Eastern District of Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. – A New York man was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for his role as a source of heroin and cocaine to drug distributors in Virginia.

According to court documents, Tyrell Brown, 30, started supplying heroin to members of a heroin drug trafficking organization in Spotsylvania County, Orange, and Fredericksburg, Virginia in 2015.  While other sources supplied the organization over the course of the three-year conspiracy, Brown supplied several ounces on a weekly basis until April 17, 2017, when law enforcement agents learned that he was traveling to Virginia with a large amount of cocaine and heroin in order to resupply multiple distributors in the area.

As a result of this information, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the home of one of Brown’s co-conspirators, Sheronda Fox, where Brown, Fox, and a third co-conspirator were preparing large quantities of heroin, cocaine, and the controlled substance known as “molly” for distribution. Additionally, throughout the investigation, law enforcement found evidence that Brown received several Western Union cash payments from his co-conspirators in the Virginia area while Brown continued to reside primarily in New York. However, Brown made trips to Virginia multiple times per week for the express purpose of distributing narcotics. In sentencing Brown, the district judge noted that Brown was strictly in the heroin business as a dealer, not a user attempting to distribute drugs to satiate his own drug addiction.

Sheronda Fox, 26, of Fredericksburg, also was sentenced today to nine years in prison for her role in the drug conspiracy.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Karl C. Colder, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. The case was investigated by the Fredericksburg FBI Narcotics Task Force, which includes the DEA, FBI, Virginia State Police, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, and Fredericksburg Police Department. 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. 3:17-cr-104.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two men were sentenced today to over a combined 22 years in prison for their role in a conspiracy to import heroin and cocaine into the United States from El Salvador.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Rosemberg Martin Majano, 40, of Lithia Springs, Georgia, and Jose Alejandro Orellana Montalvo, 26, of Woodbridge, were participants in a conspiracy to smuggle more than $400,000 worth of heroin and cocaine into the United States from El Salvador. Majano carried the drugs in his checked luggage on a flight from El Salvador into Washington Dulles International Airport. When Majano arrived at the airport, officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection discovered the heroin and cocaine concealed within food packaging in his luggage. Majano admitted that he was being paid to deliver the packages to someone in the airport.

In an ensuing surveillance operation, special agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, identified Orellana Montalvo as the individual who was to pick up the narcotics from Majano. Orellana Montalvo was arrested after he tried to pick up Majano outside of a restaurant in Herndon.

Majano was sentenced to 121 months in prison, and Orellana Montalvo was sentenced to 151 months in prison.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Patrick J. Lechleitner, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., and Casey Owen Durst, Director of CBP’s Baltimore Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas W. Traxler and Dennis M. Fitzpatrick prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-cr-204.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Fairfax County man pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.

According to court documents, Roscoe Simpson, 47, was arrested on July 21, 2016 after being found in possession of three-and-a-half kilograms of cocaine and $65,000 in United States currency. Following his arrest, Simpson admitted to the distribution of approximately fifty kilograms of cocaine.

Simpson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and a maximum sentence of life in prison when sentenced on June 27, 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.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:16-cr-60.

Medical Transport LLC, a Virginia Beach-based provider of ambulance services, agreed to pay $9 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for ambulance transports, the Justice Department announced today. 

 

“Those who benefit from federal health care programs must play by the rules,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that those whose conduct results in improper payments by the federal government will be held accountable.”   

  

The government alleged that Medical Transport submitted false or fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE for ambulance transports that were not medically necessary, that did not qualify as Specialty Care Transports, and that were billed improperly to the federal health care programs when they should have been billed to other payers. 

 

As part of the settlement, Medical Transport entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). This CIA is designed to promote compliance with the statutes, regulations, program requirements, and written directives of Medicare and all other federal health care programs. 

 

“Allegations of illegally billing federal health care programs to increase revenue is a serious matter,” said U.S. Attorney Tracy Doherty-McCormick for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This agreement underscores our continued commitment to civil health care fraud enforcement.”

 

“Besides agreeing to being monitored for five years, Medical Transport is paying $9 million to settle these government charges,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  “The message to all providers invoicing government health programs should be clear: Fraudulently billing for services is bad business.”

 

Today’s settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, The U.S. Attorneys’ Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, HHS-OIG, DCIS, the FBI, and the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Office of the Attorney General.     

 

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

RICHMOND, Va. – A Virginia Beach man pleaded guilty today to committing a dozen bank robberies throughout Virginia and North Carolina in 2016 and 2017.

According to court documents, Russell Carter, 50, robbed 11 banks and attempted to rob another, all by approaching the tellers with a note demanding money, and claiming that he had a firearm. Carter robbed nine banks in the Richmond, Williamsburg, and Fredericksburg areas, as well as one bank in Charlottesville, and one in Durham, North Carolina. 

Carter pleaded guilty to bank robbery and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison when sentenced on June 19. 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.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Duffey is prosecuting the case.

This investigation was conducted by FBI Richmond’s Central Virginia Violent Crimes 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. 3:17-cr-166.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was arrested today on charges of threatening to murder and assault a member of Congress.

According to court documents, Wallace Grove Godwin, 69, visited the Virginia Beach Office of Congressman Scott Taylor yesterday. After apparently becoming frustrated during a discussion about marijuana policy, Godwin made the following statement to a staff member for the Congressman: “Scott is having an event this Saturday. I am going to get my shotgun and do something about this. I will just handle this myself.” Godwin then pointed at two staffers in the room and stated, “You two are next.”

According to court documents, these recent threats follow two aggressive interactions that Godwin had in 2017, one in which Godwin visited Congressman Taylor’s private residence and interacted directly with Congressman Taylor outside his home. During another incident Godwin visited the Virginia Beach office and yelled at congressional staff members.

Godwin is scheduled to make his initial appearance today at the federal courthouse in Norfolk at 2:30 p.m.

Godwin has been charged with threatening to murder and assault a United States official, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, if convicted. 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.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Matthew R. Verderosa, Chief of Police of the U.S. Capitol Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel T. Young 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-mj-166.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Maryland man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for his participation in a drug trafficking conspiracy responsible for the distribution of kilograms of heroin and fentanyl in the Colonial Beach, Westmoreland County and King George County areas. 

According to court documents, Dwayne Proctor, 38, who has ties to Colonial Beach and Westmoreland County, conspired with others to traffic over 1000 grams of heroin and fentanyl from at least January 2015 through May 2017. During the course of the conspiracy, Proctor supplied quantities of heroin ranging from gram to ounce quantities, to others in these areas and utilized several residences for the purposes of selling and storing illegal drugs. Proctor also utilized his mother’s home in Colonial Beach to store over a kilogram of heroin and over a kilogram of fentanyl, which were recovered by law enforcement during a search of the house pursuant to a search warrant on May 2, 2017. 

Proctor utilized several individuals to assist and conspired with others in his drug distribution efforts, including the following co-conspirators who were sentenced as follows:

Name, Age

City

Sentencing

Lawrence Buckner, 37

King George

8 years on Oct. 27, 2017

Jeffrey Dudley, 26

Colonial Beach

7 years on Oct. 27, 2017

Clifton Howdershelt, 54

King George

11 years on Nov. 13, 2017

Edward Shupe, 47

King George

11 years on Oct. 20, 2017

Terrell Sylvester Johnson, 28

Westmoreland

12 years on Nov. 20, 2017

 

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Karl C. Colder, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, Steve F. Dempsey, King George County Sheriff, C.O. Balderson, Westmoreland County Sheriff, and Tony Lippa, Jr., Caroline County Sheriff, 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. 3:17-cr-57 and the related cases Case Nos. 3:17-cr-55 and 3:17-cr-54.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, commonly known as “ice”, in Hampton Roads.

According to court documents, Russell James Kerfoot, 39, conspired with Coy James Mullins, formerly of Palm Springs, California, and others to distribute methamphetamine in Hampton Roads from 2016 until May 2017. During the conspiracy, Mullins shipped parcels containing methamphetamine to Kerfoot in Norfolk through the mail. Kerfoot distributed the methamphetamine he received from Mullins in Hampton Roads.

On May 8, 2017, the Virginia Beach Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations received information that Kerfoot was in route to a location in Virginia Beach to conduct a drug transaction. The police set up surveillance and subsequently observed Kerfoot arrive at the location in a blue SUV. When uniformed police officers attempted to make contact with Kerfoot, he ran into a retail store and into the bathroom before being arrested. Police seized approximately 69 grams of methamphetamine from the glove box of the blue SUV.

