Eastern District of Virginia

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for conspiracy, possession, and distribution of fentanyl and Eutylone, and being a felon in possession of a firearm during drug trafficking.

According to court documents, from in or around June 2020, through at least December 2020, Kibruysday Degefa, 29, conspired with others to distribute counterfeit, pressed pills containing fentanyl, as well as Eutylone, which is a designer drug similar in character to MDMA. Pills distributed by the conspiracy twice on December 20, 2020, contributed to the mixed drug overdose death of a 20-year-old female in Arlington, whose blood was later determined to contain fentanyl. A search warrant on the hotel room where Degefa was staying at the time revealed additional narcotics for distribution, including Eutylone, along with multiple firearms concealed in the bathroom ceiling tiles. Degefa was previously convicted of robbery in Alexandria in 2015.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Andy Penn, Arlington County Chief of Police; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police; and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel M. Roberts and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jim Trump, Ryan Bredemeier, and Michael P. Ben’Ary prosecuted the case.

The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). 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. 1:21-cr-104.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Charlotte, North Carolina, man was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for sex trafficking an Ohio child in numerous states, including Virginia.

According to court documents, in November 2020, Anthony Jermaine Foman, 26, persuaded a 14-year old minor from Ohio on social media to join him and travel to various states to engage in prostitution with promises that he would take care of her. Instead, he used drugs and violence to force her to continue prostituting herself in North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina, Delaware, Georgia, and Virginia. Foman also filmed his sexual encounters with the minor victim and transported this child pornography from South Carolina to Virginia. In December 2020, the child was found in Hampton with Foman and he was arrested shortly thereafter.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Mark Talbot, Chief of Hampton Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa McKeel 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-28.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 124 months in prison for possessing at least nine illegal firearms, committing credit union fraud in an attempt to gain more than $120,000, and causing financial harm to approximately 34 identity theft victims. 

According to court documents, Damarco Antonio Smith, 24, is a documented gang member. From in or around 2018 through March 2020, he conspired with at least three fellow gang members to commit bank fraud in Norfolk and on the Peninsula by negotiating stolen and counterfeit checks. He and his co-conspirators recruited people with bank accounts, stole and deposited checks into those accounts, and quickly withdrew or transferred the funds before the accounts were frozen. Smith also stole credit cards and other personal information, which he used to clone fraudulent debit and credit cards. While executing search warrants at two residences, investigators recovered dozens of stolen, fraudulent, and blank credit, debit, and gift cards, along with access device-making equipment like credit card readers, encoders, printers, and laptops.

During roughly the same period as Smith’s fraud offenses, he was caught with at least nine illegal handguns, including weapons with large-capacity magazines.  Of these handguns, he purchased at least four from federally licensed gun stores by lying about not being an unlawful user of controlled substances.  Smith similarly lied on his application for a concealed weapons permit.

On March 29, 2020, Smith participated in a gunfight where one of his associates was shot in the back and paralyzed.  He and his fellow gang members drove the injured party to the hospital, dropped him at the emergency room, and tried to speed off.  They were stopped by police who recovered two firearms from the vehicle, including one belonging to Smith.

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; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Greg L. Torbenson, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division; Larry D. Boone, Chief of Norfolk Police; Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police; and Stephen R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Jackson and D. Mack Coleman prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-83.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Kennewick, Washington, man was sentenced today to 145 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and distribution of cocaine.

According to court documents, Juan Gabriel Rodriguez-Preciado, 44, facilitated the trafficking of kilogram quantities of cocaine between a Mexican cartel and a regional drug trafficking organization (DTO) run by Adian Barth, 37, of Chesterfield. During July and August 2019, Rodriguez-Preciado stayed at a Richmond residence owned by Barth to assist him in a cocaine drug trafficking conspiracy. From that residence, Rodriguez-Preciado distributed approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine every other week to members of Barth’s DTO over a two-month period. In return, Rodriguez-Preciado collected approximately $30,000 per kilogram, which he funneled back to Mexico.

On May 11, 2021, Barth was sentenced to 225 months in prison for charges of conspiracy to distribute, possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of cocaine.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division; and Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Montoya and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Bird 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. No. 2:19-cr-164.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Los Angeles man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for leading a conspiracy involving the distribution of wholesale quantities of synthetic cannabinoids—commonly known as “spice” or “K2”—and laundering millions of dollars in the proceeds of the sale of that spice.

According to court documents, from 2017 through November 2019, Joseph Ruis, 56, was the leader of a Southern California-based wholesale spice manufacturing and distribution operation, along with co-defendants and sisters Kimberly Drumm, 52, and Bonnie Turner, 50, of Olive Branch, Mississippi. The illicit business presented as Aroma Superstore, and maintained a professional-looking website through which buyers around the country, including in the Eastern District of Virginia, could order packages of different varieties and flavors of spice.

The spice that Aroma Superstore sold almost uniformly contained chemicals listed as Schedule I controlled substances. The spice was sold in packages bearing the label “Not For Human Consumption” in an attempt to avoid regulatory or law enforcement scrutiny. The products were, in reality, intended to be consumed and induce a “high” similar to other controlled substances. The spice connected to this conspiracy was used by an individual from New Hampshire to fatally overdose.

Ruis controlled the operation and employed several individuals, including Drumm and Turner, who helped run the business. Ruis ran Aroma Superstore like a legitimate business in many ways, such as maintaining an office, hiring a financial manager, and issuing regular paychecks to employees. Ruis dictated the prices of the different sizes of the packages of spice and employed at least two individuals to answer phone calls and take orders for spice. 

Ruis, Drumm, and Turner concealed the proceeds of their spice distribution by moving the profits through a network of shell corporations. Ruis directed Turner, who had no criminal record, to open bank accounts and register businesses in her name to avoid detection by law enforcement or by financial institutions. 

In May 2019, law enforcement searched locations in Southern California used by Ruis, Drumm, and Turner for their business. In one warehouse location, agents seized approximately 30 kilograms of spice as well as a large volume of packaging material and equipment used in the distribution of the spice. At another warehouse location, law enforcement seized approximately 4,500 pounds of marijuana, approximately 300 kilograms of butane honey oil, lab equipment for the extraction of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and approximately $45,000. Law enforcement also searched the storage locker that Drumm had rented on behalf of Aroma Superstore and recovered approximately one kilogram of 5F-MDMB-PICA, a Schedule I chemical used to manufacture the spice. At the residence shared by Ruis, Drumm, Turner, and some of their employees, law enforcement seized three Rolex watches and one Philippe Patek watch that had belonged to Ruis; the total value of the four watches was appraised at approximately $137,200. Luxury vehicles, including a Ferrari belonging to Ruis, were also seized.

As part of his plea agreement, Ruis agreed to forfeit more than $2.9 million to the United States. Drumm and Turner each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of distribution of Schedule I controlled substances. Drumm and Turner were sentenced to 6 years and 5 years of imprisonment respectively for their role in the conspiracy.

Three additional defendants pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and were sentenced to over 6 years in prison combined.

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; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. Field Office; Greg L. Torbenson, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division; and Jeremy A. Falls, Fauquier County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Rumbaugh and Bibeane Metsch prosecuted the case.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-76.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Franklin, Tennessee man was sentenced today to three years in prison and a $35,000 fine for conspiring to commit honest services mail fraud by paying bribes to secure medical services contracts for the Norfolk City Jail.

According to court documents, Gerard Boyle, 67, admitted to engaging in a 12-year bribery scheme with former Norfolk Sheriff Robert McCabe. Boyle was the founder and chief executive officer of Correct Care Solutions (CCS), a company that provided medical services to people in jail. Over the course of the conspiracy, Boyle provided McCabe things of value, including gifts, cash, entertainment, travel, and campaign contributions. In exchange, McCabe performed official acts in favor of CCS, which was able to obtain medical services contracts worth more than $3 million per year with the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office. Such official acts included, but were not limited to, signing contracts, granting extensions without putting the contracts out to bid, the release of a letter of credit, and awarding other adjustments that increased the value of the contracts. On August 24, 2021, a federal jury convicted McCabe of all eleven charged counts related in part to this scheme.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Darrell J. Waldon, Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Investigations Unit of the Internal Revenue Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa E. O’Boyle, Randy C. Stoker, and Anthony Mozzi 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-171.

NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted an Arizona man and a California man yesterday on charges of 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 records and evidence presented at trial, 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 investment vehicles that were then used as vehicles for fraud. Based on these 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 that 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.

Alcorn was convicted of conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering. He faces a maximum penalty of over 200 years in prison when sentenced on June 23. Smith was convicted of conspiracy and wire fraud, and he faces a maximum penalty of over 90 years in prison when sentenced on June 23. 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.

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 2022 to 5 years in prison. Coffin and Barnett each pleaded guilty to conspiracy and will be sentenced in March and May 2022, respectively. 

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 Greg L. Torbenson, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the verdict.

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 former Virginia Beach business owner was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for his role in operating a durable medical equipment supply company that defrauded federal health care programs of millions of dollars.

According to court documents, in 2018 and 2019, Frank Alosa, 49, of Kentucky, and a co-conspirator operated Merchant Card Solutions, LLC d/b/a Med Brace Shop, a durable medical equipment supply company based in Virginia Beach, for the purpose of submitting false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement to Medicare, Tricare, and Virginia Medicaid. As part of the conspiracy, Alosa and the co-conspirator purchased illegal orders for unwanted and medically unnecessary durable medical equipment, such as orthotic braces, and then used those orders to fraudulently bill Medicare and the other health care programs for over $8 million in total. The orders for the medical equipment were fabricated through a third party reaching out to beneficiaries and illegally soliciting unnecessary equipment to them. The orders were then endorsed by health care practitioners who, in exchange, received illegal bribes. As a result, the equipment was issued to beneficiaries without regard for actual medical necessity and the orders were billed to their insurance programs, profiting Alosa and his co-conspirator’s company.

