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21 August 2023
Lawrence Rudolph Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Murdering His Wife in ZambiaRead the Press Release
DENVER –The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Lawrence Rudolph, 68, formerly of Paradise Valley, Arizona, was sentenced to life in prison for murder. Rudolph will also serve a concurrent sentence of 20 years for defrauding multiple life insurance companies, pay $4,877,744.93 in restitution, a fine of $2,000,000, and a $200 special assessment. He was also ordered to forfeit assets obtained as a result of his crime. After a trial last summer, a jury convicted Rudolph of foreign murder and a mail fraud scheme that was perpetrated in Colorado and elsewhere.
Evidence presented at trial proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Lawrence Rudolph murdered his wife Bianca while the two were on a hunting trip in Zambia on October 11, 2016. Rudolph shot his wife through the heart with a 12-gauge shotgun that was enclosed in a soft-shell case on the last day of a scheduled hunt, scheming to make the murder look like an accident. Upon his return to the United States, Rudolph filed fraudulent claims on nine separate life insurance policies issued by seven different companies to obtain $4,877,744.93.
“This result shows that no matter how much money, prestige, or power you have, you will be held accountable for your crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “The fact that justice arrived today is no accident. It was part of a dedicated effort by public servants committed to the cause of justice. We are grateful to the attorneys, staff, and investigators who made today’s result possible.”
“The defendant in this case thought he could murder his wife overseas and get away with it. He was wrong and will now be held accountable for his actions thanks to the relentless pursuit of justice by the dedicated men and women of the FBI, DOJ, and the family of Bianca Rudolph, who never lost faith in the judicial system,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek.
United States Senior District Judge William J. Martinez presided over the sentencing. Rudolph’s co-defendant, Lori Milliron, was previously sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for her role as an accessory to the murder, for obstructing the investigation into Rudolph’s crime, and for committing perjury before a grand jury.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the FBI Denver Division. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Fields, Garreth Winstead, and Bishop Grewell. Forfeiture proceedings are being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kurt Bohn.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.
Case Number: 22-cr-00012-WJM-1
Justice Department Awards $375,000 to Area Foundation to Prevent and Reduce Violent Crime in Baton RougeRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that TRUCE has received $375,000 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs and its component, Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention.
TRUCE, a prosecutor-led nonprofit entity, was formed to address ongoing, collaborative crime reduction efforts within areas in East Baton Rouge Parish by developing and deploying community-based group violence intervention and focused deterrence strategies. TRUCE laid the groundwork and formed the core public safety partnerships that have become a vital component in EBR's public safety ecosystem.
With this grant, TRUCE will enhance the framework to build out and sustain more intensive and effective community-based public safety partnerships in East Baton Rouge Parish.
For more information about this award, please contact the OJP Office of Communications at 202-307-0703 or OJP.OCOM@ojp.usdoj.gov.
Jury Convicts Binghamton Felon and Escapee of Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
UTICA, NEW YORK – On Friday evening, a jury voted to convict Charles Harrison, age 34, of Binghamton, New York, of being a felon in possession of a firearm, following a 4-day trial in Utica, New York.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and United States Marshal for the Northern District of New York David L. McNulty made the announcement.
The trial evidence demonstrated that, following his 2012 conviction in the Northern District of New York for Conspiracy to Possess and Distribute controlled substances, Harrison was serving the final portion of his term of imprisonment at a halfway house in Connecticut. Harrison absconded from the halfway house, resulting in a warrant being issued for his arrest for Escaping the Custody of the Attorney General. On March 29, 2022, the United States Marshals Service Regional Fugitive Task Force found Harrison hiding under a mattress in an apartment in Binghamton, New York. The Marshals also located a loaded gun in the bedroom next to where Harrison was hiding. Forensic and testimonial evidence presented at trial linked Harrison to the gun that was in the apartment, and the jury voted to convict him of possessing the gun as a prohibited person (previously convicted felon).
At sentencing scheduled for December 20, 2023, before United States District Judge David N. Hurd, Harrison faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the United States Marshalls Service with assistance from the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), New York State Police, the Broome County Sheriff’s Office, and the Binghamton Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica N. Carbone and Thomas R. Sutcliffe.
Investigators seeking potential victims of Georgia man charged with sexual exploitation of childrenRead the Press Release
Homeland Security InvestigationsBRUNSWICK, GA: A Georgia man has been indicted on multiple child exploitation charges, and investigators are seeking information from individuals who might have had prior contact with the defendant.
Todd Eric Sisk, 48, of Baxley, Ga., is charged via federal indictment with Attempted Production of Child Pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence upon conviction of 15 years in prison, up to 30. He also is charged with Distribution of Child Pornography, Possession of Child Pornography, and Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
“We are committed to protecting our most vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we will strive to keep our children and our communities safe.”
After initiating an investigation into suspicious online activity in November 2021, the Walton County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office identified Sisk as a suspect and contacted investigators from Homeland Security Investigations in Savannah for assistance.
HSI investigators found suspected child sexual abuse material on Sisk’s cell phone and in online applications. Sisk was indicted on federal charges in July, and currently is in custody awaiting further court proceedings.
Sisk works as a truck driver with regular routes to Atlanta and Charleston, with occasional trips to Alabama and Tennessee. He previously lived in Ohio and in multiple locations in Florida and Georgia. HSI investigators are seeking information from anyone who might have had contact with Sisk. Those with information are asked to call the HSI Tip Line at 866-347-2423.
An indictment contains only charges, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Walton County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Baxley Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Jason W. Blanchard.
Houston oil trader charged in international bribery schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 49-year-old Texas man and former employee for Vitol Inc. is set to appear in federal court for allegedly conspiring to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and for allegedly violating the FCPA, the Travel Act and the money laundering statutes in connection with a scheme involving Mexican government officials.
Javier Aguilar is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Ho in Houston at 2 p.m. today.
The five-count indictment, returned Aug. 3, alleges Aguilar was a former manager and oil trader for Vitol Inc., the U.S. affiliate of the Vitol group of companies which together form one of the largest energy trading firms in the world. The former employee allegedly agreed with others to bribe Mexican officials in order to win business advantages related to contracts with the Mexican government instrumentality, PEMEX Procurement International (PPI). He is also charged with money laundering in connection with the scheme.
Between August 2017 and July 2020, the charges allege Aguilar and others knowingly, willfully and corruptly offered and paid bribes to and for the benefit of Mexican officials. He allegedly intended to obtain and retain business for Vitol related to Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), a state-owned oil company of Mexico, and PPI, a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary of PEMEX with its principal place of business in Houston.