On May 10, 2017, Kerfoot returned to the retail store and attempted to retrieve a quantity of methamphetamine he had hidden in the bathroom just two days before. After an employee called the police they located approximately 58 grams of methamphetamine concealed above the ceiling tiles in the bathroom.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting 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, Robert B. Wemyss, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:17-cr-89.

Two former executives at a Virginia-based software company pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the government by failing to pay over employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy Doherty-McCormick for the Eastern District of Virginia.

 

According to documents and information provided to the court, Robert Lewis was the Chief Executive Officer and Kristie Lynn McDonald was the Vice President of Finance and Administration of a software company in Sterling, Virginia.  From January 2011 to February 2013, Lewis and McDonald conspired to defraud the United States by failing to pay over to the IRS more than $1.8 million in payroll taxes withheld from employee paychecks.  

 

As part of their scheme, Lewis and McDonald admitted that they circumvented the company’s normal payroll and accounting procedures by paying some employees with manual checks.  The employees still received their correct salary, but by bypassing the accounting system, Lewis and McDonald were able to hide the fact that the withholdings were not being paid over to the IRS.  Lewis and McDonald admitted that the practical effect of their scheme was to conceal the company’s failing financial condition from its Board of Directors.  Lewis and McDonald also admitted that they caused the company to file false quarterly employment tax returns with the IRS underreporting the amount of tax due.

 

Lewis and McDonald further admitted that, during this same period, they intentionally failed to remit the full amount of employee retirement contributions to the company’s retirement plan.  Through their actions, the company failed to transfer and credit nearly $225,000 in voluntary employee retirement withholdings. 

 

Lewis and McDonald admitted that they used the misappropriated money to pay the operating expenses of the company, which included their own six figure salaries and salary raises for other employees.

 

U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III scheduled sentencing for Lewis on June 29 and for McDonald on June 22.  Lewis and McDonald each face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release and monetary penalties.  They further agreed to restitution in the amount of $1,812,706.

 

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and Acting U.S. Attorney Doherty-McCormick thanked agents of IRS Criminal Investigation and the Department of Labor, who conducted the investigation, and Tax Division Trial Attorneys Kevin Schneider and Charles M. Edgar, Jr., and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Faulconer, who are prosecuting the case.

Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.

NORFOLK, Va. – Two Portsmouth men pleaded guilty today to their involvement in a massive heroin and crack cocaine conspiracy in Hampton Roads.

According to court documents, Antonio Brown, aka “Tony Legal,” 42, and Roman Hurdle, aka “Rome,” 38, were part of a massive heroin and crack cocaine drug-trafficking conspiracy in Hampton Roads. Brown was a lieutenant in the organization, which included at least 10 participants, and Hurdle was Brown’s driver and crack manufacturer, or “cook.” Altogether, the two are responsible for distributing roughly three kilograms of heroin, four kilograms of crack, and over 20 kilograms of powder cocaine.

Each man pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack cocaine. They both face a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison when sentenced on June 18. 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.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Karl C. Colder, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar accepted the pleas. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson is prosecuting the case.

The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Promotional Deceit. 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.

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-40.

Three members of the Nine Trey Gangsters were convicted today by a federal jury in the Eastern District of Virginia for their roles in a racketeering conspiracy that included five murders, six attempted murders, and various drug trafficking, robbery, and firearms crimes that spanned all five cities in south Hampton Roads, Virginia in 2015.

Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy Doherty-McCormick for the Eastern District of Virginia; Attorney General of Virginia Mark R. Herring; Special Agent in Charge Martin Culbreth of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Chief Tonya D. Chapman of Portsmouth Police; Chief Larry D. Boone of Norfolk Police; Chief James A. Cervera of Virginia Beach Police; Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police and Chief Thomas E. Bennett of Suffolk Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis accepted the verdict.

“The Nine Trey Gangsters are a violent set of the Bloods that was responsible for a wave of cold-blooded murders that terrorized Hampton Roads during the 2015 holiday season,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Cronan.  “I commend our dedicated law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors for their tireless efforts to stand up for the five men and women who were senselessly murdered by this vicious gang.  Today’s guilty verdicts – which followed a seven-week trial with over 100 witnesses – ensure that these three members of the Nine Trey Gangsters will now face justice for their participation in the gang’s murderous conspiracy.”

“These men inflicted extreme violence in Hampton Roads,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Doherty-McCormick. “They brutally murdered five people, attempted to murder six others, and in addition to selling drugs, committed robberies and other gang-related crimes. This verdict sends a clear message to gang members committing violent crimes in our communities:  You will be caught, and you will be prosecuted. Together with our federal and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute these cases.”   

Antonio Lee Simmons, aka Murdock and Doc, 39, of Norfolk, was convicted today of racketeering conspiracy, heroin distribution conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, assault with a dangerous weapon, use of a firearm resulting in death, use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and various firearm and drug offenses. 

Nathaniel Tyree Mitchell, aka Savage, 26, of Portsmouth, Virginia was convicted today of racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, assault with a dangerous weapon, use of a firearm resulting in death, and use of a firearm during a crime of violence.  Malek Lassiter, aka Leeko, 22, of Portsmouth, was convicted today of racketeering conspiracy, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, assault with a dangerous weapon, and use of a firearm during a crime of violence.  Simmons, Mitchell and Lassiter will be sentenced on July 19; July 17 and July 18, 2018, respectively.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, the Nine Trey Gangsters are part of the United Blood Nation street gang. From approximately Thanksgiving through Christmas of 2015, the gang members murdered two men and three women, most of whom had no affiliation with the gang.  One victim, Linda Lassiter, 48, along with her boyfriend Wayne Davis, 48, was killed just weeks after speaking to the police about a gang-connected shooting at her daughter’s house.  The body of another victim, Al-Tariq Tynes, 26, was hidden in the trunk of his car and driven around for days before he was dumped into a ditch in Chesapeake, Virginia.  His body was not discovered until early 2016.  Jamesha Roberts, 25, a young mother of two children under the age of five, was gunned down in Norfolk after her shift at the airport Starbucks.  Witnesses testified at trial that Nathaniel Mitchell, who was in a competition with another Nine Trey member to see who could shoot the most people, killed her for “walking on the wrong side of the street.” 

“Today’s verdict demonstrates the commitment of the FBI and our law enforcement partners to hold violent gang members and murderers fully accountable for their actions,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Culbreth. “We will not stand by while violent criminals terrorize our neighborhoods and murder innocent people. I would like to thank the agents, analysts, task force officers, and prosecutors for their unwavering efforts to eliminate gang violence in our communities. We hope this verdict will encourage citizens to continue to come forward and help us provide a safer Hampton Roads.”

“These men are responsible for one of Hampton Roads’ deadliest crime sprees in recent memory,” said Virginia Attorney General Herring. “In just about one month, they inflicted death and mayhem on their communities while trying to settle scores and establish their positions in their gang. Hampton Roads will be safer with these men off the streets, and I appreciate all the hard work and cooperation of local, state, and federal law enforcement and prosecutors that has brought them to justice.”

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Antonio Lee Simmons was the head of a locally based “line” of the gang.  After two subordinate members, Anthony Foye and Nathaniel Mitchell, were arrested for an armed robbery of a Shell gas station on Dec. 27, 2015, law enforcement linked a gun and shell casing recovered after the robbery to nine of the crime scenes.  Additionally, the same getaway car used at the robbery was captured on video fleeing the scene of a shooting at the Aqua Lounge nightclub in Virginia Beach on Dec. 20, 2015.  The two-year investigation by Portsmouth Police Department’s gang unit and the FBI included a technological analysis that tied the gang members to crime scene locations.

A total of six defendants were charged in federal court.  In addition to today’s three defendants, who were convicted following a seven-week trial, three defendants pleaded guilty prior to trial.  Anthony Foye, aka Ace and Bull, 26, of Portsmouth, pleaded guilty to murder in aid of racketeering and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2.  Alvaughn Davis, aka LB, 29, of Portsmouth, pleaded guilty to use of a firearm resulting in death, racketeering conspiracy, and accessory after the fact to murder in aid of racketeering.  Davis was sentenced on Oct. 17 to serve 45 years in prison.  Donte Brehon, aka Dog Nutz, 36, of Norfolk, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin.  Brehon was sentenced on June 5, 2017, to serve 160 months in prison.

The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Billy Club.  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.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph E. DePadilla and Andrew C. Bosse, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John F. Butler of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Teresa A. Wallbaum of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, are prosecuting the case.

RICHMOND, Va. – Three defendants were sentenced yesterday and today to a combined 36 years in prison for participating in a lengthy and extensive drug trafficking conspiracy.

