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19 September 2023
Union County Man Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Role in Scheme to Steal Mail, Commit Credit Card Fraud, and Defraud United StatesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to time already served – 14 months in prison – for his role in a scheme to receive stolen credit cards and pandemic relief debit cards sent through the mail, commit bank fraud, and defraud the U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Justin Brooks, 24, of Vauxhall, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to three counts of an indictment charging him with: one count of conspiracy to commit mail theft and bank fraud, and to defraud the U.S. Postal Service and U.S. Department of the Treasury; one count of receiving stolen mail; and one count of bank fraud. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From July 2019 to Oct. 6, 2020, Books and his conspirators obtained credit cards stolen from the U.S. mail from a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, fraudulently activated those credit cards, and then used those credit cards to make and attempt to make purchases without the cardholders’ authorization. The victims have incurred approximately $70,000 in losses from fraudulent purchases made using their stolen credit cards. Brooks also schemed to fraudulently use over $13,000 of funds pre-loaded onto Economic Impact Payment (EIP) cards issued by the U.S. Department of Treasury and sent in the U.S. mail pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), that were also stolen from the mail. The CARES Act authorized EIP payments structured as one-time refundable tax credits to certain eligible taxpayers of $1,200 for individuals, $2,400 for married couples filing jointly, and up to $500 for each qualifying child. The goal of this part of their fraud was for the conspirators to unlawfully obtain the government funds pre-loaded onto these cards.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Brooks to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $87, 080 in restitution.
Brooks originally was charged with Jarid Brooks, 29, Kyle Williams, 37, and Kyjuan Hutchins, 23, also of Vauxhall, in October 2020. Jarid Brooks, Williams and Hutchins have all pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. Jarid Brooks and Hutchins are awaiting sentencing; Williams was previously sentenced.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Postal Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; special agents with the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office; and special agents with the Office of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, the Caldwell Police Department, the Fairfield Police Department, the Boonton Police Department, and the Millburn Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine K. Lou, Chief of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit of the Criminal Division in Newark.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for Eastern District of Michigan Celebrates Funding Awarded for Community Responses to Gender-Based Violence and Community Responses for Gender-Based ViolenceRead the Press Release
DETROIT - In commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the original enactment of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Justice Department announced nearly $193 million in formula and discretionary grant awards to support crucial services and justice responses for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including $5,283,715.00 for the Eastern District of Michigan.
For nearly three decades, VAWA provided the tools and resources to protect and serve survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. To commemorate the 29th anniversary of VAWA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan is proud to announce that the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded $5,283,715.00 to the Eastern District of Michigan to support community responses to gender-based violence.
Specifically, the Eastern District of Michigan received the following funds for the 2023 fiscal year:
· OVW awarded $580,000.00 under Grants for Training and Services to End Violence Against Individuals with Disabilities and Deaf People Program (Disability Grant Program) to support services for individuals who have disabilities or are Deaf. Funding will provide specialized training, outreach, cross-training for various agencies, and developing model programs to strengthen organizational capacities in assisting survivors. The recipient of the grant is the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence.
In addition, VAWA’s signature program is the STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program, which awards funds to every U.S. state and territory to promotes a coordinated community response among law enforcement, prosecution, courts, victim services organizations, and other community services to ensure the safety of survivors. OVW is awarding $4,703,715 under the STOP Program to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to enhance the capacity for communities across the country to develop programs to end gender-based violence and hold offenders accountable.
Just last week the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded $1.2 million to the Eastern District of Michigan to provide legal services and improve the effective coordination of justice systems impacting survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. The need for specialized legal services is both urgent and essential for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. These services provide interventions, such as securing restraining or protective orders, that are crucial for survivor safety.
• OVW awarded $750,000 under the Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Program to the Michigan Advocacy Program of Ypsilanti. The LAV Program addresses the legal needs of survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. Through this new Legal Assistance for Victims project, the Tribal Survivor Project, which is housed within the Michigan Advocacy Program, in partnership with Uniting Three Fires Against Violence, seeks to expand culturally specific, free civil legal assistance in family court matters in state and tribal courts to tribal survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Michigan, prioritizing survivors in northern Michigan.
• OVW awarded $450,000 under the Justice for Families (JFF) Program to Growth Works, Inc. of Plymouth. The JFF Program aims to improve the capacity of communities and courts to respond to families impacted by violence. Through this new Justice for Families project, Growth Works, in partnership with First Step and the Third Judicial Circuit Court of Michigan, will implement a standard project addressing the following purpose areas: 1) supervised visitation and safe exchange; 3) training for court-based and court related personnel; and 8) training within the civil justice system for Wayne County, Michigan.
Dawn N. Ison, United States Attorney commented: “Preventing and ending violence against women makes the world a safer and more equitable place. I am very pleased that the Office on Violence Against Women recognizes this important work and has made these significant investments in our community.
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OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through implementing VAWA and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities nationwide that are developing programs, policies, and practices to end domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
U.S. Attorney Young Announces $736,842 in U.S. Department of Justice Grant Funding to Support the Accessibility of Criminal Justice Information to Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
CONCORD – The U.S. Department of Justice has awarded $736,842 to improve the accuracy, utility, and interstate accessibility of criminal records in the District of New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Specifically, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office has received the FY2023 National Criminal History Improvement Program Supplemental Funding to support the New Hampshire State Police’s (NHSP) efforts to:
1) Increase the functionality, speed and dissemination of shared criminal justice records and information among law enforcement partners.
2) Enhance the state’s records systems to include data for boat information, such as New Hampshire Marine Patrol vessel stops, search capabilities, and the creation and printing of Marine Patrol e-Tickets.
3) Fund equipment purchases for 10 New Hampshire law enforcement agencies to connect to the State Message Platform, which is a telecommunication service operated by the NHSP.
“Today’s grant award supports the U.S. Department of Justice’s mission to reduce violent crime by further connecting law enforcement partners to vital criminal justice intelligence and capabilities that will aid in critical public safety services,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to support information sharing between federal, state, and local agencies.”
The FY2023 National Criminal History Improvement Program Supplemental Funding aims to further the U.S. Department of Justice’s mission to reduce violent crime and address gun violence by improving the accuracy, utility, and interstate accessibility of criminal-history and related records in support of national record systems and their use for name- and fingerprint-based criminal history background checks.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit to Co-Sponsor “United Against Hate” Summit in PocatelloRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit along with Idaho State University, the Shoshone Bannock Tribes, the Family Services Alliance, the City of Pocatello, and the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office are convening a United Against Hate summit on September 26 at Idaho State University in Pocatello. The event is free and is open to the public. The registration link can be found here: www.eventbrite.com/e/united-against-hate-tickets-707962393577.
United Against Hate is an initiative launched by the Department of Justice focused on improving efforts to combat hate crimes and hate incidents through relationship building at the local level. Through this endeavor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office seeks to create and strengthen trust and partnerships among law enforcement, community leaders, and residents. Well‑attended summits have already been held in Coeur d’Alene, Caldwell, Boise, and Ketchum.
“In my view, this initiative is particularly timely for Idaho, as we have experienced a series of troubling hate incidents throughout the state in the past several years,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “As Attorney General Garland has said, this is a moment for an all-hands-on-deck approach to combatting unlawful hate.”
The September 26 event will include remarks from local leaders, presentations from prosecutors about hate crimes laws and reporting mechanisms, and speakers who will share their courageous experiences responding to hate.
“I look forward to meeting community members and hearing different perspectives on how we can work together to unite our community in standing up to unlawful hate,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “And I am deeply honored to partner with our co-sponsors to prioritize this critical mission.”
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Two Individuals, Including A Former Pharmaceutical Executive, Plead Guilty to Participating in Insider Trading Scheme Surrounding Alexion Pharmaceuticals’ Acquisition of Portola PharmaceuticalsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that, on September 15, 2023, JOSEPH DUPONT pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, and earlier today, SLAVA KAPLAN, a/k/a “Stanley Kaplan,” pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, both in connection with their participation in an insider trading scheme surrounding the announcement of Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s acquisition of Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc. DUPONT and KAPLAN were arrested in June of this year and pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Dupont admitted in court that he gave his friend sensitive information that Dupont had misappropriated from his employer at the time so that his friend could profit. And Kaplan admitted in court both that he made profitable trades based on information that he knew was provided to him for an illegitimate purpose, and that he passed that information along to others. These convictions reflect my Office’s ongoing commitment to ensuring fairness in the stock market.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and statements made in public court proceedings:
In 2020, DUPONT, KAPLAN, and others engaged in an insider trading scheme surrounding the announcement of Alexion’s acquisition of Portola. DUPONT was a vice president at Alexion and, on January 31, 2020, was informed of Alexion’s upcoming acquisition of Portola. Before that acquisition was publicly announced, in April 2020, DUPONT provided material nonpublic information (“MNPI”) that he misappropriated from Alexion about the acquisition to a friend so that the friend could use the information to trade profitably in securities.
In turn, DUPONT’s friend provided KAPLAN, who was also known to DUPONT, the MNPI about Portola’s pending acquisition, both so that KAPLAN could trade in advance of the acquisition and so that KAPLAN would assist DUPONT’s friend in formulating trading strategies to maximize DUPONT’s friend’s own trading profits. KAPLAN further shared MNPI about the upcoming acquisition with a family member and a friend and colleague. After Alexion’s acquisition of Portola was publicly announced on the morning of May 5, 2020, causing Portola’s stock price to increase significantly, KAPLAN and others who had purchased shares and options based on DUPONT’s inside information sold their shares of Portola and call options for Portola stock, reaping millions of dollars of illegally obtained trading profits.
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DUPONT, 44, of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, and KAPLAN, 45, of Hopewell Junction, New York, each pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. DUPONT and KAPLAN are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Woods on January 5, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., respectively.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a parallel civil action.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Graham, Sarah Mortazavi, and Samuel P. Rothschild are in charge of the prosecution.
Two Indian Nationals Each Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Receiving over $1.2 Million in Global Robocall Scam that Defrauded Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two Indian nationals were each sentenced today to 41 months in prison for their roles in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud by accepting illegally obtained $1.2 million in wire transfers from victims across the United States, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Arushobike Mitra, 29, and Garbita Mitra, 25, (no relation) both previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Salas imposed the sentences today in Newark federal court.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“These defendants and their conspirators preyed upon some of our most vulnerable citizens, using trickery and threats to coerce them into sending money. Protecting our elderly population from these kinds of deceitful robocall scams is a priority of our office. Those who engage in this kind of elder fraud scheme can expect to face justice.”
