Eastern District of Virginia

ALEXANDRIA, Va. –Patricia Durr, 49, of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, and Lisa Coroniti, 46, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, both sales representatives for Gallant Pharma International Inc., headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to selling misbranded Botox and other drugs.

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Antoinette V. Henry, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations; Gary Barksdale, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Acting Special Agent in Charge Scot R. Rittenberg for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Washington, D.C.; and M. Douglas Scott, Arlington Chief of Police, made the announcement after the pleas were accepted by United States District Judge Hilton.

Durr and Coroniti are the sixth and seventh members of Gallant Pharma, respectively, to enter guilty pleas: 

• On October 3, 2013, sales representative Harvey Whitehead, 68, of Troy, Michigan, pleaded guilty to selling misbranded chemotherapy drugs and to engaging in unlicensed wholesale prescription drug distribution;

• On October 3, 2013, former sales representative Michael Merriam, 32, of Toronto,  Canada, pleaded guilty to selling misbranded Botox;

• On October 8, 2013, Gallant Pharma office manager Robert Sparks, 30, of Springfield, Virginia, pleaded guilty to introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce;

• On October 15, 2013, Gallant Pharma co-founder and co-owner Talib Khan, 42, of Montreal, Canada and Barbados, pleaded guilty to selling misbranded chemotherapy and cosmetic drugs, and conspiracy to commit importation fraud, sell misbranded drugs, distribute prescription drugs without a license, and defraud the FDA; and

• On November 4, 2013, former Gallant Pharma office manager Tanya Smith, 40, of Springfield, Virginia, and Manassas, Virginia, pleaded guilty to introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce.

According to court documents, between October 2010 and August 2013, Durr sold more than $2.6 million in misbranded and non-FDA-approved intravenous chemotherapy drugs and injectable cosmetic drugs and devices (including tampered vials of Botox) to 33 doctors and medical practices in Massachusetts and Connecticut.  Coroniti likewise admitted that, between June 2011 and August 2013, she sold more than $1.1 million in misbranded and non-FDA-approved intravenous chemotherapy drugs and injectable cosmetic drugs and devices to 15 doctors and medical practices in the greater Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, area. 

Many of the drugs sold by Durr and Coroniti were required to contain a “black box” warning, the strongest warning issued by the FDA, which indicates that a drug has a significant risk of serious or life-threatening adverse effects.  The versions sold by Gallant Pharma did not meet this or other FDA labeling requirements.  Many of the drugs sold by Gallant Pharma were also subject to strict temperature controls and were required to be shipped in dry ice to protect the drug efficacy, which Gallant Pharma could not do.

Durr and Coroniti each face a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment when they are sentenced.  Durr will be sentenced on February 28, 2014 and Coroniti on March 21, 2014.  A jury trial is scheduled for January 6, 2014, for alleged Gallant Pharma co-founder and co-owner Syed “Farhan” Huda, 38, of Arlington, Virginia; his wife and alleged Gallant Pharma administrator Deeba Mallick, 36, of Arlington, Virginia; alleged supplier Mirwaiss Aminzada, 44, of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Montreal, Canada; and alleged drop-shipper and customer Anoushirvan Sarraf, 47, of Rockville, Maryland.

This case was investigated by FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Group 33 Diversion Task Force, ICE, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Arlington County Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorneys Lindsay Kelly, Ryan Dickey, Jay Prabhu, and Maya Song are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

NORFOLK, Va. – W. Wayne Perry, Jr., 54, of Suffolk, Va., was indicted by a federal grand jury today on one count of health care fraud, twenty-four counts of false statements relating to health care matters, one count of alteration of records and four counts of aggravated identity theft.  Angela Perry, 51, of Suffolk, Va., was indicted on the same charges.  Allison Hunter-Evans, 46, of North Chesterfield, Va., was indicted on one count of alteration of records.

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement.

W. Wayne Perry, Jr. and Angela Perry each face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison for health care fraud, five years on each of the false statement counts, twenty years for alteration of records, and two years on each of the aggravated identity theft counts, if convicted.  Hunter-Evans faces a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison for alteration of records.

According to the indictment, W. Wayne Perry, Jr. is the owner and operator of Community Personal Care, a business located in Norfolk, Va. that is authorized to provide home health care services that are reimbursable by Medicaid, including personal care and respite care services.  Angela Perry, his wife, is an officer and agent of the company.  Between January 2009 and December 2012, Wayne Perry and Angela Perry orchestrated a false billing scheme where approximately 6,472 fraudulent claims were submitted to the Virginia Medicaid program, falsely representing that personal care and respite care services had been provided to 78 Medicaid recipients by Community Personal Care.  The defendants thereby obtained health care benefit payments from the Virginia Medicaid program in the approximate amount of $1,328,744 to which they were not entitled.  In order to conceal the fraudulent payments, Wayne Perry and Angela Perry altered the company’s office records, including time sheets.  This was done with the assistance of Allison Hunter-Evans, who was then an employee of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Virginia Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Alan M. Salsbury and Elizabeth M. Yusi are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.

NORFOLK, Va. – Edward J. Woodard, 70, of Norfolk, Virginia, was sentenced today to 23 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, false entry in a bank record, unlawful participation in loans, false statements to a financial institution, misapplication of bank funds, and bank fraud.  The Court further ordered Woodard to pay $333,569,732.00 in restitution to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Royce E. Curtin, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Norfolk Field Office; Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Field Office in Washington, D.C. (IRS-CI); Christy L. Romero, Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP); Fred W. Gibson, Jr., Acting Inspector General of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC-OIG); and Mark Bialek, Inspector General of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-CFPB OIG), made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.

“Defendant Woodard’s felonious conduct, motivated by his own greed, destroyed a financial institution, left former bank employees jobless, and defrauded a federal recovery program out of millions of dollars,” stated Acting United States Attorney Dana J. Boente.  “Through the diligence and determination of my office, along with our multiple law enforcement partners, Woodard now stands convicted, incarcerated, and publicly accountable for his unlawful deeds.”

SAC Royce Curtin said, “This investigation involved several complex, fraudulent banking schemes resulting in significant losses to financial institutions and American taxpayers. Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that the FBI and our partners will aggressively pursue and bring to justice those individuals involved in these types of dishonest and deceitful frauds to ensure they are punished to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Motivated by greed, Woodard lied, cheated, and stole,” said Christy Romero, Special Inspector General for TARP (SIGTARP).  “TARP is not an opportunity to finance banks failing under the weight of fraud, but Woodard used fraudulent bank books and records to try to cheat federal taxpayers out of $28 million in TARP bailout funds to fill the holes he caused in the bank’s books.  SIGTARP and our law enforcement partners will hold all those guilty of crimes related to TARP accountable because no one is above the law.”

“Today’s sentencing of Mr. Woodard sends a powerful message to the public that bank insiders who abuse their positions of trust and cause irreparable harm to their banks will be brought to justice and held accountable,” stated Fred Gibson, Jr., Acting Inspector General of the FDIC.  “We are committed to continuing to work with our Department of Justice and other law enforcement colleagues on such cases, in the interest of ensuring the safety and soundness of the nation’s banks and the viability of the FDIC’s Deposit Insurance Fund—which suffered massive losses when the Bank of the Commonwealth failed.”

“Our office is committed to bringing to justice bank executives, like Mr. Woodard, who engage in illegal activities that undermine the public trust,” said Mark Bialek, Inspector General of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.  “Today’s sentencing should serve as a warning that fraud affecting the integrity of financial institutions critical to our economy will not be tolerated.  I commend the hard work of our agents and their federal law enforcement partners who ultimately exposed Mr. Woodard’s conspiracy.”

A jury found Woodard guilty after a lengthy, ten week, jury trial on May 24, 2013.  Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Woodard, the former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board for the Former Bank of the Commonwealth (“Bank”), engaged in an illegal reciprocal relationship with certain troubled borrowers to mask the Bank’s deteriorating financial condition.  Conspirators Thomas E. Arney, Eric H. Menden, and George P. Hranowskyj all testified at trial that, at the request of Woodard and Executive Vice President Stephen G. Fields, they performed favors such as buying Bank of the Currituck stock, bailing out Woodard’s son on bad investments, and purchasing bank-owned property with fully-funded Bank of the Commonwealth loans.  In return, Arney, Menden and Hranowskyj all received preferential treatment such as affording large overdrafts, sometimes for hundreds of thousands of dollars, below-market interest rates, loans to make interest payments on other loans, and easy access to credit.  Additionally, Woodard funded three loans totaling $11 million without the approval of the Board of Directors to another troubled borrower who was in bankruptcy and the subject of a federal grand jury investigation.  Later, Woodard made false entries in bank records to cover-up the fact that he authorized the funding of these loans without proper approval. 

Throughout the conspiracy, Woodard enriched himself and his son at the Bank’s expense. Despite the fact that Arney had not made loan payments in over a year, Woodard nevertheless arranged for Arney to purchase his personal condominium at an inflated price using 100% financing from the Bank and made $56,000.  Woodard also ensured that Menden and Hranowskyj purchased his son’s failed investment properties and personal condominium with bank funds earning his son more than $69,000.  Finally, Woodard also caused the Bank to pay approximately $100,000 for renovations to his son’s personal residence, thousands of dollars in fraudulent commissions owed and his son’s personal legal fees.

In addition to having a substantial impact on property values in the Hampton Roads area, Woodard’s crimes were a significant factor in the failure of the Bank of the Commonwealth on September 23, 2011.  As a result of this failure, the FDIC has sustained at least $333 million in losses. 

The Investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, IRS-CI, SIGTARP, FDIC-OIG, and FRB-CFPB OIG.  Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Lee Martin, Melissa E. O’Boyle, and Uzo Asonye prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Taurice L. Jourdan, 35, of Oakland, Ca., was sentenced today to 96 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.  Jourdan was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeit criminal proceeds in the amount of $260,535.62. 

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Gary Barksdale, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.

Jourdan pleaded guilty on August 12, 2013.  According to court documents, from August 2011 through April 2013, Jourdan obtained the credit reports of real people and used his victims’ identities to open fraudulent bank accounts.  As part of the scheme, Jourdan then deposited counterfeit checks into the bank accounts and withdrew the money.  In total, Jourdan attempted to steal more than $500,000 from federally-insured banks.  In addition to causing financial harm to the banks, Jourdan also impacted the lives of more than ten identity-theft victims.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.  Assistant United States Attorney Kosta S. Stojilkovic prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Yousef Mohamid Al-Khattab (a.k.a. Joseph Cohen), 45, of Atlantic City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty yesterday to using his position as a leader of the “Revolution Muslim” websites to use the Internet to place others in fear of serious bodily injury.

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Raymond W. Kelly, New York City Police Commissioner, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Liam O’Grady.

Al-Khattab faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when he is sentenced on February 7, 2014.

According to a statement of facts filed with his plea agreement, Al-Khattab and his colleague, Jesse Curtis Morton (a.k.a. Younus Abdullah Muhammad), founded the Revolution Muslim organization in December 2007 to operate Internet platforms and websites to encourage Muslims to support Usama bin Laden, Anwar Al Awlaki, al Qaida, the Taliban, and others engaged in or espousing violent jihad.

On January 8, 2009, Al-Khattab posted to the Revolution Muslim website a video encouraging viewers upset about the conflict in Gaza to seek out the leaders of Jewish Federation chapters in the U.S. and “deal with them directly at their homes.”  Al-Khattab gave the names and addresses of synagogues in New York and another Jewish organization in Brooklyn.

On January 20, 2009, Al-Khattab posted a video and photo of the headquarters of the Jewish organization in Brooklyn, with a map and directions to specific facilities.  Al-Khattab also posted a link to “The Anarchist Cookbook,” which is a manual for (among other things) constructing and using explosive devices.

