Eastern District of Virginia

An indictment was unsealed today charging Bijan Rafiekian, aka Bijan Kian, 66, of San Juan Capistrano, California, and Kamil Ekim Alptekin, 41, of Istanbul, and a Turkish national, with conspiracy, acting in the United States as illegal agents of the government of Turkey, and making false statements to the FBI.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement.

According to allegations in the indictment, the two men were involved in a conspiracy to covertly influence U.S. politicians and public opinion against a Turkish citizen living in the United States whose extradition had been requested by the Government of Turkey. The plot included using a company founded by Rafiekian and a person referred to as “Person A” in the indictment. The company, referred to as “Company A” in the indictment, provided services based upon Person A’s national security expertise.

The indictment charges that the purpose of the conspiracy was to use Company A to delegitimize the Turkish citizen in the eyes of the American public and United States politicians, with the goal of obtaining his extradition, which was meeting resistance at the U.S. Department of Justice. At the same time, the conspirators sought to conceal that the Government of Turkey was directing the work. However, not only did Turkish cabinet-level officials approve the budget for the project, but Alptekin provided the Turkish officials updates on the work, and relayed their directions on the work to Rafiekian, Person A, and others at Company A.

According to allegations in the indictment, the scheme included using a Dutch company owned by Alptekin to appear to be the “client” of Company A and to pay the company’s fee of $600,000, which was to be paid in three installments. Alptekin made the payments from an account in Turkey. The indictment alleges that after Alptekin made the payments to Company A, it was to kick back 20 percent of the payments to Alptekin’s company in the Netherlands, and two such kickbacks were made.

Rafiekian is charged with conspiracy and acting in the United States as an illegal agent of the government of Turkey.  If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison for the conspiracy charge, and 10 years in prison for the charge of acting as an agent of a foreign government.

Alptekin is charged with conspiracy, acting in the United States as an illegal agent of the government of Turkey, and four counts of making false statements to the FBI.  If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison for the conspiracy charge, 10 years in prison for the charge of acting as an agent of a foreign government, and 5 years in prison for each of the four false statement charges.

The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes.  If convicted of any offense, the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney James P. Gillis of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Evan N. Turgeon of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Dumfries man was sentenced today to over 21 years in prison for distribution of fentanyl causing serious bodily harm.

According to court records, Christopher Louis Sorensen, 31, admitted that in February he distributed fentanyl to a female friend who later suffered respiratory arrest, a life-threatening condition that required medical intervention, including CPR and Narcan, a life-saving opioid overdose reversal drug used by first responders.

According to the statement of facts, Sorensen admitted that from 2015 to 2018, he sold over 400 grams of fentanyl, which he purchased from drug dealers in Baltimore. Additionally, Sorensen admitted that from 2009 to 2018, he sold over 5,000 tablets of 30 milligram oxycodone pills, acquired from a medical provider in Maryland and filled by a pharmacy in the Eastern District of Virginia, and often sold the tablets in the vicinity of the pharmacy that filled the prescription.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Division at the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III. Assistant U.S. Attorney James L. Trump and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Paulson 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. 1:18-cr-237.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A native and citizen of India, most recently from Iowa, was sentenced today to four years in prison for an investment fraud scheme and impersonating an employee of the Department of Homeland Security selling genuine United States visas as part of another fraud scheme. 

According to court documents, Kanwar Sarabjit Singh, 51, convinced over 20 members of a local Gospel church in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, that he was a successful businessman who owned a company in India that had a contract with Disney Animation Studios. Promising a large return on their cash investments after a short period of time, Singh took over $340,000 from the victims, many of whom were elderly and had liquidated their retirement accounts or mortgaged their homes, and kept it for himself. Singh also created a fake persona on Facebook and reached out to individuals seeking to come to the United States, or remain in the United States, by offering to get them United States visas in exchange for $3,000 to $4,000. For both schemes, Singh created and used false and fraudulent documents, including a fake identification card purporting to be from the Department of Homeland Security, to assure his victims that he was a federal employee. 

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Division at the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Patrick J. Lechleitner, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly R. Pedersen 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-228.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arlington man pleaded guilty today to knowingly receiving child pornography on the dark web.

According to court documents, Jon T. Wilkins, 39, a former commercial bank executive, used computers at his residence in Arlington to access the dark web in order to visit an illicit website, Playpen, which catered to the advertisement, distribution, and receipt of child pornography. While on the website, Wilkins created an alias “cowboy357m” and browsed dozens of threads featuring minor children being sexually abused. Wilkins downloaded some of the abusive content to electronic media connected to his computer, and hundreds of images of child pornography and child erotica were found on his computers. Wilkins attempted to conceal his illegal behavior by utilizing Tor, a special web browser that permits access to the dark web while hiding browsing activity. Nonetheless, Wilkins’ conduct was discovered by federal agents who were investigating illegal activity on Playpen.

Wilkins pleaded guilty to knowingly receiving child pornography and faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum term of 20 years in prison when sentenced on April 5, 2019. 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.

This matter was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force which is composed of FBI Agents, along with Detectives from the Fairfax County Police, Arlington County Police, Prince William County Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Leesburg Police, Alexandria City Police, Washington Metropolitan Police, Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, George Mason University Police, the United States Marshal’s Service and Agents of various Office of Inspector Generals. The task force was further aided by the FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children Section’s Major Case Coordination Unit.

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

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Division at the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel Smith III and Alexander P. Berrang 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. 1:18-cr-189.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to over 24 years in prison for producing child pornography of a 2-year-old boy.

“Protecting the most vulnerable from heinous crimes and vile perpetrators, like Webster, will continue to be a top priority,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The actions that Webster engaged in are one of the most offensive and serious crimes in the entire criminal code. We will continue to shine a light on the darkest areas of the web and protect those that are unable to protect themselves.”

According to court documents, Dashawn Webster, 23, was identified through a complex investigation involving Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), along with international law enforcement partners. Webster was a member of numerous websites dedicated to child exploitation. In order to gain access to some of these websites, Webster had to produce child pornography and share it with other members. In 2016, Webster produced child pornography with a 2-year-old and shared it with others. In addition to the produced images, Webster possessed over 110,000 other images and videos of minors engaging in sexual activity on numerous pieces of electronic media. 

“It is devastating that individuals like Dashawn Webster perpetrate this kind of evil in our world today to victimize our children, even infants,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk Michael Lamonea. “The American public can be assured that HSI will continue to aggressively investigate and uncover these criminals and bring them before our justice system to face the consequences of their terrible actions.”

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

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-101.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Aldie man pleaded guilty today to using the internet to download videos and images depicting the sexual abuse of children.

According to court documents, Hares Fakoor, 33, searched for and downloaded child pornography over a peer-to-peer file-sharing network. A forensic examination of two computers seized from his house in May 2016 revealed that, between December 2014 and May 2016, Fakoor downloaded and viewed numerous videos depicting child sexual abuse, including depictions of bestiality. Fakoor also configured a peer-to-peer file-sharing program to connect to the internet through a proxy service, which masked his IP address.

Fakoor pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison when sentenced on March 15, 2019. 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.

This matter was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force which is composed of FBI Agents, along with Detectives from the Fairfax County Police, Arlington County Police,  Prince William County Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Leesburg Police,  Alexandria City Police, Washington Metropolitan Police, Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, George Mason University Police, the United States Marshal’s Service and Agents of various Office of Inspector Generals.

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

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Division at the Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle P. Reynolds and William G. Clayman 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-355.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Matthews woman pleaded guilty today to defrauding the federal government of over $1.4 million in a long-running time and attendance fraud scheme.