“These defendants and their conspirators preyed upon some of our most vulnerable citizens, using trickery and threats to coerce them into sending money,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “Protecting our elderly population from these kinds of deceitful robocall scams is a priority of our office. Those who engage in this kind of elder fraud scheme can expect to face justice.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
As part of an international fraud scheme, criminal India-based call centers utilized automated robocalls to victims across the country with the intent of defrauding U.S. residents, particularly the elderly. After establishing contact with victims through these automated calls, other members of the conspiracy would coerce or trick the victims into sending large sums of cash through physical shipments or wire transfers to other members of the conspiracy, including the Mitras. These conspirators used a variety of schemes to convince victims to send money, including impersonating government officials from agencies such as the Social Security Administration, or impersonating law enforcement officers from the FBI or DEA, and threatened victims with severe legal or financial consequences if they did not comply. Another method utilized by the callers involved convincing the victim they were speaking with someone from a tech support company and coercing the victim into granting the caller remote access to their personal computers. The caller would then access the victim’s bank accounts and make it appear to the victim that the caller had inadvertently added money to the victim’s bank account, when in fact the caller had simply transferred money from another one of the victim’s own accounts. The caller would then instruct the victim to “return” the money by way of mail or wire transfer to other members of the conspiracy, including the Mitras.
In addition to the prison terms, Judge Salas sentenced Arushobike Mitra and Garbita Mitra each to three years of supervised release and ordered them to pay $835,324 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Sharon MacDermott; special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Cyber Intrusion Group, and El Dorado Task Force Asset Identification & Removal Group, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo in New York; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencings. He also thanked the Hoboken Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the New York City Police Department, and the Brunswick County, North Carolina, Sheriff’s Office for their assistance.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Meriah Russell of the U.S. Attorney's Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Two Charged with Federal Narcotics Offenses Resulting in Death in Connection with the Poisoning of Four Children at a New York DaycareRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in Manhattan, New York, federal court charging Grei Mendez, 36, and Carlisto Acevedo Brito, 41, both of the Bronx, New York, with narcotics possession with intent to distribute resulting in death and conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death in connection with the poisoning of four children under the age of three, one of whom died, at a daycare facility in the Bronx. Mendez and Acevedo Brito are both in custody and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis.
“The charges announced today are the tragic result of fentanyl poisoning more innocent Americans, this time young children,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The Department of Justice will continue to hold accountable anyone who plays a part in the supply-and-delivery chain that is flooding fentanyl into our communities. We will not rest in our efforts to protect the vulnerable.”
“Parents entrusted Grei Mendez with the care of their children,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “As alleged, instead of diligently safeguarding the well-being of those children, she and her co-conspirators put them directly in harm’s way, running a narcotics operation and storing deadly fentanyl out of the very space in which the children ate, slept, and played. The disregard shown by Mendez and her co-conspirators for the lives of the children under her care is simply staggering.”
“Tragedy doesn’t begin to describe the events that took place at Divino Niño Daycare,” said Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s New York Field Division. “This death and drug poisonings are every parent’s worst nightmare and clearly define the danger fentanyl poses to every New Yorker. Fentanyl kills indiscriminately, and the defendants’ callous and irresponsible disregard to safety led to two of the most heinous acts imaginable, causing the death of a child and poisoning three other children. These crimes are unacceptable. I commend the work of the investigators from the DEA and NYPD and our partners at the Southern District of New York who work tirelessly every single day to stop drug poisonings from taking too many lives too soon.”
“This case reflects every parent’s worst nightmare,” said Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban of the New York Police Department (NYPD). “These alleged drug traffickers brazenly went about their illicit business in one of the most ill-conceived locations imaginable, but they will be held accountable. I thank the dedicated investigators of the NYPD and the DEA, and everyone involved at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, for their efforts to secure justice for the most vulnerable New Yorkers among us – our children.”
As alleged in the complaint, from at least in or about July 2023 through at least in or about September 2023, Mendez and Acevedo Brito and others conspired to distribute fentanyl, including at a children’s daycare center in the Bronx (the Daycare). There, despite the daily presence of young children, the defendants maintained large quantities of fentanyl, including a kilogram of fentanyl stored on top of children’s playmats. In addition, the defendants maintained in the Daycare items purpose-built for the distribution of large quantities of narcotics, including three so-called “kilo presses,” which are designed for the recompression of drugs in powder form commonly used by narcotics traffickers at “mills” or other locations where narcotic drugs are broken down, combined with fillers, and portioned for sale. The narcotics and one of the kilo presses recovered are pictured below.
As a consequence of the defendants’ drug conspiracy, on or about Sept. 15, at the Daycare, four children, who were all under three years of age, appear to have experienced the effects of poisoning from exposure to fentanyl.
Prior to the arrival of emergency personnel at the Daycare on that date, Mendez, in concert with an unnamed co-conspirator (CC-1) removed evidence from the Daycare. In particular, immediately before Mendez called 911 to summon medical assistance for the children, she called CC-1. CC-1 then arrived at the Daycare, stayed for approximately two minutes, and then exited out a back alleyway carrying two full shopping bags – all while the children were unresponsive and awaiting medical assistance. Three of the children were hospitalized with serious injuries. The fourth child, a one-year-old boy, died.
Acevedo Brito resided in a bedroom located within the Daycare and is the cousin of CC-1. One of the kilo presses found at the Daycare was located in the closet inside Acevedo Brito’s bedroom. Additionally, a search of Acevedo Brito’s phone revealed numerous messages suggestive of his involvement in narcotics trafficking.
Mendez and Acevedo Brito are each charged in count one with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and in count two with narcotics distribution resulting in death. Both count one and count two carry a minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The DEA, the NYPD, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) New York Strike Force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York’s Digital Forensic Unit, and the Complex Analytical and Social Media Enhancement Team at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area investigated the case, in coordination with the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Southern District of New York’s Narcotics Unit is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon C. Thompson and Maggie Lynaugh for Southern District of New York are in charge of the prosecution.
The OCDETF New York Strike Force is a crime-fighting unit comprising federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies supported by OCDETF and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. The Strike Force is affiliated with the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA; NYPD; New York State Police; Homeland Security Investigations; IRS-Criminal Investigation; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; New York National Guard; U.S. Coast Guard; New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision; Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office; Fort Lee Police Department; Palisades Interstate Parkway Police; Teaneck Police Department; Hillsdale Police Department; Closter Police Department; Northvale Police Department; River Vale Police Department; Englewood Police Department; Saddle River Police Department; Bergen County Sheriff’s Department; Hawthorne Police Department; and Hackensack Police Department.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Charged with Federal Narcotics Offenses Resulting in Death in Connection with the Poisoning of Four Children at A Bronx DaycareRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Lisa O. Monaco, the Deputy Attorney General of the United States, Frank A. Tarentino III, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of a criminal Complaint in Manhattan federal court charging GREI MENDEZ and CARLISTO ACEVEDO BRITO with narcotics possession with intent to distribute resulting in death and conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death in connection with the poisoning of four children under the age of three, one of whom died, at a daycare facility in the Bronx. MENDEZ and ACEVEDO BRITO are both in custody and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Parents entrusted Grei Mendez with the care of their children. As alleged, instead of diligently safeguarding the well-being of those children, she and her co-conspirators put them directly in harm’s way, running a narcotics operation and storing deadly fentanyl out of the very space in which the children ate, slept, and played. The disregard shown by Mendez and her co-conspirators for the lives of the children under her care is simply staggering.”
Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said: “The charges announced today are the tragic result of fentanyl poisoning more innocent Americans, this time young children. The Department of Justice will continue to hold accountable anyone who plays a part in the supply-and-delivery chain that is flooding fentanyl into our communities. We will not rest in our efforts to protect the vulnerable.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III said: “Tragedy doesn’t begin to describe the events that took place at Divino Niño Daycare. This death and drug poisonings are every parent’s worst nightmare and clearly define the danger fentanyl poses to every New Yorker. Fentanyl kills indiscriminately, and the defendants’ callous and irresponsible disregard to safety led to two of the most heinous acts imaginable, causing the death of a child and poisoning three other children. These crimes are unacceptable. I commend the work of the investigators from the DEA and NYPD and our partners at the Southern District of New York who work tirelessly every single day to stop drug poisonings from taking too many lives too soon.”
NYPD Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “This case reflects every parent’s worst nightmare. These alleged drug traffickers brazenly went about their illicit business in one of the most ill-conceived locations imaginable, but they will be held accountable. I thank the dedicated investigators of the NYPD and the DEA, and everyone involved at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, for their efforts to secure justice for the most vulnerable New Yorkers among us – our children.”
As alleged in the Complaint:[1]
From at least in or about July 2023 through at least in or about September 2023, GREI MENDEZ and CARLISTO ACEVEDO BRITO and others conspired to distribute fentanyl, including at a children’s daycare center in the Bronx (the “Daycare”). There, despite the daily presence of young children, the defendants maintained large quantities of fentanyl, including a kilogram of fentanyl stored on top of children’s playmats. In addition, the defendants maintained in the Daycare items purpose-built for the distribution of large quantities of narcotics, including three so-called “kilo presses,” which are designed for the recompression of drugs in powder form commonly used by narcotics traffickers at “mills” or other locations where narcotic drugs are broken down, combined with fillers, and portioned for sale. The narcotics and one of the kilo presses recovered are pictured below.
As a consequence of the defendants’ drug conspiracy, on or about September 15, 2023, at the Daycare, four children, who were all under three years of age, appear to have experienced the effects of poisoning from exposure to fentanyl.
Prior to the arrival of emergency personnel at the Daycare on that date, MENDEZ, in concert with an unnamed co-conspirator (“CC-1”) removed evidence from the Daycare. In particular, immediately before MENDEZ called 911 to summon medical assistance for the children, she called CC-1. CC-1 then arrived at the Daycare, stayed for approximately two minutes, and then exited out a back alleyway carrying two full shopping bags — all while the children were unresponsive and awaiting medical assistance. Three of the children were hospitalized with serious injuries. The fourth child, a one-year-old boy, died.
ACEVEDO BRITO resided in a bedroom located within the Daycare and is the cousin of CC-1. One of the kilo presses found at the Daycare was located in the closet inside ACEVEDO BRITO’s bedroom. Additionally, a search of ACEVEDO BRITO’s phone revealed numerous messages suggestive of his involvement in narcotics trafficking.
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MENDEZ, 36, and ACEVEDO BRITO, 41, both of the Bronx, New York, are each charged in Count One with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and in Count Two with narcotics distribution resulting in death. Both Count One and Count Two carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA, the NYPD, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) New York Strike Force, the SDNY Digital Forensic Unit, and the Complex Analytical and Social Media Enhancement Team at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. Mr. Williams also thanked the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for its coordination on this case.