Aguilar allegedly met with procurement managers at PPI between September 2017 and April 2018 and agreed to pay bribes for confidential, inside information to assist Vitol in winning business from PPI, including a contract to supply ethane to PEMEX through PPI. In particular, Aguilar allegedly agreed to make payments totaling approximately $600,000 in order to assist Vitol in winning the ethane contract.
To promote the bribery scheme and to conceal the proceeds derived from it, Aguilar and his co-conspirators caused the bribes to be paid through a series of transactions and shell companies, according to the charges.
Aguilar is charged with violating the FCPA and conspiracy to do so, which both carry a possible five-year-federal prison sentence as does a conviction of violation of the Travel Act. If convicted of either of the two money laundering charges, he could receive up to 20 years in prison.
The FBI’s International Corruption Unit - Miami Field Office conducted the investigation.
Deputy Chief Suzanne Elmilady and Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Sherin Daniel for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case along with Assistant Chiefs Derek Ettinger and Jon Robell and Trial Attorney Clayton Solomon of the Fraud Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Deputy Chief Adam Schwartz and Trial Attorney D. Hunter Smith from the Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture Section with assistance from AUSAs Jonathan P. Lax and Matthew R. Galeotti from the Eastern District of New York.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Henderson Drug Trafficker Sentenced to More than 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Henderson man was sentenced Friday to 188 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl and heroin. On May 4, 2023, Tyren Omarious Hargrove, 23, pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin and fentanyl.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, after receiving information that Hargrove was involved in drug trafficking, law enforcement oversaw multiple controlled purchases of suspected heroin from Hargrove. In June 2022, agents also executed a search warrant at Hargrove’s residence in Henderson where they recovered more than 4,000 dosage units of heroin and fentanyl, oxycodone, and nearly $55,000.
“The outcome of today’s sentencing is the result of a collaborative effort of local, state, and federal resources,” said Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow. “Our partnerships are focused on the betterment of our community. I’m hopeful that our community feels the impact of today’s announcement and many others that will be forthcoming.”
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Henderson Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey L. Peaden prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-00173-FL.
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Guilty on All Counts, Jury Convicts Fort Duchesne Man for 2018 MurderRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – On August 18, 2023, a federal jury convicted a Utah man of murder in the second degree and other related charges. After a five-day trial, Brandon Redfoot was found guilty on all five counts charged in the indictment. Charges include murder in the second degree while within Indian Country, assault with a dangerous weapon while within Indian Country, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and two counts of discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Brandon Redfoot, 28, of Fort Duchesne, Utah, shot and killed another man, on June 7, 2018. According to testimony at trial, Redfoot was in a physical altercation with the victim outside a store in Randlett, Utah. After the fight, and after the two men parted ways in separate vehicles, Redfoot told the driver of the vehicle he was in to turn around and drive back in the direction the victim had traveled. After the driver refused, Redfoot pulled out a firearm, later identified as a KelTec Sub-2000 9mm folding rifle, and threatened the driver to turn around by firing the gun inside the vehicle. The driver complied, and ultimately arrived outside a residence where Redfoot spotted the victim. Redfoot fired at least twenty-nine shots in the direction of the victim and others, ultimately hitting the victim in the back of the head and killing him. Redfoot faces a maximum statutory sentence of imprisonment of up to life.
FBISentencing is scheduled for October 27, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 3.4 before U.S. District Court Judge Clark Waddoups at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Vernal Resident Agency and investigators from the Ute Tribe.
FBI
Assistant United States Attorneys Michael J. Thorpe and Sam Pead of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah presented the case at trial.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.
Gang Members Convicted of Murder, Federal Racketeering, and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Macon, Georgia, convicted three members of the Gangster Disciples – a national gang with a long history of lawlessness and violence – on Aug. 17 in connection with the murder of three people, as well as various other offenses including drug trafficking, obstruction of justice, and firearm charges.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Philmon Deshawn Chambers, aka Dolla Phil, 34, of Atlanta, who was a Chief Enforcer for the State of Georgia; Andrea Paige Browner, aka Light Brite, aka Drea, aka Shawty, 28, of Athens, Georgia; and Lesley Chappell Green, aka Grip, 35, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, were responsible for three gang-related murders triggered by the murder of a Gangster Disciple member. After that murder, other Gangster Disciples allegedly sought to identify and retaliate against those responsible for the victim’s death. Chambers followed Rodriguez Apollo Rucker to his Athens residence where he shot and killed Rucker, who was a relative of a suspect of the first murder.
“These defendants placed the Gangster Disciples’ rule of revenge above the rule of law. Their days of violence in the name of the Gangster Disciples are now over,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As this case demonstrates, outstanding cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement is vital to dismantling violent criminal enterprises and keeping our communities safe. The Justice Department will not waiver in its commitment to protecting victims of violent crime.”
After learning that police suspected Chambers of Rucker’s murder, Chambers and Browner fled from Georgia to Texas. To cover up this crime and protect the gang, Chambers ordered that fellow gang members he suspected of cooperating with law enforcement, Derrick Ruff and Joshua Jackson, be killed. Green, along with Shabazz Larry Guidry, aka Lil L, aka L, aka Lil Bro, aka Lil Larry, 28, of Decatur, Georgia, and Robert Maurice Carlisle, aka Different, 34, of Lithonia, Georgia, shot and killed Ruff and Jackson and left their bodies in a storage unit in Lawrenceville, Georgia, where they were discovered four months later.
“Philmon Chambers, Andrea Browner and Lesley Green were Gangster Disciples who engaged in a pattern of violent criminal activity for years, to include three heinous murders; now, justice has been served,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary for the Middle District of Georgia. “Violent gangs, intimidation and murder have no place in our lawful society, and I commend the federal, state and local partners who worked so closely to solve this case of exceptional complexity.”
“Chambers, Browner, and Green are responsible for gang-related acts of murder, retaliation, and other destructive crimes,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Forces are the front line of our efforts protecting communities across the country from violent gangs like the Gangster Disciples. I commend the members of the Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force led by the FBI Athens Resident Agency, as well as our partners in Athens and Gwinnett Counties, for ensuring these violent criminals are taken off the streets of Georgia.”
The jury convicted Chambers, Browner, and Green of racketeer influenced and corrupt organization (RICO) conspiracy. The jury also convicted Chambers and Browner of violent crime in aid of racketeering (VICAR) murder and federal firearm offenses related to murder. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. Chamber and Browner face a mandatory minimum penalty of life in prison. Green faces a statutory penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Carlisle and Guidry previously pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy.
The FBI Atlanta Field Office, Athens Resident Agency Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, Athens-Clarke County Police Department, and Gwinnett County Police Department investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Ken Kaplan of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison for the Middle District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Justice Department’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Fourth defendant convicted in conspiracy to steal aircraft design secretsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A California man has been found guilty at trial for his role in a conspiracy to steal aircraft design and testing information in a plot to shorten the regulatory approval process for another company’s aircraft technology.
