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5 April 2024
Kalamazoo Man Sentenced to More Than 19 Years for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
Online exploitation of three young boys
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Mark Totten today announced that Tariq Andrew Gillam, age 34, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was sentenced to 235 months in custody for sexually exploiting children. He will be required to serve 10 years of supervised release after serving his custodial sentence.
U.S. Attorney Totten stated, “Mr. Gillam’s conduct was manipulative, and he preyed on young boys. My office and our law enforcement partners will find predators and hold them accountable. But prevention plays an important role. Candid conversations with our children to help them protect themselves in person and online is a strong first step. Equally important is giving our children a safe place to talk to their parents and other trusted adults and disclose when they have become a victim. Shame and embarrassment can become terrible weapons against victims. They need to know that they are not to blame and they are not alone.”
Between January and February 2018, Gillam used Facebook to pose online as a woman named “Shay Nicole.” He used that persona to chat with numerous individuals, including three minor boys ages 10, 11, and 14. Gillam encouraged the boys to take explicit pictures of themselves and to send the pictures to him.
“There’s no tolerance for individuals who use online platforms as a tool to mentally and emotionally manipulate our youngest members of society,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Investigating crimes against children is one of the FBI’s greatest priorities and our office will continue rid our cities of such offenders.”
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the following web site: www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Mekaru and investigated by the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety and the FBI.
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Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Armed Robbery with a Knife in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kevon Lockerman, 29, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today by a Superior Court jury of armed robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The verdict follows a two-day trial. According to the government’s evidence, on June 15, 2023, the defendant and another man, who was never identified, went into a smoke shop on West Virginia Avenue NE and tried to set up their own business inside, with a scale, a knife, and product they offered for sale. The store’s surveillance footage showed that when the complainant walked in, the defendant and his accomplice try to sell the complainant marijuana without success. The defendant handed a knife to his accomplice as the complainant spoke to the store’s clerk. When the complainant turned to leave the shop, the defendant and his accomplice blocked the complainant’s path. The accomplice gestured toward the knife, which he had tucked in the front of his pants, and the complainant handed the defendant cash. After the two men left together, the complainant turned to the store clerk with tears in his eyes, and told him he had been robbed. Police arrested the defendant roughly three weeks later near the same smoke shop.
The Honorable Erik Christian has scheduled sentencing for June 27, 2024.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Iris McCranie, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Van Haasteren and Matthew Goldstein, who prosecuted the case.
Joint Operation Targets Las Cruces Based Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – This week, agents from the FBI and the Las Cruces/Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency executed search warrants at the Imperial Sky Motel on West Picacho Avenue and other locations throughout Las Cruces as part of an ongoing operation targeting a Las Cruces based drug trafficking organization. During the operation, agents seized fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and multiple stolen firearms.
The federal search warrants were conducted in conjunction with four other New Mexico state search warrants executed by the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office, Las Cruces Police Department, and New Mexico State Police at the Coachlight Motel Inn & RV on Motel Boulevard in Las Cruces. As a result of the operations, five people were arrested on state charges and one person was arrested on federal charges.
The search warrants were conducted as a follow-on operation after a similar joint operation occurred at motels located on West Picacho Avenue in March 2024.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, and Chief Jeremy Story of the Las Cruces Police Department, announced the results of a coordinated enforcement operation in Las Cruces today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case in collaboration with the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Armijo is assisting with the investigation.
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Inland Empire Man Indicted for Allegedly Distributing Fentanyl to Two Victims Who Suffered Fatal Overdoses over a Two-Week SpanRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A Riverside County man was taken into federal custody today on a grand jury indictment alleging he distributed fentanyl to two victims – one of whom was under 21 years of age – who suffered fatal overdoses within a two week-span, the Justice Department announced today.
Edward Hernandez, 24, of Menifee, was charged in a two-count indictment returned on March 13.
Hernandez is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and one count of distribution of fentanyl to a person under the age of 21 resulting in death. His arraignment is scheduled for this afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside.
According to the indictment, on April 10, 2020, Hernandez knowingly and intentionally distributed fentanyl to a victim, identified in court documents as “R.R.” The victim later ingested the powerful synthetic opioid – estimated to be 50 times more powerful than heroin – and suffered a fatal overdose the following day.
On April 21, 2020, Hernandez allegedly knowingly and intentionally distributed fentanyl to a second victim, identified in the indictment as “T.G.,” a person under the age of 21 years. Two days later, T.G. died from a fentanyl overdose.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Hernandez initially was charged in state court by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, which will seek to dismiss its case in light of the federal charges.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s Overdose Death Investigations and Narcotics Unit, along with the Drug Enforcement Administration, are investigating this matter.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Stephen T. Merrill of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on April 4 was:
Shacheen Leigh Russell, 35, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Russell faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Russell was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-44.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on April 2 was:
Kyle Allen Mostad, 39, of Townsend, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Mostad faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Mostad was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Montana Probation and Parole conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-6.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Indictment Charges Connecticut Operator of Prize Insurance Business with Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport returned a six-count indictment yesterday charging KEVIN KOLENDA, 66, of Norwalk, with fraud offenses related to his operation of a prize insurance business.
Kolenda was arrested this morning. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport, pleaded not guilty, and was released on a $50,000 bond.
As alleged in the indictment, Kolenda owns and operates Hole-In-Won LLC (“Hole In Won”), which has provided prize insurance to customers who offered promotions or prizes at events, including golf tournaments and fishing contests. Hole In Won also used a promotional website, www.hole-in-won.com, to claim it to be “the most successful prize insurance company in the world” that had “paid out 1000’s of awards” to winners throughout the world.
The indictment alleges that Kolenda has defrauded dozens of organizations and individuals out of nearly $1 million, including approximately $850,000 in insurance premiums paid under false pretenses and more than $100,000 in prize costs that Hole In Won failed to pay. As part of the scheme, victims, often charitable or civic organizations, obtained insurance from Kolenda and Hole In Won for one or more prizes at an event. For example, the host of a golf tournament might include a lucrative prize, such as a new car, for any player who hits a hole in one on a specific hole. The victim would complete an insurance contract and pay the insurance premium to Kolenda and Hole In Won, and Kolenda and Hole In Won would promise to pay out the insurance claim for the cost of the insured prize if there was a winner at the event. If no one won the insured prize at the event, Kolenda and Hole In Won would keep the premium.
The indictment further alleges that if someone won the insured prize, Kolenda often used various fraudulent techniques to avoid payment of the claim. For example, Kolenda made excuses to victims as to why Hole In Won did not have to pay out the cost of the claim; referred victims to the Hole In Won “claims department,” at an office in Washington, D.C., which did not exist; and threatened victims with bogus legal action and reputational harm if they continued to seek payment of the claim. Ultimately, Kolenda would often stop responding to correspondence from victims and refused to pay out the cost of the insured prize. The victim host or organization, or its partners, often paid for the cost of the insured prize themselves in order to avoid reputational harm and potential legal action.
The indictment charges Kolenda with six counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Weingarten.
Individuals and organizations who believe that they may be victims of this alleged scheme are encouraged to contact the FBI’s New Haven Division at 203-777-6311.
Indictment Charges 21-Year-Old in Daytime Shooting in Northeast Washington D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Traquon McCalip, 21, of Washington D.C., was arraigned today in U.S. District Court on a six-count indictment charging him in a March 20, 2024, daylight shooting, in the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE, that left another man wounded. The indictment was announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
McCalip, aka “TwinGlock,” who was previously convicted of a firearm possession offense in Prince George’s County, Maryland, is charged with aggravated assault while armed; two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence; two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon; and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, specifically, a Canik TP9SF Elite 9mm handgun and 9mm ammunition.
On March 20, 2024, a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer arrived on the scene of the shooting after hearing gunfire, and McCalip fled in a vehicle. A police pursuit by officers from the Fifth and Sixth districts, with use of FALCON, the MPD Air Support Unit, ultimately led to McCalip being stopped at 1805 Bladensburg Road, NE. A 9mm Canik magazine and additional ammunition was found in the driver’s seat of the car McCalip was driving, and a 9mm Canik handgun was recovered from the scene of the shooting.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Ethan Cantor of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Indianapolis Man Sentenced to 29 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robberies of Six Indianapolis Restaurants and Shooting at an EmployeeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Lamont Vales, 25, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 29 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to six counts of interference with commerce by robbery, two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to court documents, between December 29, 2019, and January 22, 2020, Lamont Vales robbed six Indianapolis Arby’s and Subway restaurants at gunpoint. During each robbery he pretended to be a customer. Once he reached the register, he brandished a pistol at with an extended magazine and ordered employees to give him cash from the restaurant’s register or safe. The robberies the Defendant committed are summarized as follows:
DATE
RESTURANT
December 29, 2019
Subway
5389 Rockville Rd
January 9, 2020
Arby’s
801 W 10th St
January 13, 2020
Arby’s
3846 Lafayette Rd
January 14, 2020
Subway
4088 Pendleton Way
January 17, 2020
Subway
6225 W 56th St
January 22, 2020
Arby’s
801 W 10th St
On January 22, 2020, Vales again robbed the same Arby’s he robbed thirteen days earlier. One of the employees who was aware of the previous robbery began chasing Vales. The chase lasted for about a block before Vales tumed around and fired four shots at the employee. The employee was physically unharmed.
Evidence technicians located 9mm shell casings at the crime scene were able to locate fingerprints that identified Vales as the suspect. IMPD detectives conducted a court-authorized search of Vales’ residence. Investigators seized the clothing and shoes worn by Vales in the six robberies. During a recorded interview, Vales admitted to committing each of the six robberies using a 9mm semiautomatic pistol.
At the time of his arrest, Vales had been previously convicted of carrying a handgun without a license and has a pending charge for battery resulting in serious bodily injury.