On January 23, 2009, Al-Khattab posted to the Revolution Muslim website a video accusing the Jewish organization of funding terrorism, and urging viewers to find the leaders of Jewish organizations and “hold them responsible.”

As acknowledged in the statement of facts, Al-Khattab knew that some viewers of the Revolution Muslim websites were inclined to violence, and by making the posts involving Jewish organizations in 2009, Al-Khattab was trying to frighten Jews and Jewish organizations.

On June 22, 2012, Revolution Muslim founder Jesse Morton was sentenced to 138 months in prison.  On February 24, 2011, Revolution Muslim administrator Zachary Chesser was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the New York City Police Department's Intelligence Bureau.  Assistant United States Attorneys Gordon D. Kromberg and Special Assistant United States Attorney Allison Ickovic of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney John T. Gibbs of the Counterterrorism Section in the National Security Division are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Adam Jacob Zottoli, 32, of Fairfax, Va., pleaded guilty today to two counts of production of child pornography.

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler, Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.

According to a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, on March 19, 2013, a thirteen-year-old boy came to the attention of the Fairfax County Police Department based on concerns at school.  The minor told law enforcement that over the past three years he had been sexually assaulted by Zottoli, and that Zottoli had photographed some of the incidents.  Law enforcement then obtained search warrants for Zottoli’s house and computers, and the forensic review of Zottoli’s computers found images and videos of the minor, as well as videos and images of another minor.  After Zottoli was arrested by the Fairfax County Police Department on April 4, 2013, he admitted to producing child pornography.

Zottoli previously was convicted of possession of child pornography on May 1, 2000 in the Eastern District of Virginia and was sentenced to serve 30 months’ imprisonment.  As a result of that prior conviction, Zottoli now will face an increased mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison, and up to a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison, when he is sentenced on January 17, 2014.

This case was investigated by the Fairfax County Police Department.  Special Assistant United States Attorney Alicia J. Yass, a Trial Attorney with the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

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

RICHMOND, Va. – Marion Carter, 58, of Richmond, Va., was sentenced today to 34 years in prison on three counts of robbery interfering with commerce and two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of those robberies. 

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Carl Vasilko, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge James R. Spencer.  

On July 26, 2013, Carter was found guilty by a jury.  According to the evidence presented at trial, Carter robbed three commercial businesses in less than three weeks.  The first robbery took place on November 2, 2012, at the Baskin Robbins ice cream store on Forest Hill Avenue in Richmond.  Carter, wearing a black mask to obscure his face, pointed a pistol at the clerk on duty and demanded money from the business.  At one point, Carter asked the clerk if there was more money in the back of the store.  When told there was not, Carter left with $113 he had stolen from the business.

Six days later, on November 8, 2012, Carter entered the Fast Auto Loans store on Midlothian Turnpike in Richmond, again wearing the black mask over his face.  He displayed the gun again and told the clerks to put the money in the bag.  Frustrated that the clerks were taking too long, he then threatened, "I'm not playing around, I will kill you."  The money was placed in a grey Wal-Mart bag and he ran out of the door, taking with him $864 he had stolen from the business.

The third robbery took place on November 14, 2012 at the FasMart convenience store on Semmes Avenue.  During that robbery, the store clerks ran to the back of the store and locked themselves in the back room.  Carter left the store without any money. 

The robber in each instance wore what appeared to be the same clothing, which seemed to match the clothing defendant was wearing at the time of his arrest.  Evidence at trial included surveillance videos from the robberies and a cell tower data analysis by the FBI.

This case was investigated by the ATF and the Richmond Police Department, with assistance from the FBI.  Assistant United States Attorney Peter Duffey and Assistant United States Attorney Heather Hart prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Lauri Love, 28, of Stradishall, England was charged in a criminal complaint unsealed today with conspiracy to access and damage the protected computer networks of multiple U.S. government agencies.

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office; John R. Hartman, Deputy Inspector General for Investigations at the U.S. Department of Energy; and Nick DiGiulio, Special Agent in Charge, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, made the announcement after the unsealing of the criminal complaint in federal court.

Law enforcement authorities in the United Kingdom arrested Love at his residence on Friday, October 25, 2013, in connection with an ongoing investigation by the Cyber Crime Unit of the National Crime Agency.  In addition, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey announced the unsealing of an indictment charging Love with allegedly infiltrating U.S. government computer systems—including those of the U.S. Army, U.S. Missile Defense Agency, Environmental Protection Agency, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

According to the criminal complaint filed in Virginia, between approximately October 2012 and August 2013, Love and his conspirators accessed without authorization protected computers belonging to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Sentencing Commission, and Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory.  Love and his conspirators gained unauthorized access to the protected computers by exploiting a known vulnerability in Adobe ColdFusion, a software program that is designed to build and administer websites and databases.  The vulnerability, which has since been corrected, allowed Love and his conspirators to access protected areas of the victims’ computer servers without proper login credentials—in other words, to bypass security on the protected computers.

After gaining unauthorized access to the protected servers, Love and his conspirators obtained administrator-level access to the networks using custom file managers, which allowed the conspirators to upload and download files, as well as create, edit, remove, and search for data.  As detailed in the criminal complaint, Love and his conspirators used these techniques in order to engage in the following data breaches:

• From on or about July 24, 2013 through on or about August 8, 2013, Love and his conspirators gained unauthorized access to DOE’s protected computers.  In an online conversation obtained by law enforcement, Love and his conspirators discussed the data breach in real time during the offense.  Love commented, “they [the DOE] must have about 30k employees[,]” and he then copied the personal information of various employees from the protected computer to the online conversation.

• On or about December 24, 2012, Love and his conspirators gained unauthorized access to protected networks operated by HHS’s Health Resources and Services Administration and the National Institutes of Health.

• From on or about December 25, 2012 through on or about January 27, 2013, Love and his conspirators breached the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s servers, and after gaining unauthorized access, the conspirators altered the website to display a video that criticized the Sentencing Guidelines with respect to Internet-related crimes.

• From on or about January 11, 2013 through on or about February 14, 2013, Love and his conspirators gained unauthorized access to the computer networks of the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory (RCFL), a national digital forensics lab and training center overseen by the FBI.  Through the unauthorized access, Love and his conspirators successfully stole the personal information—including names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses—of RCFL and FBI employees.

This was a joint investigation of the DOE and HHS Offices of Inspector General as part of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Cyber Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan K. Dickey and Jay V. Prabhu are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

Love faces a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment if convicted of the offenses charged in Virginia.  Criminal complaints are only charges and not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Charles Daniel Stephens, 40, of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty today to criminal copyright infringement.

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Mythili Raman, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Lev Kubiak, Director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge James C. Cacheris.

Stephens pleaded guilty to a criminal information filed on October 8, 2013 charging one count of criminal copyright infringement.  Stephensfaces a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and forfeiture of over $28,000 when he is sentenced on January 17, 2013.

In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Stephens admitted to selling pirated computer software online, including products from Rosetta Stone Inc., headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, and products from Microsoft, Adobe Systems, Intuit, and Symantec, from September 2008 through November 2012.  Stephens received at least $154,000 in proceeds from these sales.

This case was investigated by the HSI–led IPR Center.  Assistant United States Attorney Alexander T.H. Nguyen and Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter V. Roman of the Department of Justice’s Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

The IPR Center in Washington is one of the U.S. government's key weapons in the fight against criminal counterfeiting and piracy.  Working in close coordination with the Department of Justice Task Force on Intellectual Property, the IPR Center uses the expertise of its 21 member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions and conduct investigations related to intellectual property theft.  Through this strategic interagency partnership, the IPR Center protects the public's health and safety and the U.S. economy.  To report IP theft or to learn more about the IPR Center, visit www.IPRCenter.gov.

The enforcement action announced today is one of many efforts being undertaken by the Department of Justice Task Force on Intellectual Property (IP Task Force).  Attorney General Eric Holder created the IP Task Force to combat the growing number of domestic and international intellectual property crimes, protect the health and safety of American consumers, and safeguard the nation’s economic security against those who seek to profit illegally from American creativity and innovation.  The IP Task Force seeks to strengthen intellectual property rights protection through heightened criminal and civil enforcement, greater coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, and increased focus on international enforcement efforts, including reinforcing relationships with key foreign partners and U.S. industry leaders.  To learn more about the IP Task Force, go to www.justice.gov/dag/iptaskforce/.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Keith Willie Reed, 24, of Washington, D.C.; Tobias Richard Dyer, 21, of Upper Marlboro, Md.; Anthony Cannon, 24, of Washington, D.C.; and Stanley Winston, 23, of Washington, D.C., were each sentenced today to 60 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy, robbery affecting interstate commerce, armed robbery of a credit union, use of a firearm during crimes of violence, and being felons in possession of firearms.  They were also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $76,915.15.

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Claude M. Hilton

Reed, Dyer, Winston, and Cannon were found guilty after a jury trial on June 21, 2013.  According to court records and evidence adduced at trial, the defendants committed three armed robberies in Northern Virginia during the December 2012 holiday season.  Specifically, on December 7, they robbed VVM, Inc., located in Fairfax County, Virginia.  Two days later, they robbed the Shoppers Food Warehouse on Jefferson Davis Highway in Alexandria, Virginia.  Then, on December 22, they robbed the Navy Federal Credit Union on Randolph Street in Arlington, Virginia.  The total loss amount from these three armed robberies was over $75,000.  In each robbery, three of the defendants entered masked while the fourth waited in a stolen getaway car.  All four were arrested within an hour of the Navy Federal Credit Union robbery when law enforcement was able to track the money.

This case was jointly investigated by FBI’s Washington Field Office and Baltimore Field Office, and the Metropolitan, Fairfax County, Arlington County, and Alexandria Police Departments.  Assistant United States Attorneys Patricia T. Giles and Rebeca H. Bellows are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

RICHMOND, Va. – Na Phoun Chhim, 28, of North Chesterfield, Va., was sentenced today to 150 months in prison for robbery and for brandishing a firearm during that robbery.  Chhim was also ordered to pay $1500 in restitution to the victims.  In addition to being ordered to pay restitution, Chhim was also ordered to forfeit two firearms (not used in the robbery) and ammunition for three different firearms, each of which was recovered from inside Chhim’s residence. 

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jeffrey C. Mazanec, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Colonel Thierry Dupuis, Chief of Police for the Chesterfield County Police Department made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Henry E. Hudson.

In a statement of facts filed in support of this guilty plea, Chhim admitted that he entered the Car Stop, a convenience store located on Jefferson Davis Highway in Northern Chesterfield, Virginia, a few minutes before noon.  He “racked,” and then brandished, a black handgun. Chhim did not speak during the robbery, but motioned first to the clerk to put money into a bag, and then motioned to one of the owners to remove United States currency from a drawer.  During the robbery, Chhim also brandished the firearm in the direction of a customer. The total amount of money Chhim stole from the Car Stop was $1500.

After stealing the money, Chhim ran from the store in the direction of Alcott Road.  Shortly thereafter, Chesterfield police responded to the crime scene. A tracking K-9 named Alvin, and his partner, Officer Moody, tracked a scent from the Car Stop, through a wooded area, and up to a shed located behind the Chhim family residence.  It was later learned that Chhim lived in this shed, which he used as his bedroom.  Several eyewitnesses reported that they had observed an individual jumping over a fence, and then enter the shed. A short while later, Chhim was observed leaving the shed in his father’s truck.  The stolen money and the firearm that was brandished during the robbery were never found.

