9, 2023, O’Sirus Landres Charles Ford, 21, of Chesapeake, Virginia, robbed a Hampton mail carrier at gunpoint for his “arrow” key, the master key used to access blue collection boxes, outdoor parcel lockers, and apartment mailbox panels, and recruited Jayden Stukes, 21, of Suffolk, Virginia, to assist him in the robbery. Ford specifically wanted to steal a key in the Newport News/Hampton area and requested that Stukes drive him “across the water.” Stukes agreed and informed Ford he would be with Da’Twan Watson, 24, of Chesapeake, and that Watson was “a lock.”

When Ford, Stukes, and Watson met at the rental car that Ford had used the previous day for another armed robbery – that time, of a mail carrier in Norfolk – they were unable to gain entry to the vehicle, so Stukes arranged for another of his friends to drive the group. Ford, Stukes, and Watson were all armed with handguns and had masks to cover their faces. After they crossed Hampton Roads, Ford diverted the car from the original destination, the downtown Newport News Post Office, and instead directed the vehicle around a light industrial-commercial area of Hampton. Ford and Watson exited the vehicle to continue hunting down the mailman on foot, and Stukes remained in the car with his friend and communicated with Ford using social media to help him find the USPS target (the victim mail carrier).

Watson and Ford encountered the mail carrier on Galax Street in Hampton. Only Ford was armed, but both he and Watson were fully masked as Watson approached from the side.  Ford approached the carrier from Galax Street, brandished his firearm, and said, “Give me your keys or I’m gonna shoot you.” He then repeated his demand and began counting down from five. The victim gave Ford his USPS arrow key. Ford and Watson then fled, eventually meeting with Stukes and the driver in an apartment complex nearby before she drove the group back across the water.

Watson and Stukes pleaded guilty to interfering with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting. Stukes was sentenced yesterday; Watson was sentenced today.

On Dec. 21, 2023, Ford pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence. Ford is currently scheduled to be sentenced May 2.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ajay Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division; Jimmie Wideman, Chief of Hampton Police; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after Watson was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Podlesni and Mack Coleman 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. 4:23-cr-51.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Cornerstone Facility Solutions, LLC (Cornerstone), a maintenance and repair service located in Brick, New Jersey, and its CEO, Paul Galgon III, paid $316,779 to resolve their False Claims Act liability for falsifying invoices and inflating the cost of services provided to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).

Cornerstone entered into a service agreement to perform repairs on USPS facilities. USPS requires providers like Cornerstone to report whether they self-performed or subcontracted services for the repairs.  If the provider subcontracts the work, the provider is allowed to markup the subcontractor’s cost by no more than 10 percent. 

From July 2016 to July 2021, Cornerstone submitted false invoices to USPS for repair work, in which Cornerstone claimed its employees performed the work, even though the work was actually performed by subcontractors. Galgon directed Cornerstone employees to alter subcontractor invoices to make them appear as though the work was performed by Cornerstone employees, which enabled Cornerstone to build in an improper 30-percent markup on the subcontractor’s costs. As a result of the scheme, Cornerstone overcharged USPS $158,380.

The resolution is the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the USPS Office of Inspector General. 

Galgon also pleaded guilty to one count of criminal wire fraud for the conduct covered by the civil settlement and was sentenced to three years of probation and a $5,000 fine.

The civil case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney William Hochul III.  The criminal case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Russell L. Carlberg and Kristin S. Starr.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. The related criminal docket may be found at United States v. Galgon, No. 1:23-cr-188 (E.D. Va.).

The Justice Department announced today a settlement agreement with the City of Virginia Beach, Virginia, to ensure that individuals with disabilities, including Veterans, have equal access to city buildings and other civic programs. The agreement is part of the department’s commitment to ensure that civic institutions comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Virginia Beach has a large population of Veterans, active-duty military service members, retirees and their families.

“The ADA mandates equal access to civic life for people with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division is committed to ensuring that cities and other public entities eliminate physical, communication and other barriers that prevent people with disabilities from participating fully in community life. We commend Virginia Beach for its commitment to work with the Civil Rights Division to ensure equal access for individuals with disabilities, including Veterans.”