“Six times in three short weeks, this armed criminal terrorized employees and patrons of Indianapolis restaurants,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “No one should be forced to fear for their lives simply because they went to work or for a bite to eat. To make our neighborhoods safer, gun violence must be met with serious consequences. Our federal prosecutors are committed to working with the outstanding investigators of the FBI and IMPD to ensure that violent, armed criminals are taken off our streets and held accountable for the damage they cause.”
The FBI and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew P. Brookman. Judge Brookman also ordered that Vales be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison and pay $1,100 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Corbin D. Houston, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Hardin man admits charge in fatal shooting on Crow Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Hardin man today admitted that he assisted in hindering an investigation into the 2023 shooting death of another man on the Crow Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Garrell Robert Snell, 33, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact as charged in a superseding information. Snell faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Aug. 8. Snell’s detention was continued pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on Jan. 18, 2023 at Crow Agency, on the Crow Indian Reservation, a gunshot victim was driven to the emergency room at the IHS Crow/Northern Cheyenne Hospital, where the victim, a man, was pronounced dead upon arrival. The driver initially lied to law enforcement about where the driver had found the victim. Some days later, law enforcement learned that the victim was shot outside of a residence on Crow River Road.
Law enforcement obtained a federal search warrant and analyzed an SD card from exterior security cameras on the residence. Initially, nothing of any evidentiary value was recovered from the SD card. But in February 2024, the SD card was again analyzed, and video was recovered. The video does not show the shooting but contains footage before and after the shooting. The government further alleged that the video shows the victim lying on snow-covered ground in the yard of the residence before he was picked up and put into the vehicle used to take him to the hospital. After the vehicle leaves, the video shows Snell and another individual cleaning the snow-covered area where the victim had been lying by moving snow with a shovel, broom, hands and feet. The footage also appears to show Snell and the other individual picking up items from the snow-covered area. Two bullets retrieved from the victim’s body and shell casings recovered from the area that was cleaned by Snell and the other individual were determined to have been fired from the same gun. The gun has not been recovered.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation.
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Groton Man Charged with Producing and Possessing Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging MICHAEL W. LANDON, 37, of Groton, with child exploitation offenses.
The indictment charges Landon with production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and with possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
The indictment was returned on March 27, 2024, and Landon appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven and pleaded not guilty. He has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on June 28, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Groton Town Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Mahard through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the New London State Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Gang Member Sentenced to Life, plus 10 years for Retaliation Murder After Federal Trial ConvictionRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Universal Aryan Brotherhood gang member was sentenced today for First Degree Murder in Indian Country and Carrying, Using, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced, Bennie Frank Withrow, IV, 38, of Tulsa, to life plus 120 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
In December 2021, Dustin Tucker and his girlfriend bought methamphetamine from a drug dealer affiliated with the Universal Aryan Brotherhood (UAB) gang. After leaving the drug dealer's house, they were stopped by Tulsa Police officers. During the traffic stop, officers found methamphetamine on Dustin and a firearm in the car. While detained, Dustin told officers where he bought the drugs. The police then released Dustin and the girlfriend.
Dustin’s girlfriend attempted to warn the drug dealer, but officers were already at the drug house serving a search warrant. The girlfriend then called UAB gang member Bennie Withrow and told him about what happened.
Later that night, Dustin made plans to go to a casino with Withrow and a third friend. On the way, Withrow suggested they pull over to use drugs first. After they got out of the car, Withrow shot Dustin numerous times, leaving him to die in a field. Dustin’s body was found several days later in this field in Osage County. Withrow bragged to at least two people about killing Dustin.
A federal jury found Withrow guilty in July 2023 for the retaliation killing of Dustin Tucker.
Dustin was a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Withrow will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, Osage County Sheriff’s Office, and Osage Nation Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Nasar and Dennis Fries prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Fruitland Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Fruitland man pleaded guilty in federal court to federal firearms offenses for opening fire on an occupied residence, then shooting at the occupants as they exited to investigate. Nathaniel Begay, 30, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty to one count each of assault with a dangerous weapon and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to court records, on April 28, 2022, Begay, drove to a residence within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation and fired upon the residence, which was occupied by three adult individuals and five children, with two handguns. After Begay shot at the residence, the occupants exited to investigate the succession of gunfire. Once they were outside the home, and while they were directly in front of him, Begay opened fire a second time, striking the residence while the occupants ran back inside.
At sentencing, Begay faces between seven and 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. McGinley is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement# # #
Franklin County Doctor Sentenced to Federal Prison for Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A district judge in southern Illinois sentenced a Franklin County doctor to federal prison after he admitted to billing fraudulent insurance claims for profit.
Dr. Lee Peter Bee, 50, formerly of Sesser, Illinois, but now of Fenton, Missouri, was sentenced to five months imprisonment and five months home confinement after he pleaded guilty to two counts of health care fraud. Dr. Bee was also ordered to pay $195,170 in restitution.
“By filing bogus insurance claims, Dr. Bee abused public trust and committed fraud for personal profit,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “His crimes earned him time in federal prison and may serve as a warning for other medical professionals considering the same.”
According to court documents, Dr. Bee practiced osteopathic medicine and operated a private clinic in Sesser, Illinois. Between January 2015 and January 2020, Dr. Bee billed Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies for medical services he did not perform. As a result, Dr. Bee fraudulently received payments from insurers totaling at least $195,170.
"Physicians and other medical professionals who submit materially false claims to Medicare and other health insurance programs for financial gain do so with a disregard for their patients and the oath they swore to uphold," said Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. "Our agency, collaborating closely with law enforcement partners, will continue to work diligently to ensure that those who defraud our federal health care programs are held accountable."
Officials with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General led the investigation with assistance from the Illinois Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Illinois State Police, the FBI, the Department of Labor, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Defense and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe J. Gross prosecuted the case.
Framingham Man Sentenced to Prison for Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Framingham man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
Luiz DaSilva, 69, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 18 months in prison and two years of supervised release. On Nov. 27, 2023, the defendant pleaded guilty to operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business.
DaSilva was arrested on Dec. 15, 2022 for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business out of Framingham. Under federal law, entities who transfer funds on behalf of the public, are required to register with the Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network within 180 days of commencing services. Registration is required to protect against United States financial institutions being used for money laundering and other illicit activities. DaSilva never registered his business with FinCEN. However, between at least 2018 and 2020, DaSilva regularly accepted cash from numerous parties that he transferred to Florida-based bank accounts without registration with FinCEN. These transactions amounted to approximately $4.9 million dollars in a two-year period. The defendant structured his cash transactions to avoid any one transaction being more than $10,000, which requires reporting by the financial institution of the transaction to the federal government.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Framingham Police Chief Lester Baker made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Four Individuals Indicted for Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 4, 2024, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging four individuals with one count for firearms violations.
According to court documents, on or about October 31, 2023, Luis Nomar Isaac Sánchez, Joshua Enrique Bula Cartagena, Kevin Manuel Bonilla Ramírez, and Eli Yaniel Couvertier Pollock knowingly and unlawfully possessed and aided and abetted the possession of a machinegun, that is, a firearm modified to shoot more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger– that is a Glock 9mm, Model 19 pistol.
Upon conviction of the offense as set forth in Count One of the Indictment, the defendants shall forfeit to the United States pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 924(d) and 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c), any firearm and ammunition involved in the commission of the offense, including, but not limited to: (1) two Glock Model 19, 9mm pistols (one of which was the machinegun charged in the indictment); (2) four magazines; and (3) 61 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Rebecca González-Ramos, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Juan made the announcement.
HSI San Juan is in charge of the investigation of the case with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, the FBI San Juan Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Vance Eaton, Laura Díaz-González, and Joseph Russell are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fort Lauderdale Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting a Federal Employee with a Hate Crime EnhancementRead the Press Release
MIAMI - Today, Kenneth Pinkney, 47, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pled guilty for his assault on a federal employee in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a) and (b) which included a hate crime enhancement. The victim was employed as a United States Postal Service (USPS) worker at the time of her assault. The victim was a Muslim woman who wore a hijab, including when she delivered the mail from her postal truck.
According to the Court record, to include a factual proffer in support of the plea, on or about Oct. 9, 2023, just two days after Hamas’ attack on Israel, the victim was wearing her hijab while delivering mail. She was visible to the public as she drove the postal vehicle along her route. On this day, the victim saw Pinkney looking at her in what she interpreted as an aggressive manner as she drove by him in her USPS vehicle.
Two weeks later, on Oct. 24, 2023, the victim was on her postal route, stopped the USPS truck, and got out of the vehicle with mail to deliver. Pinkney approached on a bicycle and began to pass the victim. While still cycling, Pinkney made a hand gesture towards the victim in the shape of a firearm using two fingers to represent the barrel of a gun. Pinkney then turned his bicycle around and made the firearm gesture toward the victim more assertively. Pinkney rode his bicycle directly towards the victim, then got off the bicycle and walked toward the victim. Pinkney called the victim a “b----” and said, “If I had a gun,” and “go back to your country.” All this time, Pinkney continued to make the same menacing hand gesture, simulating a firearm. At a point, the victim turned and faced the USPS truck and heard Pinkney say, “go back to your country” multiple times while tapping the victim on the back of her head with two fingers.
