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24 August 2023
Purvis Man Sentenced to Prison for Assisting in the Preparation of False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. -- A Purvis man was sentenced to 34 months in federal prison for assisting in the preparation of a materially false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Acting Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Atlanta Field Office.
Terance Dewune Price, 41, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Price was ordered to pay a $15,000 fine and $58,582 in restitution to the IRS.
According to court documents, Price was identified in an investigation by the IRS-CI as a tax preparer who assisted in the preparation and presentation to the IRS of a false U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, Form 1040, for an individual A. E. for the calendar year 2017. The investigation revealed that the return was false and fraudulent as to a material matter in that the information provided on Line 53, a “Residential Energy Credit”, and information on Line 64, for “Federal Income Tax Withheld from Form 1099,” was false, and the defendant knew it was false.
“Providing clients assistance in complying with current tax laws when submitting federal returns is a responsibility Terance Price unlawfully failed to do,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Dishonest tax preparers who use their knowledge of the tax system to work around it should look at Price’s sentencing as a warning that IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners will hold them accountable for cheating the government.”
Price pled guilty on April 17, 2023 to assisting in the preparation of a materially false tax return.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones prosecuted the case.
Plainville Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that FELIX OSORIO, JR., 27, of Plainville, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Osorio was arrested on June 7, 2022, after a court-authorized search of his residence on Basswood Street in Plainville revealed packaged fentanyl and loose fentanyl totaling more than 500 grams, a quarter-kilogram hydraulic press, and other items used in the processing and packaging of narcotics for street sale.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for November 20, at which time Osorio faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Osorio is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad, with assistance from the New Britain Police Department. The Tactical Diversion Squad included officers from the Bristol, East Windsor, Hamden, New Britain, West Haven, Newington, Manchester, Glastonbury, and Watertown Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens and John T. Pierpont, Jr.
Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to Two Years’ Probation and a Restitution Amount of $109,413.90 for Conviction of Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to two years’ probation and a restitution amount of $109,413.90 on her conviction of theft of government property, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge David Stewart Cercone imposed the sentence on Jacqueline Waters (age 59), of Pittsburgh, PA. The conditions of probation included that Waters serve the first six months in a community confinement center, followed by another six months of home confinement.
According to information presented to the court, from June 2004 through July 2018, Waters concealed a common law marriage that would have affected her continued eligibility for Social Security Income benefits.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Cercone stated that given Waters various health conditions, the nature of the offense, and her criminal history, a two-year term of probation with community confinement and home detention was sufficient but not greater than necessary.
United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan and Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Waters.
Pearland resident gets 40 years for soliciting sexually explicit images and videos of minorsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 27-year-old suburban Houston man has been ordered to federal prison after his convictions of production, receipt and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Andrew Joel Galvan pleaded guilty Sept. 21, 2022, to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count each of receipt and possession of child pornography.
Today, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown sentenced him to 360 months on each of the sexual exploitation of a minor counts to run concurrently and a total of 120 months for the receipt and possession of child pornography combined. The sexual exploitation counts will run consecutively to other term for a total 480-month-term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard how Galvan had reached out to 10 different prepubescent females requesting them to send naked photos and videos of themselves to him. In imposing the sentence, Judge Brown commented on how Galvan’s conduct is very different than others who just collect child pornography.
Galvan was furthered ordered to serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to the internet. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
In April 2020, the mother of an 8-year-old child contacted law enforcement after discovering sexually explicit chats between her daughter and an unknown individual on Instagram. Authorities later identified that person as Galvan.
A search of the minor’s cell phone revealed several private chats in which Galvan was soliciting naked photos and videos of the minor. He would direct the minor on how to position herself and requested multiple images. She ultimately did as he requested.
Law enforcement then obtained a search warrant for Galvan’s Instagram account which was only two months old. They found numerous conversations between Galvan and several prepubescent children in which Galvan would solicit child pornography and direct these minors on how to take the images and videos.
Galvan admitted he would portray himself as a 13, 14 or 15-year-old boy and targeted girls between the ages of 8 and 13. He also admitted to sending these children pictures of his private parts.
Authorities ultimately discovered 10 victims, all under the age of 12, from whom Galvan solicited child pornography.
Law enforcement also conducted a forensic exam on Galvan’s electronic devices found 7,500 images and 650 videos of young children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The images and videos include children under the age of 12, bondage, bestiality and acts of violence such as the penetration of the victims.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations – Galveston, Pearland Police Department and the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children task force conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Ann Leo and Luis Batarse prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Owner of insurance company in Rosebud County admits defrauding customersRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Forsyth woman accused of defrauding customers through her business, Rosebud County Insurance Inc., by spending client payments on personal expenses admitted fraud charges today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Kileen Moria Hagadone, 57, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and to aggravated identity theft. Hagadone faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the wire fraud crime and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison, consecutive to any other punishment, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release on the aggravated identity theft crime.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Hagadone was released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Hagadone owned and operated Rosebud County Insurance Inc., an insurance brokerage business that acted as an intermediary between customers and national insurance companies. Hagadone was supposed to help negotiate insurance contracts for her customers and then receive and transmit payments from the customers to the companies for the negotiated policies. Hagadone received these payments from customers but failed to send the funds to the insurance companies. Instead, Hagadone misappropriated the money for personal expenses. The scheme ran from about 2020 until April 2023.
The government further alleged that one of the victims was the Chief Dull Knife College of Lame Deer, which engaged Hagadone to find an insurance policy for the college. Hagadone did so, and the negotiated premium for the policy in November 2021 was $91,883. The college paid Hagadone the full amount at that time. Instead of sending the premium to the insurance company, Hagadone fraudulently contracted to finance the college’s insurance premium with a premium financing company and forged the signature of a college representative on the contract. The agreement enabled Hagadone to keep most of the payment without immediately cancelling the insurance policy. Eventually, Hagadone embezzled too much money from her business trust account and could not pay the financing payments she fraudulently created. As a result, by April 2022, the college’s insurance had been terminated. Hagadone concealed this from the college and falsely represented that the college was insured when it was not.
In addition, the government alleged that in November 2022, Hagadone falsely told the college that the insurance policy needed to be renewed, even though it had been cancelled and did not exist. Hagadone then created a false insurance contract for a policy that did not exist and induced the college to pay $98,893 for the fictious policy. Hagadone embezzled the entire payment, and the college was uninsured from April 2022 until April 2023. Hagadone cheated other customers in a similar way, although the amounts paid were typically smaller.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich is prosecuting the case. The Montana State Auditor, Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, FBI and Rosebud County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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Operators of physical therapy chain charged in fraud schemeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – Two individuals involved in a state-wide chain of physical therapy clinics have been charged with defrauding a federal worker’s compensation program, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Authorities took Ricardo Cano, 46, McAllen, and Rosita Cano Meeks, 56, Edinburg, into custody today. They are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker at 1 p.m.
The 18-count indictment charges Cano and Meeks with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and 10 counts of health care fraud. Cano is also charged with seven counts of money laundering.
The indictment alleges between 2014 and 2019, the clinics operated under the name Texas Federal Wellness Center. During that time, they allegedly billed more than $80 million to the Department of Labor – (DOL) Office of Worker’s Compensation Program for physical therapy services provided to injured federal employees.
According to the indictment, Cano and Meeks allegedly caused the clinics to submit inflated claims for therapy, fictional medical visits, excessive therapy and fraudulent durable medical equipment. The charges allege Cano and Meeks directed clinic employees to falsify patient checkout times on medical records to conceal the inflated therapy claims. Meeks was in charge of, and oversaw, the fraudulent billing, according to the indictment.
The charges also allege Cano is not a physician. He was only a physician’s assistant and allegedly instructed employees to refer to him as Dr. Cano.
According to the indictment, Cano entered into an arrangement with a physician to falsely give the appearance a licensed doctor oversaw, managed and controlled the clinics, as Texas law requires. The charges allege Cano is, in fact, the true owner of the enterprise which he managed and controlled.
As part of the scheme, Cano allegedly coordinated with that physician to obstruct a Texas Medical Board inquiry into a complaint about Cano’s role in operating the clinics and submitting false corporate records. The indictment also alleges Cano transferred approximately $43 million from the Texas Federal Wellness Center clinics to various bank accounts in Cano’s name or in the name of clinics Cano controlled.
If convicted, they each face up to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and substantive counts of health care fraud. Cano also faces up to 10 years for each conviction of money laundering.
The U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General (OIG), FBI, Department of Homeland Security-OIG and DOL-OIG conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Swartz is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Role in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Willis Parker, 32, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 24, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Parker to 120 months in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. After Parker’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
From about July of 2016 to November of 2020, Parker was part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana. The conspiracy involved over 500 grams of methamphetamine and over 100 kilograms of marijuana. Parker was involved in the distribution of methamphetamine and marijuana in the Omaha area.
On November 23, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Parker’s Omaha residence. Officers located approximately 80 pills containing methamphetamine, 0.205 kilograms of marijuana, and a digital scale. Parker possessed the methamphetamine and marijuana during and in furtherance of the conspiracy. Officers also located seven destructive devices similar to a bomb. Parker was previously charged federally and sentenced to 37 months in prison for possessing the destructive devices.