Store security video showed the robber wearing a gray Champion® sweatshirt, and gray Champion® sweatpants, with a white cloth covering his face.  Clothing matching the clothes worn by the robber was found inside Chhim’s bedroom.  An eyewitness also reported seeing the suspect’s red boxer shorts as he jumped over a fence.  At the time of his arrest, Chhim was wearing red pajama pants and red boxer shorts.  Forensic evidence, including DNA analysis and fingerprints, also linked Chhim to the crime.  Chhim entered a plea of guilty to both charges on July 30, 2013, just days before trial was scheduled to commence.

This case was investigated by the Chesterfield County Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

NORFOLK, Va. – Billy J. Avery, 82, of Virginia Beach, Va., pleaded guilty today to violating the asbestos National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollution (NESHAP), in violation of the Clean Air Act.
Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David G. McLeod, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Criminal Investigation Division, Philadelphia Area Office, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Henry Coke Morgan.

Avery faces a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment when he is sentenced on January 28, 2014.
In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Avery served as the Secretary and Treasurer of EC&C Environmental (EC&C), an environmental services company.  Avery operated EC&C out of his residence located on Gulls Quay, Virginia Beach, Virginia.  In July 2012, a contractor was retained to demolish the Wayside Motor Inn located at 400 South Military Highway in Virginia Beach.  Prior to the demolition, the contactor subcontracted EC&C and Avery to conduct an asbestos inspection of the hotel building to identify the presence and location of asbestos-containing materials (ACM).  During the inspection, Avery took samples of suspected ACM and provided the samples to a chemical laboratory in Richmond, Virginia for analysis.  The laboratory testing results confirmed the presence of asbestos-containing materials. The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) issued an asbestos removal permit to EC&C to remove the 1,450 linear feet of regulated asbestos-containing material from the Wayside Motor Inn.  While removing and disposing the regulated asbestos-containing materials from the Wayside Motor Inn, EC&C and Avery did not follow the asbestos work practice standards and procedure required under the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs).  During a meeting with the Chesapeake Deputy Fire Marshal and a DOLI inspector on February 6, 2013 regarding dumpsters Avery used in the Wayside Motel and other projects, Avery admitted that at least one of the dumpsters contained friable asbestos waste from various projects, including the waste from the Wayside Motor Inn. 

This case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Criminal Investigation Division; the Chesapeake, Virginia Fire Marshal’s Office; and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).  Assistant United States Attorney Joseph L. Kosky and Special Assistant United States Attorney David Lastra are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Kenneth Matthews, 36, of Newport News was sentenced today to 264 months in prison for his participation in a drug conspiracy and for being an accessory after the fact to murder.

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Royce E. Curtin, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and Joseph A. Moore, Interim Chief of Police, Newport News Police Department made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith.

Matthews pled guilty on July 15, 2013 to a conspiracy to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and accessory after the fact to murder in reference to his disposal of a firearm used in the murder of Christian Hatch. 

According to court documents, Matthews associated with members of a criminal organization known as “Thug Relations,” operating in the Aqueduct Apartments, St. Michael’s Apartments, Warwick Lawns, Warwick Town Homes, Heritage Trace Apartments, Mariner’s Landing Apartments, Sharon Drive and the Savage Drive areas of Newport News.  The defendant and others conspired to distribute cocaine and cocaine base in order to make money from their narcotics distribution. Matthews was the secondary source of supply for many of the Thug Relations gang members. On November 4, 2009, the defendant provided a firearm to a known associate of Thug Relations who was involved in a gang related feud with several other individuals associated with a rival gang known as the "Black P-Stones", which dispute included the location of drug trafficking activities. The associate took the firearm and shot into an occupied dwelling resulting in the death of Christian Hatch and injuries to other rival gang members. Following the murder, the firearm was returned to Matthews who took the firearm out of the Commonwealth of Virginia in an effort to hinder the apprehension of the shooter. Matthews knew the firearm had been used in the murder.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Newport News Police Department and the Virginia State Police.  Assistant United States Attorney Eric M. Hurt prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Mohammad T. Al-Suqi, 55, of Annandale, Va., was sentenced today to 36 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for preparing and filing false tax returns and making false statements to federal agents when interviewed about the activities.  He was also ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge James C. Cacheris. 
Al-Suqi was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 25, 2013, and was convicted of nineteen counts of aiding the preparation of a false income tax return, two counts of filing his own false income tax returns, and one count of making false statements to federal agents following a jury trial on July 12, 2013.
According to court records and evidence at trial, the defendant owned and operated the tax preparation businesses Ideal Accounting Solution and Mass Accounting and Tax Corp. in Falls Church, Va.  For the tax years 2007 through 2010, the defendant prepared and filed on behalf of his taxpayer clients federal income tax returns that contained materially false and fraudulent information, including false itemized deductions on Schedule A and fraudulent education credits on Form 8863, all of which resulted in large federal income tax refunds for the taxpayers and at least $4 million in losses to the IRS.  For his part, the defendant received fees of between $100 and $250 per return and prepared thousands of federal income tax returns during the relevant time period. 
As part of the government’s investigation, the defendant also prepared a fraudulent tax return in 2011 for an undercover IRS agent posing as a taxpayer.  The episode, which was recorded by the undercover agent and presented to the jury at trial, showed the defendant falsifying expenses and deductions in order to produce an income tax refund and indicating that his success as a tax preparer was associated with his ability to manufacture large refunds for his clients. 
The defendant also included false and fraudulent expenses and credits on his own 2008 and 2009 federal income tax returns.  In 2013, after the IRS revoked his ability to file electronic tax returns, the defendant continued to prepare and electronically file tax returns using an electronic filing number assigned to his wife, and the defendant lied to IRS agents when he was questioned about the activities.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorneys Jasmine H. Yoon and Paul J. Nathanson and former Assistant United States Attorney Charles F. Connolly prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Michael Cronin, 50, of Oakton, Va., was sentenced today to 88 months in prison for receipt of child pornography.
Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Scot R. Rittenberg of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III sentenced the defendant.
Cronin pleaded guiltyon July 19, 2013.  According to court documents, undercover agents discovered Cronin using a peer-to-peer file sharing program to share child pornography images and videos.  A search warrant was executed and Cronin’s computers were found to contain over 2,000 child pornography files.  A large portion of these files were images or videos of known children.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with support from the Northern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.  Special Assistant United States Attorney Alicia J. Yass, a Trial Attorney with the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

This case was brought as 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Michael Cronin, 50, of Oakton, Va., was sentenced today to 88 months in prison for receipt of child pornography.

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Scot R. Rittenberg of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III sentenced the defendant.

Cronin pleaded guiltyon July 19, 2013. According to court documents, undercover agents discovered Cronin using a peer-to-peer file sharing program to share child pornography images and videos. A search warrant was executed and Cronin’s computers were found to contain over 2,000 child pornography files. A large portion of these files were images or videos of known children.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with support from the Northern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Special Assistant United States Attorney Alicia J. Yass, a Trial Attorney with the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

This case was brought as 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Mohammad T. Al-Suqi, 55, of Annandale, Va., was sentenced today to 36 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for preparing and filing false tax returns and making false statements to federal agents when interviewed about the activities.  He was also ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge James C. Cacheris. 

Al-Suqi was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 25, 2013, and was convicted of nineteen counts of aiding the preparation of a false income tax return, two counts of filing his own false income tax returns, and one count of making false statements to federal agents following a jury trial on July 12, 2013.

According to court records and evidence at trial, the defendant owned and operated the tax preparation businesses Ideal Accounting Solution and Mass Accounting and Tax Corp. in Falls Church, Va.  For the tax years 2007 through 2010, the defendant prepared and filed on behalf of his taxpayer clients federal income tax returns that contained materially false and fraudulent information, including false itemized deductions on Schedule A and fraudulent education credits on Form 8863, all of which resulted in large federal income tax refunds for the taxpayers and at least $4 million in losses to the IRS.  For his part, the defendant received fees of between $100 and $250 per return and prepared thousands of federal income tax returns during the relevant time period. 

As part of the government’s investigation, the defendant also prepared a fraudulent tax return in 2011 for an undercover IRS agent posing as a taxpayer.  The episode, which was recorded by the undercover agent and presented to the jury at trial, showed the defendant falsifying expenses and deductions in order to produce an income tax refund and indicating that his success as a tax preparer was associated with his ability to manufacture large refunds for his clients. 

The defendant also included false and fraudulent expenses and credits on his own 2008 and 2009 federal income tax returns.  In 2013, after the IRS revoked his ability to file electronic tax returns, the defendant continued to prepare and electronically file tax returns using an electronic filing number assigned to his wife, and the defendant lied to IRS agents when he was questioned about the activities.

This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorneys Jasmine H. Yoon and Paul J. Nathanson and former Assistant United States Attorney Charles F. Connolly prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Mohammad T. Al-Suqi, 55, of Annandale, Va., was sentenced today to 36 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for preparing and filing false tax returns and making false statements to federal agents when interviewed about the activities.  He was also ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge James C. Cacheris. 
Al-Suqi was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 25, 2013, and was convicted of nineteen counts of aiding the preparation of a false income tax return, two counts of filing his own false income tax returns, and one count of making false statements to federal agents following a jury trial on July 12, 2013.
According to court records and evidence at trial, the defendant owned and operated the tax preparation businesses Ideal Accounting Solution and Mass Accounting and Tax Corp. in Falls Church, Va.  For the tax years 2007 through 2010, the defendant prepared and filed on behalf of his taxpayer clients federal income tax returns that contained materially false and fraudulent information, including false itemized deductions on Schedule A and fraudulent education credits on Form 8863, all of which resulted in large federal income tax refunds for the taxpayers and at least $4 million in losses to the IRS.  For his part, the defendant received fees of between $100 and $250 per return and prepared thousands of federal income tax returns during the relevant time period. 
As part of the government’s investigation, the defendant also prepared a fraudulent tax return in 2011 for an undercover IRS agent posing as a taxpayer.  The episode, which was recorded by the undercover agent and presented to the jury at trial, showed the defendant falsifying expenses and deductions in order to produce an income tax refund and indicating that his success as a tax preparer was associated with his ability to manufacture large refunds for his clients. 
The defendant also included false and fraudulent expenses and credits on his own 2008 and 2009 federal income tax returns.  In 2013, after the IRS revoked his ability to file electronic tax returns, the defendant continued to prepare and electronically file tax returns using an electronic filing number assigned to his wife, and the defendant lied to IRS agents when he was questioned about the activities.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorneys Jasmine H. Yoon and Paul J. Nathanson and former Assistant United States Attorney Charles F. Connolly prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Stephanie Chapman, 28, of Fairfax, Va., was convicted today by a federal jury on charges of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a child, sex trafficking of a child, and interstate transportation of a minor for the purposes of prostitution.

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler, Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after the verdict was accepted by United States District Judge Liam O’Grady.

Chapmanfaces a maximum penalty of life in prison, with a mandatory minimum term of ten years of imprisonment, when she is sentenced on January 24, 2014.

Chapman was indicted on July 11, 2013, by a federal grand jury.  According to court records and evidence adduced at trial, between February 27, 2013 and March 12, 2013, Chapman and her boyfriend, Ronnie Holmes, met a 15-year-old girl and recruited her to be a prostitute for them.  During that time, Chapman and Holmes took sexually suggestive photographs of the girl, sent the photographs to potential customers, posted the photographs on Backpage.com, drove the girl to meet with customers at locations in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, and took half of the money paid to the girl after she engaged in sex with customers for money.

Chapman’s co-defendant, Ronnie Holmes, previously pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a child.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fairfax County Police Department.  Special Assistant United States Attorney Stacey Luck and Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Frank are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

NORFOLK, Va. – Troy Brandon Woodard, 37, of Norfolk, Virginia, was sentenced today to 8 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and three counts of unlawful participation in a loan.  The Court further ordered Woodard to pay approximately $2.4 million in restitution to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and to forfeit over $4 million in proceeds from the offense.

            Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Royce E. Curtin, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation’s Washington, D.C., Field Office (IRS-CI); Christy L. Romero, Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP); Jon T. Rymer, Inspector General of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC-OIG); and Mark Bialek, Inspector General of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-CFPB OIG) made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.

            Woodardwas found guilty after a ten-week jury trial on May 24, 2013.  Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Troy Brandon Woodard conspired with this father, Edward J. Woodard, the CEO and former Chairman of the Board of the Bank of the Commonwealth, Stephen G. Fields, a former Executive Vice President and Senior Commercial Loan Officer and numerous troubled customers to defraud the Bank of the Commonwealth (“the Bank”).  Evidence introduced during trial established that Brandon Woodard urged his father to request favors from two of the Bank’s largest borrowers, Eric H. Menden and George P. Hranowskyj, in exchange for favorable treatment at the Bank.  Facilitated by Edward Woodard, Menden and Hranowskyj obtained fraudulent Bank loans and increases to existing Bank loans to bail out Brandon Woodard’s failed investment properties and to purchase Brandon Woodard’s personal condominium.  In the spring of 2010, at the request of Edward Woodard, Menden gave a brown paper bag containing thousands of dollars in cash to Brandon Woodard.  Months later, Menden wrote a check for thousands of dollars to Brandon Woodard.

            The evidence further demonstrated that Edward J. Woodard provided preferential treatment to Troy Brandon Woodard to the detriment of the Bank.  Brandon Woodard convinced his father to pay his personal legal fees related to a failed investment deal from the Bank’s accounts receivable.  Edward Woodard lied to regulators and his Board to lease the Bank’s Suffolk branch to a company solely owned by his son, and then spent over $3 million to renovate and construct an extravagant branch on his son’s land.  Finally, Brandon Woodard received thousands of dollars in illegal commissions for referring commercial loans to the Bank.
           
            The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Norfolk Office, Field Office, IRS-CI, SIGTARP, FDIC-OIG, and FRB-CFPB OIG.  Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Lee Martin, Uzo E. Asonye, and Melissa E. O’Boyle prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Jose Calderon and Noemi Barboza, both 42 and of Sterling, Virginia, were indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday on conspiracy and bribery of an employee of a state agency receiving federal assistance.

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement.

Calderon and Barboza face a maximum penalty of ten years if convicted.

According to the indictment, from September 2007 to July 2010, the defendants solicited cash payments from undocumented aliens in return for helping them secure DMV documents for which they were not eligible.  After the defendants collected cash from ineligible applicants, they provided a DMV employee a portion of the money to induce her to falsely verify that the ineligible applicants had produced documentation necessary to establish eligibility for issuance of the requested DMV documents.  The defendants also accompanied ineligible applicants to the DMV Service Center located at the Fair Oaks Mall and directed them to the DMV employee who had accepted bribes.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Rebeca H. Bellows is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Any person who believes they may have information regarding public corruption in the Northern Virginia area is encouraged to call the FBI’s Northern Virginia Public Corruption Hotline at 703-686-6225.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Luis Carlos Muchado, 34, of Richmond, Va., was sentenced today to 97 months in prison for his participation in a violent and highly sophisticated jewelry theft ring that operated out of Richmond.

Dana J. Boente, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Carl J. Vasilko, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement following the sentencing by District Court Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen.

According to court documents, co-defendant Alexander Cuadros-Garcia, 37, from Colombia, led the organized criminal group that stole more than $4.6 million in jewelry from victims in Virginia and at least four other states, including New York, New Jersey, North Carolina and Maryland.  In March 2012, Cuadros-Garcia and Muchado were charged along with six other members of the Richmond-based ring.  Members regularly conducted lengthy surveillance on jewelry stores to identify vulnerable individuals and then follow their targets back to the individuals’ hotel or home.

In most of the robberies, several men would suddenly appear as the victims approached or entered their car, punch out the car’s windows, threaten the victims at knife-point and steal the victims’ merchandise.  In addition, the robbers would puncture the victims’ car tires and steal their cell phone to reduce the chance of pursuit or apprehension.  After a successful robbery, members of the ring would travel to New York to sell the merchandise to businessmen, who coordinated re-selling the stolen property or melting it down for future use.  Members of the ring then laundered the proceeds through bank accounts and businesses.

Co-defendants Cuadros-Garcia, Leonardo Ortiz, Lucesita Argueta, Raul Antonio Escobar-Martinez, William Leandro Herrera-Bohorquez, Jose Alfredo Rivero-Garcia, and Juanita Diaz previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the theft ring.  Escobar-Martinez and Herrera-Bohorquez were sentenced on March 7 and March 14, 2013, respectively, to serve 87 months in prison.  Rivero-Garcia was sentenced on July 24, 2013, to 37 months in prison.  Argueta was sentenced on September 18, 2013, to 108 months in prison.  Diaz was sentenced on September 18, 2013, to serve 12 months of home confinement.

The investigation of this case was led by the ATF’s Washington Field Division, with the assistance of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the police departments in Williamsburg, Virginia Beach, Henrico County, Chesterfield, Prince William County and Fairfax County in Virginia, along with the Virginia State Police; the Baltimore County, Md., Police Department; the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; the New York City Police Department; and the police departments in Rutherford, N.J., and Gwinnett County, Ga.; and the Morris County, N.J. Prosecutor’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Jerome M. Maiatico of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

NORFOLK, Va. – James Allen Sutton, 33, of Newport News, Va., was sentenced yesterday to 105 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, for his role in a conspiracy to defraud the United States, money laundering, and illegally possessing a firearm as a felon.

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division,Washington D.C. Field Office, and Daniel Woloszynowski, Resident Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. 

Sutton previously pleaded guilty on June 10, 2013.  According to court documents, in April of 2011, the Newport News Police Department received a crime stoppers tip reporting that Sutton, a convicted felon, was distributing illegal drugs.  Following the tip, detectives with the Newport News Police Department executed a search warrant on Sutton’s residence.  Inside Sutton’s apartment, the officers found four pounds of marijuana, a handgun, digital scales and packaging materials commonly used in the sale of marijuana. 

The investigation determined that from 2006 through 2010, Sutton conspired with a Hampton business owner, Eleanor Murphy, to disguise the proceeds of his marijuana distribution business as legitimate earnings from Murphy’s construction business, Poor Boy’s Construction.

Sutton needed someone to legitimize his lifestyle, and he needed to show legitimate income in order to file tax returns, obtain mortgage loans and qualify for credit cards.  Murphy, who was convicted in 2012 for her role in the conspiracy, provided Sutton with false form 1099s representing income that she never paid to Sutton.  Sutton used these 1099s when he filed his own individual income tax returns, in effect, masking the drug money as legitimate income.

An in-depth financial investigation showed that Sutton used the proceeds from his drug business to make hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of expenditures related to travel, gambling, and the purchase of expensive clothing, jewelry and automobiles.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Newport News Police Department.  Managing Assistant United States Attorney Howard Zlotnick prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

NORFOLK, Va. – Ronald Randolph McKinney, 22, of Suffolk, Va., was sentenced on September 17, 2013 to 205 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for brandishing, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery.  His co-conspirator, Anthony Deshaune Lewis, 20, of Portsmouth, Va., was sentenced today to 184 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for brandishing, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery.  They were both ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,214.31, jointly and severally.
Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Royce E. Curtin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief United States District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith.
McKinney pleaded guilty on April 11, 2013 and Lewis pleaded guilty on April 9, 2013.  According to court documents, on May 17-18, 2012, McKinney and Lewis robbed a total of seven 7-Eleven convenience stores in the cities of Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton and Newport News.  McKinney and Lewis alternated roles during the spree.  McKinney was the gunman during four robberies while Lewis drove the getaway car.  Lewis was the gunman during three robberies in which McKinney drove the getaway vehicle.  McKinney was positively identified by victims in the two Norfolk robberies he committed.  Lewis was identified by the victims from one Hampton robbery and one in Newport News.  Following his arrest and advice of Miranda, McKinney gave a full and detailed confession.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Norfolk Field Office and the Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton and Newport News Police Departments.  Assistant United States Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Federal prosecutors and members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force were honored yesterday with the Anti-Defamation League’s SHIELD Award for their role in the investigation and prosecution of Amine El-Khalifi, a Virginia man who attempted to carry out a suicide bomb attack on the U.S. Capitol Building in February 2012.

Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, accepted the award on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and he was joined by Assistant Director in Charge Valerie Parlave of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office.

According to court records and statements made in court, El-Khalifi sought to be associated with an armed extremist group, and in December 2011, he was introduced by a man he knew as “Hussien” to an individual named “Yusuf,” who was, in reality, an undercover law enforcement officer.  Throughout December 2011 and January 2012, El-Khalifi proposed to carry out a bombing attack, and on Jan. 15, 2012, El-Khalifi stated that he had decided to conduct a suicide attack at the U.S. Capitol Building.

Over the next month, El-Khalifi traveled to the U.S. Capitol Building several times to conduct surveillance, choosing the spot where he would be dropped off to enter the building, the specific time for the attack and the method he would use to avoid law enforcement detection.  El-Khalifi also asked Hussien to remotely detonate the bomb he would be wearing on the day of the attack if El-Khalifi encountered problems with security officers, and to provide El-Khalifi with a gun that he could use during the attack to shoot any officers who might attempt to stop him.

On Feb. 17, 2012, El-Khalifi traveled to a parking garage near the U.S. Capitol Building. El-Khalifi took possession of a MAC-10 automatic weapon and put on a vest containing what he believed to be a functioning bomb.  Unbeknownst to El-Khalifi, both the weapon and the bomb had been rendered inoperable by law enforcement.  El-Khalifi walked alone from the vehicle toward the U.S. Capitol, where he intended to shoot people and detonate the bomb.  El-Khalifi was arrested and taken into custody before exiting the parking garage.

El-Khalifi pleaded guilty to attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction on June 22, 2012.  He was sentenced on September 14, 2012, to 30 years in prison.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office.  Assistant United States Attorneys Gordon Kromberg and Michael Ben’Ary of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, as well as Trial Attorneys Joseph Kaster and Courtney Sullivan from the Justice Department’s National Security Division, prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

According to a press release issued by the Anti-Defamation League, the SHIELD Awards were created to honor law enforcement efforts in “major cases involving hate crimes, violent extremism and terrorism and bringing those responsible to justice. . . . The Award’s name reflects law enforcement’s role as protectors, and is also an acronym for the core values of the profession: Service, Honor, Integrity, Excellence, Leadership, and Dedication.”

A copy of this press release, along with prior releases relating to this case, may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.