Juan Martinez, 53, of Yorba Linda, California, was convicted after a five-day trial in U.S. District Court in Savannah on one count of Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The conviction subjects Martinez to a statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and restitution, and up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“The conspirators in this case schemed to abuse a position of trust inside a major company in the Southern District of Georgia in order to steal proprietary engineering information to provide an unfair advantage to competing products,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We commend the hard work of our law enforcement partners in bringing this investigation and prosecution to a successful conclusion.”
As the evidence showed at trial, Martinez was a contractor who worked as a technical lead for a small aeronautics company. He and the other co-conspirators schemed to steal proprietary trade secret information from a large aircraft company for use in developing and marketing their own technology, with the intent to market and sell that technology to the true owner’s competitors.
U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker will schedule sentencing for Martinez upon completion of a pre-sentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services.
Two of the conspirators are serving federal prison terms after pleading guilty in the case. Craig German, 60, of Kernersville, North Carolina, is serving 70 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets, plus 20 months for Perjury and False Statements to a Government Agency for providing false information during testimony given in his first sentencing. Gilbert Basaldua, 63, of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, is serving 80 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets and Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property.
The fourth conspirator, Joseph Pascua, 61, of Escondido, California, awaits sentencing after being found guilty at trial in February for Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets. His conviction is under appeal.
“Martinez was a part of a bold scheme to steal the secrets of a U.S. company rather than commit to putting in the money and hard work necessary to succeed on his own,” said Will Clarke, Senior Resident of FBI Atlanta's Savannah office. “As this conviction proves, the FBI is dedicated to identifying and prosecuting anyone who engages in illegal and deceptive practices to steal protected information.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Darron J. Hubbard and Senior Litigation Counsel Jennifer G. Solari.
Fort Myers Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing A Firearm and Ammunition as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Deshon G. Walker (26, Fort Myers) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as convicted felon. Walker faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
According to court documents, officers from the Fort Myers Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle with Walker as the front seat passenger. Officers located a loaded Glock pistol under Walker’s seat. DNA analysis later linked Walker to the pistol. Walker had previously been convicted of a felony and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Fort Myers Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark R. Morgan.
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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Former tribal councilmember and police officer sentenced to 34 years in prison for sexual abuse of minorsRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 69-year-old member of the Lower Elwha S’Klallam Tribe was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 34 years in prison for nine federal crimes related to the sexual abuse of minors, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Joseph Anthony Turrey, of Port Angeles, Washington, was convicted following a seven-day jury trial in March 2023. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said Turrey had shown no sign of remorse telling Turrey, “You demonstrated a wantonness, a cruelty, and mercilessness…. No restitution can give (your victims) back what was stolen from them.”
In 2021, according to records filed in the case, three victims disclosed abuse by the defendant that occurred between 2008 and 2016. The charged assaults occurred on tribal land, triggering federal jurisdiction. Two of the victims were as young as 6 and 7 years old when the sexual assaults began.
Early in his career, in 1993-94, Turrey served as a law enforcement officer on the Hoh Reservation. Turrey, and those who knew him at that time, described his role as Chief of Police. The Hoh Tribe has no record of that position but is aware that Turrey was employed by the tribe and supervised a fisheries enforcement officer. Turrey went on to serve as a police officer for the Lower Elwah Tribe and also served on the Tribal Council.
In her statement to the court, Assistant United States Attorney Kristine Foerster said Turrey “held positions of power while exploiting children.”
Turrey was convicted of six counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor, two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor, and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Lower Elwha S’Klallam Police Department, with assistance from the National Park Service.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kristine Foerster, Will Dreher, and Jonas Lerman.
Former Texas Police Lieutenant Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice an 11-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual Activity in FloridaRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Seth Estes Vanover (51, Diana, Texas) has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice an 11-year-old child to engage in sexual activity using an online social messaging application (app). Vanover faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, imprisonment, and a potential life term of supervised release. Vanover was arrested on October 12, 2022, at the Longview Police Department in Texas where he was employed as a sworn law enforcement officer. Vanover is currently detained pending his sentencing hearing.
According to court documents, on July 25, 2022, an undercover FBI agent began an online operation designed to identify adults seeking to make online contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. Posing as the parent of an 11-year-old child, the agent posted a notice in a public chat room of an online social messaging app. That day, Vanover, using the name “jattleson,” contacted the agent using a private messaging feature of the app. Vanover confirmed that he was “into yung” and sent the agent several photos depicting child erotica as well as a photo of a nude adult male. Vanover and the undercover agent discussed the sexual experience of the purported 11-year-old “child,” and Vanover stated that he would “love to” meet them in Florida and would “love to be naked with” the “child.” Vanover and the agent engaged in more conversations on the app on August 8 and 10, 2022, and September 19, 2022, during which the two discussed meeting in Florida so that Vanover could engage in sexual activity with the “child.” Vanover confirmed with the agent that the “child” was “open to have sex,” discussed details of the sexual acts that Vanover intended to perform on the “child,” and directed the agent to “[t]alk to [the “child”] about the intended sexual activity.”
On October 12, 2022, FBI agents arrested Vanover at the Longview Police Department and Vanover resigned on that same day. Agents searched a patrol vehicle used by Vanover and recovered a cellphone that belonged to Vanover. A review of the phone revealed that it contained at least 230 videos and 130 photos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants, toddlers, and young children. This phone also contained sexually explicit online written communications that Vanover had with other app users, as well as child sexual abuse videos and photos that Vanover received during some of these conversations.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance and cooperation from the Longview Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Physician Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Prescribing NarcoticsRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — James Oscar Williams, 60, has been sentenced to federal prison for unlawfully prescribing pills while practicing as a family doctor in Columbia. Evidence presented to the court showed that between January 2015 and November 2019, Williams unlawfully prescribed David and Jennifer Mozingo well over 100,000 pills of various controlled substances, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, dextroamphetamine, and alprazolam.
Williams pleaded guilty to unlawfully distributing oxycodone and alprazolam while practicing as a medical doctor, and his medical license was revoked. Senior United States District Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. sentenced him to 60 months in federal prison, with a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision to follow.
Both David and Jennifer Mozingo pleaded guilty to drug and firearm offenses and admitted to selling most of the pills they were prescribed by Williams. They were previously sentenced to 111 and 33 months in prison, respectively. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike O’Mara prosecuted the case.