Co-defendants Ty-Sean Nunn, George Buck, Dominique Thomas, Anthony Hill-Gaines, and Jerrell Jackson have all pleaded guilty to charges related to the drug conspiracy. Thomas was sentenced on June 7, 2023, to 90 months in prison. Buck was sentenced on July 26, 2023, to 120 months in prison. Nunn was sentenced on August 17, 2023, to 168 months in prison. Hill-Gaines was sentenced on August 17, 2023, to 90 months in prison. Jackson is pending sentencing. Only co-defendant Terrance Traynham is pending trial. Traynham was previously sentenced to 106 months in federal prison for conduct related to this conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Omaha Police Department, and the Bellevue Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Possessing Destructive Device in Public HousingRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Willie Harbour, 61, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for being a felon in possession of a destructive device. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Harbour to 57 months’ imprisonment. Upon release from prison, Harbour will be required to complete a 3-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
In the early morning hours of August 2, 2022, Harbour placed an explosive device near an entry door of an apartment at the Benson Towers, an Omaha Housing Authority property. The explosive device detonated and caused property damage, including collapsing part of an overhead sprinkler system and lights, and damaging a metal door frame such that it trapped the resident inside. Investigators recovered surveillance video from the Benson Towers which showed Harbour light and place the explosive device. After he was arrested, Harbour admitted to investigators that he placed the explosive device at the Benson Towers.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the City of Omaha Fire Department.
Omaha Man Convicted of Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Wesley T. Vavra, 51, of Omaha, Nebraska, was found guilty on August 23, 2023, by a jury in federal court in Omaha. Vavra was convicted of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Sentencing is set for November 21, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. before Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. Vavra faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
Between May 2022 and July 16, 2022, Vavra communicated on the Whisper application and through text messages with someone Vavra thought was interested in “open family play dates”. The other Whisper user was a law enforcement officer working in an undercover (“UC”) capacity pretending to be a father with an 8-year-old child. Vavra arranged to meet the UC on July 18, 2022, to engage in sexual acts with the supposed father’s 8-year-old child. Vavra was arrested upon arrival at the meetup location in Omaha. Vavra’s cell phone was seized. Analysis of Vavra’s phone showed that in addition to communicating with the UC, Vavra was also communicating with someone he thought was a 13-year-old female during this same timeframe. The 13-year-old female was also a law enforcement officer working in an undercover capacity.
This case was investigated by the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brandon Ellis Gates, 37, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute a mixture containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 12, 2022, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Gates on Interstate 77 in Jackson County. Gates admitted to possessing approximately four pounds of methamphetamine found during the officer’s search of the vehicle. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Mid-Atlantic Laboratory confirmed the controlled substance was crystal methamphetamine, also known as “ice,” and was 93 percent pure.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States Marshals Service and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie M. White and J.C. MacCallum prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-146.
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Nursing Home Aide and Daughter Convicted of Identity Theft FraudRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Yesterday, a South Florida jury found Aisladys Diaz, 45, and her daughter Ailensy Buron Diaz, 29, both of Miami, Florida, guilty of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, use of an unauthorized access device, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and wire fraud.
Aisladys Diaz was a private duty health aide who worked with a home health aide agency. The agency provided home health aides to residents at senior communities in Miami-Dade County. From May to June 2020, Aisladys Diaz stole the personal identifiable information of two elderly residents under her care. Aisladys Diaz then shared the information with her daughter, Ailensy Buron Diaz, Berto Omar Rodriguez Fonseca, a finance manager at a car dealership in Miami Lakes, and others who used the information to purchase numerous new and used vehicles at car dealerships, at a cost totaling over $500,000, and apply for credit cards, an Economic Disaster Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), and a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Scott H. Moffit of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), Cybercrime Investigations Division, made the announcement.
Berto Omar Rodriguez Fonseca is scheduled for a change of plea hearing on August 29, 2023. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
FBI Miami and TIGTA’s Cybercrime Investigations Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lois Foster-Steers prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Zloch is handling asset forfeiture.
Anyone with information about allegations of elder fraud can report it by calling the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 833–372–8311.
More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.gov.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-20354.
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Nine KC Gang Leaders, Members Indicted in Racketeering, Murder ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three leaders and six members of a confederation of street gangs in the Kansas City metropolitan area have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in an ongoing criminal enterprise that involved armed violence, including a murder conspiracy and drive-by shootings, and illegal drug trafficking.
Steven K. Lee, also known as “Bizzle” and “SB,” 38, Charles V. Williams, also known as “Cheese” and “Chucky D,” 35, Travis L. Cook, also known as “Trav,” 30, Richard B. Johnson, also known as “Scritch” and “Rich,” 24, Deion D. Alford, also known as “Wommy,” 23, Ewon R. Kelley, also known as “Won,” 33, Myreku L. Frazier, also known as “Rekus,” 30, Anthony D. Hunter, also known as “Dee,” 25, and Jacequin Boswell, also known as “Nunu” and “Noodles,” 30, were charged in a six-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Aug. 17, 2023. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrests and initial court appearances of three of the defendants.
Lee, Williams, Cook, Kelley, and Hunter were all arrested in an operation on Thursday, August 24, 2023. Johnson and Alford are already in custody in connection with other charges. The operation involved more than 140 law enforcement officers from multiple local and federal agencies and searches of 16 residences associated with gang members. During the searches and arrests, law enforcement seized approximately 27 firearms, two machineguns, 1,069 rounds of ammunition, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, marijuana, and bulk cash associated with the gangs. Additional seizures are still in the process of being logged into evidence.
According to the indictment, seven of the defendants—Lee, Johnson, Alford, Kelley, Frazier, Hunter, and Boswell—were members of an organized criminal enterprise, a gang called the Park Side Greasies, which is centered around the intersection of 33rd Street and Park Avenue in Kansas City, Mo. Members of Park Side Greasies allegedly engaged in acts of violence, including murder, conspiracy to murder, armed assault and robbery, and drug trafficking.
According to the indictment, Lee is the leader of Park Side Greasies. Williams leads Click Clack Gang and Cook leads South Benton Gang. Members of the three gangs maintain regular communication and frequently cooperate for the purpose of illegal drug trafficking and violent crimes, creating a confederation of gangs known as South Park Click. The gang alliance was memorialized in a 2013 song entitled “For Da 30’s,” the indictment says, which includes the verse “South Park Click. That’s South Benton, Park, and Click Clack. If somebody got shot, close your mouth – we probably did that. McDonald’s or Wendy’s, we don’t give a (expletive). You won’t move until the paramedics pick you up.”
Leaders, members, and associates of the criminal enterprise promoted a climate of fear in the community through repeated waves of gunfire, assaults, and destruction of property, among other crimes of violence and intimidation, the indictment says. They used and threatened to use physical violence to suppress challenges from rival criminals and others who threatened the enterprise. They enhanced their reputation for violence by killing, attempting to kill, and otherwise violently confronting people who challenged them. They enriched themselves, and funded the operations of the criminal enterprise, with the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking, robbery, and burglary.
The indictment charges all nine of the defendants in one count of participating in a racketeering conspiracy since at least Jan. 1, 2008. They allegedly engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity, including multiple acts and threats of murder, robbery, and drug trafficking as part of the criminal enterprise.
The indictment charges all nine of the defendants in one count of participating in a drug-trafficking conspiracy since at least Jan. 1, 2008. They allegedly conspired to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, PCP, alprazolam, oxycodone, and marijuana.
The indictment charges Lee, Johnson, Alford, Kelley, Hunter, and Boswell in one count of participating in a murder conspiracy since at least Dec. 8, 2017, in aid of the racketeering enterprise. Lee allegedly issued a contract for the murder of a rival gang member. Boswell located and attempted to shoot the victim in the area of 34th Street in Kansas City, Mo., but the victim successfully fled. Hunter shot at the victim on Dec. 30, 2018, reporting to Lee that they had “exchanged metal.” Kelley located the victim on Jan. 1, 2019, but was unable to execute the contract because too many people were around.
On Jan. 28, 2021, Johnson allegedly fired on multiple vehicles, believing them to be occupied by rivals, causing an injury to an uninvolved citizen and damaging property. Johnson is charged with one count of aiding and abetting another person to attempt to murder and to assault another person with a dangerous weapon, a Glock 9mm handgun. Johnson is also charged with one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie C. Bradshaw. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
New Orleans Steamboat Company and Employee Plead Guilty and Sentenced for Discharging Ballast Material into the Industrial CanalRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that the NEW ORLEANS STEAMBOAT COMPANY (“NOSC”), plead guilty to a violation of the Clean Water Act (“CWA”), Title 33, United States Code, Section 1319 (c)(2)(A), in connection with a discharge of excess ballast material into the Industrial Canal in New Orleans in 2019. The maximum penalty for this violation is five years’ probation, up to a $50,000 fine or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person under Title 18, United States Code, Section 3571 and a mandatory $400 special assessment fee.
According to court documents, NOSC admitted to discharging, without the knowledge of the Board of Directors, a quantity of a substance into a navigable water of the United States. The discharge took place on or around February 12, 2019, in the Inner Harbor Navigational Canal (“IHNC”), more commonly known as the Industrial Canal.
Additionally, MATT DOW (“DOW”), an NOSC employee, plead guilty to a misdemeanor violation of the CWA, Title 33, United States Code, Section 1319 (c)(2)(A), punishable by up to one year in jail, up to a $100,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release and a $25 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey conducted a sentencing hearing with the consent of the parties after the guilty pleas were entered. Following the hearing, Judge Zainey sentenced NOSC to a $50,000 fine, the maximum penalty for the violation, one year probation and a $400 special assessment fee. DOW was sentenced to one year probation, forty hours of community service and a $25 mandatory special assessment fee.
The case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division, and the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON, age 39, a New Orleans resident, pleaded guilty on August 23, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon to a two-count superseding bill of information that charged him with conspiracy to distribute 1 kilogram or more of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846, and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, JOHNSON regularly received half-kilogram quantities of heroin through the mail from his source of supply in California. JOHNSON then distributed the heroin in multiple ounce quantities to other co-conspirators. On June 22, 2021, agents seized 485 grams of heroin that was mailed to JOHNSON and a co-conspirator.