In connection with the scheme, Alosa concealed the co-conspirator’s role in Med Brace Shop from Medicare and others due to the co-conspirator’s criminal background, which prohibited him from serving as an owner or managing employees of the company. The methods of concealment included, among other things, creating a shell company for the purpose of making illegal payments to other entities and individuals involved in the scheme. As a result of the conspiracy, Alosa and his co-conspirator defrauded Medicare of at least $3,843,922.89, defrauded Tricare of at least $43,370.42, and defrauded Virginia Medicaid of at least $5,121.42. Alosa and his co-conspirator diverted the proceeds of the fraud for their personal use and benefit.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Chris Dillard, Special Agent in Charge for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Shean 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-52.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Manassas man was sentenced today to 142 months in prison for selling counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl in addition to illegally possessing and selling firearms.

According to court documents, Richard Michael Perez, 26, was identified by law enforcement around September of 2020 as a source of supply for various narcotics. During transactions spanning September 2020 through June of 2021, Perez sold nearly 1,000 pills containing fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement agent. During the course of the sales, Perez mentioned that he owned firearms, and, in April of 2021, sold a semi-automatic rifle to the undercover law enforcement agent.

In June of 2021, Perez was taken into custody and a search of his residence revealed additional narcotics, a privately manufactured firearm devoid of a serial number or other unique identifier, various ammunition, and over $9,000 in cash. Perez had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses in Virginia and was thus prohibited from possessing firearms at the time of this offense.  

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 Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division; Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police; Peter Newsham, Prince William County Chief of Police; and Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Roberts 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-176.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a District of Columbia man and woman Friday on charges of robbery, carjacking, and possession of a firearm during crimes of violence.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Douglas Damon Whitley, 39, and Kendal Robinson, 35, followed a Peloton delivery van in another vehicle into a 7-11 parking lot in Fairfax on August 25, 2021. Whitley got out of the vehicle driven by Robinson and entered the delivery van from the passenger side where he pulled a Tec 9 from his bag and ordered the driver out of the van. The van was found in Maryland stripped of the Peloton bikes several days later. Surveillance footage from the surrounding commercial establishments captured the crime.  

Whitley faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 7 years in prison when sentenced on May 24. Robinson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on May 24. 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 Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the verdict.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-227.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A California woman and Russian-born man were sentenced last week to a term of prison of 15 and 6 months, respectively, for their involvement in a conspiracy and obtaining citizenship by fraud.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Laura Gallagher, 32, a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State, and Andrey Kalugin, 36, originally of Russia, conspired to fraudulently obtain lawful permanent resident status and citizenship for Kalugin through his marriage to Gallagher.

Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that the defendants met in law school in 2013. Kalugin was in the U.S. on a student visa that was due to expire in July 2015. The defendants married in June 2015 and submitted applications for Kalugin to obtain his “green card.” The defendants moved from California to Virginia in March 2016 but split up soon thereafter and lived separately from each other. However, they continued with the immigration process.

Gallagher, who was also a California-licensed attorney at the time of the conduct, then prepared for Kalugin an application for 319(b) expeditious naturalization, which is a benefit available to spouses of citizens who are regularly stationed abroad for their employment. The defendants provided materially false responses in the application. Kalugin appeared for an interview on Feb. 5, 2018, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in Fairfax, where he repeated the false statements to the adjudicating officer. After USCIS approved the application and he received his citizenship, Kalugin fraudulently obtained U.S. Diplomatic and tourist passports. Shortly thereafter, Gallagher filed for divorce. The defendants were convicted at trial on September 10, 2021.

Additionally, the district court judge entered an order revoking Kalugin’s naturalization.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jessica Moore, Chief of the Criminal Investigations Division of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raizza K. Ty and Morris R. Parker, Jr. prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-43.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for possession of child pornography.

James B. Clawson Sr., 59, was convicted by a federal jury in the Eastern District of Virginia of possession of child pornography on Aug. 26, 2021. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Clawson was previously convicted of distribution of child pornography in the Eastern District of Virginia after law enforcement discovered that he was serving as the administrator of an online forum dedicated to child sexual abuse material and distributing such material to members of his forum.

While on a term of federal supervised release in connection with this conviction, a U.S. Probation Officer visited Clawson’s home and found a laptop and thumb drives in a hidden compartment in Clawson’s closet. Though Clawson had denied owning a laptop, law enforcement’s investigation established that Clawson had been using the laptop to search for and download images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, which he then stored on one of his thumb drives. Once saved to his thumb drive, Clawson categorized and renamed these files based on the specific sexual conduct they depicted.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, made the announcement.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case, with significant assistance from the High Technology Investigative Unit of the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).

Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth M. Schlessinger and Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s CEOS prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-119.

A Virginia man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for possession of child pornography.

James B. Clawson Sr., 59, of Alexandria, was convicted by a federal jury in the Eastern District of Virginia of possession of child pornography on Aug. 26, 2021. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Clawson was previously convicted of distribution of child pornography in the Eastern District of Virginia after law enforcement discovered that he was serving as the administrator of an online forum dedicated to child sexual abuse material and distributing such material to members of his forum.

While on a term of federal supervised release in connection with this conviction, a U.S. probation officer visited Clawson’s home and found a laptop and thumb drives in a hidden compartment in Clawson’s closet. Though Clawson had denied owning a laptop, law enforcement’s investigation established that Clawson had been using the laptop to search for and download images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, which he then stored on one of his thumb drives. Once saved to his thumb drive, Clawson categorized and renamed these files based on the specific sexual conduct they depicted.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia made the announcement.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case, with significant assistance from the High Technology Investigative Unit of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).

Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s CEOS and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth M. Schlessinger of the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Upper Marlboro, Maryland, man was sentenced today to 17 years in prison for committing five armed robberies across Northern Virginia and Maryland.

According to court documents, between January 24, 2021, and March 13, 2021, Jon Karl Mcree Fleet, 62, robbed a Macy’s Store in Springfield; a McDonald’s restaurant in Alexandria; a Subway restaurant in Largo, Maryland; a Papa John’s restaurant in Falls Church; and a Domino’s restaurant in McLean. During each robbery, Fleet brandished a firearm in the presence of employees and demanded money from them. Fleet used a short-barreled shotgun while committing the Domino’s robbery. At the time of the robberies, Fleet was a convicted felon, having previously been convicted for armed robberies, and was thus prohibited from possessing a firearm. Fleet’s lengthy and violent criminal history qualifies him as a “Career Offender.”

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. Brown, Alexandria Chief of Police; Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police; and Malik Aziz, Chief of Prince George’s County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cristina Stam and Bibeane Metsch 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-192.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Norfolk woman last Friday on charges of misuse of a Social Security number, loan fraud, and identity theft. 

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Shaneca Moseley, 38, 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 was convicted of three counts of false representation of a Social Security number, one count of false statement on a loan application, and three counts of aggravated identity theft. She faces a maximum penalty of 30 years, along with a mandatory consecutive sentence of 2 years in prison when sentenced on July 15. 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.

Moseley plead guilty in 2009 to running another social security fraud scheme and was 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; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Greg Torbenson, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Larry D. Boone, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr., accepted the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Danbee C. Kim are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-cr-54.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for a wire fraud scheme in which he defrauded real estate investors out of approximately $378,000.

According to court documents, Kordrick Gibbons, 52, had a reputation with his co-workers and friends as being a savvy investor who was financially successful. From approximately 2015 through in or about 2018, Gibbons utilized this reputation to convince his co-workers to “invest” in his real estate holdings and, in exchange, Gibbons promised them lavish returns on their investments. Gibbons claimed to invest in properties, including businesses and condominiums, and that investors could realize 50% to 100% returns on their investments in as little as four to six months. Gibbons falsified documents to convince his investors that he had ownership interests in these properties. On multiple occasions, Gibbons emailed the victims documents that were inaccurate or false to deceive them into thinking he was wealthy and had multiple income-generating properties, when, in fact, he did not. The victims stated that Gibbons would make excuses as to why they had not yet received their money, all while promising that they would be paid. For instance, Gibbons often falsely suggested a bank had frozen his account in error or falsely asserted he was battling cancer.

In total, Gibbons defrauded at least 13 known victims and caused his investors to lose approximately $378,000. 

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 Arenda Wright Allen.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky 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-78.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Zen Solutions Inc., located in Arlington, Virginia, has agreed to pay approximately $31,000 in damages and civil penalties to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining more than one Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in 2020. Zen Solutions also agreed to repay the duplicative PPP loan in full to its lender, relieving the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) of liability to the lender for the federal guaranty of approximately $192,000 on the improper loan.   

“PPP funds were set aside by Congress to aid Americans in desperate need as a result of the global pandemic,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Abusing these funds prevents them from going to those truly in need and wastes public funding at the expense of the American taxpayers. As a result, pursuing PPP loan fraud is a high priority for our office.”

“PPP loans were intended to provide critical relief to small businesses so that they could pay employees and maintain operations,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to pursuing those who knowingly violated the requirements of the PPP or other COVID-19 assistance programs and obtained relief funds to which they were not entitled.”

“The continual commitment of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) is to shield SBA funds intended to support the nation’s robust small business community,” said Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of SBA OIG. “OIG remains committed to rooting out bad actors and protecting the integrity of SBA programs. I want to thank the U.S. Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”

Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide emergency financial support to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses. Throughout 2020, PPP loan applicants were required to certify that they would not receive more than one PPP loan prior to Dec. 31, 2020. This settlement resolves allegations that Zen Solutions applied for and received a second, duplicative PPP loan in 2020.

Zen Solutions is a Virginia-based company that provides staffing services in the fields of information technology, data analytics, cyber security and litigation support. The settlement with Zen Solutions resolved a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The civil lawsuit was filed by J. Bryan Quesenberry. As part of today’s resolution, he will receive a share of the recovery. 

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General.

This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin Starr and William Hochul of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Jared S. Wiesner of the Civil Division.

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

Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

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.

Zen Solutions Inc., a Virginia-based company, has agreed to pay approximately $31,000 in damages and civil penalties to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining more than one Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in 2020. Zen Solutions also agreed to repay the duplicative PPP loan in full to its lender, relieving the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) of liability to the lender for the federal guaranty of approximately $192,000 on the improper loan.   

“PPP loans were intended to provide critical relief to small businesses so that they could pay employees and maintain operations,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to pursuing those who knowingly violated the requirements of the PPP or other COVID-19 assistance programs and obtained relief funds to which they were not entitled.”

