Eastern District of Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. –A United Kingdom citizen pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, after being extradited from the United Kingdom at the request of the United States.

According to court documents, Olabanji Egbinola, 43, of London, England, participated in a cyber-enabled business email compromise (BEC) fraud scheme that targeted Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). A BEC scheme, also known as “cyber-enabled financial fraud,” is a sophisticated scam that typically targets employees with access to the finances of a business or organization that regularly perform large wire transfer payments. Using technological means and social engineering techniques, BEC conspirators impersonate an employee with a company that has ongoing contracts with the targeted victim. BEC conspirators then trick employees of the victim organization to change bank accounts for upcoming transaction to a bank account that the conspirators control or have access to.

As part of his guilty plea, Egbinola admitted that he impersonated an employee named “Rachel Moore” of the Kjellstrom + Lee Construction Company of Richmond, which had an ongoing construction project with VCU. From September 2018 through December 2018, over the course of multiple emails, Egbinola tricked VCU to change bank accounts for an upcoming payment to Kjellstrom + Lee. On December 20, 2018, a payment intended for Kjellstrom + Lee in the amount of $469,819.44 was transferred from a bank account controlled by VCU to a Bank of Hope account in Los Angeles, California, that the conspirators controlled. Very little of that money was recovered. 

Egbinola is scheduled to be sentenced on February 13, 2023. 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 taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Richmond Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the plea.

The Richmond FBI Cyber Task Force conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI Cyber Division, FBI Criminal Division, Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the FBI Legal Attaché London office. United Kingdom authorities also provided substantial assistance.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in UK to secure the arrest and extradition of Egbinola to the United States.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian 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. 3:22-cr-124.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Today U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber recognized over 300 officers and agents from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies with Public Service Awards.

The Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) typically holds an annual awards ceremony to recognize the law enforcement officials for their service and contribution to various criminal and civil cases investigated and prosecuted here in EDVA. For the first time since 2019, this ceremony was held in person at venues near each of the four EDVA offices.

“The awardees went above and beyond to investigate these cases and are emblematic of the good that law enforcement can do for our local, state, and national communities,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “However, they also represent a fraction of the incredible work that goes on every day with state and federal law enforcement. Both them and their agencies at large should be commended for their sustained efforts.”

The awards highlighted federal cases, operations, and initiatives from 2021. The federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies listed below had officers and/or agents who were recognized for their bravery, outstanding collaboration, investigative achievement, investigative excellence, and victim assistance.

Alexandria

Newport News

Norfolk

Richmond

Virginia State Police

ATF Washington Field Division

ATF Washington Field Division

ATF Washington Field Division

Dept. of State, Diplomatic Security Service

United States Postal Inspection Service

Virginia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit

Dept. Health & Human Services, OIG

Transportation Security Administration OGC

DHS Homeland Security Investigations

North Carolina State Police

DHS Homeland Security Investigations

Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office

DEA Washington

Northampton County Sheriff’s Office

Department of Justice, OIG

Dept. Health & Human Services, OIG

FBI-Norfolk Field Office

Dept. Health & Human Services, OIG

DEA Washington

DHS Homeland Security Investigations

Mathews County Sheriff’s Office

DHS Homeland Security Investigations

FBI-Richmond Field Office

Stafford County Fire Marshal

Hampton Police

DEA

Virginia State Corporation Commission

Army Criminal Investigation Division

IRS-Criminal Investigations

FBI-Norfolk Field Office

Henrico Police

Dept. of Transportation, OIG

Virginia Department of Forensic Science

Suffolk Police Department

U.S. Army – Criminal Investigations

DEA Washington

York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office

IRS-Criminal Investigations

Eden Prairie (Minnesota) Police Department

Department of State OIG

Newport News Police

Bureau of Prisons

Colonial Heights Police Department

Fairfax County Police

U.S. Secret Service

Norfolk Police

U.S. Postal Inspection Service

FBI Washington Field Office

Virginia State Police

Defense Criminal Investigative Service

Commodity Futures Trading Commission

Coast Guard Investigative Service

 Housing and Urban Development OIG

U.S. Marshals Service

Virginia State Police

IRS-Criminal Investigations

 Defense Criminal Investigative Service

Naval Criminal Investigative Service

Virginia Office of Attorney General

U.S. Postal Inspection Service

 Naval Criminal Investigative Service

U.S. Postal Inspection Service

 Export-Import Bank OIG

General Services Administration OIG

 

Virginia Dept. of Forensic Science

 Southside Drug and Gang Task Force

Prince George’s County Police

 

Virginia Beach Police

 Caroline County Sheriff’s Office

Prince William County Police

 

 Chesapeake Police Department

 Chesterfield County Police Department

Defense Criminal Investigative Services

 

 U.S. Attorney’s Office

 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (OIG)

 

 Portsmouth Police Department

 

Defense Criminal Investigative Service

 

 

 

Food and Drug Administration

 

 

 

Dept. of Labor OIG

 

 

 

Arlington County Police

 

 

 

Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office

 

 

 

U.S. Secret Service

 

 

 

United States Army

 

 

 

 

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

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted an Alexandria man yesterday on charges stemming from a string of armed gas station and convenience store robberies in the Herndon area of Fairfax County.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Rashawn Perkins, 28, wore a ski mask and brandished a firearm while committing four robberies in five weeks. The evidence established that Perkins robbed a 7-Eleven on December 30, 2021 and a Sunoco on January 19, 2022. The evidence further proved that on February 5, 2022, Perkins returned to both locations and robbed them at gunpoint again. Body-worn camera footage showed that when detectives with the Fairfax County Police Department’s Major Crimes Bureau executed a search warrant at Perkins’ residence, Perkins – who had previously been convicted of three felony offenses – threw a firearm out of his bedroom window. Evidence at the trial established that this was the same firearm Perkins used to commit several of the robberies. 

Perkins faces a mandatory minimum of 28 years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment when sentenced on January 12, 2023. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff accepted the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys John C. Blanchard and Nicholas J. Patterson are prosecuting the case.

This matter was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets Violent Crime Task Force, which is composed of Special Agents and detectives from law enforcement agencies within Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force concentrates on investigating violent crimes and criminal threats within the Capital 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. 1:22-cr-114.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A former sergeant with the Newport News Police Department pleaded guilty today to the sexual exploitation of children and receipt of child pornography.

According to court documents, Michael Nicholas Covey, 39, of Newport News, used a child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purposes of producing a visual depiction of such conduct and distributing those images to a sex offender in Ohio.

When child sexual assault images were found on the convicted sex offenders’ electronic devices, the images were submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in Alexandria. During the analysis of the images, NCMEC determined that the images may have been produced in Newport News. NCMEC forwarded the information to the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (SOVA ICAC) who, in turn, contacted the FBI. Agents with the FBI were able to identify the child depicted in the images. Further investigation led the agents to Covey. He was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on Friday, June 10.

Covey pleaded guilty to two counts of the sexual exploitation of children and one count of receipt of child pornography and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 22, 2023. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 80 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 taking into account 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 Douglas Miller accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa McKeel and Pete Osyf are prosecuting the case.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Norfolk Child Exploitation Task Force (NCETF), as part of Project Safe Childhood. The NCETF is composed of FBI agents and detectives from the Chesapeake Police Department, Hampton Police Division, and Newport News Police Department. Assistance in this matter was also provided by federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children. Tips regarding child exploitation can be provided to the task force at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-48.

NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Virginia Beach man yesterday on charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Jerod Askew, 32, was involved in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana in the Hampton Roads area. His source of supply was located in Baltimore, Maryland, and he would rent vehicles to make frequent trips to Maryland to re-up his supply of drugs. He sent numerous text messages to his co-conspirators in the Hampton Roads area letting them know he had a supply of illegal narcotics for sale. A search warrant at his residence revealed approximately nine ounces of heroin, approximately two ounces cocaine, approximately one ounce of crack cocaine, marijuana, six loaded firearms and drug distribution paraphernalia. A search of his storage unit revealed over four pounds of marijuana, a loaded firearm, drug distribution paraphernalia, a kilo press, and empty kilo wrappers that once contained cocaine.

Askew faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum life in prison when sentenced on March 17, 2023. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith accepted the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Muhr and Matthew Heck 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. 2:21-cr-8.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Dumfries man today on charges of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury, and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on September 21, 2021, Michael Vaughn, 28, distributed cocaine laced with fentanyl at a party at an apartment in the Skyline area of Fairfax County. Six individuals took the substance, believing it to be cocaine. All six suffered overdoses and were transported to area hospitals. Five of the overdose victims were able to be saved by the administration of Narcan. However, the sixth individual died as a result of a fentanyl overdose. At trial, the evidence showed that Vaughn had intentionally added fentanyl to the cocaine. Additionally, Vaughn possessed approximately 60 additional grams of fentanyl powder at his residence when he was arrested on October 20, 2021.

Vaughn faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison when sentenced on December 21. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

Significant assistance was provided by the Prince William County Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachael C. Tucker and Michael P. Ben’Ary 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. 1:21-cr-261.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on May 7, 2021, Louis Bernard Lee, III, 26, was stopped by an Old Dominion University Police Department (ODUPD) officer for speeding. Lee had an outstanding warrant for an attempted malicious wounding that occurred on April 26, 2021. During the arrest, ODUPD discovered two firearms in Lee’s vehicle. Also recovered from the vehicle was a 30-round magazine and a 50-round drum magazine. Lee was previously convicted of a felony in the City of Norfolk and was prohibited from possessing firearms.

Lee admitted he used one of the firearms recovered from the vehicle in a shooting on April 26, 2021. For the April 2021 shooting he was convicted in Norfolk Circuit Court for attempted malicious wounding, use of a firearm in a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Lee was sentenced for those charges on December 22, 2021, and received a 4-year sentence.

Lee is scheduled to be sentenced for his federal conviction on February 10, 2023. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney; and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Krask accepted the plea.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle and Assistant U.S. Attorney John F. Butler are prosecuting the case. Stolle also serves as an Assistant Norfolk Commonwealth Attorney.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which 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.

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-85.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Highland Springs man pleaded guilty today to distribution of child pornography.

According to court documents, Deric Wallace Peacock, 39, used Wickr, an encrypted messaging service, to distribute child pornography using his “vapastor” user account. At the time that Peacock distributed the child pornography, he was on probation for two prior state court convictions for procuring sex acts by computer of an individual believed to be under the age of 15.

Peacock is scheduled to be sentenced on January 24, 2023. Due to his prior enticement conviction, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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 U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark R. Colombell accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Jordan-Detamore 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

In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at USAVAE-UnMasked@usdoj.gov.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-109.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Norfolk woman was sentenced last week to 10 years in prison for misuse of a Social Security number, loan fraud, and identity theft.

According to court documents, Shaneca Moseley, 39, engaged in an identity takeover of C.J., a New Jersey resident. Between 2018 and 2020, Moseley impersonated C.J. by possessing and using a forged driver’s license containing C.J.’s personal identifying information, including name, date of birth, home address, and driver’s license number, and a Social Security card containing C.J.’s Social Security number. During these two years, Moseley used C.J.’s personal identifying information in acquiring an apartment lease; purchasing and obtaining a loan for a Mercedes Benz; purchasing furniture on credit; obtaining an email account, insurance, and other utilities; and masking her true identity during a traffic stop, among various other acts. Moseley’s activity left C.J. to deal with the results of various payment defaults and impacts to their credit.

Moseley pleaded guilty in 2009 to running another social security fraud scheme and was previously sentenced to 2 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution.