“Federal service is a public trust that demands of employees the highest degree of integrity in the workplace,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “As stewards of that trust, we must ensure that those in such positions are held fully accountable for breaches that put personal enrichment in place of public service.”

According to court documents, Michelle M. Holt, 52, was previously employed as a federal employee for the Department of Defense. Holt worked as a secretary for U.S. Air Force at Joint Base Langley-Eustis. In that capacity, Holt was a salaried employee on the General Schedule (GS) grade for the federal civilian workforce and was entitled to overtime pay if authorized by her employer, and also to other forms of holiday and annual leave, as well as premium pay for any federal holidays worked.

A law enforcement investigation determined that from December 2001 to July 2018, Holt falsely claimed over 42,000 hours in unauthorized overtime that she did not work, as well as other amounts of unauthorized holiday leave, sick leave and annual leave, all amounting to losses to the United States of $1,460.262.43. In recent years, Holt’s overtime pay was over double that of her regular salary.  She accomplished the fraud by making manual retroactive adjustments to protected computer time and attendance systems to add overtime, reverse leave taken and reverse holiday leave. In doing so, Holt used another employee’s log-in information without that employee’s knowledge or authorization.

Holt pleaded guilty to charges of computer fraud and theft of government property and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison when sentenced on March 13. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Robert Craig, Special Agent in Charge for Defense Criminal Investigative Service Mid-Atlantic Field Office, and Colonel Kirk B. Stabler, Commander of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:18-cr-93.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Snow Hill man pleaded guilty today to receiving gratuities in exchange for official acts performed in his capacity as a government official, and to stealing funds from a government contract.

According to court documents, Steven Eric Kremer, 53, was the Chief of the Range and Mission Management Office at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Wallops Flight Facility (WFF). In that position, Kremer was responsible for administering the Range Operations Contract (ROC) – a multi-year government contract intended to provide services at test facilities and launch control centers. For a one-week period during each of the summers between 2008 and 2015, Kremer was provided the free use of a vacation home located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, owned by an employee of a ROC subcontractor. In exchange, Kremer facilitated the selection of the subcontractor’s firm to supply interior design services and office furniture for WFF. Kremer also utilized ROC funds to purchase gift cards for his personal use, and to obtain a piece of personalized art.

Kremer pleaded guilty to receipt of gratuities by a public official and theft of government funds, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on March 27, 2019. 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.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Paul K. Martin, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Inspector General, and Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys V. Kathleen Dougherty and Stephen W. Haynie 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-163.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for the distribution of heroin.

“Drug traffickers in possession of firearms pose a significant threat to our communities,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Investigating and prosecuting these cases remains a top priority in the Eastern District. We would not have been able to achieve this result without the cooperation of our local and federal law enforcement partners. My thanks to the Suffolk Police Department and DEA for their outstanding work on this case.”

According to court documents, Henry Scott, 43, sold 50 grams of heroin several times to an informant working with the Suffolk Police Department and the DEA. Law enforcement officials capped the investigation by executing a search warrant at Scott’s residence where they found an additional 27 grams of heroin along with an AR-15 style firearm with a 60-round drum magazine.

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

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar. Assistant U.S. Attorney William D. Muhr 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-54.

NORFOLK, Va. – A New York City man was sentenced today to over six years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

According to court documents, in February law enforcement observed Sheldon Myers, 56, exit a bus in Norfolk and enter a waiting vehicle with Virginia license plates. After conducting a traffic stop, law enforcement smelled marijuana and ordered both the driver and Myers to exit the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 313 grams of fentanyl concealed inside a graham cracker box. After waiving his Miranda rights, Myers admitted he had been recruited to transport the drugs on the bus from New York City to Norfolk.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, and Larry D. Boone, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-95.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for conspiring to manufacture and deal heroin and crack cocaine throughout Hampton Roads.

According to court documents, Anthony Michael Covil, 33, was a member of a drug-trafficking conspiracy that operated primarily in Chesapeake. In the last five years, Covil distributed at least 700 grams of heroin, some of which was mixed with fentanyl, at least 2 kilograms of crack cocaine, at least 4 kilograms of powder cocaine, and marijuana. He was arrested during a buy-bust in possession of two bags of heroin and fentanyl, two bags of cocaine, one bag of marijuana, and $300 cash in police buy money from previous controlled purchases. Covil also carried firearms during at least two drug transactions.

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

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-133.

NORFOLK, Va. – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging nine individuals for their respective roles in a series of violent grocery store robberies in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach.

According to allegations in the indictment, the individuals worked in at least six-member teams, and conducted armed robberies of a Food Lion in Chesapeake on September 25, a Food Lion in Virginia Beach on September 29, and a Harris Teeter in Virginia Beach on October 3. The teams included inside and outside look-outs, getaway drivers, and two gunmen. The teams used police scanners to monitor law enforcement activity, encrypted applications, and earpieces to communicate with one another. The inside look-out would find and identify the grocery store manager, initiate the robbery, and communicate the position of the manager to masked members of the conspiracy who entered the stores with firearms. At each robbery the gunmen demanded the managers open the grocery store safe. In the final robbery at a Harris Teeter in Virginia Beach, one of the gunmen shot the store manager.

All nine defendants were charged with Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Means of Robbery. They were also named in the indictment with the following charges:

Name, Age

Hometown

Charges

Devonta Doyle, aka “Vontay”, 22

Virginia Beach

3 Counts of Robbery; 3 Counts of Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence; 1 Count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Cato M. Battle, 18

Virginia Beach

2 Counts of Robbery; 2 Counts of Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence

Willey E. Brooks, Jr., aka “Wally”, 26

Chesapeake

2 Counts of Robbery; 2 Counts of Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence

Darrius A. Heuser-Whitaker, 19

Virginia Beach

2 Counts of Robbery; 2 Counts of Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence

Monica Perkins, 29

Norfolk

1 Count of Robbery

Brennan K. Smith, aka “Dub”, 22

Virginia Beach

1 Count of Robbery; 1 Count of Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence

Brandon C. Tisdale, aka “Dot, GM”, 20

Virginia Beach

3 Counts of Robbery; 3 Counts of Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence

Trevor L. Tisdale, aka “T”, 24

Virginia Beach

2 Counts of Robbery; 2 Counts of Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence

Keonte K. Yorkshire, aka “Tae”, 21

Virginia Beach

3 Counts of Robbery; 3 Counts of Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence

 

Several of those indicted face a mandatory minimum penalty of 60 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of life in prison, if convicted on all counts. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of each defendant who is convicted will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Division, James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, and Kelvin L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement.

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

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Tidewater Violent Crime Task Force, in partnership with the Virginia Beach and Chesapeake Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John F. Butler and Andrew C. Bosse are prosecuting the case.

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.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-177.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Mexican man who has resided off and on in the United States for over 15 years was sentenced today to 2 1/2 years in prison for illegally re-entering the United States after deportation and subsequent to an aggravated felony conviction.

According to court documents, Oscar Perez-Rangel, 42, was convicted in 2003 of felony attempted robbery and use of a firearm in Fairfax County Circuit Court. In 2011, Perez-Rangel was convicted in Ohio of felony illegal reentry. In the instant offense he was detained in April 2017 in Fairfax County on unrelated state felony charges. ICE took the defendant into custody in July. Perez-Rangel will again be deported following the completion of his prison sentence.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Russell Hott, Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William R. Reed and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Taylor 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-300.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Sterling woman was sentenced today to 7 years in prison for health care fraud and tax charges for operating a fraudulent sleep study clinic in Northern Virginia.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Young Yi, 44, a citizen of South Korea, defrauded Medicare, Tricare, private insurance, and the IRS of more than $10 million during the conspiracy. Yi formed the primary entities she used to commit the crimes, 1st Class Sleep Diagnostic Center and 1st Class Medical, in 2005. Using those and other entities, Yi directed her employees to solicit patients who had been referred to her clinic for legitimate sleep studies for supplemental but medically unnecessary studies. To conceal the scheme, Yi instructed employees not to send the results of the fraudulent studies to the patients’ doctors, lied to patients by telling them they did not have to pay copays or coinsurance, and cross-billed using her different entities both to conceal the repetition from the insurance companies and to get out-of-network payments for in-network services. Yi also used the original referring doctors’ names and identifying information on health insurance claims without their permission, the evidence showed.