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Former IT Director Sentenced for Embezzling More Than $1M from A Warwick CompanyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE , RI – The former IT Director of a Warwick, RI, metals fabrication and supply company who used his purchasing authority to devise and execute a decade-long fraud scheme that bilked his employer out of more than $1M was sentenced today to nearly three years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Juan Hicks, 47, of New Bedford, MA, pleaded guilty in March 2023 to a charge of wire fraud, admitting that he defrauded ATW Companies in a variety of ways, including by: creating false invoices and expense reports for purchases that were never made; altering legitimate credit card statements to make purchases appear to be business expenses, when, in fact, they were for Hicks’ personal expenses; issuing company phones to himself and six family members and then enrolling the phones on the company’s wireless phone service plan; submitting invoices and using company credit cards to purchase airline and entertainment tickets for himself, family members and friends; and using those company cards to make purchases at retail stores and auto repair centers.
Hicks’ criminal conduct came to light in March 2022, when his employer hired forensic analysts to determine the source of a cyberattack and to assess vulnerabilities in its computer system. Information and analysis provided by the company to the Warwick Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Attorney’s Office subsequently revealed that Hicks had embezzled over one million dollars from the company since 2012.
Hicks was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to thirty-three months in federal prison to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. He was ordered to pay restitution totaling $1,042,000.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
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Former Fresno IRS Employee Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Selling Morphine and Contributing to Co-worker’s DeathRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Margarita Aispuro-Camacho, 46, of Fresno, was sentenced today to 14 months in prison for illegally selling morphine and contributing to the death of her co-worker at the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court records, in May 2020, the police found the victim dead in an apartment in Clovis. A toxicology report confirmed the victim died from an overdose of morphine and other prescription drugs. Importantly, the victim did not have a prescription for the morphine.
Agents obtained text messages between the victim and Aispuro-Camacho that showed the victim bought various prescription drugs from Aispuro-Camacho over an extended period and that the victim bought morphine from her the day before the victim died. Shortly after the victim’s death, Aispuro-Camacho was fired from the IRS for other reasons.
Aispuro-Camacho ultimately confessed to the crime when confronted by agents. Aispuro-Camacho explained that she had been prescribed the morphine and that she sold it to make a few thousand dollars in extra spending money.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and Homeland Security Investigations. TIGTA is a federal agency that provides independent oversight of the IRS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.
Former Auditor at Newport Beach Commercial Real Estate Agency Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $2.7 Million from EmployerRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A former executive at an Orange County commercial real estate agency pleaded guilty today to embezzling more than $2.7 million from his employer by submitting fictitious invoices for companies controlled by his family and friends, whose services never were performed.
Varun Aggarwal, 41, of Irvine, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
According to his plea agreement, from 2008 to January 2022, Aggarwal worked in the internal auditing department of the Newport Beach-based KBS Realty Advisors and rose to the level of the department’s director. Beginning at least as early as January 2012 and continuing until January 2022, Aggarwal used his position at KBS to embezzle his employer’s money.
As a member of the company’s internal auditing group, Aggarwal was familiar with KBS’s policies and procedures for payments to vendors. Aggarwal used his knowledge of KBS’s policies and procedures to have his friends and family serve as approved vendors to do contracting work for KBS.
After several of these companies became approved vendors for KBS, Aggarwal used these approved vendors to submit fraudulent invoices for consulting services that were not performed for the company. He then funneled the payments on the invoices from KBS to his own bank accounts – through the approved vendors – at times without informing the vendors that the invoices and the payments on the invoices were for his own benefit.
In carrying out this scheme, Aggarwal fraudulently obtained approximately $2,729,718 from KBS that he caused it to pay to the approved vendors that ultimately went to himself.
Aggarwal resigned from KBS in January 2022 after the company began investigating the invoices, according to court documents.
United States District Judge Cormac J. Carney scheduled a January 22, 2024, sentencing hearing, at which time Aggarwal will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Brett A. Sagel of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
Florida man admits wire fraud in India-based computer hacking scheme that stole $150,000 from Montana womanRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Florida man accused in an India-based computer hacking scheme that stole $150,000 from an elderly Montana woman admitted to a fraud crime today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Eddly Joseph, 43, of Gainesville, Florida, pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Joseph faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Sentencing was set for Dec. 20 before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Joseph was released on conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that a large enterprise originating from India was involved in stealing money from the elderly in the United States. In February, various fraudsters stole $150,000 from a 73-year-old woman, identified as Jane Doe, in Kalispell. Joseph and co-defendant, Sukhdev Vaid, of India, fraudulently made it appear as if victims had a virus on their computers and that their bank accounts were accessible to hackers. To “safekeep” the victims’ money, Joseph and others directed the victims to withdraw cash so the hackers could not access and steal the victims’ money. Joseph and others would then meet the victims, take their cash, thereby stealing it. The government further alleged that Jane Doe received a pop-up on her computer explaining she was “hacked” and to call a number for customer support. When Jane Doe complied and called, the fraudsters directed Jane Doe to remove cash from her bank accounts for safe keeping at the “Fed.” Jane Doe complied and gave the fraudsters $150,000.
In March, Jane Doe told the fraudsters she still had $50,000 in cash, which was a ruse set up by the FBI. Joseph traveled to Montana, along with Vaid, to steal the money from Jane Doe and were arrested when they arrived. The investigation determined that the fraudsters used a remote access connection device to hack Jane Doe’s computer in January. Vaid has pleaded not guilty to charges and is pending trial.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon is prosecuting the case. The FBI and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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First Grade Teacher Charged with Solicitation of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A man who taught first grade at New Baden Elementary School and coached girls’ sports teams for Wesclin Community Unit School District 3 is facing a federal charge accusing him of soliciting child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Jonathan C. Villmer, Jr., 25, of New Baden, Illinois, was charged via criminal complaint and is scheduled for arraignment on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Illinois.
“Adults who prey on children and their vulnerabilities are menaces to society,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Individuals who work in schools and also exploit minors emulate another level of outwardly dangerous behavior.”
The case was initiated by an otherwise unrelated investigation by the Carmi Police Department regarding the distribution of CSAM. That investigation led to an account soliciting CSAM on Snapchat that law enforcement connected to Villmer.
According to court documents, after obtaining a search warrant for Villmer’s Snapchat account, police discovered explicit conversations with a 13-year-old minor. Villmer asked the minor for the “sexiest images,” discussed having sex and taking the minor’s virginity, and requested photographs of her genitals. Sexually explicit conversations and requests for images with other purported minors were also identified within Villmer’s Snapchat account.
Based upon IP address records associated with the Snapchat account, law enforcement connected the account to Villmer. On Aug. 18, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Villmer’s New Baden residence and seized two cell phones and other electronic devices. Villmer was arrested on scene.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
If convicted, Villmer could face up to 20 years’ imprisonment. His first court appearance is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 23, 2023, at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.