For the conspiracy charge, JOHNSON faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of ten years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment,a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. For the possession with intent to distribute heroin charge, JOHNSON faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of five years, up to forty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000.000, at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (New Orleans Gang Task Force), with the assistance of the New Orleans Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, led the investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.
New Orleans Couple Indicted on Drug Conspiracy and Distribution Charges and Federal Gun ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on August 18, 2023, JAVAN ROBINSON a/k/a “Diddy,” age 59, and MICHELE COLEMAN, age 57, both of New Orleans, Louisiana, were charged in a seven-count indictment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, distribution of cocaine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), possession with intent to distribute cocaine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(C), possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i), and possession of firearms by a convicted felon in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 924(a)(2), and 924(e)(1).
After receiving information that both defendants were conducting narcotics transactions within Orleans Parish, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents and members of the New Orleans Gang Task Force (NOGTF) conducted surveillance, set up pole cameras, conducted controlled purchases, and executed search warrants on two residences associated with both defendants. Agents located multiple firearms, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, paraphernalia, and a large amount of money between both residences.
If convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, ROBINSON and COLEMAN each face a maximum term of twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, and a minimum of three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of the three distribution of cocaine charges, ROBINSON faces a maximum term of twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, and a minimum of three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, ROBINSON and COLEMAN each face a minimum term of five (5) years up to a maximum term of life imprisonment to run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three (3) years of supervised release. If convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, ROBINSON faces a minimum term of fifteen (15) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three (3) years of supervised release. As to each of the charged counts, ROBINSON and COLEMAN, individually, face payment of a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
Muskogee County Resident Sentenced for Death of ToddlerRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ezzard Charles Onebear, age 29, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 324 months in prison for causing the death of a person with a firearm.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Muskogee Police Department.
On July 28, 2022, Onebear pleaded guilty to one count of Causing the Death of Another Person with a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence. On December 21, 2011, Onebear, who had accepted a contract to kill the target of a gang hit, approached the target’s residence, and in the ensuing struggle discharged a .380 caliber handgun into the home. That bullet struck and killed a two-year-old child. The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“This needless tragedy is a stark reminder of why combatting gun violence is a priority of law enforcement and the Department of Justice,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.
The Honorable Bernard M. Jones, II, U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by appointment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Onebear 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 Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States at the sentencing hearing.
Morgantown Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Steven Reger, 47, of Morgantown, was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 23, 2021, Reger sold approximately 428.1 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant near a garage in Parkersburg. Reger admitted to selling the methamphetamine to the informant and receiving $5,000 as well as $10,000 from prior drug deals from the informant.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Parkersburg Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Negar M. Kordestani prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-196.
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Mifflin County Man Sentenced to 12 Months and One Day in Prison for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Daniel P. Sickels, age 49, of Lewistown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday to 12 months and one day in prison by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann for wire fraud. Sickels was also ordered to pay $267,264.87 in restitution.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Sickels previously worked as a Network and Systems Manager at Pennsylvania State University (PSU) Office of Development and Alumni Relations (ODA), located in State College, PA. Sickels fraudulently acquired equipment through false representations to PSU ODA that the equipment was necessary to upgrade, replace, or maintain PSU ODA servers, when, in fact, Sickels knew that the equipment was not necessary. Sickels subsequently sold the equipment for his personal benefit to third parties. The scheme lasted from approximately 2005 to 2017, in Centre and Mifflin Counties.
The matter was investigated by investigators at PSU and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin prosecuted the case.
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Michigan Man Sustains Thermal Burns in Yellowstone National ParkRead the Press Release
Jason D. Wicks, age 49, of Hillman, Michigan, was arraigned in federal court on August 23, 2023, facing criminal charges of off-trail travel in a Yellowstone National Park thermal area and being under the influence of alcohol or drugs to the degree he was a danger to himself or others. Wicks pleaded not guilty to the charges. As part of the conditions for release, Wicks is banned from Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks until these criminal charges are resolved. This incident remains under investigation. A trial date has not been set.
The violation notice merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
In a statement, Yellowstone National Park officials said that the ground in hydrothermal areas is fragile and thin, and there is scalding water just below the surface. Therefore, everyone must remain on boardwalks and trails and exercise extreme caution around Yellowstone’s thermal features. You can learn more about safety in thermal areas here: https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/safety.htm.
For additional information related to Yellowstone National Park, please contact the Public Affairs Office at 307-344-2015 or yell_public_affairs@nps.gov.
Michigan Doctor to Pay $6.5 million to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A Michigan interventional pain management specialist, Rajendra Bothra, M.D., and two medical entities that he owned and operated, The Pain Center USA, PLLC, and Interventional Pain Center, PLLC, (collectively, “Defendants”) have agreed to pay $6,500,000 to resolve claims that they violated the federal False Claims Act, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2018, Defendants billed Medicare and Medicaid for excessive and medically unnecessary presumptive and definitive urine drug tests that were not relevant to their patients’ diagnosis or treatment, along with additional laboratory charges that were not separately billable with the urine drug tests. Additionally, Defendants are alleged to have billed Medicare and Medicaid for medically unnecessary moderate sedation services that were routinely performed in conjunction with interventional pain management procedures that did not require moderate sedation services. The government also alleges that Defendants frequently charged Medicare and Medicaid for expensive back braces that were medically unnecessary or otherwise ineligible for reimbursement.
“Our office remains steadfast in our commitment to protect federal health care programs, their beneficiaries, and taxpayers from fraud and abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Ison.
“This settlement underscores the important role that medical providers have in ensuring that the claims submitted to Federal health care programs are medically necessary,” said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “Our office remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that health care providers who violate the False Claims Act are held accountable.”
“When healthcare providers manipulate the Medicaid and Medicare systems, it wastes resources meant to help those in need,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “This settlement brings to bear some economic justice by requiring those who orchestrated the fraud scheme to pay for their actions.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims in two separate lawsuits brought by relators under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under these
provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The two qui tam cases are captioned United States ex rel. Ronald Kufner et al. vs. The Pain Center USA PLLC, et al., No. 2:17-cv-11644 (E.D. Mich.) and United States ex rel. Hersh Patel vs. Interventional Pain Center, et al, No. 2:18-cv-12728 (E.D. Mich.). As part of the settlement, the relators will receive a combined payment in the amount of
$1,267,500.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, and the Michigan Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Bell Harbin represented the United States in this matter.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800- HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Martin County Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for Producing and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PIKEVILLE, Ky. – Donald York, 60, of Beauty, Ky., was sentenced on Thursday, by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier, to 60 years in prison, following his convictions for producing and distributing sexually explicit images of a minor.
York was convicted by a jury in April 2023, of four counts of production of child pornography and two counts of distributing child pornography. According to the evidence presented at his trial, York coerced a 15-year female victim, who was in his care, to engage in sexually explicit conduct so that he could produce images of that conduct. York then uploaded some of these images to a pornographic website.
Under federal law, York 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; Brian Jones, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office; Col. Phillip Burnett, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff John Kirk, Martin County Sherriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by FBI, Kentucky State Police, and the Martin County Sherriff’s Office. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Blankenship and Jason Parman.
This case was prosecuted 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 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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Magnolia Man Sentenced for Killing a Bald EagleRead the Press Release
EL DORADO – A Magnolia man was sentenced on June 15, 2023, to 24 months of federal probation, with the first 60 days to be served on home detention and ordered to pay $2,025 dollars in restitution and fees on one count of Aiding and Abetting in the Taking of a Bald Eagle. The Honorable Magistrate Judge Barry A. Bryant presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in El Dorado.
According to court documents, on January 16, 2022, Officers with the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission were dispatched to Lake Columbia, which is within the Western District of Arkansas, El Dorado Division. Upon arrival, officers made contact with a witness who advised that he was duck hunting with his children when he observed a Bald Eagle fly over their location. The witness observed a subject shoot the Bald Eagle. The witness then observed a subject go out and retrieve the bird from the water. Shortly thereafter, officers made contact with Christopher Lane Shackelford, age 20. Shackelford initially denied shooting the Bald Eagle, but later confessed to the officers.
Bald Eagles are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The violations of these statutes can carry maximum criminal penalties of up to $250,000 and/or two years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney’s David Harris, Bryan Achorn and Graham Jones prosecuted the case.
Anyone with information concerning violations of wildlife crimes is asked to call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement in Conway, AR at (501) 513-4470; or contact the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission at (833) 356-0824 or text your tip to TIP411 (847411) (charges may apply).
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov
Madison County Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Thomas Collins, age 35, of Chittenango, New York, pled guilty yesterday to multiple counts of distribution and possession of child pornography announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office, and New York State Police (NYSP) Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli.
As part of his guilty plea, Collins admitted that on several occasions in April of 2023, he distributed images and videos of child pornography to two undercover law enforcement officers via the same social networking application. Collins also admitted that on the day of his arrest, May 18, 2023, he possessed numerous images and videos of child pornography on several of his electronic devices.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 20, 2023, before United States District Judge David N. Hurd. Collins faces a mandatory minimum term of 5 years in prison, a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of between 5 years and up to life. Collins will also be required to register as a sex offender. 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.
The case is being investigated by HSI, the NYSP Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the NYSP Troop D Computer Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian LaRochelle prosecuted the case as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Macy Man Sentenced to 24 Months for Assault on an OfficerRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jordan Wolfe, 25, of Macy, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln for assaulting an officer and violating the terms of his supervised release. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Wolfe to 24 months in prison for assault of an officer and six months in prison for the violation of his term of supervised release to be served consecutively. There is no parole in the federal prison system. After his release from prison, Wolfe will serve two years of supervised release.