In addition to the medically unnecessary sleep studies performed on patients who had been referred by doctors to 1st Class Sleep Diagnostic Center, Yi also encouraged her own employees to have sleep studies that were then billed to insurance, the evidence showed.  Those included claims charged in the indictment for three employees who did not have sleep apnea but nonetheless received at least 27 sleep studies between them in less than three years. The employees received payments for undergoing the sleep studies, and in some instances, the employees were organized into teams for “races” to see who could refer the greatest number of friends and family members for the fraudulent studies.

According to the evidence presented at trial, Yi used her business bank accounts to purchase personal luxury goods and real estate that she nonetheless booked as business expenses.  Those falsely booked purchases included a $25,000 Rolex watch, $10,500 in mink coats, several luxury vehicles, and a $1.1 million home in Sterling. Yi also used the proceeds of her crimes to purchase five condominiums worth more than $2.8 million in McLean, Chicago, and Honolulu, Hawaii. After law enforcement searched the 1st Class premises in February 2014, Yi formed a purported charity, the “New Covenant Foundation,” and transferred millions of dollars in office properties into the foundation to protect them from recovery from law enforcement.  United States District Judge Liam O’Grady ordered that the properties be turned over to the United States as part of Yi’s sentence, and her advisory Guidelines range was enhanced for obstructing justice related to that conduct. 

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation, Washington D.C. Field Office, Thomas W. South, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigation for the Office of Personnel Management, Robert E. Craig, Special Agent in Charge for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office, and Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), made the announcement after sentencing by Judge O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine L. Wong and Ryan S. Faulconer, and Trial Attorney Kevin Lowell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which is part of a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion.  In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.

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 is 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-224.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – United States Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger, along with a team of law enforcement officials from the Eastern District of Virginia, joined law enforcement leaders from around the country this week at the 2018 Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Conference held in Kansas City, Missouri.

This morning, Terwilliger participated in a panel presentation on the ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) model and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN).

“CGIC and NIBIN are game changers for how we target and investigate trigger pullers,” said Terwilliger. “Director Brandon’s leadership and support of our anti-violent crime efforts and the U.S. Attorney community in general has been astounding. He and his team are truly committed to the ATF mantra of being no better partner. My sincere thanks to the brave women and men of ATF for all they are doing to interdict gun traffickers and violent criminals using both traditional law enforcement techniques as well as cutting edge science.”

Terwilliger was joined at the PSN conference by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen W. Miller and Rebeca H. Bellows, Newport News Police Chief Steve R. Drew, Major Roger Russell of the Richmond Police Department, Detective Ray Betts of the Fairfax County Police Department’s Gang Unit, and Sgt. Claudio Saa of the Town of Herndon Police Department. This team of law enforcement officials presented on best practices of investigating and dismantling MS-13, setting up violent crime task forces, forming law enforcement and community partnerships, and how to effectively use the CGIC model to address violent crime. The Eastern District of Virginia continues to be a leader in PSN and currently has active programs in all four divisions: Alexandria, Newport News, Norfolk, and Richmond.

Terwilliger recently accepted an invitation from ATF Director Thomas E. Brandon to join the National Crime Gun Intelligence Board, and will immediately begin serving a three-year term.

“United States Attorney Terwilliger’s extensive experience in both prosecuting violent firearm offenders and developing Department of Justice policies to combat firearm violence provides essential expertise to the Crime Gun Intelligence Governing Board,” said ATF Deputy Director Thomas E. Brandon. “ATF is fully committed to reducing gun violence in communities across the nation and the Governing Board, which includes police chiefs, forensic lab directors and federal and state prosecutors, is vital to the success of our mission. ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network helps disrupt the shooting cycle by assisting investigators in identifying firearms involved in more than one crime, often leading to the arrest of active trigger pullers and the firearm traffickers who illegally supply them with guns. NIBIN focuses investigations on our nation’s most violent offenders, enhancing the effectiveness of law enforcement in making our communities safer. We thank United States Attorney Terwilliger for his commitment to public safety the Eastern District of Virginia and our nation, and greatly appreciate his joining the Board.”

Established in 2016, the board uses the collective experience of federal, state, and local experts in the fields of forensics, law enforcement, and criminal law to ensure ATF receives valuable input on national programs related to Crime Gun Intelligence. Members of the 23-member board serve 3-year terms and are eligible for re-appointment. It meets biannually in different cities across the United States.

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

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for trafficking heroin while armed.

According to court documents, Vernon Lewis Petway, 39, was caught in possession of roughly 97 grams of heroin and a firearm after transporting the heroin by bus from New York City to Norfolk. At the time of the arrest Petway was on supervision for previous federal drug and gun convictions, and as a convicted felon is prohibited from carrying firearms.

The case is part of Operation Sand Dragon, a joint operation run by the Norfolk Police Department with assistance from the DEA, ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Chesapeake Police Department. After an eight-month-long investigation, law enforcement arrested 44 suspects for their roles in distributing drugs. Twelve of the suspects were involved in gang activity, which was a major focus of the investigation. During the investigation, law enforcement recovered roughly 11 ounces of heroin, 3 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of marijuana, 24 ecstasy pills, and 9 grams of methamphetamine. The total street value of the drugs was over $190,000. Law enforcement also recovered 12 firearms and over $85,000 in cash.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and Larry D. Boone, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson prosecuted the case.

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

A 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-34.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach woman pleaded guilty today to her role in a heroin and fentanyl distribution conspiracy that resulted in an overdose death.

“Best was dealing death from the comforts of her beach-front neighborhood,” said U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger. “Heroin and fentanyl do not discriminate across economic boundaries, and nor do we. We will remain vigilant in our pursuit of drug dealers who pump poison into our communities, no matter who they are or where they are.”

According to court documents, Michelle Renee Best, aka Michelle Smith, 43, managed her fentanyl operation from her home in the Croatan neighborhood of Virginia Beach. In December 2017, co-conspirator Christopher Bardall distributed fentanyl to a person who used it and subsequently went into a 17-hour coma and died. Virginia Beach Police arrested Bardall the following day. Virginia Beach Police and DEA investigators later learned that Bardall received his supply of fentanyl from co-conspirator Darin Milligan, who in turn got his fentanyl from his regional supplier, Michelle Best. Best knew the narcotics she was distributing were strong and had resulted in multiple overdoses. When she learned of the overdose death, she told Milligan to keep the information to himself and that it would be “business as usual.” Both Best and Milligan continued to buy and sell fentanyl for nearly three months following the overdose death until their arrest on March 13.

“We’ve really worked hard to crack down on the supply of fentanyl in the Commonwealth because it has been one of the primary drivers of the rise in overdose deaths in Virginia,” said Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia. “Fentanyl is profitable and dangerously potent, with just a few specks capable of killing on any given use, or even through accidental ingestion or absorption. Hampton Roads will be safer now that this local fentanyl source has been taken offline.”