The Department of Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation with support from the New Baden and Carmi Police Departments, and the Jefferson County and Clinton County Sheriffs’ Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Burns is prosecuting the case.
Anyone who believes they have information related to this case may contact Homeland Security Investigations Task Force Officer Bobby Wallace at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office by calling 618-244-8004.
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 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.
FBI issues wanted poster for Florida defendant who failed to show up for sentencingRead the Press Release
Seattle – The FBI today issued a ‘Wanted Poster’ for Volodimyr Pigida. In December 2022, Volodimyr Pigida, a Miami resident who previously resided in Bellevue, Washington, was found guilty by a jury in the Western District of Washington of 26 felony counts, including conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, and bankruptcy fraud, among other crimes.
In his over $11 million dollar Ponzi scheme that defrauded thousands of victims, Volodimyr Pigida and his wife operated a ‘work-at-home’ email scheme named Trend Sound Promoter that ultimately crashed – but not before the two raided the company’s accounts to purchase homes, expensive cars, and a yacht.
On August 4, 2023, Pigida failed to appear at his sentencing hearing. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.
If you have any information concerning this person, please contact your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or you can submit a tip online at tips@fbi.gov.
volodimyr-pigida.pdfEtna Man Found Guilty of Using Deceased Brother’s Identity for DecadesRead the Press Release
BANGOR Maine: An Etna man was found guilty on Friday, August 18 of one count of identity theft, two counts of passport fraud, two counts of Social Security fraud and one count of mail fraud following a two-day trial before Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. in U.S. District Court in Bangor.
According to court records, beginning in the mid-1960s, Napoleon Gonzalez, 86, took on the identity of his brother, Guillermo Gonzalez, who had died as an infant in 1939. Over the years, Gonzalez obtained multiple passports bearing his brother’s name, most recently in October 2017, a passport he used to travel to Canada in July 2018. In 1981, Gonzalez applied for a Social Security number in his deceased brother’s name and filed applications for Social Security retirement benefits in his own name in 1999 and in his brother’s name in 2001.
Gonzalez collected retirement benefits under both identities until March 2020, when investigators requested the suspension of benefits being paid to Guillermo Gonzalez pending investigation. Gonzalez mailed a letter to the Social Security Administration, signing the name Guillermo Gonzalez and the Social Security number assigned to that identity, asking for an explanation for the suspension. In the letter, he requested a prompt reply, claiming that due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, he was locked in his apartment, unable to drive and dependent on neighbors to obtain food and other items. Gonzalez also obtained Maine state identification cards under both his own identity and his brother’s. In recorded statements, Gonzalez claimed that he took on his deceased brother’s identity at the direction of the Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations and that he was legally allowed to use both identities.
Gonzalez faces up to five years in prison on the Social Security fraud charges, up to 10 years on the passport fraud charges, up to 15 years on the identity theft charge, and up to 20 years on the mail fraud charge. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release on all charges. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles Division of Enforcement, Anti-Theft and Regulations investigated this case.
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Detroit-Area Personal Injury Attorney Sentenced to 18 Months for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Michigan man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for willfully filing five false tax returns for himself and one of his businesses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Carl L. Collins was a personal injury attorney with offices in Southfield, Michigan. He also owned a real estate company, First Third LLC, and two medical services companies, MedCity Rehabilitation Services LLC and Alpha Living LLC. Collins did not report substantial income he received from these businesses on his personal returns for 2012, 2015 and 2018, and on Alpha Living’s corporate 2015 return. Instead, Collins deposited the funds into Interest on Lawyer’s Trust Accounts (IOLTA), bank accounts used by lawyers solely to hold money in trust for their clients, and he did not disclose this to his return preparers or the Michigan State Bar Foundation, as required. In total, Collins concealed over $2.6 million in income from his tax preparers and the IRS.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Gershwin A. Drain ordered Collins to serve one year of supervised release and pay a $10,000 fine. A hearing to determine the amount of restitution to be paid is scheduled for Sept. 1.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Kenneth Vert and Jeffrey McLellan of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.
California Men Stopped on I-55 Charged with Trafficking over 100 Kilos of CocaineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Two California men, David Dowling-Chacon, 41, and Luis Dukes-Acosta, 38, have been arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.
According to the Affidavit filed with the complaint, on August 15, 2023, an Illinois State Police Trooper stopped the tractor trailer Dowling-Chacon and Dukes-Acosta were operating on Interstate 55 near Springfield for a routine motor carrier safety inspection. The men told the trooper they were traveling together from California to Chicago to pick up a load for the tractor trailer. While speaking to Dowling-Chacon and Dukes-Acosta, the trooper became suspicious and determined further investigation was necessary. After receiving permission to search the vehicle, law enforcement officers recovered approximately 103 kilograms of suspected cocaine. Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration assisted with the investigation on the scene.
If convicted, Dowling-Chacon and Dukes-Acosta face a mandatory minimum sentence of imprisonment of at least 10 years and could receive up to life in prison. The charges also carry up to a life-time term of supervised release and a possible fine of up to $10,000,000.
The arrests followed investigation by the Illinois State Police, Drug Enforcement Administration, Springfield Police Department, Jacksonville Police Department and Logan County Sheriff’s Office.
Members of the public are reminded that the charges in a complaint are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Boston Man Charged with Robbing Three BusinessesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man has been charged for allegedly robbing three Boston businesses.
Akeem Lahens, 33, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of affecting commerce by armed robbery. Lahens is currently in state custody on related charges and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, a series of commercial armed robberies occurred in Boston in late April and early May 2023: the armed robbery of Boost Mobile in Jamaica Plain on April 26, 2023; the armed robbery of Cricket Wireless in Jamaica Plain on April 27, 2023; and the armed robbery of Dunkin Donuts in Dorchester on May 4, 2023. Law enforcement believed that the robberies were connected and the perpetrator was likely the same person, as the suspect’s appearance in surveillance footage and witnesses descriptions was the same. Additionally, in each of the robberies, the suspect allegedly brandished two large knives, made a verbal demand for money, forcibly took money from the store and forced or attempted to force the victims into a rear room or bathroom of the store.
On May 5, 2023 Lahens was arrested on state charges related to the armed robberies. It is alleged that during a search of Lahens’ residence in Dorchester on May 6, 2023 two knives and sandals allegedly worn by the robber in the April 26, 2023 robbery were recovered.
According to court records, at the time of the armed robberies, Lahens was on federal supervised release after pleading guilty on April 26, 2021 in the Southern District of New York to five counts of robbery. Lahens was sentenced to 30 months of in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
The charge of affecting commerce by armed robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Michael A. Davis, Vice President Campus Safety and Chief of Police at Northeastern University made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Blythewood Man Sentenced to 25 years, Barnwell Man to More than 3 years, in Federal Prison for Human Trafficking and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Brian Leroy Watson, a/k/a “Lil B,” a/k/a “B,” 51, of Blythewood, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Distribution of Heroin. Ryan Darian Grover, 29, of Barnwell, was sentenced to more than 3 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to Human Trafficking Conspiracy.