“PPP funds were set aside by Congress to aid Americans in desperate need as a result of the global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Abusing these funds prevents them from going to those truly in need and wastes public funding at the expense of the American taxpayers. As a result, pursuing PPP loan fraud is a high priority for our office.”

“The continual commitment of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) is to shield SBA funds intended to support the nation’s robust small business community,” said Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of SBA OIG. “OIG remains committed to rooting out bad actors and protecting the integrity of SBA programs. I want to thank the U.S. Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”

Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide emergency financial support to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses. Throughout 2020, PPP loan applicants were required to certify that they would not receive more than one PPP loan prior to Dec. 31, 2020. This settlement resolves allegations that Zen Solutions applied for and received a second, duplicative PPP loan in 2020.

Zen Solutions provides staffing services in the fields of information technology, data analytics, cyber security and litigation support. The settlement with Zen Solutions resolved a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The civil lawsuit was filed by J. Bryan Quesenberry. As part of this resolution, he will receive a share of the recovery.  

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General.

This matter was handled by Trial Attorney Jared S. Wiesner of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin Starr and William Hochul of the Eastern District of Virginia.

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

Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

RICHMOND, Va. – A New Zealand man was sentenced today to 21 years in prison for production of child pornography.

According to court documents, between February and March 2018, Troy George Skinner, 28, interacted with a minor child online and used the child to produce numerous videos and image files of child pornography.

According to the Statement of Facts filed with the plea agreement, on June 20, 2018, Skinner departed from Auckland, New Zealand, en route to Virginia. On June 22, 2018, Skinner traveled to the victim’s home in Goochland, the location of which he learned in his online conversations with the minor victim. Upon arriving at the victim’s home in Goochland, the defendant approached the house and attempted to speak to family members inside. Skinner threw a paving stone through the glass window of the kitchen door to the house and attempted to enter. After several verbal warnings, the victim’s mother fired a handgun to prevent Skinner from entering the home, striking him once in the neck. Skinner fled from the house but collapsed in a neighbor’s yard, where he was apprehended by members of the Goochland County Sheriff’s Office.

According to additional court filings submitted by the government, a search at the scene of Skinner’s belongings revealed duct tape, pepper spray, and a folding pocketknife. Officials also seized two mobile phones from Skinner, which investigators later determined contained images of child pornography depicting the minor victim. U.S. authorities also made a mutual legal assistance request to officials with the government of New Zealand. New Zealand investigators executed a search warrant on the defendant’s apartment in New Zealand and conducted a forensic examination of the defendant’s laptop, and later provided to U.S. investigators a thumb drive containing 120 video and 56 image files depicting the minor victim.

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

The Goochland County Sherriff’s Office and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian R. Hood and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Lee Martin 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. 3:19-cr-19.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 2 years in prison for trafficking firearms in a Virginia Beach apartment complex.

According to court documents, on February 11, 2021, Tyereis Smith, 19, along with Jhaimeek Carter, 19, also of Virginia Beach, illegally sold an Honor Guard 9-millimeter pistol, a Palmetto State Armory PA-15 rifle, and a Bay State 12-gauge sawed off shotgun in exchange for money. In the two weeks that followed, Smith was involved in the sale of two additional firearms, one of which was sold to a convicted felon. 

On March 28, 2021, Virginia Beach Police executed search warrants on Smith’s and Carter’s residences. In Smith’s apartment, they found marijuana, digital scales, and ammunition. In Carter’s apartment, they recovered crack cocaine, ammunition, and a firearm. 

Smith is a law enforcement-confirmed member of Bounty Hunter Watts, a set of the Bloods gang. Carter is also gang-affiliated and was sentenced to 30 months in prison on January 25.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Bird prosecuted the case.

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. 2:21-cr-92.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced today that it has issued a

Dear Colleagues Letter reminding state and local government agencies that they are required by law to designate Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) Coordinators and inviting ADA Coordinators to an informational meeting.

The Dear Colleagues Letter announces that on March 15 at 2 pm, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will be holding a virtual meeting for ADA Coordinators in Virginia in order to provide information on the steps that state and local governmental entities can take to comply with the ADA and provide an opportunity for questions and collaboration.

When Congress passed the ADA, it recognized that discrimination against individuals with disabilities persists in critical areas, including access to public services. Through the ADA, Congress explained that it was issuing a national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities by providing strong and enforceable standards. In support of these goals, the ADA regulations require state and local government agencies with 50 or more employees to designate personnel, who are knowledgeable in how the ADA applies to the agency’s programs, services and activities, to coordinate its efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibilities under the ADA, including investigating any ADA complaints. To ensure that the public and the agency’s employees may easily locate the designated employees, the ADA regulations also require public entities to publish contact information for the ADA Coordinators.

The Dear Colleagues Letter explains that the ADA Coordinator “may serve as the point of contact for individuals with disabilities to request auxiliary aids and services, policy modifications, and other accommodations in order to participate in the services, programs, or activities of the public entity.” The Dear Colleagues Letter also includes links to numerous Department of Justice publications that provide detailed discussions of the ADA’s requirements, including publications on ADA.gov: “ADA Update: A Primer for State and Local Governments,” “Accessibility of State and Local Government Websites to People with Disabilities,” “ADA Requirements: Effective Communication,” “ADA Checklist for Polling Places.”

The United States Attorney’s Office, through its Civil Rights Enforcement (“CRE”) Unit, and in partnership with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, works to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. This office vigorously enforces a variety of federal statutes that prohibit discrimination, including the ADA, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974. The CRE Unit also enforces the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, which protect military members as they enter and return from active duty.

For more information on the ADA, 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).

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

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A New York man was sentenced today to 2 and a half years in prison for threatening to blow up Langley Air Force Base in Hampton. 

According to court documents, D'Carlo Nimis Deluca, 51, called the New York Police Department (NYPD) at approximately 6:32 a.m. on February 22, 2021, and threatened to “blow up” Langley Air Force Base. About 11 minutes later at 6:43 a.m., Deluca directly called Langley Air Force Base and reported there was a bomb in a building on base. As a result of the threats, the Air Force cleared portions of the base and expended resources to ensure the area was safe. Deluca further disrupted Air Force operations by making another threat shortly before 1:00 p.m. on February 22, 2021, which again resulted in the Air Force clearing portions of the base. 

Deluca has a history of making threats of violence or imminent emergency activity. At the time he made the threats to Langley Air Force Base, he was under federal court supervision from the Southern District of New York for his prior federal conviction for making threats to blow up Trump Tower and the White House. Since 2019, Deluca has made dozens of threats, including threats to kill former President Trump, President Biden, and the former First Lady. When Deluca was arrested in March 2020, he was found in possession of a pressure cooker, which he previously sent pictures of himself ordering to a tip line for law enforcement in the District of Columbia with messages like “SUSPICIOUS narc packages,” “Ka boom loca en la cabezza,” and “Ka boom.”   

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 Arenda Wright Allen.

This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Peninsula Safe Streets Task Force, a partnership that includes the FBI, Virginia State Police, Hampton Police Division, James City County Police Department, and Newport News Police Department. This task force investigates the most violent criminal enterprises operating on the Virginia Peninsula. Tips regarding gang activity and other violent crimes in the region can be reported to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or https://tips.fbi.gov/.

Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Mack Coleman prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-cr-24.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Florida man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for orchestrating a bribery and kickback conspiracy and committing fraud in connection with a contract for the U.S. Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG).

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, beginning in 2010 and continuing through 2015, William S. Wilson, 56, of Florida, paid numerous kickbacks and bribes to a public official and two government contractors in return for those individuals corruptly steering business to Wilson’s Florida-based companies. Among other things, Wilson paid tens of thousands of dollars in bribes to Mathew Kekoa LumHo, 46, of Fairfax Station, then employed at the DoD OIG. In return, LumHo took official actions that benefitted Wilson’s companies. LumHo steered work to Wilson’s company by placing fraudulent service orders through a government contract that LumHo controlled.

The evidence presented at trial further proved that, over the same time period from 2010 through 2015, Wilson also paid numerous kickbacks to Ronald Capallia and Co-conspirator 1, then employees for a telecommunications company that was a prime contractor to the government. Wilson paid these kickbacks Capallia and Co-conspirator 1 to cause them to steer work and provide favorable treatment to Wilson’s companies as subcontractors to the telecommunications company.

One of the key subcontracts steered to Wilson’s company related to a prime contract between the telecommunications firm and the DoD OIG, in which the telecommunications firm was supposed to supply various information technology-related services to the government. Wilson’s company was awarded this subcontract despite its lack of any relevant experience or expertise, and despite having no employees based in or near northern Virginia, where all the work was to be performed.

Wilson frequently disguised the bribes and kickbacks to Capallia, LumHo, and Co-conspirator 1 through fake invoices for services that were never provided, or by masking the payments as payroll to relatives of Capallia and LumHo for jobs that did not in fact exist.

As the scheme progressed, the co-conspirators caused the government to submit numerous false and fraudulent service orders through the prime contract. The false service orders typically described the items being provided as specialized IT-related support services, when in fact the co-conspirators were simply buying standard, commercially available items, dramatically marking up the price, and billing the government as though it had been provided with the specialized information technology-related services. The co-conspirators also used fraudulent service orders to conceal bribes in the form of high-end camera equipment and stereo equipment sent from Wilson to LumHo, thereby causing the government to pay for the very bribes that Wilson was sending to LumHo.

The evidence adduced at trial further demonstrated that the co-conspirators repeatedly sought to interfere with the criminal investigation by creating false documentation, making false statements to law enforcement officials, lying on a financial disclosure form, committing perjury during sworn civil deposition testimony, and tampering or attempting to tamper with a witness. Wilson threatened to murder Capallia and his family members by slitting their throats if Capallia ever testified on behalf of the government.

Co-conspirator Ronald A. Capallia, Jr., pleaded guilty on January 25, 2018, to his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to one year and one day of imprisonment on September 14, 2021. Co-defendant Matthew Kekoa LumHo was convicted at trial and sentenced to 90 months in prison on January 14, 2022. Today, defendant William S. Wilson was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

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 Kelly P. Mayo, Deputy Inspector General for Investigations at the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Burke and Russell L. Carlberg 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. 1:17-cr-222.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man pleaded guilty today in connection with the sale of a firearm to a prohibited person.