The victim entered the USPS truck and sat in the driver’s seat. Pinkney continued to call the victim a “b----” and say “go back to your country.” Pinkney also spit on the image of the eagle of the side of the USPS truck, and then spit on the victim. The victim was nervous and scared. Pinkney reached into the truck and pulled at the victim’s ankle and leg in an unsuccessful attempt to yank her from the USPS truck. Pinkney then entered the truck and grabbed at the victim’s neck with one hand and placed his other hand on her hijab. While in the vehicle, Pinkney tried to remove the hijab off the victim by pulling it down her face. She physically resisted. Unable to remove the hijab in this fashion, Pinkney then lifted the hijab up past the victim’s face toward the back of her head. Pinkney succeeded in removing the hijab and revealing the victim’s hair. Pinkney and the victim struggled over the hijab inside the vehicle. Pinkney eventually released the victim’s hijab, but then started pulling at her USPS apron. The victim put her hijab back on her head. The victim felt trapped, so she exited the vehicle. Pinkney followed suit.
Once the victim and Pinkney were out of the vehicle, Pinkney said, “F-- Islam” and “You are a terrorist.” Pinkney and the victim continued to struggle, during which time the victim grabbed onto the collar of Pinkney’s shirt. Pinkney’s shirt ripped as they separated. Pinkney fled the scene and was later arrested.
The victim sustained scratches on her face as a result of the assault.
Pinkney pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jared M. Strauss. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled before U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, Chief of Police William Schultz of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department (FLPD), and Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division made the announcement.
FBI Miami, FLPD and USPIS investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Gilfarb is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-60014.
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Former New Bedford Man Sentenced to over Three Years for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Arising from "Romance Scam"Read the Press Release
BOSTON – A former New Bedford man was sentenced yesterday for wire fraud and money laundering charges involving funds obtained from “romance scam” victims.
Chukwunonso “Douglas” Umegbo, a/k/a James Abbott, a/k/a Michael Philips, a/k/a Richard Armani, 39, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to 42 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. Umegbo was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $578,954.78. In January 2024, Umegbo pleaded guilty to six counts of making a false statement to a bank, two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Umegbo was arrested in London in April 2022 and extradited to the United States in February 2023. He has remained in federal custody since.
Between no later than 2018 through at least 2019, Umegbo opened bank accounts in the greater Boston area using fake identity documents. The bank accounts were used to receive fraudulently obtained funds from a number of victims of romance scams, in which perpetrators create fictitious online personas to develop online romantic relationships with individuals in the U.S., and then leverage those relationships to obtain money and/or property. Once the fraudulently obtained funds reached the accounts controlled by Umegbo, Umegbo withdrew the money in cash, used the funds to purchase cashier’s checks, or spent the money. Altogether, the fraudulent accounts received more than $568,000. Even after leaving the U.S., Umegbo continued to obtain bank account information from co-conspirators in Massachusetts, to whom he directed victim funds.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition from the U.K. of Umegbo. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen A. Kearney and Leslie A. Wright of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Former Marine Corps Reservist Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Stealing, Forging and Distributing Hundreds of Fraudulent COVID-19 Vaccination Cards During the PandemicRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Jia Liu was sentenced by United States District Judge Diane Gujarati to 21 months in prison for conspiring to steal, forge and distribute fraudulent COVID-19 Vaccination Cards. On June 9, 2023, co-defendant Steven Rodriguez, a Long Island nurse, was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment for his role in the same scheme. Liu and Rodriguez pleaded guilty in April 2023 to conspiracies to defraud and obstruct the United States’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence.
“At the height of the COVID pandemic, Liu and Rodriguez brazenly fabricated vaccine cards and sold them for profit, thereby putting the safety of others at risk during this deadly health crisis” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This prosecution demonstrates our Office’s ongoing commitment to holding accountable those who engaged in COVID-19 fraud. These prison sentences should deter other lawbreakers who put their own interests above public health.”
Mr. Peace thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, for their outstanding investigative work on the case.
According to court filings and facts presented at sentencing, in May 2021, Liu and Rodriguez conspired to steal, forge, sell and distribute COVID-19 Vaccination Cards to hundreds of unvaccinated persons. In addition to the cards, Liu and Rodriguez also offered buyers and co-conspirators false entry into government immunization databases.
Liu and Rodriguez went to great lengths to evade law enforcement and conceal the scheme. Members of the scheme used code words such as “gift cards,” “Pokemon cards,” or “Cardi Bs” to refer to fraudulent COVID-19 Vaccine Cards. Liu also instructed his co-conspirators to communicate by encrypted applications and hide payment records. Liu and Rodriguez also disguised the source of mail items containing COVID-19 Vaccination Cards by omitting or using false sender names on envelopes. As Covid-19 raged and hundreds of thousands of Americans perished, Liu exploited the pandemic to enrich himself, and push his anti-vaccine agenda, messaging a co-conspirator: “f--- the vaccine”.
In addition, Liu specifically targeted the armed forces and their attempts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. From approximately August 2021 or earlier, the defendant created and distributed false COVID-19 Vaccination Cards to members of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve to help them evade its vaccination requirements. Liu boasted to a co-conspirator on an encrypted messaging app: “you have no idea how many documents I have faked in my usmc (United States Marine Corps) career.”
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Amir with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Sam Ronchetti.
Defendants:
JIA LIU
Age: 28
Queens, New YorkSTEVEN RODRIGUEZ
Age: 29
Long Beach, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 22-CR-70 (DG)
Former El Paso Independent School District Employee Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A federal judge handed down a 30-year prison sentence to a former El Paso Independent School District employee. Last year, Jeffrey Steven Clay, 51, of Anthony, New Mexico, was convicted at trial of one count each of kidnapping and transportation for illegal sexual activity.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to publicly available court records, on August 4, 2021, Jane Doe was waiting at a bus stop in El Paso, Texas when Clay offered her a ride to her friend’s house. Jane Doe accepted the ride and, in return, put $10 in the car’s center console to pay for gas. Instead of taking her to her friend’s home, Clay kidnapped Jane Doe and took her to his house in Anthony, New Mexico where he handcuffed and violently raped her. During the rape, Clay told Jane Doe that she deserved it.
Afterward, Clay drove Jane Doe back to El Paso. When he stopped at a redlight, Jane Doe jumped out of the vehicle and ran inside a Circle K to ask for help. Based on Jane Doe’s Google timeline history and descriptions of Clay’s residence, investigators from the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for his residence where they found evidence supporting Jane Doe’s description of events.
At the time, Clay was employed as the Executive Director of Analytics, Strategy, and Assessment and Public Education Information Management Systems for the El Paso Independent School District
At trial and at sentencing, another woman testified that Clay raped her numerous times when she was minor and when she was an adult, including while she was seven months pregnant. The woman initially reported the rapes when she was a child, but recanted after Clay threatened her.
Upon his release from prison, Clay will be subject to 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. Clay was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and a $5,000 special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. Restitution to Jane Doe will be determine at a hearing in May.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office, the El Paso Police Department, and the Third Judicial District of New Mexico District Attorney's Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Matilda McCarthy Villalobos and Ry Ellison prosecuted the case.
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Florida Woman Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Defrauding Snap RecipientsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that GUYATREE SINGH was sentenced to 42 months in prison in connection with a years-long scheme to defraud at least approximately 120 low-income residents of New York City out of tens of thousands of dollars of their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”) benefits. SINGH previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff, who also imposed today’s sentence, to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Guyatree Singh stole SNAP benefits from at least approximately 120 low-income, primarily elderly, residents of New York City, leaving the victims without money to buy food. By preying on those using their benefits for basic needs for survival, Singh showed there was no line she would not cross for a quick buck. Today’s sentence demonstrates this Office’s commitment to ensuring that our justice system protects everyone from fraud, especially the most vulnerable New Yorkers.”
According to the Indictment and other filings and statements made in court:
From at least in or about April 2019 through at least May 2023, SINGH engaged in a scheme to defraud at least approximately 120 SNAP recipients living in the Southern District of New York — a majority of whom appear to be elderly — of their SNAP benefits. In total, SINGH defrauded the victims out of approximately $51,868.39 in benefits.
SNAP provides low-income individuals with electronic benefits that can be used like cash to purchase food. People eligible for SNAP benefits are given an electronic benefits transfer (“EBT”) card, which looks like a debit card and gives a person access to his or her SNAP benefits, allowing the SNAP recipient to buy groceries and other items at participating stores.
SINGH called SNAP recipients and pretended to be a New York State employee working for SNAP. SINGH then asked the victims for their personally identifiable information, including their dates of birth and social security numbers. Unbeknownst to the victims, SINGH then used this information to reset the personal identification numbers (“PIN”) on their EBT cards. Once the PINs were reset, SINGH used the victims’ EBT account numbers and new PINs to make purchases for herself at grocery stores in Florida using the victims’ SNAP funds.
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In addition to her prison term, SINGH, 51, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $51,868.39 and forfeit the same amount.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Department of Investigation and the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Sowlati is in charge of the prosecution.
Federal Jury Convicts St. Francis Man of Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Tyson Quigley, a/k/a Tyson Stands, age 35, of St. Francis, South Dakota, was found guilty of Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm following a federal jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on April 4, 2024.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Quigley was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on January 1, 2023, in Todd County, South Dakota. On that date, law enforcement was searching for Quigley based on an alleged home invasion that occurred that morning in St. Francis. Quigley was subsequently located in a parked vehicle at a residence near St. Francis. A .40 caliber pistol was found in the vehicle where he was sitting.
Quigley has three prior felony convictions. In 2013, he was convicted of Domestic Assault of a Pregnant Woman in Platte County, Nebraska. In 2018, he was convicted of Felon in Possession of a Firearm in U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota. In 2019, he was convicted of Possession of Methamphetamine in Madison County, Nebraska. As a result of these convictions, it is illegal for Quigley to possess firearms or ammunition. Quigley will forfeit ownership of the firearm to the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date has not been set. Quigley was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Ohio County Felon for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned an indictment on March 13, 2024, charging an Ohio County man with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on December 12, 2023, Christopher Phillip Saunders, 29, possessed a Taurus .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol, a Hermann Weihrauch .32-caliber revolver, a Companhia Braziliera de Cartuchos (CBC) .410-gauge single-shot break-action shotgun, and ammunition. Saunders was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On August 30, 2023, in Clark Circuit Court, Saunders was convicted of possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and theft.