The OCDETF New York Strike Force is a crime-fighting unit comprising federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies supported by OCDETF and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. The Strike Force is affiliated with the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA; NYPD; New York State Police; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; New York National Guard; U.S. Coast Guard; New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision; Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office; Fort Lee Police Department; Palisades Interstate Parkway Police; Teaneck Police Department; Hillsdale Police Department; Closter Police Department; Northvale Police Department; River Vale Police Department; Englewood Police Department; Saddle River Police Department; Bergen County Sheriff’s Department; Hawthorne Police Department; and Hackensack Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon C. Thompson and Maggie Lynaugh are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact descried therein should be treated as an allegation.
Tuscaloosa Man Convicted on Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A federal jury today convicted a Tuscaloosa man on a drug charge, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.
The jury returned its guilty verdict against Jimmy Lee Spencer, 37, after 2 days of testimony before Chief U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler. Spencer was convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana.
According to evidence presented at trial, Spencer had large amounts of cocaine and marijuana inside his home in Tuscaloosa. He also had multiple firearms, digital scales, a money counter, a vacuum sealer, and a plethora of packaging material that he used to package and sell narcotics in the community.
The maximum penalty for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana is 20 years in prison.
The ATF investigated the case along with the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany T. Byrd and M. Blake Milner are prosecuting the case.
Teo Boon Ching Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Large-Scale Trafficking of Rhinoceros HornsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that TEO BOON CHING, a/k/a “Zhang,” a/k/a “Dato Sri,” a/k/a “Godfather,” was sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiring to traffic hundreds of kilograms of rhinoceros horns worth millions of dollars that involved the illegal poaching of numerous rhinoceros, an endangered wildlife species. The sentence was imposed earlier today by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty.
CHING, who was extradited from Thailand, is the sixth large-scale wildlife trafficker sentenced in cases recently brought by this Office, which also involved the extradition of multiple individuals from several countries in Africa. CHING and his associated entities were previously sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) pursuant to E.O. 13581, as amended.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Wildlife trafficking is a serious threat to the natural resources and the ecological heritage shared by communities across the globe, enriching poachers responsible for the senseless illegal slaughter of numerous endangered rhinoceros and furthering the market for these illicit products. The substantial sentence shows the resolve of this Office to use every tool at our disposal to ensure the protection of endangered species.”
According to the charging and other documents filed in the case, as well as statements made in court proceedings:
CHING was a member of a transnational criminal conspiracy engaged in the large-scale international trafficking and smuggling of rhinoceros horns to sell to foreign buyers, including buyers represented to be in Manhattan. Trade involving endangered or threatened species violates several U.S. laws as well as international treaties implemented by certain U.S. laws. During the course of the conspiracy and related conduct, CHING conspired to transport, distribute, sell, and smuggle at least approximately 219 kilograms of rhinoceros horns resulting from the poaching of numerous rhinoceros and having an estimated value of at least approximately $2.1 million.
On a number of occasions, CHING met with a confidential source to negotiate the sale of rhinoceros horns. For example, on July 17 and 18, 2019, the confidential source met with CHING in Malaysia. During those meetings, CHING stated that he served as a “middleman” — one who acquires rhinoceros horns poached by co-conspirators in Africa and ships them to customers around the world for a per-kilogram fee. He also promised the confidential source “as long as you have cash, I can give you the goods in 1-2 days.” During their communications, CHING sent the confidential source numerous photographs of rhinoceros horns that CHING had available for sale and shipment, including the following:
July 28, 2019, Communications
August 19-20, 2019, Communications
In August 2019, the confidential source, at the direction of law enforcement, purchased 12 rhinoceros horns from CHING with money that CHING believed were the proceeds of other illegal wildlife trafficking and was in bank accounts in New York. These horns were delivered in a suitcase in Thailand by those working for the wildlife trafficking organization. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service forensics laboratory examined the rhinoceros horns and concluded that two horn pieces were black rhinoceros horns, and the other 10 pieces were white rhinoceros horns. Pictures of white and black rhinoceros are depicted below:
White Rhinoceros
Black Rhinoceros
A picture of the 12 rhinoceros horns that CHING arranged to be sold to law enforcement through the confidential source and had delivered are depicted below:
CHING was arrested in Thailand on June 29, 2022, at the request of the United States pursuant to a bilateral extradition treaty and was extradited to the United States on October 7, 2022.
* * *
CHING, 58, of Malaysia, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wildlife trafficking.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In addition, Mr. Williams thanked the Royal Thai Government for its assistance in the extradition of CHING to the United States and commended law enforcement authorities and conservation partners in Thailand, including the Office of the Attorney General and the Royal Thai Police, Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division. Mr. Williams also thanked the Embassy of the United States in Bangkok and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for providing substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of CHING.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael R. Herman and Danielle Kudla are in charge of the prosecution.
Teacher’s Aide and Youth Hockey Coach Sentenced to More Than 15 Years for Distributing Sexually Explicit Images of ChildrenRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – September 19, 2023
SAN DIEGO – Daniel Zachary Dasko of Carlsbad, a former teacher’s aide and youth hockey coach, was sentenced in federal court today to 188 months in prison for sending sexually explicit images of children to others online.
Dasko, who is out on bond, was ordered to report to prison on October 3. Dasko pleaded guilty on April 11, 2023, to one count of Distribution of Images of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct.
Dasko’s distribution of images and videos of children being sexually abused was discovered during the course of another investigation into similar activity. In July 2021, the Philadelphia Division of the FBI received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding a man uploading child pornography. The subject was identified as a teacher in the Philadelphia area.
FBI Philadelphia executed a search warrant on the Philadelphia man’s residence. A review of his iPhone revealed numerous conversations regarding child pornography using a social media application that allowed the user to produce and trade images created by baiting minor victims to send nude photos or videos, or to go live online and be screen-recorded. The Philadelphia subject and other coconspirators would first pose as females on social media sites in order to chat with the victims, and then transfer their communications to a closed social media application that allowed the exchange of these nude photos and videos.
During this investigation, FBI agents determined that Dasko communicated with the Philadelphia man and his other co-conspirators under the name “Mr. Pickles.” From October 3, 2020, to October 3, 2021, Dasko exchanged over 3,671 messages with the Philadelphia man, including numerous images and videos depicting children being sexually abused.
The vast majority of these messages were conversations about sexually exploiting children Dasko and his co-conspirators knew or met online. The Philadelphia man and Dasko discussed at length and in graphic, disturbing detail, their attraction to young boys and their attempts to catfish them. Catfishing – one of the most common internet scams targeting young people - happens when a person poses as someone else in an online relationship.
Dasko even went so far as to forward social media contact information of children that he knew to his co-conspirators, so the children could be catfished online. This scheme achieved results. For example, Dasko distributed a video of a 13-year-old boy masturbating. This victim had been catfished by one of Dasko’s co-conspirators.
“This defendant is a sexual predator who used his position as a teacher and coach to inform his sexual interests and to target kids for online abuse,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “His job was to educate and protect children. Instead, he exploited them. We will do everything in our power protect children and hold offenders accountable.”
“Crimes involving sexually exploiting children are especially disgusting and disturbing,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “I'm proud of the hard work conducted by our agents and law enforcement partners to bring these criminals to justice for their abhorrent behavior.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mandy Griffith and Andrew Sherwood.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 22cr1715-LL
Daniel Dasko Age: 32 Carlsbad, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Distribution of Images of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2252(a)(2).
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Tampa Man Sentenced to More Than 13 Years for Conspiracy to Commit Robbery and Armed Robberies of Auto Parts Stores in TampaRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Steve Jackson (41, Tampa) to 13 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Jackson had pleaded guilty on June 23, 2023. His codefendant, Antonio Brown, previously pleaded guilty and is pending sentencing.
According to court documents, on August 29, 2021, Jackson and Brown drove to an auto parts store on South Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa carrying firearms and wearing surgical masks as they entered the store. They brandished their firearms, demanded money from store employees, and stole approximately $300 from the cash registers.
Shortly after completing the first robbery, Jackson and Brown drove to an auto parts store on 50th Street North in Tampa, where they again entered wearing masks and carrying firearms. They pointed their firearms at store clerks and demanded money from the cash registers. Jackson and Brown stole approximately $1,140 during this robbery.
Later that evening, officers from the Tampa Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle Brown was driving. During a search of the car, they found a distinctive hat that one of the robbers had worn during the armed robberies, approximately $900 in cash, and Jackson’s wallet containing his identification. Further investigation revealed that Jackson had been in the vicinity of the auto parts stores at the times of the robberies. Officers also found the clothes Jackson wore during the robberies in his garbage outside of his residence.
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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee, Michael Sinacore, and Charlie Connally.
Ste. Genevieve County Man Sentenced to Serve 9 Years in Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Tuesday sentenced a man from Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri to nine years in prison on a charge of receiving child pornography.
Timothy Ray White, 61, appeared for sentencing at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau.
According to court documents, on Oct. 6, 2022, a search warrant was obtained and executed at White's residence where numerous electronic devices were seized. White was present during the execution of the warrant and admitted that he had "tons" of child pornography on his devices. Further investigation revealed thousands of photos and videos depicting child pornography. White admitted to being addicted to child pornography. After service of his 108-month sentence, White was ordered to be placed on supervised release for life. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Julie Hunter handled the prosecution for the government.
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.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero on the Passing of JoAnne A. EppsRead the Press Release
On behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, I want to express how deeply saddened we are by the death of JoAnne A. Epps, Acting Temple University President. Acting President Epps is fondly remembered as a former Assistant U.S. Attorney from 1980 to 1985. She was an icon in the legal community, dedicating her life to public service, the rule of law, experiential legal education, equity and diversity in the profession, and the advancement of civil rights. She was tireless and passionate about the issues she held dear. We deeply mourn her passing and send our heartfelt condolences to her family in this difficult time.
On a personal note, JoAnne was a mentor and confidante. Today I mourn with countless women who had the pleasure of Joanne’s wise advice, mentorship, and counsel over the years. I am simply devastated by her passing.
St. Augustine Contractor Pleads Guilty to Failing to Pay IRS Payroll Taxes That He Withheld from Employees’ PayRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that John M. Williams (63, St. Augustine) has pleaded guilty to failing to account for, and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), income taxes, Medicare taxes, and Social Security taxes (also known as payroll taxes) that had been withheld from employees’ pay. Williams faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
According to the plea agreement, in 2012, Williams became an owner, operator, and a corporate officer of First Coast Exteriors, Inc, a stucco application and home building business. He controlled the company’s financial affairs and almost all checks drawn on its corporate checking account, including paychecks, were signed by him. As an owner and corporate officer with control of the company’s payroll and finances, Williams had a duty to collect payroll taxes from the taxable wages of his employees. Each quarter, he also had duties both to account for, and to pay over to the IRS, those payroll taxes.
