Eastern District of Virginia

NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to life in prison and ordered to forfeit $5.7 million for leading, organizing, and supplying a major heroin trafficking operation that resulted in at least one death.

“Leroy Perdue pumped a massive quantity of heroin into Hampton Roads for nearly a decade,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This eight-time previously convicted drug felon supplied heroin while armed. He supplied heroin to gang members. He even continued to supply heroin after discovering his drugs resulted in a fatal overdose. This case is a prime example of the power of law enforcement collaboration, and a fitting result for a defendant who choose to destroy families by trafficking opioids. I want to thank our prosecutors and our investigative partners for their extraordinary effort and dedication to this important case.”

According to court documents, Leroy Perdue, aka “Dink,” “Big Heat,” 46, served as the primary leader and organizer of a Hampton Roads based heroin trafficking organization distributed in excess of 100 kilograms of heroin (approximately 250,000 doses) over a 10-year period. In May, following a two-week trial, a federal jury found Perdue guilty of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute one kilogram or more of heroin; interstate travel in aid of racketeering; and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.

“With this final conviction and life sentence, one of the largest heroin trafficking operations in Hampton Roads has been completely shut down and we have taken one of the biggest drug dealers in the region off the streets,” said Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia. “My team and I have worked alongside both federal and local partners to interrupt the flow of heroin and fentanyl that drug dealers like Perdue pump into our communities. Multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency operations like Operation Hardest Hit continue to put dangerous individuals behind bars while also educating the public on the dangers of these drugs. I want to thank everyone involved with Operation Hardest Hit and securing this important conviction.”

On Aug. 14, 2017, over 300 law enforcement agents made arrests and executed search warrants in Virginia, Georgia, and New York. The takedown was the result of a multi-year, multi-jurisdictional, and multi-agency Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation designated Operation Hardest Hit.

“For years this defendant and his associates preyed on vulnerable people for profit and greed,” said Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Division. “They celebrated and bragged about their criminal enterprise, and showed no concern for its impact on the community or remorse when they learned their crimes resulted in death. Their conduct defied basic decency and demonstrates the need for vigilance and collaboration by law enforcement in targeting high level traffickers and violent criminal organizations that poison our community and terrorize our neighborhoods.”

According to court documents, law enforcement began investigating Leroy Perdue and his drug trafficking organization (Perdue DTO) in early 2016 following the heroin overdose death of a young resident of Chesapeake. With the participation of nearly two dozen Confidential Human Sources, law enforcement infiltrated the Perdue DTO and made 10 undercover controlled purchases of heroin and fentanyl. On June 22, the investigative team arrested Rhadu Schoolfield, 33, of Portsmouth, in Norfolk with more than 800 grams of heroin after he returned from a trip to New York. According to the indictment, the Perdue DTO Members of the Perdue DTO were responsible for supplying a violent gang based in Portsmouth and continued to sell dangerous narcotics even after learning that their drugs resulted in death.

Perdue, who described himself as the “Dogfood King” (“dogfood” is slang for heroin), financed the production of a music video for his co-conspirator and cousin, Rhadu Schoolfield, called, “Dumb Hard,” which contained children singing lyrics along with Schoolfield and other co-conspirators that glamorized the drug trade.  According to one court filing, Perdue had at least eight prior adult felony drug convictions.

Twelve of Perdue’s co-conspirators, including his son, two cousins, and several close childhood friends were sentenced to a combined total of nearly 170 years of imprisonment. See table below for sentencing details:

Name, Age

Hometown

Date Imposed

Sentence

Rhadu J. Schoolfield, 33

Portsmouth

February 21, 2018

288 months

Abraham A. Atkins, 35

Portsmouth

December 12, 2017

240 months

Tywon McKelvy, 42

New York

April 5, 2018

235 months

Darion D. Perdue, 24

Portsmouth

October 17, 2017

228 months

Eddie L. Tyson, 46

Portsmouth

December 12, 2017

180 months

Dominic Diablo Mosley, 35

Portsmouth

January 30, 2018

180 months

Kevin R. Lawrence, 37

Portsmouth

January 31, 2018

96 months

Nicholas W. Godwin, 37

Portsmouth

September 6, 2017

148 months

Jamars A. Cooper, 26

Portsmouth

September 5, 2017

132 months

Victoria A. Waller, 42

Portsmouth

January 3, 2018

126 months

Edward W. Muckle, 32

Portsmouth

December 13, 2017

108 months

Christina N. James, 41

New York

February 7, 2018

     60 months

 

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Division, and Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John F. Butler, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William B. Jackson, Kevin P. Hudson, and 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. 2:17-cr-116.

RICHMOND, Va. – A previously convicted felon was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for possession of a firearm.

“Convicted felons who possess firearms will be investigated and prosecuted at every opportunity,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Our primary mission is public safety, and keeping guns out of the hands of convicted felons goes a long way towards ensuring the safety of our law enforcement partners and the communities they serve. We are committed to removing illegally possessed firearms from our streets, and are zeroing in on criminals like Mr. Willis who are carrying firearms and driving crime in our communities.”

According to court documents, Zaymar Antonio Willis, 31, of Richmond, possessed multiple firearms, including a Bushmaster model XM15-E2S, caliber 223 Remington/ 5.56x45mm NATO semiautomatic pistol, with a 30-round magazine. Willis was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his prior felony convictions that included a 2009 drug trafficking conviction and a 2013 drug trafficking conviction. In addition to the 3 semiautomatic pistols recovered from the residence, the police also recovered a number of drug-related items, including digital scales, a plate with a razor blade and residue, numerous plastic sandwich bags with the corners ripped off and a small quantity of heroin wrapped in a plastic bag corner. Law enforcement also recovered over $3,500 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. 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 Alfred Durham, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-41.

NORFOLK, Va. – A South Carolina woman pleaded guilty today to the unregistered possession of ricin, a highly dangerous toxin. 

According to court documents, Virginia Beach police officers executing a search warrant in March 2016 found a number of chemicals, packages of castor beans, and multiple firearms, one with an obliterated serial number, in a storage unit rented by Debbie Siers-Hill, 63, of Summerville, who was then living in Virginia Beach. Tests of the chemicals showed that a syringe and a double-wrapped container found in the storage unit held ricin, a toxin derived from castor beans with no known antidote.

Siers-Hill pleaded guilty to possessing ricin, a listed “select agent” subject to Department of Health and Human Services registration requirements with which she did not comply. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on Jan. 14, 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, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alan M. Salsbury and Andrew C. Bosse 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-62.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Westmoreland County woman was sentenced today to six years in prison for possession with intent to distribute Oxymorphone, which she had obtained with a valid prescription. 

According to court documents, Kali Rose Provost, 29, obtained 90 Oxymorphone pills and 45 Oxycodone pills on Sept. 6, 2017, with a valid prescription. Later that evening, Provost offered to sell some of her pills to a friend, John Hile, and anyone else he knew. Provost then went to Hile’s house where she distributed Oxymorphone to Hile, who crushed the Oxymorphone and sniffed it.  Hile died in the early morning hours of Sept. 7, 2017, of Oxymorphone toxicity.

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, Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, and C.O. Balderson, Westmoreland County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-42.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An El Salvadoran man with no fixed address, who has resided off and on in the United States for over 20 years, was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for illegally re-entering the United States after deportation and subsequent to a felony conviction.

According to court proceedings, Juan Carlos Garcia Torres, 41, was detained on October 26, 2017, in Fairfax County, Virginia for his sixth DUI arrest. ICE took the defendant into custody on October 30, 2017. The defendant has never gained lawful status in the United States and he was convicted previously in 2011 in the Southern District of Texas for another felony illegal reentry offense. At the time of his arrest on October 26, the defendant had four prior DUI convictions in northern Virginia and six felony convictions overall.

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 Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis M. Fitzpatrick and Christopher Cook are handling the prosecution.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-2.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Dumfries man pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl causing serious bodily injury, for which he faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison.

“Sorensen placed lives at risk every time he chose to distribute these dangerous and deadly drugs into our communities,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Investigating and prosecuting heroin and fentanyl trafficking crimes is a top priority of this office as we continue to battle this deadly epidemic.”

According to court records, Christopher Louis Sorensen, 31, admitted that in February 2018 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.

“Fentanyl is a dangerous drug that can kill a user after just one use and have widespread negative effects on our communities,” said Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office. “This plea is just one example of the substantial work the FBI is doing with partners across the region to stem the flow of opioids into our neighborhoods.”

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.

Sorensen pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl causing serious bodily injury, and faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on December 21, 2018. 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 T.S. Ellis III accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney James L. Trump and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Paulson 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-237.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Fort Lee man was sentenced today to one year in prison for physically assaulting a woman on Fort Lee in April.

According to court documents, Daniel L. Jefferson, Jr., 32, was convicted of assault by striking, beating, or wounding. On April 27, following an argument that escalated between Jefferson and the victim, Jefferson pushed the victim against the car, grabbed her by her jawbone under her chin, and threatened to kill her. This is Jefferson’s second conviction for assaulting the same dating partner. The first conviction came in November 2016, when Jefferson was sentenced to two months in prison following an assault where he struck her in the right eye with his fist, choked her with a shower curtain, and pushed her to the floor.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Lieutenant Colonel William Ward, Fort Lee Provost Marshal, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. Magistrate Judge David J. Novak. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Michalak prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-64.