On July 6, 2022, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Saunders was convicted of wanton endangerment first-degree (2 counts) and criminal mischief first-degree.
Saunders was arraigned yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, Saunders faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case is being investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Court Permanently Enjoins Tax Return Preparer in FloridaRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida has permanently enjoined a Central Florida-based tax return preparer from preparing returns for others and from owning, managing or working at any tax return preparation business in the future. The United States will continue to pursue its claim for disgorgement against Kenia Rodriguez.
Rodriguez consented to the permanent injunction. The terms of the permanent injunction require that Rodriguez, individually and under any business for which she conducts business, send notices of the injunction to each person for whom she prepared federal tax returns after Jan. 1, 2016, and post copies of the injunctions in places where she conducts business, including social media accounts and websites. The injunction also provides that the United States may conduct post-judgment discovery to monitor compliance.
The civil complaint filed against Rodriguez alleged that she, through a fictitious entity called Rodriguez Tax Services, claimed extensive fraudulent deductions and credits on customers’ tax returns to purposely underreport their tax liabilities and claim refunds they were not entitled to receive. The complaint also alleged that Rodriguez hid her tax preparation activity by failing to properly identify herself on the tax returns that she prepared.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer.
In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Permanent Injunction Kenia Rodriguez.pdfFarmington Hills Man Convicted of Conspiring to Steal AutomobilesRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Farmington Hills man was convicted yesterday by a federal jury for conspiring to steal Volkswagen and Audi vehicles from a lot in Pontiac, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. The charges stem from an investigation initiated by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Auto Theft Unit.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Sheriff Michael Bouchard of Oakland County.
Romane Porter, 47, was convicted after a 13-day trial before United States District Judge Denise Page Hood in Detroit. The jurors returned guilty verdicts on all four charges: one count of conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles, and three counts of transportation of stolen vehicles.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, beginning in March 2017 and continuing through September 2017, Porter and co-defendant Daniel Onorati, conspired with each other and others to steal approximately 61 recalled Volkswagen and Audi cars that were parked at the site of the former Pontiac Silverdome.
The court has scheduled Porter’s sentencing hearing for August 8, 2024. The defendant’s convictions on three counts of interstate transportation of stolen vehicles each carries up to 10 years in prison, and his conviction on one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen vehicles carries a maximum penalty up to 5 years in prison.
Co-defendant Daniel Onorati pleaded guilty to participating in the scheme and received a sentence of 20 months on April 26, 2022.
“Our office salutes the combined efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement to break up this car theft conspiracy and bring its ringleader to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “This defendant and his co-conspirators stole dozens of vehicles and transported them across state lines for sale, and the jury has now held him accountable for his crimes.”
"Today's sentencing would not have been possible without the collaborative work of the FBI's Detroit Fraud & Financial Crimes Task Force and the Oakland County Sheriff Office's Auto-Theft Unit," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "Our office will continue to focus our investigative efforts on thwarting elaborate theft schemes and holding those accountable for their thievery."
“I am grateful for the partnership between our Auto Theft Unit, the FBI, and the US Attorney’s Office who brought this organized auto theft activity to a close,” said Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard. “These individuals were bold in their behavior in stealing such a large volume of vehicles from a well-known location. These criminals deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Auto Theft Unit. The team was also assisted by the Special Investigations Section, Office of Investigative Services of the Michigan Department of State, as well as the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office and the Kentucky State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Trevor Broad and Louis Meizlish.
Erie Man Sentenced to More than Four and a Half Years in Prison for Cocaine ViolationsRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 57 months in prison on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Kechawn Jabre Douglas, 26.
According to information presented to the Court, Douglas engaged in a conspiracy with others to distribute multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine within the Western District of Pennsylvania from in and around February 2022 to May 2022. Douglas admitted responsibility for conspiring to distribute seven kilograms of cocaine.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Erie Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Oil City Police Department, Titusville Police Department, Franklin Police Department, and United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, in coordination with the United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service, Erie County Detectives, and Millcreek Police Department, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Douglas.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Eleven Sioux Falls Men Charged with Online Sex CrimesRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a joint online sex crimes operation, which ran from March 7, 2024, through March 12, 2024, has concluded with the arrest of 11 individuals. The operation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Police Department, Watertown Police Department, Tea Police Department, Rapid City Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol.
As a result, the following individuals from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, were arrested and federally charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet:
- Kyle Dean Bult, age 38;
- Kalvin Michael Frankus, age 37;
- Hunter Hill, age 22;
- Stacy Shannon Hoover, age 56;
- Ryan Nigro, age 32;
- Jorge Manual Rodriguez-Marroquin, age 47;
- Dylan Ryan, age 24;
- Gerber David Santos Gonzalez, age 25;
- William Danery Sebastian, age 33;
- Southy Thepmontry, age 69; and
- Carter Lee Tyree, age 20.
The mandatory minimum penalty upon conviction is 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine. The charges are merely accusations, and all Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
“This operation demonstrates the unsettling reality that here in our own communities, there are individuals using the Internet to target young girls and boys for sex,” said U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell. “We are grateful to our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, who regularly collaborate to safeguard children across South Dakota. May it serve as a stark reminder to parents, guardians, and caretakers that the Internet can be a very dangerous place for children, particularly when their activity is left unmonitored.”
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents work tirelessly to protect children from exploitation,” said Jamie Holt, HSI St. Paul Special Agent in Charge. “This successful online sex crimes operation shows the threat child predators pose in our communities and the importance of working hand-in-hand with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to bring individuals and networks who prey on vulnerable populations to justice.”
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey C. Clapper and Elizabeth A. Ebert.
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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Drunk Driver Sentenced to Eight Years in Vehicular Assault of Father and ChildRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Thaniyyah Veney, 33, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today by the Honorable Jason Park to 96 months in prison for driving a car into a five-year-old girl who was waiting for a bus with her father in July 2023. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Veney pleaded guilty on December 19, 2023, to aggravated assault while armed with a deadly weapon in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. According to the government’s evidence, with which Veney agreed, on the afternoon of Saturday July 8, 2023, the five-year-old victim was standing with her father on the sidewalk in the 3200 block of Fourth Street, SE in Washington, D.C. At around 1:00 pm, Veney drove her car into the child and her father, and continued traveling until she struck the front steps of a home. When the vehicle stopped, Veney got out and walked to a nearby alley, leaving the child trapped beneath her car. When firefighters arrived, the child was still trapped under the vehicle. Firefighters had to use a ladder as a lever to enable them to raise the car enough to extract the child. The child was then airlifted to the hospital suffering life-threatening injuries.
Witnesses pointed Veney out to police, who located and arrested Veney hours after the incident,.Veney’s breath was tested and found to contain an alcohol concentration above the per se threshold for intoxication.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Park ordered Veney to serve five years of supervised release and pay $100 to the Superior Court’s Crime Victims Compensation Fund.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald Chester of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with valuable assistance from Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark.
District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft While on Release on Another Case for Retail TheftRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On April 3, 2024, Darryl Robinson, 37, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on three counts of second-degree theft (felony) and GPS tampering stemming from events occurring between February 4, 2024, and March 10, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Robinson is to be arraigned on April 11, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on February 4, 2024, Robinson went into a CVS in Northwest Washington, D.C., took merchandise from the store shelves, and walked out of the store past all points of sale without paying. He then returned on February 9, 2024 to the same CVS and again took merchandise from the store shelves and walked out of the store past all points of sale. On March 5, 2024, Robinson was seen on ring camera taking a package off the front porch of a residence on 10th Street SE, Washington DC. Robinson was arrested on March 10, 2024, with a failed GPS tampering device. All of the offenses were committed while the defendant was on release in another Superior court case.
Robinson has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for the count of theft for which he is indicted.
Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 37 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rana Wahdan.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
District Man Charged with Armed Robbery and Carjacking Ordered Detained Pending TrialRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Alan Hines, 36, of Washington, D.C., was ordered to be detained pending trial today, after the Honorable Heide Hermann found probable cause supported the carjacking and armed robbery charges, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela A. Smith.
According to the government’s evidence at the preliminary hearing, Hines approached the first victim’s car on March 27, 2024, while she was at the pump of a gas station on Rhode Island Avenue in Northeast Washington, D.C. The defendant first tried to get into her car and, when he found the door locked, he asked the victim for money. She indicated she had none. Due to the victim’s proximity to her car, the doors unlocked automatically, and the defendant got in the driver’s seat. The victim jumped into the passenger seat and tried to stop the defendant, but he began to choke her. While choking the victim, the defendant put the car in reverse and took the victim’s phone from her hands. The victim freed herself and got out of her car. The defendant then abandoned his effort to take the car when he couldn’t drive it.
An MPD detective responding to that complaint recognized the defendant as the suspect in an armed robbery at the same gas station several days earlier. In that case, the defendant had also walked up to a driver at a gas pump and asked for money before robbing him. The defendant grabbed that victim’s debit card from the pump and, when that victim struggled with the defendant over the card, the defendant threatened the victim with a knife.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Yarbro of the Major Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Defendant sentenced to 10 years in prison for laundering drug proceeds to Mexico through local cell phone store frontsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A man who laundered drug proceeds from Columbus cell phone store fronts to Nayarit, Mexico, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 120 months in prison.
Cruz Alberto Perez-Nunez, 36, was the ninth federal defendant convicted in two related cases. He pleaded guilty in October 2023 to money laundering and conspiring to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. The defendant orchestrated teams of drug dealers in central Ohio and laundered the proceeds to Mexico.