On March 13, a Virginia Beach S.W.A.T. team executed a search warrant on Best’s home and recovered a commercial money counter, nearly $42,000 in cash, 1.85 kilograms of cocaine, 1.12 kilograms of marijuana, 382 grams of heroin laced with fentanyl, a drug ledger, devices used for drug manufacturing such as a hydraulic press, a vacuum bag sealer, scales, and four firearms including an AR-15 rifle and a Ruger .38 Special revolver. Best was prohibited from owning these firearms due to a prior felony animal cruelty conviction in North Carolina for her involvement in a dog-fighting ring.

Best pleaded guilty to conspiracy and distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury. She faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison when sentenced on March 14, 2019. Bardall pleaded guilty for his role in the conspiracy and will be sentenced on March 5, 2019.  Milligan also pleaded guilty for his role in the conspiracy and will be sentenced Jan. 29, 2019. 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.

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

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John F. Butler, Andrew C. Bosse, and Joseph E. DePadilla 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-147.

RICHMOND, Va. – A North Carolina man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role as the leader of a lengthy and extensive drug trafficking conspiracy.

According to court documents, Deron Radarius Powell, 34, was the ringleader of a drug trafficking organization which operated in Emporia and the surrounding area dating back to 2013. During the conspiracy, Powell along with several other co-conspirators, distributed large amounts of crack cocaine, powder cocaine, heroin and marijuana to hundreds of customers in Virginia and North Carolina.

Name, Age

Hometown

Convictions

Sentence

Deron R. Powell, 34

Roanoke Rapids, NC

Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine

30 years

Marvin A. Baskerville, 44

Richmond

Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine

17 years

Steve A. Hicks, 42

Emporia

Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine

15 years

Hershell L. Grant, 52

Roanoke Rapids, NC

Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine

14 years

Dexter O. Banks, 30

Emporia

Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine

11 years

Crystal L. Mangrum, 29

Emporia

Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine

10 years

Brittany L. Owens, 28

Emporia

Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine

10 years

Vincent D. Anderson, 41

Emporia

Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine

10 years

Ronnie Rawles, 38

Emporia

Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine

7 years

Robert W. Little III, 70

Emporia

Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine

5 years

Cynthia M. Fox, 51

Emporia

Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine

4 years

Tracy M. Moody, 53

Roanoke Rapid, NC

Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine

4 years

 

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Richmond Area Violent Enterprises Task Force, as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force’s (OCDETF), Operation Bulls Eye. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal 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.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and John J. Lenkart, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Field Division, Ricky Pinksaw, Chief of the Emporia Police Department, William T. Jarratt Jr., Sheriff of the Greensville County, and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Duffey 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-80.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Honduran man late yesterday of leading a drug trafficking organization that smuggled at least thousands of kilos of cocaine into the United States over the last decade.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Arnulfo Fagot-Maximo, 57, was the leader of a drug trafficking organization based in the La Mosquitia region of the Departamento Gracias a Dios, Honduras. His organization was a critical link between Colombian cocaine suppliers and other major Honduran traffickers. For over a decade, the Fagot-Maximo received cocaine along the Mosquitia coast from Colombia by “go fast” boats, small aircraft, and submersible vessels in quantities ranging from a few hundred to several thousand kilograms per delivery. Most of this cocaine was transferred to the Montes Bobadilla organization in Francia, Honduras, where it was received by other traffickers. Eventually the cocaine was transported by land through Honduras and Guatemala, and then it was delivered to the Mexican cartels for importation into the United States. Fagot-Maximo received tens of millions of dollars in U.S. currency for the sale and delivery of this cocaine. 

Arnulfo Fagot-Maximo was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine knowing that the cocaine was to be unlawfully imported into the United States. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison when sentenced on March 29, 2018. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the DEA as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Harpoon through DEA’s HIDTA Task Force in Annandale Virginia. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal 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.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Patrick J. Lechleitner, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady accepted the verdict.

Assistance in the investigation and prosecution was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of New York, the Middle District of Florida, and the Southern District of Florida. Assistance was also provided by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Honduran National Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James L. Trump, Thomas W. Traxler and DOJ Trial Attorney Anthony Aminoff 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:15-cr-290.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man pleaded guilty today to running a Ponzi scheme that defrauded over 20 victims of more than $1.4 million.

According to court documents, Brian Thomas Sapp, 38, ran a company called Novus Properties, which purported to have relationships with banks and mortgage lenders who wished to sell distressed lender-owned properties. These were supposedly single-family residences in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. Sapp raised capital from investors to loan him money to be used in the purchase of the homes, which he claimed he would resell 90 days later at a substantial profit. Sapp promised rates of return as high as 25 percent, and falsely claimed to have a guaranteed buyer for all his properties, usually a real Alexandria-based construction company.

To execute the scheme, Sapp stole the identity of the president of the construction company. Sapp, using a cloud-based platform called DocuSign, executed false contracts between Novus and the construction company, using the same IP address within minutes of each other to affix both his own digital signature as seller for Novus and the digital signature of the victim construction company president as buyer. Sapp would send the purchase contracts to victims, along with falsified HUD-1 Settlement Statement summaries, as evidence that he had purchased the properties and already contracted to re-sell them. Altogether, Sapp executed hundreds of false real estate transactions to induce victims to part with money. In truth, Sapp did not close on deals and used victim money to buy a Mercedes, take golf vacations, and to make lulling payments to investors. Sapp targeted close friends and their family who trusted him.

Sapp pleaded guilty to wire fraud and to aggravated identity theft and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison for the identity theft charge, and a maximum of 20 years for the wire fraud charge, when sentenced on March 15, 2019. 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.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea. 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-446.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Glen Allen man pleaded guilty today to posing as a doctor at a free clinic in Newport News, where he saw nearly two dozen patients.

According to allegations in the indictment, Vishal J. Patel, 31, used the personal identifying information of licensed physicians to pose as a doctor in online employment applications to medical staffing companies. Patel falsely claimed in such applications to be licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth of Virginia. To support this claim, Patel created and submitted false diplomas and certificates concerning his education, training, certifications, and licenses in which he included registration and licensing numbers belonging to various licensed physicians. To obtain access to their information, Patel posed as the physicians when contacting various oversight entities, including the Drug Enforcement Administration. Patel directed those entities to alter the physicians’ licensing records so that they appeared to be associated with Patel. He then directed these entities to mail him copies of the altered records. Through the scheme, Patel fraudulently induced various medical staffing companies to employ him as an independent contractor. Patel obtained employment through at least one company at a free clinic in Newport News, where he saw nearly two dozen patients before he was terminated due to the clinic’s inability to verify his credentials.

Patel pleaded guilty to furnishing false information in a DEA record and aggravated identity theft. He faces a maximum penalty of four years, along with a mandatory consecutive term of two years in prison, when sentenced on March 19, 2019. 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.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:17-cr-125.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton Roads man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for distributing fentanyl, which resulted in death. During the sentencing hearing, the Court noted that Burgess had appeared in court on various criminal charges at least 43 times during his life.

According to court documents, in November 2016 a man was found dead in his home as the result of a fentanyl overdose. Based on telephone records and eyewitnesses, Arnold Burgess, 50, was identified as the drug dealer who provided the victim with fentanyl. Five months after the death, Burgess was arrested in Stafford County with 1/4 kilogram of fentanyl. Burgess was connected to the William Joe drug trafficking organization, which was responsible for selling heroin on the Virginia Peninsula for many years prior to the arrest of its senior members in 2017.

The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Operation Broken Finger. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal 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.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:17-cr-65.

NORFOLK, Va. – A New York City man living in Virginia Beach was sentenced today to over 11 years in prison for dealing heroin and fentanyl, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, Michael Thomas Jamison, Jr., 34, was arrested during a joint HSI and Virginia Beach Police Department operation attempting to sell approximately 150 grams of heroin laced with fentanyl. A search warrant executed at Jamison’s home led to the recovery of an additional 620 grams of heroin laced with fentanyl, over $10,000 in cash, and two loaded handguns. Jamison is a convicted felon due to multiple previous drug convictions in New York and Maryland. 