NORFOLK, Va. – Jarrid Delmont Cropper, 41, of Northampton County, Va., was sentenced on September 23, 2013 to 300 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base, commonly known as “crack” cocaine.
Dana J. Boente, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Justin K. May, Resident Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration-Norfolk Resident Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar.
Cropper waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a Criminal Information on February 19, 2013.  Cropper has sold cocaine on the Eastern Shores of Virginia since 1997.  Cropper was known to travel to Norfolk, Virginia from the Eastern Shore of Virginia to purchase large quantities of cocaine and then transport it back to the Eastern Shore for distribution.  Cropper broke down the cocaine to smaller quantities and delivered multiple ounce quantities of cocaine to mid-level dealers and to users for an increased profit.  Cropper also used and directed couriers to transport the cocaine on his behalf in an effort to avoid law enforcement detection.
This case is the latest in an investigation that has been ongoing for years on the Eastern Shore.  In early 2009, the Drug Enforcement Administration-Norfolk Resident Office, and the Eastern Shore Drug Task Force, consisting of the Accomack County Sheriff’s Office, the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office and the Virginia State Police, initiated an investigation dubbed “Operation Baker’s Dozen,” targeting several known long-term and large scale narcotics traffickers on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.  This was the first federal drug investigation on the Eastern Shore of Virginia in fifteen years.  Initially a local community impact investigation, it grew into a multi-jurisdictional Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation.  This investigation combines the resources of local, state and federal authorities and has targeted the most troublesome criminals on the Eastern Shore who had either escaped prosecution or had received repeated lenient sentences that did nothing to deter them.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration – Norfolk Resident Office and the Virginia State Police Eastern Shore Drug Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorney Laura M. Everhart prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Aronte D. Jarvis, 25, of Newport News was sentenced today to life in prison for the 2008 murder of Jonte Terry, in the Kmart parking lot located at Oriana Drive in Newport News.
Kathleen M. Kahoe, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Royce E. Curtin, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and Joseph A. Moore, Interim Chief of Police, Newport News Police Department made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen.

Jarvis pled guilty on June 24, 2013 to murder in aid of racketeering activity. His girlfriend, Tayvonna Licorish was charged in a superseding indictment with accessory after the fact and misprision of a felony. Her trial is scheduled for November 13, 2013.
According to court documents, Jarvis was a member of a criminal organization known as “Thug Relations,” operating in the Aqueduct Apartments, St. Michael’s Apartments, Warwick Lawns, Warwick Town Homes, Heritage Trace Apartments, Mariner’s Landing Apartments, Sharon Drive and the Savage Drive areas of Newport News.  The defendant and others established the power and prestige of the gang through violence, including the murder of Jonte Terry on February 3, 2008.  Terry, 22, was shot in the Kmart parking lot located at Oriana Drive in Newport News.  The indictment alleged that Terry was killed by Jarvis for the purpose of maintaining his position in “Thug Relations.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Newport News Police Department and the Virginia State Police.  Assistant United States Attorneys Howard J. Zlotnick and Lisa R. McKeel prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Floyd Davis, 43, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 84 months in prison, and over $1,000,000 in restitution, for his role in a series of smash-and-grab robberies and for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Kathleen M. Kahoe, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police; M. Douglas Scott, Arlington County Chief of Police; and J. Thomas Manger, Montgomery County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
Davis pleaded guilty on July 2, 2013.  According to court documents, Davis was a member of a smash-and-grab robbery crew that committed over a dozen robberies in the Washington, D.C. area and elsewhere.  The crew entered various high-end retail establishments as a group, and through force and intimidation, stole merchandise from the stores.  Davis often acted as a lookout and scouted the locations before the robberies.  The crew stole over $1,000,000 in merchandise during the robbery spree.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Fairfax County Police Department, Arlington County Police Department, and Montgomery County Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Fahey and Special Assistant United States Attorney Edward Reilly prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Richard Creech, 45, of Arlington, Va., was sentenced today to 84 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for distribution of child pornography.
Kathleen M. Kahoe, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Scot R. Rittenberg of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Claude M. Hilton.
Creech pleaded guilty on May 24, 2013.  According to court documents, Creech used a peer-to-peer file sharing program to collect and share child pornography videos, including numerous videos of children between 5 and 12 years old being raped and sexually abused.  In total, Creech’s child pornography collection included over 1,100 images and 1,300 videos of children being sexually exploited.  Creech also wrote and distributed dozens of stories about children being raped, and he had a 170-page electronic book entitled “How To Practice Child Love,” which provided a step-by-step guide on how to target vulnerable children, coerce them into a sexual relationship, and avoid getting caught. 
This case was investigated by HSI with assistance from the Northern Virginia-District of Columbia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorneys Matt Gardner and Jay Prabhu prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was brought as 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.

NORFOLK, Va. – Dwight A. Etheridge, 49, of Chesapeake, Virginia, was sentenced today to fiftymonths in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, false statements to a financial institution, and aiding and abetting misapplication of bank funds.

            Kathleen M. Kahoe, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Royce E. Curtin, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation’s Washington, D.C., Field Office (IRS-CI); Christy L. Romero, Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP); Jon T. Rymer, Inspector General of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC-OIG); and Mark Bialek, Inspector General of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Fed-CFPB-OIG) made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.

            Etheridgewas found guilty after a lengthy, ten week, jury trial on May 24, 2013.  The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Etheridge, President of Tivest Development & Construction, LLC, and other corporate entities, conspired with numerous Bank of the Commonwealth (“Bank”) insiders to engage in an illegal reciprocal relationship where he performed favors to mask the Bank’s loan losses in exchange for preferential treatment.  For example, at the request of Bank insiders and to prevent losses related to a failing loan, Etheridge arranged for Tivest to purchase a construction project located at 310 24th Street in Virginia Beach.  The Bank gave Tivest a $4.1 million loan to purchase and renovate this property.  During the funding of this loan, Etheridge caused fraudulent construction draws to be submitted to the Bank which certain Bank insiders funded without inspecting whether Etheridge had completed the work.  In one draw request, Etheridge requested monies for a “final clean” when the project stood as an empty shell wrapped in building wrap.  Etheridge used construction loan proceeds to make payments on his other loans at the Bank, to support his staffing company, Genesis Staffing, to obtain thousands of dollars in cash, to make political donations, and to make charitable contributions.

            In exchange for performing this favor, Edward Woodard, Stephen Fields and Jeremy Churchill allowed Etheridge to amass large overdrafts without question, have easy access to millions in loans, and gave his company thousands of dollars to work on bank-owned property.   As a result, Etheridge was able to prop up his failing businesses and portray himself as an upstanding, effective business leader.  All the while, Etheridge was attempting to convince the Norfolk City Council to allow him to build a multi-million dollar office building called the MidTown Office Tower in the heart of Norfolk.   

            Additionally, Etheridge also defrauded the Bank and a new market tax credit fund called Paramount Community Development Fund (“Paramount”) in connection with a construction project called the Villas at Broad Creek.  After the City of Norfolk gave acres of land in the Broad Creek section of Norfolk for a nominal fee, Etheridge obtained a construction loan totaling $4,860,000 from Paramount where he promised to use the funds solely to construct a mixed use development project in the troubled Broad Creek neighborhood.  Again, Etheridge caused fraudulent construction draws to be submitted to the Bank.  Etheridge used a portion of the construction loan proceeds to support his staffing company, Genesis Staffing, to make payments on unrelated, overdue loans at the Bank, to cover large overdrafts at the Bank, to make political donations and to make charitable contributions.

            At the end of 2010, after the Bank could no longer fund loans to Etheridge, his businesses collapsed.  Etheridge defaulted on millions of dollars of loans at Paramount and the Bank, laid-off his employees at Tivest, and he declared personal bankruptcy. As a result of the Bank’s failure, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation currently has suffered $333 million in losses to date.       

            The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Norfolk Office, IRS-CI, SIGTARP, FDIC-OIG, and Fed-CFPB-OIG.  Assistant United States Attorneys Melissa E. O’Boyle, Katherine Lee Martin, and Uzo Asonye prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. –Lucesita Argueta, 34, of Richmond, Va., was sentenced today to 108 months in prison, and Juanita Diaz, 44, of Henrico, Va., was sentenced to 12 months home confinement for their participation in a violent and highly sophisticated jewelry theft ring that operated out of Richmond, Va.

            Kathleen Kahoe, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Carl J. Vasilko, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Court Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen.

            According to court documents, co-defendant Alexander Cuadros-Garcia, 37, from Colombia, led the organized criminal group that stole more than $4.6 million in jewelry from victims in Virginia and at least four other states, including New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Maryland.  In March, 2012, Cuadros-Garcia, Argueta, and Diaz were charged along with five other members of the Richmond-based ring.  Members regularly conducted lengthy surveillance on jewelry stores to identify vulnerable individuals and then follow their targets back to the individuals’ hotel or home.

            In most of the robberies, several men would suddenly appear as the victims approached or entered their car, punch out the car’s windows, threaten the victims at knife-point and steal the victims’ merchandise.  In addition, the robbers would puncture the victims’ car tires and steal their cell phone to reduce the chance of pursuit or apprehension.  After a successful robbery, members of the ring would travel to New York to sell the merchandise to businessmen, who coordinated re-selling the stolen property or melting it down for future use.  Members of the ring then laundered the proceeds through bank accounts and businesses. 

            Co-defendants Cuadros-Garcia, Leonardo Ortiz, Raul Antonio Escobar-Martinez, Luis Carlos Muchado, William Leandro Herrera-Bohorquez, and Jose Alfredo-Rivero-Garcia previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the theft ring.  Escobar-Martinez and Herrera-Bohorquez were sentenced on March 7, and March 14, 2013, respectively, to serve 87 months in prison.  Rivero-Garcia was sentenced on July 24, 2013, to 37 months in prison. Leonardo Ortiz’ sentencing date has not yet been set, Luis Carlos Muchado is scheduled to be sentenced on September 27, 2013, and Cuadros-Garcia is scheduled to be sentenced on October 25, 2013.

            The investigation of this case was led by the ATF’s Washington Field Division, with the assistance of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the police departments in Williamsburg, Virginia Beach, Henrico County, Chesterfield, Prince William County and Fairfax County in Virginia, along with the Virginia State Police; the Baltimore County, Md., Police Department; the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; the New York City Police Department; and the police departments in Rutherford, N.J., and Gwinnett County, Ga.; and the Morris County, N.J. Prosecutor’s Office.

            Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Jerome M. Maiatico of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

NORFOLK, Va. – Steven V. Parker, 43, of Franklin, Va., pleaded guilty today to committing a string of bank robberies.

Kathleen M. Kahoe, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Royce E. Curtain, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Norfolk Office, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.  Parker was indicted on July 10, 2013, by a federal grand jury on seven charges of bank robbery.  He faces a maximum penalty of 80 years imprisonment when he is sentenced on December 18, 2013.

In a Statement of Facts filed with the plea agreement, Parker admitted to his role in a string of bank and credit union robberies across multiple Tidewater cities.  During each robbery, Parker concealed his identity with a different baseball hat and sunglasses.  After entering each financial institution, Parker passed the teller a note demanding United States currency in large denominations and warning the teller not to activate any alarms or include a dye pack – a common anti-theft device – with the currency.  Each teller complied.  Parker then produced a dark blue zippered bank bag, placed the currency inside, retrieved his note, and left the bank.  As Parker fled the scene of the last robbery in his string – on May 16, 2013 – law enforcement located him and took him into custody after a vehicular chase through multiple cities. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Chesapeake, Hampton, Isle of Wight, Newport News, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney V. Kathleen Dougherty is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

NORFOLK, Va. – Stephen G. Fields, 49, of Chesapeake, Virginia, was sentenced today to 17 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, false entries in bank records, misapplication of bank funds, and false statement to a financial institution.  The Court further ordered Fields to pay $331,860,955.43 in restitution to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and to forfeit $61,625,789.79 in proceeds from the offense.

               Kathleen M. Kahoe, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Royce E. Curtin, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation’s Washington, D.C., Field Office (IRS-CI); Christy L. Romero, Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP); Jon T. Rymer, Inspector General of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC-OIG); and Mark Bialek, Inspector General of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-CFPB OIG) made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.

“Defendant Fields’ criminal acts were not only felonious violations of the law, but also contributed to the collapse of the Bank of the Commonwealth during the economic crisis,” said Acting United States Attorney Kathleen M. Kahoe.  “We are committed to investigating and ferretting out these white collar crimes, which have devastating and far reaching consequences.  These frauds will not be tolerated and I wish to commend the steadfast determination of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners who dedicated countless hours in seeing that justice was achieved in this case.”