In the fall of 2020 and spring 2021, eight original, federal defendants were sentenced to prison for the same conspiracy, in which they laundered $44 million in drug proceeds to Mexico through local cell phone store fronts. The stores sold few, if any, cell phones, and they conducted little, if any, legitimate business otherwise. The defendants received sentences ranging from five to 18 years in prison.
Perez-Nunez was a drug trafficker and regular “customer” of the cell phone store fronts who laundered his drug proceeds from Columbus to Nayarit, Mexico.
Perez-Nunez oversaw the narcotics-distribution operation of multiple teams of drug dealers in the Southern District of Ohio. In 2018, he oversaw the supply chain of heroin and directed and controlled drug-trafficking and money-laundering activities of individuals in and around Columbus. Perez-Nunez also set up living arrangements for the teams of drug traffickers.
Perez-Nunez and others coordinated with the owners of Los Rosales on Shady Lane Road, Los Rosales 2 on East Main Street and Express Cellular on Eastland Square Drive to send bulk money transfers to lists of names in Mexico. Thousands of illicit wire transfers were completed per year. Drug dealers from multiple narcotics-trafficking cells would drop large amounts of narcotics money at the stores, after which the store owners would falsify money sender names, addresses and phone numbers on the wire transfers to Mexico to conceal the nature of the proceeds.
In total, the joint state–federal efforts led to the prosecution of nine defendants federally and 35 defendants by the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office. The investigation and prosecution of these defendants removed approximately 34 kilograms of heroin, 516 grams of cocaine, 76 grams of fentanyl and 250 pounds of marijuana from Central Ohio streets. Additionally, investigators seized $458,500 in U.S. currency and a home valued at nearly $248,000 as part of the investigation and prosecution of these cases.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Karen Wingerd, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Cincinnati Field Office; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Detroit Division; Franklin County Prosecutor Gary Tyack; Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant and officials with the Ohio HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Commission announced the sentence imposed today by Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
Assistant United States Attorneys S. Courter Shimeall and Jessica W. Knight are representing the United States in this case. Daniel J. Stanley, formerly with the office of Franklin County Prosecutor Gary Tyack, also represented the United States in this case as a Special Assistant United States Attorney.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and gangs that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Convicted Child Rapist Sentenced to 110 Months in String of Armed Robberies of Commercial Business in Washington D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Daniels, 37, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 110 months in prison for a series of six armed robberies that struck a dry cleaner, a vape shop, a liquor store, and mobile phone stores in the District during early 2022.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Daniels pleaded guilty on December 12, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras to a charge of interference with interstate commerce by robbery (also known as a Hobbs Act robbery) In addition to the 110 month prison term, Judge Contreras ordered Daniels to serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution of $1,539.
According to court documents, Daniels targeted a variety of commercial businesses between January 28, 2022, and February 13, 2022. Disguised in a mask, Daniels robbed the following businesses at gunpoint:
- January 28, 2022, Capitol Hill Cleaning Emporium, 1100 block of E. Capitol Street, SE
- January 30, 2022, Serv U Liquors, 1900 block of 9th St., NW
- January 31, 2022, Boost Mobile, 1700 block of Columbia Rd., NW
- February 7, 2022, Simple Mobile, 3100 block of Mt. Pleasant St., NW
- February 10, 2022, Havana Tobacco and Vape, 600 block Pennsylvania Ave., SE
- February 13, 2022, Boost Mobile, 3720 Georgia Ave., NW
Daniels was arrested April 4, 2023, in Washington D.C. His prior convictions include multiple robberies, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a BB gun, an assault while he was incarcerated, and most recently, the second-degree rape of a 12-year-old girl in Maryland for which he is currently serving an 18-year sentence.
This case was investigated by the MPD and the ATF. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nihar Mohanty and Madhu Chugh.
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Co-leader of large-scale narcotics & human trafficking ring pleads guiltyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A leader in a case with 23 defendants involved in narcotics and human trafficking conspiracies pleaded guilty in federal court here today to drug, gun, human trafficking, and money laundering crimes.
From 2008 until June 2022, Cordell Washington, 37, of Pickerington, ran a large-scale drug trafficking organization in Columbus with co-defendant Patrick Saultz. Their operations also included sex trafficking, labor trafficking, fraud and money laundering.
A multi-agency law enforcement task force initially announced the case in July 2022 after a federal grand jury indicted 11 defendants for distributing bulk amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a Columbus elementary school. In October 2022, the government added 12 defendants and 28 new charges.
Court documents detail that the drug trafficking organization brought large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, alprazolam and marijuana into Columbus. These drugs were sold or used to coerce individuals into sexual activity for some members of the drug ring and their profit.
It is alleged that Saultz began distributing heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine from his residences on Vida Place and South Hague Street in Columbus as early as 2008. The drug trafficking organization sold drugs out of more than 20 Columbus residences to customers and distributed larger amounts to regional drug traffickers who then trafficked those narcotics to places such as West Virginia and the Northern District of Ohio.
Most of the alleged drug dealing took place within 1000 feet of Burroughs Elementary School in Columbus at a residence on South Burgess. For example, one of Washington and Saultz’s numerous subordinates sold approximately $18,000 worth of narcotics per day from the location on South Burgess.
The case also involves the overdose death of at least one individual and the violent death of a second victim.
As part of his plea, Washington admitted to labor trafficking male drug addicts. The defendant provided the men with their drug of choice after the men completed construction or cleaning projects at residences owned by the drug trafficking organization. The men were recruited by Washington and some completed the work for him under serious threat of harm.
Washington would provide the addicts with advances on small amounts of drugs so they were well enough to perform physical labor. If Washington was not pleased with their work product, he would not complete the final drug payment and would threaten violence against them.
Washington used numerous methods to launder the group’s drug trafficking proceeds, including establishing front businesses that purported to be rental, repair and construction companies.
Washington pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances within 1,000 feet of an elementary school, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, labor trafficking and concealment money laundering. He faces a mandatory minimum of at least 15 years and up to life in prison.
As part of this case, local, state, and federal law enforcement officers have executed more than 20 search warrants at various locations throughout Central Ohio and seized more than $1.7 million in alleged drug proceeds. For example, while executing a search warrant at Car-Go storage units, law enforcement officials discovered approximately one million in bulk United States currency. Searches of additional residences yielded 47 firearms, diamonds, Rolex watches and additional bulk amounts of cash.
As of today, 21 of the 23 defendants have pleaded guilty. One defendant, Carmella Brooks, has been sentenced and received a term of imprisonment of five years.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker commended the investigation coordinated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Shawn Gibson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations; and Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Other agencies that have assisted the task force with the investigation include the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, HIDTA Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Ohio National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Pickerington Police Department, New Albany Police Department, and the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team.
Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Prichard and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. More information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Canadian Man Sentenced for Cross-Country Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Friday sentenced a Canadian man who used sleight-of-hand and other ruses to steal $109,000 from retailers in at least 11 states to 15 months in prison.
Judge Pitlyk also ordered Mohsen Akbari, 38, to repay the money. About $75,000 has already been seized from Akbari’s accounts.
During a nearly six-month crime spree, Akbari targeted retailers in Missouri, Illinois and at least 11 other states. After making a small purchase, Akbari tricked store employees into handing over cash. He sometimes claimed that he and his family collected $100 bills and would ask the cashier if he could examine the bills in the register. Akbari would then surreptitiously place some of the bills into his sleeve or pocket.
Locally, Akbari stole a total of $2,420 from a Walmart in St. Peters, Missouri on June 12, 2023, $6,900 from a Granite City, Illinois store on June 13, $420 from an O’Fallon, Missouri store on June 14 and $900 from a store in Warrenton, Missouri the same day. He stole $580 from a Walmart in Eureka, Missouri and $5,100 from an Arnold, Missouri Walmart on June 15.
Akbari admitted stealing a total of $109,452.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Eureka Police Department and the Arnold Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case.
Business owners charged with money laundering and operating a money transmitting business without a licenseRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On April 4, two business owners were charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating a money transmitting business without a license.
As set forth in the criminal complaint, Maryna Petushkova (Maryna), 39, and Oleksii Petushkov (Oleksii) 40, both of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, owned Trident Trade Corp. (Trident) in North Miami, Florida. As alleged in the criminal complaint, Trident was a front for an illegal money transmitting business that exchanged illegally obtained gift cards for cash and some of the cash was allegedly obtained from purported drug proceeds.
From November 2023 through January 2024, Maryna and Oleksii allegedly laundered $250,000 they believed were drug proceeds. The allegations in the criminal complaint state that from July 2023 through Jan. 8, 2024, Maryna and Oleksii, or an associate, redeemed gift cards believed to be stolen or otherwise fraudulently obtained. The complaint further alleges, from 2021 through 2023 companies operated and controlled by Maryna and Oleksii allegedly redeemed a total of approximately $5,000,000 in gift cards and money orders and failed to obtain the required federal or state license to operate as a money transmitting business.
Maryna and Oleksii made their initial appearance in Fort Lauderdale on April 4. A detention hearing is scheduled for April 9 in Fort Lauderdale. Maryna and Oleksii face up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction related to the conspiracy to commit money laundering charge and face up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 for the operating a money transmitting business without a license charge.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri, of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Schwartz and Jeffrey N. Kaplan are prosecuting it.
A criminal complaint contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-mj-06146.