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; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Michael Goldsmith, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Danbee C. Kim 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. 4:21-cr-54.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office announced a settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Colonial Heights Vision Center Optometry, PC (CHVC), a professional eye care center located in Colonial Heights.

The settlement agreement resolves allegations that CHVC’s eye exam chair and equipment were not accessible to patients with mobility disabilities, who may use mobility equipment such as walkers, scooters, or wheelchairs, and that CHVC had a practice of asking patients who use mobility devices to bring an attendant—such as a family member or friend—to facilitate manual transfer into the exam chair.

Medical facilities are not accessible under the ADA standards unless medical equipment, such as diagnostic and treatment equipment, is made accessible to all patients, including those with mobility disabilities. Accessible health care for people with disabilities is especially critical in detecting and treating serious medical conditions, which may become life-threatening if patients with disabilities do not receive equal access to care. Manual transfer of individuals with mobility disabilities can be dangerous for both patients and health care staff, unnecessarily risking bodily injury. 

“The resolution of this case represents this office’s ongoing commitment to ensuring compliance with the ADA’s requirement that people with disabilities have equal access to and independence when accessing health care,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “No patient should be denied health care as a result of a mobility disability.”

To resolve this complaint, CHVC agreed to supplement its exam equipment, adopt new ADA policies that ensure that patients with mobility disabilities may attend appointments independently, transfer safely to the exam chair, and receive full and equal access to eye examinations. CHVC has also agreed to pay $1,000 to the complainant patient, for whom CHVC was unable to provide an eye exam.

The case was handled by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren “Lo” Stadler and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Gordon, who is the Civil Rights Enforcement Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The Department of Justice has several resources available to assist healthcare entities in complying with the ADA, including a Technical Assistance Publication entitled: Access to Medical Care for Individuals with Mobility Disabilities. For more information on the ADA and to access these publications, please visit http://www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TDD).  ADA complaints may be filed by email to ada.complaint@usdoj.gov.

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 civil claims asserted are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man who was intoxicated and had used drugs, and then drove his truck more than 50 miles per hour over the speed limit before crashing into a tree and killing his front seat passenger was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for manslaughter.

According to court documents, on May 31, 2020, at approximately 5:45 p.m., Samuel Meyer, 22, was driving his Toyota Tacoma truck southbound on the George Washington Memorial Parkway, which is a federal land. Near Mt. Vernon Circle, as the road curves, Meyer lost control of his truck, left the roadway, and crashed into the woods next to the travel lanes. The truck crashed with such force that the skin of the passenger side of the vehicle was peeled off entirely, and the front passenger door of the vehicle was embedded into a tree a short distance from where the truck came to a stop. Meyer’s front seat passenger, Michael Cunningham, 19, who was wearing his seatbelt, was transported by ambulance to the hospital. Hospital personnel could not resuscitate him, and he died from blunt trauma injuries to his head, neck, trunk, and extremities.

Meyer and a backseat passenger were also transported to the hospital with minor injuries. About three and a half hours after the crash, blood samples were taken from Meyer. An analysis showed that Meyer’s blood alcohol content was .09 g/100 mL, still above the legal limit hours after the crash. Also present in Meyer’s blood were benzoylecgonine, the main metabolite of cocaine; THC, the psychoactive compound in marijuana; and cocaethylene, which is formed by the liver when cocaine and alcohol coexist in the blood.

Meyer’s vehicle’s electronic data recorder revealed that he was driving 85.1 miles per hour at the time of impact. The speed limit at the location of the accident is 35 miles per hour. There was no sign that Meyer had applied his brakes and the accelerator was pressed for the last five seconds prior to impact. The roadway was clear and dry, and Meyer’s truck was working properly with no defects or malfunctions. Just before the accident, Cunningham and the other passenger had each implored Meyer to slow down.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Pamela A. Smith, Chief of U.S. Park Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Haynes and Marc J. Birnbaum 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. 1:21-cr-281.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Four individuals were sentenced Monday and yesterday to multiple life terms and 26 years in prison for numerous charges relating to a murder, a violent gang enterprise, and a drug trafficking conspiracy operating in Virginia, California, and several other states.

According to court documents, Peter Le, 25, of Dunn Loring, Young Yoo, 26, of Centreville, Joseph Lamborn, 28, of California, and Tony Le, 28, also of California, were members of a violent Northern Virginia Street gang called the Reccless Tigers, which was affiliated with a California gang called the West Side Asian Boyz. The gang, which originated in Centreville in 2011, distributed thousands of pounds of marijuana as well as other THC products, cocaine, ecstasy, and prescription drugs. Many of the gang’s customers were middle and high school students in Northern Virginia and college students at a number of Virginia universities.

According to court records, gang members over a number of years engaged in a persistent pattern of intimidation and retaliation against individuals who did not pay their drug debts and anyone who were believed to have cooperated with law enforcement. Gang members attacked homes – with Molotov cocktails and even engaged in a drive-by shooting – in early morning hours when adults and children were sleeping in their homes in Fairfax, Stafford, and Prince William counties. Further, Peter Le and other gang members vandalized numerous homes and engaged in physical assaults against those who owed drug debts or were suspected of cooperating with law enforcement. 

Reccless Tigers members are also responsible for two homicides. The first homicide occurred at one of the gang’s house parties in April 2016. During the party, one of the guests (the “victim”) began arguing with a gang member. The argument turned into a brawl, during which numerous gang members attacked the victim. The victim was stabbed in the chest during the fight, and he then left the party with friends unaware that he had life-threatening injuries. He died later that night at his home. 

The second homicide occurred on Feb. 1, 2019. The victim, Brandon White, owed Yoo several thousand dollars for marijuana he had obtained when he was a juvenile in and around 2013-14. David Nguyen, a Reccless Tigers gang member, assaulted White over this drug debt on Aug. 8, 2018, which resulted in White sustaining serious injuries that required hospitalization. The Fairfax County Police Department subsequently arrested Nguyen and charged him with robbery and malicious wounding. As Nguyen’s criminal case progressed, gang members became aware that White had been subpoenaed to testify against Nguyen at a preliminary hearing. In response, gang members attempted to pay White in return for him refusing to cooperate in Nguyen’s prosecution. Gang members also threatened to kill White if he testified. White refused the gang’s offer, and he testified against Nguyen on Nov. 19, 2018. Less than two and a half months later, Peter Le, Yoo, and Lamborn carried out gang members’ threats by murdering White.

On Jan. 31, 2019, and continuing into the early morning hours of Feb. 1, 2019, Peter Le, Yoo, Lamborn, and others kidnapped White at a shopping mall in Fairfax County. The conspirators then held White against his will in a vehicle and drove him to a wooded area of Richmond, where Peter Le, Yoo, and Lamborn then repeatedly stabbed White in his face and other areas, and ultimately shot White three times in the back. White was left in the woods and died from his injuries.

Twenty-one defendants have pleaded guilty to federal charges and have been sentenced. Three defendants are fugitives. The table below shows the key sentences.

Name

Conviction(s)

Result

Peter Le*

Conspiracy to participate in the affairs of an enterprise engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity; Violent crimes in aid of racketeering murder; Conspiracy to engage in kidnapping; Kidnapping resulting in death; Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; Killing while engaged in drug trafficking; Maintaining a drug-involved premises; Distribution of marijuana and cocaine; Use, carry, and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime; and Money laundering.

Sentenced to five terms of life imprisonment; 30 years for conspiring to distribute controlled substances, six terms of 240 months; and 60 months to be served consecutive for using, carrying, and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime

Young Yoo*

Conspiracy to participate in the affairs of an enterprise engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity; Violent crimes in aid of racketeering murder; Conspiracy to engage in kidnapping; Kidnapping resulting in death; Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, Killing while engaged in drug trafficking.

Sentenced to five terms of life imprisonment and 20 years for conspiring to distribute controlled substances.

Joseph Duk-Hyun Lamborn*

Conspiracy to participate in the affairs of an enterprise engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity; Violent crimes in aid of racketeering murder; Conspiracy to engage in kidnapping; Kidnapping resulting in death; Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; Killing while engaged in drug trafficking; Firearms murder.

Sentenced to six terms of life imprisonment, with one term to be served consecutive, and 15 years for conspiring to distribute controlled substances.

Tony Minh Le*

Conspiracy to participate in the affairs of an enterprise engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity; Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.

Sentenced to 312 months

Kevin Aagesen

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; Conspiracy to commit kidnapping in aid of racketeering activity.

Sentenced to 188 months

Sascha Amadeus Carlisle

Conspiracy to participate in the affairs of an enterprise engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity; Conspiracy to engage in kidnapping; Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.

Sentenced to 196 months

Abdullah Abdow Sayf

Conspiracy to commit kidnapping in aid of racketeering activity; Use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

Sentenced to 180 months

Fahad Abdulkadir

Conspiracy to commit kidnapping in aid of racketeering activity; Possession with the intent to distribute 50 kilograms or less of marijuana; Use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

Sentenced to 192 months

David Thai Hoang Nguyen

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

Sentenced to 171 months

Kyu Wa Hong

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

Sentenced to 216 months

Sang Thanh Huynh

Conspiracy to participate in the affairs of an enterprise engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity; Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; Money laundering; Felon in possession of a firearm.

Scheduled to 192 months

Soung Park

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

Sentenced to 132 months

Tasneef Amhed Chowdhury

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

Sentenced to 121 months

Joshua Andrew Miliaresis

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

Sentenced to 18 months

Tyler Thang Le

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

Sentenced to 135 months

Dane Nicholas Hughes

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

Sentenced to 12 months and one day

Richard Pak

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; Distribution of cocaine; Use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

Sentenced to 178 months

Spencer Pak

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; Distribution of cocaine; Use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

Sentenced to 120 months

Tyler Pranompi Sonesamay

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

Sentenced to 120 months

Khalil Yasin

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

Sentenced to 97 months

Anthony Nguyen Thanh Le

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of cocaine

 

Sentenced to 92 months

Angel Hoang Le

Maintaining a drug-involved premises

Sentenced to 42 months

Zu Hun Chang

Possession with the intent to distribute cocaine

Sentenced to 42 months

Brandon Sobotta

Distribution of cocaine

Sentenced to time served (about 7 months)

 

This was a multi-jurisdictional OCDETF case involving the FBI Washington Field Office, ATF, HSI, IRS, U.S. Postal Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Fairfax County Police Department, Prince William County Police Department, City of Richmond Police, Montgomery County (MD) Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Falls Church Police, City of Alexandria Sheriff’s Office, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax County Fire Marshal, Prince William County Fire Marshal, Stafford County Fire Marshal, City of Monterey Park (CA) Police, Garden Grove (CA) Police, Anaheim (CA) Police; Trinity County (CA) Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, DEA San Francisco Division – Reading Office, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, California Department of Food & Agriculture, California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau of Cannabis Control, U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of California – Sacramento Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office Central District of California – Santa Ana and Riverside Offices, and the FBI’s Field Offices in Richmond, Los Angeles, and Sacramento.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Washington Field Office; and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jim Trump, Carina A. Cuellar, and Ryan Bredemeier 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. 1:19-cr-57.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Midlothian woman was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for defrauding the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Program, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, using victims’ personal identifying information that she obtained from her state government employment. 

According to court documents, in the first of three fraud schemes, from May 2020 to August 2021, Sadie Mitchell, 30, with the assistance of her co-conspirator, executed a scheme to defraud the Virginia Employment Commission by filing at least 20 fraudulent unemployment applications using the personal identifying information of inmates. Among the false information included in these applications were false physical addresses, false last employers, and a false certification that the inmates were ready, willing, and able to work in the event employment became available. The conspirators further defrauded the Virginia Employment Commission by filing at least 30 fraudulent applications in the names of other individuals whose personal identifying information was obtained, in part, by Mitchell querying a government database she had access to as an employee of the Virginia Motor Vehicle Dealer Board. Through this fraud scheme, the conspirators obtained approximately $1 million in PUA and Unemployment Insurance benefits.