RICHMOND, Va. – A federal district court judge convicted a Chesterfield County man following a bench trial today on a charge of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, John Jason Morgan, 47, had an outstanding arrest warrant for violating a term of supervised release from a 2006 federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. When arrested on that warrant in September 2017, Morgan had 4.5 grams of methamphetamine in his pants pocket and more than 19 grams of methamphetamine in a safe in his truck. Along with the sheer quantity of methamphetamine that was much greater than an amount typically possessed for personal use, Morgan had scales, packaging materials and other items that indicated distribution activities. 

Morgan faces a minimum of five years a maximum of 40 years in prison when sentenced on December 13. Additionally, Morgan faces up to five years in prison on the federal supervised release violation. 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, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and Alfred Durham, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck found Morgan guilty. Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman 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-48 and 3:06-cr-494-01.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A citizen of India pleaded guilty today to operating a fraud scheme in which he used Facebook and WhatsApp to scam people seeking to purchase United States visas.

According to court documents, Kanwar Sarabjit Singh (aka Sandy Singh), 51, a lawful permanent resident, used Facebook and WhatsApp to falsely represent himself as an employee of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who worked in the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and who could obtain genuine United States visas in exchange for a fee of $3,000 to $4,000. As part of his scheme, Singh created a fake photo identification document purporting to be from DHS, which he emailed to others in an effort to show that he was, in fact, able to obtain United States immigration documents. Singh instructed individuals seeking immigration documents to email him passport photographs, copies of their passports and other personally identifying information and to send him money via overnight delivery service or by wire transfer. After receiving these documents and the requested fee up front, Singh created and emailed fake letters purporting to be from the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India, which falsely represented that there was an appointment to pick up the requested visa documents. Many of Singh’s victims resided overseas and were impoverished.

In addition to this visa fraud scheme, Singh also admitted to engaging in an investment fraud scheme in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in 2012, in which he defrauded approximately 22 investors of approximately $340,000. Singh gained the trust of a local pastor and his church, including elderly members, and falsely represented to them that he owned a small company in India that provided labor for services, including data entry, to two large, international companies and that for a small, up-front investment, they would see a large return on their money.

If you or someone you know may be a victim of this fraud scheme, please contact the FBI’s Washington Field Office at 202-278-2000.

Singh pleaded guilty to wire fraud and impersonation of a federal officer and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on December 14. 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, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly R. Pedersen is prosecuting the case.

The Department of Homeland Security provided assistance with this investigation.

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

A program manager for the U.S. Department of State was sentenced to 13 months in prison today for accepting kickbacks and stealing federal funds intended for a foreign exchange program maintained by the U.S. Department of State.  Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, Inspector General Steve A. Linick of the U.S. Department of State and Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division made the announcement.

Kelli R. Davis, 49, of Bowie, Maryland, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III of the Eastern District of Virginia.  On May 24, Davis pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging her with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and theft of public money.

According to admissions made in connection with her plea, Davis was a Program Specialist for the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.  She also served as the Program Manager and Grants Officer Representative for the Sports Visitors Program, which sponsored foreign exchanges for emerging youth athletes and coaches from various countries.  The exchange program was managed by George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, through a federal grant and cooperative agreement with the State Department.  

Davis admitted that between February 2011 and March 2016, she conspired with others to steal portions of the federal money allocated to the Sports Visitor Program by, among other things, falsifying vendor-related invoices and making fraudulent checks payable to a government contractor, Denon Hopkins, who supplied transportation services for the program.  In total, Davis and Hopkins stole approximately $17,335 from the State Department.  They have both admitted that Hopkins used portions of the funds to pay kickbacks to Davis to retain his transportation contract.  In addition, Davis stole an additional $17,777 from the program over a multi-year period.  

The Department of State’s Office of Inspector General and the FBI’s Washington Field Office investigated the case.  Trial Attorney Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly R. Pedersen of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.  

 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Florida executives made their initial appearance in federal court today on charges related to falsely-labeled hard body armor plates they provided to the United States government.

According to allegations in the indictment, Dan Thomas Lounsbury, Jr., 49, of South Palm Beach, is the founder, sole owner, and CEO of Tactical Products Group, LLC (TPG), a Florida-based manufacturer and re-seller of various products to military, law enforcement, and private security clients. Andres Lopez-Munoz, 34, of Boynton Beach, is TPG’s Vice President for Sales and Federal Contracting. In 2012, TPG was selected as a sub-contractor on a contract to provide certain goods, including ten sets of hard body armor plates, to the United States government. The government had requested a specific type of plate, and Lounsbury and Lopez-Munoz both knew that no substitutions were allowed. Furthermore, Lounsbury and Lopez-Munoz both knew that these plates would be used to protect government personnel. The consequence of a failure of body armor is death or serious bodily injury. Nevertheless, Lounsbury and Lopez-Munoz worked together to procure cheaper substitute plates, and then to put fraudulent labels on these substitute plates falsely stating that they were the type of plates that the government had required. Some of these cheaper substitute plates were far outside their warranty period, and were not as protective as the false labels claimed.

Lounsbury and Lopez-Munoz are both charged with conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims and wire fraud. Lounsbury is additionally charged with false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grace L. Hill and Raj Parekh 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-301.

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.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, as part of a coordinated law enforcement takedown codenamed Operation Tin Panda, that to date has resulted in 39 defendants convicted on federal firearms and drug charges.

According to court documents, Rashourn Niles, 37, pleaded guilty on April 17 to conspiring to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and 100 grams or more of heroin. He was the main source of cocaine supply for Tarvell Vandiver, who is his stepson and the regional leader of the Imperial Gangsta Bloods. He taught Vandiver how to manufacture “crack” cocaine from the cocaine, and he also put Vandiver in contact with heroin distributors. At all times, Niles knew that Vandiver distributed the controlled substances while armed.

Niles also regularly sold large quantities of cocaine and heroin to other drug distributors operating within the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere. During the conspiracy, Niles stored controlled substances and drug proceeds at multiple residences, and used the proceeds from his drug distribution to purchase luxury vehicles, including a Bentley, Range Rover, Jaguar, and BMW X6, and expensive jewelry, including Rolexes and a necklace worth $45,000.  

Niles was arrested in December 2017, when over 300 law enforcement agents and officers executed a coordinated takedown as part of Operation Tin Panda. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division and the FBI’s Washington Field Office Safe Streets Task Force began Operation Tin Panda in the spring of 2017. In collaboration with federal and local law enforcement, investigators and prosecutors began jointly investigating Blood gangs and other drug distributors involved in violent crime and other criminal activity in northern Virginia. Multiple criminal acts were tied to gang and drug activity, including homicide, malicious wounding, robbery, shootings, and drug and firearms distribution. During the course of this investigation, more than 40 individuals throughout Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and California, who were illegally selling firearms and controlled substances or were involved in other criminal acts, were arrested on federal firearms and drug charges.

Operation Tin Panda also resulted in the seizure of over 95 firearms, $150,000 in cash, nine vehicles with an estimated value of over $300,000, and approximately 3 pounds of cocaine base, 10 pounds of cocaine, 7 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 5 pounds of heroin, 4 pounds of ecstasy, 227 pounds of marijuana, and 79 pounds of THC.

Operation Tin Panda was led by the ATF’s Washington Field Division and the FBI’s Washington Field Office Safe Streets Task Force. The DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Prince William County Police Department, Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax County Police Department, Alexandria Police Department, Stafford County Sherriff’s Office, Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, King George County Sheriff’s Office, Caroline County Sheriff’s Office, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department, and the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, provided significant assistance during the operation.

Operation Tin Panda 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.

For more information, please see the table below, which lists the name, age, hometown, respective charge(s), and resulting or potential sentence for each federal defendant convicted as part of Operation Tin Panda.

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 Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carina A. Cuellar and Colleen E. Garcia prosecuted 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.

Name, Age, City

Conviction(s)

Result

Sade Anglin, 28, Woodbridge

Maintaining a Drug Premises.

Sentenced to 18 months.

Ishmil Hardwick, 25, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 78 months.

Rashourn Niles, 37, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute 280 grams or more of Cocaine Base, 5 kilograms or more of Cocaine, and 100 grams or more of Heroin.

Sentenced to 20 years

Raheem Kelly, 39, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute 28 grams or more of Cocaine Base.

Faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years on Sept. 7.

Michael Lederer, 31, Woodbridge

Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.

Faces a maximum of 10 years on Sept. 21.

Tarvell Vandiver, 29, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute 280 grams or more of Cocaine Base, 5 kilograms or more of Cocaine, 100 grams or more of Heroin, and Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Faces 20 years on October 19.

Montreus Peterson, 23, Stafford

Conspiracy to Distribute 280 grams or more of Cocaine Base

Faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life on Oct. 19.

Tyus Terrell, 22, Woodbridge

Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Faces a maximum of 10 years on Dec. 14.

Jorge Lozada, Jr., 22, Woodbridge

Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of life.

Frederick Preston Gaarsoe Turner, 36, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute, two counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 40 years.

Nasiru Carew, 35, Dale City

Conspiracy to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of Marijuana and THC.

Sentenced to 16 years.

Ja’vell Johnson, 26, Falls Church

Conspiracy to Distribute 100 grams or more of Heroin.

Sentenced to 6 years.

Bassam Hassan Ramadan, 31, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 16 years.

Cory Patterson, 34, Fredericksburg

Conspiracy to Distribute one kilogram or more of Heroin, Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to Drug Trafficking.

Sentenced to 15 years.

Marcus Andrei Harris, 27, Washington, D.C.

Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 15 years.

Brandon Edler, 23, Fredericksburg

Conspiracy to Distribute 28 grams or more of Cocaine Base, Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

Sentenced to 12 years.