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Brooklyn Man Sentenced to Life in Prison in First Prosecution of Federal Statute Criminalizing Murder in the Course of Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Somorie Moses, also known as “Somorie Barfield,” “Sugar Bear,” “Bear” and “Daddy,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Carol Bagley Amon to 10 terms of life imprisonment to run concurrently for each of the 10 counts of conviction for sex trafficking eight women and for committing the January 2017 murder of one of the women, Leondra Foster. At the sentencing hearing, the Court heard victim impact statements from several of the defendant’s victims. This prosecution is the first use of the federal statute criminalizing murder in the course of sex trafficking. Moses pleaded guilty to the charges in September 2023.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“The life sentence imposed today on Somorie Moses is significant because it reflects the brutality and utter depravity of his crimes against vulnerable women and girls, which were committed over nearly two decades,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. “The defendant forced his victims into prostitution through violence and beatings, and then murdered and dismembered Leondra Foster. A lengthy prison sentence cannot undo the extreme and lasting harm Moses has inflicted on his victims, but incarceration will prevent this killer who clearly has no respect for human life from victimizing others. It is my hope that today’s sentence brings some closure to the victims and their families.”
Mr. Peace also expressed his appreciation to the Kings County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance in this investigation and prosecution.
“Today’s sentence reaffirms the commitment of the NYPD and our law enforcement partners to protect and support all the victims and survivors of sex trafficking, one of our society’s most exploitative and dehumanizing crimes,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “The defendant’s numerous offenses, including the heinous murder of Leondra Foster, were truly despicable. I thank the NYPD and FBI investigators for their dedication, and I commend everyone at the U.S. Attorney’s office for their tireless efforts to secure this meaningful prison term.”
Since at least 2003, Moses lured women and girls with false promises of love, but then used threats, violence, and psychological manipulation to force his victims into prostitution for his benefit. Moses kept all the money his victims earned as prostitutes and required many of his victims to have his first name, “Somorie,” tattooed on their bodies.
Moses used brutal beatings, rape, torture, and threats to coerce his victims to work in prostitution in Brooklyn and Queens. Moses threatened to throw one victim, identified at the sentencing proceeding as Jane Doe #1, off a roof and raped her, and bit off a piece of her buttocks and spit it at her. As to another victim, identified as Jane Doe #2, Moses slashed her arms and back with a razor and beat her with a belt before pouring lemon juice on her wounds, leaving her with extensive scarring over much of her body, including her arms, head, legs and back. When a victim identified as Jane Doe #6 did not give Moses money as he demanded, Moses beat her with an extension cord, leaving her with numerous open, bleeding cuts, and told her that he “was a pimp, this is what [he] did.” When a victim identified as Jane Doe #7 told Moses she did not want to work as a prostitute, he put a shotgun in her mouth and threatened to kill her and her child.
The Murder of Leondra FosterIn the early morning of January 13, 2017, Moses murdered Leondra Foster, one of his sex trafficking victims, by beating her until she died. The defendant beat Foster all over her body, leaving bruises and abrasions on the front and back of her torso. Moses inflicted at least five blunt force injuries to Foster’s head, either by hitting her directly or by banging her head into another surface. The fatal blow was the blow to the back left of her head. She had been alive for all of the other injuries, but that last blow to her head fractured her skull, rendering her unconscious. Foster suffered a a seizure and died within minutes. The following morning, using a knife and a saw, Moses dismembered Foster’s body inside their shared apartment in Brooklyn. Moses brought another woman back to his apartment for a sexual encounter while Foster’s dismembered body was concealed in it. The woman later told law enforcement that there was a strong odor of bleach in the apartment. Four days later, on the morning of January 17, 2017, Moses transported Foster’s torso and limbs to the Bronx for disposal at a garbage transfer station. After disposing of most of Foster’s body parts, Moses texted another victim that he was on his way home from the Bronx and, “Just did 110 over the Brooklyn bridge.” Foster’s head, hands and feet — including a foot with the name “Somorie” tattooed on it — were subsequently recovered by law enforcement inside the freezer of Moses’s apartment. Foster was 32-years-old at the time of her murder.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Siegel and Tanya Hajjar are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Anna November.
The Defendant:
SOMORIE MOSES (also known as “Somorie Barfield,” “Sugar Bear,” “Bear” and “Daddy”)
Age: 48
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-232 (CBA)
Beverly Hills Man Pleads Guilty to Causing Investors to Lose $18.4 Million via Cannabis-Related Cons and Bogus Bottling CompanyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Beverly Hills man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for causing investors more than $18 million in losses – while he was completing a sentence in a prior criminal case – by duping them with false claims about his companies that purportedly invested in hemp farms and cannabis-infused retail products as well as a sham bottling business.
Mark Roy Anderson, 69, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud.
According to his plea agreement, Anderson engaged in two separate schemes that swindled victims, which he committed shortly after his release from federal prison but while on home confinement and, later, while on supervised release for a previous fraud conviction.
Harvest Farm Group
In the first scheme, from June 2020 to April 2021, Anderson tricked investors into providing funding for his company, called Harvest Farm Group, to harvest and process hemp grown on his farm into medical-grade cannabidiol (CBD) isolate – a chemical found in marijuana – to be sold for a substantial profit.
Anderson convinced investors to invest in Harvest Farm Group by falsely representing that, through the company, he owned and operated a hemp farm in Kern County. He also lied that had already completed successful and profitable harvests of hemp from the farm. He also falsely said he was using his own machinery and equipment to convert the hemp into CBD isolate and Delta 8, a psychoactive substance that, like CBD isolate, could be used in consumer products ranging from olive oil to body cream.
Anderson attempted to maintain a veneer of trustworthiness by taking steps to assure investors Harvest Farm Group was legitimate and he was not the “Mark Roy Anderson” with multiple prior fraud convictions. Anderson concealed that he had been convicted of multiple federal and state felony crimes, including mail fraud, wire fraud, grand theft, forgery, preparing false evidence, and money laundering. He also concealed that he was still serving a criminal sentence and was on supervised release at the time he was soliciting investments.
To stall victim investors from making collection efforts and reporting him to law enforcement, Anderson falsely told them that sales of products derived from hemp grown at the farm had been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, misleadingly promised that he would pay the victims money from purported sales he had made to Canadian companies, and falsely promised that he would otherwise return their money.
Bio Pharma and Verta Bottling
In the second scheme, which ran from April 2021 to May 2023, Anderson deceived investors by soliciting money for Bio Pharma and Verta Bottling, two of his sham companies, by claiming that these businesses successfully manufactured, bottled, and packaged commercial products.
Specifically, Bio Pharma purportedly manufactured and sold products infused with CBD, including products such as CBD-infused avocado oil, olive oil, pain cream, gummies, tequila, and chili oil. Anderson also claimed that Verta Bottling manufactured and sold beverages and a variety of food products.
Anderson falsely stated that his bottling companies owned and possessed millions of dollars’ worth of assets, including – in Bio Pharma’s case – hemp biomass, CBD isolate, CBD oil, and – in Verta Bottling’s case – manufacturing equipment and an assignable lease for a warehouse to manufacture and sell its products.
Anderson’s other lies to investors included false claims that his bottling companies had at least $10 million in purchase-order contracts from suppliers. He drafted fake legal and business documents, which included fabricated purchase order contracts purporting to show agreements with third party companies to purchase tens of millions of dollars’ worth of products manufactured by the Anderson bottling companies. Anderson also provided victims samples of products purportedly manufactured by his purported bottling companies.
Instead of investing victim funds as he promised, Anderson instead used their money on personal expenses. He has agreed to forfeit his ill-gotten gains from these schemes, including 15 cars – one of them a Ferrari – and real estate in Ojai.
In total, Anderson solicited more than $18.8 million from 45 victims for both schemes, causing victims to lose approximately $18,376,150.
United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha scheduled a sentencing hearing for August 23, at which time Anderson will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count.
The FBI is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting the case.
Benton Harbor Man Sentenced for Illegal Gun Possession After Shootout at Apartment ComplexRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Shamonte Demorquez Buchanan, 26, of Benton Harbor, was sentenced to 71 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou also imposed a period of 3 years of federal supervised release.
“The people of Benton Harbor deserve to carry out their lives free from the threat of violence, and the prosecution of Mr. Buchanan is one step closer to achieving that goal,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “The individuals who drive violence in a community – those willing to pull triggers – are almost always only a few. But the fear and devastation they inflict is shattering. There is no acceptable level of violent crime. My team and I will not rest until every person, in every neighborhood, in every community is safe from violent crime.”
Buchanan was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm following a shootout on July 9, 2023, which occurred in a parking lot at the River Terrace Apartments in Benton Harbor. During the shootout, which involved multiple shooters, an apartment across the parking lot was struck five times by gunfire. One bullet entered a bedroom where an occupant was, and there was also a young child in the apartment. During the offense, which was caught on surveillance video, Buchanan was shot and dropped his firearm. Evidence recovered at the scene indicated Buchanan fired 13 rounds and that his firearm had an extended magazine. His possession of the firearm he used in the shooting was a violation of federal law because Buchanan had multiple prior felony convictions and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm. Buchanan previously pled guilty on December 18, 2023.
“The Michigan State Police (MSP) is proud to work closely with state and federal partners. The Benton Harbor Major Case Unit (MCU) is diligent in our efforts to hold those responsible for the most violent acts in and around Benton Harbor,” said MSP D/Sgt. Benjamin Mahaffie, supervisor of the MCU. “The MCU is made up of state police detectives, Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety detectives, and a member of the Michigan Department of Corrections. Our efforts have shown that when we collaborate on these investigations, we are able to make the city a safer place to be.”
“I am grateful for the unyielding persistence of our office and our local, state and federal partners to rid our streets of illegal firearms, as they inflict pain and suffering in our communities,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The FBI will use all of our investigative resources to combat these serious offenses and ensure the safety of our citizens.”