According to court documents, Steve Allen Hicks, 42, Brittany Owens, 28, and Dexter Banks, 30, all of Emporia, Virginia, were members of a drug trafficking organization which operated in Emporia and the surrounding area dating back to at least 2013. During the conspiracy, these defendants along with several other co-conspirators, distributed large amounts of crack cocaine, powder cocaine, heroin and marijuana to hundreds of customers in Southeast Virginia. Owens was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison, Banks to 11 years and 8 months, and Hicks was sentenced today to 15 years in prison. 

The case was investigated 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.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Duffey prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:17-cr-80.

RICHMOND, Va. – A man whose forehead tattoo helped victims and investigators confirm his identity was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for possessing a firearm during two robberies of convenience stores in late 2016.

According to court documents, Vince Nicholas, 24, of Petersburg, committed six robberies over a three month span in late 2016. On Dec. 11, 2016, Nicholas entered a 7-Eleven in Hopewell and robbed two store clerks for cash and products. During the robbery, the clerks noticed Nicholas had a distinct tattoo in the middle of his forehead. The clerks later described it as a “half-sun” shape. Law enforcement subsequently arrested Nicholas at his home after receiving an anonymous tip alleging that he was conducting the robberies. During a post-arrest interview, Nicholas admitted to the 7-Eleven robbery in Hopewell as well as five additional robberies where he can be identified by victims and/or on camera by his clothing and/or distinctive forehead tattoo.

During each robbery, Nicholas possessed and brandished the firearm toward store employees demanding money and, on at least one occasion, threatening the victims’ life.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting 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 Robert E. Payne. 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. 3:17-cr-120.

NORFOLK, Va. – Three members of the Nine Trey Gangsters were convicted today by a federal jury for their roles in a racketeering conspiracy that included five murders, six attempted murders, and various drug trafficking, robbery, and firearms crimes that spanned all five cities in south Hampton Roads in 2015.

“These men inflicted extreme violence in Hampton Roads,” said Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “They brutally murdered five people, attempted to murder six others, and in addition to selling drugs, committed robberies and other gang-related crimes. This verdict sends a clear message to gang members committing violent crimes in our communities:  You will be caught, and you will be prosecuted. Together with our federal and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute these cases.”

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, the Nine Trey Gangsters are part of the United Blood Nation street gang. From approximately Thanksgiving through Christmas of 2015, the gang members murdered two men and three women, most of whom had no affiliation with the gang. One victim, Linda Lassiter, 48, along with her boyfriend Wayne Davis, 48, was killed just weeks after speaking to the police about a gang-connected shooting at her daughter’s house. The body of another victim, Al-Tariq Tynes, 26, was hidden in the trunk of his car and driven around for days before he was dumped into a ditch in Chesapeake. His body was not discovered until early 2016. Jamesha Roberts, 25, a young mother of two children under the age of five, was gunned down in Norfolk after her shift at the airport Starbucks. Witnesses testified at trial that Nathaniel Mitchell, who was in a competition with another Nine Trey member to see who could shoot the most people, killed her for “walking on the wrong side of the street.”

“The Nine Trey Gangsters are a violent set of the Bloods that was responsible for a wave of cold-blooded murders that terrorized Hampton Roads during the 2015 holiday season,” said John P. Cronan, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “I commend our dedicated law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors for their tireless efforts to stand up for the five men and women who were senselessly murdered by this vicious gang. Today’s guilty verdicts – which followed a seven-week trial with over 100 witnesses – ensure that these three members of the Nine Trey Gangsters will now face justice for their participation in the gang’s murderous conspiracy.”

“Today’s verdict demonstrates the commitment of the FBI and our law enforcement partners to hold violent gang members and murderers fully accountable for their actions,” said Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office. “We will not stand by while violent criminals terrorize our neighborhoods and murder innocent people. I would like to thank the agents, analysts, task force officers, and prosecutors for their unwavering efforts to eliminate gang violence in our communities. We hope this verdict will encourage citizens to continue to come forward and help us provide a safer Hampton Roads.”

“These men are responsible for one of Hampton Roads’ deadliest crime sprees in recent memory,” said Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia. “In just about one month, they inflicted death and mayhem on their communities while trying to settle scores and establish their positions in their gang. Hampton Roads will be safer with these men off the streets, and I appreciate all the hard work and cooperation of local, state, and federal law enforcement and prosecutors that has brought them to justice.”

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Antonio Lee Simmons was the head of a locally based “line” of the gang. After two subordinate members, Anthony Foye and Nathaniel Mitchell, were arrested for an armed robbery of a Shell gas station on Dec. 27, 2015, law enforcement linked a gun and shell casing recovered after the robbery to nine of the crime scenes.  Additionally, the same getaway car used at the robbery was captured on video fleeing the scene of a shooting at the Aqua Lounge nightclub in Virginia Beach on Dec. 20, 2015. The two-year investigation by Portsmouth Police Department’s gang unit and the FBI included a technological analysis that tied the gang members to crime scene locations.

A total of six defendants were charged in federal court. Defendants Simmons, Mitchell, and Lassiter were convicted today of all charges after a seven-week trial. Three other defendants previously pleaded guilty. See the table below for additional details.

Name

 

Age, Hometown

Convictions (Counts)

Sentencing

Antonio Lee Simmons,

aka “Murdock,” “Doc”

39, Norfolk

Racketeering Conspiracy; Heroin distribution conspiracy; Murder in Aid of Racketeering (2); Attempted murder in aid of racketeering (4); Assault with a dangerous weapon (3); Use of a firearm resulting in death (2); Use of a firearm during a crime of violence (5); Various firearm and drug offenses

Two mandatory life terms plus mandatory minimum of 160 years on July 19

Nathaniel Tyree Mitchell,

aka “Savage”

25, Portsmouth

Racketeering Conspiracy; Murder in Aid of Racketeering (4); Attempted murder in aid of racketeering (6); Assault with a dangerous weapon (5); Use of a firearm resulting in death (4); Use of a firearm during a crime of violence (7)

Four mandatory life terms plus mandatory minimum of 160 years on July 17

Anthony Foye,

aka “Ace,” “Bull”

26, Portsmouth

Murder in Aid of Racketeering (4)

Four mandatory life terms on May 2

Malek Lassiter,

aka “Leeko”

22, Portsmouth

Racketeering Conspiracy; Attempted murder in aid of racketeering (3); Assault with a dangerous weapon (2); Use of a firearm during a crime of violence (4)

Mandatory minimum of 85 years, maximum of life on July 18

Alvaughn Davis,

aka “LB”

29, Portsmouth

Use of a firearm resulting in death; racketeering conspiracy; accessory after the fact to murder in aid of racketeering

45 years on Oct. 17, 2017

Donte Brehon,

aka “Dog Nutz”

36, Norfolk

Accessory after the fact to assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin

160 months on June 5, 2017

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, John P. Cronan, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, Tonya D. Chapman, Chief of Portsmouth Police, Larry D. Boone, Chief of Norfolk Police, James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, and Thomas E. Bennett, Chief of Suffolk Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis accepted the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph E. DePadilla and Andrew C. Bosse, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John F. Butler, and Trial Attorney Teresa A. Wallbaum of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, are prosecuting the case.

The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Billy Club. 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.

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. 2:16-cr-130.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A former Hampton Police Officer was arrested yesterday in Idaho on charges of conspiring to distribute narcotics and tampering with a witness.

According to allegations in the indictment, Deangelo Freeman, 30, conspired with Alex Jermaine Burnett, aka “Da Boss” aka “Styles”, Charles McMillan aka “Cee Mack”, Charles Bailey, Jr., Mario Deyon Barrett aka “Rio”, Jordan Davis, and Stanley Freeman aka “Pacman”, to distribute various narcotics in Hampton Roads. Freeman is also alleged to have committed witness tampering by providing the identity of an FBI confidential informant to his co-conspirators.

Freeman has been charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute narcotics, distribution of narcotics, and tampering with a witness. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison if convicted. 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.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and Terry L. Sult, Chief of Hampton Police Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt is prosecuting the case.

The Hampton Police Division has fully cooperated and provided significant assistance with this investigation. The Idaho State Police provided assistance with the arrest of Freeman in Idaho.

The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Brim Reaper. 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.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:17-cr-111.

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.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Two Newport News men have been sentenced to a combined 87 months in prison for distributing heroin, including on the property of a local elementary school.

According to court documents, Aaron Williams, 28, who was employed as a janitor at Sedgefield Elementary School in Newport News, was involved with Scott Fletcher, 51, in distributing heroin in Newport News and Hampton. In October 2016, Williams sold heroin he acquired from Fletcher to a confidential informant on school property at Sedgefield Elementary School.