“Today, those responsible for the corruption leading to one of the biggest bank failures in Virginia history impacting our Hampton Roads community were held accountable,” said FBI Special Agent In Charge Royce E. Curtin.  “The extensive two year investigation led by FBI Norfolk Division, in conjunction with IRS, SIGTARP, FDIC-OIG, and IG-FRB, identified and unraveled a criminal enterprise conducting complex fraudulent financial transactions. This case reflects the FBI and its partners' commitment to protect our communities by aggressively investigating and bringing to justice individuals exploiting their influence or position for personal gain.”

“The culture among senior executives at TARP applicant Bank of the Commonwealth was rotten at its core, and Fields was a principal contributor to the stench of corruption and entitlement at the bank,” said Christy Romero, Special Inspector General for TARP (SIGTARP).  “As a former bank examiner, Fields should have stopped and blown the whistle, but instead, he engaged in an extend and pretend scheme to mask past-due loans, rigged auctions to get foreclosed property off of the bank’s books, and lied to bank examiners.  Let today’s sentencing serve as a warning to anyone engaged in fraud involving TARP – SIGTARP and its law enforcement partners will bring justice and hold you accountable for your crimes.”

               “The FDIC OIG is pleased to join the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement colleagues in announcing the sentencing of Mr. Fields,” said FDIC Inspector General Jon T. Rymer.  “It is particularly troubling to the FDIC OIG when bank insiders who are entrusted with operating their banks in a safe and sound manner violate that trust and engage in activities that contribute to losses to the Deposit Insurance Fund.  As evidenced in today’s sentencing, those who undermine the integrity of the financial system will be brought to justice.”

               “Today’s sentencing shows that bank executives who engage in illegal activities that undermine the public trust will be brought to justice,” said Mark Bialek, Inspector General of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue wrongdoers whose fraudulent actions materially impact the Federal Reserve Board’s supervision program.”

Fieldswas found guilty after a lengthy, ten week, jury trial on May 24, 2013.  Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Fields, a former Executive Vice President and Senior Commercial Loan Officer for the Former Bank of the Commonwealth (“Bank”), engaged in an illegal reciprocal relationship with certain troubled borrowers to mask the Bank’s deteriorating financial condition.   Conspirators Thomas E. Arney, Eric H. Menden, and George P. Hranowskyj all testified at trial that, at the request of Fields, they performed favors such as buying Bank of the Currituck stock, bailing out the Bank President’s son on bad investments, and purchasing bank-owned property with fully-funded Bank of the Commonwealth loans.  In return, Arney, Menden and Hranowskyj all received preferential treatment such as affording large overdrafts, sometimes for hundreds of thousands of dollars, below-market interest rates, loans to make interest payments on other loans, and easy access to credit.  Fields continued to lend millions of dollars to Arney, Menden and Hranowskyj despite knowledge of their serious financial problems, and even after Hranowskyj had accused Menden of embezzling money from one of the Bank’s largest construction loans.

               As a further part of the scheme, Fields assisted in the removal of hundreds of past-due loans from past due loan reports prepared for the Bank’s Board of Directors.  For example, Fields took draws from a construction loan for the 345 Granby Street property to make payments on wholly unrelated loans.  Fields was well aware that such loans should appear on the Bank’s past due loan report, but took steps to conceal their past due status to mask the Bank’s diminishing financial condition.  On more than one occasion, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond criticized Fields for failing to comply with the Bank’s internal controls, and for jeopardizing the safety and soundness of the financial institution.  This is so even though Fields used to work at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond as a safety and soundness examiner.             

               Finally, Fields also facilitated self-dealing and preferential treatment at the Bank’s expense for co-defendants Edward Woodard, Troy Brandon Woodard, and his own loan assistant.  For example, Fields arranged for Arney to purchase Edward Woodard’s personal condominium at an inflated price using 100% financing from the Bank.  Fields himself substantially benefited throughout this conspiracy by receiving substantial benefits from the Bank in the form of a large salary, a company car and other employment benefits.  Moreover, one of the Bank’s largest borrowers, Mr. Menden and Mr. Hranowskyj, paid over $6,000 to install granite countertops and other amenities in Mr. Fields’s kitchen.

               In addition to having a substantial impact on property values in the Hampton Roads area, Fields’s crimes were a significant factor in the failure of the Bank of the Commonwealth on September 23, 2011.  As a result of this failure, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has sustained at least $333 million in losses. 

               The Investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Norfolk Office, Field Office, IRS-CI, SIGTARP, FDIC-OIG, and FRB-CFPB OIG.  Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Lee Martin, Uzo Asonye, and Melissa E. O’Boyle prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

RICHMOND, Va. – Jaquan C. Douglas, 20, of Virginia Beach, Va., pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to obstruct, delay and affect commerce by robbery, aiding and abetting credit union robbery, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence for his role in six separate armed bank robberies occurring in multiple Virginia jurisdictions. 

            Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Nancy G. Parr, City of Chesapeake Commonwealth Attorney; Wiliam W. Davenport, Chesterfield County Commonwealth; Lyndia P. Ramsey, Sussex County Commonwealth Attorney; and Harvey L. Bryant, City of Virginia Beach Commonwealth Attorney, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Henry E. Hudson.   

            Douglas was charged on August 26, 2013, in a Criminal Information with conspiracy to obstruct, delay and affect commerce by robbery, aiding and abetting credit union robbery; discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.  Douglas faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment when he is sentenced on December 13, 2013.

            In a statement of facts filed with his plea agreement, Douglas admitted to participating in six armed bank robberies in Virginia, including the April 19, 2012 robbery of the BB&T Bank located in Wakefield, Virginia; the April 23, 2012 robbery of the Bank of Southside Virginia located in Stony Creek, Virginia; the June 1 and July 10, 2012 robberies of the Chartway Federal Credit Union located in Virginia Beach, Virginia; the August 22, 2012 robbery of the Central Virginia Bank located in Midlothian, Virginia; and October 2, 2012 robbery of the ABNB Federal Credit Union located in Chesapeake, Virginia.  During the April 23, 2012 robbery of the Bank of Southside Virginia in Stony Creek, Douglas discharged his firearm while fleeing the scene of the bank. 

            This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the City of Chesapeake Police Department, the Chesterfield County Police Department, the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office, and the City of Virginia Beach Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Siebert is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Mark S. Farhood, 49, formerly of San Diego, Cal., and Jason S. Sant, 38, of Lecanto, Fla., were sentenced today for their roles in operating a nationwide online foreclosure rescue scam that went by various names, including Home Advocate Trustees and Walk Away Today, and used various web sites, including walkawaytoday.org and sellfastusa.com, to deceive hundreds of vulnerable, distressed homeowners into surrendering their properties to the company. 

Farhood was sentenced to 11 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.  Sant was sentenced to 6 years in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release.  Each was also ordered to forfeit approximately $2.0 million in fraud proceeds to the government, along with various bank accounts and other assets. 

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christy L. Romero, Special Inspector General for the U.S. Treasury Department’s Troubled Asset Relief Program, or SIGTARP; and Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.  Farhood and Sant each pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges on May 10, 2013. 

According to court records, Farhood and Sant co-owned Home Advocate Trustees, which also went by the names Walk Away Today, First Equity Trustees, Home Security Consultants, Sell Fast USA, Short Sale Buyer, USA Sell House Fast, and USA Rental Housing.  They marketed the businesses nationwide as purchasers of distressed real estate and a means by which vulnerable homeowners could avoid foreclosure and the accompanying negative effects on their credit.  The companies told homeowners they were in the business of negotiating with lenders to purchase mortgage notes at a discount and falsely claimed to have been in business for seventeen years, to have experienced a 90% success rate in purchasing such notes, and to be the nation’s largest volume buyer of short sale and over-leveraged real estate. 

As Sant and Farhood admitted in connection with their pleas, the businesses were a fraud, no such negotiations with lenders ever took place, and the scheme was merely a way for them to take possession of hundreds of residential properties, including homes within the Eastern District of Virginia, at virtually no cost and then reap millions of dollars in profits by renting the homes to unsuspecting tenants. 

Farhood and Sant further admitted that as part of the scheme, they submitted fraudulent loan modification applications to mortgage lenders under the Treasury Department’s Making Home Affordable Program in the name of homeowners, without the homeowners’ knowledge or consent.  Farhood and Sant used the fraudulent applications to stall foreclosures on the properties under their control and for which no mortgage payments were being made and to maximize the time period during which they could collect rental income.

The homes purportedly sold to Home Advocate Trustees and its related entities ended in foreclosure, harming the participating homeowners and commonly resulting in eviction of the tenants.

This case was investigated by SIGTARP and the FBI’s Washington Field Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Nathanson prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Arthur A. Boulette, 64, of Dunedin, Fl., was sentenced today to 12 months and a day in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for accepting more than $100,000 in cash bribe payments from taxicab drivers in exchange for giving them priority on a list of prospective drivers to operate a Washington Flyer Taxi cab at Washington Dulles International Airport.  Boulette was also ordered to forfeit approximately $106,000 in bribery proceeds to the government. 

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. 

Boulette pleaded guilty on June 20, 2013.  According to court documents, Boulette was employed by Dulles Taxi Systems, Inc (“DTS”) as the General Manager at its Dulles Airport location within the Eastern District of Virginia.  DTS was one of the three contractors that entered into a taxicab concession contract with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (“MWAA”) to perform a taxicab dispatch service at the airport.  As the General Manager, Defendant Boulette’s duties and responsibilities included the management and oversight of taxi cabs and drivers who contracted with DTS to operate Washington Flyer taxicabs.  Instead of establishing and following a fair selection and hiring process for drivers to operate Washington Flyer taxicabs assigned to DTS, Boulette accepted cash payments ranging from $2,000 to $7,000 from a number of taxicab drivers in exchange for giving them priority of prospective drivers.   The total amount of money Boulette received was approximately $106,000.  

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jasmine Yoon prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

NORFOLK, Va. – Catherine Nell Williams, 53, formerly of Virginia Beach, Va., was sentenced today to 65 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for health care fraud and aggravated identity theft.  Co-defendant Michael Inman, Sr., 66, of Virginia Beach, Va., was sentenced on September 12, 2013 to 54 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for health care fraud and aggravated identity theft.  Both are responsible for more than $308,000 in restitution.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Gerald M. Scheuer, Resident Agent in Charge for the United States Secret Service-Norfolk Office, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen.

Both Williams and Inman previously pled guilty to the health care and aggravated identity theft charges.  Williams pleaded guilty on May 14, 2013 and Inman pleaded guilty on May 31, 2013.  According to court documents, Williams was the office manager for a small psychological services business owned by one doctor.  One of her responsibilities as office manager was to deposit payment checks made out to the doctor from health care insurers.  These insurers were companies such as Optima Health, the military’s TriCare, and Aetna.  From August 2008 through February 2012, Williams’s stole approximately 596 checks and gave them to her boyfriend, Michael Inman, Sr.  Inman represented himself as the doctor and established a fraudulent business account.  He would then forge the doctor’s name on the back and cash them at Money Mart, a local check cashing business.  The cash was either deposited into Williams’ bank account or otherwise used by the couple.  The checks totaled approximately $308,000. 

This case was investigated by U.S. Secret Service.  Assistant United States Attorney Randy Stoker prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – George Washington Crane, V, 48, formerly of Leesburg, Va., pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Michael L. Chapman, Sheriff of Loudon County,  made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Liam O’Grady.

Crane was indicted on July 11, 2013, by a federal grand jury.  He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on December 20, 2013.