Additionally, from June 2020 to June 2021, Mitchell devised and executed a scheme to defraud the PPP and EIDL programs. The defendant submitted 5 PPP applications to a financial institution, each containing false statements, false representations, or false certifications. For instance, these applications contained false and fabricated gross figures and false certifications that the businesses were in operation on February 15, 2020. The defendant further executed a scheme to defraud the EIDL program, which was intended to give forgivable loans to small businesses. Mitchell submitted several fraudulent EIDL applications to the Small Business Administration for businesses that had no customers, employees, or business activity, and in those applications, she made false statements, representations, and false certifications.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Tira A. Hayward, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division; Troy Springer, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington, D.C. Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Hannah M. Lauck.

Significant assistance was provided by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicle, Virginia Employment Commission and the Virginia Department of Corrections. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kashan K. Pathan and Carla Jordan-Detamore 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. 3:22-cr-44.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud Navy Federal Credit Union and its members out of money and property.

According to court documents, from approximately April to August 2021, Samari Smith, 20, conspired with at least four other people to commit credit union fraud by convincing account holders to withdraw and turnover funds to them under false pretenses. Smith and his coconspirators targeted sailors in the United States Navy on online dating applications like Tinder by posing as women interested in a romantic relationship. Smith and his co-conspirators asked the victimized Sailors to withdraw and turnover funds – often under the guise of helping a relative in the Navy who was trying to send them money. 

Samari Smith was directly involved in defrauding four Sailors in the Navy who were then stationed in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, which caused more than $40,000 in fraud losses to these victims. Two co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty, including the leader of the conspiracy, Trequan Smith, 21, of Hampton and Emani Burton, 23, also of Hampton. The broader fraud conspiracy orchestrated by Trequan Smith victimized dozens of Sailors in the Navy and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars of fraud loss.

Samari Smith pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 27, 2023. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Trequan Smith pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. He faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison and a maximum penalty of 32 years in prison. Burton pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and was sentenced to a term of one day of incarceration and three years of supervised release.  

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

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Tira A. Hayward, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division; and Frederick Franks, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen accepted the plea.

This case was investigated under the leadership and coordination of the Newport News Financial Crimes Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Mack Coleman 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 Nos. 4:22-cr-56, 4:21-cr-67, and 4:21-cr-68.

RICHMOND, Va. – A New York man pleaded guilty today to committing an armed robbery in Farmville, during which he shot the victim in the leg.

According to court documents, on July 16, 2020, Herbert Young III, 54, committed an armed robbery of the Farmville auto dealership, Auto Connection. During the robbery, Young physically restrained the victim-owner’s hands using an electrical extension cord and a phone charging cord. When a customer entered the store, the victim attempted to free himself and flee. Before the victim could do so, Young shot at him and struck the calf area of the victim’s right leg.

Young then stole a 2000 BMW, which belonged to the Auto Connection and fled the scene. In addition to the 2000 BMW, Young took the victim’s cell phone as well as other property that belonged to the Auto Connection.

Young is scheduled to be sentenced on January 5, 2023. He faces a maximum term of 20 years in prison for the robbery and a consecutive mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and maximum of life imprisonment for the discharge of the firearm. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth R. Simon, Jr. and Michael R. Gill 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. 3:22-cr-77.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Honduran man pleaded guilty today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine in the United States.

According to court documents, Rafael Antonio Pineda Santos, 43, was extradited from Guatemala in May 2022 after being indicted in June 2014 for his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, knowing it would be imported into the United States. From 2005 until at least June 2014, members of an international drug trafficking organization based in Honduras known as the “Los Valles” Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) conspired to import multi-ton quantities of cocaine from Central America to the United States.

Pineda Santos was a member of the Valle DTO. He was paid by the leaders of the Valle DTO to provide information about the status of possible law enforcement cooperators and pending law enforcement actions against the Valle DTO. Pineda Santos maintained an extensive network through which he obtained information that he provided the Valle DTO to further the conspiracy. He contacted leaders of the organization to advise them of planned raids or surveillance being conducted against the Valle DTO. Over the course of the conspiracy, Pineda Santos and members of the Valle DTO distributed at least 50 kilograms of cocaine.

Pineda Santos is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2023 by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of ten 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 taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Sean Ragan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Sacramento Field Office; and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachael Tucker and Katherine Rumbaugh are prosecuting the case.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Guatemala to secure the arrest and extradition of Pineda Santos to the United States.

The case was investigated by the FBI Sacramento Field Office and the Sacramento Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) with assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principle mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.

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. 1:14-cr-135.

RICHMOND, Va. – The former owner of a Richmond-based assisted living facility was sentenced today to 2 years in prison for health care fraud after diverting over $800,000 in federal and state benefits that were intended to pay for the care of the facility’s residents.

According to court documents, Mable B. Jones, 79, of Richmond, owned and operated Jones & Jones, an assisted living facility complex that served primarily elderly and incapacitated adults. For residents who were legally incapable of managing their own funds, Jones & Jones served as a representative payee and regularly received state and federal benefit payments on behalf of those residents. Representative payees are required to use Social Security benefits to provide for the beneficiary’s needs, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care. Representative payees, moreover, are specifically prohibited from using Social Security benefits for anything other than the beneficiary’s needs. Similar requirements also apply to auxiliary grants issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services.

Beginning around December 2015 and continuing through the facility’s closure in the spring of 2019, Jones converted more than $800,000 of the residents’ federal and state benefits for her own personal use. Jones used the residents’ benefits to satisfy her personal debts, including her mortgage and bankruptcy payments, and to fund her personal travel, retail purchases, and gambling expenses, including at casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Jones’s diversion of resident benefits led to significant and persistent deficiencies in the facilities, care, and services provided to Jones & Jones residents, including deficiencies that endangered residents’ health and safety. These conditions ultimately prompted state and federal audits of the facility before its closure, during which Jones made false statements about her conversion and use of resident funds.

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 Michael McGill, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Philadelphia Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin G. Cooke and Shea Gibbons prosecuted the case.

Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. Elder abuse is an intentional or negligent act by any person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to an older adult. It is a term used to describe five subtypes of elder abuse: physical abuse, financial fraud, scams and exploitation, caregiver neglect and abandonment, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse. Elder abuse is a serious crime against some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens, affecting at least 10 percent of older Americans every year. Together with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners, the Department of Justice is steadfastly committed to combatting all forms of elder abuse and financial exploitation through enforcement actions, training and resources, research, victim services, and public awareness. This holistic and robust response demonstrates the Department’s unwavering dedication to fighting for justice for older Americans.

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. 3:21-cr-30.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man was sentenced today to 45 years in prison for murdering another man in retaliation for robbing him of an ounce of marijuana, and trying to convince a witness to lie for him to cover it up.

According to court documents, Melvin Palma Flores, 20, was a marijuana dealer who carried firearms for protection while dealing drugs. Evidence presented at trial from Palma Flores’s social media accounts showed that Palma Flores posted images depicting the marijuana he sold, his cash proceeds, and the multiple guns and ammunition that he used to protect his drugs and his money. On October 25, 2019, the victim, X.B., arranged for his two associates to purchase marijuana from Palma Flores. In reality, X.B. intended for his associates to rob Palma Flores. When the associates showed up to Palma Flores’s home in Alexandria, one of them stole the marijuana from Palma Flores and brought it back to X.B.

Palma Flores then planned his retaliation against X.B. for setting up the robbery. Palma Flores, who was carrying a firearm, met with two of his associates and traveled to X.B.’s apartment complex in Alexandria. X.B., who was unarmed, was sitting on the staircase outside of his apartment. Palma Flores discharged his firearm multiple times, striking X.B. in the right arm and in the top of the head, causing X.B.’s death.

Following his arrest in February of 2020, Palma Flores wrote a letter to his girlfriend instructing her to lie about the events that occurred on the night of the murder and to influence others to lie about the incident to law enforcement—specifically, to try to frame another person for the murder.

In December 2021, Palma Flores was convicted by a federal jury of first-degree murder by firearm in relation to drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and witness tampering

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police; and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael P. Ben’Ary and Katherine E. Rumbaugh 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. 1:20-cr-142.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A man who was extradited from Mexico to face charges in the United States was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for aiding and abetting the transportation of a woman for purposes of prostitution.

According to court documents, from 2009 to 2010, Ramon Raudel Campos Murillo, 45, of Michoacan, Mexico, along with other individuals, conspired to operate a sex trafficking organization. In 2010, he aided and abetted those who drove a young woman from Maryland to locations across the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere to perform sex acts in exchange for money.

The prostitution enterprise operated in Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Delaware, and elsewhere. Drivers received calls from customers to arrange prostitution. Then, the drivers drove the young women to those customers. Young women saw as many as 30 clients per day and charged $30 for 15 minutes of sexual activity. The drivers collected the proceeds and the young women received only half of the money.

Campos Murillo was charged by indictment in 2011 and a warrant was issued for his arrest at that same time. According to a coconspirator, after some of Campos Murillo’s accomplices were charged, he fled from the United States to Mexico to avoid arrest. Campos Murillo was located in Mexico in 2021 and extradited to the United States earlier this year. At least seven other individuals were previously convicted of sex trafficking offenses for their roles in the scheme.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, Washington D.C.; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Campos Murillo to the United States.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc J. Birnbaum and Raizza K. Ty 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. 1:11-cr-578.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – This week the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) recognized Overdose Awareness Week and renewed its commitment to addressing the nation’s overdose epidemic.

“Over 107,000 people died of a drug overdose in the United States last year. That is more than twice the number of people who were killed by firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber. “In Virginia, more people died of a drug overdose than by firearm and car accidents combined. We must raise awareness of what is killing our loved ones at such an alarming rate.”

Overdose Awareness Week, observed from August 29 through September 3, is a time to remember those tragically lost to overdose and the pain of the families who are left behind. On Wednesday, the flags around Virginia flew at half-staff in recognition of the lives lost to overdose. This week is also an opportunity to recommit to working together to build safe, healthy, and resilient communities. By adopting evidence-based approaches to reducing overdose risks and lowering barriers to treatment and support, we can save more American lives.

According to the CDC, in 2021 there was a 15 percent rise in the rate of overdose deaths in the United States. The death rate for 2022 is on track to be even higher. Opioids were responsible for almost 75 percent of the overdose deaths in 2020 – and the primary driver of those deaths was illicit fentanyl, the synthetic opioid most commonly found in counterfeit pills bought on the street. According to the CDC, across the U.S., law enforcement has seized everything from fake blue 30mg Oxycodone pills, to fake Adderall and Xanax pills which contain illicitly made fentanyl. Recently, law enforcement have begun seizing multicolored pills that look like candy made with illicit fentanyl. Within Virginia, a recent trend of cocaine laced with fentanyl has caused a number of overdoses. Overdose deaths within the state from methamphetamine are also on the rise. Law enforcement seizures in and around the district have included what appear to be Ecstasy pills made with high-purity methamphetamine. 

In addition to prosecuting offenders who distributed illicit substances, EDVA leads a number of on-going programs and efforts to raise awareness and find solutions to the overdose pandemic, including the Central Virginia Overdose Working Group, Project Recover, and the “Silent No More” awareness program for schools, parents, and community organizations.