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide initiative to reduce violent crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor’s offices, and federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement work closely together to identify and prosecute individuals responsible for driving violent crime in our communities in order to make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Individuals with information or concerns about violent crime or firearms offenses should contact local law enforcement. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit: https://www.justice.gov/psn.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Michigan State Police (MSP), Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety, Benton Township Police Department, Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren F. Biksacky prosecuted the case.
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Ardmore Nurse Sentenced for Tampering with Pain MedicationRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Rebecca Elaine Holloway, age 33, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for one count of Tampering with Consumer Products, a violation of Title 18, United Sates Code, Section 1365.
The charges arose from investigations by the Food and Drug Administration—Office of Criminal Investigations and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.
On August 31, 2023, Holloway entered a guilty plea, admitting to stealing fentanyl and hydromorphone intended for intensive care patients while she was employed at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Mercy Hospital in Ardmore, Oklahoma. According to investigators, Holloway removed the pain medication from their vials, refilled the empty vials with tap water, and returned the tampered vials to the controlled storage locker. Holloway admitted she did so despite knowing the pain medication vials were intended for patients in acute pain and distress, and that by depriving patients of the medication, she knew she was placing them at risk of death and bodily injury.
“Patients rely on the knowledge that they will receive FDA-approved medications to manage their pain,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Grinstead, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice healthcare professionals who jeopardize patients’ health by tampering with their pain medications.”
“The defendant did not merely steal drugs from a hospital: she compromised the health, safety, and comfort of vulnerable patients when she tampered with their medications for her own self-serving ends,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “This office stands ready to prosecute those who would callously exploit medical patients, and we are grateful to the FDA and the OBN for their outstanding work in investigating this case.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Holloway will self-report on June 6, 2024, to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Kara Traster and Associate Chief Counsel Jason Chandler of the Food and Drug Administration represented the United States.
Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A federal judge handed down a 14-year prison sentence to an Albuquerque man who was caught with more than 19 pounds of fentanyl in a hotel room.
According to publicly available court records, on October 26, 2022, officers from the Bureau of Indian Affairs intercepted a load of fentanyl destined for Albuquerque during a routine traffic stop. The driver agreed to engage in a “controlled delivery” to an individual in a Walmart parking lot in Albuquerque. Law enforcement staged around the area and observed a vehicle driven by Eric Jaramillo, 33, arrive at the designated time. Before law enforcement could immobilize the vehicle, Jaramillo drove away. Law enforcement pursued Jaramillo, who jumped out of the vehicle and fled into a water diversion tunnel.
Agents from Homeland Security Investigations discovered Jaramillo had an outstanding warrant from Arizona, so they began scouring the city for him. Several weeks later, on November 14, 2022, agents located Jaramillo at a Best Western Hotel in Albuquerque. The following day, law enforcement staged around the area. When he exited his hotel room, Jaramillo attempted to flee, but was captured when he impaled his leg on a wrought iron fence. A subsequent search of his hotel room located 8.7 kilograms -- or 19.2 pounds – of fentanyl and two firearms.
Jaramillo pled guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Eric McLoughlin, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Spindle prosecuted the case.
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Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Drug Trafficking
Brenda Lee Sutton, 38, of Carpenter, Wyoming, was sentenced to 58 months’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, on Apr. 6, 2023, agents conducted a controlled purchase of approximately 56 grams of methamphetamine from Sutton. She was indicted and pleaded guilty to the charge on Dec. 13, 2023. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Mar. 25. This crime was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook.
Cesar Aldahir Lerma Hernandez, 41, of Mexico, was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, a joint state and federal investigation showed that several individuals, including Hernandez, were acquiring large amounts of fentanyl in northern Colorado and distributing the drug in Laramie County, Wyoming. Hernandez was indicted and pleaded guilty on Dec. 18, 2023. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Apr. 4. The crime was investigated by the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Forwood.
Domestic Violence
Jonathan Michael Lee Wandel, 46, of Crystal, Michigan, was sentenced to two years of supervised probation for assault by strangulation. According to court documents, the FBI was contacted by the U.S. Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations (OSI) regarding a domestic violence incident that occurred on F.E. Warren Air Force Base. Wandel was charged and pleaded guilty on Jan. 9 to strangling the victim. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Apr. 4. The crime was investigated by the FBI and OSI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist.
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Environmental Justice
The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime#trafficking
4 April 2024
Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Drug-Related ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man who was previously charged with unlawfully possessing a machinegun pleaded guilty yesterday to drug charges.
Jose Rivera, 24, pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun, receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment for a felony, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for June 28, 2024. Rivera was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2023.
During a search of Rivera’s residence on March 7, 2023, three Glock switches – including one attached to a loaded Glock .40 caliber firearm were recovered. Glock switches convert semi-automatic Glock pistols into fully automatic machineguns and are considered machineguns under federal law. Three large capacity magazines, including a 50-round drum magazine and boxes of ammunition were also seized. Rivera also possessed cocaine intended for distribution as well as scale, tray, and small plastic baggies, and $9,000 in cash. Rivera received the Glock .40 caliber firearm on or after Oct. 9, 2021, while he was under indictment in state court for felonies punishable by a term of imprisonment of over a year.
The charge of unlawful possession of a machinegun provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of receipt of a firearm while under indictment provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, to be run consecutively with the sentence imposed on the other counts, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Interim Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case is also a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Winter Springs Man Charged with Armed Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Marlon Leondre Lockhart (21, Winter Springs) with four counts of Hobbs Act robbery and four counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. If convicted on all counts, Lockhart faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 28 years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Lockhart that the United States intends to forfeit the Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol and associated ammunition which are alleged to be used during the commission of the offenses.
According to the indictment, between November 24, 2023, and December 14, 2023, Lockhart stole property from four local businesses. It is alleged that Lockhart stole the property by taking it from the employees of the business against their will and by actual or threatened force, violence, and fear of injury to the employee’s person. Further, it is alleged that Lockhart brandished a firearm during each robbery.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orlando Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lyons.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Waterbury Man Admits Role in Bridgeport Drug Robbery AttemptRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that KAREEM PORTER, also known as “Reem,” 25, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to a federal robbery offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 28, 2023, Porter, Andy Marte, and Tyrone Allen drove to a Bridgeport apartment building where they intended to carry out a robbery at an apartment in which they believed they would find drugs and drug proceeds. Marte instructed Porter and Allen, who had a crowbar, to carry out the robbery while Marte remained in the car and to serve as a getaway driver. Marte also contacted Jermaine Bethel, who arrived to participate in the robbery. After failing to enter the apartment, Porter, Allen, and Bethel returned to the vehicle where they were encountered by law enforcement. Officers searched the vehicle and its occupants and seized two handguns, which Marte had brought to the robbery, and the crowbar.
Porter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for July 2.
Porter is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
Marte, Allen, and Bethel previously pleaded guilty to the same charge and await sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten and Karen Peck.
United States Attorney Co-Hosts Anti-Fraud Coalition RoundtableRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, United States Attorney Gary M. Restaino co-hosted a stakeholder discussion on qui tam, or whistleblower, cases under the civil False Claims Act (FCA). The event was also hosted by The Anti-Fraud Coalition (TAFC), a public interest, non-profit organization dedicated to defending and empowering whistleblowers who expose fraud on the government and the financial markets. The roundtable was part of U.S. Attorney Restaino’s effort and commitment to working with whistleblowers, and attorneys who represent them, to pursue civil enforcement actions against those who obtain government funds through false or fraudulent claims.
Speakers included U.S. Attorney Restaino and members of the United States Attorney’s Office Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit. Attendees included several attorneys who specialize in representing whistleblowers. The panel discussion focused on how federal prosecutors can continue to work effectively with whistleblowers and their attorneys in a successful public-private partnership as contemplated by the FCA’s qui tam provisions. A representative from TAFC moderated the discussion.
“Those who abuse government programs and contracts deprive their neighbors and communities and competitors of valuable resources,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “In our affirmative civil enforcement work we protect the public fisc. We also celebrate the courage of whistleblowers, the energy, compassion and collegiality of the private plaintiffs’ bar, and the hard work and dedication of federal lawyers, auditors and investigators.”
Under the False Claims Act, individuals (known as “relators”) may file civil actions under seal on behalf of the government against companies and individuals who defraud the federal government. If the defendants pay settlements or the government is awarded judgment in these lawsuits, the relators receive a portion of those funds. Many fraud investigations and lawsuits, especially in the District of Arizona, originate with qui tam filings against health care providers, defense contractors, grant recipients, and others who commit fraud against the government.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona has long enjoyed an excellent working relationship with qui tam relators and their counsel. As a testament to that relationship, an analysis in 2018 showed the District of Arizona had the fastest-growing qui tam docket in the nation, with filings increasing 170% from fiscal years 2008-2012 to 2013-2017. Whistleblower filings in the District of Arizona further increased in fiscal years 2018-2023. Those filings and other affirmative civil matters handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office have resulted in significant recoveries of government funds that were intended for health care, defense contracting, relief from the COVID-19 pandemic, and other federal programs and purposes but were received by those who submitted, or were alleged to have submitted, false or fraudulent claims.
Individuals with information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse related to federal programs should contact the relevant federal agency. A list of agencies and contact information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/agency-links.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-045_TAFC Roundtable
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Two Individuals Indicted for the Kidnapping Resulting in Death of Two Female Minors from July 2023 MassacreRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 3, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging José Martínez-Serrano and Edwin Yadiel Flores-Tavárez with kidnapping resulting in death and possessing and discharging of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to court documents, on July 25, 2023, the defendants, aiding and abetting each other and others, did unlawfully and willfully seize, confine, kidnap and abduct, and otherwise hold, T.D.C. and N.R.L., and shot them - resulting in their deaths. In committing and in furtherance of the commission of the kidnapping, Martínez-Serrano and Flores-Tavárez used a means, facility, and instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce, namely a 2022 Ford EcoSport and a cellular telephone.