According to court documents, from April to July 2020, Ibrahim Nader Abdelhay, 27, a self-proclaimed “gun enthusiast,” purchased approximately 20 firearms in the Eastern District of Virginia. Abdelhay sold at least one of these firearms to an individual who was a convicted felon. Abdelhay told investigators that he knew the individual to whom he sold the firearm, who is now deceased, was a convicted felon and could not buy firearms for himself. During the investigation, law enforcement agents recovered six firearms originally purchased by Abdelhay at the residence of the individual.

Abdelhay is scheduled to be sentenced on June 7. 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; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Turner 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. 2:21-cr-134.

RICHMOND, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging a Richmond woman with orchestrating a nearly decade-long scheme to defraud the United States Department of Education and the Commonwealth of Virginia of student financial aid funds. 

According to the indictment, from about 2006 through 2017, Kiesha Pope, 47, was the Director of Financial Aid at J. Sargent Reynolds Community College (JSRCC), a public community college servicing the greater Richmond area. Pope is alleged to have used her access to financial aid systems at JSRCC to boost the financial aid eligibility for co-conspirators, who were Pope’s friends and family members and who were not otherwise eligible for financial aid benefits at JSRCC. Pope allegedly had agreements with these same co-conspirators to receive a portion of the improperly obtained financial aid funds as compensation. Pope is alleged to have spent these financial aid funds on various of her personal expenses, including repairs for her personal vehicle, retail shopping, and expenses for her minor-aged daughter.

The indictment alleges that, from 2011 to 2017, Pope procured financial aid for her son, knowing that he was not attending JSRCC in this timeframe. In another instance, Pope also allegedly procured financial aid for her ex-fiancé from in or about 2010 through in or about 2015 while he was serving a term of incarceration and not attending JSRCC. To conceal her scheme, Pope allegedly falsified supporting justification for the financial aid. In one alleged instance, Pope forged medical documents and financial aid documents reflecting that her goddaughter, for whom Pope also procured financial aid, was failing to meet academic eligibility due to a breast cancer diagnosis, despite knowing that her goddaughter had no cancer diagnosis.

The indictment further alleges that in or about September through October 2017, JSRCC leadership confronted Pope about her relationship with various academically ineligible students receiving high amounts of financial aid. In those conversations, Pope is alleged to have claimed not to know these students when such students were, in fact, Pope’s son, goddaughter, and cousin. Pope allegedly claimed that all such students had supporting justification for receiving continued financial aid, but when pressed for the documentation, Pope resigned from JSRCC.

Pope is charged with conspiring to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Pope faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if convicted of any of the fraud offenses, and a mandatory two-year term of imprisonment, to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed, if convicted of aggravated identity theft. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after 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; Michael C. Westfall, State Inspector General for the Commonwealth of Virginia; and Terry Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the Eastern Region of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General, made the announcement.

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 No. 3:22-cr-9.

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

RICHMOND, Va. – A Durham, North Carolina, clinical psychologist was sentenced today to 52 months in prison for defrauding Virginia Medicaid of at least $544,067.69 by creating false diagnoses and medical records for Medicaid recipients, mostly minors, and falsely representing to Medicaid that he was providing them mental health services.

According to court documents, Dr. Malik Muhammad, Ph.D., 46, obtained identifying information of Medicaid recipients from a co-conspirator and used that information to bill Virginia Medicaid for outpatient psychotherapy that never actually occurred. Muhammad, a licensed clinical psychologist, hired a co-conspirator to write patient medical records as if Muhammad had performed actual therapy and created inapplicable diagnoses—including depression, anxiety, attention deficit disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder—to give the appearance of actual treatment. The mostly minor victims were unaware of the false diagnoses Muhammad was inventing and applying to them. Through this fraud scheme, Muhammad defrauded Virginia Medicaid of at least $544,067.69.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.

Investigators with the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit provided significant assistance. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea Gibbons and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David Tooker of the Virginia Attorney General’s Office prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-34.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia inmate was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for his involvement in a scheme to obtain pandemic-related unemployment benefits by using the personal identifying information of over 30 other Virginia prison inmates.

According to court documents, in 2020, Michael Anthony White, 39, originally of Norfolk, was incarcerated at the Lawrenceville Correctional Center. Beginning in May 2020, he worked with Mary Landon Benton, 38, of Portsmouth, to collect the personally identifiable information of other inmates to fraudulently apply for Virginia unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. White provided Benton information for inmates at the Lawrenceville Correctional Center, resulting in approximately ten successful unemployment claims for inmates there. Michael Lee Lewis, Jr., an inmate at the Augusta Correctional Center, provided Benton and another co-defendant, Angelica Cartwright-Powers, with information for inmates at his facility.

Benton, with the help of White and inmates at two other prisons, submitted successful applications for Virginia unemployment benefits for 31 inmates. Cartwright-Powers additionally submitted successful applications for four inmates.

White and his co-conspirators, along with the prisoners whose information was used for the unemployment applications, shared the proceeds of the crimes, which amounted to over $330,000. Although the conspirators initially obtained $436,834, the Virginia Employment Commission was able to reclaim some of the disbursed funds after discovering the fraud.

Benton and Lewis have both been sentenced for their roles in the scheme to 78 and 115 months of imprisonment, respectively. Cartwright-Powers, has pleaded guilty to one conspiracy count and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 24. 

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Troy W. Springer, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Washington, DC 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 Raymond A. Jackson.

This investigation was conducted under the auspices of “Operation Checkmate,” the Virginia Department of Corrections Inmate Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force. The task force is led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, DOL-OIG, DHS-OIG, and the Virginia Department of Corrections. This investigation included assistance from the U.S. Secret Service’s Richmond Field Office, the Portsmouth Police Department, and the Virginia Employment Commission.

Assistant U.S. Attorney 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-33.

A criminal complaint filed in 2019 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, which is now unsealed, alleges that Allison Fluke-Ekren, a United States citizen, organized and led an all-female military battalion on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), and charges Fluke-Ekren with providing and conspiring to provide material support to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization.

Fluke-Ekren was previously apprehended in Syria and transferred into the custody of the FBI yesterday, at which point she was first brought to the Eastern District of Virginia. She is expected to have her initial appearance at the federal courthouse in Alexandria on Monday at 2:00 p.m.

As alleged in the criminal complaint, Allison Elizabeth Fluke-Ekren, aka “Allison Elizabeth Brooks,” aka “Allison Ekren,” aka “Umm Mohammed al-Amriki,” aka “Umm Mohammed,” and aka “Umm Jabril,” 42, a former resident of Kansas, traveled to Syria several years ago for the purpose of committing or supporting terrorism. Since her departure from the United States, Fluke-Ekren has allegedly been involved with a number of terrorism-related activities on behalf of ISIS from at least 2014. These activities allegedly include, but are not limited to, planning and recruiting operatives for a potential future attack on a college campus inside the United States and serving as the appointed leader and organizer of an ISIS military battalion, known as the Khatiba Nusaybah, in order to train women on the use of automatic firing AK-47 assault rifles, grenades and suicide belts. Additionally, Fluke-Ekren allegedly provided ISIS and ISIS members with services, which included providing lodging, translating speeches made by ISIS leaders, training children on the use of AK-47 assault rifles and suicide belts and teaching extremist ISIS doctrine.

The complaint details the eyewitness observations of six separate individuals who collectively observed Fluke-Ekren’s alleged terrorist conduct from at least 2014 through approximately 2017. For example, Fluke-Ekren allegedly told a witness about her desire to conduct an attack in the United States. To conduct the attack, Fluke-Ekren allegedly explained that she could go to a shopping mall in the United States, park a vehicle full of explosives in the basement or parking garage level of the structure, and detonate the explosives in the vehicle with a cell phone triggering device. Fluke-Ekren allegedly considered any attack that did not kill a large number of individuals to be a waste of resources. As alleged by the same witness, Fluke-Ekren would hear about external attacks taking place in countries outside the United States and would comment that she wished the attack occurred on United States soil instead.

The complaint further describes Fluke-Ekren’s alleged leadership role in the Khatiba Nusaybah. According to a witness, in or about late 2016, the “Wali” (or ISIS-appointed mayor) of Raqqa, Syria, allegedly permitted the opening of the “Khatiba Nusaybah,” which was a military battalion comprised solely of female ISIS members who were married to male ISIS fighters. Shortly thereafter, Fluke-Ekren allegedly became the leader and organizer of the battalion. Fluke-Ekren’s alleged main objective in this role was to teach the women of ISIS how to defend themselves against ISIS’ enemies. According to another witness, ISIS allegedly mandated women who were staying in Raqqa during the 2017 siege to attend the training. The siege was launched by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against ISIS with an aim to seize Raqqa, the former de facto capital of ISIS in Syria. The battle began on or about June 6, 2017 and concluded on or about Oct. 17, 2017, at which point the SDF regained controlled of Raqqa. 

The members of Khatiba Nusaybah were allegedly instructed on physical training, medical training, Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) driving courses, religious classes and how to pack and prep a “go bag” with rifles and other military supplies. According to eyewitness accounts, some of these classes were allegedly taught by Fluke-Ekren. One witness in particular allegedly observed that the leaders of ISIS and the other members of the military battalion were proud to have an American instructor. Fluke-Ekren also allegedly trained children on the use of automatic firing AK-47 assault rifles, grenades and suicide belts.

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.

Fluke-Ekren is charged with providing and conspiring to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization. If convicted, she 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.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh and Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Gibbs from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A

criminal complaint  filed in 2019 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, which is now unsealed , alleges that Allison Fluke-Ekren, a United States citizen, organized and led an all-female military battalion on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), and charges Fluke-Ekren with providing and conspiring to provide material support to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization.

Fluke-Ekren was previously apprehended in Syria and transferred into the custody of the FBI yesterday, at which point she was first brought to the Eastern District of Virginia. She is expected to have her initial appearance at the federal courthouse in Alexandria on Monday at 2:00 p.m.