In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Crane admitted to purchasing Oxycodone several times each week, between 2008 and 2011, from sources on the street in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland.  Crane then brought the Oxycodone to Leesburg, Virginia where he distributed the pills primarily to high school students and recent graduates.  Crane sold Oxycodone from his residence and car to multiple customers daily.

According to the statement of facts, Crane distributed Oxycodone on August 7, 2010, to a conspirator who later provided it to William Huff, age 20.  Huff died on August 8, 2010, as a result of injecting the Oxycodone that Crane distributed.

This case was investigated by FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Adam B. Schwartz is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

RICHMOND, Va.  – Quincy L. Burrell, 36, of Richmond, Virginia, was sentenced today to 360 months’ in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release for charges of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jeffrey C. Mazanec, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Richmond Field Office; Ray J. Tarasovic, Chief of Police for Richmond Police Department; Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Superintendent, Virginia State Police; and Karl C. Colder, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s Washington Division, made the announcement after the sentence was imposed today by United States District Judge James R. Spencer.

Burrell was charged in a criminal indictment with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, 280 grams or more of cocaine base; and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.

In the Statement of Facts filed at the time of his plea hearing in June, Burrell admitted to having distributed between 2.8 and 8.4 kilograms of “crack” cocaine into the Richmond, Virginia metropolitan area in furtherance of the conspiracy.  

Burrell also admitted in the Statement of facts that he is a leader of the NTG, holding the rank of “High Stain.”  NTG a set of the United Blood Nation (UBN).  NTG members are organized into “line-ups.”  There were multiple active “line-ups” in Virginia and elsewhere under Burrell’s control.  The “High Stain” of each line-up reports to two “Godfathers,” both of whom are in New York. Burrell admitted that nearly every member of the NTG line-up in Virginia was involved in the distribution of narcotics at the direction of, or for the benefit of the gang.  In addition, he stated that distribution of narcotics was routinely discussed at NTG meetings, which also included assigning discipline to NTG members who have improperly managed drug proceeds.  Discipline may involve a loss of rank, or a 31 second beating.  

Sande Chhim, Burrell’s girlfriend at the time of their arrest, and a co-defendant in the drug trafficking conspiracy, was sentenced to 70 months’ in prison on September 9, 2013, for her role in the conspiracy. Although Chhim was not a member of the NTG, she was an active participant in the conspiracy with Burrell from 2011 until their arrest in March 2013. Her involvement included providing Burrell with a place to cook cocaine hydrochloride into “crack” cocaine, driving Burrell to meetings with his suppliers and sub-dealers, pooling her money with Burrell’s to purchase narcotics, wiring drug proceeds to NTG leadership out of state, and serving as a nominee by placing vehicles and apartments in her name for Burrell.  She facilitated the concealment of firearms and a vehicle that had been involved in criminal activity for the benefit of the gang. 

This case was initiated and investigated by the FBI as part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation - Full Blooded Ink. Assistant United States Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

NORFOLK, Va. – Luis Alberto Navarro, 32, of Tucson, Az., pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute cocaine. 

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Karl C. Colder, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Field Division, and Royce E. Curtin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Norfolk Office, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen.  Navarro was indicted on June 5, 2013 by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiring to distribute cocaine, as well as distribution and possession of cocaine.  Navarro faces a maximum penalty of Life imprisonment when he is sentenced on December 13, 2013.

In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Navarro admitted to his involvement in a large-scale cocaine distribution ring from 2006 to the present.  While Navarro operated the Tucson, Arizona, hub of the organization, the group had a nationwide network of distribution points, including locations in Indiana, California, New York, Pennsylvania, and here in Tidewater.  Navarro recruited, supervised, and managed couriers and other members to transport and distribute cocaine and proceeds from the distribution of cocaine throughout the United States.  Along with his co-conspirators, Navarro would hide the cocaine both inside the lining of coolers and inert, hollowed-out fire extinguishers in order to avoid detection during transportation.   

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation dubbed Fire & Ice.

NORFOLK, Va. – Jonathan Ray Allen, 28, of Portsmouth, Va., was sentenced today to 384 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy, robbery and firearm charges.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and Royce E. Curtin, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation Norfolk Office, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.

Allen was found guilty by a federal jury of all charges on March 23, 2012.  The charges included a conspiracy count, nine substantive robbery counts and nine gun counts.  According to court documents, between May and June 2011, Allen and several co-conspirators, robbed at gunpoint a number of check cashing establishments and other business establishments, including a Foot Locker Store and Beauty supply shop.  Allen was charged with nine armed robberies.  Allen’s co-defendants pled guilty and agreed to cooperate while Allen went to trial.  During the trial, 19 victims were able to identify Allen in court as the person who robbed them at gun point.

            This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, Norfolk Office.  Assistant United States Attorney William Muhr and Special Assistant United States Attorney Amy Cross prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Ricardo Avelar Valdez, 47, of Gainesville, Va. was sentenced today to 87  months in prison, followed by a term of three years of supervised release, for his role in a marijuana smuggling operation based in Northern Virginia. The operation attempted to smuggle several multi-thousand pound loads of marijuana from Mexico to Prince William County, Va. The defendant has also agreed to forfeit $2 million representing the proceeds of his drug trafficking activities as well as two vehicles and drug paraphernalia.

Neil H. MacBride, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Scot R. Rittenberg, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.

Valdez pleaded guilty on May 9, 2013. According to court documents, between December 2011 and September 2012, HSI special agents and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers made three significant marijuana seizures at ports of entry in Texas. Each of these shipments was tied to this operation. The marijuana, which was concealed in frozen fruit pulp and furniture parts, was, in each case, being shipped within hidden compartments in commercial tractor trailers to business addresses located in Prince William County. During this investigation, law enforcement in Texas seized approximately 10,000 pounds of marijuana, all of which was being shipped by Valdez and his co-defendants to the Eastern District of Virginia.  

On August 16, 2013, Valdez’s co-defendant, Francisco Cirilio Vargas-Aquino, aka “Francisco C. Vargas,” and “Miguel,” 49, of Manassas, Va. was sentenced by United States District Judge Anthony J. Trenga to 87 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release for his role in this drug trafficking operation.

This ongoing Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation, dubbed “Operation Buena Vida,” is being led by HSI’s Washington D.C. Field Office, in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Fairfax County Police Department.

The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary K. Daly and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Eriksen.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. –Andrew Choi, 35, of Springfield, Va., pleaded guilty today to charges of production of child pornography.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Douglas W. Keen, Chief of Police for the Manassas City Police Department, made the announcement after Choi’s hearing before United States District Court Judge Anthony J. Trenga.

“The targeting and sexual exploitation of our kids represents some of the most evil and heinous criminal acts imaginable,” said U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride.  “We will aggressively pursue and prosecute all those who, like defendant Choi, have engaged in this deplorable, criminal conduct.”

           Chief Keen of Manassas City Police stated that “this is another instance of agencies working together, in cooperation with the US Attorney’s Office, to ensure that the safety of children remains our top priority in these types of cases.”

            According to court documents and court proceedings today, Choi engaged in online video chats with at least ten boys under the age of 18 between May 2012 and January 2013.  The underage boys performed sex acts on camera and Choi recorded it using a screen capture program.  Approximately 600 of these types of videos were discovered on Choi’s computer.

            Choi pled guilty to two counts of production of child pornography, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and maximum of 30 years in prison at sentencing, which is scheduled for January 24, 2014

The investigation was conducted by the Manassas City Police Department and the Northern Virginia/DC Internet Crimes against Children Task Force.  Special Assistant United States Attorney Alicia J. Yass, a Trial Attorney with the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

This case was brought as 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Chad Dixon, 34, of Marion, Indiana, was sentenced today to eight months in prison followed by a three year term of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $17,091.07 for his role in a scheme to deceive the federal government during polygraph examinations conducted as part of federal security background investigations.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Mythili Raman, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement following the sentencing.  Dixon previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud and obstruction of an agency proceeding on December 17, 2012. 

According to court documents, Dixon operated an Internet-based business that trained customers how to “beat” polygraph examinations conducted by various agencies of the federal government, including within the intelligence community.  Dixon taught physical and mental polygraph countermeasures designed to obstruct polygraph examinations by producing “truthful” polygraph charts ”even if you are flat out lying.”  Dixon customized his trainings by asking each customer the purpose of their polygraph examination and the information they wanted to conceal from the government.  Dixon instructed his customers to conceal their misconduct, to deny receiving polygraph countermeasures training, and to lie during their exams.  The purpose of the scheme was for Dixon to enrich himself by training federal job applicants and federal employees how to conceal specific and material information from the federal government in exchange for between approximately $1,000 and $2,000 plus travel expenses.

Dixon provided private training sessions around the country to his customers, including applicants for federal law enforcement and national security positions.  For example, Dixon trained two federal contractors – associated with a U.S. intelligence agency and a federal law enforcement agency – who held Top Secret security clearances.  In addition, Dixon trained Applicant A, who applied for a United States Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) Air Interdiction Agent position, and Applicant B, who applied for a CBP Border Patrol Agent position, to utilize polygraph countermeasures.  He instructed both applicants to lie about his training. 

Furthermore, on two separate occasions, Dixon trained undercover agents posing as applicants for CBP law enforcement positions to lie in order to beat polygraph tests.  The first undercover agent told Dixon that, while previously employed as a local jailer, she smuggled contraband into the jail for inmates and accepted bribes.  She also told Dixon that she was an active drug-user and that she had lied about all of her misconduct on her security background forms.  Dixon instructed the agent to lie about her past criminal activities and taught her how to obstruct the polygraph exam.  The second undercover agent told Dixon that, in order to pass a pre-employment polygraph test for a federal law enforcement position, he had to conceal that he had sex with a minor and to hide information concerning a brother who was a member of the Los Zetas drug cartel involved in cross-border crimes involving drugs, extortion, murder, and kidnapping.  The agent told Dixon that he gave his brother his U.S. passport so his brother could illegally enter the United States for criminal purposes.  Nevertheless, Dixon trained the second undercover agent and told him not to reveal the information about his brother or the sexual contact with a minor.

Dixon also admitted to providing training to nine convicted sex offenders who were required to take polygraph examinations as a condition of court-ordered probation or parole, including:

• A 35-year-old man from Herndon, VA, convicted of peeping;
• A 52-year-old man residing in Bethesda, MD, convicted of sexual abuse of a minor;
• A 53-year-old man residing in Quincy, IL, convicted of a child pornography-related offence;
• A 46-year-old man from Aurora, TX, convicted of sexual assault of a minor;
• A 55-year-old man in New York, NY, convicted of sexual assault of a minor;
• A 42-year-old man from Seminole, TX, convicted of attempted sexual battery of a minor;
• A 39-year-old man from Carrolton, TX, convicted of indecent sexual contact with a child;
• A 39-year-old man in Raleigh, NC, convicted of sexual battery; and
• A 30-year-old man in Commerce City, CO, who failed to properly register as a sex offender.

This case is being investigated by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Internal Affairs, the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Uzo Asonye and Criminal Division Public Integrity Section Trial Attorneys Anthony J. Phillips and Eric L. Gibson. 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. –Rene Ulises Quinteros Gaitan, 24, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, pled guilty today to charges of transporting a minor to engage in prostitution.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Scot R. Rittenberg, Acting Special Agent in Charge, United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Washington, D.C., made the announcement after Gaitan’s hearing before United States District Court Judge Gerald Bruce Lee.

            According to court documents and court proceedings today, during late July, 2011, Gaitan prostituted a 16-year-old juvenile female, first in Frederick, Md. and then in Richmond, Va.  Gaitan transported the juvenile victim back to Maryland, this time to Prince George’s County, where he again prostituted her.