Cydrick Delrosario, 58, Springfield

Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine.

Sentenced to 11 years.

Chennor Bah, 30, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of Cocaine, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 10 years.

Anthony Lozada, 18, Woodbridge

Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 10 years.

Devon Byrd, 26, King George

Possession of THC with the Intent to Distribute, and Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 112 months.

Teodoro Gonzales, 37, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of a Mixture of Methamphetamine, Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

Sentenced to 9 years.

Tayvon Patterson, 24, Elkridge, Maryland

Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and THC, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 90 months.

Jerry McAllister, 42, Laurel, Maryland

Conspiracy to Distribute 100 grams or more of Heroin.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Mark Ketter, 39, Alexandria

Conspiracy to Distribute 100 grams or more of Heroin.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Nathaniel Bruce Cobbold, 27, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and THC.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Jamar Cox, 30, Hyattsville, Maryland

Use and Carry of Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Deion Wright, 25, Alexandria

Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Kelvin Bennett, 27, Washington, D.C.

Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Ezana Demisse, 25, Alexandria

Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to Drug Trafficking.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Alpha Kamara, 20, Woodbridge

Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Orean Anthony Hayden, 29, Alexandria

Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Bryan Matthews, 19, Alexandria

Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Shannon Marie Sisney, 44, Virginia Beach

Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine.

Sentenced to 50 months.

Izeah Williams, 31, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and THC.

Sentenced to 38 months.

Robert Evans, 27, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute THC.

Sentenced to 30 months.

Tavon Bailey, 27, District Heights, Maryland

Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

Sentenced to 30 months.

Tavon Ferguson, 24, Triangle

Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

Sentenced to 27 months.

Derek Harden, 22, Woodbridge

False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm.

Sentenced to 18 months.

Kaitlyn McCabe, 19, Woodbridge

False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm.

Sentenced to 6 months.

Samantha Winter, 22, Culpepper

Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm, False Statement to a Licensed Firearms Dealer.

Sentenced to 2 years of probation.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland woman was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for her role in leading a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone.

“Ms. Edwards was responsible for supplying large amounts of a dangerous opioids for distribution,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.  “She abused the trust of the doctors who employed her, and in doing so, became the pipeline that spread poison in the community. The Eastern District will continue to make the prosecution of opioid related crimes a top priority.”

According to court documents, Louise S. Edwards, 38, was previously employed as a medical assistant at doctor’s offices in Arlington and Alexandria. From 2011 through December 2017, Edwards stole blank prescription pads and electronically-generated fraudulent prescriptions using a medical recordkeeping system to which she had access by virtue of her position as an employee. Edwards had others write or fill the fraudulent prescriptions and return the full bottles to her. Edwards then sold the full bottles for further distribution. During the conspiracy, Edwards facilitated the fraudulent filling of at least 353 prescriptions, totaling 42,360 pills of 30 milligram oxycodone.

“Today's sentence serves as a reminder of the responsibility those in the medical profession have in serving the community and a deterrent for anyone thinking about trying to make a buck while fueling the opioid epidemic,” said Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office. “The FBI remains dedicated to working with our partners to stop the flow of illegal opioids into our communities.”

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew A. Anzaldi and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Blanchard prosecuted the case. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Evans provided assistance investigating 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-155.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Ashburn woman was sentenced today to two years in prison for engaging in a fraud scheme that resulted in an attempted loss of approximately $182,000.

Semyya Cunningham, 41, was convicted by a federal jury on February 1. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Cunningham was an agent and licensed representative of the Western Reserve Life Assurance Co. of Ohio, a company that issued life and other forms of insurance. In April 2014, Cunningham sold a life insurance policy to her close friend (identified in court records as Victim A). The policy included an accelerated death benefit option that permitted the holder, in the event he or she were ever diagnosed with a terminal illness, of claiming the proceeds before death. In July 2014, Victim A was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Shortly thereafter, Cunningham engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain the proceeds of the insurance policy for herself. Cunningham changed all of the contact information on the policy to her information, changed the beneficiaries on the policy from Victim A’s family members to friends of hers, and submitted a claim for the accelerated death benefit without Victim A’s knowledge or consent. Western Reserve paid the claim, and because the contact info had been changed to Cunningham’s information, the check was mailed to Cunningham’s residence. Cunningham then deposited the money into her own account, and then transferred the bulk of the money through several accounts in an apparent attempt to prevent the transaction from being reversed.

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 Jay N. Lerner, Inspector General of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC-OIG), made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Burke and Grace L. Hill 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. 1:17-cr-177.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for committing a series of armed robberies of convenience stores.

“Violent criminals, especially those carrying firearms, represent a serious danger to our communities,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We remain steadfast in our fight against violent crime, and together with our local law enforcement partners we are zeroing in on violent criminals like Mr. Roscoe, who are carrying firearms and driving crime in Tidewater.”

According to court documents, Lorenzo Roscoe, 30, committed five armed robberies of various convenience stores in Portsmouth, Norfolk and Chesapeake, including 7-Eleven and Dollar General stores. Roscoe would enter the stores wearing a disguise and brandishing a firearm while demanding money and cartons of Newport cigarettes. After Roscoe’s vehicle was identified on surveillance video, law enforcement setup surveillance on Roscoe’s vehicle. They followed Roscoe as he drove to another Dollar General store wearing the same clothing he wore for the other robberies. As Roscoe was about to enter the store the police apprehended him. In a bag that he carried with him to all the robberies, the police found a firearm.

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, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. Assistant U.S. Attorney William D. Muhr prosecuted the case.

This case was investigated by a multi-agency team including the Portsmouth Police, Chesapeake Police and the FBI’s Tidewater Violent Crime Task Force.

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-57.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A New York man pleaded guilty today to cyberstalking victims in the Eastern District of Virginia and Washington, D.C. and to frame them for crimes or workplace violations they had not committed.

According to court documents, over a period of one year, Anthony Caccamo, 27, of Flushing, used identity-masking internet applications to send harassing messages to one of his victims, posing as men with whom the victim had had a consensual sexual relationship. In those messages, Caccamo threatened to hack the victim’s online accounts, leak sensitive personal information, and frame her for crimes she had not committed. On at least one occasion, Caccamo made good on his threat to frame the victim for crimes she had not committed. For example, in June 2017, Caccamo sent a false tip to the Homeland Security Investigations Tipline, alleging that she was involved in narcotics smuggling. Caccamo also created false evidence to convince federal investigators that he, too, was a victim of harassment, and provided false information to federal investigators to make it appear as though a certain DHS employee with a cybersecurity background was responsible for the harassment. Federal investigators ultimately traced the harassing messages to Caccamo’s online accounts and personal devices.

Caccamo pleaded guilty to cyberstalking and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on December 14. 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 John V. Kelly, Acting Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Fong and Jay V. Prabhu 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-327.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to manufacture and deal heroin and crack cocaine throughout Hampton Roads.

“Armed drug traffickers pose serious threats to the safety of our communities,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This investigation and prosecution would not have been possible absent the critical partnerships we have formed with our local and federal law enforcement partners. My thanks to the Norfolk Police Department and the ATF for their outstanding work on this case.”

According to court documents, Anthony Covil, 33, was a member of a drug-trafficking organization based in Chesapeake and in the past few years was responsible for distributing at least 700 grams of heroin, at least two kilograms of crack cocaine, and at least four kilograms of powder cocaine.  According to witnesses, Covil carried guns during some of those drug deals. Norfolk police officers arrested him during a March 2018 and recovered two bags of heroin, two bags of cocaine, 10 bags of MDMA, one bag of marijuana, and $300. During a recorded post-arrest interview, Covil confessed to dealing drugs and to serving as a heroin source of supply.

“This individual had little to no regard for the safety and welfare of others,” said Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “ATF and its partners work tirelessly to protect our citizens and remove these violent offenders from our streets. We are committed to this task and will continue to pursue those who would disrupt our communities and harm our citizens.”

Covil pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. He faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison when sentenced on December 10. 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 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 U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William B. Jackson and Kevin M. Comstock are prosecuting the case.

The Norfolk Police Department provided significant assistance in this investigation.

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

A federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia returned an indictment today charging a Hamilton, Virginia man with production of child pornography.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, and Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement. 

According to court documents, in November 2017, Logan Roy McCauley, 25, drove to West Virginia, picked up a minor female he had met online, and drove her to his residence in Hamilton.  The minor female’s family reported her missing, and law enforcement was able to locate her at McCauley’s residence by tracing Internet activity associated with one of the minor female’s social media accounts.  McCauley admitted to law enforcement that he had engaged in sexual intercourse with the minor and had used his Apple iPhone to record one of the sexual encounters. 

The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is comprised of agents of the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and detectives from the Prince William County Police, Fairfax County Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Metropolitan Police, Alexandria City Police, Arlington County Police, Leesburg Police, Virginia State Police and the Offices of Inspector General of several federal agencies.  The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office also assisted in the investigation.  Trial Attorney Gwendelynn Bills of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Berrang of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.

The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to eight years in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

According to court documents, Steven Akeem Nichols, 34, was found by a Chesapeake police office sitting in the driver’s seat of his car asleep with a 9mm handgun resting between his legs in October 2017. Nichols, who was prohibited from possessing firearms, had been previously convicted of felony drug offense in Pennsylvania. Nichols later admitted to conspiring with others to distribute quantities of heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine in Virginia Beach in September and October 2017.

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, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William B. Jackson and Kevin M. Comstock 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-63.

WASHINGTON - A federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia returned an indictment today charging a Hamilton, Virginia man with production of child pornography.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, and Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement. 