The Central Virginia Overdose Working Group (CVOWG) is comprised of over 330 stakeholders from 14 disciplines. It was created to eliminate the siloed structure of the substance use arena by bringing experts from multiple fields together to discuss issues, identify gaps, and develop solutions to the overdose epidemic in Central Virginia.

Project Recover funds Certified Peer Recovery Specialists to support Virginians suffering with substance use disorders during one of the most critical times in their path to recovery – immediately following an overdose. All too often, once EMS and law enforcement have addressed the immediate trauma of an overdose incident and have left the scene to respond to the next call from the community, the victim is left without sustainable treatment and recovery options. Project Recover’s goal is to help fill this gap by providing individuals in need with immediate support from a peer who has overcome similar challenges and has gained real-world knowledge of the ongoing process of treatment and recovery. Currently, Project Recover funds peers in Richmond City Police Department, Chesterfield County Police Department, Henrico Fire/EMS and Police Department, and Richmond Ambulance Authority.

“Silent No More” is a community-based educational outreach and prevention program. This program is being introduced at schools in the Eastern District of Virginia to educate students and parents about the threat of opioids and other dangerous substances, as well as connecting law enforcement with parents, medical professionals, and educators for life-saving conversations. “Silent No More” is currently available in Central Virginia and in Tidewater and is in the process of developing a program in Northern Virginia.

If you or your organization would like to participate in the Working Group or would like to have the “Silent No More” team present to your school or organization, please contact Kim Ulmet at USAVAE.SilentNoMore@usdoj.gov. 

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

RICHMOND, Va. – A Lancaster man was sentenced yesterday to nearly 10 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

According to court documents, Shadonta Lateef Beane, 26, was indicted on federal charges of possessing a Romarm/Cugir Mini Draco pistol, having a 30-round magazine and 22 rounds of ammunition, and possessing a stolen Taurus .40 caliber handgun with 10 rounds of ammunition after having been convicted of a felony. Beane pled guilty on February 23 to possessing the Draco firearm as a convicted felon. Evidence and testimony at Beane’s sentencing hearing showed that he was previously charged with and convicted of possessing a firearm at the Raceway Gas Station in Tappahannock, Virginia on October 31, 2020. Testimony at sentencing also identified that Beane is a member of the Merry Point Boys, a street gang operating in the Northern Neck area that has been recognized by the Virginia Department of Corrections as a gang.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Washington Field Division; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.

The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office and FBI Fredericksburg Field Office provided significant assistance in this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller 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. 3:21-cr-54.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court documents, from about January 2019 through April 2021, Barry Justin King, 41, received and distributed approximately four to five kilograms of methamphetamine every month by traveling out of the district to pick up illegal narcotics from sources in New Jersey. In addition to methamphetamine, King also distributed counterfeit pills that bore the appearance of prescription pills but contained fentanyl and other illegal narcotics.

On April 27, 2021, one of King’s sources of supply, who is now a cooperating witness, advised law enforcement that they had a vehicle that contained illegal narcotics intended for King. A search of said vehicle yielded approximately three pounds of methamphetamine, 632 orange pills containing methamphetamine, 794 counterfeit Xanax pills containing etizolam, and 51 white pills containing both fentanyl and acetaminophen. Subsequently, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine from King on two separate occasions. On April 6, 2022, King was stopped at a traffic stop where a drug detection canine positively alerted to the presence of approximately nine ounces of methamphetamine, approximately 569 Fentanyl pills, and approximately 826 counterfeit Adderall pills laced with methamphetamine. King has twice been convicted before for drug distribution offenses in state court.        

King is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11, 2023. He faces a mandatory minimum term of 5 years in prison and a maximum term of 40 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Mike Goldsmith, Interim Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Comstock and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Liu 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-72.

NORFOLK, Va. – An Arizona man and a California man were sentenced to 15 years and 5 months and 13 years in prison, respectively, for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, in connection with a nationwide investment scheme involving fraudulent wireless spectrum and dental franchise investments.

According to court documents, from approximately 2011 through 2017, David Alcorn, 78, of Scottsdale, Arizona, and Aghee William Smith II, 70, of Roseville, California, were part of an investment fraud conspiracy that operated out of California, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, and Hampton Roads, among other locations across the country. Alcorn, Smith, and their co-conspirators—including Kent Maerki, 78, and his wife Norma Jean Coffin, 60, of Arizona; Daryl Bank, 51, of Florida; insurance salesman Tony Sellers, 62, of Idaho; insurance salesman Tom Barnett, 69, of California; attorney Billy Seabolt, 56, of Williamsburg; Raeann Gibson, 49, of Florida; and Roger Hudspeth, 51, of Suffolk – deceived hundreds of unsuspecting investors, most of whom were at or near retirement age, by convincing them to invest in or send money to companies owned and controlled by Alcorn, Bank, and Maerki. Alcorn and others then misappropriated significant portions of the investment funds to pay for their criminal enterprise and lavish lifestyles, as well as to pay exorbitant commissions to Smith and other salesmen.

Smith began selling these fraudulent investments in 2011 for Alcorn, Maerki, and Bank. The conspirators used material misrepresentations to sell illiquid, highly speculative investments that were then used as vehicles for fraud. Trusting the conspirators’ fraudulent misrepresentations, unsuspecting investors cashed out of 401(k) and other retirement accounts to invest without knowing that Alcorn, Bank, and Maerki were immediately transferring 20%–70% of the funds to other companies they controlled in the form of purported “fees.” As a result of this investment fraud scheme, the victims suffered losses in excess of $20 million.

Bank was convicted after trial of conspiracy, mail and wire fraud, selling unregistered securities, securities fraud, and money laundering, and was sentenced in September 2021 to 35 years in prison. Maerki pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced in March 2021 to 16 years in prison. Seabolt was convicted after trial of conspiracy and mail fraud and sentenced in September 2021 to 10 years in prison. Gibson pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced in February 2020 to 10 years in prison. Hudspeth pleaded guilty to investment advisor fraud and money laundering and was sentenced in May 2018 to over 12 years in prison. Sellers pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced in January to 5 years in prison. Coffin pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced in April to 5 years in prison. Barnett will be sentenced in September.

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; Darrell J. Waldon, Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Investigations Unit of the Internal Revenue Service; and Tira A. Hayward, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.

The Virginia State Corporation Commission provided significant assistance with this investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa O’Boyle, Elizabeth Yusi, and Andrew Bosse are prosecuting the case.

Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. Elder abuse is an intentional or negligent act by any person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to an older adult. It is a term used to describe five subtypes of elder abuse: physical abuse, financial fraud, scams and exploitation, caregiver neglect and abandonment, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse. Elder abuse is a serious crime against some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens, affecting at least 10 percent of older Americans every year. Together with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners, the Department of Justice is steadfastly committed to combatting all forms of elder abuse and financial exploitation through enforcement actions, training and resources, research, victim services, and public awareness. This holistic and robust response demonstrates the Department’s unwavering dedication to fighting for justice for older Americans.

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. 2:19-cr-47.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 140 months in prison for possessing several Glock switches, or autosear kits, that convert handguns into fully automatic machineguns, as well as a Glock handgun that he used protect his marijuana-distribution efforts.

According to court documents, Karon Rayosha Howard, 28, sold Glock switches, or autosear kits, that convert handguns into fully automatic machineguns. One of his customers, Shy'Quan Dodson, was a Kai Gang member who used a Glock machinegun in a shootout on July 18, 2021, in downtown Norfolk, then was involved in a high-speed chase with police officers that resulted in his vehicle crashing. He threw the Glock out the car window, but officers recovered it and saw that it had been illegally modified with a 3D-printed Glock switch, and evidence from Dodson’s phone indicated that Howard had sold him the device.

On September 1, 2021, officers secured and executed a search warrant for Howard’s residence, where they recovered two more Glock switches, another firearm, and marijuana packaged for distribution. Howard admitted to possessing all the recovered contraband and told the police: “I’m always gonna go to jail for firearms. You feel me? I’m gonna have a gun on me.”

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Washington Field Division; and Mike Goldsmith, Interim Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Jackson and Joe Depadilla, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Graham Stolle prosecuted the case.

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

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison for importing MDMA, or Ecstasy, into the United States.

According to court documents, Andrew Myers, 39, a high school special education teacher, was importing MDMA into the United States from Germany and Spain. MDMA, sometimes referred to as Ecstasy, is an illegal narcotic. In February 2020, special agents with Homeland Security Investigations and detectives with the Newport News Police Department received information that a package containing MDMA was entering the United States and was addressed to Myers. The agents conducted a controlled delivery of the package to Myer’s residence. Myers denied any knowledge of the package.

In July 2021, agents located an additional package of MDMA that was entering the United States from Spain. The agents did a controlled delivery of the package to a post office box in Yorktown. When Myers arrived to retrieve the package he was arrested.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Tira A. Hayward, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt 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. 4:22-cr-3.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Washington, D.C. man was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison for brandishing a firearm during a January 2021 bank robbery he committed less than a year after being released from prison for a previous string of armed bank robberies. 

According to court documents, between 2007 and 2008, Amobi Chibuza Agu, 37, committed seven armed bank robberies in the Eastern District of Virginia and the District of Maryland. Court records show Agu was convicted in federal court of armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in 2008 and was sentenced to prison, where he remained until March 2020. 

According to court filings, on the morning of January 2, 2021, Agu robbed the Bank of America located in Dulles Crossing Plaza in Sterling. During the course of the robbery, Agu brandished a handgun at a bank teller and an unarmed security guard.

Agu was convicted of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a federal crime of violence, second offense. As part of his guilty plea, Agu also admitted to robbing two Maryland jewelry stores at gunpoint in January 2021.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Michael L. Chapman, Loudoun County Sheriff; Marcus Jones, Montgomery County Chief of Police; and Malik Aziz, Chief of Prince George’s County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Blanchard and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Kramer 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. 1:21-cr-228.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richardson, Texas, man pleaded guilty Friday to conspiring to commit wire fraud to defraud the American Red Cross of disaster relief funds donated to the Red Cross by members of the American public for the benefit of the victims of Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

According to court documents, Muata Khalif, 55, conspired with other individuals to obtain the personal information of Texas residents, and to use that personal information to apply for and obtain Red Cross disaster relief payments in those individuals’ names. In the wake of Hurricane Harvey’s landfall in August of 2017, and the resultant damage to areas of Texas and Louisiana, the Red Cross initiated an “Immediate Assistance Program,” funded by public donations, to provide financial assistance to disaster victims. Upon verifying that an applicant was, in fact, a resident of an affected area in Texas, the Red Cross would provide the applicant with a $400 cash payment, which the applicant could retrieve at, among other designated locations, Wal-Mart Money Centers. To retrieve the $400 Red Cross payment, the applicant needed to be able to provide the applicant’s verified Red Cross client ID number and a corresponding, specific payment reference number.

In October of 2017, Khalif – at the time, a resident of Emporia, Virginia – obtained the client ID and reference numbers of at least 116 individuals. Armed with this information, and over the course of a five-day span, Khalif traveled to Wal-Mart stores located in Emporia, Colonial Heights, Petersburg, and Midlothian to obtain the Red Cross relief payments intended for those individuals. One day into his scheme, Khalif met, befriended, and then recruited a Petersburg Wal-Mart Money Center cashier. Assisted by this Wal-Mart employee, Khalif eventually obtained 116 Red Cross disaster relief payments, totaling more than $46,000 in fraud loss to the Red Cross—funds which had been donated to the Red Cross for the explicit purpose of assisting hurricane victims.  

Khalif is scheduled to be sentenced on November 17. 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 taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jerald W. Page, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark R. Colombell accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin Cooke and Thomas A. Garnett 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. 3:22-cr-29.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced to 90 months in prison for possessing firearms as a prohibited person and possession of child pornography. 