As alleged in the criminal complaint, Allison Elizabeth Fluke-Ekren, aka “Allison Elizabeth Brooks,” aka “Allison Ekren,” aka “Umm Mohammed al-Amriki,” aka “Umm Mohammed,” and aka “Umm Jabril,” 42, a former resident of Kansas, traveled to Syria several years ago for the purpose of committing or supporting terrorism. Since her departure from the United States, Fluke-Ekren has allegedly been involved with a number of terrorism-related activities on behalf of ISIS from at least 2014. These activities allegedly include, but are not limited to, planning and recruiting operatives for a potential future attack on a college campus inside the United States and serving as the appointed leader and organizer of an ISIS military battalion, known as the Khatiba Nusaybah, in order to train women on the use of automatic firing AK-47 assault rifles, grenades, and suicide belts. Additionally, Fluke-Ekren allegedly provided ISIS and ISIS members with services, which included providing lodging, translating speeches made by ISIS leaders, training children on the use of AK-47 assault rifles and suicide belts, and teaching extremist ISIS doctrine.

The complaint details the eyewitness observations of six separate individuals who collectively observed Fluke-Ekren’s alleged terrorist conduct from at least 2014 through approximately 2017. For example, Fluke-Ekren allegedly told a witness about her desire to conduct an attack in the United States. To conduct the attack, Fluke-Ekren allegedly explained that she could go to a shopping mall in the United States, park a vehicle full of explosives in the basement or parking garage level of the structure, and detonate the explosives in the vehicle with a cell phone triggering device. Fluke-Ekren allegedly considered any attack that did not kill a large number of individuals to be a waste of resources. As alleged by the same witness, Fluke-Ekren would hear about external attacks taking place in countries outside the United States and would comment that she wished the attack occurred on United States soil instead.

The complaint further describes Fluke-Ekren’s alleged leadership role in the Khatiba Nusaybah. According to a witness, in or about late 2016, the “Wali” (or ISIS-appointed mayor) of Raqqa, Syria, allegedly permitted the opening of the “Khatiba Nusaybah,” which was a military battalion comprised solely of female ISIS members who were married to male ISIS fighters. Shortly thereafter, Fluke-Ekren allegedly became the leader and organizer of the battalion. Fluke-Ekren’s alleged main objective in this role was to teach the women of ISIS how to defend themselves against ISIS’ enemies. According to another witness, ISIS allegedly mandated women who were staying in Raqqa during the 2017 siege to attend the training. The siege was launched by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against ISIS with an aim to seize Raqqa, the former de facto capital of ISIS in Syria. The battle began on or about June 6, 2017 and concluded on or about October 17, 2017, at which point the SDF regained controlled of Raqqa. 

The members of Khatiba Nusaybah were allegedly instructed on physical training, medical training, Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) driving courses, religious classes, and how to pack and prep a “go bag” with rifles and other military supplies. According to eyewitness accounts, some of these classes were allegedly taught by Fluke-Ekren. One witness in particular allegedly observed that the leaders of ISIS and the other members of the military battalion were proud to have an American instructor. Fluke-Ekren also allegedly trained children on the use of automatic firing AK-47 assault rifles, grenades, and suicide belts.

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.

Fluke-Ekren is charged with providing and conspiring to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization. If convicted, she 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.

First Assistant United States Attorney Raj Parekh and Assistant United States Attorney John T. Gibbs from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-mj-231.

A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed one or more crimes. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted an Afghan national Friday on charges of abusive sexual contact with a 3-year-old girl.

“This case is indicative of law enforcement’s commitment to ensure the safety of immigrant and refugee members of our community,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “People who come to our country seeking haven from tyranny and terrorism deserve to live here in safety. I want to thank the Marines and the FBI for their commitment to upholding that ideal. It is the resilience and courage of the victim and her family in speaking out against this offender that is truly emblematic of the contributions refugees and immigrants make to our country.”

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Mohammed Tariq, 24, engaged in sexual contact with the victim while both the victim and Tariq were housed at Camp Upshur, on Marine Corps Base Quantico, following evacuation from Afghanistan. United States Marines observed the defendant inappropriately touching the victim over her clothing, on her chest, genitals, and buttocks. The victim and Tariq were unrelated, however, both Tariq and the victim and her family had recently been evacuated from Afghanistan and brought to the United States.

Tariq faces a maximum term of life in prison when sentenced on April 26, 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, and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Haynes and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Kramer are prosecuting the case.

This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-225.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – An Ahoskie, North Carolina, man was sentenced yesterday to 18 years in prison for possessing a firearm while distributing narcotics throughout Hampton Roads.

According to court documents, in or around July 2020, the Newport News Police Department was informed that Marcus Dewayne Smith, 39, was distributing narcotics from various hotels throughout the City of Newport News. In Smith’s hotel room, law enforcement discovered 82 prepackaged glassine packets individually stamped “FIREBALL,” containing a mixture of heroin, fentanyl, and tramadol. Also in Smith’s room was a distribution amount of cocaine, approximately $8,000 in cash, tools and packaging materials for drug distribution, and two loaded semiautomatic handguns. Smith, a prior convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing firearms. Smith’s lengthy and violent criminal history over the past two decades qualifies him as a “Career Offender.”

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 Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Osyf prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-cr-43.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal grand jury returned two indictments today and yesterday charging an Alexandria man and a New York City man in separate incidents of criminal conduct aboard aircraft arriving at Washington Dulles International Airport.

According to the indictment filed today, on December 2, 2021, Elias Fethamlk, 40, knowingly interfered with a flight attendant’s duties by disregarding the flight attendant’s instructions and assaulting the flight attendant while on board an Ethiopian Airlines flight traveling from Dublin, Ireland to Dulles International Airport.

Fethamlk is charged with one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants, and one count of simple assault in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

A separate indictment filed yesterday charges Ivan Lopez, Jr., age 26, with sexually assaulting another passenger onboard a commercial flight

According to court documents, it is alleged that Lopez was a passenger on a commercial flight from Las Vegas McCarran International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport on December 24, 2021. During the flight, the passenger seated next to Lopez fell asleep. The indictment alleges that she awoke to Lopez repeatedly rubbing her right breast. When the passenger opened her eyes, she allegedly observed Lopez leaning over her and his right hand was placed on her right breast. The passenger allegedly yelled at Lopez and he moved to the back of the aircraft, where he allegedly admitted to a flight attendant that he sexually assaulted the woman.

Lopez is charged with abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft in flight. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two 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 Michael Glasheen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Counterterrorism Division, made the announcement.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Caylee Campbell and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Lowe are prosecuting the case against Fethamlk. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum are prosecuting the case against Lopez.

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 006 and Case No. 1:22 cr 10.

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

NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for defrauding life insurance companies.

According to court documents, in 2018, Michael Leonard Morgan-Towe, 37, and Antionette D. Pringle, 33, also of Virginia Beach, obtained approximately $150,000 in fraudulent advance commissions from life insurance companies. Morgan-Towe recruited indigent individuals, falsely promising them months of “free” life insurance if they would provide their personal identifying information. Then, Pringle, a licensed insurance agent in Virginia, used this information to submit applications for life insurance, falsifying their income to make it appear as if they could pay the monthly premiums, when she knew they could not. In some instances, she misstated their health conditions as to ensure their application would be approved.

The life insurance companies sent Pringle thousands of dollars in advance commissions as soon as the applications were approved, which she shared with Morgan-Towe. However, almost all of the policies lapsed immediately because no premiums were paid, as the individual beneficiaries thought they were obtaining free life insurance. 

In December 2020, Pringle was sentenced to 4 years in prison for her role in the scheme. 

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 Arenda Wright Allen.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney 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-22.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former official of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG) was sentenced today to 7.5 years in prison for accepting bribes and defrauding the government, among other crimes, in relation to a contract he oversaw at the DoD OIG.

According to court documents, Matthew K. LumHo, 47, of Fairfax Station, was employed at the DoD OIG’s Information Services Directorate. In that position, LumHo oversaw and administered a prime federal contract designed to allow federal agencies in the National Capital Region to order routine telecommunications services and equipment from one of two national telecommunications companies.

Beginning no later than 2012, LumHo solicited and accepted bribes from co-conspirator William S. Wilson, in exchange for steering what nominally was intended to be telecommunications or information technology services through the prime government contract, through an intermediary telecommunications company, to Wilson’s company. Wilson’s company received all of this business without any competition, despite its lack of any relevant experience or expertise, and despite having no employees based in or near northern Virginia, where all the work was to be performed. Wilson and LumHo disguised the bribes by falsely masking them as payroll payments to a relative of LumHo for a job that did not in fact exist, with the bribes being deposited into an account that LumHo in fact controlled.

As the scheme progressed, LumHo, who was supposed to be safeguarding the contract, knowingly authorized numerous false and fraudulent service orders through the prime contract. The false service orders typically described the items supposedly being provided to the government as specialized IT-related support services, when in fact the co-conspirators were simply buying standard, commercially available items, dramatically marking up the price, and billing the government as though it had been provided with the specialized IT-related services. LumHo and Wilson also used fraudulent service orders to conceal bribes in the form of high-end camera equipment and stereo equipment sent from Wilson to LumHo, thereby defrauding the government into to paying for the very bribes themselves.

The evidence adduced at trial further demonstrated that the co-conspirators repeatedly sought to interfere with the criminal investigation by creating false documentation, making false statements to law enforcement officials, lying on a financial disclosure form, committing perjury during sworn civil deposition testimony, and tampering or attempting to tamper with a witness. In addition, at sentencing, Senior U.S. District Judge Judge O’Grady found that LumHo had obstructed justice by committing perjury when he testified at trial.

Co-conspirator Ronald A. Capallia, Jr., pleaded guilty on January 25, 2018, to his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to one year and one day in prison on September 14, 2021. Today, LumHo was sentenced to 90 months in prison. Co-conspirator William S. Wilson is scheduled to be sentenced on February 4, 2022.

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 Kelly P. Mayo, Deputy Inspector General for Investigations at the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Burke and Russell L. Carlberg 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. 1:17-cr-222.

NORFOLK, Va. – A West Valley City, Utah, man was sentenced today to 5 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud as part of an investment fraud scheme against mostly elderly victims.