According to court documents, in November 2017, Logan Roy McCauley, 25, drove to West Virginia, picked up a minor female he had met online, and drove her to his residence in Hamilton.  The minor female’s family reported her missing, and law enforcement was able to locate her at McCauley’s residence by tracing Internet activity associated with one of the minor female’s social media accounts.  McCauley admitted to law enforcement that he had engaged in sexual intercourse with the minor and had used his Apple iPhone to record one of the sexual encounters.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is comprised of agents of the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and detectives from the Prince William County Police, Fairfax County Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Metropolitan Police, Alexandria City Police, Arlington County Police, Leesburg Police, Virginia State Police and the Offices of Inspector General of several federal agencies.  The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office also assisted in the investigation.  Trial Attorney Gwendelynn Bills of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Berrang of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.

The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fredericksburg man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for running a drug trafficking conspiracy and illegally dealing over 200 firearms.

According to court documents, beginning in August 2015 and continuing through his arrest in March 2018, Bobby Perkins, Jr., 29, supervised a conspiracy to distribute marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin in Fredericksburg and Stafford County. During the course of the conspiracy, Perkins routinely carried on his person semi-automatic pistols to avoid being robbed of his drugs and the proceeds of his drug-distribution activities. Additionally, Perkins supplied his co-conspirators with firearms, which they used in furtherance of the conspiracy.

“This man represents a danger to society through his pedaling of poison and trafficking of illegal firearms,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Perkins trafficked large amounts of potentially lethal drugs and sold over 200 guns, some of which were found at crime scenes, including homicides. Together with our law enforcement partners we are targeting areas where firearms and the drug trade are fueling violence and endangering the safety of those communities. We are committed to our mission of public safety and will continue to aggressively pursue those who choose to endanger the safety of the communities we serve.”

Separately, during an approximately five-month period in 2015, in Stafford County, Hanover County, and Henrico County, Perkins engaged in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. Perkins acquired and re-sold over 200 semi-automatic pistols, at least 93 of which have been recovered by law enforcement, including at the scene of homicides. Most of the firearms were recovered in Washington, D.C., with others found in Maryland, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Perkins knew that several of the individuals to whom he sold the firearms were convicted felons.

“ATF works every day with our law enforcement partners to rid our streets of crime, not only in large cities but also in small-town areas, like Stafford and Henrico Counties,” said Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “Knowingly selling firearms without a license and selling firearms to convicted felons is a violation of federal law. When you commit a crime, there is a price to pay, and we will hold those responsible who violate federal laws.”

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 Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander E. Blanchard and Carina A. Cuellar 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-214.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A California man pleaded guilty today to threatening to kill the family of Ajit Pai, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, for Pai’s role in repealing regulations relating to net neutrality.

According to court documents, on or about Dec. 19 and 20, 2017, Markara Man, 33, of Norwalk, California, sent three emails to Chairman Pai’s email accounts. The first email accused Chairman Pai of being responsible for a child who allegedly had committed suicide because of the repeal of net neutrality regulations. The second email listed three locations in or around Arlington, and threatened to kill the Chairman’s family members. The third email had no message in its body, but included an image depicting Chairman Pai and, in the foreground and slightly out of focus, a framed photograph of Chairman Pai and his family. The FBI traced the emails to Man’s residence in Norwalk, California, and when initially confronted in May 2018, Man admitted to the FBI that he sent the email threatening Chairman Pai’s family.

Court documents further show that during the FBI’s search of his residence, Man factory reset a cell phone upon learning of the search and before law enforcement could seize the phone. This action caused data to be wiped from the device. When asked about the phone being in setup mode, Man lied to the FBI and claimed that he had received it a month earlier and not set it up yet.

Man faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on December 7. 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 M. Jay Farr, Arlington County Chief of Police, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Berrang is prosecuting the case.

The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, and the Federal Protective Service provided significant assistance in this investigation.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-308.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Vermont woman was sentenced today to 7 1/2 years in prison for her role in two area bank robberies.

According to court documents, in December 2017, Jennifer Bessette, 34, of Milton, and two co-conspirators planned and executed bank robberies of a BB&T Bank in Henrico and a Wells Fargo Bank in Richmond. Bessette served as the getaway car driver and wrote the demand notes. The robbery crew obtained approximately $1,200 in cash from the Wells Fargo Bank robbery and $4,200 in cash from BB&T. GPS locators in the money stolen during the Wells Fargo robbery led law enforcement to apprehending the defendants. 

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, Alfred Durham, Chief of Richmond Police, and Humberto I. Cardounel, Jr., Chief of Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-66.

RICHMOND, Va. – Two men were sentenced today for being involved in a multi-kilogram cocaine trafficking ring in Emporia. Hershell Grant, 52, of Richmond, was sentenced to 14 years, while Marvin Baskerville, 44, of North Carolina, was sentenced 17 1/2 years in prison.

“Grant and Baskerville are responsible for distributing at least 130 kilograms of dangerous narcotics onto the streets of Emporia and the surrounding area,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Together with our law enforcement partners we are targeting areas where firearms and the drug trade are fueling violence and endangering the safety of those communities. I want to thank the FBI’s Richmond Field Office for their terrific work on this case.”

According to court documents, both men were members of a large cocaine trafficking conspiracy centered in Emporia. Grant supplied the members of this conspiracy with approximately 100 kilograms of cocaine over the last two years, while Baskerville was one of the conspiracy’s primary customers, purchasing approximately 30 kilograms of cocaine from the organization for redistribution in the Richmond area. Both men were found in possession of firearms when they were arrested earlier this year.

“The FBI works to identify and dismantle drug distribution networks which serve as pipelines of illegal narcotics into our communities, neighborhoods, and schools,” said Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office. “Grant and Baskerville introduced massive amounts of cocaine into Central Virginia communities - much of which was destined for redistribution in the City of Richmond. They learned the hard way that Virginia law enforcement is united and committed to keeping illegal drugs away from our cities and our communities. I want to thank the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia for their outstanding work in prosecuting this case. I also want to thank the DEA, the Virginia State Police, Emporia Police, and Greensville County Sheriff’s Office for their partnership.”

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Richmond Area Violent Enterprises Task Force, 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, Adam S. Lee, 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 (DEA) Washington Field Division, Ricky Pinksaw, Chief of Emporia Police, William T. Jarratt Jr., Sheriff of Greensville County, and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, 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. – G. Zachary Terwilliger has been confirmed by the United States Senate as the 62nd United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

“I am humbled, thankful, and deeply honored to be confirmed as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia,” said Terwilliger. “As a federal prosecutor who focused on complex violent crime, organized crime, fraud, and human trafficking cases for almost a decade, I have had the privilege of working with some of the best law enforcement officers, prosecutors, attorneys, and colleagues in the country. I owe a huge debt to those who took the time to teach me how to be an AUSA, and to the many AUSAs from 1789 to present who have made this district one of the best in the country.”

“I am grateful to the President for my nomination, the Attorney General for his willingness to support my prior appointment, to Senators Warner and Kaine for their recommendation and endorsement, and to my family for their constant support, patience, and understanding as I have pursued the calling of public service,” said Terwilliger.

“Since the Attorney General appointed me in late May, I have travelled to each sector of the District and engaged in substantive strategy meetings with over 100 law enforcement leaders in our Alexandria, Newport News, Norfolk, and Richmond divisions, including chiefs of police, sheriffs, commonwealth’s attorneys, and federal law enforcement officials,” said Terwilliger. “With the strong federal, state, and local collaboration that exists in the Eastern District, we are bringing impact cases and fighting violent crime, gangs, opioids, national security threats and criminal immigration offenses. In the last three months, we have charged nearly 40 illegal firearms cases, 60 defendants for trafficking illegal substances such as heroin and fentanyl, and nearly 100 criminal immigration cases that include many defendants who have committed serious, dangerous offenses in our communities. We have also continued our critical work battling espionage and terrorism, defending civil actions against the United States, its agencies, and employees, pursuing affirmative civil enforcement to recover government money lost to fraud, upholding the civil rights of the District’s citizens, protecting servicemembers’ rights, fighting fraud against vulnerable victims and our institutions, as well as prosecuting cyber intrusion, child exploitation, and trafficking offenses.”  

“This important work has been recognized by the Department, and with tremendous support from the Attorney General and our administrative staff here, I have had the great fortune to hire 25 new employees, including 15 new Assistant United States Attorneys, who will be force multipliers for our mission.”

Terwilliger began his career at EDVA as an intern in 1999. In 2008, he was hired as the Project Safe Neighborhood Special Assistant U.S. Attorney to focus on gun and gang crime. In 2010, Terwilliger was hired as an Assistant U.S. Attorney.

Immediately prior to his appointment as U.S. Attorney on May 25, Terwilliger served as an Associate Deputy Attorney General, and Chief of Staff in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General at the Department of Justice. In that role, Terwilliger was a principal advisor to senior Department of Justice leadership for corporate compliance, federal, state and local law enforcement cooperation, violent crime reduction, and other critical matters.

As U.S. Attorney, Terwilliger is the chief federal law enforcement officer in EDVA and supervises the prosecution of all federal crimes and the litigation of all civil matters in which the United States has an interest. Terwilliger leads a staff of over 250 prosecutors, civil litigators, and support personnel located in Alexandria, Newport News, Norfolk, and Richmond.

Terwilliger earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and graduated with the highest honors from the William & Mary School of Law. Following law school, he clerked for the Honorable K. Michael Moore, currently the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. 

Terwilliger has lived in the Eastern District of Virginia for over 25 years.