An examination of Form W-2s filed for First Coast Exteriors employees showed that during the financial quarter ending March 31, 2013, through the quarter ending December 31, 2018, First Coast Exteriors withheld payroll taxes from its employees’ wages. IRS records show, however, that Williams did not account for these withholdings in Form 941 quarterly tax returns or pay these funds over to the IRS when the returns and payments were due. Between 2013 and 2018, Williams’s actions resulted in unpaid payroll taxes of approximately $306,500. During this same period, Williams also did not pay the IRS the employer’s matching share of Social Security and Medicare taxes, which totaled an additional $128,943.
First Coast Exteriors was not the only company that Williams operated that was delinquent in paying its payroll taxes. Records show beginning in 1995, he operated a business called W.W. Contractors, Inc. For the 13 financial quarters between 2009 and 2012, W.W. Contractors filed Form 941 quarterly returns, but only made partial or late payments of payroll taxes withheld and owed to the IRS.
“Sadly, our agents investigate cases like these far too frequently,” said Brian Payne, special agent in charge of the IRS-CI Tampa Field Office. “Business owners need to know that we will investigate tax cheats to ensure they are held accountable for their dishonorable actions. In this case, the defendant cheated both our federal tax system, and simply stole from his employees hard-earned employment benefits.”
This case was investigated by IRS – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
Springfield Woman Indicted for Possessing Fentanyl with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Springfield for allegedly possessing fentanyl intended for distribution.
Karyela Santiago, 26, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to the indictment, on March 30, 2022, Santiago possessed fentanyl intended for distribution.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, four year of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. 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; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; and Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man involved in at least two local shootings was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Danyon Marquise Noble, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to four years and nine months in federal prison without parole.
On Feb. 13, 2023, Noble pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Noble was driving a white Chevrolet Suburban when he was pulled over by deputies with the Greene County Sheriff’s Department on Sept. 1, 2022. Deputies searched the vehicle and found a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun with an attached 15-round magazine directly under the driver’s seat. They also found an empty Glock 17-round magazine in the passenger side door pocket.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Noble has a prior felony conviction for theft of a credit or debit card.
Noble has associations with two violent street gangs, according to court documents. Both FTO and Only Da Brothers have been under investigation by law enforcement for being involved in multiple shooting incidents in the Springfield area.
According to court documents, Noble committed two additional firearm offenses prior to his arrest in this case.
On April 23, 2022, Springfield police officers pulled over a vehicle in connection with a shooting; Noble was in the backseat of the vehicle. During the search of the vehicle, officers found three firearms, including a Glock magazine and a loaded extended magazine in the backseat area. According to witnesses, Noble fired one shot from a firearm during an argument with two other individuals. Noble was swabbed for gunshot residue, and it was determined that he had gunshot residue on his person.
Less than three months later, on July 10, 2022, Springfield police officers responded to a report of multiple gunshots at an apartment building. They found multiple shell casings, bullet fragments, and one vehicle that appeared to have been struck by a bullet. Video surveillance from the apartment building showed Noble blindly firing a gun around the corner from his position in one of the doorways of the building. Evidence from his Facebook account further confirmed that he was the shooter depicted in the surveillance. Noble has been charged in state court with unlawful possession of a firearm.
The gun recovered from Noble during the Sept. 1, 2023, traffic stop was a preliminary match to the shell casings recovered from the July 10 shooting.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Springfield Man Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Springfield for drug trafficking and firearm offenses.
Marcus Hicks, 43, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking felonies.
According to the indictment, on Nov. 21, 2022, Hicks possessed cocaine and marijuana intended for distribution and a Smith and Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute marijuana charge provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking felonies provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to life in prison, 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, Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England and Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
South Carolina Man Admits Securities Fraud, Bank Fraud, and Wire Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A South Carolina man today admitted engaging in several bank and wire fraud schemes and a securities offering fraud scheme that spanned six years and caused losses of millions of dollars, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced.
Sandy John Masselli, 62, of Columbia, South Carolina, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to nine counts of a superseding indictment charging him with bank fraud, wire fraud, and securities fraud. Masselli was initially charged by complaint in October 2017.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“Sandy Masselli today admitted defrauding his victims through a web of lies that induced them to invest in his company with the promise of substantial returns from an initial public offering that was never going to happen. He also concealed his ill-gotten gains from banks and credit card companies with more lies. Masselli’s guilty plea means that he will now be held accountable for putting his illegal pursuit of profit before his investors’ interests. This office is fully committed to combatting securities and investment fraud schemes of all kinds, and this case is another example of that commitment.”
“Investment fraud has devastating consequences for victims, and today's guilty plea brings Masselli one step closer to accounting for the havoc he caused,” FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “The FBI and its law enforcement partners stand ready to protect investors, both large and small, from fraudsters like Masselli.”
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From September 2011 through October 2017, Masselli solicited millions of dollars in investments from retail investors by fraudulently touting the prospect of his online gaming company, Carlyle Entertainment Ltd., formerly Carlyle Gaming & Entertainment Ltd. (Carlyle), to conduct a lucrative initial public offering (IPO) of its stock on either the NASDAQ or the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Masselli induced investors to purchase shares of Carlyle stock by promising them steeply discounted prices in advance of the purported IPO, assuring them that the stock price would increase significantly after the IPO. Masselli further represented that the IPO would occur within weeks or months of the investors’ stock purchases.
However, as Masselli knew, Carlyle was neither poised nor prepared to conduct an IPO on either the NASDAQ or the NYSE, given that, among other deficiencies, neither Masselli nor anyone else on behalf of Carlyle ever filed an application with the NASDAQ or the NYSE to list Carlyle stock on either exchange, or filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) a registration statement to list Carlyle shares on a national exchange. Masselli further misrepresented to the investors how he would use their investments, for example telling them that he would allocate investment funds toward improving Carlyle’s online platform and paying legal fees in connection with preparing Carlyle for a looming IPO. Masselli did not invest these funds in Carlyle, as he had promised investors he would, but instead misappropriated these funds to pay for his and his family’s own personal expenses.
Within weeks and often days of receiving investor funds, Masselli quickly deposited them into and throughout a web of bank accounts he controlled, many of which were opened under names of fictitious corporate entities in an effort to conceal the source of the funds. After disguising the provenance of the investor funds, Masselli typically went to work quickly misappropriating the funds.
Masselli also opened multiple credit card accounts, made purchases on those accounts until he had almost reached or exceeded the credit limit, and then purported to send payments from accounts that he knew did not have sufficient funds to cover those payments. Before the fraudulent payments were rejected for insufficient funds, the credit card companies temporarily credited the accounts based on those payments, providing Masselli access to additional credit and allowing him to continue to make purchases. Masselli ultimately failed to pay the balances and the credit card companies sustained a loss. On two occasions, Masselli contacted the victim credit card companies falsely claiming that the accounts had been opened fraudulently by others who had stolen his personal identifiable information.
The bank fraud counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The wire fraud counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense. The securities fraud counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 8, 2024.
The SEC previously filed a civil complaint against Masselli based on the securities fraud conduct.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also expressed appreciation for the SEC Division of Enforcement, under the direction of Gurbir S. Grewal.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric A. Boden, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Office, and Alexander E. Ramey of the U.S. Attorney’s Trenton Office.
masselli.sindictment.pdfSerial Domestic Abuser Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Dominic Nathaniel Alexander, age 36, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The government had asked the Court to impose an increased sentence due to Alexander’s “striking pattern of violence,” which included “beating and choking multiple domestic partners.” In imposing the sentence at the top of the advisory range, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Hala Y. Jarbou remarked on “the seriousness of this offense” and Alexander’s history of “assaultive” conduct.
“Today’s sentence sends a message to both perpetrators and victims of domestic violence,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “To perpetrators: if you illegally possess a firearm, federal agents and prosecutors stand ready to investigate and prosecute you to the fullest extent permitted by law. To victims: we see you, and we hear your silent cries for help. Please know there is hope, and that you are not alone.”
According to sentencing materials filed by the government, Alexander’s history of violence stretches back for nearly a decade, and includes multiple occasions on which he beat, choked, and strangled multiple domestic partners. In addition, in 2018, Alexander was convicted of stabbing an unarmed man in the back and throat, reportedly causing permanent damage. In this case, Alexander pled guilty to illegally possessing a pistol and 117 rounds of ammunition.
“Dominic Alexander is a convicted felon and a serial domestic violence abuser who illegally possessed and sold an illegal firearm. Above all else, accountability matters,” said ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “Mr. Alexander is going to have a lot of free time to reflect on his consistent track record of illegal activity. Our community is a safer place today with Mr. Alexander off the streets.”
Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Across the nation and in Michigan domestic violence is a serious threat. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. Moreover, studies have shown that domestic violence perpetrators often use firearms to abuse and control their victims, who are five times as likely to be killed if their abuser has access to a firearm.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan has brought other cases to address the threat of domestic violence, as well. This past June, for example, the Office announced a 15-year sentence for Mitchell Pierce, 45, of Muskegon after he pleaded guilty to stalking and being a felon in possession of firearms. Pierce had threatened to torture and kill his ex-wife, as well as kill her children, other family members, and friends.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Castle.
If you are a victim of domestic violence, resources are available. To contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline, call 1-800-799-SAFE or text “START” to 88788. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911.
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San Mateo Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Crimes Including Coercing and Enticing Minors to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – San Mateo-based driving instructor Johnnatan Zelaya Izaguirre (Zelaya) was sentenced to serve 18 years in prison for coercing and enticing teenaged girls to produce child pornography and related crimes announced U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. William H. Orrick, United States District Judge.
Zelaya pleaded guilty to the charges on May 4, 2023. According to his plea agreement, Zelaya admitted that between November 2013 until January 4, 2022, he recruited minor girls—between the ages of 14 and 17 years old—to create sexually explicit images for posting online. Zelaya admitted that he had sex with at least two victims while they were minors and, on one occasion, filmed himself having sexual intercourse with a minor. He later distributed that video, depicting his sex acts with a minor, to a client knowing the minor was under 18 in the video.
Zelaya’s plea agreement describes how he recruited seven of his victims, using social media and in person. Online, he used social media accounts, including Instagram and Snapchat, to identify minor girls and to persuade them to produce sexually explicit content. In person, Zelaya used the driving school that he owned and operated to find students to recruit. When persuading his victims to create sexually explicit content, Zelaya offered to “manage” the sale of that content over social media. He told his victims about the content that customers wanted, how much the customers were willing to pay, and how much the minor should expect to make from videos, depending upon the type of video and whether they were nude or non-nude. At the time of his arrest on January 4, 2022, Zelaya had in his possession at least 41 videos and 10 photographs of the victims, as well as photos of additional unidentified girls.