According to court documents, Tony Scott Sellers, 62, was a licensed insurance salesman in Idaho. From about January 2011 through August 2017, Sellers, along with other conspirators, made material misrepresentations and omissions to sell illiquid, highly speculative investment vehicles that were sold and controlled by Daryl Bank, among others. Based on these fraudulent representations, unsuspecting investors cashed out of 401(k) and other retirement accounts to purchase the investments, without knowing that 20% to 70% of their funds would be skimmed off the top in the form of purported “fees.” In September 2021, Bank was sentenced to 35 years in prison for his role in a nationwide investment fraud scheme that resulted in over $25 million in losses to more than 300 victims, most of whom were elderly. 

As a result of Seller’s part in this investment fraud scheme, victims suffered losses in excess of $3 million. Most of the victims were at or near retirement age when Sellers and his co-conspirators defrauded them.

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, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Greg Torbenson, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.

Significant assistance in this case was provided by the Virginia State Corporation Commission. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa O’Boyle, Andrew Bosse, and Elizabeth Yusi 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. 2:19-cr-47.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A couple who formerly resided in Hampton pleaded guilty today to submitting fraudulent disaster-related loan applications in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

According to court documents, Malik Mitchum, 26, and Jenna Mitchum, 25, worked together to obtain disaster-related loan benefits in the form of Small Business Administration (SBA) sponsored Economic Injury Disaster loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. These programs, initiated and expanded under The Cares Act, are designed to provide support for small businesses for expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Malik and Jenna Mitchum falsely claimed that they were owners of at least five small businesses struggling during the pandemic. In reality, Malik Mitchum was a junior enlisted member of the Air Force and Jenna Mitchum was unemployed. 

Between March 2020 and May 2021, Malik and Jenna Mitchum submitted at least 19 fraudulent applications for pandemic-related loan benefits that contained false statements and misrepresentations about their income, employment, and claimed business entities. They are further linked to more than 20 other fraudulent loan applications by the IP address used to submit the applications or wire transfers of fraud proceeds. They intended to defraud the government out of more than $5.1 million and caused an actual loss to the United States and participating financial institutions of more than $1.4 million. Malik and Jenna Mitchum spent much of the fraud proceeds they obtained on luxury purchases, like a Rolex watch for $38,743.00.

Malik and Jenna Mitchum pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution. They both face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Malik and Jenna Mitchum are scheduled to be sentenced on July 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; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Brig. Gen. Terry L. Bullard, Commander of the Office of Special Investigations for the U.S. Air Force and Space Force, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Mack Coleman is prosecuting the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across the government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Virginia Coronavirus Fraud Task Force is a federal and state partnership led by the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia along with fraud investigators from the FBI and Virginia State Police. The task force’s mission is to identify, investigate, and prosecute fraud related to the ongoing pandemic. The task force reviews and investigates all credible leads of fraud associated with COVID-19, focusing on schemes to exploit vulnerable populations, including the elderly and concerned citizens. On May 17, 2021, Attorney General Merrick Garland established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, led by the Deputy Attorney General, to bring together the full resources of the federal government to bolster fraud enforcement efforts.

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-85.

A federal grand jury in Virginia returned a superseding indictment yesterday charging 12 members and associates of La Mara Salvatrucha, aka MS-13, with a variety of offenses based on their alleged involvement in a series of murders, racketeering and drug trafficking crimes.

Those charged in the indictment are:

Name

Age

Gang Moniker(s) / Nickname(s)

From

Marvin Menjivar Gutiérrez

29

Astuto

New York

Melvin Canales Saldana

29

Demente

New York

Mario Antonio Guevara Rivera

26

Blue, Azul, Telele

Woodbridge

Cristian Ariel Arevalo Arias

26

Serio

Woodbridge

Carlos Jose Turcios Villatoro

23

Oculto

Woodbridge

Abner Jose Molina Rodriguez

24

Rino, Tecolote

Woodbridge

Manilester Andrade Rivas

32

Mani, Tandori, Conejo, Coqueto

Woodbridge

Jairo Gustavo Aguilera Sagastizado

26

Coy, Maruchan, Psicólogo

New York

Walter Jeovanny Rubio Lemus

27

Caskillo

Woodbridge

Juan Carlos Hernández Landaverde

23

Chele

Annandale

Karen Estefany Figueroa Alfaro

29

N/A

Woodbridge

Juan Manuel Vasquez Reyes

40

Güero

Manassas

According to the indictment, the defendants were members/associates of the Sitios Locos Salvatrucha clique (STLS) of MS-13.The indictment alleges that since at least in and around 2017, MS-13 members and associates regularly travelled to and from Long Island, New York, for the purpose of obtaining cocaine and transporting it to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, where they and other gang members would sell it primarily, in restaurants and night clubs. 

The indictment also charges eight of the defendants with several offenses stemming from their alleged involvement in four murders that occurred in Eastern Prince William County between June 22, 2019, and Sept. 24, 2019. Specifically, the indictment charges:

• Guevara, Arevalo and Turcios with the June 2019 double-murder of M.B.L. and J.G.M., and Vasquez with helping them after they committed the murders;
• Canales and Andrade with the August 2019 murder of E.L.T.; and
• Guevara, Molina and Aguilera with the September 2019 murder of A.K.S.

Defendants in this case are charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, accessory after the fact to murder in aid of racketeering, witness tampering, using a firearm during a crime of violence causing death, possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and violations of the Controlled Substances Act, among other crimes. The statutory penalties for the charged offenses range from a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison to capital punishment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia; Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Chief Peter Newsham of Prince William County Police Department made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Blanchard, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Roberts and Trial Attorney Matthew Hoff from the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is supported by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). 

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

NORFOLK, Va. – A woman formerly from Virginia Beach was sentenced today to 2 years in prison for international parental kidnapping.

According to court documents, Kathleen Shehadeh, 32, had joint custody of A.G. with her ex-husband. A.G. spent time with both parents based on a court-ordered schedule. Unknown to the father, Shehadeh applied for and was granted a New Zealand passport for A.G. In July 2018, Shehadeh took then two-year-old A.G. and fled Virginia Beach. They first went to Mexico City, Mexico. Shehadeh then took the girl to Bogota, Columbia, and, finally, to Spain. Shehadeh wrote a letter to the father, in which Shehadeh falsely stated that she and A.G. were moving out west and would let him know the exact address once they were settled. The father did not hear from Shehadeh or know where his daughter was for over two years.

Finally, in August 2020, the father tracked Shehadeh and his daughter to Tenerife, Spain, and was able to reunite and come back to the United States with A.G. Shehadeh was arrested by the Spanish authorities on the federal warrant and eventually waived extradition to return to the United States and face the charge.

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

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-15.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today charging twelve members and associates of “La Mara Salvatrucha”, or MS-13, with a variety of offenses based on their involvement in racketeering, drug trafficking, and a series of murders.

Those charged in the indictment are:

Name

Age

Gang Moniker(s) / Nickname(s)

Residence

Marvin Menjivar Gutiérrez

29

Astuto

New York

Melvin Canales Saldana

29

Demente

New York

Mario Antonio Guevara Rivera

26

Blue, Azul, Telele

Woodbridge

Cristian Ariel Arevalo Arias

26

Serio

Woodbridge

Carlos Jose Turcios Villatoro

23

Oculto

Woodbridge

Abner Jose Molina Rodriguez

24

Rino, Tecolote

Woodbridge

Manilester Andrade Rivas

32

Mani, Tandori, Conejo, Coqueto

Woodbridge

Jairo Gustavo Aguilera Sagastizado

26

Coy, Maruchan, Psicólogo

New York

Walter Jeovanny Rubio Lemus

27

Caskillo

Woodbridge

Juan Carlos Hernández Landaverde

23

Chele

Annandale

Karen Estefany Figueroa Alfaro

29

N/A

Woodbridge

Juan Manuel Vasquez Reyes

40

Güero

Manassas

 

According to the indictment, the defendants were members or associates of the Sitios Locos Salvatrucha clique (STLS) of MS-13, which has operated in Northern Virginia and elsewhere for at least the past several years. The indictment alleges that since at least in and around 2017, these MS-13 members and associates regularly travelled to and from Long Island, New York, for the purpose of obtaining cocaine and transporting it to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, where they and other gang members would sell it primarily, though not exclusively, in restaurants and night clubs. 

The indictment also charges eight of the defendants with a number of offenses stemming from their alleged involvement in four murders that occurred in Eastern Prince William County between June 22, 2019 and September 24, 2019. Specifically, the indictment charges:

• Guevara, Arevalo, and Turcios with the June 2019 double-murder of M.B.L. and J.G.M., and Vasquez with helping them after they committed the murders;
• Canales and Andrade with the August 2019 murder of E.L.T.; and
• Guevara, Molina, and Aguilera with the September 2019 murder of A.K.S.

Defendants in this case are charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, accessory after the fact to murder in aid of racketeering, witness tampering, using a firearm during a crime of violence causing death, possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and violations of the Controlled Substances Act, among other crimes. The statutory penalties for the charged offenses range from a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison to capital punishment. 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; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Blanchard, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Roberts, and Trial Attorney Matthew Hoff from the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting the case.

Significant assistance was provided by our partners, including the Northern Virginia Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Force, the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force, ICE/ERO, DEA, ATF, and the United States Marshal Service. The Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney in Prince William County also provided significant assistance.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-260.

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

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber announced today that the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) collected $48,454,99.23 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2021. Of this amount, $24,547,719.25 was collected in criminal actions and $23,907,277.98 was collected in civil actions. 

Additionally, EDVA worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $15,868,371.49 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $29,835.95 was collected in criminal actions and $15,838,535.54 was collected in civil actions.

“EDVA prioritizes monetary collections, whether it’s to pay restitution to victims or return money to the public fisc for taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber. “I am grateful for the efforts of our attorneys and support staff in the Asset Recovery Unit and Civil Division to maximize these recoveries.”

In June, EDVA obtained $12,772,843 as part of the settlement with Level 3 Communications, LLC (Level 3), a multinational telecommunications and Internet service provider company. Level 3 agreed to settle allegations involving kickbacks paid to former Level 3 officials in return for favorable treatment to subcontractors in connection with government contracts; improperly obtaining competitive bid information; and misstating compliance with woman-owned small business subcontracting requirements.