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

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Woodbridge man today for sex trafficking two minor girls, ages 14 and 16.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Steve Nowell, 64, was a frequent commercial sex customer of a prostitution ring led by Michael Gunn, who trafficked the two minor girls over the course of two years in the DMV area. Nowell was identified by the minor victims, and by two co-conspirators of Michael Gunn, as a regular commercial sex customer who paid one or both minors for sex on at least 23 occasions. After a search warrant was executed at Nowell’s home, law enforcement found hidden cameras that secretly recorded at least one of the minors and other females in various stages of undress while at his residence for prostitution. Law enforcement also found numerous photographs of one of the minors posing nude in his bathtub and throughout his house, including in his kitchen, on a bear rug, and on exercise equipment. In a recorded interview, Nowell admitted to paying for sex with one of the minors. He claimed he did not know her real age.

Michael Gunn was convicted by a federal jury in September 2017, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison in January 2018. Angel Gunn and Vanessa Dominguez, who assisted Michael Gunn in sex trafficking the minors, each pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 140 months and 120 months in prison, respectively.

Nowell faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on November 30. 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, Barry M. Barnard, Chief of Prince William County Police, and M. Jay Farr, Arlington County Chief of Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen C. Cain and Kimberly R. Pedersen are prosecuting the case.

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

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-188.

NORFOLK, Va. – A New York City man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to court documents, on February 1, 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.

Myers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on December 10. 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, 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 U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell 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-95.

A Manassas man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for paying women to sexually abuse children in the Philippines via a web camera while he directed and produced numerous images of the abuse, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Lechleitner of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady.

On April 9, Dwayne Stinson, 53, a communications technician, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography.  According to court documents, from at least October 2011 until February 2012, Stinson used an electronic payment service to pay women in the Philippines he was chatting with to sexually abuse children while he directed the abuse.  He admitted that some of the children were as young as six or seven years old.  The defendant contemporaneously produced numerous screenshot images of the abuse and stored them on his computer for years. In addition to his prison sentence, Stinson was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release.

HSI investigated the case with assistance from the Prince William County Police Department and Northern Virginia/District of Columbia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.  Trial Attorney James E. Burke IV of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Russell of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. 

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

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Ukrainian national was sentenced today to six years in prison for trafficking stolen financial information obtained through computer hacking.

According to court documents, Ruslan Yeliseyev, 42, of Odessa, Ukraine, made his living selling stolen financial information on underground Russian-speaking criminal websites. The information that Yeliseyev sold, which had been stolen from hacked computers, included over 62,000 credit card numbers as well as usernames and passwords to victims’ online banking accounts. Yeliseyev was arrested while vacationing in Israel in 2016 and subsequently extradited to the United States.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Brian J. Ebert, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kellen S. Dwyer and Trial Attorney Andrew Pak of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) 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

A Ukrainian national was sentenced today to six years in prison for trafficking stolen financial information obtained through computer hacking.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Ebert of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.

According to court documents, Ruslan Yeliseyev, 42, of Odessa, Ukraine, made his living selling stolen financial information on underground Russian-speaking criminal websites.  The information that Yeliseyev sold, which had been stolen from approximately 40,000 hacked computers, included over 62,000 credit card numbers as well as usernames and passwords to victims’ online banking accounts.  Yeliseyev was arrested while vacationing in Israel in 2016 and subsequently extradited to the United States. 

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service.  The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in the extradition.  Trial Attorney Andrew Pak of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kellen S. Dwyer of the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.

A Rockville, Maryland man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for sexually exploiting a minor over the internet, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Lechleitner of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C. field office.

Jose Adalberto Sandoval Quinonez, 26, a laborer, previously pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.  U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga presided over the sentencing and ordered Sandoval Quinonez to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.

According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, Sandoval Quinonez initiated contact with the 12-year-old victim over Instagram and the two later began chatting over Google Hangouts.  Over the course of several months in 2017, Sandoval Quinonez groomed, persuaded, and enticed the minor to engage in sex acts, including sexual intercourse.  In addition, he repeatedly asked her to produce and send him sexually explicit photos of herself, and he succeeded in persuading her to send him such a photo.  Sandoval Quinonez also sent the victim an obscene image of his genitals.  During these interactions, Sandoval Quinonez, who was 25 at the time, pretended to be 16 years old.

The investigation was conducted by HSI Washington, D.C. with the assistance of the Manassas Park Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Kyle P. Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.

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, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Manassas man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for paying women to sexually abuse children in the Philippines via a web camera while he directed and produced numerous images of the abuse.

On April 9, Dwayne Stinson, 53, a communications technician, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. According to court documents, from at least October 2011 until February 2012, Stinson used an electronic payment service to pay women in the Philippines he was chatting with to sexually abuse children while he directed the abuse. He admitted that some of the children were as young as six or seven years old. The defendant contemporaneously produced numerous screenshot images of the abuse and stored them on his computer for years.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, 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.

HSI investigated the case with assistance from the Prince William County Police Department and Northern Virginia/District of Columbia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Burke IV and Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Russell are prosecuting the case.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-cr-211.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Hyattsville, Maryland man pleaded guilty today to participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine in the Washington, D.C. area.

According to court documents, Donnell Leroy Williams, 54 (also known as “Bubbles”), his son, Antonio Donnell Shelton, 30 (“Little Bubbles”), and Demetrius Antonio Johnson, 37 (“Bake”), worked together to distribute several different types of controlled substances, including 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, D.C.

Beginning in May 2017, an undercover Fairfax County detective conducted several deals with Williams, eventually working his way to purchasing a ½ kilogram of fentanyl from Williams for $40,000. On November 7, 2017, the FBI arrested Williams and searched his apartment in Hyattsville. Inside the apartment, FBI agents found a large quantity of fentanyl pre-packaged for distribution. Agents also found large quantities of crack cocaine and marijuana, as well as a loaded handgun.

Williams pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of heroin, and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison when sentenced on November 30. Williams is the last member of the drug conspiracy to plead guilty. Johnson and Shelton pleaded guilty to drug charges earlier this month.

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. 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, Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Tyler McGaughey and David A. 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-30.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The leader of a sprawling drug trafficking conspiracy that operated in Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and elsewhere, from California to Florida to Massachusetts, was sentenced today to 16 years in prison, as part of a coordinated law enforcement takedown codenamed Operation Tin Panda that to date has resulted in the conviction of 39 defendants on federal firearms and drug charges.

“These cases underscore the insidious intersection between drugs, guns, and gangs,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Mr. Carew’s interstate drug trafficking operation not only supplied drugs to violent members of the Bloods gang, but also engaged in the wholesale distribution of drugs to armed street-level dealers in Virginia, the Mid-Atlantic, and elsewhere along the East Coast. The Operation Tin Panda takedown in December 2017 involved over 300 agents and officers from 16 law enforcement agencies, providing a powerful example of the benefits that flow from the collaborative efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement.”

According to court documents, Nasiru Carew, 36, of Dale City, pleaded guilty on April 13 to conspiring to distribute over 1,000 kilograms (or 2,200 pounds) of marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) edibles since 2012. Carew, who entered the United States as a refugee in 1994, was the leader of a major drug trafficking conspiracy that supplied violent gang members of the Imperial Gangsta Blood set of the United Blood Nation gang, and other non-gang customers. Carew shipped marijuana grown in California to supply his operation in Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and elsewhere, and he also coordinated the distribution of THC-laced edibles to sub-distributors in Virginia and elsewhere. A majority of Carew’s business came from supplying wholesale quantities of these drugs to co-conspirators, who were themselves street-level dealers. Many of these co-conspirators distributed controlled substances while armed with firearms.

From 2012 through 2017, the conspiracy netted hundreds of thousands of dollars, much of which was used to purchase luxury vehicles and jewelry, or was laundered through casinos. For example, during a court-authorized search of the defendant’s residences, law enforcement recovered approximately $19,500, as well as gold and diamond jewelry and a BMW i8 vehicle estimated to cost over $100,000.

“Operation Tin Panda has resulted in numerous guns removed from the hands of gang members and drugs taken off the streets of our neighborhoods in Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Maryland,” said Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office. “This operation demonstrates the FBI’s ability in coordination with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle significant drug operations, removing the threat posed by the street level dealer to the national level gang leaders.”

“ATF’s top priorities are to protect the public and remove violent criminals from our streets,” said Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “Operation Tin Panda reiterates ATF’s and its federal, state and local law enforcement partners’ commitment to pursuing and bringing to justice those that seek to disrupt communities and harm law abiding citizens.”

Carew was arrested in the early morning hours of Dec. 6, 2017, when over 300 law enforcement agents and officers executed a coordinated takedown as part of Operation Tin Panda. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division and the FBI’s Washington Field Office began Operation Tin Panda in the spring of 2017. In collaboration with federal and local law enforcement, investigators and prosecutors began jointly investigating Blood gangs and other drug distributors involved in violent crime and other criminal activity in northern Virginia. Multiple criminal acts were tied to gang and drug activity, including homicide, malicious wounding, robbery, shootings, and drug and firearms distribution. During the course of this investigation, more than 40 individuals throughout Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and California, who were illegally selling firearms and controlled substances or were involved in other criminal acts, were arrested on federal firearms and drug charges.

Operation Tin Panda also resulted in the seizure of over 95 firearms, $150,000 in cash, nine vehicles with an estimated value of over $300,000, and approximately 3 pounds of cocaine base, 10 pounds of cocaine, 7 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 5 pounds of heroin, 4 pounds of ecstasy, 227 pounds of marijuana, and 79 pounds of THC.