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

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, and James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew C. Bosse and Joseph E. DePadilla prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-105.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today to four and a half years in prison for his involvement in a scheme that resulted in 19,000 stolen credit and debit cards that were used to obtain over $490,000 in unauthorized ATM cash withdrawals and money order purchases.

According to court documents, Mushegh Melkonyan, 28, participated in a multistep conspiracy involving at least six other individuals. Specifically, conspirators attached electronic devices known as “skimmers” to gas pump payment systems, collected the information captured when payment cards were swiped at the compromised gas pumps by unwitting customers, and encoded the stolen card numbers onto physical payment cards. Thereafter, conspirators used the physical cards encoded with stolen card information throughout Northern Virginia and elsewhere, making fraudulent ATM withdrawals and U.S. Postal Service money order purchases. Court documents show that Melkonyan furthered the conspiracy by traveling to the Eastern District of Virginia in August 2017, reserving a Falls Church hotel room that was used to store the proceeds and tools of the conspiracy, and using physical cards encoded with stolen payment card numbers to withdraw funds on August 8 from area ATMs.

As reflected in court documents, in addition to Melkonyan, the five individuals listed in the table below have been charged with participating in the same conspiracy, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud and/or aggravated identity theft, and have been sentenced.

 

Name, Age

Hometown

Convictions

Sentence

Mushegh Melkonyan, 28

Las Vegas, Nev.

Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud; Aggravated Identity Theft

4.5 years

Rudolf Mekhakian, 31

Van Nuys, Calif.

Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud; Aggravated Identity Theft

7.5 years

Radik Karapetyan, 25

North Hollywood, Calif.

Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud; Aggravated Identity Theft

6.5 years

Siranush Yengibaryan, 24

Van Nuys, Calif.

Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud; Aggravated Identity Theft

5.5 years

Armen Saplekchian, 37

Tarzana, Calif.

Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud; Aggravated Identity Theft

5 years

Anatoly Zinchenko, 47

Philadelphia, Pa.

Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud

 

3 years

Court documents indicate that some of the above-listed defendants may face immigration consequences as a result of their convictions. For instance, Karapetyan and Yengibaryan are citizens of Armenia and green card holders, and Saplekchian is an illegal alien.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Patrick J. Lechleitner, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Washington Division, and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander P. Berrang and Kellen S. Dwyer 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-149.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Glen Allen man was sentenced today to over nine years in prison for distributing almost 400 grams of heroin and fentanyl in the central Virginia area.

According to court documents, Paris Moore, 32, pleaded guilty on August 22 to two counts of distribution of heroin. Moore’s charges stem from his distribution of drugs to a confidential informant on two separate occasions while on federal supervised release. On January 19, Moore distributed 3.65 grams of a mixture of heroin and fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl to a confidential informant in Henrico County. On January 26, Moore distributed 6.36 grams of a mixture of heroin and cyclopropylfentanyl to a confidential informant in Richmond. On February 22, DEA agents executed a search warrant at Moore’s residence in Glen Allen and recovered 2.43 grams of crack cocaine and .88 grams of heroin and 4-fluoroisobutryl fentanyl.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-71.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Canadian man living in Leesburg pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl that caused two deaths and one non-fatal overdose in 2016.

According to court documents, Joseph Riley Curry, 29, obtained heroin and fentanyl from sources of supply that he distributed to customers in Loudoun County. Drugs that Curry distributed killed two people in March 2016, and caused a third individual to experience an overdose that required medical intervention. In August 2017, Curry was arrested on a state felony distribution charge. While in custody, Curry ordered another individual to destroy evidence he thought might be used against him in a possible federal prosecution.

Curry pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin resulting in death and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on Feb. 22, 2019. 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.

This matter was investigated by the Leesburg Police Department and the Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets/HIDTA Task Force – Northern Virginia which is composed of FBI Agents, and Task Force Officers from the Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Leesburg, Prince William County Police Departments, HSI, ATF, with assistance from the DEA Mid-Atlantic Regional Laboratory.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Michael L. Chapman, Loudoun County Sheriff, and Gregory C. Brown, Leesburg Chief of Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Peters 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-396.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for leading a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in the Washington, DC area.

According to court documents, Donnell Leroy Williams, 55, aka Bubbles, his son, Antonio Donnell Shelton, 30, aka Little Bubbles, James Coleman Brown, 51, and Demetrius Antonio Johnson, 37, aka Bake, worked together to distribute fentanyl, a highly dangerous narcotic. During the course of the conspiracy, Williams and his co-conspirators had the ability to obtain large quantities of fentanyl, and they routinely sold fentanyl and other highly addictive drugs to customers at locations in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC.

Name, Age

Hometown

Convictions

Sentence

Donnell Leroy Williams, 55

Hyattsville, Md.

Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances

20 years

Antonio Donnell Shelton, 30

Washington, DC

Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances

6 years

James Coleman Brown, 51

Washington, DC

Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances

13 years

Demetrius Antonio Johnson, 37

Washington, DC

Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances

6 years

 

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

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Tyler McGaughey and David A. Peters 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-30.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Maryland residents were sentenced to a combined 13 years in prison today for their respective roles in a firearms straw purchasing and trafficking scheme.

“Haddock is exactly the type of individual who poses a serious danger to the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect us,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Haddock’s criminal history includes first-degree assault for shooting a woman in the leg at a playground in an attempt to rob her, conspiracy to rob a bank, and he committed this straw purchasing scheme while on probation. Along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we are committed to removing violent individuals like Haddock from our communities.”

According to court documents, between Dec. 3, 2017 and Jan. 6, 2018, Keith Haddock II, 26, Brittany Blanken, 25, and their co-conspirators illegally purchased 29 firearms during 11 separate transactions from federal firearms licensees at gun shows and gun stores in Virginia, using thousands of dollars of cash provided by Haddock. The straw purchasers immediately provided the firearms to Haddock, who, along with Blanken, transported the firearms into Washington, D.C. and Maryland and resold the firearms to other individuals. Haddock was unable to purchase the firearms himself or possess the firearms because he was previously convicted of two violent felonies in Montgomery County, Maryland.

“Firearm trafficking fuels violent gun crime in America,” said Thomas L. Chittum III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division. “Straw purchases are not simply paperwork violations—they put guns in the hands of serious criminals that terrorize communities across the country. This case perfectly highlights that danger: 29 straw purchased firearms were delivered into the hands of a violent felon before making their way to the streets of D.C. and Maryland, where they will be used in an untold number of violent crimes.”

Haddock was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while Blanken was sentenced to 3 years. At sentencing, the Court applied sentencing enhancements for the number of firearms involved and because Haddock and Blanken trafficked the firearms. Indeed, law enforcement in Maryland and Washington, D.C. have recovered approximately a dozen of the firearms unlawfully purchased during the scheme at crime scenes or in the unlawful possession of others. The other firearms involved have not been recovered.

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

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Thomas L. Chittum III, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas U. Murphy and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Williamson 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-236.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to nearly nine years in prison for conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine and possessing, using, and carrying a firearm.

According to court documents, Charles Ervin Livermon, 23, a previously convicted felon, sold heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and at least three guns to an undercover officer in a series of controlled purchases. On three occasions, Livermon sold the officer a deadly cocktail of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine. Other times, he used co-conspirators to negotiate the deals with the undercover officer. Officers later executed a warrant on his home and recovered heroin mixed with fentanyl, 450 grams of marijuana, and his personal firearm.