“As alleged in the indictment, these defendants acted together in the kidnapping and vicious murder of two young women,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We remain steadfast in our mission to bring violent criminals to justice. We will use all methods at our disposal to apprehend and prosecute those who commit such heinous acts.”
“Last summer, violent criminals took the lives of two young girls in the Piñones area. From that moment, our commitment has been to bring the criminals responsible to justice,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “Today, we have come a step closer to justice, but our work is still unfinished, and our teams will not stop until we can bring this case to a full conclusion. I want to thank our colleagues at the Police of Puerto Rico and Carolina Municipal Police for their nonstop efforts in this case. Today’s arrests would not have been possible without their continued support of the mission.”
The defendants are scheduled for their initial court appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marcos E. López of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, they face life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and the Carolina Municipal Police are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julian Radzinschi is prosecuting the case. Special Agents John Auchter and Sharon Vazquez of the Federal Bureau of Investigation are in charge of the investigation.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Three Men Charged with Trafficking Counterfeit Luxury Watches Imported from ChinaRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, today announced that IZEDIN KIMCA, 24, of Waterbury, DENIS NAKO, 24, of Worcester, Massachusetts, and his brother, KLEVIS NAKO, 23, of Worcester, were arrested yesterday on federal criminal complaints charging them with selling and conspiring to sell counterfeit luxury and designer brand watches through websites and social media accounts.
Kimca appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven, and Denis Nako and Klevis Nako appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford. All three were released on $50,000 bonds.
As alleged in court documents, Kimca, Denis Nako, and Klevis Nako operated various websites, Instagram pages, and Facebook pages through which they advertised and sold counterfeit luxury watches that they had imported from China. During the investigation, law enforcement made multiple undercover transactions in which they purchased counterfeit Rolex watches from several of the Instagram accounts for approximately $200 to $300 per watch. The proceeds of the sales were deposited into bank accounts belonging to Kimca, Denis Nako, and Klevis Nako.
It is further alleged that, between April 2020 to July 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized approximately 74 parcels addressed to Kimca, or his aliases, that contained counterfeit luxury watches, including counterfeit Rolex, Audemars, and Panerai watches, having a total estimated manufacturers’ suggested retail price of more than $16 million had the watches been authentic. In addition, between February 2021 to April 2022, CBP seized approximately 22 parcels addressed to the residence of Denis and Klevis Nako that contained counterfeit luxury watches, including counterfeit Rolex and Cartier watches, having a total estimated manufacturers’ suggested retail price of more than $3 million had the watches been authentic.
According to court documents, Klevis Nako is employed as a police officer with the Framingham State University Police Department in Framingham, Massachusetts.
It is alleged that, in January 2023, HSI agents interviewed Kimca about trafficking counterfeit watches and told him that selling counterfeit watches was illegal. Kimca also had received several notices from CBP that watches had been seized and detailing potential violations associated with the importation of the items. Kimca continued to sell counterfeit watches after the interview and after receiving the CBP notices.
The complaints charge Kimca, Denis Nako, and Klevis Nako with trafficking in and conspiring to traffic in counterfeit goods and services, offenses that carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Kimca is also charged with engaging in illegal monetary transactions, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has assisted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neeraj N. Patel and Shan Patel.
Three Individuals Arrested and Charged with Access Device Fraud as Part of A Multi-District OperationRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Three individuals were charged with the use of unauthorized access devices were filed this week, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and United States Secret Service (“USSS”) – San Francisco Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Shawn Bradstreet.
The three defendants—Petrica Mosneagu, 44; Ionut Sopirla, 38; and Virgil Tudorascu, 42, all of Romania—were charged with stealing Electronic Benefit Transfer (“EBT”) account information and making fraudulent cash withdrawals at ATMs using that stolen EBT information in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(2). The defendants were arrested in a multi-district, USSS-led operation, which resulted in several arrests this week, including in the Southern District of California.
According to the public criminal complaints, law enforcement agencies have been investigating EBT theft across California for the past fourteen months. The complaints allege that the California Department of Social Services has identified that approximately $22.8 million has been stolen from victim EBT card beneficiaries from January to March 2024 in California, including in the Northern District of California. Most of these stolen funds have been obtained by unauthorized ATM withdrawals. Furthermore, the complaints allege that victims of the scheme are largely low-income families who depend on EBT benefits to buy food and other household necessities.
The complaints allege that the defendants fraudulently withdrew cash with “cloned” cards, which are debit cards, gift cards, or other devices with magnetic strips that have been encoded with information from legitimate EBT cards. The account holders’ account information was primarily “skimmed” at ATMs or point-of-sale terminals. Skimming devices recorded victim account holder account information on the magnetic strips and log their PINs through keypad overlays. Once skimmed, the victim account holders’ account information was then loaded onto blank or repurposed debit cards, which the defendants then used to withdraw cash or make purchases.
If convicted, each defendant face a maximum statutory sentence of ten years in prison on each charge. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Defendants Mosneagu and Sopirla made their initial appearances Tuesday morning in Oakland and will appear for their detention hearings on April 10, 2024, before the Honorable Kandis A. Westmore. Defendant Tudorascu made his initial appearance Thursday morning and will also appear for his detention hearing on April 10, 2024.
Criminal complaints only allege that crimes have been committed, and each defendant must be presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis James and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Glimcher are prosecuting these cases, with the help of Katie Turner and Kay Konopaske. These prosecutions are the result of an investigation by the USSS, California Department of Social Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), San Francisco Human Services Agency – Special Investigations Unit, Pleasant Hill PD, Richmond PD, Oakland PD, Berkeley PD, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, Romanian National Police, and U.S. Secret Service Bucharest.
Suburban Chicago Nurse Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Tampering with Patient MedicationsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago nurse has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for removing morphine prescribed to patients and replacing it with another liquid.
SARAH DIAMOND was employed as the Assistant Director of Nursing at a Chicago-area medical rehabilitation center, where she was responsible for dispensing medications to patients, including those in hospice care. In the summer of 2021, Diamond removed morphine from bottles that had been prescribed to at least five patients to manage their pain and replaced it with another liquid, knowing the diluted substance would be dispensed. Diamond removed the morphine for her own personal use and with reckless disregard and extreme indifference for the risk that the patients would be placed in danger of bodily injury. In at least one instance, a patient’s family members observed the patient suffering during what would end up being some of the final moments before dying.
Diamond, 31, of Woodstock, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to a federal charge of tampering with a consumer product. U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah imposed the sentence Wednesday during a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ronne Malham, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations. Valuable assistance was provided by the Crystal Lake, Ill., Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Manschreck.
“Patients deserve to have confidence that they are receiving the legitimately prescribed medication and not a diluted substance,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “Health care practitioners who illicitly tamper with prescription drugs will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Patients suffering from pain trust their health care providers to provide relief through effective and appropriately dosed medications,” said SAC Malham. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice healthcare professionals who violate their position of trust and jeopardize patients’ health and well-being by tampering with their pain medications.”
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Six Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Thursday sentenced a man who committed six armed robberies in a three-month period in 2021 to 17 years in prison.
Bruce Franklin, 64, admitted robbing a Family Dollar store and cell phone stores, including two cell phone stores that he targeted twice. Franklin robbed the Boost Mobile store at 3636 Page Boulevard on August 26 and September 10, the T-Mobile at 4167 Lindell Boulevard on September 4 and September 20, the MetroPCS at 3949 Lindell Boulevard on September 17, and the Family Dollar at 11123 Bellefontaine Road in St. Louis County on October 27. Franklin stole cash from registers, and in one case, a handgun belonging to an employee.
Franklin was accompanied by Kristie Meeks during the September 17 and September 20 robberies. Meeks, 48, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty September 27 to two counts of robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Judge Ross sentenced her to eight years in prison in February.
Franklin pleaded guilty in October to six counts of robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Dunkel prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
St. Charles County Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Soliciting Sex from MinorsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White on Thursday sentenced a registered sex offender to 40 years in prison for soliciting sex from two minor victims via social media.
Thomas J. Bowles, now 48, of St. Charles County, Missouri, repeatedly contacting a female minor on social media from Jan. 1, 2020, to Aug. 20, 2020. He offered to become her “sugar daddy” and offered money, a cell phone and clothing in exchange for sex acts and for providing him pornographic pictures and videos.
Bowles also offered to be the “sugar daddy” to a second minor via Snapchat, and claimed he could mentor her in the modeling industry. In 2020, he met the victim multiple times and gave her cash, liquor, clothing and prescription drugs in exchange for sexual contact. He also made video recordings of those sex acts on two occasions.
In a victim impact statement to the court, both victims said Bowles was relentless in his attempts to contact them. “He was obsessed with me, and no matter how hard I tried to get rid of him he would always find another way,” the first victim wrote. He contacted her friends, left voicemails, drop things off at her house and drive by. “It got to the point where I felt like I was always being watched. I was scared for my life because he knew where I lived and who I hung out with,” she wrote, adding that she was in constant fear that he would kidnap or kill her.
The second victim said she had left home and was couch hopping and had no way on her own to get to work “so I was easily persuaded to cave into the nonsense that I was being fed on SnapChat by Thomas.” She wrote that she tried to stop. “I completely lost myself. I was talked into some crazy stuff that breaks my soul to live with.”
Bowles used aliases that prevented the victims from discovering that he is a registered sex offender. Both victims told Bowles that they were underage.
In court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson said Bowles intentionally manipulated and exploited “particularly vulnerable children.”
Bowles pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in November to one count of sex trafficking of a child, two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of production of child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography.
The FBI, St. Charles County Police Department, St. Louis County Police Department and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jillian Anderson and Nathan Chapman prosecuted the case.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.