Operation Tin Panda was led by the ATF’s Washington Field Division and the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets and Violent Gang Task Force. The DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Prince William County Police Department, Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax County Police Department, Alexandria Police Department, Stafford County Sherriff’s Office, Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, King George County Sheriff’s Office, Caroline County Sheriff’s Office, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department, and the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, provided significant assistance during the operation.

Operation Tin Panda 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, Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement after Carew’s sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carina A. Cuellar and Colleen E. Garcia prosecuted the case.

For more information, please see the table below, which lists the name, age, hometown, respective charge(s), and resulting or potential sentence for each federal defendant charged as part of Operation Tin Panda.

Name, Age, City

Conviction(s)

Result

Sade Anglin, 28, Woodbridge

Maintaining a Drug Premises.

Faces a maximum of 20 years on Aug. 31.

Ishmil Hardwick, 25, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of life on Aug. 31.

Rashourn Niles, 37, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute 280 grams or more of Cocaine Base, 5 kilograms or more of Cocaine, and 100 grams or more of Heroin.

Faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life on Sept. 7.

Raheem Kelly, 39, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute 28 grams or more of Cocaine Base.

Faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years on Sept. 7.

Michael Lederer, 31, Woodbridge

Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.

Faces a maximum of 10 years on Sept. 14.

Tarvell Vandiver, 29, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute 280 grams or more of Cocaine Base, 5 kilograms or more of Cocaine, 100 grams or more of Heroin, and Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Faces 20 years on Sept. 28.

Montreus Peterson, 23, Stafford

Conspiracy to Distribute 280 grams or more of Cocaine Base

Faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life on Oct. 19.

Tyus Terrell, 22, Woodbridge

Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Faces a maximum of 10 years on Dec. 14.

Jorge Lozada, Jr., 22, Woodbridge

Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of life.

Frederick Preston Gaarsoe Turner, 36, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute, two counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 40 years.

Nasiru Carew, 35, Dale City

Conspiracy to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of Marijuana and THC.

Sentenced to 16 years.

Bassam Hassan Ramadan, 31, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 16 years.

Cory Patterson, 34, Fredericksburg

Conspiracy to Distribute one kilogram or more of Heroin, Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to Drug Trafficking.

Sentenced to 15 years.

Marcus Andrei Harris, 27, Washington, D.C.

Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 15 years.

Brandon Edler, 23, Fredericksburg

Conspiracy to Distribute 28 grams or more of Cocaine Base, Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

Sentenced to 12 years.

Cydrick Delrosario, 58, Springfield

Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine.

Sentenced to 11 years.

Chennor Bah, 30, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of Cocaine, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 10 years.

Anthony Lozada, 18, Woodbridge

Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 10 years.

Devon Byrd, 26, King George

Possession of THC with the Intent to Distribute, and Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 112 months.

Teodoro Gonzales, 37, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of a Mixture of Methamphetamine, Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

Sentenced to 9 years.

Tayvon Patterson, 24, Elkridge, Maryland

Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and THC, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 90 months.

Ja’vell Johnson, 26, Falls Church

Conspiracy to Distribute 100 grams or more of Heroin.

Sentenced to 6 years.

Jerry McAllister, 42, Laurel, Maryland

Conspiracy to Distribute 100 grams or more of Heroin.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Mark Ketter, 39, Alexandria

Conspiracy to Distribute 100 grams or more of Heroin.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Nathaniel Bruce Cobbold, 27, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and THC.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Jamar Cox, 30, Hyattsville, Maryland

Use and Carry of Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Deion Wright, 25, Alexandria

Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Kelvin Bennett, 27, Washington, D.C.

Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Ezana Demisse, 25, Alexandria

Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to Drug Trafficking.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Alpha Kamara, 20, Woodbridge

Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Orean Anthony Hayden, 29, Alexandria

Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Bryan Matthews, 19, Alexandria

Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.

Sentenced to 5 years.

Shannon Marie Sisney, 44, Virginia Beach

Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine.

Sentenced to 50 months.

Izeah Williams, 31, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and THC.

Sentenced to 38 months.

Robert Evans, 27, Woodbridge

Conspiracy to Distribute THC.

Sentenced to 30 months.

Tavon Bailey, 27, District Heights, Maryland

Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

Sentenced to 30 months.

Tavon Ferguson, 24, Triangle

Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

Sentenced to 27 months.

Derek Harden, 22, Woodbridge

False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm.

Sentenced to 18 months.

Kaitlyn McCabe, 19, Woodbridge

False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm.

Sentenced to 6 months.

Samantha Winter, 22, Culpepper

Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm, False Statement to a Licensed Firearms Dealer.

Sentenced to 2 years of probation.

 

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.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man with a significant history of sexual offenses involving minors was sentenced today to 235 months in prison for attempted receipt of obscene images depicting the sexual abuse of children, obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence, and penalties for a registered sex offender.

Elmer E. Eychaner, III, 46, was convicted at trial by a federal jury on May 18. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Eychaner previously was convicted in federal court of child pornography crimes in 2008. On June 13, 2016, Eychaner began a period of federal supervision and was prohibited from having a computer, but he requested a computer so that he could look for a better job. The probation office allowed Eychaner to have a computer that was monitored through a third-party company, RemoteCOM.

On November 17, 2016, Eychaner went onto his government-monitored computer and searched for obscene cartoon images depicting the sexual abuse of minors. He utilized voice recognition software, Cortana, to try to evade the computer-monitoring software. After he was finished searching for the obscene images, he deleted his search history. The next day, he called his federal probation officer and confessed. When the probation officer told him she was coming to collect his computer, Eychaner admitted that he had removed the hard drive and thrown it down a storm drain.

In addition to the federal child pornography conviction in 2008, Eychaner also was previously convicted of promoting obscenity to minors in North Dakota in August 1992, and gross sexual imposition in North Dakota in May 1994.

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 Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel and Megan M. 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 are 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-76.

RICHMOND, Va. – Paris Moore, 32, of Richmond, pleaded guilty today to distributing approximately 400 grams of heroin in the central Virginia area.

“When drug traffickers seek to increase their profit margins by mixing deadly synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, with traditional street drugs, the risk of overdose skyrockets,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “That is precisely why investigating and prosecuting offenses involving the trafficking of this poison is a top priority in this district.”

According to court documents, on two separate occasions in January 2018, DEA agents used a confidential source to purchase nearly ten grams of heroin, mixed with detectable amounts of fentanyl, from Moore in Henrico County and Richmond. Following these controlled purchases, on February 22, 2018, DEA agents executed a search warrant at Moore’s Glen Allen, Va. residence, where they recovered approximately 2.4 grams of crack cocaine, .88 grams of heroin mixed with a detectable amount of fentanyl, and a digital scale.

As part of his plea, Moore pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of heroin and admitted to distributing the equivalent of 400 grams of heroin. At the time of these offenses, Moore was on federal supervised release after a 2009 conviction for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.

“Moore has repeatedly shown his disregard for the well-being of his community with his drug-dealing activities,” said Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for DEA’s Washington Field Division. “DEA will continue to work with our state and local law enforcement partners to bring to justice the most dangerous offenders who are responsible for fueling the ongoing opioid epidemic in our communities.”

Moore faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on November 30, 2018. 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. 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 Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for DEA’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson 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 are 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.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Mexican national was sentenced today to 21 months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after committing multiple criminal and immigration offenses.

“Over the past 20 years, Mr. Silva has illegally entered or attempted to enter the United States at least seven times, and he has been convicted of eight criminal offenses, including discharging a firearm, resisting police, fraudulent documentation, and multiple drunk driving offenses,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This recidivist behavior reflects a blatant disregard for our nation’s laws and borders, and represents a clear threat to public safety. The Department of Justice is committed to prioritizing criminal immigration enforcement, and this case reflects that continuing commitment.”

According to court documents, Omar Villarreal Silva, 40, of Cuajinicuilapa in the state of Guerrero, Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court on May 21, 2018, to illegal reentry by a previously convicted felon. Silva first attempted to enter the United States unlawfully in 1998, and he was voluntarily returned to Mexico after being apprehended on five occasions between March 1998 to July 1999. After these failed attempts, Silva illegally reentered the United States and was convicted in Winston Salem, North Carolina for discharging a firearm and resisting police in 2000 and 2001, after which he moved to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Between 2007 to 2014, Silva was arrested by the Chesterfield County Police Department on multiple occasions and was convicted of possessing a false identification document and three instances of driving while intoxicated. In September 2014, Silva was removed by U.S. immigration authorities to Mexico, but two months later in November 2014, Silva attempted to enter the United States using a fraudulent passport card at the border in El Paso, Texas. Silva subsequently was convicted in the Western District of Texas for illegal reentry and improper use of a passport card, and he was sentenced to 15 months in prison, after which he was removed to Mexico in December 2016.

After his December 2016 removal, Silva illegally reentered the United States once again and was arrested in August 2017 by the Chesterfield County Police Department, after which he was referred for the current federal prosecution.

“The United States is a nation of laws and order, and habitual and repeated disregard for those laws will not go without consequence,” said Russell Hott, Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C. “Today’s announcement reflects our continued commitment to enforce these laws and to ensure there are no allowances for criminals and reoffenders to occupy our communities.”

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 M. Hannah Lauck. 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 are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:17-cr-125.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Washington, D.C. man was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for forcibly sex trafficking a minor.