According to court documents, Kim Joseph Habit, 49, as a person who had been committed to a mental institution, violated federal law by subsequently possessing an AM-15 rifle and other firearms. During the course of the investigation, the FBI determined that Habit had been purchasing significant quantities of chemicals and other laboratory equipment that could be used to create a destructive device. Agents also obtained evidence that a computer user at the Habit residence was participating in a peer-to-peer file-sharing network through which images of child pornography were downloaded.

On December 14, 2021, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Habit’s residence and found numerous firearms, a box containing components that could be used in combination to create an improvised explosive device, and electronic devices containing images of child pornography.

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; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Washington Field Division; and Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.

This outcome was made possible by significant contributions by our state and local law enforcement partners; the Virginia State Police, Hampton Police Division, the Virginia Beach Police Department, Suffolk Police Department, Norfolk Police Department, the Chesapeake Police Department, the Newport News Police Department and support from the Hampton Road’s regional bomb squads.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Montoya prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-009.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The highest-ranking fighter for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization, to have ever faced a jury trial in the United States was sentenced today to life imprisonment for his participation in a brutal hostage-taking scheme that resulted in the deaths of four American citizens, as well as the deaths of British and Japanese nationals, in Syria. 

“I want to express my gratitude for the tireless work of the trial team, including all our partners, in bringing about today’s sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber. “Their efforts over many years of investigating and prosecuting the ISIS Beatles are emblematic of the best of the Department of Justice, and truly our country, has to offer in pursuing justice in the face of terrorism. I am also deeply appreciative of the efforts of the victims’ families in this case. Without their commitment, this case never would have made it to our courthouse and we would not have the result we have today.”

“Today, the men and women of the Department of Justice and our criminal justice system delivered justice,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Today, we remember the four Americans for whom it was delivered: James Foley, Kayla Mueller, Steven Sotloff, and Peter Kassig. My thoughts are with their families, whose strength and resolve inspired the men and women of the Justice Department as they investigated and prosecuted this case with skill and determination.”

“ISIS committed horrific acts against hostages held in Syria and nothing can make up for their suffering and loss,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “We will always remember the victims who perished and our thoughts today are especially with the Foley, Mueller, Sotloff, and Kassig families. Today’s sentencing demonstrates that those who kill or injure our citizens cannot hide forever. The FBI and our partners throughout the U.S. government will work relentlessly to bring them to justice.  I am grateful for the dedication of the men and women of the FBI, and that of our partners both in the United States and internationally, who stand with us.”

“Today, El Shafee Elsheikh was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the heinous hostage-taking and appalling deaths of American, British, and Japanese citizens,” said Steven M. D’Antuono, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. “This case has always been about the victims, and while this sentence does not take away any pain felt by their families, we hope that it brings some justice. The families of James Foley, Kayla Mueller, Steven Sotloff, and Peter Kassig have shown remarkable resilience and strength through the ordeal of their loved ones’ abduction and murder and the ensuing years it took for this investigation and trial to conclude. The scope of this investigation was immense, and involved a myriad of individuals at the FBI, other U.S. agencies, and international partners working together to obtain this significant sentence. Today’s sentence demonstrates the commitment of the FBI and our partners to continue to investigate crimes against Americans and pursue justice on behalf of the families of these victims, no matter how long it takes or where in the world it takes us.”

According to court documents, from November 2012 through February 7, 2015, former British citizen El Shafee Elsheikh, 34, served as a leader in a wide-ranging conspiracy involving the captivity of 26 hostages in Syria. Elsheikh personally participated in the detention of and hostage negotiations for four American citizens – James Wright Foley, Kayla Jean Mueller, Steven Joel Sotloff, and Peter Edward Kassig – each of whom died as hostages in ISIS custody. In addition, Elsheikh personally participated in the detention of and hostage negotiations for British, French, Italian, Danish, German, Spanish, Swedish, Belgian, Swiss, and New Zealand nationals.

According to court documents and evidence presented during trial, Elsheikh and two other ISIS members supervised the terrorist organization’s jails and detention facilities at which the hostages were held. Elsheikh and his co-conspirators engaged in a prolonged pattern of physical and psychological violence against hostages that was meant as an effort to subdue the hostages. These actions were also intended to compel the victims’ family members and their governments to pay large monetary ransoms for their release, in addition to compelling the U.S. government and other governments to agree to other terms and conditions for the victims’ return.

According to evidence presented during trial, in addition to physically and psychologically abusing the hostages, Elsheikh and his co-conspirators participated in forcibly exposing the hostages to the murder of other hostages held by ISIS, including a Russian hostage who was killed in or about February 2014 and a Syrian prisoner who was executed in or about April 2014. After a group of European hostages were forced to witness the execution of the Syrian prisoner, Elsheikh and his co-conspirators returned the hostages to the prison where they were being held with American and British hostages.

From August 2014 through October 2014, ISIS released videos depicting the beheadings of James Foley, Steven Sotloff, and British citizens David Haines and Alan Henning. In November 2014, ISIS released a video depicting the decapitated head of Peter Kassig. In January 2015, ISIS released videos depicting the decapitated body of Japanese citizen Haruna Yukawa and the beheading of Japanese citizen Kenji Goto. On or about February 7, 2015, Kayla Mueller’s family received an email from ISIS confirming Mueller’s death in Syria.

According to evidence presented during trial, Elsheikh was part of a group of ISIS members who spoke with British accents and were referred to by the hostages as the “Beatles.” He and his convicted co-conspirator, Alexanda Amon Kotey, 38, were captured together in January 2018 by the Syrian Democratic Forces as they attempted to escape Syria for Turkey. Mohammed Emwazi, who conducted the above-referenced videotaped beheadings, was killed in November 2015 in a U.S. military airstrike in Syria.

On September 2, 2021, Kotey pleaded guilty to all of the offenses charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia in the eight-count indictment, consisting of one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking resulting in death; four counts of hostage taking resulting in the deaths of the four Americans (James Foley, Kayla Mueller, Steven Sotloff, and Peter Kassig); one count of conspiracy to murder U.S. citizens outside of the United States; one count of conspiracy to provide material support or resources to terrorists resulting in the deaths of U.S., British, and Japanese nationals; and one count of conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization resulting in the deaths of U.S., British, and Japanese nationals. Kotey was sentenced to eight concurrent terms of life imprisonment on April 29, 2022. 

On April 14, 2022, Elsheikh was convicted by a jury in the Eastern District of Virginia of all eight of the above-listed offenses. Earlier today, the Court sentenced Elsheikh to eight concurrent terms of life imprisonment.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia expresses its profound appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Counter Terrorism Command of the United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police Service, the Syrian Democratic Forces, and our many foreign partners for their dedicated commitment to assist the United States in seeking justice for all the victims of these crimes.

First Assistant United States Attorney Raj Parekh, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis M. Fitzpatrick, John T. Gibbs, and Aidan Taft Grano-Mickelson, all of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Trial Attorney Alicia H. Cook of the Justice Department’s National Security Division 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. 1:20-cr-239.

The highest-ranking fighter for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization, to have ever faced a jury trial in the United States was sentenced today to life imprisonment for his participation in a brutal hostage-taking scheme that resulted in the deaths of four American citizens, as well as the deaths of British and Japanese nationals, in Syria. 

“Today, the men and women of the Department of Justice and our criminal justice system delivered justice,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Today, we remember the four Americans for whom it was delivered: James Foley, Kayla Mueller, Steven Sotloff, and Peter Kassig. My thoughts are with their families, whose strength and resolve inspired the men and women of the Justice Department as they investigated and prosecuted this case with skill and determination.”

“ISIS committed horrific acts against hostages held in Syria and nothing can make up for their suffering and loss,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “We will always remember the victims who perished and our thoughts today are especially with the Foley, Mueller, Sotloff, and Kassig families. Today’s sentencing demonstrates that those who kill or injure our citizens cannot hide forever. The FBI and our partners throughout the U.S. government will work relentlessly to bring them to justice. I am grateful for the dedication of the men and women of the FBI, and that of our partners both in the United States and internationally, who stand with us.”

“I want to express my gratitude for the tireless work of the trial team, including all our partners, in bringing about today’s sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Their efforts over many years of investigating and prosecuting the ISIS Beatles are emblematic of the best of the Department of Justice, and truly our country, has to offer in pursuing justice in the face of terrorism. I am also deeply appreciative of the efforts of the victims’ families in this case. Without their commitment, this case never would have made it to our courthouse and we would not have the result we have today.”

“Today, El Shafee Elsheikh was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the heinous hostage-taking and appalling deaths of American, British, and Japanese citizens,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office. “This case has always been about the victims, and while this sentence does not take away any pain felt by their families, we hope that it brings some justice. The families of James Foley, Kayla Mueller, Steven Sotloff, and Peter Kassig have shown remarkable resilience and strength through the ordeal of their loved ones’ abduction and murder and the ensuing years it took for this investigation and trial to conclude. The scope of this investigation was immense, and involved a myriad of individuals at the FBI, other U.S. agencies, and international partners working together to obtain this significant sentence. Today’s sentence demonstrates the commitment of the FBI and our partners to continue to investigate crimes against Americans and pursue justice on behalf of the families of these victims, no matter how long it takes or where in the world it takes us.”

According to court documents, from November 2012 through Feb. 7, 2015, former British citizen El Shafee Elsheikh, 34, served as a leader in a wide-ranging conspiracy involving the captivity of 26 hostages in Syria. Elsheikh personally participated in the detention of and hostage negotiations for four American citizens – James Wright Foley, Kayla Jean Mueller, Steven Joel Sotloff, and Peter Edward Kassig – each of whom died as hostages in ISIS custody. In addition, Elsheikh personally participated in the detention of and hostage negotiations for British, French, Italian, Danish, German, Spanish, Swedish, Belgian, Swiss, and New Zealand nationals.

According to court documents and evidence presented during trial, Elsheikh and two other ISIS members supervised the terrorist organization’s jails and detention facilities at which the hostages were held. Elsheikh and his co-conspirators engaged in a prolonged pattern of physical and psychological violence against hostages that was meant as an effort to subdue the hostages. These actions were also intended to compel the victims’ family members and their governments to pay large monetary ransoms for their release, in addition to compelling the U.S. government and other governments to agree to other terms and conditions for the victims’ return.

According to evidence presented during trial, in addition to physically and psychologically abusing the hostages, Elsheikh and his co-conspirators participated in forcibly exposing the hostages to the murder of other hostages held by ISIS, including a Russian hostage who was killed in or about February 2014 and a Syrian prisoner who was executed in or about April 2014. After a group of European hostages were forced to witness the execution of the Syrian prisoner, Elsheikh and his co-conspirators returned the hostages to the prison where they were being held with American and British hostages.

From August 2014 through October 2014, ISIS released videos depicting the beheadings of James Foley, Steven Sotloff, and British citizens David Haines and Alan Henning. In November 2014, ISIS released a video depicting the decapitated head of Peter Kassig. In January 2015, ISIS released videos depicting the decapitated body of Japanese citizen Haruna Yukawa and the beheading of Japanese citizen Kenji Goto. On or about Feb. 7, 2015, Kayla Mueller’s family received an email from ISIS confirming Mueller’s death in Syria.

According to evidence presented during trial, Elsheikh was part of a group of ISIS members who spoke with British accents and were referred to by the hostages as the “Beatles.” He and his convicted co-conspirator, Alexanda Amon Kotey, 38, were captured together in January 2018 by the Syrian Democratic Forces as they attempted to escape Syria for Turkey. Mohammed Emwazi, who conducted the above-referenced videotaped beheadings, was killed in November 2015 in a U.S. military airstrike in Syria.