On May 1, 2023, Zelaya was charged by superseding information with two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b); one count of receipt of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1); one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2); and one count of distribution of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1). Pursuant to his plea agreement, Zelaya pleaded guilty to all the charges.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Orrick also ordered Zelaya to serve 15 years of supervised release which will begin after his term of imprisonment. Zelaya was immediately remanded into custody.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Harding with assistance from Patricia Mahoney and Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Redwood City Police Department with assistance from the California State Department of Motor Vehicles, the Atherton Police Department, and the Burlingame Police Department.
Saginaw Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempting to Purchase Kilograms of Cocaine from Under Cover Federal AgentRead the Press Release
BAY CITY — Daniel Marin, 47, of Saginaw was sentenced last week to 11 years and 8 months in federal prison for his role in attempting to purchase 17 kilograms of cocaine from an undercover federal agent, U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Angie Salazar, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Ludington imposed sentence on Marin following his guilty plea to attempting to possess with the intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine.
According to court documents, during the summer of 2020, Marin and two other men planned to obtain a large quantity of cocaine for distribution throughout the Saginaw-Bay area. In furtherance of the plan, Marin contacted a person whom he thought was a narcotics broker in Mexico. In reality, however, the “narcotics broker” was an undercover HSI special agent. Marin subsequently negotiated the purchase of 17 kilograms of cocaine from the undercover agent for $34,000 per kilogram. On September 3, 2020, Marin and his two co-defendants traveled to a hotel in Flint to purchase the 17 kilograms of cocaine. Marin met with the undercover agent and verified the presence of the cocaine while his two co-defendants waited in the parking lot with the money. After verifying that the undercover agent had the cocaine, Marin went to the parking lot to retrieve the money from his co-defendants. HSI agents arrested the three men and seized over $500,000 in cash from them.
“Our office, along with our state and federal law enforcement partners, will continue to hold those individuals to account who seek to import illegal drugs into our country and communities,” said U.S Attorney Ison.
“Drug traffickers who poison our communities should expect to face justice here in Michigan,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “Our agents and partners will continue to identify, disrupt and dismantle these drug trafficking organizations wherever we find them."
This investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the FBI, Detroit Police Department, and Michigan State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Turkelson and Katharine Hemann.
Richmond Woman Charged with Defrauding Tongan Community in $13 Million Stockton-Based International Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 30-count indictment on Sept. 14, 2023, against Tilila Siola’a Walker Sumchai, 61, of Richmond, charging her with wire fraud, mail fraud, securities fraud, and the sale of unregistered securities, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between January 2021 and October 2021, Walker Sumchai orchestrated a scheme to defraud investors in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand from her Stockton office. Claiming to use a secret algorithm, Walker Sumchai solicited Tongan investors and promised them that if they gave her money to purchase shares of the “Tongi Tupe” investment program, she would invest the money, and they would receive their principal investments back and thousands of dollars in returns within weeks or months. She also promised investors that if they gave her $30,000, within months they would receive a home in Lodi worth approximately $480,000. Instead, she took investors’ money and used it for her own personal expenses, including gambling, and used it to pay back and lull earlier investors. More than 1,000 investors invested over $13 million with Walker Sumchai.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee S. Bickley is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of mail fraud or wire fraud, Walker Sumchai faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conviction. If convicted of securities fraud, Walker Sumchai faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine. If convicted of the remaining securities-related counts in the indictment, Walker Sumchai faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine for each count of conviction. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The FBI is seeking to identify possible victims of Tilila Siola’a Walker Sumchai. If you believe that you were victimized by Walker Sumchai or have information relevant to this investigation, please complete the online form available at https://www.fbi.gov/tongitupevictims.
walker_sumchai_indictment.pdfReadout of Justice Department Officials' Trip to Ghana and Togo to Advance West Africa Consumer Fraud InitiativeRead the Press Release
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Arun G. Rao and Deputy Director Richard Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch (CPB), together with colleagues from CPB and the FBI, met Sept. 11 to 15 with various key law enforcement partners to advance CPB’s West Africa Consumer Fraud Initiative in Ghana and Togo and combat fraud schemes originating in western Africa or facilitated by criminal enterprises operating in the region.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Rao (front row, center, right), EOCO Deputy Director, Intelligence and Monitoring, Aba Opoku (front row, center, left), Assistant Legal Attaché Justin Nwadiashi (front row, right), and other officials from the Justice Department, FBI and EOCO meet at EOCO headquarters in Accra, Ghana.Meetings in Ghana took place with the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), the Office of the Special Prosecutor, the Office of the Attorney General, the National Intelligence Bureau, the Ghana Police Service, the Financial Intelligence Centre, the Ghana Immigration Service and the Ghana Revenue Authority.Meetings in Ghana took place with the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), the Office of the Special Prosecutor, the Office of the Attorney General, the National Intelligence Bureau, the Ghana Police Service, the Financial Intelligence Centre, the Ghana Immigration Service and the Ghana Revenue Authority.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Rao (left), Director of Administration, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Solomon Ayawine (right), Assistant Legal Attaché Justin Nwadiashi (third from left) and other officials from the Justice Department, FBI and the Ghana Police Service meet at the Ghana Police Service (GPS) headquarters in Accra, Ghana to discuss transnational cyber-enabled fraud.Meetings in Togo took place with La Direction Générale de la Police Nationale (National Police, Inspector General), Brigade de la Renseignement d’investigations (Investigations and Intelligence Brigade), Direction Centrale de la Police Judicaire (Judicial Police), Direction Générale de la Documentation Nationale (National Documentation Director), Office Central de Répression du Trafic Illicite des Drogues et du Blanchiment (Anti-Drug Trafficking and Anti-Money Laundering – AHTU/AML Office) and La Cellule National de Traitement d’Information Financielle (The National Financial Intelligence Unit).
In their meetings in Ghana, the parties discussed strengthening cooperation and collaboration on parallel investigations and providing training assistance. In addition, CPB and FBI officials shared valuable insights and lessons learned related to the investigation and prosecution of cases involving fraud and public corruption.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Rao (center), Director of the Strategy, Research, and Communications Division of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Sammy Darko (center, left), Assistant Legal Attaché Justin Nwadiashi (center, right) and other officials from the Justice Department, FBI and the Office of the Special Prosecutor meet at the headquarters of the Office of the Special Prosecutor in Accra, Ghana.In their meeting with EOCO, the parties discussed ways to build upon prior joint successes combating transnational organized crime schemes and romance fraud, including through reducing the time it takes to share evidence and how the department can further assist EOCO prosecutions in Ghana and facilitate asset forfeiture and recovery.
In Togo, the parties discussed the initiation and continuation of joint efforts to combat cyber-enabled fraud originating in or affecting Togo. They focused on aligning priorities and exploring strategies for improving lines of communication and information-sharing mechanisms.
The CPB’s West Africa Consumer Fraud Initiative seeks to address fraud schemes, including romance scams that often target elderly and vulnerable U.S. victims, pandemic relief fraud, unemployment insurance fraud and business email compromise scams, originating in western Africa (or facilitated by criminal enterprises operating in the region), with a focus on both perpetrators and money launderers. In 2022, the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel database received romance scam reports from nearly 70,000 people, with losses of $1.3 billion. That same year, the FBI received over 21,000 complaints of business email compromise schemes, with losses of $2.7 billion.
In addition to prosecuting criminal elder fraud cases, CPB provides guidance to U.S. Attorneys' Offices, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service on fraud investigations with links to the region.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Rao (left), Brigade de Renseignement d’Investigations (BRI) Police Commissioner Papa M. MENSAVI (right), and other officials from the Justice Department, FBI and La Police Nationale meet at the headquarters of La Police Nationale in Lomé, Togo, to discuss law enforcement collaboration. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Rao (center), Inspector General of Police in Togo Colonel Yaovi Okpaoul (left) and other officials from the Justice Department, FBI and La Police Nationale meet at the headquarters of La Police Nationale in Lomé, Togo, to discuss international law enforcement priorities.Pottsville Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Accessing the Snapchat Accounts of Dozens of Female Victims and Selling Their Private Photographs for Financial GainRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Brandon B. Boyer, age 34, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today before United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to the computer hacking offense of obtaining information from protected computers.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the criminal Information to which Boyer pleaded guilty alleges that for a two-year period from February 2020 to February 2022, Boyer unlawfully accessed the computers of dozens of adult female victims in order to search for and obtain nude photographs that he could then sell. More specifically, Boyer acknowledged accessing victims’ Snapchat accounts at the behest of “clients” who paid him to break into the accounts and obtain the images. Boyer admitted that he accomplished this, in part, through use of an app that allowed him to send text messages to victims posing as a Snapchat representative. Through a technique known as “phishing,” Boyer then coaxed the victims into changing their passwords and sending him the verification codes that were generated. This allowed him to then access the accounts.
Boyer agreed that the monetary loss attributable to his conduct was between $40,000 and $95,000.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Philadelphia Division. U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Possession of Methamphetamine Leads to Federal Prison Sentence of 22+ Years for Ethel ManRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Eric Martin, 36, of Ethel, Louisiana, was sentenced today for possession of methamphetamine announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays sentenced Martin to 274 months (22 years, 10 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Martin was charged in an indictment in January 2023 with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to evidence presented to the court, on July 13, 2022, members of the Evangeline Parish Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for speeding and the driver and lone occupant was identified as Martin. During the traffic stop, law enforcement officers observed the odor of marijuana emitting from inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle. After being advised of his Miranda rights, Martin was questioned by officers. Martin admitted that marijuana could be located inside a blue backpack located on the front passenger seat of the vehicle.
A search of the vehicle was conducted, and officers located approximately 26 grams of marijuana on the front passenger seat. In addition, approximately 18 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine was found on the back seat of the vehicle, within the reach of Martin. A presumptive test of the suspected methamphetamine returned a positive result for the presence of methamphetamine. The suspected methamphetamine was sent to the DEA laboratory for testing and had a result indicating the substance had a net weight of 16.96 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Martin has a criminal history including convictions for negligent homicide and accessory after the fact to aggravated second degree battery.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Evangeline Parish Sheriff's Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaDonte A. Murphy and Craig R. Bordelon.
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Pittsburg County Resident Pleads Guilty to Murder, Assault, and Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Darius Alexander Presley, age 22, of McAlester, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to charges related to a December 2022 shooting that left one dead and one seriously wounded.
At the plea hearing, Presley entered a guilty plea to one count of Murder in Indian Country, one count of Assault with the Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country, one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
According to investigators, on December 2, 2022, Presley shot two individuals at a McAlester residence before leaving in a victim’s car. Deputies responding to reports of gunshots arrived at the residence to discover one victim deceased and the second seriously wounded. At the time of the offense, Presley, a felon, was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a state court conviction. The crimes occurred in Pittsburg County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Presley will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Howanitz and Michael Robinson represented the United States.