On March 28, 2022, an officer with the Omaha Nation Law Enforcement Services responded to a residence in Macy on a request to remove an intoxicated male who was causing a disturbance. The officer identified Wolfe as the male causing a disturbance and learned that he was arguing with his girlfriend. The officer attempted to remove the female from the situation and Wolfe continued to be belligerent and disruptive. When the officer went to place Wolfe under arrest, Wolfe pulled and pushed away from the officer and then punched the officer in the face. Wolfe was taken into custody. At the time, Wolfe was on federal supervised release for assault with a dangerous weapon.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Nation Law Enforcement Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Lubbock Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for $4 Million PPP FraudRead the Press Release
A Lubbock man who defrauded pandemic-era financial programs out nearly $4 million was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Andrew Travis Johnson, 59, pleaded guilty in March to three counts of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from unlawful activity. He was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who ordered him to pay $4.15 million in restitution and to forfeit numerous assets, including multiple luxury cars.
According to plea papers, Mr. Johnson admitted that he fraudulently applied for and obtained 27 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling almost $4 million.
He admitted he applied for loans on behalf of three entities: an actual business that provided contract speech and occupational therapy services, an actual nonprofit that organized community fundraisers for individuals with intellectual limitations, and a fictitious entity that never provided goods or services of any kind and had no employees.
In the business’s application, Mr. Johnson falsely claimed the company paid 49 employees an average of $441,667 per month and provided a fabricated IRS Form 940 that indicated it paid its employees more than $5.1 million in calendar year 2019. In actuality, the company employed about 10 individuals on an ad hoc basis and paid less than $100,000 in wages in 2019. Nevertheless, based on his application, the business qualified for a $1.1 million PPP loan, which it re-drew the following year, for a total of $2.2 million.
In the nonprofit’s application, he falsely claimed the organization employed 33 individuals (in actuality, it employed fewer than five), and in the application submitted on behalf of the fictitious entity, he falsely claimed the company employed 24 individuals (in actuality, the company did not exist). For each entity, he provided fabricated lists of employees, some of which did not exist and others of which were clients of the rehabilitation company, along with fabricated IRS forms. Nevertheless, he qualified for a $326,770 loan for the entity and a $523,00 loan for the nonprofit. He redrew a loan for the non-existent entity the following year for a total of $653,540.
Each entity sought – and received – forgiveness on the principal and interest on each of the small business PPP loans. Yet very little, if any, of the money was used for payroll or business expenses. Instead, Mr. Johnson and a woman with whom he had a relationship, 50-year-old Hope Leticia Hastey, spent nearly $3.5 million on home renovations, vacations, clothing, cosmetic surgery, college tuition, cars, wedding expenses, and equipment for an unrelated business venture.
In addition to the small business loans, Mr. Johnson also fraudulently obtained $436,524.80 in first and second draw loans for 11 purported independent contractors, several of whom were related to him or Ms. Hastey.
At least four of the recipients were unaware that Mr. Johnson had used their identifying information to obtain the loans, nor did they ever receive any proceeds of the loans. Mr. Johnson opened bank accounts under the victim’s names, transferred to loan proceeds into the accounts, and obtained debit cards for each account; he and Ms. Hastey used the debit cards to spend the loan monies.
Mr. Johnsons and others sought – and received – forgiveness on the principal and interest on each of the independent contractor loans, which ranged from roughly $15,000 to nearly $24,000 each.
At Thursday’s sentencing hearing, prosecutors said that he used his elderly mother’s and elderly aunt’s identifying information and forged their signatures on loan documents. The women never received any of the money. Mr. Johnson also used the identifying information and forged the signature of L.G., a resident of Plainview, to obtain two loans.
Ms. Hastey has been charged with misprison (concealment) of Mr. Johnson’s felonies and is set to enter a plea on Aug. 30. She remains innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and IRS – Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Internal Revenue Service and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ann Howey prosecuted the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Beverly Chapman, Saurabh Sharad, and John de la Garza.
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP provided forgivable loans to small businesses to cover payroll, rent, and other certain business expenses; the program ended in May 2021.
Concerned citizens who suspect waste, fraud, or abuse of financial-era pandemic programs, including the PPP, or who suspect violations of pandemic-related legislation can report it to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) at https://www.pandemicoversight.gov/contact/about-hotline.
Local man sentenced for trading child porn via KikRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 26-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Ja-Anthony Ledell Kennedy pleaded guilty April 24.
Today, U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal sentenced Kennedy to 180 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard about the harm to victims of this type of crime. In handing down the prison term, Judge Rosenthal noted efforts to promote respect for the law, deter similar future crimes and fashion a just sentence considering all factors.
Kennedy was further ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to the victims and will serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of the prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Kennedy will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
In 2020, authorities learned of files being stores online that contained images of child pornography. Those files were linked to Kennedy.
The investigation revealed he had been sending and receiving images and videos of child pornography on the Kik messaging application from 2020 to 2021. Kennedy admitted to trading child pornography in the Kik chats to continue to receive access to this material.
Kennedy had 76 videos and 60 images of child pornography in his online accounts. Some included victims as young as two years old.
Previously released on bond, Kennedy is expected to surrender this afternoon pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine J. Lu and Sherin S. Daniel prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Lincoln Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Possession of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Maggie Welling, 46, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard to a 15-year term of imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine with a prior serious drug felony. After her release from prison, Welling will begin a10-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Welling pleaded guilty to her offense on November 29, 2022.
Welling was stopped by an officer with the Lincoln Police Department on March 25, 2022, for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop, the officer observed drug paraphernalia in her vehicle. The officer then searched the car and located approximately 221 grams of methamphetamine in Welling’s purse. Those drugs were sent to the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Laboratory and were found to contain at least 210 grams of actual or pure methamphetamine.
Welling was convicted in the District Court of Douglas County, Nebraska of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute on October 10, 2018.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Lexington Woman Sentenced for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Sanjuana Garcia-Ramirez, 40, of Lexington, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Garcia-Ramirez to 78 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, Garcia-Ramirez will begin a four-year term of supervised release.
On January 5, 2021, officers went to Garcia-Ramirez’s Lexington residence after receiving information that she was selling methamphetamine. Garcia-Ramirez was in drug court at the time in Dawson County, Nebraska, based on a prior conviction for possession of methamphetamine. Officers searched a bedroom and located multiple baggies of methamphetamine and a scale. Laboratory tests confirmed there was at least 53 grams of actual methamphetamine. Garcia-Ramirez intended to distribute the drugs.
The investigation revealed Garcia-Ramirez used her cell phone to facilitate her drug trafficking. Messages revealed her asking a drug buyer, “How much are you wanting,” and providing the buyer with the quantity and price of the drugs she could sell. In a December 2020 message, Garcia-Ramirez wrote, “I’m not using I promise,” and, “It’s all about the money it’s all.”
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol, the Lexington, Nebraska, Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Lansing Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Davion Shymarri Shaltry, 19, of Lansing, Michigan, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon. Shaltry will be on supervised release for three years after he is released from prison.
“Mr. Shaltry was caught with a gun three days after his sentencing in Ingham County for illegally possessing a different gun,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “As this sentence reflects, we’re serious about stopping the flow of illegal firearms, which is fueling a gun violence epidemic across Michigan and the United States. Ending gun violence is a top priority of my office. No parent, no child, no person should have to live with the threat of violence this crisis has created.”
“Davion Shaltry, only 19-years-old, with a felony record blatantly thumbed his nose at the criminal justice system when he possessed an illegal firearm three days after being sentenced in a separate gun case,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “Mr. Shaltry is now heading to prison rather than trying to obtain another illegal firearm. Our community is much safer with Mr. Shaltry off the streets.”
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. 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.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Michigan State Police, and the Lansing Police Department. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Pulda.
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Justice Department Sues SpaceX for Discriminating Against Asylees and Refugees in HiringRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) for discriminating against asylees and refugees in hiring. The lawsuit alleges that, from at least September 2018 to May 2022, SpaceX routinely discouraged asylees and refugees from applying and refused to hire or consider them, because of their citizenship status, in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
In job postings and public statements over several years, SpaceX wrongly claimed that under federal regulations known as “export control laws,” SpaceX could hire only U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, sometimes referred to as “green card holders.” Export control laws impose no such hiring restrictions. Moreover, asylees’ and refugees’ permission to live and work in the United States does not expire, and they stand on equal footing with U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents under export control laws. Under these laws, companies like SpaceX can hire asylees and refugees for the same positions they would hire U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. And once hired, asylees and refugees can access export-controlled information and materials without additional government approval, just like U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.
“Our investigation found that SpaceX failed to fairly consider or hire asylees and refugees because of their citizenship status and imposed what amounted to a ban on their hire regardless of their qualification, in violation of federal law,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Our investigation also found that SpaceX recruiters and high-level officials took actions that actively discouraged asylees and refugees from seeking work opportunities at the company. Asylees and refugees have overcome many obstacles in their lives, and unlawful employment discrimination based on their citizenship status should not be one of them. Through this lawsuit we will hold SpaceX accountable for its illegal employment practices and seek relief that allows asylees and refugees to fairly compete for job opportunities and contribute their talents to SpaceX’s workforce.”
The department’s lawsuit alleges that SpaceX discriminated against asylees and refugees based on citizenship status at multiple stages of the hiring process. For example:
- SpaceX discouraged asylees and refugees from applying for open positions, through public announcements, job applications and other online recruiting communications that excluded asylees and refugees.
- SpaceX failed to fairly consider applications submitted by asylees and refugees.
- SpaceX refused to hire qualified asylee and refugee applicants and repeatedly rejected asylee and refugee applicants because of their citizenship status.
- SpaceX hired only U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, from September 2018 to September 2020.