In September, after securing jury verdicts against Daryl Bank for masterminding a $25 million investment fraud, EDVA obtained a restitution order for $25,608,156.83. This will require Bank and his codefendants to pay back the more than 350 victims of his crime. In the interim, EDVA is forfeiting Bank’s property, including real estate in Florida and North Carolina; luxury jewelry, to include a 5+ carat diamond ring; high-end clothing and handbags, to include an Hermes belt; over $625,000 seized from bank accounts; and over $75,000 in seized cash in order to request that the Money Laundering Asset Recovery Section of the Department of Justice permit those liquidated funds to be returned to victims.

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

Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in EDVA, working with Department of Justice partner agencies and divisions, collected $29,013,457 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2021. Of that sum, $9,583,825 collected through asset forfeiture was returned to victims of crime through restoration and remission. This amount does not include forfeitures in partnership with Department of Treasury law enforcement agencies. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

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.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man pleaded guilty yesterday to defrauding victims in the Hampton Roads area out of more than $630,000 and evading the assessment of more than $50,000 in income taxes.

According to court documents, between 2013 and 2019, Clarence M. Rice Jr., 54, falsely represented to victims that he was going to receive a sizeable inheritance from his father’s death, under the condition that Rice paid off all his existing debts. He tricked victims into giving him large sums of money using the false representations that he needed the funds to obtain his inheritance.

As a result of his fraud scheme, Rice stole more than $350,000 from a 75-year-old retired bricklayer and more than $140,000 from an elderly blind man. In total, Rice obtained at least $632,017.44 in fraudulent proceeds from the scheme. As part of the plea, Rice agreed that all his victims were of limited financial means and suffered substantial hardship from his fraud.

Despite earning income from his fraud scheme, Rice has not filed taxes since 2011. Between 2015 and 2019, he defrauded the IRS by living a cash lifestyle, negotiating checks from victims for U.S. currency instead of depositing them in bank accounts, hiding assets on prepaid cards, and lying to law enforcement about his income and assets. The approximate tax due and owing resulting from Rice’s failure to pay his personal income tax is $52,064.18.

Rice pleaded guilty to wire fraud and evasion of income tax assessment and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 25, 2022. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for the fraud offense and a maximum of five years in prison for the tax evasion. 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 Darrell J. Waldon, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Mack Coleman and Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels 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. 4:21-cr-60.

A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia returned an indictment charging a North Carolina man with engaging in a bribery and fraud scheme with a former contracting officer for the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) (now known as the U.S. Agency for Global Media).

According to court documents, William F. Snow, 70, of Jamestown, worked for a government contracting firm that previously provided professional staffing services to BBG. Between late 2014 and late 2016, Snow, in addition to a BBG contracting officer and others, allegedly agreed to hire and pay the contracting officer’s relative for a job involving minimal work and which resulted in payments to the relative that totaled more than $68,000. In exchange, the BBG contracting officer took official actions that benefitted Snow, the contracting firm, and another executive, Rita Starliper, who previously pleaded guilty for her involvement in the scheme. In particular, the contracting officer took official action and provided preferential treatment that included the awarding of a professional staffing contract to the contracting firm that was worth millions of dollars and the steering of the procurement process to benefit Snow, Starliper, and the contracting firm.

Snow is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services mail fraud, one count of bribery, and three counts of honest services mail fraud. The defendant will make his initial court appearance on Dec. 28. If convicted, Snow faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services mail fraud, fifteen years in prison for bribery, and twenty years in prison for each count of honest services mail fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber of the Eastern District of Virginia; Special Agent in Charge Elisabeth Kaminsky of the Office of Inspector General for the Department of State; and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D'Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.

The Office of Inspector General for the Department of State and the FBI are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Boutros Gesch of the Eastern District of Virginia and Senior Litigation Counsel Edward P. Sullivan, and Trial Attorney Jordan Dickson of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.

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

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Today Jessica D. Aber, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced an update on the Eastern District of Virginia’s criminal and civil enforcement efforts to combat COVID-19 related fraud, including schemes targeting the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program and Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs.

“In the past year, Virginians have endured the physical, mental, and economic hardship brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Aber. “Within the last year, we have stood firm in our commitment to protect the programs implemented by Congress to assist community members suffering from the economic effects of this pandemic and, going forward, will continue to aggressively prosecute those who steal taxpayers’ funds.”

Since the start of 2021, EDVA has charged over 30 defendants with criminal offenses based on fraud schemes connected to the COVID-19 pandemic. These cases involve attempts to defraud over $105 million from the U.S. government and unsuspecting private individuals. The success of these cases reflects a degree of reach, coordination, and expertise emblematic of EDVA’s and the Justice Department’s response to COVID-19-related fraud.

In March 2020, Congress passed a $2.2 trillion economic relief bill known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Anticipating the need to protect the integrity of these taxpayer funds and to otherwise protect Americans from fraud related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Justice immediately stood up multiple efforts dedicated to identifying, investigating, and prosecuting such fraud.

On criminal matters, EDVA’s efforts to combat COVID-19-related fraud schemes in 2021 have proceeded on numerous fronts, including:

• Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud: The PPP fraud cases charged in EDVA this year involve a range of conduct, from individual business owners who inflated their payroll expenses to obtain larger loans than they otherwise would have qualified for, to a serial fraudster applying for multiple loans using false claims about business entities and income. Most charged defendants misappropriated loan proceeds for prohibited purposes, such as the purchase of houses, cars, Cessna aircraft, jewelry, and other luxury items. In one case, U.S. v. Andrew Tezna, a Senior Executive Service (SES) employee of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was sentenced for submitting fraudulent applications for over $357,000 in PPP relief loans and COVID-19 benefits.
• Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) fraud: EDVA has also focused on fraud against the EIDL program, which was designed to provide loans to small businesses, agricultural and non-profit entities. Nationally, fraudsters have targeted the program by applying for EIDL advances and loans on behalf of ineligible, newly created, shell, or non-existent businesses, and diverting the funds for illegal purposes. In U.S. v. Joseph Cherry, a repeat fraudster was sentenced in EDVA for engaging in an EIDL and PPP loan fraud scheme while under federal supervision, with an intended loss to the government of nearly $232,000.
• Unemployment Insurance (UI) fraud: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than $860 billion in federal funds were appropriated for UI benefits through September 2021. Early investigation and analysis indicate that international organized criminal groups have targeted these funds by using stolen identities to file for UI benefits. Domestic fraudsters, ranging from identity thieves to prison inmates, have also committed UI fraud. In U.S. v. Mary Benton et al, the defendant operated a fraudulent scheme to obtain nearly $437,000 in pandemic-related unemployment benefits by using the personal identifying information of over 30 Virginia prison inmates.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) fraud: EDVA charged and prosecuted criminals who exploited the nation’s need for personal protective equipment (PPE) required to protect medical professionals and the public from contracting and spreading COVID-19. These schemes often offered to sell scarce PPE, such as N95 respirator masks, to various medical supply companies, government entities, and consumers. For example, in U.S. v. Robert Stewart, the defendant falsely stated to multiple Federal Government agencies that he was in possession of large quantities of PPE, thus putting him in the position to obtain contracts with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency valued at $35.1 million and $3.5 million, respectively.
• Economic Impact Payments (Stimulus Checks) Fraud: EDVA has also worked to investigate and prosecute fraudsters who attempted financial scams, counterfeiting of checks, and mail, and identity theft targeting COVID-19 stimulus checks. In U.S. v. Jonathan Drew, the defendant stole U.S. mail addressed to more than 150 individuals in EDVA, stealing more than $700,000 in checks, including $1,200 in COVID-19 stimulus payments and checks which the defendant further used to create counterfeit stimulus checks.

EDVA has also worked to shut down fraudulent websites that were facilitating consumer scams related to COVID-19 and has taken scores of actions to disrupt financial networks supporting such scams. For example, EDVA announced the seizure of seven websites used to collect personal information and that sought to exploit the increased interest in vaccines, treatments, and employment opportunities associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

EDVA has also used numerous civil tools to address fraud in connection with CARES Act programs. For example, EDVA obtained a civil settlement of $230,414.65 with KC Investments Group, Inc. and its owner for fraud involving Paycheck Protection Program loans.

"We are dedicated to preserving the integrity of these programs that were designed and implemented to assist citizens during a time of uncertainty and strain related to the COVID pandemic; and will continue to work with our partners to investigate and hold accountable those who manipulate these government resources for personal gain,” said Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Richmond Field Office.

“The NASA Office of Inspector General is committed to working with the EDVA in aggressively investigating allegations of wrongdoing targeting PPP, EIDL, and UI programs,” said Robert Steinau, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations for NASA. “We will continue to pursue and hold those accountable that defraud these crucial programs.”

“Through the dedicated efforts of Special Agents around the world, HSI conducted investigations into the sale of counterfeit personal protective equipment, disrupted financial fraud schemes that exploited COVID-19 relief programs, shut down websites that defrauded consumers, and interdicted shipments of dangerous prohibited pharmaceuticals and medical supplies through Operation Stolen Promise,” said Ray Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Washington, D.C. “These efforts help protect American citizens from the transnational criminal organizations who seek to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic for financial gain.”

“Those who commit Covid fraud are robbing taxpayers while hurting the people who truly needed the financial support,” said Darrell Waldon, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge, Washington DC Field Office. “We will continue to prioritize COVID-19 fraud investigations and ensure those who commit it are brought to justice.”

“Each day, the OIG stands beside the nation’s robust diverse small business community by safeguarding the unique SBA programs established to support their development and growth,” said the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Inspector General’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge, Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “OIG remains committed to rooting out bad actors and protecting the integrity of SBA programs every day. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”

“Initiatives like our Newport News Financial Crimes Task Force were created to crack down on various white-collar crimes, to include COVID-19 related fraud schemes. Our continued partnerships with area law enforcement, prosecutors and financial institutions will assist us in identifying and prosecuting those who commit pandemic-related fraud offenses involving the U.S. Mail,” said Daniel Adame, Postal Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division.