The case is part of Operation Sand Dragon, a joint operation lead by the Norfolk Police Department with assistance from the DEA, ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Chesapeake Police Department.  After an eight-month-long investigation, law enforcement arrested 44 suspects for their roles in distributing drugs. Twelve of the suspects were involved in gang activity, which was a major focus of the investigation. During the investigation, law enforcement recovered roughly 11 ounces of heroin, 3 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of marijuana, 24 ecstasy pills, and 9 grams of methamphetamine. The total street value of the drugs was over $190,000. Law enforcement also recovered 12 firearms and over $85,000 in cash.

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

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, and Colonel K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-28.

RICHMOND, Va. – A previously convicted felon who injured a Virginia State Trooper during a traffic stop was sentenced today to over 13 years in prison for drug crimes and a related federal supervised release violation.

“Johnson injured a state trooper while resisting arrest for possessing meth, marijuana, and cocaine,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This is prime example of the danger our law enforcement partners face every time they conduct a simple traffic stop. In the blink of an eye it can turn into a dangerous encounter. We will continue to investigate and prosecute cases where our law enforcement partners are injured in the line of duty.”

According to court documents, in December 2017, a Virginia State Police (VSP) Trooper conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle of George Johnson, 38, of Nottoway. During the course of the stop, Johnson fled from the Trooper and caused significant injuries to her hand. While fleeing, Johnson dumped over 130 grams of methamphetamine, which consisted of thousands of pieces of crystals, into the woods along his escape route. Johnson was eventually apprehended by assisting law enforcement and also charged with possessing over 51 grams of marijuana and 2.9 grams of cocaine. It was later determined that at the time of the incident Johnson was on federal supervised release for possession and intent to distribute cocaine-based drugs while carrying a firearm.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-81.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A South American couple pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud for orchestrating a loan modification scheme.

According to court documents, Rodrigo Pardo, 46, of Argentina, and Lorena Medina, 46, of Ecuador, defrauded homeowners in Northern Virginia and mortgage lenders by promising the homeowners to assist them in obtaining loan modifications. As part of the scheme, Pardo and Medina agreed to negotiate with the homeowners’ lenders for a reduced monthly payment. Pardo and Medina then instructed clients who were current on their mortgages to stop making payments to their lenders as they had in the past, and instead make payments into accounts controlled by Medina, Pardo, or COFS, a company they controlled. At the same time, Pardo and Medina represented to their clients’ mortgage lenders that COFS was authorized to negotiate loan modifications, but concealed from the mortgage lenders that they were receiving mortgage payments from the victims. As a result, Pardo and Medina received over $140,000 in payments from their victims, which they used for personal expenses.

Pardo and Medina pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud and face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison when sentenced on March 1, 2009. 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.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Robert Manchak, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Office of Inspector General for the Federal Housing Finance Agency, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly R. Pedersen and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlie Divine 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-181.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Mexican citizen most recently residing in Westmoreland County was sentenced today to three years in prison for illegal reentry following removal for a felony conviction.

“Morales-Ramirez was convicted of a sexual assault felony in 2000 as an illegal alien,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “He illegally reentered a second time and proceeded to commit more crimes. He clearly has no regard for our nation’s laws and borders and he poses a threat to our public safety. We are committed to criminal immigration enforcement and will continue to prioritize these cases.”

According to court documents, in 2000, Miguel Morales-Ramirez, 42, illegally entered the United States. Following a 2000 felony conviction for sexual assault, Morales-Ramirez was removed. In 2007, he illegally reentered the United States intending to stay permanently. Once in Virginia, Morales-Ramirez committed several driving violations, and in 2017, Morales-Ramirez was charged and convicted of drug offenses in Westmoreland County.

“ICE focuses its immigration enforcement efforts on removing public safety threats like Morales-Ramirez from our communities,” said Russell Hott, Field Office Director for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington. “Let today’s sentence serve as a lesson. ICE will not permit individuals to game our immigration system. If you violate the nation’s immigration laws, you will be prosecuted for your crimes.

ICE arrested Morales-Ramirez as part of Operation Eagle’s Shield in July 2018. This operation targeted notable threats to public safety throughout Virginia and Washington, D.C. that resulted in the arrests of 132 individuals on criminal and civil violations.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Russell Hott, Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. Assistant U.S. Attorney S. David Schiller 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-84.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A citizen of Honduras pleaded guilty today to illegally re-entering the United States after having been deported following a felony conviction.

According to court documents, Omar Enrique Romero-Caceres, 37, illegally re-entered the United States after being convicted of identity fraud in 2007, and illegally re-entered the United States in 2013.

Romero-Caceres pleaded guilty to illegal reentry after deportation or removal and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on Feb. 22, 2019. 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.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Russell Hott, Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis III. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Tonelli and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Walutes Jr. prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-354.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico man was sentenced today to 21 months in prison and five years of supervised release for possessing 30 baggies of crack cocaine hidden in his underwear inside Richmond Police Department (RPD) headquarters. 

According to court documents, on September 5, 2017, Zyejuan Redd, 21, was arrested by RPD officers on an outstanding warrant within the area of the Mosby Court public housing community. After being taken into custody, officers transported Redd to RPD headquarters where he was placed alone in an interview room equipped with video monitoring equipment. Several minutes later, RPD officers observed Redd on the video monitor reaching into and jostling the front of his pants in an attempt to retrieve an item. Based on Redd’s movements, RPD officers confronted Redd and discovered plastic bags containing 30 individually wrapped corner baggies of crack cocaine and a baggie containing a heroin.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-72.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former physician pleaded guilty today to operating a pill mill that illegally distributed over 600,000 oxycodone pills out of a pain management clinic in Woodbridge.

According to court documents, Shriharsh Laxman Pole, 65, was a physician who voluntarily surrendered his medical license in 2009, and again in 2013. In both instances, Pole admitted to creating a substantial risk to public health by engaging in wrongful prescribing practices for opiates, including oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone.

Upon surrendering his license in 2013, Pole founded Excel Medical Clinic (EMC). EMC operated out of the same office, had the same employees, and the same patients, as Pole’s former practice. Most of EMC’s patients were treated for pain management issues. Pole enlisted the aid of nurse-practitioner and co-conspirator, Janelle Hibson, 63, of Fredericksburg, who pleaded guilty to the same charges on September 6. Hibson pre-signed prescriptions that Pole later filled out and distributed. Patients often received these drugs without undergoing any physical or diagnostic examination to determine whether the drugs were necessary for legitimate medical purposes. Pole admitted that between EMC’s founding and 2015, he caused the distribution of more than 600,000 pills containing oxycodone.

Pole pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute Schedule II and III controlled substances, including oxycodone, oxymorphone, morphine sulfate, and hydrocodone, outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on March 15, 2019. 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.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael P. Ben’Ary and David Peters 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-397.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pleaded guilty today after being caught in a law enforcement controlled delivery operation involving the transportation of 9 kilograms of cocaine from Los Angeles to Richmond.

“Brown planned on distributing at least 9 kilograms of dangerous narcotics onto the streets of Richmond and beyond,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Investigating and prosecuting drug traffickers continues to be a top priority, and I want to thank our local, state, and federal partners for their outstanding work on this case.”

According to court documents, on August 6, Frankie Brown, 34, provided a duffle bag containing 9 kilograms of cocaine to an individual in Los Angeles for delivery to him in Richmond. On August 7, Texas Department of Public Safety law enforcement officials stopped this individual in Amarillo, Texas, and seized the cocaine from his possession. On August 10, DEA agents arrested Brown when he took custody of what he believed to be his 9 kilograms of cocaine and $6,375.

Brown pleaded guilty to attempted possession with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and up to life in prison when sentenced on Feb. 21, 2019. 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.