On Sept. 2, 2021, Kotey pleaded guilty to all of the offenses charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia in the eight-count indictment, consisting of one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking resulting in death; four counts of hostage taking resulting in the deaths of the four Americans (James Foley, Kayla Mueller, Steven Sotloff, and Peter Kassig); one count of conspiracy to murder U.S. citizens outside of the United States; one count of conspiracy to provide material support or resources to terrorists resulting in the deaths of U.S., British, and Japanese nationals; and one count of conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization resulting in the deaths of U.S., British, and Japanese nationals. Kotey was sentenced to eight concurrent terms of life imprisonment on April 29, 2022. 

On April 14, 2022, Elsheikh was convicted by a jury in the Eastern District of Virginia of all eight of the above-listed offenses. Earlier today, the Court sentenced Elsheikh to eight concurrent terms of life imprisonment.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia expresses its profound appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Counter Terrorism Command of the United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police Service, the Syrian Democratic Forces, and our many foreign partners for their dedicated commitment to assist the United States in seeking justice for all the victims of these crimes.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis M. Fitzpatrick, John T. Gibbs, and Aidan Taft Grano-Mickelson, all of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Counterterrorism Section Trial Attorney Alicia H. Cook of the Justice Department National Security Division prosecuted the case.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man pleaded guilty today to aggravated identity theft and bank fraud in connection with a fraud scheme targeting Navy Federal Credit Union.

According to court documents, Taimak Peters, 28, helped devise a scheme to defraud Navy Federal Credit Union out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. From approximately April through July 2018, Peters, along with other co-conspirators, stole the identities of various victims, including their names, social security numbers, and dates of birth. Using this information, the conspirators established accounts at Navy Federal Credit Union and applied for automobile loans in the victims’ names from information secured from internet websites such as Autotrader. The court records indicate that once these loans were approved, a conspirator would go to a Navy Federal Branch, retrieve the loan check, then take it to a different branch to cash. The conspirators then split the proceeds of the fraudulently obtained check amongst themselves. Peters admitted in Court to supplying stolen identities in this fashion on at least three such transactions. Peters specific action caused Navy Federal Credit Union to lose over $57,000, the overall conspiracy caused a loss exceeding $300,000. Peters is the fourth person to plead guilty in this scheme.

Peters is scheduled to be sentenced on January 20. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 2 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of 32 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 taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Co-conspirators, Raven Dixon, 29, of Norfolk, Ryan Eugene Gregory, 38, of Norfolk, and Thomas Jules Rogers, 33 of Prince George’s County, Maryland, all previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph 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. 2:20-cr-78.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 7 years in prison for possessing a machine gun used in a shootout in Norfolk.

According to court documents, Shy’Quan Dodson, 25, possessed a machine gun on July 18, 2021. That day, Norfolk police officers were in the vicinity of the 900 block of Tunstall Avenue in Norfolk, where they observed multiple individuals shooting at each other. The individuals fled in three separate vehicles, and during the ensuing pursuit a firearm was tossed from the rear of the vehicle. After a 15-minute pursuit that ended in a crash in Portsmouth, the defendant was detained while attempting to flee on foot from the vehicle. The firearm tossed from the vehicle was a Glock with an attached component that converted the handgun into a fully automatic machine gun. 

A search of Dodson’s cell phone showed photos of him holding the weapon, and a primer residue test revealed that Dodson had primer particles on his hands from the discharge of a firearm. Dodson’s phone also contained communications with another individual related to the buying and selling of machine gun conversion kits. According to court filings Dodson is a member of the Norfolk-based Kai Gang, a criminal street gang.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney; and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys William B. Jackson and Joseph DePadilla and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle are prosecuted the case.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-1

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced Wednesday to almost 12 years in prison for the armed robbery of Call Federal Credit Union in Midlothian.

According to court documents, Okello Chatrie, 27, entered the Call Federal Credit Union in Midlothian on May 20, 2019, demanding money at gunpoint. Chatrie robbed the Credit Union of nearly $200,000. Chatrie pleaded guilty to the robbery of a credit union and brandishing a firearm during that robbery.

When Chatrie entered the Call Federal Credit Union, he presented a bank teller with a note that read, in part, “I got your family as hostage and I know where you live, If you or your coworker alert the cops or anyone your family and you are going to be hurt ... I need at least 100k.” Before the teller could hand over the money, Chatrie brandished a pistol and directed all employees and customers of the bank to kneel down before directing them to an area where a safe was located.

The ensuing investigation ultimately led to the execution of a search warrant at two residences tied to Chatrie. At one residence, law enforcement recovered nearly $100,000 of the stolen money, a money counter, as well as the silver and black 9mm G2C Taurus semiautomatic pistol used during the robbery. At the other residence, law enforcement recovered practice robbery demand notes. 

At sentencing, the Court heard testimony from the teller who received Chatrie’s note as well as the bank manager who was ordered at gunpoint to turn over the money. The bank manager called it one of the worst days in his life. 

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, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.

This case was investigated by FBI Richmond's Central Virginia Violent Crimes Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorney s Kenneth R. Simon, Jr. and Peter S. Duffey prosecuted the case. Senior Counsel Nathan Judish of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Department of Justice also served on the prosecution team.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-130.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted two individuals yesterday on charges of money laundering as part of a business email compromise (BEC) scheme.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Onyewuchi Victor Ibeh, 33, of Mitchellville, Maryland, and Jason Eugene Joyner, 42, of Hyattsville, Maryland, participated in a scheme to launder the proceeds of a BEC scheme. In this scheme, conspirators infiltrate the computer systems of a victim company, including their email servers and email accounts, through phishing attacks or the use of malware. Once there, the conspirators impersonate the victim’s business partner and claim the business partner’s bank account information has changed. Intending to send the money to the business partner, the victim business instead sends the money to bank accounts controlled by the conspirators.

The defendants and their coconspirators laundered over $13 million fraudulently obtained from numerous victim businesses—including five who testified at trial—as a result of a scheme. The co-conspirators laundered the proceeds of the scheme through various financial transactions using dozens of bank accounts that they directly and indirectly controlled. Joyner’s role in the scheme was to withdraw the proceeds of the fraud in cash, which he delivered to other conspirators, including Ibeh. Ibeh’s role in the scheme was to manage the money laundering by causing conspirators to open bank accounts, which he used to wire money domestically and internationally. Ibeh spent the proceeds of the fraud on luxury items, including a custom jewelry piece costing close to $40,000.

Ibeh and Joyner conspired with, among others, Anthony Ayeah and Mouaaz Elkhebri, both of whom have also been convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Ibeh and Joyner were convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. Ibeh and Joyner each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on November 4, 2022. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael Ray, Inspector in Charge of Cybercrime and National Security of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Matthew Stohler, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hood, Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell Carlberg, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Bagwell 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.  1:21-cr-200.

RICHMOND, Va. – A New York man was sentenced today to more than 9 years in federal prison for mailing threatening letters to a federal law enforcement officer with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and to a federal prosecutor.

According to court documents, in 2021, Brock Beeman, 29, sent multiple threatening letters from prison to governmental employees associated with a separate criminal prosecution of the defendant in Norfolk. These letters included detailed threats to kill, torture, and/or maim various individuals, including a United States District Judge, a United States Probation Officer, Assistant United States Attorneys, Special Agents with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, United States Marshals, and other individuals associated with the defendant’s Norfolk criminal prosecution, as well as their friends and family members. These letters further included bomb threats for various locations, including federal courthouses, a military installation, and law enforcement offices.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Shannon Saylor, Acting United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela Mastandrea-Miller and 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.  3:21-cr-095.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pleaded guilty yesterday to federal firearm charges for conspiring to straw purchase firearms from licensed firearms dealers throughout Virginia.

According to court documents, Tre’Shawn N. Brooks, 22, purchased firearms in 2021 from licensed firearms dealers and falsely certified on federal forms that he was the actual buyer of each firearm.   In reality, Brooks purchased the firearms on behalf of at least four other individuals, who specified for Brooks which firearms Brooks was to purchase. Brooks in turn sold these firearms to co-conspirators. On at least three separate occasions, Brooks purchased firearms for minor-aged individuals who, as Brooks well knew, were not eligible to legally purchase firearms. On another occasion, Brooks purchased a firearm for another individual and the Richmond Police Department eventually recovered this firearm while executing a search warrant as part of a homicide investigation. As part of his plea agreement, Brooks consented to the forfeiture of nine firearms that law enforcement recovered during the investigation. 

Brooks is scheduled to be sentenced on December 9. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 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 taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. Senior District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Avi Panth and Stephen E. Anthony 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. 3:22-cr-110.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to 17.5 years in prison for transportation of child pornography.

According to court documents, in November 2020, Anthony Kandalepas, 20, drove to Florida to pick up a 14-year-old girl and bring her to Chesapeake. The victim was the subject of a Marchman Order in Florida for drug and alcohol abuse. They stayed with the defendant's grandparents in their attic. While there, the defendant and the 14-year-old engaged in sex and the defendant recorded it. He then assisted the victim in selling the images online using various social media platforms. The pair then drove to upstate New York, where the Otswego County Sheriff’s Office found Kandalepas and the victim. Homeland Security Investigation’s (HSI) Albany and Norfolk Offices then joined the investigation. 

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. HSI Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.

Significant assistance was provided by the Otswego County Sheriff’s Office.

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

In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at USAVAE-UnMasked@usdoj.gov.

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. 2:21-cr-136.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Justice Department today announced that two Virginia landlords have agreed to pay $225,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by obtaining unlawful court judgments against military tenants at the Hideaway at Greenbrier Luxury Apartment Homes in Chesapeake and the Chase Arbor Apartments in Virginia Beach.

The department launched its investigation after a Navy legal assistance attorney reported that the owner of the Hideaway at Greenbrier had obtained an eviction default judgment against a servicemember after filing an affidavit that falsely stated that she was not in military service. Under the SCRA, if a landlord files a civil lawsuit against a tenant and the tenant does not appear in court, the landlord must file an affidavit with the court stating whether the tenant is in the military before seeking a judgment. If the affidavit says that the tenant is in military service, the court cannot enter judgment until it appoints an attorney to represent the servicemember. The court must also postpone the case for at least 90 days.

In a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the department alleges that the owners of the Hideaway at Greenbrier and Chase Arbor Apartments filed false affidavits and failed to file affidavits of military service, as required by the SCRA, prior to obtaining improper judgments against numerous servicemembers. The properties are affiliated with one another and used the same law firm to file eviction claims in Virginia state courts.

The department alleges that the properties’ owners knew or should have known that the affidavits that were filed were inaccurate because their files contained information that would have allowed them to easily verify their tenants’ military status. Landlords and lenders can also verify an individual’s military status by searching the Defense Manpower Data Center’s free publicly available website and by reviewing their files to identify applications, military leave and earnings statements, or military orders indicating military status.

“Eviction judgments seriously jeopardize a servicemember’s ability to find and obtain affordable housing and negatively impact the financial readiness of our armed forces,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The department will vigorously pursue any landlord that obtains eviction judgments against servicemembers by misrepresenting their military status to the court.”

“A servicemember’s military career is adversely affected by a judgment, which affects the military’s readiness,” said Jessica D. Aber, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to pursuing companies that obtain default judgments against servicemembers by misrepresenting a servicemember’s military status or by failing to file an affidavit of military service, as required by the SCRA.”