Oswego County Woman Sentenced to 24 Months for Stealing Her Deceased Son’s Disability BenefitsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Lisa Waldron, age 44, of Palermo, New York, was sentenced today to serve 24 months (two years) in federal prison for her conviction on charges of theft of government property, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Sharon B. MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office (SSA-OIG).
As part of her previously entered guilty plea, Waldron admitted that for years she acted as the representative payee for her disabled minor son, Jordan Brooks, who was receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. A representative payee is a person or organization who receives Social Security benefits on another person’s behalf and is required to ensure the benefits are used only to support the beneficiary. Waldron also admitted that despite being legally required to use the benefits for Brooks’s care, Waldron used the money to pay for unrelated expenses.
Based in part on Waldron’s neglect of Brooks, he died on May 9, 2021. In July 2023, in a case brought by the Oswego County District Attorney’s Office, Waldron pled guilty to manslaughter and assault charges related to her involvement in Brooks’s death.
After Brooks died, Waldron failed to notify the SSA of the death and continued to receive SSI benefits intended for Brooks despite knowing she was not entitled to them. During that period, Waldron continued to spend Brooks’s SSI benefits to pay her own expenses including fast food purchases and a trip to Myrtle Beach. Finally, in April 2022, SSA independently discovered the issue and terminated Brooks’s benefits. This prosecution followed.
In addition to imposing Waldron’s sentence to run consecutively (in addition to) to her anticipated state sentence, Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed a three-year term of post-release supervision and ordered Waldron to pay $13,292.76 in restitution—with $5,948.06 of that going to SSA and $7,344.70 being paid to the Crime Victims Fund.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Tuck.
New Jersey Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Transport AliensRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Juhi Khubani, age 48, of New Jersey, pled guilty today to conspiring to transport seven aliens.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement.
Khubani admitted that on June 3, 2023, she drove in an SUV to the U.S. side of the international border with Canada in Chateaugay, New York. Shortly after, seven Indian citizens who had just crossed into the U.S. illegally from Canada got into the SUV. Khubani then drove the aliens away from the border. Border Patrol agents then stopped the SUV and arrested its occupants. Khubani admitted that she expected to be paid for transporting the aliens.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 18, 2023, before Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe. Khubani faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
Border Patrol investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal is prosecuting this case.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for PPP Loan Fraud, Money Laundering, and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ANTRUM COSTON, 41, of New Haven, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 37 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for fraud, money laundering, and drug offenses.
In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2021, Coston applied for and subsequently received two PPP loans, totaling $41,666, purportedly in relation to a cleaning business he operated. In association with the loan applications, Coston made multiple false statements, including that his business was established in 2018 when, in fact, no cleaning business associated with Coston had been formed in 2018, and that the business had total gross income for 2019 of $114,658 when, in fact, the business had not earned such income, and Coston was incarcerated for all of 2019. In February 2022, Coston sought forgiveness of both loans, falsely asserting in each instance that the funds had been spent on payroll costs.
On December 31, 2021, police stopped a car Coston was driving in West Haven. After initially stopping, Coston drove off, nearly striking the officer as he fled. Coston was found hiding in a parking lot a short distance away. A search of vehicle and person revealed distribution quantities of heroin/fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine, and more than $2,000 in cash. A related search of Coston’s residence revealed a ballistic vest, $2,790 in cash, a small quantity of crack, and narcotics paraphernalia.
On December 20, 2022, Coston pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Coston, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on November 29.
Coston’s criminal history includes multiple convictions, including two federal convictions. In 2004, Coston was convicted in federal court of possession of a firearm by a felon. He was sentenced to 37 months of imprisonment for that offense, and, in June 2007, received an additional 18 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release. In December 2017, Coston was sentenced to 40 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for gun and drug offenses. He was released from federal prison in April 2020, and was on supervised release when he committed the PPP loan fraud, money laundering and drug possession offenses.
This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the Bureau of Alcohol. Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the West Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer R. Laraia.
Individuals with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
New Central Ohio Crime Gun Intelligence Center Opens in ColumbusRead the Press Release
Alongside state leadership and local partners in Columbus, Ohio, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced today the opening of a new Central Ohio Regional Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC). These centralized law enforcement hubs focus exclusively on investigating and preventing gun violence in local communities. They bring together, under one roof, the expertise of firearm evidence examiners, intelligence analysts, and investigators to rapidly collect, analyze, and share information about guns used in violent crimes. This is the second CGIC now running in the state of Ohio and one of more than 60 operated by ATF nationwide.
“Across the country, Crime Gun Intelligence Centers — like the one announced today in Columbus — have proven to be uniquely effective tools for solving violent crimes, bringing repeat shooters to justice, and reducing the rate of gun violence,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The intelligence they produce and the collaboration they facilitate represent the best of what federal law enforcement can achieve for public safety when we harness our resources and work hand-in-hand with our state and local law-enforcement partners. The more communities in America that have ready access to a Crime Gun Intelligence Center, the safer our nation will be.”
“As we have in so many cities and states around the country, ATF has partnered with state and local leaders to use crime gun intelligence to help catch the most violent offenders,” said ATF Director Steven Dettelbach. “We are thrilled with the progress that has been made in Ohio and look forward to a long and successful partnership fighting violent crime.”
The centerpiece of ATF-led CGICs are eTrace and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is ATF’s network of millions of ballistic images captured from crime scenes across the nation. NIBIN plays a crucial investigative role in solving shootings. When a shooting takes place, ATF’s NIBIN technology evaluates whether the shell casings recovered from that shooting matches with the shell casings expelled at another shooting that took place at another time and place. eTrace is ATF’s crime gun tracing program. When law enforcement recovers a firearm associated with a criminal investigation, they submit that firearm’s information to ATF to trace it back to the first retail sale. At their core, CGICs develop actionable intelligence leads through the use of NIBIN and eTrace. As a result, multiple shootings can be tied together, whether they happened in the same neighborhood or hundreds of miles apart, and shooters can be identified more quickly.
“The new Central Ohio Crime Gun Intelligence Center represents the next generation in intelligence-based policing, and it is unlike anything that has ever been done in Central Ohio before,” said Ohio Governor Mark DeWine. “The teams taking part in this large-scale and long-term collaboration are sharing everything from intelligence and investigative leads to technology and manpower so that they can zero in on the people who are shooting and killing others without remorse. Gun violence is about to become much, much harder to get away with in Central Ohio.”
Housed within the Ohio Department of Public Safety, the Central Ohio CGIC is operated in partnership between ATF, the Columbus Division of Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center, and Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
The Central Ohio CGIC began operations in July and is available to assist law enforcement agencies throughout the region free of charge. Since its initial launch, teams have connected multiple shootings that occurred in Columbus this summer to other crimes committed several years ago, including crimes that took place in other parts of the state.
“The Crime Gun Intelligence Center is precisely what we need to further empower our officers to capture and prosecute those responsible for perpetrating gun violence in our communities,” said Mayor Andrew J. Ginther of the City of Columbus. “This is about tapping into the power of collaboration to strengthen accountability and secure justice – using our combined resources to connect the guns being used to kill, maim, and commit crimes with the individuals who wield or peddle them in the first place.”
“Concentrated, collaborative efforts like this CGIC can have a real impact on reducing the level of violence in our cities,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “Federal firearms laws can be punished by up to 10 years in prison. We will not hesitate to use those laws when appropriate to hold accountable those who use firearms to commit acts of violence in our communities.”
Additional agencies that will support the Central Ohio CGIC include the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
ATF continues to work with their state, local, and Tribal law enforcement partners around the country to open more Crime Gun Intelligence Centers.
Missouri Residents Asked to Be on the Lookout for Firearms Stolen from Potosi StoreRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Federal and local authorities are asking the public to look out for rifles and shotguns that were stolen from a farm and home store in Washington County, Missouri in 2021. One was recently recovered in St. Louis County.
Gregory Snyder, 44, of Bismarck, in St. Francois County, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on July 26 on two felony charges: theft of 13 firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer and possession of body armor by a violent felon. The indictment accuses Snyder of stealing firearms from Dickey Bub Farm & Home on September 19 and 20 of 2021, and of possessing body armor on Sept. 20.
A motion seeking to have Snyder held in jail until trial says he was captured on video hiding in the store until closing time, when he emerged and stole a variety of items, including shotguns and rifles. One of the stolen firearms was recovered in June 2023 in Caledonia, Missouri. Police recovered another shotgun in St. Louis County following a traffic stop.
“We’re alerting the public to the existence of these stolen guns because we want gun buyers to be cautious and protect themselves against buying a stolen firearm,” said Potosi Police Chief Michael Gum. “One of the stolen shotguns was recovered only after an unsuspecting buyer purchased it from a pawn shop. If you have purchased one of these firearms, or even want to check if a gun is stolen, please contact your local police or sheriff’s department,” Chief Gum said.
The following firearms were stolen:
- American Tactical Omni Hybrid 5.56/.223 rifle, serial # NS308985
- Ruger American .243 Win. rifle, serial # 699-51880
- Savage Model 11 .243 Win. rifle, serial # K832564
- Smith & Wesson M&P 15 5.56 NATO rifle, serial # TS40690
- Smith & Wesson M&P 15 5.56 NATO rifle, serial # TS44864
- Smith & Wesson M&P 15 5.56 NATO rifle, serial # TT81658
- Springfield Armory Saint 5.56/.223 rifle, serial # ST461190
- Springfield Armory Saint 5.56/.223 rifle, serial # ST469640
- Francolin Boss-25 12-gauge shotgun, serial # 21-13942
- Francolin Warthog 12-gauge shotgun, serial # 21WH-1149
- Mossberg 510 Mini 20-gauge shotgun, serial # V1312970
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Potosi Police Department are investigating the case. Anyone with information is asked to contact the ATF at 314-768-3120 or online at www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips or the Potosi Police at 573-438-5468.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj is prosecuting the case.
Charges set forth in an indictment or a criminal complaint are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Man Who Robbed Hartford Credit Union Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ZAIQWAN FOTHERGILL, 21, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for robbing a Hartford credit union last year.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 29, 2022, Fothergill, armed with a .40 caliber ghost gun, robbed the Cencap Federal Credit Union, located at 2775 Main Street in Hartford, of $24,214. Fothergill’s associate, Hakeem Robinson, stood watch in the credit union during the robbery. Hartford Police officers located and arrested Fothergill and Robinson in Keney Park in Hartford shortly after the robbery.
On February 2, 2023, Fothergill pleaded guilty to armed bank robbery.