Williams was sentenced yesterday to 21 months in prison and six years of supervised release. Fletcher was sentenced today to 66 months in prison and four years supervised release.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, made the announcement after Fletcher’s sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:17-cr-89.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A James City County man was sentenced today to five years in prison for lying to federal agent about a 2017 murder.

According to court documents, in October 2017, Malik Corey Brown, 29, invited gang members to the Burnt Orange Ordinary neighborhood in James City County. When the gang members arrived at Burnt Orange Ordinary, an altercation occurred with two rival individuals who were present. During the altercation, one of the rival individuals was shot and killed and the other was wounded. When investigators arrived and questioned Brown about having contact with one of the gang members at the shooting, Brown lied to the agent and denied any such contact.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting 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 Senior U.S. District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:17-cr-114.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man pleaded guilty today to receipt of images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

According to court documents, undercover law enforcement officers found Michael Amit, 30, sharing images of child abuse using peer-to-peer file-sharing technology. During the execution of a search warrant at Amit’s residence in Chesapeake, law enforcement found and seized numerous items of electronic media. A forensic analysis found that Amit had collected thousands of images and videos depicting minors being sexually abused. At that time, Amit was employed by Old Dominion University in Information Technology Services.

Amit pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography and faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on June 21. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting 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 Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-25.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria woman was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for a fraud scheme that victimized members of a church congregation and other investors.

According to court documents, Grenetta Wells, 48, served as the Chief Operating Officer of Micro-Enterprise Management Group (MEMG), a Virginia company that alleged to help poor people in developing countries by providing small, short-term loans to start or expand existing businesses by working with a network of established micro-finance institutions. Wells worked with Terry Wayne Millender, the former senior pastor of Victorious Life Church in Alexandria and Chief Executive Officer of MEMG, and his wife Brenda Millender, who was a founding member of MEMG to solicit investors. Wells and the Millenders lured investors by emphasizing MEMG’s Christian mission and use of funds to help the poor, promising guaranteed rates of return, assuring investors that the loans’ principal was safe and backed by the assets of MEMG. Instead, the money was used to conduct risky trading on the foreign exchange currency market and day trading by Wells using a company she owned called Golden Strategies, Inc. Wells was also responsible for creating website and promotional material for MEMG, as well as helping victims fill out paperwork to set up self-directed individual retirement accounts (IRAs) so that they could use retirement savings to fund their MEMG investments. In addition to her prison sentence, Wells was ordered to pay $1.3 million in restitution to victims of the fraud scheme.

Wells pleaded guilty on Jan. 13, 2017, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Terry and Brenda Millender were convicted by a federal jury on Dec. 19, 2017, and are currently awaiting sentencing.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kimberly Lappin, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Robert B. Wemyss, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine L. Wong, Jamar K. Walker, and Kimberly R. Pedersen prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-239.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Herndon man was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for threatening to murder officials and employees of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the U.S. State Department.

According to court documents, William Lewis Weaver, II, 36, posted multiple messages to Twitter and Pastebin in August and September 2017 regarding his intent to “shotgun” and bomb the CIA and the U.S. State Department. Weaver’s communications indicate that his threats were motivated by his anger toward the CIA and the State Department. On or about Sept. 11, 2017, Weaver sent his landlord a text message that his “focus” was on “shotguns and bombs,” and a few days later, on or about Sept. 15, 2017, Weaver attempted to purchase a shotgun from a store in Sterling. Law enforcement arrested Weaver the next day.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Bartle B. Gorman, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander P. Berrang and Nathaniel Smith III 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-235.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A United States citizen who resides in Mexico was arrested early Saturday morning on charges of importing heroin into the United States.

According to court documents, Nelly Davila, 39, arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport on March 9 from Mexico City carrying a suitcase containing over seven kilograms of a substance that field-tested positive for heroin. Customs and Border Protection agents found the contraband concealed in her suitcase as she attempted to re-enter the United States.

Davila is scheduled for a preliminary hearing and detention hearing today at 2 p.m. at the federal courthouse in Alexandria.

Davila is charged with importing a schedule I controlled substance and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years and a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, if convicted. 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.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Casey Owen Durst, Director of Customs and Border Protection’s Baltimore Field Office, and Patrick J. Lechleitner, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Williamson is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-mj-122.

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

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Newport News couple with 12 counts of robbery and two counts of use of a firearm during a crime of violence. 

According to allegations in the indictment, Christopher Robertson, 33, and Aquilla Jones, 38, conspired together to commit a series of robberies in Virginia Beach, Newport News, York County, Chesapeake and Spotsylvania County.

According to the indictment, Robertson and Jones, along with unnamed co-conspirators agreed to rob these local businesses:

Date                           

Business

Sept. 24, 2013

Gulf Gas Station, 2120 Plank Road, Fredericksburg

Oct. 1, 2013 

Captain D’s, 2626 Princess Anne Street, Fredericksburg                     

Oct. 6, 2013         

Big Lots, 4318 George Washington Highway, Yorktown

Oct. 8, 2013         

Fast Mart, 5166 Mudd Tavern Road, Spotsylvania

Oct. 13, 2013

Food Lion, 7100 Salem Fields Blvd. Spottsylvania (Attempt)        

Dec. 4, 2014

Citgo Gas Station, 780 J. Clyde Morris Ave., Newport News

Dec. 6, 2014

Shell Gas Station, 600 Hampton Highway, Yorktown

Dec. 6, 2014

Hop and Shop, 12961 Jefferson Avenue, Newport News

Dec. 8, 2014

Shell Gas Station, 10732 Jefferson Avenue, Newport News

Dec. 10, 2014

Smoke Shop, 3115 Western Branch Blvd., Chesapeake (Attempt)

Dec. 11, 2014

Mini-Mart, Green Meadows Drive, Virginia Beach

Dec. 12, 2014

Gulf Gas Station, 2120 Plank Road, Fredericksburg

Dec. 13, 2014

Subway Restaurant, 9817 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Fredericksburg

 

Robertson and Jones are charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, use of a firearm in a crime of violence, and Hobbs Act robbery. Each faces a mandatory minimum of 32 years in prison with a maximum of life in prison if convicted. 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.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt 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.

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.

RICHMOND, Va. – A former Richmond lawyer was sentenced today to one year in prison for bankruptcy fraud and failing to collect and turn over employment taxes.

According to court documents, Nnika White, 42, maintained a bankruptcy law practice in Richmond and owned a law firm, White & Associates, PLLC. In 2014, one of White’s bankruptcy clients inherited approximately $50,000 and turned over the checks to White. However, instead of disclosing the inheritance to the client’s bankruptcy trustee, White concealed the inheritance by depositing it into a firm account. After discussing the matter with the client, White then paid herself over $31,000 out of that account for legal fees. In later bankruptcy filings on behalf of the client, White never disclosed that she purported to be a creditor of the client’s, nor the fact of the inheritance, much less that she had been paid legal fees out of it. In part as a result of this conduct, White was disbarred.

As the owner of her law firm, White was responsible for collecting and paying over payroll taxes to the IRS. From approximately late 2011 through late 2015, White issued Forms W-2 to her employees that indicated she had withheld monies from employees’ salaries as income tax and social security contributions. However, White never paid the money to the government, instead keeping it for herself. Taking into account the employer matching portion (which White also did not pay), the total amount White failed to pay to the government exceeded $68,000.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, and Kimberly Lappin, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Harbach, II, 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. 3:17-cr-159.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Glen Allen man pleaded guilty today to engaging in an illegal cigarette tax fraud that caused a loss of over $1.3 million to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

According to court documents, Sunil Thawrani, 49, from January 2015 to March 2017, Thawrani used several credit cards to purchase large quantities of cigarettes from stores such as Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale Club. During each purchase, Thawrani and co-conspirators completed the Form ST-10, or the Commonwealth of Virginia Sales and Use Tax Certificate of Exemption, stating that the purchased cigarettes were purchased for resale in the regular course of business and that he and his co-conspirators would pay the proper taxing authority all taxes. Thawrani subsequently resold those cigarettes in bulk amounts at his wholesale business, Noor Wholesale of Farmville, Inc., aka Sunny’s Wholesale. Thawrani and co-conspirators sold the majority of the cigarettes purchased at Sunny’s Wholesale in bulk amounts to individuals who then resold the cigarettes outside of the Commonwealth of Virginia as untaxed cigarettes. Thawrani and co-conspirators did not collect or pay the applicable Virginia Retail Sales and Use Tax for the cigarettes sold to out of state individuals, causing an actual loss to the Commonwealth of Virginia in the amount of over $1.3 million.