SpaceX recruits and hires for a variety of positions, including welders, cooks, crane operators, baristas and dishwashers, as well as information technology specialists, software engineers, business analysts, rocket engineers and marketing professionals. The jobs at issue in the lawsuit are not limited to those that require advanced degrees.
Asylees and refugees are migrants to the United States who have fled persecution. To obtain their status, they undergo thorough vetting by the United States government. Under the INA, employers cannot discriminate against them in hiring, unless a law, regulation, executive order or government contract requires the employer to do so. In this instance, no law, regulation, executive order or government contract required or permitted SpaceX to engage in the widespread discrimination against asylees or refugees that the department’s investigation found, as explained in the complaint.
Because SpaceX works with certain goods, software, technology and technical data (referred to here as export-controlled items), SpaceX must comply with export control laws and regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and the Export Administration Regulations. Under these regulations, asylees, refugees, lawful permanent residents, U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals working at U.S. companies can access export-controlled items without authorization from the U.S. government. Therefore, these laws do not require SpaceX to treat asylees and refugees differently than U.S. citizens or green card holders. Find more information here on how employers can avoid discrimination when complying with export control requirements.
The United States seeks fair consideration and back pay for asylees and refugees who were deterred or denied employment at SpaceX due to the alleged discrimination. The United States also seeks civil penalties in an amount to be determined by the court and policy changes to ensure it complies with the INA’s nondiscrimination mandate going forward.
Please contact the department’s Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) at IERSpaceXcase@usdoj.gov or 1-888-473-3845 if you are or were an asylee or refugee who experienced any one of the following at any point in time:
(1) You applied to a job at SpaceX and were rejected.
(2) You were discouraged from applying to SpaceX because you were not a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
(3) A recruiter or other SpaceX employee told you that SpaceX could only hire U.S. citizens and/or lawful permanent residents.
IER is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute generally prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation; and intimidation.
Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); e-mail IER@usdoj.gov; sign up for a free webinar; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe for e-mail updates from IER.
ComplaintJury Finds Gang-Member Guilty of Firearm Offense Stemming from Hartford Club Shooting in 2020Read the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in Harford has found CARL JONES, also known as “M.O.B.,” 42, of Hartford, guilty of a firearm offense.
The trial before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams began August 21 and the jury returned the guilty verdict yesterday afternoon.
According to the evidence disclosed during the trial and in court documents, in the early morning hours of February 16, 2020, Jones was involved in a gang-related shooting incident inside the Majestic Lounge on Franklin Avenue in Hartford. During the incident, Jones, a member of Los Solidos, chased down, shot, and wounded a fleeing fellow gang member Joshua Saez and an unintended second victim. Saez had just shot another gang member Marquis Treadwell, Treadwell’s girlfriend, and an unintended third victim. Treadwell later succumbed to his injuries. Jones used a .40 caliber Glock semiautomatic handgun, which he had retrieved from Treadwell after the initial shooting by Saez. Jones fled the scene with the firearm, but Hartford Police later recovered it from a vehicle on Lawrence Street during an unrelated drug trafficking investigation in September 2021.
Jones’ criminal history includes convictions for felony narcotics, assault, larceny, and failure to appear 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 jury found Jones guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, and offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Jones is detained pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.
Saez is serving a state sentence for the murder of Treadwell and the assault of Treadwell’s girlfriend.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members of the FBI, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Ruff and Geoffrey M. Stone.
Jefferson Parish Woman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Buyer of Personal Protective EquipmentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - CYNTHIA CARONNA, a resident of Jefferson Parish, pleaded guilty on August 22, 2023, to a bill of information for conspiring with her co-defendant, Frank LaBruzzo, and with a resident of the United Kingdom to defraud a business seeking to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
CARONNA and the UK resident formed a business venture to offer the sale of PPE, and selected LaBruzzo to serve as the venture’s escrow agent. LaBruzzo ( an attorney employed as an investigator with the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office) was presented to would-be buyers of PPE as a trustworthy escrow agent who would safeguard purchase funds in an escrow account until the PPE was satisfactorily delivered.
According to court records, the conspirators agreed that LaBruzzo would disburse the would-be buyer’s funds despite the would-be buyers having neither received PPE nor consented to the disbursements. The conspirators also agreed that each would receive portions of the would-be buyer’s funds without the would-be buyers’ knowledge or consent.
U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry scheduled CARONNA’s sentencing for November 28, 2023. Conspiracy is punishable by up to five years imprisonment followed by up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the bill of information is merely a charge and that the defendant’s guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Interaction with Undercover Agent in an Online Chatroom for Kids Leads to Prison Sentence for Canton ManRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Canton man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Dale Carr, 52, to 21 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Carr pleaded guilty on January 24, 2023.
According to court records, in September 2019, Carr began chatting with an undercover FBI agent posing as a 13-year-old girl in an online chatroom designed for children aged 16 and under. Over the course of the next several weeks, Carr repeatedly asked the agent, who he believed was an underage girl, for sexually explicit photos and expressed an interest in having sex with her. In October 2019, he sent the undercover agent a close-up photograph of his penis.
The FBI investigated the case.
Online enticement is increasing: The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) reported an alarming 97.5% increase in online enticement reports between 2019 and 2020. “Online enticement” involves an individual communicating with someone believed to be a child via the internet with the intent to commit a sexual offense or abduction. This type of victimization takes place across every platform, including social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, etc. Learn more about online enticement, including red flags and risk factors, at www.missingkids.org/theissues/onlineenticement.
Project Safe Childhood: 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’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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Imperial Valley Doctor Admits Using Unapproved Cosmetic Drugs for YearsRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 24, 2023
SAN DIEGO – Tien Tan Vo, a doctor practicing in Imperial Valley, has pleaded guilty to crimes related to his years-long use of foreign unapproved and misbranded cosmetic drugs.
Vo pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of receipt of misbranded drugs in interstate commerce and being an accessory after the fact to an accomplice, who smuggled the unapproved drugs into the United States from Mexico.
In his plea agreement, Vo admitted that none of the injectable botulinum toxin or lip fillers used by his clinics between November 2016 and October 2020 was approved for use in the United States. This specifically included a botulinum toxin product called “Xeomeen” and an injectable lip filler called Probcel—both products that have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Vo acknowledged that he received $100,767 in gross receipts for almost four years of cosmetic services performed with unapproved drugs and devices. As part of his plea agreement, he has agreed to forfeit that amount, and to pay a fine of $201,534. Vo also agreed to pay restitution to victims of his offense.
In his plea agreement, Vo admitted purchasing most of his unapproved drugs and devices from the operator of a “med spa” in Mexicali, Mexico, who smuggled them into the United States without declaring them.
“All members of our community should be able to trust that their doctor is acting in their best interest,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “Through this prosecution, we are protecting patients from unapproved and potentially unsafe drugs and will always seek to thwart those who would exploit patients for financial gain.”
“Injecting unapproved medicines poses a significant threat to public health and can have serious consequences for individuals,” said Chad Plantz, Special Agent in Charge for HSI San Diego. “Together, with our partnered agencies, we need to educate people of the dangers caused by using unauthorized botulinum toxin (the active ingredient in Botox®, Xeomin®, and similar products) and thwart those who smuggle and illegally use it for cosmetic procedures.”
“The FDA’s requirements help ensure that patients receive safe and effective medical treatments. Evading the FDA process and distributing unapproved drugs to U.S. consumers will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. Iwanicki, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Los Angeles Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who traffic in unapproved drugs.”
Sentencing is set for November 16, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Allison H. Goddard.
Potential victims related to this case may provide or request information by emailing USACAS.Cosmetic.Case@usdoj.gov.
DEFENDANT Case Number 23cr1700
Tien Tan Vo Age: 47 El Centro, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Accessory After the Fact to Entry of Goods by Means of False Statement – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 542 and 3
Maximum penalty: One year in prison, fine of $100,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss
Receipt in Interstate Commerce of Misbranded Drugs and Delivery for Pay or Otherwise – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 331(c) and 333(a)(1)
Maximum penalty: One year in prison, fine of $1,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss
AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations
Federal Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General
Illinois Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Defendant Sent Hundreds of Images and Videos of Child Sexual Abuse Material to Undercover Officer
WASHINGTON – Daniel Mahnke, 35, of Manteno, Illinois, was sentenced today to 168 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for distribution of child pornography. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
According to the government’s evidence, in December of 2020, the defendant was using the website Rapey.SU, a social media site where countless users discussed the sexual exploitation of children, bestiality, and hardcore child pornography. During the course of the investigation, Mahnke began communicating with an individual he believed had a child, but who turned out to be law enforcement acting in an undercover capacity (UC). Believing that he was communicating with a pedophile, Mahnke requested that the UC send him sexually explicit photos of the UC’s fictitious child. Mahnke told the UC that he would send child pornography and, in fact, sent the UC a link containing hundreds of videos and images of child pornography.
Mahnke was arrested on December 11, 2020, and charged with distribution of child pornography. He has been detained ever since. Mahnke pled guilty on January 6, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge Geist commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Youth Investigations Division. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell, who prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Hudson County Man Sentenced to 23 Months in Prison for Participation in Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 23 months in prison for conspiring to possess fentanyl with the intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Miguel Polanco, 31, of Union City, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. Judge Arleo imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In May 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents intercepted a package being shipped from Mexico City, Mexico, to Polanco at his apartment. The package contained fentanyl. Prior to receiving the package, Polanco received a video from a conspirator explaining how to properly remove the bags of fentanyl concealed inside to minimize the damage to its contents. Polanco also engaged in multiple conversations with conspirators how much fentanyl he would receive and where to deliver it. Polanco was to be paid for receiving and transporting the fentanyl.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Polanco to four years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark and Deputy Special Agent in Charge Alejandro Amaro in Laredo, Texas; U.S. Custom and Border Protection officers – under the direction of Port Director Albert Flores in Laredo and Port Director TenaVel Thomas, Port of New York/Newark; postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; and the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief Giacommo Sacca, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Kearney of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
Houma Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSHUA BOGEN, age 32, a resident of Houma, Louisiana, was sentenced on August 23, 2023 to 252 months imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and a $400 mandatory special assessment fee, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. BOGEN previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the commission of a drug trafficking offense, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii), felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1), and assaulting a federal officer, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(b).