Evidence presented to the court showed that between 2016 and 2020, Watson trafficked at least 9 victims – 8 adults and 1 minor – into the commercial sex trade. Watson also distributed heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and crack cocaine. He operated out of Blythewood, South Carolina.
Watson targeted victims with particular vulnerabilities, including heroin and methamphetamine addictions and physical and mental impairments. One victim was homeless, and other victims were teenagers while Watson was in his 40s.
Watson obtained commercial sex from his victims through sexual violence, including non-consensual sex. He used physical violence, including slapping, hitting, and punching victims. Victims also saw Watson pistol whip customers. Watson used physical restraint, including by prohibiting victims from leaving his home until they worked for him in commercial sex. He used threats, including by telling one victim he would shoot up her house. Numerous victims saw Watson armed with a firearm. He used fraud, including by manufacturing false debts. And he used drug-based coercion, including by manipulating victims’ heroin and methamphetamine withdrawal symptoms. Watson then confiscated between 50% and 100% of the commercial sex proceeds.
On one jail call recited in court, Watson said, “They do what I tell them, that’s why I like drug addicts, I love them, I love them, I love them.” Watson has more than 50 prior convictions.
Grover lived with Watson for a portion of time between 2016 and 2020 and assisted Watson by driving victims to commercial sex acts, by negotiating with customers, and by distributing drugs.
At sentencing, the parents of three victims addressed the Court, and written statements from additional victims were presented.
“Human trafficking is a grave violation of survivors’ dignity and freedom,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “Our office will continue to make our state a more dangerous place for traffickers to operate and a safer place for survivors. We thank the law enforcement agencies and service providers who partner with us, and we recognize the great courage of the survivors in this case who came forward.”
“Watson’s heinous actions have caused long-lasting trauma to his victims,” Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office said. “No sentence will erase the damage that he has caused, but it is our hope that victims find solace in knowing he can no longer cause them harm. The FBI, along with our partners at the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, stand firm in our determination to protect vulnerable citizens from dangerous predators.”
“Criminals like Watson should know that if they choose to harm our children, they will not escape justice,” Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said. “We are pleased with this sentence and will continue to prosecute those who abuse our young people.”
“I am thankful for the successful partnerships we have in combating sex trafficking crime,” said Kershaw County Sheriff Lee Boan. “Our communities are safer with these types of criminals behind bars.”
Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. sentenced Watson to 25 years in federal prison, to be followed by a lifetime term of court-ordered supervision, plus $45,000 in restitution to be paid to 9 victims. Grover was sentenced to 41 months in prison, to be followed by lifetime supervision by the court. There is no parole in the federal system. Watson and Grover also must register as sex offenders upon release from prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States 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, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels is prosecuting the case.
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Baton Rouge Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Floyd C. Hose, Jr., age 38, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to bank robbery.
According to admissions made during his plea, on December 5, 2022, Hose entered the Cottonport Bank at 6500 Corporate Boulevard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and passed a note to a teller demanding cash. Hose took $9,605.00 from the teller and fled the bank. During a search of Hose’s apartment, detectives located a mask suspected to be worn during the robbery and money suspected to be taken during the robbery. After Hose’s arrest, he confessed to the robbery and reported that he committed the robbery to help pay off several debts he had.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Baton Rouge Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Harley W. Ferguson.
Bakersfield Dentist Pleads Guilty to Stealing $500,000 in COVID-19 Relief MoneyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Ranjan Rajbanshi, D.D.S., 46, of Bakersfield and Santa Barbara, pleaded guilty today to stealing $500,000 in COVID-19 relief money, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court records, Rajbanshi ran a dental practice in Bakersfield and Santa Barbara. From April 2020 through February 2022, he received over $850,000 in COVID-19 relief money from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). He represented to the government that he would only use the relief money for specified business purposes such as facility costs, payroll, and protective equipment for him and his staff.
Rajbanshi subsequently used $500,000 of the relief money for improper personal expenditures such as investments. He has agreed to pay that money back to the government before his sentencing.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the SBA Office of Inspector General, and HHS Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Robin Tubesing are prosecuting the case.
Rajbanshi is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba on Dec. 4, 2023. Rajbanshi faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and fine of $250,000. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
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.
Amesbury Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Amesbury man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to child pornography charges.
Thomas Cross, 30, pleaded guilty on Aug. 18, 2023 to one count each of distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Nov. 15, 2023. Cross was charged by complaint in November 2018 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2018.
Cross’ charges stem from the November 2018 search of his home that resulted in the seizure of several electronic devices which contained files depicting child pornography and chats between Cross and a person subsequently identified as Desiree Daigle, in which they exchanged various child pornography files. Some of the images depicted an infant known to Daigle, taken in Daigle’s home. In the chat, the two discussed plans for Cross to meet the child in person so that he and Daigle could sexually abuse the child together. Both Cross and Daigle admitted to exchanging child pornography with each other.
Daigle was arrested and charged separately with the sexual exploitation of children. In October 2022, she was sentenced to 17 years in prison and five years of supervised release.
Cross was detained following his arrest in November 2018. He subsequently appealed the order of pretrial detention to the District Court, who released Cross in July 2019 on conditions which, among other things, prohibited him from accessing the internet, possessing pornographic material and possessing internet-accessible devices. However, in June 2020, Cross was re-arrested after a CyberTip identified he was using social media to exchange child pornography and he was found to be in possession of multiple cell phones and an internet-connected gaming console – in violation of his conditions of release. Cross has remained in federal custody since.
The charges of distribution and receipt of child pornography each provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. All the charges provide for a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Amesbury Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, the Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Chief of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
1st Defendant Charged in Connection with Federal Escapees is SentencedRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Indictment from earlier this year in the Western District of Missouri Federal Court charging individuals with escaping confinement and other individuals with assisting them, resulted in an incarceration sentence of 40 months for one of those charged.
Trevor Scott Sparks, 33, Kansas City, MO, and Sergio Perez Martinez, 43, Panorama City, CA, were charged in a two-count Indictment with escape from confinement and aiding or assisting each other in escape from confinement. Another individual, Steven Lydell Williams, Sr., 64, Kansas City, MO, was also charged in the Indictment with a single count of aiding or assisting in the escape.