Thawrani pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on June 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.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Michalak is prosecuting the case.

This case was investigated by the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA Northern Virginia Financial Initiative and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division.

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-17.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Lorton man was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for attempted robbery, attempted possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and the use and discharge of a firearm during those crimes.

Thomas Todd, 33, was convicted by a federal jury on Sept. 19, 2017. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Todd conspired to rob a drug dealer at gunpoint in the basement of an apartment building in Lorton. The drug dealer arrived at the apartment building with an armed associate on the evening of June 24, 2016, and a shootout occurred in the lobby.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting 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 Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Fahey and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ankush Khardori and Samuel Lord 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-24

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A California man was sentenced today to 64 months in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

According to court documents, Kefvon Keffen Baker, 42, of Los Angeles, was part of a nationwide bank fraud conspiracy based in Los Angeles in which conspirators have been stealing U.S. Treasury refund checks, using the identities of those taxpayers to open bank accounts, depositing the stolen checks, and withdrawing monies against the deposits. In just one month of activity in the Eastern District of Virginia and nearby Pennsylvania, Baker attempted to steal over $1 million in U.S. Treasury-issued tax refund checks.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Kimberly Lappin, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Eric M. Thorson, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Treasury, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorney Grace L. Hill prosecuted the case.

The Leesburg Police Department, Arlington County Police Department, and the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office provided significant assistance with this case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information 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-264.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man pleaded guilty today to threatening to murder African-Americans at Howard University, a historically black university in Washington, D.C.

According to court documents, on the night of Nov. 11, 2015, John Edgar Rust, 26, entered a restaurant in Alexandria, connected his computer and laptop to the store’s wireless Internet connection, and posted a threat online to murder African-Americans at Howard University the next day. He posted a statement on another Internet bulletin board several minutes later, under the user name “watchouthoward,” that linked to his first post.  He was on probation at the time for committing another crime. 

Rust pleaded guilty to transmission in interstate commerce of a communication containing threats to injure the person of another and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on July 20. 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.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Andrew W. Vale, 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. Attorneys Nicholas U. Murphy and Maya D. Song 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. 1:17-cr-290.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A New York man pleaded guilty today to defrauding a national trade association out of more than $1.1 million in an email phishing scam.

According to court documents, Olajide Abraham Eyitayo, 46, of Hempstead, opened three banking accounts in January 2016 using a company that he formed in New York. From January through April 2016, the accounts were essentially dormant, and as of April 25, 2016, the combined balances of the three accounts were less than five dollars. On that day, a Virginia-based trade association approved a payment of more than $280,000 intended for a travel vendor, but the payment went to one of Eyitayo’s accounts. The association had changed the payment information for the vendor the month before, when a “spoof” email impersonating that vendor requested the payment information be changed to the account number that belonged to Eyitayo.

Over the next several months, Eyitayo received two more payments into his account that were intended for the association’s travel vendor. In total, Eyitayo received more than $1.1 million in fraudulent proceeds. Eyitayo spent and laundered the money in a variety of ways designed to conceal the scheme and the recipients of the crime’s proceeds. For example, Eyitayo purchased cars that he sent to his brother in Nigeria, wired money to and from various bank accounts and third parties, and spent other proceeds on personal expenses.

When the victim and bank caught on, Eyitayo told a variety of false and misleading stories to bank officials and law enforcement, and claimed that he worked in the lingerie business and falsely claimed that the first fraudulent deposit was for that business.

Eyitayo pleaded guilty to wire fraud and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on June 15. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamar K. Walker and Ryan S. Faulconer 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. 1:17-cr-269.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Six members of the street gang La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, were convicted today by a federal jury for their roles in a kidnapping, murder, and an extortion conspiracy in Northern Virginia.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in April and May 2016, MS-13 gang members and associates Dublas Aristides Lazo, Lelis Ezequiel Tremino-Tobar, Carlos Benitez Pereira, Daniel Oswaldo Flores-Maravilla, Andres Alexander Velasquez-Guevara, Manuel Antonio Centeno, Wilmer Viera-Gonzalez, and Miguel Zelaya-Gomez targeted Carlos Otero-Henriquez, an 18-year-old resident of Leesburg, because they believed Otero-Henriquez was a member of the rival 18th Street gang. On the evening of May 21, 2016, the gang members lured Otero-Henriquez into a vehicle occupied by Lazo, Treminio-Tobar, Pereira, Flores-Maravilla, Centeno, Viera-Gonzalez, and Zelaya-Gomez under the pretense that the group was going to a party. Instead, the group drove Otero-Henriquez to an isolated quarry near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. There, the group severely beat, restrained, and killed Otero-Henriquez, stabbing him more than 50 times with a knife. Afterwards, the gang left the Otero-Henriquez’s body in a nearby ditch, and returned to the home of Shannon Sanchez in Leesburg. Sanchez, another associate of the gang, helped them burn their clothes and destroy other evidence of the crime.   

“The hallmark of MS-13 is extreme violence,” said Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This brutal kidnapping and murder is a tragic reminder of the impact MS-13 has on communities here in Northern Virginia. My hope is that our efforts to investigate and prosecute this case will send a clear message: Violence will be aggressively prosecuted. I want to thank our trial team and investigative partners for their terrific work on this case and for bringing these criminals to justice.” 

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from January 2016 through April 2016, Juan Carlos Guadron-Rodriguez, Wilmar Javier Viera-Gonzalez, and Miguel Zelaya-Gomez engaged in a conspiracy to extort an individual victim residing in Leesburg, Virginia. As part of the conspiracy, the defendants threatened violence to the victim and the victim’s family unless the victim made regular extortion payments to the gang. The victim’s family contacted law enforcement, and the victim thereafter wore an FBI body wire to record extortion payments the victim made to Guadron-Rodriguez and Zelaya-Gomez in March and April 2016. The FBI conducted surveillance of these payments both to ensure the victim’s safety, and to collect evidence against the gang. Through these investigative steps, the FBI was able to record and photograph Guadron-Rodriguez and Zelaya-Gomez in the act of taking extortion money from the victim.

“This horrendous kidnapping and murder was a senseless and inhumane act committed by MS-13 members,” said Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office. “Today's verdict sends a clear message that the FBI, along with our local, state and other federal law enforcement agencies, will hold violent gang members and murderers fully accountable for their actions. The FBI, along with our partners, work relentlessly to ensure violent gangs and murderers are brought to justice. I would like to thank the agents, analysts, task force officers, and prosecutors for their unwavering efforts to eliminate gang violence in our communities.”

“This unfortunate and disturbing case serves as another example as to why law enforcement must not relent in pursuing criminal gangs such as MS-13, said Gregory C. Brown, Chief of Leesburg Police. “Through our collaborative partnerships, we will continue to aggressively investigate and work with prosecutors to ensure violent gang members receive the maximum punishment as allowed by the law. It is important for those who choose to engage in criminal gang activity to know that they are not welcome in our communities.”

A total of 10 defendants were charged in this case. Of those, six defendants went to trial, and were convicted of all charges. Four defendants pleaded guilty prior to trial. See the table below for additional information on each defendant.

Name

 

Age,

Hometown

Convictions

Sentencing Info

Juan Carlos Guadron-Rodriguez

23, Leesburg

Conspiracy to Commit Extortion; Use of Interstate Facilities in Aid of Extortion

Maximum 25 years

Dublas Aristides Lazo

28, Leesburg

Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping; Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping and Murder in Aid of Racketeering; Kidnapping Resulting in Death

Mandatory life

Lelis Ezequiel Tremino-Tobar

21, Alexandria

Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping; Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping and Murder in Aid of Racketeering; Kidnapping Resulting in Death

Mandatory life

Carlos Jose Benitez Pereira

22, Alexandria

Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping; Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping and Murder in Aid of Racketeering; Kidnapping Resulting in Death

Mandatory life

Daniel Oswaldo Flores-Maravilla

20, Alexandria

Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping; Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping and Murder in Aid of Racketeering; Kidnapping Resulting in Death

Mandatory life

Andres Alexander Velasquez-Guevara

22, Leesburg

Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping

Maximum life

Shannon Marie Sanchez

36, Leesburg

Accessory After the Fact

Maximum 15 years on April 27

Miguel Zelaya-Gomez

20, Leesburg

Conspiracy to Commit Extortion; Kidnapping Resulting in Death

Life on Dec. 7, 2016

Wilmar Javier Viera-Gonzalez

24, Leesburg

Conspiracy to Commit Extortion; Kidnapping Resulting in Death

Mandatory life on March 23

Manuel Antonio Centeno

34, Leesburg

Kidnapping Resulting in Death

Mandatory life

 

Lazo, Treminio-Tobar, Pereira, and Flores-Maravilla face a mandatory sentence of life in prison for kidnapping resulting in death, in addition to the sentences they receive for conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering. Velasquez-Guevara faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Guadron-Rodriguez faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each of the five extortion charges for which he was convicted. Sanchez faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison for accessory after the fact. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress, and is provided here for informational purposes. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Gregory C. Brown, Chief of Leesburg Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia T. Giles, Tobias D. Tobler, and Morris Parker are prosecuting the case.