Under the proposed consent order, which still must be approved by the court, the owners of the two properties will pay $162,971 to affected servicemembers and a $62,029 civil penalty to the United States. The order also requires the owners to vacate the eviction judgments, repair the servicemembers’ credit, provide SCRA training to their employees, and develop new policies and procedures consistent with the SCRA. The owners must also reimburse affected servicemembers for any amounts collected pursuant to an unlawful judgment.

This matter was handled jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section. Since 2011, the department has obtained over $476 million in monetary relief for over 121,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.

Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at http://legalassistance.law.af.mil.

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.

The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination by a court of liability

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office announced a settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Goochland Powhatan Community Services (GPCS), which is the Community Service Board and local government mental health agency for Goochland and Powhatan Counties.

The settlement agreement resolves allegations that GPCS failed to furnish sign language interpreting services during multiple consequential and complex interactions with an individual who is deaf during a 33-month period, including monthly interactions when GPCS personnel were supposed to assess the individual for, among other things, previously unidentified risks, injuries, needs, or other changes in status, and the individual was supposed to have an opportunity to provide meaningful input and feedback about the services being provided. In Virginia, Community Service Boards, like GPCS, provide a continuum of community-based education, prevention, crisis intervention, counseling and rehabilitation to individuals, families and groups in need of mental health, intellectual and developmental disability, and/or substance use disorder services, including support coordination services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Entities covered by the ADA, such as state and local government agencies, are required to furnish appropriate auxiliary aid or services, including sign language interpreter services, when providing to people with communication disabilities. Ensuring that such services are provided is especially important for communication-intensive programs that human and social service providers offer to the public.

To resolve this complaint, GPCS agreed to adopt new ADA policies. These policies will make their services accessible to individuals with communication disabilities, including those who require the services of a sign language interpreter, by requiring GPCS to designate an ADA Administrator who will be responsible for ensuring the agency’s compliance with the ADA; requiring GPCS to enter into agreements with sign language interpreting service providers to provide their services to individuals who need them; and requiring GPCS to provide training for its personnel on the ADA’s effective communication requirements.

This resolution is particularly significant because Community Service Boards in Virginia are essential to ensuring that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are able to receive community-based services and be integrated into their communities, and individuals who are deaf are entitled to have access to such services.

The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Gordon, who is the Civil Rights Enforcement Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The civil claims settled by this ADA agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.

The Department of Justice has a number of publications available to assist entities in complying with the ADA including Effective Communication, a Business Brief on Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Hospital Settings and ADA Update: A Primer for State and Local Governments. For more information on the ADA and to access these publications, visit http://www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD).

2022 marks the ADA’s 32nd anniversary. The Justice Department continues to advance the nation's goal of equal opportunity, integration, full participation, inclusion, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. Through its enforcement and technical assistance tools, the Justice Department strives to eliminate unlawful discrimination against individuals with disabilities.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

NORFOLK, Va. – U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young convicted a Norfolk man and woman yesterday on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, opening a drug-involved premises, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana, possession of firearms in relation to drug trafficking crimes, and being convicted felons in possession of firearms.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Vicente Andres, 61, and Margaret Sutton 51, operated a meth house on Danwood Drive in the City of Norfolk where they stored and sold methamphetamine and marijuana imported from Central California to Virginia, where they also possessed firearms in furtherance their drug trafficking activities. A search warrant executed on April 21, 2021, resulted in the recovery of about 10 pounds of pure methamphetamine, 10 pounds of marijuana, 3 firearms, and currency from the illegal sale of narcotics. The government presented evidence that established Andres had used the premises as a base of his methamphetamine operations for several years, and that Sutton joined his meth operation in early 2021.

Andres and Sutton face a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, and a maximum of life in prison on the drug and gun charges when sentenced on December 15. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. The federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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 Mike Goldsmith, Interim Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young announced his verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin M. Comstock and Matthew J. Heck 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. 2:21-cr-74.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Saudi-born Canadian citizen was sentenced today to life imprisonment for conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, resulting in death.

According to court documents, Mohammed Khalifa, aka Abu Ridwan Al-Kanadi and Abu Muthanna Al-Muhajir, 39, served in prominent roles within ISIS starting in 2013 and continuing until his capture by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in January 2019, following a firefight between ISIS fighters and the SDF. In addition to serving as a fighter and personally executing two Syrian soldiers on behalf of ISIS, Khalifa served as a lead translator in ISIS’s propaganda production and the English-speaking narrator on multiple violent ISIS videos.

In the spring of 2013, Khalifa traveled to Syria with the intent of becoming a foreign fighter and ultimately joining ISIS. In or around November 2013, he joined ISIS and swore allegiance to then-ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. In early 2014, he was recruited to join ISIS’s media department due, in part, to his language abilities as a fluent English and Arabic speaker. Starting in 2016, Khalifa directed various supporter networks that assisted in the translation, production, and dissemination of propaganda released under various ISIS media brands in order to reach Western audiences. He worked within the ISIS media operation until late 2018.

Khalifa provided the narration and translation for approximately 15 videos created and distributed by ISIS. The productions narrated by Khalifa include two of the most influential and exceptionally violent ISIS propaganda videos: “Flames of War: Fighting Has Just Begun,” distributed on September 19, 2014, and “Flames of War II: Until the Final Hour,” distributed on November 29, 2017. The videos depict glamorized portrayals of ISIS and its fighters as well as scenes of violence, including depictions of unarmed prisoners being executed, footage of ISIS attacks and fighting, and depictions of ISIS attacks in the United States.

The ISIS “Flames of War” videos include scenes of Khalifa executing a different Syrian soldier in each of the two videos. In the final scenes of both videos, a masked Khalifa speaks to the camera and is then seen executing a kneeling Syrian soldier while other masked ISIS members also shoot the prisoners kneeling in front of each of them.

During the time Khalifa was a prominent member of ISIS, the terrorist organization was conducting a brutal hostage-taking and ransom demand campaign involving journalists and humanitarian aid workers who came to Syria from across the globe. Between August 19, 2014, and February 6, 2015, ISIS killed eight American, British, and Japanese citizens in Syria as part of the hostage scheme.

In January 2019, Khalifa engaged in fighting on behalf of ISIS and attacked an SDF position in Abu Badran, Syria. Khalifa, alone and armed with three grenades and an AK-47, threw a grenade on the roof of a house where SDF soldiers were standing. The grenade detonated and Khalifa ran into the house and attempted to go to the roof, but an SDF soldier was firing from the stairs. Khalifa began firing at the SDF soldier and attempted to use all three of his grenades during the attack. Khalifa fired most of his ammunition during the assault before his AK-47 jammed. Khalifa surrendered to the SDF on or about January 13, 2019. He was transferred to the custody of the FBI last year and brought to the Eastern District of Virginia, where he had his initial appearance on October 4, 2021. Khalifa pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization, resulting in death, on December 10, 2021.

U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis III.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis M. Fitzpatrick, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Gibbs and Aidan Taft Grano-Mickelson, all from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Trial Attorney Alicia H. Cook of the Justice Department prosecuted this case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-271.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Sterling man was sentenced today to 162 months in prison for distributing fentanyl.

According to court documents, Salahudin Mitchell, 39, distributed fentanyl in the Petersburg area and elsewhere. In late 2020, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Virginia State Police, and Petersburg Bureau of Police became aware of Mitchell’s drug trafficking activities. Between April 2021 and October 2021, a series of nine controlled purchases of fentanyl were made from Mitchell. In November 2021, Mitchell was arrested and a search warrant was executed for his residence. At that time, a distribution quantity of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine were recovered from inside his residence, along with cash and a scale used to weigh narcotics.

Mitchell pleaded guilty in March to one count of distributing more than 40 grams of fentanyl. In all, Mitchell was held responsible for distributing approximately 270 grams of fentanyl and 2 kilograms of heroin during the one-year time period that preceded his arrest. In October 2021, Mitchell, who was previously convicted in federal court for conspiring to distribute cocaine and sentenced to 8 years’ imprisonment in the federal Bureau of Prisons, possessed and sold a Walther PPQ .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, despite being prohibited from possessing any firearms at all.    

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA’s Washington Division; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, and Travis Christian, Chief, Petersburg Bureau of Police made the announcement after sentencing by Senior United States District Judge Henry E. Hudson.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller 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. 3:22-cr-7.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced yesterday to 30 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

According to court documents, on Oct. 6, 2017, Demetrius Antwon McGregor, 37, was arrested on a warrant in front of his apartment by members of the Norfolk Police Department Fugitive Unit and a Deputy U.S. Marshal. They recovered a loaded Sig Sauer handgun from his waistband. McGregor is a 9-time convicted violent felon, with prior convictions for both malicious and unlawful wounding, use of a firearm in commission of a felony, attempted robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery as well as four convictions for maliciously shooting into an occupied vehicle.

As part of an investigation into his involvement in a suspected murder, investigators obtained a search warrant for McGregor’s apartment, where he was staying with his mother, and found in the bedroom closet 18 bags of cocaine; two assault rifles, one of which was loaded and had been reported stolen; four additional large-capacity magazines; dozens of rounds of .45 and 9mm caliber ammunition; and two digital scales. The investigators also recovered from under the bedroom mattress a Sig Sauer .45 caliber magazine designed for the gun taken from his waistband, two additional digital scales sitting out in the open on top of a cabinet, and shoes that McGregor had previously photographed himself wearing and had posted on his Facebook page along with multiple photos of himself standing in front of his residence months before the arrest and search. The .45 caliber ammunition from the closet and in the magazine under the mattress matched the brand of the ammunition in the handgun recovered from McGregor.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and Mike Goldsmith, Interim Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. Chief District Judge Davis.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys William B. Jackson and Joseph E. DePadilla prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-34.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Pleasant Hill, California, woman pleaded guilty today to participating in a conspiracy to defraud multiple state workforce agencies of COVID-19 pandemic-related benefits intended for unemployed workers. 

According to court documents, from April 2020 through at least March 2021, Heather Huffman, 52, worked with co-conspirators to defraud the Virginia Employment Commission, the Washington State Employment Security Department, and the California Employment Development Department of unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits by submitting materially false and misleading applications in the names of identity theft victims, witting co-conspirators, and inmates of various correctional facilities. Huffman and her co-conspirators included materially false information on the applications, including false employment and wage history and false contact information, such as physical and mailing addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers, that did not, in fact, belong to the purported applicants. 

The conspirators took several actions in furtherance of the conspiracy. For instance, they obtained and shared among themselves the personal identifying information of identity theft victims and inmates, created and maintained email accounts purportedly belonging to the ostensible applicants, and falsified and forged various documents – including state and federal wage and tax forms – to substantiate the false information in the UI applications they submitted. Once their fraudulent UI applications were approved, the conspirators would, on a weekly basis, file false certifications of unemployment status, resulting in the dispersal of additional UI benefits by state workforce agencies.

During the course of the conspiracy, Huffman was employed as a registered nurse at the Veteran Affairs Hunter Holmes McGuire Medical Center in Richmond. Huffman used VA assets to further the conspirators’ scheme and artifice to defraud by utilizing her work computer to submit false and misleading UI applications to state workforce agencies, among other things. In total, Huffman and her co-conspirators obtained over $2,000,000 in UI benefits intended for unemployed workers. Huffman is the fourth and final member of the conspiracy to plead guilty.

Huffman is scheduled to be sentenced on November 29. She faces a maximum sentence of 32 years and a mandatory minimum sentence of 2 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 taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Co-conspirators Sheldon L. Huffman, Anthowan Daniels, and Dorothea Rosado have pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme and will be sentenced in November 2022. 

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Troy Springer, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington, DC Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Michael J. Missal, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin Cooke, Kashan Pathan and Michael Moore 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. 3:22-cr-8.