“So long as criminals continue to exploit pandemic relief programs, the U.S. Secret Service will continue to investigate and identify them for prosecution,” said U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Jerald Page. “The protection of our national economy and financial infrastructure has remained a critical part of our mission for more than 150 years, and our dedicated investigators will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that protection from any and all threats.”

“COVID-19 demands have created a climate for bad actors to pursue unique and considerable opportunities for fraud," said VA Inspector General Michael J. Missal. “This office is actively engaging with our law enforcement partners to identify those who would capitalize on this pandemic to steal from veterans and taxpayers.”

“An important mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud related to Unemployment Insurance programs,” stated Troy W. Springer, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Washington Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. “We will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, our law enforcement partners, and the Virginia Employment Commission, to protect the integrity of programs intended for unemployed American workers, including those who continue to be affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”

Some of the major COVID-19-related cases prosecuted by EDVA in 2021 are as follows:

Case Name

Case #

Program Targeted

Intended Loss to Taxpayer

U.S. v. Punelli*

1:21-cr-224

PPP, EIDL

$55,606,000

U.S. v. Stewart

1:21-cr-5

PPP, EIDL, PPE

$39,576,500

U.S. v. Mitchums*

4:21-cr-85

PPP, EIDL

$5,100,000

U.S. v. Kindambu

1:20-cr-260

PPP

$2,501,753

U.S. v. Noel*

4:21-cr-72

UI

$469,635

U.S. v. Benton et al.

2:21-cr-33

UI

$436,834

U.S. v. Tezna

1:21-cr-77

PPP, EIDL, UI

$357,734

U.S. v. Suber

2:20-cr-110

PPP

$350,000

U.S. v. Cherry

4:20-cr-27

PPP, EIDL

$231,900

KC Investments

Civil Settlement

PPP

$230,414

U.S. v. Smith

3:21-cr-60

UI

$223,984

U.S. v. Khan*

1:21-cr-207

EIDL

$110,000

U.S. v. Tierney et al

3:21-cr-32

UI

$74,805

U.S. v. Jefferson

4:20-cr-64

EIDL

$25,000

U.S. v. Drew

1:21-cr-71

Stimulus

$1,200

*pending sentencing

In addition to these efforts, the Newport News Financial Crimes Task Force, led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and in partnership with EDVA, the FBI Norfolk Field office through its Resident Agency in Newport News, and the Washington Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), have launched a joint pandemic counter-fraud operation focused on the Virginia Peninsula region. This collaborative initiative targets the trend of criminal organizations and networks incorporating pandemic-related fraud into their other illegal activities. As of December 13, 2021, this operation has successfully initiated 21 investigations, resulting in 14 individuals charged in 7 criminal cases, with identified losses of over $800,000 related to the charged cases. An additional 14 cases remain ongoing and active.

All these efforts have been made possible through the diligent work of a wide range of law enforcement partners from the FBI (Washington, Norfolk and Richmond Field Offices), DOL-OIG, U.S. Secret Service, IRS-CI, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, HSI, USPIS, the Offices of Inspectors General from SBA, Department of Homeland Security, Social Security Administration, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, NASA, Department of Health and Human Services, and the VA.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across the government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Virginia Coronavirus Fraud Task Force is a federal and state partnership led by the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia along with fraud investigators from the FBI and Virginia State Police. The task force’s mission is to identify, investigate, and prosecute fraud related to the ongoing pandemic. The task force reviews and investigates all credible leads of fraud associated with COVID-19, focusing on schemes to exploit vulnerable populations, including the elderly and concerned citizens. 

EDVA continues its fight against COVID-19 related fraud. To report a COVID-19-related fraud scheme or suspicious activity, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) by calling the NCDF Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted an Alexandria man yesterday of 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 and evidence presented at trial, Melvin Palma Flores, 20, was a marijuana dealer who carried firearms for protection while dealing drugs. 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, Palama 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.

Palma Flores was convicted of murder by firearm in relation to drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and witness tampering and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29, 2022. He faces a maximum term of life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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 U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. accepted the verdict.

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

NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to make false statements in connection with 45 firearm transactions.

According to court documents, from June 2019 through June 2020, Kevin Staton, Jr., 23, engaged in the business of buying and selling 45 firearms without a license. In furtherance of this illegal activity, he made false official statements on ATF forms in order to buy firearms. Staton claimed he was the actual buyer of the firearms, but, in actuality, he was purchasing the firearms for other individuals or with intent to resell them. Staton would coordinate with co-conspirators to identify firearms for purchase through online firearm marketplaces.

When Staton was interviewed by ATF agents he said, “Guns are like money,” and “I’m buying them knowing I’m going to be selling them.”

At least 15 of the 45 firearms Staton purchased were recovered from crime scenes in other cities and states. All but one of those firearms had been used for a crime or recovered by law enforcement less than one year after purchase from Staton.

Staton is scheduled to be sentenced on April 27, 2022. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney John F. Butler and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle are prosecuting the case.

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. 2:21-cr-141.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to over 10 years in prison for charges of conspiracy, fraud, identity theft, and failure to appear. 

According to court documents, Troy McFarland, 27, conspired with another man to repeatedly commit credit card fraud at the expense of more than a dozen identity theft victims and multiple financial institutions. McFarland and his co-conspirator used credit and debit cards re-encoded with stolen financial information to purchase goods and services from local retailers, including a luxury car rental, a hotel stay, dining expenses, motorcycle equipment, furniture, prepaid gift cards, and a $14,310 Rolex watch.

After McFarland was arrested on July 31, 2020, he was released to a third-party custodian in Portsmouth and required to submit to location monitoring. On October 24, 2020, he removed his location-monitoring device and absconded. On March 4, he was located and arrested again. While McFarland’s whereabouts were unknown, he released multiple music videos about his lack of remorse for his crimes and boasted about having removed his location-monitoring device. At the time of his arrest, he was found in possession of more debit and credit cards associated with suspected fraud.

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; Daniel A. Adame, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.

The United States Marshals Service provided significant assistance in this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Mack Coleman and former Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard J. Zlotnick 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. 4:20-cr-44.

A Washington, DC man was sentenced yesterday to 70 months in prison for conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

According to court documents, since at least July 2019, Marcelin Saturne, 33, was a source of supply for multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine. Saturne acknowledged that he was personally involved in the distribution of, or it being reasonably foreseeable to him that his co-conspirators distributed, at least 15 kilograms but less than 50 kilograms of cocaine. At one point, Saturne brought cocaine to the greater Washington, DC area through parcels shipped from California where his source of supply was located. Saturne sold his cocaine for approximately $34,000-35,000 per kilogram.

In May 2021, Saturne met a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confidential source (CS) who represented himself to be a source for cocaine. Saturne advised the CS that he wanted to purchase 15 kilograms of cocaine from the CS. In June 2021, the CS advised Saturne that a shipment of cocaine would be arriving to the Washington, DC area soon. Saturne agreed to purchase 10 kilograms of cocaine from that shipment. Saturne was arrested after agreeing to purchase the requested cocaine and his residence was searched. Therein law enforcement located and seized approximately $35,640 in U.S. currency as well as high end jewelry valued at approximately $146,160.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA Washington Field Division; and Michael L. Chapman, Loudoun County Sherriff, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M Brinkema.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bibeane Metsch and Michael BenAry 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-198.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Manassas man pleaded guilty today to defrauding the online retailer, Amazon.com, Inc. (Amazon), of over $300,000 by operating a mail fraud scheme to buy high-end products, claim a refund, then return a similar item of significantly lesser value.

According to court documents, from 2017 through 2020, Farhaad Riyaz, 34, would open multiple Amazon accounts, purchase high-end items online and have them shipped to his residence. Riyaz would then claim the item had arrived too late or was not as described online, thereby initiating a return. He would send back to Amazon, via United Parcel Service, an item of materially lesser value but Amazon would refund him the full purchase price. For instance, in June 2019, Riyaz bought a rare Fender Telecaster electric guitar for approximately $2,600 from Amazon, then returned a Squier Telecaster electric guitar of the same color that had cost him approximately $400. During the scheme, Riyaz also fraudulently obtained a $37,000 home theater system by returning a $2,000 model, and fraudulently obtained multiple $4,400 toilets with electric bidets.

Riyaz is scheduled to be sentenced on March 22, 2022. 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; 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 Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.

Amazon’s fraud detection unit provided valuable assistance in the investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell L. Carlberg is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-264.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Saudi-born Canadian citizen pleaded guilty today to conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (ISIS), resulting in death.

According to court documents, Mohammed Khalifa, aka Abu Ridwan Al-Kanadi and Abu Muthanna Al-Muhajir, 38, 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 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 ISIS videos.

Khalifa traveled to Syria in the spring of 2013 with the intent of becoming a foreign fighter and ultimately joining ISIS. He joined ISIS in or around November 2013 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 exceedingly 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 hostage-taking and ransom demand campaign involving American, British, and European journalists and aid workers. Between August 19, 2014 and February 6, 2015, ISIS killed eight American, British or 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 and was detained by the SDF.  Earlier this year, he was transferred to the custody of the FBI 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 and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15, 2022. Khalifa faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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 U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis III accepted the plea.

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 are prosecuting 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.

A Saudi-born Canadian citizen pleaded guilty today to conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (ISIS), resulting in death.

According to court documents, Mohammed Khalifa, aka Abu Ridwan Al-Kanadi and Abu Muthanna Al-Muhajir, 38, 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 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 ISIS videos.

Khalifa traveled to Syria in the spring of 2013 with the intent of becoming a foreign fighter and ultimately joining ISIS. He joined ISIS in or around November 2013 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 exceedingly violent ISIS propaganda videos: “Flames of War: Fighting Has Just Begun,” distributed on Sept. 19, 2014, and “Flames of War II: Until the Final Hour,” distributed on Nov. 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 hostage-taking and ransom demand campaign involving American, British, and European journalists and aid workers. Between Aug. 19, 2014 and Feb. 6, 2015, ISIS killed eight American, British or 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 Jan. 13, 2019 and was detained by the SDF. Earlier this year, he was transferred to the custody of the FBI and brought to the Eastern District of Virginia, where he had his initial appearance on Oct. 4, 2021.     

Khalifa pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization, resulting in death and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15, 2022. Khalifa faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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 U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis III accepted the plea.

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