The Northern Virginia Gang Task Force, Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington Field Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Fairfax County Police Department provided significant assistance during the investigation.

The case was part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Operation Raptor Claw. 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.

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. 1:16-CR-209.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News woman was sentenced today to 54 months in prison for filing false tax returns and identity theft. 

According to court documents, Neivda Hicks, 33, prepared and filed tax returns for others in exchange for payment from 2013 through 2016. During that period, Hicks filed returns on behalf of at least 53 individuals. In addition to the information that these individuals provided, Hicks included in the returns materially false information designed to reduce the amount of tax due and owing and fraudulently increase the amount of the resulting tax refunds. Among other information, Hicks falsely claimed that the individuals for whom she prepared and filed returns had incurred qualifying education expenses, as well as business profits and losses through falsely claimed periods of self-employment. Hicks also falsely identified members of her own family and inmates who were then incarcerated with her husband in local jails as dependents of those for whom she prepared and filed returns. Hicks failed to identify herself as a paid return preparer on the returns she filed on behalf of others, giving all such returns the appearance of having been prepared and filed by the individuals named therein. Hicks included similarly false information in her own returns for tax years 2012 through 2015. In total, Hicks filed at least 32 materially false income tax returns on behalf of herself and others. Through these returns, Hicks requested over $200,000 in federal income tax refunds.  Of this amount, over $150,000 derived from the materially false information Hicks had included in the associated returns. 

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kimberly Lappin, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin C. Gratton prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:17-cr-83.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach-based Sailor was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for making a series of bomb threats directed at Navy assets aboard Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek.

According to court documents, Allante Martanaze Arrington, 24, made upwards of 12 threatening communications by phone to U.S. Navy ships and installation facilities aboard Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek in August 2017. Special Agents with NCIS quickly identified Arrington’s cell phone as the source of the calls through cell tower data and call records. Arrington was also assigned to one of the ships he threatened. Arrington’s calls were short and vague, but involved bombs poised to explode at base gyms, various ships, and a health clinic. The calls prompted a significant response from Navy and FBI explosive ordinance disposal and military working dog units, and caused Navy units to shelter in place for hours on the days the threats were made.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Cliff Everton, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Layne 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-135.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Alexandria residents were arrested today on charges of international trafficking in firearms, smuggling and other charges.

According to allegations in the criminal complaint, Tengiz Sydykov, 28, and Eldar Rezvanov, 27, each citizens of Kyrgyzstan residing in Alexandria, purchased over 100 disassembled firearms and attempted to ship them to Chechnya without a license. The men attempted to smuggle the firearms to Chechnya by using false shipping inventories and disguising the disassembled firearms as kitchen utensils.

Sydykov and Rezvanov have been charged with violating the Arms Export Control Act, Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods from the United States, Wire Fraud, Bank Fraud and Money Laundering. Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, if convicted. 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.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, 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 Ronald L. Walutes, Jr. and Senior Trial Attorney Heather Schmidt of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section 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-mj-91, 92.

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

RICHMOND, Va. – A Chester man was sentenced today to 71 months in prison for retaliating against a federal agent by false claim, and bankruptcy fraud.

Shapat Nabaya, aka Norman Abbott, 60, was convicted by a federal jury on Oct. 19, 2017. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Nabaya filed numerous civil lawsuits and a false mechanic’s lien against an IRS revenue officer in retaliation for the officer filing a lien on Nabaya’s pension after Nabaya had failed to pay his federal taxes for several years. Nabaya also filed a false involuntary bankruptcy petition against the same revenue officer in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kimberly Lappin, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gabrielle Michalak and Jessica D. Aber 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. 3:17-cr-03.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Georgia man pleaded guilty today to defrauding the City of Hopewell of approximately $480,000 and evading his personal income taxes.

According to court documents, Keith Hayes, 46, of Decatur, formed a business he named “A World of Possibilities” (WOP) in October of 2011, for the ostensible purpose of providing mentoring and counseling services to at-risk students at public schools in the City of Hopewell. At the time that Hayes created WOP, Hayes had a close personal relationship with a person identified in court documents as Co-Conspirator One, who was employed as the City of Hopewell’s Comprehensive Services Act (CSA) Coordinator. In that capacity, Co-Conspirator One was responsible for directing CSA-funded counseling contracts to service providers, and began appointing WOP as the approved service provider for a number of at-risk students in Hopewell City Public Schools. Under those contracts, Hayes was supposed to provide mentoring and counseling services to those at-risk students. However, despite the fact that WOP did not employ any counselors and never provided any services to any Hopewell student, WOP billed the City of Hopewell for $480,875 worth of counseling services between November 2011 and June 2015.

During this same time period, Hayes also evaded making any income tax payments, despite taking in more than $588,000 in income between 2011 and 2015. Hayes’s total tax evasion liability amounts to more than $169,000.

Hayes pleaded guilty to mail fraud and tax evasion and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on August 13. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, and Kimberly Lappin, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett 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. 3:17-cr-154.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arkansas man was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for aiding and abetting computer intrusions.

According to court documents, Taylor Huddleston, 27, of Hot Springs, Arkansas, developed, administered, marketed, and distributed two products that were extremely popular with cybercriminals around the world. The first is the “NanoCore RAT,” which is a type of malicious software, or “malware,” that is used to steal information from victim computers, including sensitive information such as passwords, emails, and instant messages. The NanoCore RAT even allowed users to surreptitiously activate the webcams of infected computers in order to spy on the victims. Huddleston’s NanoCore RAT was used to infect and attempt to infect over 100,000 computers. Huddleston’s other product, “Net Seal,” was a licensing software that he and his customers (co-conspirators) used to distribute malware for a fee. For instance, Huddleston used Net Seal to assist Zachary Shames in the distribution of malware to 3,000 people that was in turn used it to infect 16,000 computers. In his guilty plea, Huddleston admitted that he intended his products to be used maliciously.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Andrew W. Vale, 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. Attorney Kellen S. Dwyer and Senior Counsel Ryan K. Dickey and Trial Attorney C. Alden Pelker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section 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. 1:16-cr-289.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to over 14 years in prison for armed robbery and obstructing his federal prosecution.

According to court documents, Jesse Lockhart, 24, robbed an Exxon gas station in Hampton, while brandishing a firearm. During the robbery, Lockhart dropped a package of cigarettes that he had stolen from the store. Forensic technicians recovered his left palm print from the cigarette package, and later the store clerk picked Lockhart out of a photo line-up. After Lockhart’s federal arrest, Lockhart along with his mother Germekia Lockhart, 40, and girlfriend Tamara Washington, 34, both of Newport News, conspired and executed a plan to falsify evidence in Lockhart’s federal case. Lockhart, his mother and Washington agreed to obtain a replica airsoft firearm and provide it to federal authorities. Lockhart’s mother provided Washington with a description of the firearm used in the robbery. Washington, a sheriff’s deputy, purchased a look-alike airsoft pistol from the internet. She modified the firearm so it would look real and delivered it to Lockhart’s mother. Federal agents picked up with firearm from Lockhart’s mother only weeks before Lockhart was to be tried on the violent crimes. The conspiracy was uncovered when federal agents reviewed recorded jail calls between the parties and confronted Washington.

Both Washington and Germekia Lockhart were each sentenced to 27 months in prison for their roles in the plan to obstruct justice. Jesse Lockhart was sentenced today to 176 months.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting 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, Terry L. Sult, Chief of Hampton Police Division, and Anton A. Bell, Commonwealth Attorney for the City of Hampton, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Cross prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:17-cr-2.

Nicholas Young, 38, of Fairfax, Virginia, and a former police officer, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and obstruction of justice.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy Doherty-McCormick for the Eastern District of Virginia and Assistant Director in Charge Andrew W. Vale of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. 

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Young was formerly employed as a police officer with the Metro Transit Police Department.  In late July 2016, Young attempted to provide material support and resources to ISIS by purchasing and sending gift card codes that he believed would allow ISIS recruiters to securely communicate with potential ISIS recruits.