“Ensuring that individuals who have disabilities are afforded equal access to local government programs and services is required by the ADA and a high priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We are pleased that the City of Virginia Beach has agreed to take numerous steps to ensure that individuals with disabilities, including Veterans, have equal access to vital public services, including emergency services and the City’s website.”

Under the agreement announced today, Virginia Beach will remove accessibility barriers to buildings such as police stations, libraries, technology centers, community centers and places of recreation. The agreement requires Virginia Beach to ensure that parking, routes into buildings, entrances, restrooms, signage, service counters and drinking fountains are accessible to people with disabilities, and that assembly areas, such as the Giant Screen Theater at the Aquarium, provide the required wheelchair and companion seating. The agreement also requires Virginia Beach to ensure effective communication for individuals with hearing and vision disabilities through methods such as sign language interpreters, real-time transcription services, Braille or large print documents and accessible electronic formats. The city will also provide access to emergency shelters, provide accessible websites, train employees on the requirements of the ADA, make sidewalks and curb cuts accessible and appoint an ADA coordinator.

The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the nation’s goal of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against, you may file a complaint online at www.civilrights.justice.gov/.

The Justice Department announced today a settlement agreement with the City of Virginia Beach, Virginia, to ensure that individuals with disabilities, including Veterans, have equal access to city buildings and other civic programs. The agreement is part of the department’s commitment to ensure that civic institutions comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Virginia Beach has a large population of Veterans, active-duty military service members, retirees and their families.

“The ADA mandates equal access to civic life for people with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division is committed to ensuring that cities and other public entities eliminate physical, communication and other barriers that prevent people with disabilities from participating fully in community life. We commend Virginia Beach for its commitment to work with the Civil Rights Division to ensure equal access for individuals with disabilities, including Veterans.”

“Ensuring that individuals who have disabilities are afforded equal access to local government programs and services is required by the ADA and a high priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We are pleased that the City of Virginia Beach has agreed to take numerous steps to ensure that individuals with disabilities, including Veterans, have equal access to vital public services, including emergency services and the City’s website.”

Under the agreement announced today, Virginia Beach will remove accessibility barriers to buildings such as police stations, libraries, technology centers, community centers and places of recreation. The agreement requires Virginia Beach to ensure that parking, routes into buildings, entrances, restrooms, signage, service counters and drinking fountains are accessible to people with disabilities, and that assembly areas, such as the Giant Screen Theater at the Aquarium, provide the required wheelchair and companion seating. The agreement also requires Virginia Beach to ensure effective communication for individuals with hearing and vision disabilities through methods such as sign language interpreters, real-time transcription services, Braille or large print documents and accessible electronic formats. The city will also provide access to emergency shelters, provide accessible websites, train employees on the requirements of the ADA, make sidewalks and curb cuts accessible and appoint an ADA coordinator.

The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the nation’s goal of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against, you may file a complaint online at www.civilrights.justice.gov/.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Gloucester man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for trafficking methamphetamine.

According to court documents, as early as May 1, 2020, Jeremy John Gleason, 42, began selling meth in Gloucester. A confidential source told investigators that after Gleason went “dry” due to his source of supply being impacted by COVID, he tried to corner the meth market in Gloucester by buying “everything.” Gleason purchased large amounts of meth every two days and distributed it to co-conspirators.

On April 6, 2021, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of meth in which Gleason sold 14.2 grams of meth. On April 20, 2021, Gleason sold 14.7 grams of meth during another controlled purchase.

On Nov. 30, 2023, Gleason pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was accountable for distributing over 9,000 grams of meth during the conspiracy. He is the final conspirator to plead guilty and be sentenced for his role in the conspiracy.

Andrew Ryan Higgins, 29, of North, Virginia, pleaded guilty on Aug. 30, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On Dec. 18, 2023, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Johnathan Willard Lowney, 42, of Hayes, Virginia, pleaded guilty on Sep. 5, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On Jan. 9, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Kenneth Dale Lowney, 39, of Gloucester, Virginia, pleaded guilty on Aug. 31, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On Jan. 4, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Patrick Sean McNulty, 34, of Hayes, pleaded guilty on Aug. 14, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On Dec. 20, 2023, he was sentenced to four years and four months in prison.