As of the drafting of this release, Perez Martinez remain at large, although Sparks was re-arrested December 30th, 2022. Williams, Sr., who has been in custody pending resolution of his charges since shortly after the escape, was sentenced for his role in that escape. The Court sentenced him to 40 months in custody, consecutive to any sentence he may receive in two pending state cases that resulted from Missouri moving to revoke his parole from prior state felony convictions.
After arrests on federal felony warrants, and because of jury trial convictions and guilty pleas to various felony charges contained within several Western District of Missouri (WDMO) Federal Grand Jury indictments and various orders of WDMO Federal District Court Judge D. Greg Kays, Trevor Scott Sparks and Sergio Perez Martinez were confined in the Cass County, Missouri, Jail on multiple federal felonies.
Federal, state, and local law enforcement began investigating the escape of Sparks and Martinez from the Cass County Jail on or about December 5, 2022. On December 6, 2022, the United States Marshals Service was notified by Cass County, Missouri, that Sparks escaped from confinement and was seen leaving the facility at 10:22 p.m. on December 5, 2022. It was later determined that Sparks and Martinez, another inmate in the Cass County facility, escaped through subterfuge and damage to the facility from the Cass County Jail and fled east outside the jail into the surrounding rural community. From there, Defendant Williams picked them up in his vehicle and transported them to his apartment in Kansas City, Missouri, where they obtained clothes and food. Williams then transported them into the Northeast area of the Kansas City metropolitan area, where Williams dropped them off. Sparks and his mother, Dawn Branstietter, were subsequently arrested in this same general area on December 30th. Branstietter’s husband, John Baxter, was also later arrested on the same charges. These three defendants are scheduled for sentencing later this month and in early September.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Rhoades and Robert Smith. It is being investigated by the United States Marshal Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City Police Department, and the Cass County Sheriff’s Department with other law enforcement agencies also assisting.
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Woman Indicted for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon on Menominee Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 15, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging a woman with an armed assault on the Menominee Indian Reservation. The indictment named Justine V. Peters, (age 34) who most recently lived in Neopit, which is a community in the Menominee Indian Reservation.
The indictment charges Peters with Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 113(a)(3) and 1153(a). If convicted of this offense, Peters faces a maximum of ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. She also faces up to three years of supervised release and payment of a special assessment.
According to filed court documents, on or about December 20, 2022, Peters assaulted a man with a knife while at a residence, resulting in lacerations to the man’s head and neck.
The Menominee Tribal Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, which Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier will prosecute.
An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer
Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov
414-297-1700
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Wesley Chapel Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Exploiting and Producing Sexual Abuse Material Depicting ChildrenRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven has sentenced Clayton Everett Colborn (31, Wesley Chapel) to life in federal prison for enticement and coercion of a minor to engage in sexual activity, using minors to produce child sexual abuse images and videos, and possessing child sexual abuse material. The court also ordered Colborn to forfeit a cellphone, which was used in the commission of the offense. Colborn had pleaded guilty in March 2023.
According to court documents, between 2018 and 2020, Colborn used a social networking application to find minors for the purpose of engaging in sex acts. Colborn, who was between the ages of 27 and 28 at the time of his offenses, created a fictitious profile named “Jason Rich” and indicated that he was 16 years old. The social networking application is designed to help people make friendships and has two distinct age groups based on a user’s profile: 1) ages 13 to 17 years old, and 2) 18 years and older. Using the fictitious profile, Colborn met the victims in group one–ages 13 to 17 years old. He told the victims he was 16 years old and enticed them into engaging in sexual intercourse with him at various locations throughout the Middle District of Florida, including in his car, his apartment, and victims’ residences. In one instance, the Ocoee Police Department caught Colborn in a public park in the middle of the night with a child victim. Colborn’s pants were unzipped at the time officers chased and apprehended him in the park. Law enforcement officers obtained DNA evidence, which showed that Colborn had engaged in sexual activity with the child victim.
To date, the FBI has identified and interviewed eight child victims who all resided within the Middle District of Florida. Colborn victimized each child victim in a similar manner.
During the investigation, the FBI obtained a federal search warrant for Colborn’s iCloud account and found approximately 30 videos and 81 images that Colborn had produced of himself sexually abusing young girls between the ages of 13 and 17 years old.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Tampa and Jacksonville Divisions), the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Ocoee Police Department, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa Spergel.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Wagoner County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Sammy Shade Allen, age 28, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
At the plea hearing, Allen admitted that on November 24, 2020, he knowingly possessed multiple firearms while also possessing heroin. He also admitted to possessing the heroin with the intent to distribute it in exchange for money, and that he possessed the firearms in order to protect both the drugs and drug proceeds.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Allen was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura represented the United States.
Vivian Man Receives Lengthy Federal Prison Sentence for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencing a Vivian man today for illegal possession of narcotics. United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote sentenced Michael Duncan, 46, to 262 months (21 years, 10 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
On August 10, 2022, law enforcement officers with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) executed search warrants on two residences in Vivian, both of which were rented by Duncan. The search warrants had been obtained after law enforcement agents received direct evidence that Duncan had supplied methamphetamine that was sold undercover on three occasions in July and August 2022. Agents had been able to seize the methamphetamine which had been supplied by Duncan and then sold, and sent it to the crime lab for analysis. The crime lab confirmed that the substance was in fact methamphetamine.
During the execution of the search warrants at Duncan’s two residences, agents located a large amount of methamphetamine inside the oven in one house. In the second residence, they seized a backpack from the master bedroom which contained suspected powder cocaine, methamphetamine, crack cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine tablets. Agents also seized over $5,000 in U.S. Currency. The suspected narcotics were all sent to the crime lab for analysis and confirmed to be authentic.
Duncan pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on November 4, 2022.
The case was investigated by the DEA and Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan.
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United States Attorney’s Office and the Asian American Foundation Host Oakland Roundtable Discussion Addressing Fighting HateRead the Press Release
OAKLAND- On August 17, 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California (USAO), in conjunction with The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), hosted a roundtable to discuss how federal law enforcement may support local communities in addressing hate crimes and similar incidents. The roundtable was the third in a series held in furtherance of the Department of Justice’s nationwide United Against Hate initiative, and the first to be held in Oakland.
The roundtable took place at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center and was supported by the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce. U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey attended the forum along with several attorneys from the USAO. Also in attendance were numerous representatives from various government agencies—including supervisory agents from the FBI, representatives of the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and the Oakland City Attorney’s Office, and Oakland City Council District 7 Councilmember Treva Reid—and leaders from approximately thirty community-based organizations, including Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus, Alliance of South Asians Taking Action, Anti-Defamation League, NAACP, National Federation of Filipino American Associations, and SALT SF.
Prior to the community discussion, U.S. Attorney Ramsey gave introductory remarks. Benjamin Kingsley, Chief of the Oakland Branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, gave an overview of federal hate crimes enforcement. Sai Mohan, Deputy Chief of the Civil Division’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Section, then gave an overview of civil remedies for federal civil rights violations.