Between Dec. 3, 2015, and Dec. 5, 2015, Young attempted to obstruct and impede an official proceeding.  Specifically, Young believed an associate of his, who was actually an FBI confidential human source (CHS), had successfully joined ISIS in late 2014.  During an FBI interview, Young was told the FBI was investigating the attempt of his associate (the CHS) to join ISIS.  Nevertheless, in an attempt to thwart the prosecution of the CHS and himself, Young attempted to deceive investigators as to the destination and purpose of the CHS’s travel. 

Additionally, in November 2014, Young attempted to obstruct, influence and impede an official proceeding of the Grand Jury by sending a text message to the CHS’s cell phone in order to make it falsely appear to the FBI that Young believed that the CHS had left the United States to go on vacation in Turkey.  In actuality, Young believed the CHS had gone to Turkey and then to Syria in order to join and fight for ISIS.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gordon D. Kromberg and John T. Gibbs, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Turgeon of the Eastern District of Virginia; and Trial Attorney David P. Cora of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former police officer was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and obstruction of justice.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Nicholas Young, 38, of Fairfax, was formerly employed as a police officer with the Metro Transit Police Department. In late July 2016, Young attempted to provide material support and resources to ISIS by purchasing and sending gift card codes that he believed would allow ISIS recruiters to securely communicate with potential ISIS recruits.

Between Dec. 3, 2015, and Dec. 5, 2015, Young attempted to obstruct and impede an official proceeding. Specifically, Young believed an associate of his, who was actually an FBI confidential human source (CHS), had successfully joined ISIS in late 2014. During an FBI interview, Young was told the FBI was investigating the attempt of his associate (the CHS) to join ISIS. Nevertheless, in an attempt to thwart the prosecution of the CHS and himself, Young attempted to deceive investigators as to the destination and purpose of the CHS’s travel. 

Additionally, in November 2014, Young attempted to obstruct, influence, and impede an official proceeding of the Grand Jury by sending a text message to the CHS’s cell phone in order to make it falsely appear to the FBI that Young believed that CHS had left the United States to go on vacation in Turkey. In actuality, Young believed the CHS had gone to Turkey and then to Syria in order to join and fight for ISIS.

In addition to the prison sentence, the Court ordered Young to serve 15 years of supervised release, to begin immediately after he is released from prison.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gordon D. Kromberg and John T. Gibbs, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Turgeon, and Trial Attorney David P. Cora of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section 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. 1:16-cr-265.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Romanian citizen was sentenced today to three years in prison for his role in a government contract kickback scheme that caused a loss of more than $3.4 million to the U.S. Department of State.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Emil Popsecu, 49, conspired to violate the Anti-Kickback Act related to the lease of real property in Iraq in 2011.

According to evidence adduced and presented at trial, a United States government contractor headquartered in Virginia and performing services for the U.S. Department of State in Iraq in 2011, was searching for real property to lease. A conspiracy formed between Wesley Aaron Struble, 49, a United States citizen living in Batangas, Phillipines, and Jose Rivera, 57, of Potomac, Maryland, both of whom were working as government contractors in Iraq. Struble approached an Iraqi company and its associates and, along with Rivera, agreed to accept kickbacks in exchange for help in causing the U.S. Department of State contractor to lease property that the Iraqi company controlled.

Emil Popescu was recruited into the conspiracy and hired as the Director of Operations for the Iraqi company to negotiate the lease. After a lease was signed between the U.S. Department of State contractor and the Iraqi company, Popescu withdrew cash from a bank account he opened in Baghdad in his name and made kickback payments directly to Struble and Rivera. Popescu also facilitated other kickback payments by withdrawing money from the bank account and giving it to the Iraqi company knowing that kickback payments were owed to Struble and Rivera.

Prior to Popescu’s trial, Struble and Rivera each pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy and were sentenced to four years and three years in prison, respectively.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Steve A. Linick, the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of State, and Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director 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 Brian D. Harrison and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly R. Pedersen prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-cr-44 and 1:17-cr-052.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for robbing two banks and a check cashing store.

According to court documents, Robert S. Carpenter, 30, committed a series of robberies in Hampton and Newport News over two weeks in the Fall of 2016. On Aug. 23, 2016, Carpenter robbed Approved Cash Advance on J. Clyde Morris Boulevard in Newport News, implying he had a firearm. A week later, on Sept. 1, 2016, Carpenter robbed the Virginia Educator’s Credit Union on Main Street in Newport News. On Sept. 6, 2016, armed with a gun, Carpenter robbed the Wells Fargo bank on Marketplace Drive in Hampton. Carpenter entered each location masked and demanded money, and ultimately stole more than $21,000. Hampton police located Carpenter after Wells Fargo tellers placed GPS trackers into the stolen money.   

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting 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, Terry L. Sult, Chief of Hampton Police Division, Michael C. Grinstead, Acting Chief of Newport News Police, and Anton A. Bell, Hampton Commonwealth’s Attorney made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Cross prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:17-cr-32.

An Arkansas man was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for aiding and abetting computer intrusions by selling malicious software, or “malware,” to individuals who used the malware to steal sensitive information, surreptitiously activate webcams, and conduct other illegal intrusions.

 

Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy Doherty-McCormick for the Eastern District of Virginia and Assistant Director in Charge Andrew W. Vale of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement.

 

Taylor Huddleston, 27, of Hot Springs, Arkansas was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady.  Judge O’Grady also ordered the defendant to serve two years of supervised release following his prison sentence.  Huddleston pleaded guilty on July 25, 2017.

 

According to court documents, Huddleston developed, marketed, and distributed two products that were extremely popular with cybercriminals around the world. The first is the “NanoCore RAT,” a type of malware that is used to steal information from victim computers, including sensitive information such as passwords, emails, and instant messages. The NanoCore RAT even allowed users to surreptitiously activate the webcam on the victim computers in order to spy on the victims. Huddleston’s NanoCore RAT was used to infect and attempt to infect tens of thousands of computers. Huddleston’s other product, “Net Seal,” was licensing software that he used to distribute malware for co-conspirators for a fee. For instance, Huddleston used Net Seal to assist Zachary Shames in the distribution of malware to 3,000 people that was in turn used to infect 16,000 computers. In his guilty plea, Huddleston admitted that he intended his products to be used maliciously.

 

The case was prosecuted by Senior Counsel Ryan K. Dickey of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kellen S. Dwyer of the Eastern District of Virginia.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Stafford man last night on charges of unlawfully possessing a firearm while being a convicted domestic batterer, and possessing with the intent to distribute marijuana.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Brandon Locke, 27, was twice convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence: first in 2011 in Georgia, and again in early 2017 in Virginia. Because of this criminal history, federal law prohibited Locke from possessing a firearm.  In May 2017, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) learned that Locke had purchased a Ruger pistol two months earlier. When ATF agents then searched Locke’s home with a warrant, they found him with his Ruger pistol, marijuana, and evidence of marijuana distribution.

Locke faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on May 25. 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.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III accepted the verdict. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Urban and Assistant U.S. Attorney Maya D. Song 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. 1:17-cr-210.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 24 years in prison for his role in a massive heroin and fentanyl drug trafficking conspiracy.

According to court documents, 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.

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 distributed in excess of 100 kilograms of heroin (approximately 250,000 doses) over a 10-year period. 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.

Schoolfield, who was the chief lieutenant and face of the drug trafficking organization, was sentenced today to 24 years in prison. Schoolfield managed his own network of distributors, traveled between New York and Baltimore to obtain wholesale amounts of raw heroin to bring back for distribution in Hampton Roads, and used his status as a local celebrity and rapper to advertise and recruit for the organization. Those advertising and recruiting efforts included his posting on YouTube the music video for his single, “Dumb Hard,” which lyrics cast his criminal conduct in a positive light.

The dozen individuals below previously pleaded guilty. The leader of the DTO, Leroy Perdue, is scheduled for trial on May 15. 

Name, Age

Hometown

Guilty Plea

Sentence

Abraham Atkins, 35

Portsmouth

September 5, 2017

20 Years

Eddie L. Tyson, 46

Portsmouth

September 5, 2017

15 Years

Edward Muckle, 32

Portsmouth

September 5, 2017

9 years

Jamars Cooper, 26

Portsmouth

September 5, 2017

11 years

Victoria Waller, 42

Portsmouth

September 6, 2017

10 years, 6 months

Dominic Diablo Mosley, 35

Portsmouth

September 6, 2017

15 years

Nicholas Godwin, 37

Portsmouth

September 6, 2017

12 years, 4 months

Kevin Lawrence, 37

Portsmouth

September 7, 2017

13 years

Tywon McKelvy, 42

New York

October 3, 2017

March 7

Darion Perdue, 24

Portsmouth

October 17, 2017

March 19

Christina James

New York

October 18, 2017

5 years

Rhadu Schoolfield, 33

Portsmouth

October 18, 2017

24 years

 

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting 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, Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, Kelvin L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, and Tonya D. Chapman, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. 