According to court documents, on October 18, 2021, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents received information that BOGEN, a convicted felon, would be transporting approximately two pounds of crystal methamphetamine from Houma, Louisiana to a residence in New Orleans to conduct a drug deal. Upon arriving at the residence, BOGEN got out of his vehicle carrying a large bag containing 1009.9 grams of pure methamphetamine and a Glock Model 26, Gen 4, nine-millimeter semi-automatic handgun, that had a round in the chamber. DEA agents then turned on their surveillance unit’s flashing blue lights and began to exit the vehicle. Immediately after an agent opened their door, BOGEN brandished his handgun and pointed it directly at one of the agents. Agents then moved to take cover at the rear of the unit and one shot was fired in BOGEN’s direction. BOGEN, who was not wounded, then threw the handgun and the large bag of methamphetamine over the fence that lined the driveway of the residence and surrendered.
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 Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of Narcotics Unit.
Honduran national convicted after cross-country trip against minor’s willRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 33-year-old man who illegally resided in Houston has pleaded guilty to interstate travel with intent to engage in a sex act with a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
In June 2020, Wilmer Rivera-Hernandez took a 15-year-old female on what was supposed to be a date. However, the event ended up being a three-day trip across the country against the victim’s will.
The young female told Rivera-Hernandez to take her home, but he refused and drove her out of the Houston area. During the drive, he bought alcohol and forced her to drink it, threatening her and her family if she refused to obey him. He kept her in a state of intoxication so she could not recognize where she was. He also kept her cell phone which prevented her from seeking help.
On one evening during the trip, Rivera-Hernandez took the minor victim to a motel near Little Rock, Arkansas, where he raped her.
She attempted to get help on two occasions after getting temporary access to her phone. One was unsuccessful, but she was eventually able to text her family members and told them he could kill her and to call the police. Authorities were quickly able to find Rivera-Hernandez and the victim in his car which was parked at a truck stop in Knoxville, Tennessee.
While in custody, Rivera-Hernandez also attempted to obstruct justice. He arranged for the distribution of fabricated WhatsApp messages purporting to be that of the minor victim. In them, he made it appear the minor had recanted her claims of kidnapping and rape and hoped it would lead to the dismissal of the charges. He was unsuccessful when the investigation revealed the messages originated from him.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. will impose sentencing Nov. 20. At that time, Rivera-Hernandez faces up to life in federal prison.
Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service conducted the investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. Sheriff’s Offices in Montgomery County, Texas, and Knox County, Tennessee, assisted with the victim’s rescue. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharad Khandelwal and Stephanie Bauman prosecuted the case.
Greece Man Going to Prison on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jason Lane, 28, of Greece, NY, who was convicted of receipt of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that in July and August 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received tips from Yahoo that a user uploaded approximately 260 files of possible child pornography to a Yahoo email account. NCMEC forwarded the information to the New York State Police and a subsequent investigation traced the files to an IP address belonging to Lane, a former Town of Greece police recruit, who was terminated following a probationary period. The files include an image of a partially nude preschool-aged child, which appears to have been taken at a childcare facility in the Rochester, NY, area. The files also include sexually explicit images of two minor victims (Victim 1 and Victim 2), that appear to have been taken by Lane.
On August 9, 2022, the NYSP executed a search warrant at a residence in Brighton, NY, and seized a cellular phone belonging to Lane. A second search warrant was executed at a residence in Greece, NY. A forensic analysis of the phone recovered child pornography. A search warrant was also executed on Lane’s Yahoo account. That search recovered additional images of child pornography that were produced by Lane, in images that Lane obtained via the internet, and images of students at Spencerport High School that appear to have been take surreptitiously by Lane when he worked as a security guard at the school.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian J. Ratajczak, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
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Grand jury indicts local man for submitting false PPP loan applicationRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man is charged with wire fraud as part of a scheme to fraudulently obtain a Covid relief loan.
Kelton McClarrin, 32, allegedly received nearly $21,000 from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under false pretenses and used the money for personal expenditures including jail commissary services, CashApp, Grubhub, DoorDash, Facebook purchases and hotels.
McClarrin was brought into federal custody today.
According to the indictment, McClarrin applied for a Covid relief loan on May 16, 2021, falsely claiming in the application that he was the sole owner of a business named “Kelton McClarrin.” McClarrin claimed his business was established in 2019 and had a gross income of $100,000 for that year. It is alleged that McClarrin also submitted a forged bank statement in support of the loan application.
McClarrin was sentenced to two years in prison in a Hamilton County case on May 7, 2019. He remained incarcerated until Nov. 17, 2020, when he was paroled to a halfway house. He used the address of the halfway house as his business address on the loan application.
In April 2022, McClarrin applied for loan forgiveness for the $21,000 PPP loan. He stated on the application forms that he had 20 employees and had spent $20,000 of the loan on payroll costs.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the charges. The case was investigated by the Social Security’s Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Marshals, and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Former employee of an online used car retailer indicted for wire fraud for more than $2 million embezzlement schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 40-year-old California man, who previously resided in Tacoma, Washington was indicted this week by a federal grand jury on five counts of wire fraud for his scheme to steal more than $2 million from his employer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. John Whisenant was arrested on a criminal complaint last month. He will be arraigned on the indictment at a future court date.
According to records filed in the case, Whisenant worked in a variety of roles at the online used car sales company beginning in October 2018. About a year after he began with the company, Whisenant was promoted into a role where he had access to the company bank accounts and accounting software.
Beginning in about June 2019 and continuing until November 2021, Whisenant used his access to make 57 wire transfers totaling over $2 million into accounts he controlled. Whisenant disguised the transfers as legitimate business expenses in the company’s accounting software with a variety of false entries. The indictment charges five of the transfers as representative counts but asks for forfeiture of the entire $2 million+ loss.
According to the criminal complaint filed earlier this month, Whisenant used the money for a lavish lifestyle. He bought luxury automobiles such Porches and Mercedes. He spent $123,096 for a 2022 Audi E-Tron and bought a $98,100 Tesla. He rented luxury homes in Southern California and purchased two airline tickets to Paris at a cost of nearly $23,000 each.
The fraud on the company accounts was discovered when a bookkeeper began a more comprehensive review of the company’s financials in January 2022. Whisenant resigned abruptly in February 2022.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Waite.
whisenant_indictment.pdfFormer Federal Correctional Officer Sentenced to Prison for Sexual Abuse of an InmateRead the Press Release
A former federal correctional officer was sentenced to three months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release – the first three months of supervised release will be on home detention – for sexual abuse of an individual in federal custody. He will also pay a $1,000 fine, a $5,000 Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act assessment, a $100 special monetary assessment, and be required to register as a sex offender and be subject to all sex offender conditions.
According to court documents, between October 2021, and August 2022, Lenton Jerome Hatten, 54, of Tallahassee, Florida, engaged in repeated sexual acts with an inmate while employed as a sports specialist for the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee (FCI Tallahassee). Immediately after being reported, a forensic examination was conducted of the victim by a sexual assault nurse examiner. DNA evidence confirmed a likely link between Hatten and the victim.
At the time of the report, Hatten was on vacation leave and when made aware, he resigned his position. As such, Hatten had no further contact with inmates.
“As this prosecution demonstrates, the Department of Justice remains dedicated to rooting out sexual misconduct at the Bureau of Prisons,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Any BOP employee who abuses their position of authority and mistreats those in their custody will be held accountable.”
“No inmate should ever experience sexual abuse or abuse of any kind at the hands of a Bureau of Prisons employee. My office will continue to aggressively pursue justice for victims of such heinous acts,” said Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz.
“Without exception, all people, including those serving sentences in correctional facilities, are entitled to protection of their physical safety and civil rights” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “This defendant repeatedly sexually abused an inmate in his care and thanks to the victim’s bravery in coming forward, future abuse has been prevented. Today’s case shows that the FBI will investigate anyone who violates federal law, regardless of their position, and hold those responsible for enforcing it to the highest standard.”
“The abuse of any inmate by correctional officers is intolerable,” said U.S. Attorney Coody for the Northern District of Florida. “Sentences of confinement are imposed to account for the inmate’s criminal conduct and afford educational and vocational skills to aid in rehabilitation. The inmate’s dignity and safety are not surrendered at the prison door. This office will vigorously investigate and prosecute any officer who violates their oath through abuse of inmates entrusted to their care and custody.”
The DOJ-OIG and FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James A. McCain for the Northern District of Florida prosecuted the case.
Former Department of Labor Agent Sentenced to 33 Months’ Imprisonment for Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a former Special Agent with the Department of Labor, Thomas Hartley, age 49, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on August 23, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to 33 months’ imprisonment on the charge of mail fraud in connection with multiple schemes to commit fraud.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Hartley previously pleaded guilty and admitted that he obtained a total of $197,366 through multiple fraud schemes. Between April 2020 and September 2021, Hartley applied for and collected Pennsylvania unemployment compensation benefits by claiming that he was unemployed, when in fact Hartley was employed on full time active duty with the New Jersey National Guard. Further, in applying for unemployment benefits, the defendant failed to disclose that he was on military leave from his full-time federal civilian employment with the United States Department of Labor. Hartley thereby utilized the mail to collect approximately $60,284 in unemployment compensation funds to which he was not entitled.