Robinson, 28, of Hartford, pleaded guilty to the same charge and, on May 8, 2023, was sentenced to 56 months of imprisonment.
Fothergill and Robinson have been detained since their arrests.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Connecticut Violent Crime Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Leaming and Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.
Lake City Man Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis today sentenced Steven Russell Statham II (27, Lake City) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine. Statham had pleaded guilty on September 6, 2022.
According to court documents, a confidential source told a DEA Special Agent that he had purchased crystal methamphetamine from Statham approximately four times, buying three ounces (approximately 84 grams) each time. He also said he had seen Statham sell methamphetamine to others.
On September 15, 2021, the confidential source and an undercover detective met with Statham in Lake City and drove with him to meet one of his drug suppliers. After the undercover detective gave Statham the cash to purchase the methamphetamine, Statham met with his supplier and then gave the detective approximately 85.11 grams of pure methamphetamine.
Two weeks later, on September 29, 2021, the undercover detective and the confidential source met with Statham in Lake City again to coordinate the purchase of more methamphetamine. After being supplied with cash to purchase the drugs, Statham met with his drug source and then supplied the detective and the confidential source with approximately 167.73 grams of pure methamphetamine.
On November 18, 2021, a sergeant from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office pulled over a car that Statham was driving which had license plates that were not assigned to the car. During the traffic stop, a law enforcement canine positively alerted on the car, indicating the presence of drugs. Officers recovered a bag from the car that contained approximately 21.4 grams of crystal methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Columbia County Drug Task Force, the North Star Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force, the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
La Crosse Woman Sentenced to 20 Months for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine & FentanylRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Paige Roberts, 25, La Crosse, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 20 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. This prison term will be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Roberts pleaded guilty to this charge on May 11, 2023.
The La Crosse Police Department began their investigation of Roberts and her co- defendant, Raphiel Kuntu, in January 2022, after a housekeeper at a hotel located a significant amount of controlled substances in a hotel room rented by Roberts. Roberts took ownership of the substances only after Kuntu left the scene, and after she flushed other controlled substances down a toilet. During the course of this investigation, police utilized a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine and fentanyl from Kuntu on two occasions. In April 2022, officers executed a search warrant at a residence Roberts shared with Kuntu. In their shared bedroom, officers recovered approximately 21 pounds of methamphetamine and 2.5 pounds of fentanyl, along with other controlled substances and a loaded firearm.
A search of Roberts’s and Kuntu’s cellphones revealed Roberts was aware of and assisted Kuntu with his drug dealing. Kuntu previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Kuntu was sentenced by Judge Peterson on August 9, 2023 to 12 years in prison.
At sentencing Judge Peterson stated that a 20-month sentenced held Roberts accountable for her role in the drug dealing conspiracy, which he said Roberts “embraced.” Judge Peterson also considered Roberts’s good performance on pre-trial supervision in fashioning a sentence.
The charges against Roberts and Kuntu are the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus handled the prosecution.
Kentucky Man Sentenced to 84 Months for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. — A Kentucky man, Michael Wayne Henderson, 51, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Gregory VanTatenhove, for failure to register as a sex offender.
According to evidence presented at trial, Henderson has repeatedly failed to register as a sex offender. In 2002, he was convicted in Perry County, Indiana for Deviate Criminal Sexual Conduct. As a result, for the rest of his life, Henderson is required to register as a sex offender in the state in which he lives, works, or goes to school. Henderson initially faced charges for failing to register in 2009 after moving to the Eastern District of Kentucky. Henderson was convicted by a jury and sentenced to 10 years in prison and placed on supervised release for life. In 2019, Henderson was incarcerated because he again failed to register, in violation of the terms of his supervised release. After his release from prison, Henderson traveled back to Kentucky, but again failed to register as required. A jury convicted Henderson in March 2023 for his most recent failure to register.
Under federal law, Henderson must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Jeremy Honaker, Acting U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Kentucky, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
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Jury convicts Virginia man of attempted sex trafficking of minor in undercover investigation in BillingsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A federal jury today convicted a Virginia man of attempting to solicit a minor for sex during an undercover investigation in Billings, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
After a two-day trial that began in Missoula on Sept. 18, the jury found Mark Samuel Baker, 57, of Gore, Virginia, guilty of attempted sex trafficking of a minor as charged in an indictment. Baker faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date will be set. Baker was detained pending further proceedings.
“Baker got caught in an undercover sting when he tried to arrange to have commercial sex with an individual he thought was a minor under 16. His conduct exploits children and contributes to the scourge of sex trafficking, which our office will continue to aggressively prosecute. I want to thank Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno B. Baucus and Kelsey A. Sabol and the FBI, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Billings Police Department for their investigation and prosecution of this case,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
In court documents and during trial, the government alleged that from July 11, 2022 to July 13, 2022, Baker knowingly attempted to recruit and solicit a minor to engage in commercial sex. During the investigation, an undercover officer used the internet to post an advertisement purporting to be a female escort who was the minimum allowed posting age of 18. About six hours later, the undercover agent received a message in response to the ad from a phone number later identified to be Baker’s. Law enforcement responded on July 12, 2022 asking if Baker wanted “a date.” Law enforcement and Baker communicated over the next two days. One of the exchanges included: Law enforcement asks, “Are u ok if I’m not 18.” Baker responds, “Yes as long as you are ok I’m 49.” Law enforcement writes, “I’m almost 16 if ur cool w that.”
Baker and the undercover discussed how much time $80 would buy, and Baker said he wanted sex with the undercover officer. Baker also sent pictures of the cash he would use and of himself. They then made plans to meet in Billings and go to Baker’s hotel. Law enforcement arrested Baker on July 13, 2022 when he showed up at the designated time. A call was then placed to the phone number law enforcement had been texting, and a smartphone in Baker’s vehicle lit up with the undercover’s number. Law enforcement found $375 in cash, a hotel passkey and four condoms on Baker’s person.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno B. Baucus and Kelsey A. Sabol are prosecuting the case. The FBI, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Joplin Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography over the internet.
Mark Comer, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 18 years in federal prison without parole. Comer will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
On March 23, 2023, Comer pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography.
Law enforcement officers searched Comer’s laptop in July 2022 as part of an investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse. Investigators found thousands of photos and videos of child pornography and child exploitative material.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force, the FBI, and the Carl Junction, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Joplin Man Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping Conspiracy, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a kidnapping conspiracy that resulted in the death of the victim.
Freddie Lewis Tilton, also known as “Ol’ Boy,” 50, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
By pleading guilty today, Tilton admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to kidnap the victim, identified as “M.H.,” in July 2020. Co-defendants Carla Jo Ward, 49, of Joplin, James B. Gibson, 41, of Neosho, Mo., Amy Kay Thomas, 40, of Webb City, Mo., Lawrence William Vaughan, also known as “Scary Larry,” 52, of Newton County, Mo., and Russell Eugene Hurtt, also known as “Uncle,” 51, of Greenwood, Mo., have previously pleaded guilty.
According to the plea agreement, Ward picked up M.H., whom she knew was being sought by Tilton, and took him to Vaughan’s residence. Tilton, Thomas, and Gibson arrived at Vaughan’s residence in the early morning hours of July 15, 2020. They bound M.H.’s hands with handcuffs, and duct tape was placed around his mouth and other parts of his body. Gibson, Thomas, and others assaulted M.H. for a period of time. M.H. was cut, beaten, shot at, and burned with a blowtorch. As M.H. became bloody, Vaughan placed a plastic tarp on the floor. Tilton fatally shot M.H. in the head. They wrapped M.H.’s body in plastic wrap and transported it to Hurtt’s property.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hurtt’s property on July 28, 2020, based on information that a deceased body was located on the acreage. When officers attempted to contact the occupants of the residence, Tilton fired multiple shots from inside the residence at the officers. Tilton was apprehended.
Officers found M.H.’s body on the property. Officers searched the residence and found a Rigarmi .25-caliber pistol, an Ithaca .22-caliber rifle, a Remington .22-caliber rifle without a serial number, a Harrington and Richardson 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger 9mm handgun, and a Taurus 9mm handgun without a serial number.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Tilton has two prior felony convictions for burglary, two prior felony convictions for larceny of an automobile, and prior felony convictions for stealing, possession of a controlled substance, burglary of an automobile, possession of a chemical with intent to manufacture, receiving stolen property, unlawful use of a weapon, theft, and tampering.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ami Harshad Miller and James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the FBI, the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Neosho, Mo., Police Department, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, and the Cherokee County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force
This effort 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Jefferson County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Groves man has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking drugs in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Dustin Joseph Collins, 40, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
According to information presented in court, on November 9, 2021, Collins was stopped by law enforcement officers on Highway 69 southbound to Port Arthur. During the stop, a police canine alerted on the vehicle causing Collins to flee the scene. Collins ran across the freeway through traffic before being apprehended. A search of Collins’ vehicle revealed a backpack with over 231 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Port Arthur Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Anderson.
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Indictment Charges Bridgeport Man with Drug Distribution and Firearm Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, and Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned a two-count indictment charging JONATHAN BONAPARTE, 35, of Bridgeport, with drug distribution and firearm possession offenses.
The indictment was returned on September 7, 2023. Bonaparte appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and entered a plea of not guilty. He has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on March 31, 2022.
The indictment alleges that on March 31, 2022, Bonaparte possessed fentanyl and cocaine that he intended to distribute, six firearms, and approximately 100 rounds of ammunition. The indictment further alleges that Bonaparte’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for robbery and firearm offenses.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The indictment charges Bonaparte with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. A charge is only an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation has been conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF), and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins, through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Husband and Wife Charged with Multimillion-Dollar Gift Card Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Ivan J. Arvelo, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging XULIANG HOU and YUNA LIN with conspiring to commit wire fraud. HOU and LIN were arrested yesterday and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For nearly two years, Xuliang Hou, Yuna Lin, and their co‑conspirators allegedly engaged in a brazen scheme to obtain gift card information from their victims through lies. As alleged, they used those gift cards to purchase millions of dollars’ worth of products, including electronic devices. Thanks to the skillful investigative work of HSI and the dedication of the prosecutors of this Office, the defendants’ alleged scheme will be put to an end.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo said: “The defendants, along with their co-conspirators, stand accused of swindling victims out of millions of dollars across multiple states over the course of several years. HSI New York remains steadfast in our commitment to thwart criminal organizations seeking to undermine the integrity of American businesses and the stability of our financial system.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment:[1]
From July 2020 through at least May 2022, XULIANG HOU and YUNA LIN carried out a scheme in which victims were induced, under false pretenses, to purchase gift cards redeemable at certain stores. The scheme’s perpetrators used those cards to purchase millions of dollars’ worth of various products, including electronic devices.