According to court documents, Justin Shayne Robinson, 27, lured the 16-year-old victim to a motel in northern Virginia. Once the minor victim arrived, Robinson directed sexualized photos to be taken of the her, and created and posted online advertisements for commercial sex acts with the minor. Robinson and his co-conspirator, Markus Jakeem Plummer, 27, of Woodbridge, then trafficked the minor over a period of roughly a week. Robinson and Plummer took all the proceeds of the minor’s commercial sex acts for their own benefit. Robinson and Plummer used force and surveillance to ensure that the minor continued to see clients and was unable to escape the motel. Robinson used violence to force the victim to continue working for him, including choking her and leaving medically documented bruising on her leg and neck.

Co-Conspirator Markus Plummer is scheduled for sentencing on September 28.

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.

The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI Agents and detectives from the Fairfax County Police, Prince William County Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, Leesburg Police Department, Alexandria City Police, Arlington County Police,  Washington Metropolitan Police Department, USMS, and other federal OIGs.  

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 sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Russell 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. 1:17-cr-310.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arizona man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy that defrauded elderly victims, including several Virginia residents, out of over $640,000.

“Oliver preyed upon approximately 350 individuals, including a 94-year-old resident of Alexandria and an 84-year-old resident of Painter who suffered from Alzheimer’s,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Not content to simply deceive his victims, Oliver would badger and threaten his victims to extort even more money from them. This conduct is depraved in its own way and hopefully there will be some relief to the victims and their loved ones knowing that Oliver won’t be in a position to harm anyone else.”

According to court documents, Raheem Oliver, 38, operated a magazine subscription renewal fraud scam that began when he or one of his associates contacted magazine subscribers and offered to renew their subscriptions over the phone. When a subscriber agreed, Oliver would double or triple-bill their accounts, without ever actually renewing their subscriptions as promised. Throughout this process, Oliver also identified victims who were particularly vulnerable to such a scam, primarily including elderly individuals. Oliver targeted those vulnerable victims with threatening phone calls, falsely representing that the victims needed to pay thousands of dollars at a time for purported renewal fees, past-due balances, fines, attorneys’ fees and other legal fees, and court costs. He threatened victims with legal action, often including arrest, if they did not make the payments as requested, and thereby convinced victims to mail checks and wire money to him and his associates in Arizona.

“Protecting the elderly from criminal fraud schemes is a priority for the Postal Inspection Service,” said Eric Shen, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “While today’s sentence should serve as a strong deterrent for those seeking to threaten and steal from these vulnerable individuals, Postal Inspectors will continue to pursue those who misuse the mail to prey on their victims.”

Earlier this year, the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners coordinated the largest sweep of elder fraud cases in history. The cases involved more than 250 defendants from around the globe who victimized more than a 1 million Americans, most of whom were elderly. The cases include criminal, civil, and forfeiture actions across more than 50 federal districts.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Eric Shen, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Michael L. Brown, Alexandria Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Bateman 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-9.

A naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Alexandria, Virginia, was arrested today by special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) after being indicted on a felony charge of having fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Lechleitner of HSI Washington, D.C made the announcement. 

Mergia Negussie Habteyes, 58, is charged in an indictment, which was returned by a grand jury for the Eastern District of Virginia on Aug. 14, alleging that Negussie told a series of lies to U.S. immigration authorities in the course of obtaining authority to enter the United States as a refugee, subsequently obtaining lawful permanent-resident status, and ultimately obtaining U.S. citizenship.  Specifically, the indictment asserts that, when he applied for naturalization in the United States, Negussie falsely stated that he never persecuted persons because of their political opinion, and he failed to disclose that he had committed a crime or offense for which he was not arrested.  In fact, according to the indictment, Negussie served as a civilian interrogator in the Higher 3 prison in Ethiopia in the late 1970s, during a period known as the Red Terror.  In that role, Negussie is alleged to have participated in the persecution, through brutality, of individuals imprisoned because of their political opinion.  Additionally, Negussie falsely stated that he never gave false or misleading information to any U.S. government official while applying for any immigration benefit and that he never lied to U.S. immigration authorities to gain entry or admission into the United States and to obtain immigration benefits. 

Negussie’s initial court appearance is at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff of the Eastern District of Virginia. 

“Negussie allegedly concealed his role in persecuting Ethiopian prisoners for their political opinions during that country’s so-called Red Terror period when he applied for, and ultimately obtained, U.S. citizenship,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski.  “As this case demonstrates, the Justice Department will not allow the United States to become a safe haven for human rights violators, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute those who seek to exploit our immigration system through fraud and deceit.”

“Negussie sought to outrun his past by allegedly employing deception to fraudulently obtain United States citizenship,” said U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger. “This indictment reflects the government’s dedication to investigating and prosecuting criminal immigration cases, including those involving alleged human rights violators.”

“The persecution of individuals for their political opinion and expression violates one of our most basic and foundational tenets as a nation,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Lechleitner. “We will not allow human rights violators to use lies, fraud and deceit to exploit our laws.”

If convicted, Negussie faces up to 10 years in federal prison.  Conviction would also result in automatic revocation of Negussie’s U.S. citizenship as well as likely removal to Ethiopia. 

The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The case is being investigated by HSI with the support of the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC).  Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female genital mutilation and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. The HRVWCC leverages the expertise of a select group of agents, lawyers, intelligence and research specialists, historians and analysts who direct the government’s broader enforcement efforts against these offenders. The HRVWCC is comprised of ICE HSI’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Unit, ICE’s Human Rights Law Section, FBI’s International Human Rights Unit and DOJ’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP). 

The case is being jointly prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jamie Perry of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Blanchard of the Eastern District of Virginia.

Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section at hrsptips@usdoj.gov or toll-free at 1-800-813-5863, or through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year.

Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the six most frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.

“The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse. The American people can be confident that federal law enforcement and the Trump administration are taking action to protect them from dangerous drugs. These smarter limits bring us one big step closer to President Trump's goal of finally ending this unprecedented crisis. I congratulate Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and his team for taking action.” 

On July 11, the Justice Department announced that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability to consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.

“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”

In setting the aggregate production quota (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.

“Investigating and prosecuting opioid related crimes is a top priority of this office as we continue to battle this deadly epidemic,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Cutting opioid prescription rates and production quotas will reduce the amount of diverted drugs on the streets and help law enforcement in our pursuit of keeping our communities safe from this poison.  Diversion and illicit use of these addictive substances has resulted in the death of far too many Virginians and destroyed the lives of the loved ones they have left behind.”

The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl. See PDF attached to this message.

Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.

Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls. 

When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.

The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually. 

In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing. 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An alleged human rights abuser who participated in persecution during the Red Terror period in Ethiopia was arrested today for allegedly having fraudulently obtained United States citizenship.

“Negussie sought to outrun his past by allegedly employing deception to fraudulently obtain United States citizenship,” said U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger. “This indictment reflects the government’s dedication to investigating and prosecuting criminal immigration cases, including those involving alleged human rights violators.”

According to allegations in the indictment, Mergia Negussie Habteyes, 58, a naturalized United States citizen residing in Alexandria, told a series of lies to United States immigration authorities in the course of obtaining authority to enter the United States as a refugee, subsequently obtaining lawful permanent-resident status, and ultimately obtaining U.S. citizenship. Specifically, the indictment asserts that, when he applied for naturalization in the United States, Negussie falsely stated that he never persecuted persons because of their political opinion, and he failed to disclose that he had committed a crime or offense for which he was not arrested. In fact, according to the indictment, Negussie served as a civilian interrogator in the Higher 3 prison in Ethiopia in the late 1970s, during a period known as the Red Terror. In that role, Negussie is alleged to have participated in the persecution, through brutality, of individuals imprisoned because of their political opinion. Additionally, Negussie falsely stated that he never gave false or misleading information to any U.S. government official while applying for any immigration benefit and that he never lied to U.S. immigration authorities to gain entry or admission into the United States and to obtain immigration benefits.

“Negussie allegedly concealed his role in persecuting Ethiopian prisoners for their political opinions during that country’s so-called Red Terror period when he applied for, and ultimately obtained, U.S. citizenship,” said Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As this case demonstrates, the Justice Department will not allow the United States to become a safe haven for human rights violators, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute those who seek to exploit our immigration system through fraud and deceit.”

“The persecution of individuals for their political opinion and expression violates one of our most basic and foundational tenets as a nation,” said Patrick J. Lechleitner, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. “We will not allow human rights violators to use lies, fraud and deceit to exploit our laws.”

Negussie is charged with unlawful procurement of naturalization. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Conviction would also result in automatic revocation of Negussie’s United States citizenship as well as likely removal to Ethiopia. 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.

The case is being investigated by HSI with the support of the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC). Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female genital mutilation and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. The HRVWCC leverages the expertise of a select group of agents, lawyers, intelligence and research specialists, historians and analysts who direct the government’s broader enforcement efforts against these offenders. The HRVWCC is comprised of ICE HSI’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Unit, ICE’s Human Rights Law Section, FBI’s International Human Rights Unit and DOJ’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP).

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, 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Blanchard and Trial Attorney Jamie Perry of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) are prosecuting the case.

Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section at hrsptips@usdoj.gov or toll-free at 1-800-813-5863, or through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp.

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-350.

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 Chesapeake woman pleaded guilty today to her involvement in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, promoting the prostitution of several adult women and two minor girls, and to a charge of tampering with a witness against her.  

According to court documents, Randi Brooke Creef, 22, worked with several co-conspirators in Virginia and California to receive and distribute parcels of methamphetamine throughout Hampton Roads. She also helped the conspiracy in its efforts to prostitute several women – including at least two minor females – in hotels in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. Creef rented hotel rooms, provided narcotics, collected proceeds of the commercial sex acts, and helped as otherwise needed. Creef sent the proceeds of her methamphetamine dealing and the commercial sex acts of the women to a co-conspirator in California. After her indictment, Creef began a campaign using her social media accounts to threaten and harass an individual she believed to be a witness against her, in an effort to dissuade that individual from further cooperating with law enforcement.