Hartley also fraudulently obtained $23,582 in Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) funds paid by the Department of the Army, $50,000 in “lost wage” benefits paid by USAA insurance, and $63,500 from his Thrift Savings Plan.
In August 2022, a grand jury issued a second superseding indictment charging Hartley with multiple fraud schemes. In addition to the scheme to fraudulently obtaining Pennsylvania unemployment compensation funds, the second superseding indictment also charged that Hartley, while on leave from his position with the Department of Labor and serving with the New Jersey National Guard, submitted false documents to the Department of the Army and thereby obtained approximately $23,580 in housing allowance funds to which he was not entitled.
The second superseding indictment also charged Hartley with fraud in connection with the filing of a lost wage claim with USAA Insurance following an automobile accident. Hartley falsely claimed that he had lost wages, resulting from an automobile accident, when in fact Hartley was suspended without pay from his employment with the Department of Labor as a result of an ongoing criminal investigation. Hartley thereby collected approximately $50,000 in lost wage benefits to which he was not entitled.
Finally, the second superseding indictment charged Hartley with fraudulently obtaining funds from his Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) by falsely claiming that he was not married, when in fact he was at all times married. Hartley thereby transferred the funds to himself personally, or to a bank account solely in his name, without the knowledge or consent of his wife.
The charges against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Special Investigations; the United States Army, Criminal Investigation Division; and the USAA Insurance Special Investigations Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.
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Former Columbia Falls woman sentenced to two years in prison for fraudRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A former Columbia Falls woman who admitted to defrauding Montana victims by creating and cashing fraudulent checks was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Joanna Marie Snyder, 59, of Boston, Massachusetts, and formerly of Columbia Falls, pleaded guilty in April to wire fraud.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court also ordered $7,299 restitution.
The government alleged in court documents that in September and October 2019, Snyder engaged in a scheme to create counterfeit $20 Federal Reserve notes and obtained the identities and bank account information of Montana victims to create and cash fraudulent checks. An investigation found 19 fraudulently cashed checks drawn off a hospitality account associated with a Kalispell business. Several of the hospitality checks were made out to Snyder and had been deposited into accounts owned by Snyder at the Whitefish Credit Union.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Secret Service, Polson Police Department, Kalispell Police Department, Columbia Falls Police Department and Flathead County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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Former Chief of Staff to Speaker of the Illinois House Convicted of Lying Under Oath to Federal Grand JuryRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The former Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives was convicted today of providing false material testimony under oath to a federal grand jury and attempting to obstruct its investigation into allegations of public corruption.
A jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago found TIMOTHY MAPES, 68, of Springfield, Ill., guilty of one count of making false declarations before a grand jury and one count of attempted obstruction of justice. U.S. District Judge John F. Kness set sentencing for Jan. 10, 2024. The obstruction of justice conviction is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, while the false declaration conviction carries a maximum sentence of five years.
The convictions were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia Schwartz and Diane MacArthur.
“Perjury and obstruction of justice are serious offenses that strike at the heart of the truth-seeking mission of the grand jury,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “This conviction should stand as a clear message to witnesses who choose to violate their oath to tell the truth before a grand jury that they will be held accountable.”
"There is no justice without truth,” said FBI SAC Wheeler. “Attempts to undermine the prosecutorial process chip away at trust in our institutions, and this conviction shows that we continue to work with our partners to ensure the integrity of our judicial system."
“Citizens should expect that former public officials will maintain their integrity and be truthful even when it is inconvenient,” said IRS-CI SAC Campbell. “The investigation that resulted in this conviction is a testament to IRS-CI’s and our law enforcement partners’ commitment to ensuring that individuals who do not testify truthfully in the grand jury will be brought to justice.”
Evidence presented at the nearly three-week trial revealed that the grand jury was investigating possible violations of federal criminal law, including efforts by the Speaker of the House and a consultant acting on the Speaker’s behalf to obtain for others private jobs, contracts, and monetary payments, including from Commonwealth Edison (“ComEd”), the largest electric utility in Illinois, to influence and reward the Speaker in the Speaker’s official capacity.
Mapes was granted immunity prior to his testimony before the grand jury. The immunity order provided that testimony or evidence provided by Mapes could not be used against him in a criminal case, except for perjury, giving a false statement, or otherwise failing to comply with the immunity order.
When Mapes appeared before the grand jury on March 31, 2021, he knowingly made false material declarations in response to several questions about the consultant’s relationship with the Speaker from 2017 to 2019. Mapes denied knowing that the consultant acted as an agent or performed work for the Speaker during those years, when, in fact, Mapes knew that the consultant carried out work and assignments on behalf of the Speaker and communicated messages on the Speaker’s behalf.
Five Amazon Marketplace Sellers and Four Amazon Marketplace Companies Sentenced for Price FixingRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Five individuals and four companies have been sentenced for participating in a conspiracy to fix the prices of DVDs and Blu-Ray Discs sold on the Amazon marketplace. This investigation has resulted in a total of six individual guilty pleas and four corporate guilty pleas.
Victor Btesh, of New York, was sentenced to 18 months’ incarceration, followed by two years of supervised release, and a fine of $38,000; Btesh’s three companies, Michelle’s DVD Funhouse, MJR Prime, and Prime Brooklyn, were each respectively sentenced to a $156,520, $125,688, and $61,844 criminal fine on August 23, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.
Additionally, Emmanuel Hourizadeh, Raymond Nouvahian, Morris Sutton, Bruce Fish, and Fish’s company, BDF Enterprises, Inc. were all sentenced on July 21, 2023, also in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Hourizadeh, and Nouvahian, both of New York, were sentenced to one month’s imprisonment, seven months home confinement, a criminal fine of $55,000 each, and two years of supervised release; Sutton, of New Jersey, was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment, five months home confinement, a $20,000 criminal fine, and two years of supervised released; Fish, of Minnesota, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, six months’ home confinement, a $48,750 criminal fine, and two years of supervised released; and Fish’s company, BDF Enterprises, was sentenced to a $234,000 criminal fine.
“Americans are becoming increasingly reliant on online marketplaces, making it more important as ever to protect them from being cheated on the internet,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Manish Kumar of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “These sentences reflect the Division’s commitment to seeking punishment for criminal antitrust violations wherever they may occur.” “Conspiring to fix prices in online marketplaces is a federal crime,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “These convictions and sentences demonstrate our office’s commitment to prosecuting price-fixing conspiracies and to protecting consumers in the Eastern District of Tennessee from paying inflated prices in online marketplaces.”
“Activities related to price fixing and collusion do not promote an environment conducive to open competition, ultimately harming the consumer,” said Executive Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cleevely of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Office of Inspector General. “The sentencings in this case represent a win for all law enforcement agencies who investigate those who engage in this type of harmful conduct to ensure that justice is served.”According to court documents, these defendants agreed with co-conspirators to raise and maintain the prices of DVDs and Blu-Rays sold through Amazon marketplace storefronts, resulting in those products being sold at collusive and noncompetitive prices. Hourizadeh, Nouvahian, and Sutton pleaded guilty to price fixing on January 7, 2022. Btesh and all three corporate entities pleaded guilty to price fixing on February 9, 2023, after having been indicted on March 16, 2022. Lastly, Fish and BDF Enterprises pleaded guilty to price fixing on February 10, 2023, after having been indicted on March 16, 2022.
Amazon Marketplace is an e-commerce platform that enables third-party vendors to sell new or used products alongside Amazon’s own offerings. Amazon Marketplace is owned and operated by Amazon.com, Inc.
Trial Attorneys Robert M. Jacobs, Kevin C. Culum, Elizabeth K. Noonan-Pomada, and Nickolas R. Foran from the Antitrust Division’s Chicago Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney William A. Roach, Jr. for the Eastern District of Tennessee prosecuted the case. The case was investigated with the assistance of the FBI’s New York Field Office and the USPS Office of Inspector General’s Contract Fraud Investigations Division.
Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258 or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.
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Father and Son Each Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for a Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Scott Anthony Williams, age 45, of Laurel, Maryland and Taeyan Raymond Williams, age 26, of Morgantown, West Virginia to 23 years and 12.5 years in federal prison, respectively, each followed by five years of supervised release, for a drug trafficking conspiracy and for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Scott Williams was also convicted for conspiracy to destroy and conceal evidence related to these crimes. At sentencing, Judge Chuang gave the defendants an above guidelines sentence, in part, because he found that, at a minimum, Scott Williams and Taeyan Williams knew of, took advantage of, and profited from the murder of their marijuana supplier.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Washington Division; and Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore.
According to the evidence presented at the twelve-day trial, from approximately October 2017 until April 6, 2018, the victim sold and distributed marijuana and marijuana products to Scott Williams (“S. Williams”), Taeyan Williams (“T. Williams”), their family members, and associates. The defendants sold the products received from the victim to other distributors for resale and to end drug users. The defendants also sold and distributed cocaine to the victim for further distribution. As a result of various transactions between the defendants and the victim, T. Williams and members of his family, including S. Williams, became indebted to the victim. According to witness testimony, on April 6, 2018, the victim planned to meet with T. Williams and S. Williams to discuss the debt that they owed to the victim, and to provide the defendants with marijuana and marijuana products.