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HOU, 32, and LIN, 30, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey W. Coyle and Benjamin M. Burkett are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Hughes County Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Donald Paul Griggs, age 56, of Holdenville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 194 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Seminole Police Department, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Department, and the Hughes County Sheriff’s Department.
On August 10, 2022, Griggs pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. According to investigators, on March 31, 2022, Griggs led law enforcement on a highspeed chase, forced another vehicle off the road, crashed, and attempted to flee on foot. During the chase, Griggs discarded over 21 pounds of pure methamphetamine before he was apprehended and arrested by officers.
“Those who distribute drugs do so for one purpose, to make a profit,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge, Eduardo A. Chávez, who oversees operations in Oklahoma. “Today, Mr. Griggs is being held accountable for his actions. The DEA will never stop seeking justice for those who prey on others’ addictions.”
“Methamphetamine continues to plague our communities,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Drug traffickers transporting and distributing illegal narcotics in the Eastern District will be investigated and aggressively prosecuted.”
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Griggs will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Hudson County Man Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Role in Gang AssaultRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A member of a neighborhood street gang in Hudson County, New Jersey, was sentenced to 90 months in prison for stabbing a rival gang member during a retaliatory gang-related assault, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Sheldon Mays, aka “Thottie,” 23, of Jersey City, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to an information charging him with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon – a knife – in aid of racketeering. Judge McNulty imposed the sentence on Sept. 18, 2023, in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Aug. 3, 2020, Mays and seven others, all of whom are associated with a street gang operating in and around the Curries Woods Public Housing Complex in Jersey City – identified as “Curries Woods” or the “Tay Tay Shrimp Gang” or the “Sharks” – assaulted a rival gang member in retaliation for a prior gang-related assault. As the victim was walking down a street in Jersey City, Mays and the others approached in two cars, parked in the middle of the street, and violently assaulted the victim, who was punched, kicked, and stabbed by Mays, and suffered life-threatening injuries.
In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty sentenced Mays to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea; the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez; and the Hudson County Department of Corrections with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
Hardeman County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal judge delivered sentencing in the case of a Hardeman County man convicted of firearm charges. Fabian Bills, 34, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson also ordered Bills to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the sentence today.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force.
According to information presented in court, on May 6, 2022, a deputy in the Madison County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop of a Nissan Maxima. Upon approaching the passenger’s side of the vehicle, the officer noticed the smell of marijuana coming from inside the car. The officer asked the driver for permission to search the vehicle; the passenger identified himself as Fabian Bills. The officer discovered a loaded 9mm handgun tucked underneath the front passenger seat. Bills admitted ownership of the firearm and stated that he had prior felony convictions. Bills was arrested and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. This firearm was later matched by a forensic firearms examiner to two prior shootings.
Based on this, a federal criminal complaint was issued against Bills and on May 27, 2022, a Federal Bureau of Investigations Task Force officer executed the resulting arrest warrant. Additional firearms were recovered from Bills’s vehicle when he was arrested, including an Omni 300 Blackout AR15 and a loaded Taurus G2C 9mm handgun.
In August 2023, Bills pled guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Because the Court found the defendant committed prior violent acts with one of these firearms, he was subject to enhanced punishment at sentencing. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Christie Hopper, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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Guatemalan Resident Indicted on Charge of Violating Federal Immigration LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Guatemala, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal immigration laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Alexander Mendez-Marroquin, 32, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, on or about August 20, 2023, Mendez-Marroquin was located in Pittsburgh and taken into custody by Department of Homeland Security agents after knowingly illegally reentering the United States as a previously removed alien.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Georgia Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud Conspiracy, and Aiding in the Filing of False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Stanley Worthy Jr., 41, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Christopher Boyko after earlier pleading guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aiding in the filing of false tax returns. Worthy was also ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release and pay $2,935,933.35 in restitution jointly and severally with co-defendants. A special assessment of $4,200 was also ordered by the court.
Worthy pleaded guilty on June 1, 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, five counts of wire fraud, and 36 counts of aiding and abetting in the filing of false tax returns to the IRS. The court sentenced Worthy to 60 months for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud and sentenced Worthy to 36 months for aiding in the filing of false tax returns, all sentences to run concurrently.
According to court documents from 2019 to 2020 Worthy and his co-conspirators used the Soamazin Automotive car dealership, in Warrensville Heights, Ohio to purchase stolen vehicles at a discount, and sell those vehicles to unsuspecting buyers for profit. In furtherance of the conspiracy, the defendants devised a scheme to have individuals apply for loans to fund the purchase of non-existent vehicles. The conspirators split the loan proceeds between themselves and the applicant. Worthy recruited applicants from clients of his company, Cavalier Care, which offered tax preparation services and financial education services. From 2017 to 2020, Worthy fraudulently prepared 35 tax returns for others to increase their tax refunds causing a loss of approximately $211,737 to the United States.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) and the FBI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Abreu and Payum Doroodian.
Former Investment Banker and Registered Broker Pleads Guilty to Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Rashawn Russell pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to defraud clients of the R3 Crypto Fund, a purported cryptocurrency investment fund operated by Russell. Russell also pleaded guilty for his role in a separate identity-theft scheme in which he fraudulently obtained credit cards and other access devices in the names of third parties. Today’s plea took place before United States Magistrate Judge Sanket J. Bulsara. When sentenced, Russell faces up to 30 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, Russell will be required to pay restitution in the amount of more than $1.5 million.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Eric Shen, Inspector-in-Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Criminal Investigations Group (USPIS), announced the guilty plea.
“Russell leveraged investor interest in cryptocurrency markets to perpetrate a scheme to defraud clients who trusted him,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. “The swift conviction in this case underscores this Office’s commitment to holding bad actors in the digital asset markets accountable.”
“The Postal Inspection Service proudly protects Americans from ever-evolving threats of fraud,” stated USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Shen. “This case showcases our dedication to bring to justice those who violate their fiduciary duty to their clients.”
According to court filings and facts presented during the plea hearing, between November 2020 and August 2022, Russell, a former investment banker and registered broker with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, engaged in a scheme to defraud investors into his R3 Crypto Fund by falsely promising that, among other things, he would use their funds to make cryptocurrency investments that would return large, and sometimes guaranteed, returns. In truth, much of the investors’ assets were misappropriated by Russell and used for his personal benefit, to gamble, and to repay earlier investors. Through Russell’s scheme, at least 29 investors lost at least $1.5 million.
In a separate fraud scheme, between September 2021 and June 2023, Russell fraudulently obtained more than fifteen credit cards and other access devices in the names of third parties. Russell obtained these devices with the intent to use them to complete unauthorized transactions.
The government’s case is being handled by the Business and Securities Fraud Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Drew Rolle, Trial Attorney Kyle Crawford, and Assistant Chief Scott Armstrong are prosecuting the case.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov.
The Defendant:
RASHAWN RUSSELL
Age: 27
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-152
Former Congressman Sentenced to 22 Months in Prison for Insider TradingRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that STEPHEN BUYER, a former Indiana Congressman, was sentenced today to 22 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman. BUYER was previously convicted following trial of four counts of securities fraud for engaging in two insider trading schemes.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Stephen Buyer was convicted by a jury of twice engaging in insider trading. He abused positions of trust for illicit personal gain, and today he faced justice for those acts. No insider trader is above the law, and we will continue to bring those who undermine the fairness and integrity of our markets to justice.”
According to the Indictment, evidence presented during trial, court documents, and statements made in open court:
In 2018 and 2019, BUYER engaged in two separate, but interrelated insider trading schemes to steal material non-public information that he obtained through consulting work and to place timely, profitable securities trades based on that stolen information. First, in or about March and April 2018, BUYER purchased shares of Sprint Corporation (“Sprint”) ahead of the April 29, 2018, public announcement that T-Mobile US, Inc. (“T-Mobile”) and Sprint would merge in a deal valued at $26.5 billion. Prior to the public announcement of the transaction by T-Mobile, executives at T-Mobile told a small, trusted group of consultants that they had retained to work on the deal, including BUYER, about the merger and directed them to keep the information confidential. BUYER breached his duty of confidentiality to T-Mobile and misappropriated that information by purchasing shares of Sprint across several brokerage accounts, including his own accounts, an account held jointly with his cousin, and an account in the name of a close, personal friend. Across these accounts, BUYER made more than $126,000 from the purchase and subsequent sale of Sprint stock after the merger was publicly announced.
In or about June through August 2019, BUYER again engaged in insider trading, this time trading in shares of Navigant Consulting, Inc. (“Navigant”) ahead of Navigant’s acquisition by consulting and advisory firm Guidehouse. As with his purchase of Sprint shares, BUYER learned through his consulting work for Guidehouse that Guidehouse intended to acquire Navigant and misappropriated that information by purchasing Navigant shares ahead of the public announcement of the acquisition. BUYER purchased Navigant shares across several brokerage accounts, including accounts in his own name, joint accounts held with family members, and the account of the same close, personal friend whose account he used to trade Sprint shares. In total, Buyer made more than $223,000 from his illegal Navigant trades.
BUYER testified at his March 2023 trial and provided false explanations for his Sprint and Navigant trading, which Judge Berman found at sentencing to constitute obstruction of justice.
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In addition to his prison sentence, BUYER, 64, of Noblesville, Indiana, was ordered to pay more than $350,000 in forfeiture and restitution in an amount to be determined.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kiersten A. Fletcher and Margaret Graham are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Allegheny County Resident Sentenced to 216 Months in Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Ross Landfried was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute a controlled substance, and to engage in money laundering, in 2017 and 2018 while serving a federal prison sentence for a prior drug trafficking conviction, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Landfried, age 42, formerly of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Judge Ranjan ordered Landfried to serve six years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Judge Ranjan also ordered that the 216-month prison sentence be served consecutively to Landfried’s prior sentence.
Landfried was convicted at the conclusion of a trial in June 2022. Landfried was serving a federal prison sentence in 2017 and 2018 following a federal conviction for prior large-scale drug trafficking. Despite his prior conviction and incarceration, he continued to engage in drug trafficking, and money laundering, while in federal prison. He led a scheme that involved several co-conspirators and that was designed to introduce large quantities of K2 paper saturated with powerful Schedule I synthetic cannabinoid controlled substances into prisons. The K2 paper endangered other inmates and corrections officers and burdened them with the effects of frequent lockdowns, overdoses, assaults, and other volatile behavior. While pending trial following his indictment, Landfried engaged in repeated incidents of violence and weapon possession at local detention facilities.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca L. Silinski and Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General led the multi-agency investigation that also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations, the Pittsburgh Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Munhall Police Department, the Robinson Township Police Department, the McKees Rocks Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Etna Police Department, and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.