Operation California Dreamin was investigated as part of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal 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.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-104.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his leadership role in a nine-member conspiracy to fraudulently obtain and sell approximately 9,000 Oxycodone pills in Hampton Roads.

According to court documents, from February to September 2017, Deonte Farrow, who was sentenced today to 10 years, and Quentia Fields led a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain Oxycodone pills from various pharmacies in the Hampton Roads area for the purpose of selling the pills on the streets for a profit. Farrow and Fields manufactured and drafted prescriptions for Oxycodone pills from their home computers and printers, using the name and DEA registration numbers of real physicians, without the physician’s knowledge. Farrow and Fields then worked with co-conspirators, Harvey Williams, Lucion Liles and Quanisha Platt, to recruit individuals to serve as runners, such as Tynasia Smith, Travis Smith, Juan Ramirez, and Tykeiah Benn, who would take the prescriptions to various pharmacies in the Tidewater area to be filled. Platt, who had worked in several pharmacies, knew how to draft a prescription so that it looked legitimate to a pharmacy. The runners either were paid in money or given a quantity of the Oxycodone pills for their services. The listed patient on the written prescriptions were either the name of a co-conspirator or the name of some other real person, sometimes without that person’s knowledge. In total, approximately 20 physicians’ names and DEA registration numbers were used on the fraudulent prescriptions without the doctor’s knowledge.

This investigation was conducted by the Richmond Tactical Diversion Squad, in cooperation with the Chesapeake, Norfolk and Virginia Beach Police Departments, and the Virginia State Police.

Name, Age

Hometown

Convictions

Sentence

Deonte Farrow, 28

Norfolk

Conspiracy to Obtain and Distribute Oxycodone

120 months

Quentia Fields, 27

Norfolk

Conspiracy to Obtain and Distribute Oxycodone

46 months

Harvey Williams, 27

Chesapeake

Conspiracy to Obtain and Distribute Oxycodone

51 months

Lucion Liles, 28

Norfolk

Conspiracy to Obtain and Distribute Oxycodone

41 months

Quanisha Platt, 24

Norfolk

Conspiracy to Obtain and Distribute Oxycodone

37 months

Tykeiah Benn, 27

Norfolk

Conspiracy to Obtain and Distribute Oxycodone

24 months

Travis Smith, 31

Norfolk

Conspiracy to Obtain and Distribute Oxycodone

16 months

Juan Ramirez, 31

Norfolk

Conspiracy to Obtain and Distribute Oxycodone

10 months

Tynasia Smith, 22

Chesapeake

Conspiracy to Obtain and Distribute Oxycodone

7 months

 

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division], made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Muhr 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-15-1.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

“Keeping firearms out of the hands of convicted felons is a top priority,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This is a public safety and law enforcement safety issue that I am 100 percent committed to. We will continue to aggressively pursue these cases and work with our partners at the ATF to remove violent criminals like Mitchell from our communities.”

According to court documents, Sean Gregory Mitchell, 45, unlawfully possessed a firearm in June 2016, when Newport News police officers were on bike patrol at Mitchell’s apartment complex and detected the odor of marijuana. Officers subsequently obtained a search warrant for the apartment, and located a semi-automatic handgun with a loaded magazine, a small bag of marijuana, a scale, and three small bags of cocaine base.

This is Mitchell’s third federal conviction. He was previously convicted of felon in possession of a firearm in 1997, and distribution of cocaine base and use of a communication facility in the distribution of cocaine base in 2003 in federal court. Mitchell’s prior state convictions include assault and battery, trespassing, unlawful wounding, and possession of marijuana.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Cowles 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:16-cr-82.

RICHMOND, Va. – Three drug traffickers have been sentenced to a combined 17 years in prison for participating in a lengthy and extensive drug trafficking conspiracy.

According to court documents, Devin McCoy Rawls, 28, of Portsmouth, along with Robert William Little III, 70, and Cynthia Mosley Fox, 51, both of Emporia, were members of a drug trafficking organization which operated in Emporia and the surrounding area dating back to 2013. During the conspiracy, these defendants along with several other co-conspirators, distributed large amounts of crack cocaine, powder cocaine, heroin and marijuana to hundreds of customers in Southeast Virginia.

Rawls and Little were sentenced on Tuesday to over seven years, and five years, respectively, and Fox was sentenced today to over four years in prison. 

The case was investigated by the FBI as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Bulls Eye. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal 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.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Duffey 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-22.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Woodbridge man today for his role in a conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.

“Sex traffickers often prey upon the most vulnerable victims in our society,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The victims were targeted specifically because Rhymes knew they were vulnerable and that he could exploit them, and he used fear, coercion, and control to force them into a form of modern-day slavery. We are grateful to the jury for their time and attention to this difficult case, and to our trial team and investigative partners for their terrific work in pursuit of justice for the victims in this case.”

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Cornell Devore Rhymes, 32, conspired with others, including but not limited to Justin Robinson and Markus Plummer, who have been previously convicted, to forcibly sex traffic young women during the Summer of 2017. The jury found that Rhymes used tactics such as non-consensual sex, cocaine and violence to keep these and other young women prostituting for their benefit.

Rhymes was convicted of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, and sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion. Prior to trial, Rhymes pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Rhymes faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison when sentenced on Feb. 15, 2019. 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.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, and Barry M. Barnard, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whitney Dougherty Russell and Raizza Ty 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-22 (Rhymes), and 1:17-cr-310 (Robinson and Plummer).

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging two Hampton Roads men with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

“Convicted felons who possess firearms present a significant danger to the safety of our law enforcement partners and the communities they serve,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We will continue to aggressively pursue those who have forfeited their Second Amendment rights due to felony conviction. Together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners we are committed to removing illegally possessed firearms from our streets.”

According to allegations in the first indictment, Mark E. Monroe, 48, of Newport News, came into contact with Newport New Police as an occupant of a vehicle parked in an apartment complex. When officers approached the vehicle, Monroe rolled the window down and officers immediately noticed a firearm on the seat under Monroe’s leg. Monroe was previously convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

According to allegations in the second indictment, Sequia Kerr, 43, of Yorktown, came into contact with Newport News Police after two men reported that Kerr brandished a firearm and ran toward them. Officers recovered a firearm hidden in a trashcan at the scene, and Kerr admitted that he put the firearm in the trashcan when he learned that officers were coming.

Each man is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and if convicted each 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.

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

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, and Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bob Bradenham and Megan M. Cowles are prosecuting the cases.

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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison and 20 years of supervised release for receiving images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

According to court documents, Christopher Howerton, 33, was identified by both the Virginia Beach Police Department and Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force as having distributed images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct (SEC) from 2016 through 2017 via peer-to-peer file-sharing software. In December 2017, a federal search warrant was conducted at his residence in Suffolk. A forensic analysis of Howerton’s electronic media seized during the search warrant revealed numerous images and videos of minors engaging in SEC.

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

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-51.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute Fentanyl.

According to court documents, Glenn Murphy, 38, sold a total of three ounces of heroin to the Portsmouth Police during an undercover operation. After a subsequent attempt to sell heroin to the police, Murphy placed under arrest and searched. The police found four baggies containing various drugs, including two baggies containing 78 grams of Fentanyl, one baggie containing 12 grams of a Fentanyl derivative, and one baggie containing 28 grams of cocaine.

Murphy pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute Fentanyl, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison when sentenced on Feb. 12, 2019. 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.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney William D. Muhr is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-145.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to the statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition.