Creef pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, use of facilities in interstate commerce to promote prostitution, and witness tampering. She faces a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison, and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison when she sentenced on December 11. 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, Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, and Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney V. Kathleen Dougherty and Darryl J. Mitchell 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-65.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for distributing heroin mixed with fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

“Walker had enough fentanyl for a lethal dose for about 13,620 people,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Distributing this deadly narcotic into the community would have placed many lives in extreme grave danger if they came in contact with this dangerous substance. Investigating and prosecuting heroin and fentanyl trafficking crimes is a top priority of this office as we continue to battle this deadly epidemic. I want to thank our investigative partners at ATF for their terrific work on this important case.”

According to court documents, Taron D. Walker, trafficked heroin and fentanyl throughout Portsmouth. Overall, Walker distributed 1.5 kilograms of heroin, over 13.5 kilograms of marijuana, 500 grams of cocaine, 27 grams of fentanyl, and about two grams of amphetamine.

Walker also conspired to straw-purchase firearms. As a felon prohibited from purchasing guns himself, Walker used his brother to buy guns for him. Walker’s decision to involve his brother in a criminal conspiracy exposed his brother to federal gun charges as well.

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 Rebecca Beach Smith. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin M. Comstock and 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-22.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 52 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

“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. “Together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners we remain steadfastly committed to removing illegally possessed firearms from our streets and reducing violent crime in our communities. The facts of this case exemplify the grave dangers our brave women and men in law enforcement may face every time they initiate a routine traffic stop.”

According to court documents, Slimero Grimes, 43, was a passenger in a vehicle driven by another individual, which disregarded stop signs, eluded police, and collided with a marked patrol vehicle. The police located Grimes in the front passenger seat wrestling with a shotgun that was in his lap as he attempted to exit the vehicle. Grime has prior convictions for abduction, robbery, and malicious wounding, and was convicted in 2010 for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

“Removing dangerous felons in possession of illegal firearms from our streets is a task that ATF engages in daily,” said Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “ATF actively partners with its federal, state and local law enforcement partners to reduce crime and keep communities safe.”

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 Olivia Norman prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-33.

RICHMOND, Va. – An Henrico man was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for conspiracy to make a false statement to acquire firearms, aiding and abetting another in making a false statement to acquire firearms, and using the mail to traffic marijuana.

“Preventing the illegal purchase and sale of firearms is a top priority,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We will continue to use federal firearms laws to prosecute straw purchasers and hold them accountable for their role in trafficking illegally purchased firearms. Every straw purchased firearm is a gun that can wind up in the hands of a prohibited person. I want to commend the ATF for their commitment to investigating these important cases.”

According to court documents, Toddai Deveaux, 21, enlisted an individual, J.M., to purchase approximately 13 firearms throughout spring and summer 2017 on Deveaux’s behalf. In doing so, J.M. falsely represented on forms required by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and used by all federally licensed firearms dealers, that he was purchasing the firearms for himself, rather than on behalf of Deveaux. After learning of these purchases and the false statements that J.M. made during each of these purchases, ATF agents confronted and arrested Deveaux. Law enforcement also learned that J.M. and Deveaux traveled to New York and Connecticut to sell several of the purchased firearms, with Deveaux keeping most, if not all, of the proceeds from those sales.

“The straw purchasing and illegal trafficking of firearms is a dangerous activity and often puts guns in the hands of criminals,” said Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “ATF remains dedicated to removing those that illegally possess firearms from the streets and communities of law abiding citizens.”

Additionally, in September 2017, Deveaux asked a student at Old Dominion University if Deveaux could have a package delivered to the student’s on-campus mailing address. Subsequently, in October 2017, Deveaux again asked if he could have a package delivered to the student’s on-campus mailing address. However, on this occasion campus police intercepted the package under suspicion the package contained marijuana. The package contained 861.09 grams of marijuana which Deveaux intended to sell and distribute to others.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-39.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Jamaican citizen was sentenced today to six years in prison for orchestrating a lottery fraud that scammed elderly victims out of approximately $385,000.

“The financial and emotional harm these scams cause elderly victims and their family members can be devastating,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This office will continue to aggressively prosecute crimes involving elder fraud, and we are firmly committed to bringing the offenders to justice, no matter where they reside.”

According to court documents, Tessicar Karelle Jumpp, 34, conspired with several of her family members and associates to scam elderly victims out of their savings. From her home in Jamaica, Jumpp contacted victims in the United States and used an alias to pretend to be a representative of Publishers Clearing House. Jumpp falsely informed her victims that they had won a lottery prize of millions of dollars, but that in order to collect their winnings, they would need to pay taxes and advance fees. Jumpp then instructed her victims to send funds through wire transfers and in packages of cash mailed to her co-conspirators in the United States. Those co-conspirators would keep a portion of the funds and then send the remainder to Jumpp and others in Jamaica. Jumpp’s victims included an 85-year-old woman from Great Falls who was scammed out of over $335,000, and an 85-year-old Massachusetts man who was defrauded out of almost $50,000.

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is grateful for the strong working relationships that led to the successful resolution of this case,” said Eric Shen, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “Postal Inspectors will continue to work together with our other federal law enforcement partners to ensure that criminals who target elderly and vulnerable victims in the United States cannot hide behind international borders.”

Earlier this year, the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners coordinated the largest sweep of elder fraud cases in history. The cases involved more than 250 defendants from around the globe who victimized more than 1 million Americans, most of whom were elderly. The cases include criminal, civil, and forfeiture actions across more than 50 federal districts.

“This case is an excellent example of the interagency cooperation required to dismantle an international scheme designed to target elderly U.S. citizens,” said Brian A. Michael, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Field Office. “HSI’s financial expertise coupled with our international footprint demonstrates even those criminals operating outside of the United States will be pursued vigorously.”

“This investigation exemplifies the positive outcomes that the FBI and our partner law enforcement agencies are bringing about in a continued effort to protect all American citizens, but particularly our senior citizens, from scams,” said Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office. “In addition to the Special Agents, Intelligence Analysts, and Inspectors, I want to thank our foreign partners in Jamaica for their coordination, which led to today’s sentencing.”

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, Eric Shen, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Brian A. Michael, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Bateman 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. 1:14-cr-416.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 6 1/2 years in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted of a felon.

“Corey Spruill has a criminal history filled with violence,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “He has numerous convictions for assaulting women and children, and possessing firearms. This office is committed to aggressively prosecuting violent individuals like Mr. Spruill. I want to thank our law enforcement partners at the Richmond Police Department and the ATF for the efforts on this case.”

According to court documents, Corey Spruill, 41, was approached by Richmond police officers after the car he was driving failed to stop at an intersection. When the officer approached Spruill’s car, he smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. A lawful search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of a backpack containing marijuana, a digital scale, and baggies used to package narcotics. In addition, a loaded firearm was recovered from the center console of the car. Spruill was also in possession of a quantity of cocaine that he had inside a baggie in his pocket. Spruill has prior convictions for misdemeanor assault and battery, and was convicted in 1999 and again in 2005 of federal firearms charges, making this his third federal felony conviction. While Spruill was on bond on state charges associated with this case, he was arrested and later convicted of assault and battery of a family member.      

 “The ATF is dedicated to removing violent criminals and those that illegally possess and use illicit firearms from our streets,” said Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division.  “This investigation demonstrates how ATF actively collaborates with its federal, state and local law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime and keep communities safe.”

“This is a great example how the Richmond Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office work together to prosecute repeat offenders and keep our streets safer,” said Roger Russell, Acting Deputy Chief of the Richmond Police.

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 Alfred Durham, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-32.

NORFOLK, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Virginia Beach man with conspiracy, maintaining a drug-involved premises, and possession with intent to distribute heroin.

According to allegations in the indictment, criminal complaint, and related court-documents, Demetress Bratton, 37, was arrested in March 2018 attempting to access his storage unit in Virginia Beach. Earlier that day, a Virginia Beach drug dog gave a positive alert for drugs at the storage unit, and a search warrant was obtained. During the search, detectives recovered two bags of an off-white substance that were sitting on a hydraulic press. One of the bags contained roughly 37 grams of heroin, and the other contained roughly 55 grams of a cutting agent used to increase the amount of heroin. Detectives also recovered a money counter, a Gucci bag containing $20,000 cash, two handguns, two rifles, and several cell phones. Later, when Bratton arrived at his storage unit and was arrested, law enforcement recovered $1663 cash and bags of heroin and a cutting agent from his vehicle. 

If convicted, Bratton faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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 James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin M. Comstock and William B. Jackson 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-123.

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 Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 8 years in prison and 20 years of supervised release for receipt, transportation, and possession of images of child sexual abuse.

According to court documents, Robert Michael Fall, 42, possessed thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse at the time of his arrest, and had been collecting the images for at least a decade. A search warrant and forensic investigation revealed that Fall possessed at least two laptops, numerous DVDs, and a Dropbox account containing illicit images and videos. Despite the fact that Fall used fake email accounts to try to hide his digital tracks, the evidence at trial indicated that his Dropbox account alone contained over 320 images and over 2,900 videos of child sexual abuse. Virginia Beach police first became aware of Fall’s illegal conduct when a relative reported finding a laptop with images of apparent child sexual abuse in Fall’s bedroom.

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, 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 Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth M. Yusi and Daniel T. Young 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-12.