            Gaitan pled guilty to one count of transporting a minor in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and maximum sentence of life in prison at sentencing, which is scheduled for November 22, 2013. 

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations.  Assistant United States Attorney Mary K. Daly, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Alicia J. Yass, a Trial Attorney with the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States, with assistance from William E. Nolan, a Trial Attorney with the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

NORFOLK, Va. – Charles M. Kephart, 43, of Norfolk, Va., pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, commonly known as “ice.”

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by Senior United States District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr.

Charles Kephart was indicted by a federal grand jury in Norfolk on May 23, 2013. His wife, Katherine M. Kepart, a former Virginia Beach state probation officer, waived indictment and pled guilty to the conspiracy on August 13, 2013.  Both are facing a maximum penalty of forty years in prison.  Katherine Kephart is scheduled to be sentenced on December 13, 2013.  Charles Kephart is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12, 2013.

According to court documents, the Kepharts regularly used methamphetamine and associated with known methamphetamine traffickers.  In November 2012, law enforcement authorities received information that Kephart and his wife were obtaining quantities of methamphetamine from sources in the Asheville, North Carolina area and trafficking in the Eastern District of Virginia.  On February 28, 2013, Charles Kephart was arrested during a controlled sale with an undercover police officer.  FBI Norfolk then executed a federal search warrant on the Kepharts’ residence in Norfolk.  The search yielded drug paraphernalia.  Katherine, who at the time was employed by the Virginia Beach probation office, utilized the facilities of her office by “running” names and license plates of prospective conspirators to determine whether they might be under court supervision, or whether they were working for law enforcement.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Twenty-four members and associates of the Nine Tray Gangsters, a subgroup, or “set” of the Bloods street gang, were named in an indictment, which was unsealed today.  The indictment includes charges of conspiracy to commit racketeering, violence in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of crack cocaine, and multiple counts related to the possession and use of firearms.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Col. Edwin C. Roessler, Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police made the announcement following the unsealing of the indictment.

“Organized crime threatens the safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride.  “Arresting, prosecuting, and dismantling vicious street gangs remains a top priority of my office and our law enforcement partners.  We will continue to aggressively prosecute and eradicate these parasites from our communities.  Today’s indictment is indicative of our commitment to this critical work.”

“Today’s arrests send a clear message that violent gangs have no place in our community,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “While you may not see violence on your neighborhood street, gang members attempt to rule through violence and intimidation, a dangerous mix for impressionable youth within our region. Together with our partners in Fairfax County, the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force, and other law enforcement agencies, we will work to eradicate violent gangs and bring their members to justice.”

“Gang criminal activity will not be tolerated in Fairfax County and the Police Department will aggressively pursue the arrest of all involved in gang criminal enterprises.  Protecting our great community is paramount,” said Chief Roessler.  “We thank the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia for their partnership in combatting criminal gang violence with us in Fairfax County and nationally.  This partnership, along with that of our many federal law enforcement partners, will endure to continue making Fairfax County a safe place to live, work, and visit.”

The following individuals are named in the indictment:

Thaddaeus Snow, a/k/a “Storm,” 23, of Manassas, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering, violence in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit robbery, and using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Curtis Martino, a/k/a “Curtis Dodd,” a/k/a “Red Rum,” 29, of Elkridge, Maryland, is charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.

William Sykes, a/k/a “Black,” 29, of Bealeton, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering, violence in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, and using a firearm during a crime of violence.

George Williams, a/k/a “Champ,” 28, of Bealeton, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering, violence in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, and using a firearm during a crime of violence.

Markeith Kerns, a/k/a “LTK,” 20, of Summerduck, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering, violence in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, and using a firearm during a crime of violence.

Janee Yates, a/k/a “Alizia,” 23, of Warrenton, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering, violence in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.

Deontae Holland, a/k/a “D-Boy,” 27, of Bealeton, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.

William Sharp Manning a/k/a “Ill Will,” 24, of Warrenton, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.

James Watson, a/k/a “Black Kat,” 34, of Gainesville, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.

Christopher Head a/k/a “Briss,” 25, of Washington, D.C., is charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.

Nicole Yates a/k/a “Merlot,” 27, of Fairfax, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit robbery, and using a firearm during a crime of violence.

Candy Minor, 28, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit robbery, and using a firearm during a crime of violence.

Kaleef Tweedy, a/k/a “Bloody Tweed,” 23, of Dumfries, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit robbery, and using a firearm during a crime of violence.

Justin Finley, a/k/a “J Mo,” 24, of Manassas, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.

Stephon Greene a/k/a “Blitz,” 21, of Manassas, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.

LaTonya Snow, a/k/a “Lady Dynasty,” 30, of Manassas, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.

Devante Jordan, a/k/a “Trey,” 21, of Alexandria, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and using a firearm during a crime of violence.

Aayron Marshal, a/k/a “Mook ,” 23, of Warrenton, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.

Joshua Pendleton Brooks a/k/a “Wacko,” 27, of Manassas, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.

Lionel Ritchie, a/k/a “Boogie,” 29, of Remington, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.

Jameel Aleem, a/k/a “Nino B,” 32, of Washington, D.C., is charged with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.

Antawn Minor, a/k/a “Noid,” 33, of Manassas, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Deyonka Gaskins, 29, of Manassas, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.

Gracier Isique, 28, of Manassas, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

All of the defendants face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if convicted. 

According to the indictment, the Nine Trey Gangsters are a Bloods street gang set of the United Blood Nation that was founded in New York City in the early 1970’s.  Thaddaeus Snow and Curtis Martino led two “line-ups” of the Nine Trey Gangsters which operated as a criminal enterprise in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland.  The indictment alleges that from 2008 until the date of the indictment, Martino’s and Snow’s line-ups of Nine Trey gangsters engaged in racketeering activity involving the transportation and prostitution of women using force and coercion in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, New York, and elsewhere; the commission of robberies; and the distribution of cocaine, crack, marijuana, heroin, ecstasy, and prescription painkillers.  The indictment also alleges that the Nine Trey Gangsters dealt in counterfeit United States currency and used counterfeit currency to finance wholesale drug purchases.

Further, the indictment alleges several acts of violence undertaken by gang members.  On or about April 1, 2010, according to the Indictment, Snow directed Nine Trey Gangsters to give a female victim a “buck-fifty,” consisting of slashing the face with a knife from mouth to ear with the aim of requiring 150 stiches to close the wound, because the woman had stolen proceeds of the gang’s drug sales.  The slashing was allegedly carried-out by defendants Janee Yates and William Sykes.  The indictment also alleges that Nine Trey gangsters committed a shooting on April 12, 2010, after the shooting victims became involved in a dispute with one of the gang members, that defendants slapped, beat, and choked prostitutes when they refused to see customers or did not earn enough money, and that Nine Trey Gangsters also beat a fellow gang member to discipline him for trying to leave the gang.

The 24 defendants charged in this indictment brings the total number of Nine Trey Gangster gang members and associates recently charged in the Eastern District of Virginia to 32.  On April 2, 2013, an indictment was filed in Richmond against eight Nine Trey Gangster gang members and associates charging them with Conspiracy to Distribute 280 grams or more of Crack Cocaine.  All eight of those defendants have previously pleaded guilty to the drug conspiracy charge.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Fairfax County Police Department, with assistance from the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force, Hampton Police Department, Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, Manassas City Police Department, and the United States Marshal Service.  Assistant United States Attorney Adam B. Schwartz is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.

This case is part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation dubbed Operation ­­­ “Ruby Red,” which has been focusing on the illegal distribution of narcotics by alleged organized crime members.

RICHMOND, Va.  - Ronald Harper, Jr., 48, of Petersburg, Virginia was sentenced today to 144 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin.  He was also ordered to forfeit $150,000.00 in United States currency, and a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber firearm and assorted ammunition.   

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; John I. Dixon, III, Chief of Police for the Petersburg Police Department; and Jeffrey C. Mazanec, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field office, made the announcement after the sentence was imposed today by United States District Judge James R. Spencer. 

In the Statement of Facts filed at the time of his plea hearing in May, Harper admitted that he had conspired to distribute between 1 and 3 kilograms of heroin, and between 2 and 3.5 kilograms of cocaine from January 2009 through March 6, 2013.  Harper admitted to purchasing heroin every month, for redistribution into the Petersburg, Virginia community. 

At the time of his arrest on March 6, 2013, Harper was in possession of more than $7000.00 in cash, which he acknowledged was proceeds from his drug trafficking activities. A search warrant executed at a Petersburg, Virginia residence that was known to be utilized by Harper for distribution of narcotics resulted in the recovery of a six-ton hydraulic press, a suitcase full of drug packaging materials, digital scales; and narcotics, including heroin, marijuana, and cocaine.     

This case was investigated by the Petersburg Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office announced today a $55,000 settlement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Dominion Hospital, which is located in Falls Church, Virginia and is part of the HCA Virginia Health System, to ensure effective communication with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing in the provision of medical services.

            The United States Attorney’s investigation commenced with a complaint from the public and alleged that Dominion Hospital violated the ADA by failing to provide appropriate auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreter services, to deaf individuals who were family members of a patient being treated at Dominion Hospital during critical junctures, including:  (1) the admission of the patient to the hospital; (2)  during visiting hours when family members needed to discuss important and complex topics related to symptoms and treatment; and (3) at a family meeting.  The complainants alleged that because of the hospital’s failure to provide sign language interpreter services, deaf individuals were denied the benefit of effective communication with hospital clinical staff and the opportunity to effectively participate in treatment decisions.

“This settlement exemplifies the United States Attorney’s Office’s commitment to protect the rights of those who are deaf or hard of hearing and to ensure that they are able to communicate with health care professionals, especially at critical moments in the medical care of family members,” said United States Attorney Neil MacBride. 

            The settlement agreement requires that Dominion Hospital pay $55,000 to the aggrieved individuals; provide training to hospital staff on the requirements of the ADA; and adopt specific policies and procedures to ensure that auxiliary aids and services are promptly provided to patients and companions who are deaf or hard of hearing.

            This matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Steven Gordon, who coordinates the United States Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Initiative.

This case is a part of the Department of Justice’s Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative, which seeks to enforce the ADA’s prohibition of discrimination against disabled individuals by health care providers, including hospitals.  Through the Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative, U.S. Attorneys' offices across the nation and the Department's Civil Rights Division target their enforcement efforts on a critical area for individuals with disabilities – access to medical services and facilities. The Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative is a multi-phase initiative that includes effective communication for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, physical access to medical care for people with mobility disabilities, and equal access to treatment for people who have HIV/AIDS.

            The Department of Justice has a number of publications available to assist entities to comply with the ADA, including a Business Brief on Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Hospital Settings, www.ada.gov/hospcombr.htm.  For more information on the ADA and to access these publications, visit www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD.  ADA complaints may be filed by email to ada.complaint@usdoj.gov.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Prince J. Bell, 27, of Newport News, Va., pleaded guilty today to robbery and possession of a firearm related to the robbery of a Shell Gas Station in Newport News.

            Neil H. MacBride, U. S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Royce E. Curtin, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and Interim Newport News Police Chief Joe Moore made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Raymond A. Jackson.

            Bell was charged in a criminal complaint on March 8, 2013, with robbery and later indicted, on April 10, 2013, with robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Bell faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the robbery charge and a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years on the firearm charge when he is sentenced on December 4, 2013.

            In a statement of facts filed during the plea hearing, Bell admitted to robbing the Shell Gas Station located at 4900 Jefferson Avenue in Newport News on January 6, 2013. During the robbery Bell brandished and pointed a firearm at a store employee and demanded money.

            This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Newport News Police Department Safe Streets Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorneys Howard J. Zlotnick and Robert E. Bradenham, II are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.