NORFOLK, Va. – A former member of the National Guard was sentenced today to 4 years and 9 months in prison for unlawfully possessing several firearms while also using illegal controlled substances.

According to court documents, on June 3, 2020, Francis Harker, 22, of Norfolk, and an associate discussed “interrupting an unjust stop” by trapping law enforcement at a shopping mall in Virginia Beach. Harker obtained a semi-automatic rifle the same day as that discussion, and falsely stated on the required purchase paperwork that he was not an unlawful user of any controlled substances, when in fact, he used illegal drugs, including LSD. The following year, he purchased a handgun and made the same false statement.

In a court authorized search on November 2021, the FBI found firearms and illegal drugs at his residence, as well as approximately 100 blank COVID-19 vaccination cards. Harker, who was a member of the National Guard, took the cards from the National Guard and mailed them to associates across the country. Harker’s electronic devices and social media accounts contained statements espousing violence towards law enforcement, extremism, and white supremacy. Images he possessed include an image emblazoned with the words “Rape the Cops,” an image of himself doing a Hitler salute, and imagery stating, “there is no god but Hitler.” Harker also admitted to interacting online with members of a group called “The Base”, which the defendant described as a “group interested in terrorism.” Also found during the search was a backpack in the trunk of Harker’s car that contained components for several Molotov cocktails.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joe Depadilla and Rebecca Gantt prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-132.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Gloucester County man yesterday on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, and discharging a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, witness tampering, and obstruction of justice.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in August 2020, Nathan DeAlbert. Mattocks, 37, a previously convicted felon, was arrested after the Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office received an emergency call from an individual reporting that he was being shot at by a person following in another vehicle while driving on a main road in Gloucester County. Following an investigation, law enforcement identified a vehicle matching the description in which Mattocks was an occupant. Officers arrested Mattocks and discovered “Roxacet 30” pills containing fentanyl and a semi-automatic pistol in the vicinity of the crime scene connected to Mattocks.

Further investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF); Gloucester County Sherriff’s Office; and other local law enforcement partners revealed Mattocks’ history of dealing heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana within the Middle Peninsula region.

Mattocks was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute schedule I and II controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute schedule I and II controlled substances, discharge of a firearm in relation to or in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession and carrying of a firearm during or in relation to a drug trafficking crime, tampering with a witness, retaliating against a witness, and obstruction of justice, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on November 29. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Washington Field Division; and Darrell W. Warren, Jr., Gloucester County Sheriff, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith accepted the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Samuels and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Kaplan 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. 4:21-cr-6.

RICHMOND, Va. – Three individuals pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to use the personal identifying information (PII) of Virginia prison inmates in order to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment benefits.

According to court documents, Veldreka L. Crockett, 31, of Hopewell, pleaded guilty today, the last of the three defendants in the conspiracy to enter a guilty plea. Crockett was an employee of a company contracted by the Commonwealth of Virginia to provide services related to the Commonwealth's management of its Medicaid program. In this capacity, Crockett worked to determine the Medicaid eligibility of incarcerated individuals in the Commonwealth.  

At the same time, in 2020 and 2021, Crockett conspired with at least two other inmates at Virginia correctional institutions – Clarence Stith III, 38, of Lawrenceville Correctional Center in Lawrenceville, and Andre C. Mason, Jr., 35, of Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt – to collect the PII of other Virginia inmates. After receiving the inmate information from her co-defendants, Crockett used it to file pandemic unemployment claims on behalf of at least 30 inmates with the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC). The defendants caused the VEC to disburse approximately $318,727 in fraudulent pandemic-related unemployment benefits. The VEC was able to reclaim $25,920 of the disbursed funds after discovering the fraud. 

In order for the claims to be successful, Crockett and her co-conspirators included numerous false statements about the inmates’ addresses, last employers, and employment statuses, including that they were unable to work because of the pandemic. In truth, the inmates could not work and did not qualify for unemployment benefits because they were incarcerated. Crockett and her co-conspirators also filed weekly re-certifications for unemployment claims to ensure that the VEC would continue to pay benefits. Such UI claims caused the VEC to create and send pre-paid debit cards in the name of the Virginia inmates to addresses designated by Crockett and her co-conspirators.

Crockett coordinated with Stith and Mason to ensure that Crockett would receive the pre-paid debit cards in the name of Virginia inmates so that Crockett could take a portion of the funds. As part of the scheme, Crockett also transferred funds from these pre-paid debit cards to Stith via Stith's prison commissary account and to individuals designated by Mason.  

Crockett pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. She faces a maximum sentence of 32 years in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of two years when sentenced on October 20. Stith pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. He faces a maximum sentence of 32 years in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of two years when sentenced on October 20. Mason pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail fraud. He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison when sentenced on October 13. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark R. Colombell accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth 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 Nos. 3:22-cr-32.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A California man pleaded guilty today to conspiring with others in separate fraud schemes to defraud the IRS and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a federal loans initiative designed to help businesses pay their employees and meet expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Seir Robinson Havana, 46, was the Vice President/Director and Chief Executive Officer of Mana Tax Services, a tax preparation business in the Los Angeles area. Havana engaged in a conspiracy to commit two sets of fraud schemes using Mana Tax.

First, from May of 2019 through November 2021, Havana conspired with Quin Ngoc Rudin, 45, of California, and others to prepare and file with the IRS a series of false and fraudulent income tax returns on behalf of at least nine professional athletes. The false tax returns reported fabricated business and personal losses to generate refunds the athletes were not entitled to receive. Havana and his co-conspirators represented to the professional athletes that Quin Rudin had specialized knowledge their prior tax professionals lacked and that Mana Tax could obtain large refunds for the athletes. The co-conspirators also told the professional athletes that Mana Tax could amend prior year tax returns to correct purported errors made by the athletes’ previous accountants to get additional refunds they were not entitled to receive. Mana Tax then charged the athletes a fee of 30% of the resulting refund. To conceal the payments, Havana directed the athletes to send the fee to shell entities he controlled. In all, Havana collected more than $3.1 million in fees from the professional athletes.

From April of 2020 through December of 2021, Havana and his co-conspirators also used Mana Tax to apply for PPP on behalf of a number of small businesses, shell entities controlled by the co-conspirators themselves with few or no employees, and business entities controlled by others. To obtain the PPP loans to which the applicants were not entitled, the co-conspirators grossly inflated the number of employees and monthly payroll costs claimed on the PPP loan applications and submitted fabricated tax returns in support of the applications. Some of the business owners never saw their loan applications before Mana Tax filed them, and some of the businesses were not eligible for PPP loans because they had no payroll expenses or had not been in operation during the relevant time period.

In exchange for processing the applications, Mana Tax charged a fee of 30% of the value of the loan obtained. To conceal this fee, Havana and his co-conspirators directed the businesses to pay the fee through cashier’s checks and to falsely note on the memo lines of the checks that the funds were related to payroll. The cashier’s checks were deposited into accounts controlled by Havana, who then transferred the funds to other bank accounts to further hide the source of the funds.

During the investigation, the government seized more than $11.8 million from bank accounts containing PPP loan fraud proceeds controlled by Havana and others. In addition, Havana surrendered cashier’s checks worth approximately $5.6 million, representing a portion of the fees charged to professional athletes for the preparation of their false tax returns, and a portion of the fees charged for obtaining fraudulent PPP loans. The two schemes resulted in total losses to the government of more than $25 million.

Havana pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to commit wire fraud, as well as to one count of money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 9. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison for the conspiracy charge and 20 years in prison for money laundering. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

On May 13, Rudin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and wire fraud. His sentencing is scheduled for September 14.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Darrell J. Waldon, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly M. Shartar and Kimberly R. Pedersen, and Assistant Chief of the Justice Department’s Tax Division David Zisserson prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California provided assistance with this investigation.

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-116.

A California man pleaded guilty today to conspiring with others in fraud schemes to defraud the IRS and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a federal loans initiative designed to help businesses pay their employees and meet expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Seir Robinson Havana, 46, was the Vice President/Director and Chief Executive Officer of Mana Tax Services, a tax preparation business in the Los Angeles area. Havana engaged in a conspiracy to commit two sets of fraud schemes using Mana Tax.

First, from May 2019 through November 2021, Havana conspired with Quin Ngoc Rudin and others to prepare and file with the IRS a series of false and fraudulent income tax returns on behalf of at least nine professional athletes. The false tax returns reported fabricated business and personal losses to generate refunds the athletes were not entitled to receive. Havana and his co-conspirators represented to the professional athletes that Quin Rudin had specialized knowledge their prior tax professionals lacked and that Mana Tax could obtain large refunds for the athletes. The co-conspirators also told the professional athletes that Mana Tax could amend prior year tax returns to correct purported errors made by the athletes’ previous accountants to get additional refunds they were not entitled to receive. Mana Tax then charged the athletes a fee of 30% of the resulting refund. To conceal the payments, Havana directed the athletes to send the fee to shell entities he controlled. In all, Havana collected more than $3.1 million in fees from the professional athletes.

From April 2020 through December 2021, Havana and his co-conspirators also used Mana Tax to apply for PPP loans on behalf of a number of small businesses, shell entities with few or no employees controlled by the co-conspirators, and business entities controlled by others. The co-conspirators grossly inflated the number of employees and monthly payroll costs claimed on the PPP loan applications and submitted fabricated tax returns in support of the applications. Some of the business owners never saw their loan applications before Mana Tax filed them, and some of the businesses were not eligible for PPP loans because they had no payroll expenses or had not been in operation during the relevant time period.

In exchange for processing the applications, Mana Tax charged a fee of 30% of the value of the loan received. To conceal this fee, Havana and his co-conspirators directed the businesses to pay the fee through cashier’s checks and to falsely note on the memo lines of the checks that the funds were related to payroll. The cashier’s checks were deposited into accounts controlled by Havana, who then transferred the funds to other bank accounts to further hide the source of the funds.

During the investigation, the government seized more than $11.8 million from bank accounts containing PPP loan fraud proceeds controlled by Havana and others. In addition, Havana surrendered cashier’s checks worth approximately $5.6 million, representing a portion of the fees charged to professional athletes for the preparation of their false tax returns, and a portion of the fees charged for obtaining fraudulent PPP loans. The two schemes resulted in total losses of more than $25 million.

Havana is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 9. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy charges and 20 years in prison for money laundering. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

On May 13, Rudin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 14.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation made the announcement.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California provided assistance with the investigation.

Assistant Chief David Zisserson of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly M. Shartar and Kimberly R. Pedersen are prosecuting the case.

NORFOLK, Va. – Two Chesapeake men pleaded guilty yesterday to possessing firearms as convicted felons.

According to court documents, from October 2021 through January 2022, Brian Ellis, 28, and Raymond Wyche, 30, were buying and selling firearms as convicted felons. Wyche was serving a federal term of supervised release from a previous federal conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

A search of Wyche’s phone revealed numerous text messages between Wyche, Ellis, and others about buying and selling various firearm. The text messages often included pictures and even videos of the firearms. In one text message, Ellis informed Wyche that he bought a Glock pistol. Shortly thereafter a search warrant was executed at Ellis’ residence and a Glock pistol was recovered amongst his other personal effects. In another text message Wyche was attempting to sell a Glock pistol to another individual, the text message included a picture of the gun with the serial number being visible. The Norfolk Police Department recovered this same gun after conducting a high-speed of chase of several juveniles. The gun was found in their automobile.

Wyche is scheduled to be sentenced on December 2. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Ellis is scheduled to be sentenced on December 16. He also faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence Leonard accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Muhr 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. 2:22-cr-55.