According to court documents, Wesley Paul Hadsell, 40, pleaded guilty on Nov. 6, 2015. According to the statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Hadsell admitted that on Dec. 23, 2013, he purchased ammunition at Bob’s Gun Shop in Norfolk and that on Dec. 31, 2013, he took that ammunition to a gun range in Chesapeake, where he and other individuals used some of the ammunition. Hadsell retained possession of approximately 80 rounds of ammunition after the trip to the range. Hadsell has at least 10 prior convictions for crimes ranging from burglary and bank robbery to felonious restraint.

Hadsell was initially sentenced to 20 years in prison in November 2016, pursuant to the Armed Career Criminal Act, which increased the statutory maximum for the crime. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals returned the case for resentencing after holding that one of Hadsell’s prior burglary convictions did not count as an Armed Career Criminal predicate offense, which reset the statutory maximum penalty to 10 years.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Larry D. Boone, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew C. Bosse 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:15-cr-116.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Moroccan man yesterday on charges of assaulting federal law enforcement officers and failure to depart the United States.

“These ICE officers were carrying out a lawful judicial order to deport a convicted felon,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This verdict shows that we will not tolerate this kind of violent attack on law enforcement officers. The United States Attorney’s Office will protect those who are sworn to protect us.”

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Zakaria Taoufik, 40, a citizen of Morocco, was being deported from Dulles International Airport pursuant to a valid final order of removal issued by a U.S. immigration judge because of a prior aggravated felony conviction. Three ICE deportation officers were assigned to accompany Taoufik back to Morocco. Taoufik told the airline pilot that he would not let himself be deported, and that he would fight and make the flight uncomfortable for everyone. Once on the aircraft, Taoufik screamed that he could not be deported, that he would not allow himself to be taken back to Morocco, issued threats against the officers, and took violent and aggressive actions to prevent his deportation, including shattering the entertainment screen on the seatback in front of him by slamming his head into the screen, attempting to head-butt two of the officers, attempting to bite an officer, and deliberately spitting in the face of an officer. Because of his disruptive actions, Taoufik and the ICE officers were ordered off the aircraft. This was Taoufik’s second successful attempt to prevent his deportation, as he had foiled an earlier attempt to deport him from Atlanta in October 2017.

Taoufik faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on Jan. 25, 2019. 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.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the verdict. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Reilly and Assistant U.S. Attorney Grace Hill 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-73.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Florida businessman pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for orchestrating a scheme that caused over $1 million in losses to multiple victims.

According to court documents, Armando Almirall, 37, of Oviedo, was one of the managing principals of a company called Aura Exchange LLC (AURA). Almirall and his co-conspirators, through AURA, promised their clients that they could help obtain funding for a host of business purposes, such as real estate transactions and television projects. Instead, Almirall and his co-conspirators spent large portions of their clients’ funds on personal expenses, cash withdrawals and wire transfers with the clients’ knowledge or consent. In order to induce the victims to provide AURA with money, Almirall and his co-conspirators made a host of fraudulent misrepresentations, including representing to clients that they were guaranteed to receive their initial equity deposits back when, in fact, none of the victims ever received any money from AURA. Almirall claimed that AURA had offices in Zurich, London, and New York when no such offices existed. Almirall also provided clients with fraudulent bank documents showing that AURA could obtain millions (and in one instance, billions) in funds for their clients. In total, the victims suffered losses of at least $1.6 million.

Almirall pleaded guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on Feb. 8, 2019. 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.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamar K. Walker 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-392.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man was sentenced today to more than eight years in prison for being a felon in possession of more than a dozen firearms and attempting to obstruct justice. 

According to court documents, Richard Allen Patterson, 47, a previously convicted felon, conspired with his wife to stockpile in their home at least 23 rifles, shotguns, and handguns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Once they learned that ATF was investigating them, they attempted to cover up their crimes by lying to federal authorities, tampering with witnesses, including their own teenage daughters, hiding evidence, and attempting to fabricate evidence to exonerate Patterson. One egregious obstruction example was when Patterson had his wife change the registered address of their business weeks after ATF executed a search warrant for the property and then moved to suppress the warrant because ATF included the “wrong” address in it.

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

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:17-cr-114.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A man from the Washington, D.C. area pleaded guilty today to possessing multiple firearms as a convicted felon and passing counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes.

According to court documents, Kevin Bushrod, 31, purchased two AR-15 semiautomatic rifles in June from an individual who was unaware that Bushrod had previously been convicted of numerous felony offenses. Bushrod used an alias during the transaction, which occurred in Alexandria, and paid for the firearms using, in part, counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes.

Less than one week later, on June 14, the Leesburg Police Department conducted a traffic stop of Bushrod’s Mercedes Benz vehicle in Leesburg. Bushrod fled in his vehicle while an officer was speaking on the phone with Bushrod’s federal Probation Officer. While being pursued by law enforcement, Bushrod began driving in an aggressive and dangerous manner, and his reckless driving forced other vehicles to take evasive actions to keep from being struck. Bushrod then jumped out of his vehicle without turning it off and continued to flee on foot, to include scaling a fence and falling 25 to 30 feet into a wooded area. Bushrod was finally apprehended near an abandoned outbuilding deep within the wooded area, where law enforcement officers and a K-9 established a security perimeter.

Following a court-authorized search of Bushrod’s Mercedes Benz vehicle, law enforcement located a Smith & Wesson AR-15 semiautomatic rifle that Bushrod previously purchased with counterfeit currency, and a loaded FNX-9 9mm semiautomatic pistol. Bushrod’s vehicle also contained, among other items, a stash of counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes, additional ammunition, a knife, multiple baggies containing suspected cocaine, digital scales, and five cell phones.

Bushrod faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the counterfeit currency charge and 10 years in prison on the firearms charge when sentenced on Jan. 25, 2019. 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.

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

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, Gregory C. Brown, Chief of Leesburg Police, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Brian J. Ebert, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea. Significant investigative assistance was provided by the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets/HIDTA Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-395.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a felony.

“Toatley is exactly the type of individual who poses a serious danger to the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect us,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Toatley has a long criminal history which includes aggravated assault for shooting a person, another aggravated assault for forcing a person out of his home at gun-point, drug offenses, and false imprisonment. Along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we are committed to removing violent individuals like Toatley from our communities.”

According to court documents, police were called to a residence in Richmond by the occupant who said a male was threatening her and her children, the male was on his way to the caller’s home, and the male was known to carry a firearm.  When the responding officer arrived, he saw Gerald Toatley, 38, at the door of the residence.  Toatley acknowledged a conflict with the resident, but dismissed it as a “misunderstanding.”  When the officer asked for identify information, Toatley attempted to flee, but fell to the ground.  As the officer tried to assist him, Toatley threw the officer to the ground and ran.  During his flight, Toatley hid a 9mm semi-automatic pistol in a barbeque grill in a neighboring yard.  Shortly thereafter, the officer arrested Toatley, who resisted being placed in handcuffs.  The officer then recovered the firearm, which had Toatley’s DNA on it.  The Court enhanced defendant’s sentence because the gun had a large capacity magazine, capable of holding sixteen rounds of ammunition.

“Gun crime is a scourge on our communities and holds good people hostage in their own homes,” said Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “ATF is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to take violent criminals like Gerald Toatley off our streets and put them behind bars where they belong. I hope this serves as a warning to other armed criminals that when they are caught, they will be met with swift, predictable consequences.”

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

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Holli R. Wood and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Miller prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-53.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Brooklyn, New York man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for a long-term heroin, methamphetamine, and gun-running conspiracy. 

According to court documents, Shannon Poulson, 40, imported heroin and methamphetamine into Hampton Roads from out-of-state sources over a three-year period, and sold the drugs or traded them for guns. Poulson trafficked dozens of guns back to New York, where he sold them illicitly for a substantial profit.

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

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, and James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew C. Bosse 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-49.