Amanda Nicole Carter, 38, of Gloucester, pleaded guilty on Sep. 5, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On Jan. 9, she was sentenced to nine years in prison.

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; Darrell W. Warren, Jr., Gloucester County Sheriff; and Ron Montgomery, York County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Devon Heath and Peter Osyf 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. 4:23-cr-40.

NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted three Virginia men today for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy and an incident that led to the deaths of two victims.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Cortney Allen Conley, aka KO and Allen Conley, 35, of Virginia Beach, managed a large-scale, interstate drug trafficking organization principally based in the Hampton Roads area between January 2020 and November 2022. The organization frequently sold drugs at “popup” shops, which regularly popped up in new locations. In addition to other duties, Javaid Akhtar Reed, 27, of Chesapeake, and Kyron Speller, 29, of Norfolk, provided security for the organization’s popup shops.

In 2021, Conley was robbed at gunpoint at a “popup” located on Providence Road in Chesapeake, after which Conley and his co-conspirators were regularly armed.

On May 13, 2022, two armed subjects attempted to rob the organization’s popup shop on Wintercress Way in Chesapeake. Conley and one of his workers discharged firearms during a gun battle resulting in the deaths of the two subjects. During the gun battle, another worker pistol-whipped one of the subjects. Immediately afterward, Conley and the two workers removed controlled substances, drug proceeds, and firearms from the popup shop.

Conley was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, psilocybin, and psilocyn; possession with intent to distribute marijuana; possession with intent to distribute psilocybin and psilocyn; possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and continuing a criminal enterprise. He faces a mandatory minimum of 35 years and a maximum of life in prison when sentenced on Oct. 25.

Reed was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, psilocybin, and psilocyn; possession with intent to distribute marijuana; possession with intent to distribute psilocybin and psilocyn; and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces a mandatory minimum of seven years and a maximum of life in prison when sentenced on Nov. 15.

Speller was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, psilocybin, and psilocyn; possession with intent to distribute marijuana; and possession with intent to distribute psilocybin and psilocyn. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison when sentenced on Oct. 25.

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; Ajay Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen accepted the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan M. Montoya, Joe DePadilla, and Luke Bresnahan 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. 2:22-cr-147.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Temple Hills, Maryland, man was sentenced today to a year and two months in prison for making false statements while purchasing firearms in Virginia.

According to court documents, from August 2020 through December 2021, Robert Smith, 48, bought a total of 59 firearms over 24 purchases, each time affirming on the required federal firearms forms that he lived in Arlington, Virginia. At no time during that period did Smith live at the provided address in Arlington. Maryland state laws regulating firearms purchases would not have allowed Smith to purchase this many firearms during this period of time, whereas Virginia law allows it.

The investigation into Smith began when four firearms he had purchased were recovered from four different individuals during traffic stops. In each case, the serial number of the firearm was obliterated. During the prosecution of this case, at least two additional firearms linked to Smith were recovered, again with obliterated serial numbers. Aside from these, two were recovered from Smith and he did not report any of the firearms stolen. The locations of the remaining firearms he purchased are unknown to law enforcement.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Craig Kailimai, 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 Claude M. Hilton.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Durham and Ronald L. Walutes Jr. 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. 1:23-cr-90.

RICHMOND, Va. – A California man was sentenced today to 21 years and ten months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, from Sept. 21, 2022, to Feb. 13, 2023, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents and task force agents used a confidential source to make multiple purchases of meth from Rodolfo Villanueva, 30. Each time, Villanueva sent a courier to meet the source. The courier would provide the meth from Villanueva to the source and collect from the source money owed to Villanueva for previously supplied meth. Villanueva was found to have supplied over 5 kilograms of nearly pure methamphetamine.

Following the final sale on Feb. 13, 2023, agents took Villanueva into custody and recovered the money from the transaction, which was in Villanueva’s coat pocket. A search of Villanueva’s Richmond apartment resulted in the recovery of 8.9 kilograms of fentanyl and 8.8 kilograms of cocaine.

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 Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.

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. 3:23-cr-50.