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Tidewater Violent Crime Task Force, in partnership with HSI’s Norfolk Field Office, ATF, Chesapeake Police Department, Virginia State Police, and the Portsmouth Gang Suppression Unit. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John F. Butler and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph E. DePadilla, Andrew C. Bosse, and William B. Jackson, are prosecuting the case.

This case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime 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.

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.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for three armed robberies targeting employees of Chinese food restaurants located in Hampton Roads.

According to court documents, Raheem Lorinzo Lacey, 23, served as the get-away driver during three armed robberies that occurred in January and August of 2017. All three robberies followed the same pattern, as Lacey and his co-conspirators waited outside of the restaurants and, under cover of darkness, followed the victims to their home. Lacey served as the getaway driver, while two of his co-conspirators ambushed the victims while waving handguns and demanding money and property. From July 28 through August 14, 2017, Lacey and his co-conspirators robbed six victims and stole at least $4,500 in cash and valuables.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting 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, Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, and Tonya D. Chapman, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel T. Young 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. 2:17-cr-146.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 56 months in prison for making a false distress call and threats to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Justin P. Stahmer, 39, was convicted by a federal jury on Nov. 13, 2017. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Stahmer made a false distress call on June 20, 2016, while several miles northeast of Cape Henry. Stahmer used the International Distress Frequency, VHF Channel 16, to call “man overboard,” despite being alone on his boat and knowing no one had fallen in the water. For over 45 minutes the Coast Guard sought more information from Stahmer over the radio and launched a full search for a person in the water, including deploying a 45-foot patrol boat, an 87-foot cutter, and a search and rescue helicopter. Once he was found, Stahmer initially denied making any distress call to the Coast Guard and then indicated he called the Coast Guard because he ran out of gas. As the Coast Guard Boarding Officers inspected Stahmer’s vessel, he became belligerent and angry. Ultimately, the Virginia Marine Resource Commission Police arrived and arrested Stahmer for boating under the influence of alcohol. While being transported back to shore, Stahmer began to kick and threaten one of the Coast Guard Boarding Officers, stating that Stahmer would “take him out” if he ever saw the Boarding Officer again.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Marty J. Martinez, Special Agent in Charge, Coast Guard Investigative Service, Chesapeake Region, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Gavin 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. 2:16-cr-123.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A man who has been convicted of a dozen prior felonies was sentenced to 18 years in prison today for cocaine and firearms offenses.

According to court documents, Clarence L. Lyons, 44, of Newport News, distributed cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin in Newport News during February 2017. As law enforcement investigated Lyons, they received information that he was usually in possession of a firearm when engaged in narcotics distribution. On Feb. 24, 2017, law enforcement conducted surveillance of Lyons’s hotel room in Newport News, and arrested Lyons as he came out of the hotel room. At the time of his arrest, he was carrying a loaded firearm, marijuana, cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin. Law enforcement searched his hotel room, where they located a syringe and a marijuana smoking device.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Karl C. Colder, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and Michael C. Grinstead, Acting Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar. Assistant U.S. Attorney 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:17-cr-87.

A Gainesville, Virginia man pleaded guilty today to distribution of child pornography over the Internet. 

Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy Doherty-McCormick of the Eastern District of Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Lechleitner of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement. 

Robert Potts, 55, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography before U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III of the Eastern District of Virginia.  Sentencing is scheduled for May 25.

According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, Potts was a user of the online peer-to-peer network GigaTribe and, in January 2014, he shared 51 child pornography files with another user of the network.  Unbeknownst to Potts, the other user was an undercover law enforcement agent.  Forensic examination of media devices seized during a subsequent search warrant executed at Potts’s residence revealed thousands of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.  In addition, in 2015 and 2016, Potts continued to view and store child pornography through an account with the cloud-storage service Dropbox.

HSI investigated the case with the assistance of the Northern Virginia/DC Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.  Trial Attorney Kyle P. Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section is prosecuting the case.

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

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The former superintendent of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Burke Area Headquarters was sentenced today to seven years in prison for his involvement in a bribery scheme involving the awarding of nearly $11 million in snow removal work over the course of more than five years.

According to court documents, Anthony Willie, 55, of Culpeper, along with co-conspirator Kenneth Duane Adams, 42, of Fairfax, were VDOT supervisors at the Burke Area Headquarters (AHQ) and secretly used their official positions to enrich themselves by soliciting and accepting cash bribes in exchange for various favorable official acts, such as awarding lucrative snow removal work to local trucking companies during winter snow storms in the northern Virginia area.

According to court documents, Willie and Adams negotiated bribe agreements with several owners and operators of trucking and snow removal companies seeking snow removal work from the VDOT Burke AHQ, including Rolando Pineda Moran, Shaheen Sariri, and John Williamson. At their core, each agreement stated that the company owners would provide a percentage or a flat rate of their hourly invoices as bribes in the form of cash payments to Willie and Adams, in exchange for being awarded snow removal work and having Willie and Adams sign off on their VDOT invoices. Beginning in the 2012-2013 snow season and continuing through the 2016-2017 snow season, Willie and Adams would often meet the snow plow contractors at local restaurants, grocery stores, and parking lots in Burke and Fairfax and received approximately $440,000 in cash bribes.

According to court documents, from 2011 through 2016, Adams also conspired with Elmer Antonio Mejia by negotiating an unlawful bribery agreement whereby Mejia would sub-contract snow removal work out to Adams’ nominee-owned company, Supreme Landscaping. During this period, Mejia paid Adams approximately $160,000, frequently disguising the payments as pay for snow removal work allegedly performed by Adams’ nominee-owned company.

Additionally, Adams also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to court records, while executing a search warrant in November 2015, law enforcement recovered approximately 129 grams of cocaine and related drug paraphernalia at Adams’ residence. Adams also admitted to previously distributing cocaine to others, including Willie and several of his other colleagues at VDOT, and to obtaining cocaine from a relative of one of his VDOT co-workers.

Name

Age, Hometown

Pleaded Guilty to

Sentencing Date and Max Penalty

Anthony Willie

55, Culpeper

Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Mail and Wire Fraud

84 months

Kenneth Duane Adams

42, Fairfax

Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Mail and Wire Fraud; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine

64 months

Rolando Pineda Moran

46, Alexandria

Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Mail Fraud

6 months

Shaheen Sariri

31, Fairfax

Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Mail Fraud

Max 20 years on March 9

Elmer Mejia

50, Aldie

Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Mail Fraud

6 months

John Williamson

51, Springfield

Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Wire Fraud

90 days

 

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly R. Pedersen and Samantha P. Bateman prosecuted the case.

This case involved a joint investigation by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Virginia State Police, and Fairfax County Police Department. Additional assistance was provided by the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Office of Assurance and Compliance.

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-188.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

According to court documents, Nigel Anthony Forde, 33, received 15 multi-pound shipments containing cocaine from December 2016 until his arrest on Aug. 28, 2017. Upon his arrest, law enforcement seized a package addressed to his residence and seized approximately three kilograms of cocaine. During a subsequent search of Forde’s Alexandria residence, law enforcement seized a loaded firearm, approximately a quarter of kilogram of cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and $290,975 in cash.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Karl C. Colder, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, Robert B. Wemyss, 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 T.S. Ellis, III. Assistant U.S. Attorney 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. 1:17-cr-287.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth woman was sentenced today to 14 months in prison for an embezzlement scheme that nearly wiped out an account used to assist sick or distressed members of a local labor union.

According to court documents, Tamika Bullock, 39, was appointed in September 2015 to serve as the Secretary-Treasurer of International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local 684. The union maintains a “sick and distressed” account, which is funded entirely by voluntary contributions and is solely used to assist union members who are sick or otherwise out of work. Between January 2016 and October 2016, Bullock embezzled $24,600 from the union, with over $21,400 being stolen from the “sick and distressed” account. As Secretary-Treasurer, Bullock provided financial reports at the monthly meeting of the union membership and made false statements about the balance in the account in order to conceal her embezzlement, reporting balances up to $15,000 higher than the actual balance. She used the $24,600 she embezzled for her own personal benefit, including paying for a cruise.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Mark Wheeler, District Director of the Washington District Office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan M. Salsbury 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-97.