As detailed in trial testimony, shortly before that meeting, the victim’s supplier in California had a large shipment of marijuana and marijuana products delivered to the victim’s storage unit in Jessup, Maryland. Trial evidence showed that on April 5, 2018, and April 6, 2018, the victim retrieved controlled substances from his storage unit in Jessup, Maryland and stayed at a short-term rental property in Baltimore, Maryland. On the afternoon of April 6, the victim traveled from Baltimore to Laurel, Maryland, where S. Williams lived. Location data reflects that at 1:32 p.m., the victim was approximately 1.5 miles from Scott Williams’ residence. On April 6, 2018, at approximately 1:52 p.m., the victim saved a note to a ledger and accounting of marijuana that the victim sold to T. Williams and monies paid or owed from him, which the victim maintained in his email account.
The government presented evidence that on April 7, 2018, conspirators drove the victim’s vehicle to a Baltimore parking lot where they parked the vehicle, cleaned it, and then drove away in S. Williams’s rented car. The victim’s DNA and blood were later recovered from the rear bumper, lift gate, passenger side door frame, and trunk carpeting of the victim’s abandoned vehicle. Further, the evidence showed that between 8:37 p.m. on April 6, 2018, and 8:31 p.m. on April 8, 2018, someone in S. Williams’s rented car used the victim’s PIN number to enter the Jessup storage facility. Between April 8, 2018, and June 6, 2018, the defendants hid the victim’s drugs in S. Williams’ home in Laurel. When law enforcement executed a search warrant at the home on June 6, 2018, they recovered large quantities of marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine, as well as four firearms: a 9mm handgun; a 7.62 caliber-rifle; a .38 caliber handgun; and a .25 caliber handgun. A copy of the victim’s ledger was also found under S. Williams’ bed in the home. The body of the victim was never located.
During sentencing, Judge Chuang found that the death of the victim was connected to the drug conspiracy for which S. Williams and T. Williams were convicted; that the defendants knew of the killing of the victim; and that the defendants took advantage of the situation by taking the victim’s marijuana and profiting from it.
Finally, the evidence also proved that between June 6, 2018, and his initial appearance on federal charges in January 2019, S. Williams sought to conceal and destroy evidence related to the ongoing investigation, including by asking an associate to delete information from his electronic storage account and phone.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Maryland State Police, the DEA, and HSI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah B. Grossi, William D. Moomau, and Michael C. Hanlon who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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El Departamento de Justicia entabla pleito contra SpaceX por discriminar a asilados y refugiados en la contrataciónRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia entabló pleito hoy contra Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) por discriminar a asilados y refugiados en la contratación. El pleito alega que, desde al menos septiembre del 2018 hasta mayo del 2022, SpaceX, de forma rutinaria, desalentaba a asilados y refugiados de solicitar un empleo y se negó a contratar o considerarlos debido a su estatus de ciudadanía, en contra de la Ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés).
A lo largo de varios años, en los anuncios de trabajo y declaraciones públicas, SpaceX mantenía erróneamente que, según unos reglamentos federales conocidos como «leyes de control de la exportación», SpaceX solamente podía contratar a ciudadanos y residentes permanentes legales de los EE. UU., a veces denominados «titulares de una tarjeta verde». Las leyes de control de la exportación no imponen tales restricciones a la contratación. Más aún, el permiso de los asilados y refugiados de vivir y trabajar en los Estados Unidos no vence, y en virtud de las leyes de control de la exportación, están en condiciones de igualdad con ciudadanos y residentes permanente legales de los EE. UU. De acuerdo con estas leyes, compañías como SpaceX pueden contratar a asilados y refugiados para los mismos puestos para los que contratarían a ciudadanos y residentes permanentes legales de los EE. UU. Y una vez contratados, los asilados y refugiados pueden acceder a información y materiales controlados por la exportación sin la necesidad de contar con una aprobación gubernamental adicional, al igual que ciudadanos y residentes permanentes legales de los EE. UU.
«Nuestra investigación halló que SpaceX no consideró de manera justa ni tampoco contrató a los asilados y refugiados debido a su estatus de ciudadanía, e impuso lo que equivalía a una prohibición de su contratación independientemente de su cualificación, en violación de la ley federal», declaró Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «Nuestra investigación también halló que reclutadores y funcionarios de alto rango de SpaceX tomaron medidas para disuadir activamente a los asilados y refugiados de buscar oportunidades de trabajo en la compañía. Los asilados y refugiados han superado muchos desafíos en sus vidas, y la discriminación ilícita en el empleo, con base en su estatus de ciudadanía, no debería ser uno de ellos. Por medio de este pleito haremos que SpaceX rinda cuentas por sus prácticas ilícitas y buscaremos un remedio que permita a los asilados y refugiados competir de manera justa por las oportunidades de trabajo y contribuir sus talentos a la mano de obra de SpaceX».
El pleito del Departamento alega que SpaceX discriminó a asilados y refugiados por motivos de su estatus de ciudadanía en múltiples fases del proceso de contratación. Por ejemplo:
- SpaceX desalentó a asilados y refugiados de solicitar puestos disponibles, mediante anuncios públicos, solicitudes de trabajo y otras comunicaciones virtuales de reclutamiento que excluyeron a asilados y refugiados.
- SpaceX no consideró de manera justa las solicitudes entregadas por asilados y refugiados.
- SpaceX se negó a contratar a postulantes cualificados que eran asilados o refugiados y se rechazó en repetidas ocasiones las solicitudes de asilados y refugiados debido a su estatus de ciudadanía.
- SpaceX contrató únicamente a ciudadanos y residentes permanente legales de los EE. UU. entre septiembre de 2018 y septiembre de 2020.
SpaceX recluta y contrata para una variedad de puestos, incluyendo soldadores, cocineros, operadores de grúa, baristas y lavaplatos, así como especialistas en la tecnología informática, ingenieros de software, analistas de negocios, ingenieros de cohetes y profesionales de la comercialización. Los puestos en cuestión en el pleito no se limitan a trabajos que requieren títulos avanzados.
Los asilados y refugiados son migrantes a los Estados Unidos que han fugado de la persecución. Para poder obtener su estatus, necesitan someterse a un proceso riguroso de investigación por parte del Gobierno de los Estados Unidos. Conforme a la INA, los empleadores no pueden discriminarlos en la contratación a menos que una ley, un reglamento, una orden ejecutiva o un contrato gubernamental así lo requiera al empleador. En este caso, no hubo ninguna ley, reglamento, orden ejecutiva o contrato gubernamental que hubiese requerido o permitido que SpaceX practicara la discriminación, de manera generalizada, a asilados y refugiados, que la investigación del Departamento halló, tal y como se explica en la demanda.
Puesto que SpaceX trabaja con ciertos bienes, software, tecnología y datos técnicos (a los que se refiere aquí como artículos de exportación controlada) SpaceX debe cumplir con los reglamentos y leyes de control de la exportación, lo que incluye los Reglamentos sobre el Tráfico Internacional de Armas y los Reglamentos de Administración de Exportaciones. Conforme a estos reglamentos, los asilados, refugiados, residentes permanentes legales, ciudadanos estadounidenses y nacionales de los EE. UU. que trabajan para compañías estadounidenses pueden acceder a artículos de exportación controlada sin la autorización del Gobierno de los EE. UU. Por lo tanto, estas leyes no requieren que SpaceX trate a asilados y refugiados de una manera diferente que a ciudadanos de los EE. UU. o titulares de tarjetas verdes. Puede encontrar más información aquí sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación a la hora de cumplir con los requisitos para el control de exportaciones.
Estados Unidos pide la consideración justa y pagos retroactivos para aquellos asilados y refugiados a los que se les desalentó o denegó un empleo en SpaceX como resultado de la alegada discriminación. Por otra parte, Estados Unidos pide que se aplique una sanción civil por el monto que determinará el tribunal y exige que cambie sus políticas para garantizar su cumplimiento con el mandato antidiscriminatorio de la INA de aquí en adelante.
Le rogamos que se comunique con la Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados (IER, por sus siglas en inglés) de la División de Derechos Civiles del departamento a IERSpaceXcase@usdoj.gov o 1-888-473-3845 si usted es o era asilado o refugiado que experimentó alguna de las siguientes situaciones en un momento dado:
(1) Solicitó un trabajo en SpaceX y fue rechazado.
(2) Se le desalentó de solicitar un empleo en SpaceX porque no era ciudadano o residente permanente legal de los EE. UU.
(3) Un reclutador u otro empleado de SpaceX le dijo que SpaceX únicamente podía contratar a ciudadanos o residentes permanentes legales de los EE. UU.
La IER es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, la ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; prácticas documentales injustas; represalias; e intimidación.
Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a IER@usdoj.gov; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español. Inscríbase para recibir noticias por correo electrónico de la IER.
ComplaintDorchester Man Sentenced for Role in Online ScamsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dorchester man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in online romance scams targeting individuals in the United States.
Mike Oziegbe Amiegbe, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to six months in prison, three months of home confinement, and three years of supervised release. Amiegbe was also ordered to pay $828,325 in forfeiture and restitution to victims. In February 2022, Amiegbe pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
From 2017 through 2020, Amiegbe opened bank accounts using fake passports in others’ names to receive the proceeds from online scams, including romance scams. The romance scammers used fake identities to communicate with victims through online social networks and gained the victims’ affection and trust. The scammers then tricked the victims into sending money to Amiegbe. After Amiegbe received the victims’ money, he withdrew the fraud proceeds in cash or with a cashier’s check and sent the money to his co-conspirators overseas.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Jonathan Davidson, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and William Kalb, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Office of Investigations, New York Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Markham and Kristen Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Dominican Republic Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Re-Entering the United StatesRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry by a deported alien, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Rudys Osvaldo Torres, age 50, of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on or about March 15, 2021, Torres, an alien who had previously been deported and removed from the United States, and who had knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully reentered the United States, was found in the United States in Somerset County, Pennsylvania without having applied for and received permission from the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter the United States.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for December 18, 2023. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard, Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pennsylvania State Police and the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Torres.