Several community leaders said that Oakland was in crisis and expressed that hate crime, in particular, caused enduring pain. Leaders spoke about crime including violent attacks on AAPI elders, the lack of material support for Samoan and Tongan communities, and increased threats against houses of worship. Community leaders stated that solidarity between communities against hate crime was critical. They also emphasized that cooperation between government agencies and community-based organization, and more resources, were necessary to devise and implement effective solutions that provide meaningful consequences for offenders, and tackle roots causes of crime. Community leaders welcomed the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s participation in addressing these difficult problems and thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for bringing community groups together to discuss these issues.
U.S. Attorney Ramsey expressed the importance of the dialogue and his hope for the future. “I am looking forward to continuing this dialogue and finding ways to prevent—and fight against—crimes that originate in hate,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsey. “I cannot emphasize enough the importance to my office of bringing the entire community together to address this issue; only with all of us at the table will we find the collective strength and wisdom to find the best solutions.”
If you believe yourself to be a victim or witness of a federal hate crime, please report it at 1-800-CALL-FBI or fbi.gov. To report a civil rights violation, please visit civilrights.justice.gov.
U.S. Attorney Announces Consent Decree with Orange County Horse Racing Training Center for Violating Clean Water ActRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Lisa F. Garcia, the Regional Administrator for Region 2 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), announced today that the United States entered into a Consent Decree settling a civil lawsuit against MARK FORD, MARK FORD STABLES, INC., MARK FORD STAGE ROAD PROPERTY, INC., and FORD EQUINE, LTD. (collectively, the “defendants”), for violations of the federal Clean Water Act (“CWA”) in connection with the defendants’ construction and operation of a horse racing training facility on two adjacent properties in the Town of Wallkill in Orange County.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “This consent decree puts the defendants down a path to reversing the harm they caused to the environment by filling wetlands on their properties and failing to prevent pollutants from entering public waters. It should serve as a reminder that those who pollute will be held accountable for their actions.”
EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia said: “The Defendants in this case irresponsibly polluted and filled in wetlands without authorization or permits, improperly managed waste from their horses, and failed to comply with requirements in the stormwater construction general construction permit that they did hold. The Clean Water Act requires the protection of wetlands precisely because they support healthy ecosystems, provide flood and erosion control, and provide other valuable benefits. EPA will vigorously pursue its enforcement goals to restore illegally filled waters and wetlands and deter future violations.”
The Consent Decree, which is subject to public comment and approval by the Court, will resolve a lawsuit filed in White Plains federal court in 2019. The complaint alleged that from 2007 to 2016, the defendants destroyed existing federal wetlands and rerouted streams in the course of building a horse racing training center at 90 Slaughter Road (“Slaughter Road site”) and 482/484 Stony Ford Road (“Ford Equine Site”) in violation of the CWA. The lawsuit also alleged that the defendants have operated a concentrated animal feeding operation without a permit, allowing horse wash water and process wastewater to be discharged into waters of the United States. The lawsuit further alleges that defendants violated the terms of a stormwater construction general permit during construction work at the Slaughter Road Site from February 2016 to February 2017.
In the Consent Decree, the defendants admit, acknowledge, and accept responsibility for the following:
- From 2007 to 2016, the defendants used or caused the use of mechanized land-clearing and filling equipment to discharge fill material into 18.1 acres of federal jurisdictional wetlands and a tributary that are waters of the United States at the Slaughter Road Site. The defendants never sought or obtained authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the filling of these wetlands.
- From 2007 to 2013, the defendants caused the straightening or alteration of roughly 310 linear feet of a creek on the northern half of the Slaughter Road Site and roughly 1,460 linear feet of the same creek on the southern half of the site. The defendants also discharged approximately 150 linear feet of loose stone below the ordinary high-water mark of the creek. The defendants never obtained authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the rerouting and filling of portions of the creek.
- From 2015 to 2016, the defendants used or caused the use of mechanized land-clearing and earth-moving equipment to discharge fill material into approximately 1.86 acres of federal jurisdictional wetlands at the Ford Equine Site and rerouted roughly 900 linear feet of a stream that flowed southward through the eastern portion of the Ford Equine Site. The defendants never sought or obtained authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the rerouting of the stream and the filling of these wetlands.
- From at least December 12, 2016, to the present, the Slaughter Road Site and the Ford Equine Site constitute a medium concentrated animal feeding operation (“CAFO”), within the meaning of the CWA and its implementing regulations, that has discharged pollutants to navigable waters without a permit.
- Between January 19, 2016, and January 26, 2018, defendants FORD and MARK FORD STAGE ROAD PROPERTY, INC., were required to comply with an applicable general permit governing the discharge of stormwater during construction activity. However, in November 2016, EPA conducted an inspection at the Slaughter Road Site and found non-stabilized stockpiles of soil and mulch in the southwest portion of the Slaughter Road Site that lacked the erosion and sediment controls required by the general permit. Several areas of the Slaughter Road Site lacked erosion or sediment controls that caused turbid stormwater to flow into a catch basin and ditch/stream tributaries in the southwest portion of the site which, in turn, flowed into the creek in violation of the general permit. In addition, monthly inspections required by the general permit had not been conducted from February 2016 to February 2017.
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In addition to the payment of a $200,000 civil penalty, the Consent Decree requires the defendants to create or restore approximately 18 acres of wetlands on their property, to restore two streams to their pre-fill configurations, to take additional measures to ensure the long-term success of the defendants’ restoration work, and to come into compliance with federal CAFO regulations.
Notice of the proposed Consent Decree will be published in the Federal Register and the public will have the opportunity to submit comments on the Consent Decree for a period of at least 30 days before it is submitted for the Court’s approval.
Mr. Williams thanked the attorneys and enforcement staff at EPA Region 2 for their critical work on this matter.
This case is being handled by the Environmental Protection Unit of the Office’s Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Bannon and Tomoko Onozawa are in charge of the case.
U.S. v. Ford et al Proposed Consent DecreeTwo Radcliff Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Two Radcliff men were sentenced this week for interference with commerce by robbery, brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Chief Jeremy Thompson of the Elizabethtown Police Department, and Chief Jeffrey A. Cross of the Radcliff Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Damian Beamus, 27, was sentenced to 16 years and 4 months in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for five counts of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Beamus participated in armed robberies of five local businesses over a 30-day period. In each instance, Beamus or an accomplice was armed with a firearm and ordered employees to surrender business cash. On February 2, 2021, 007 Liquors in Radcliff was robbed of business cash. On February 28, 2021, Hibbett Sports in Radcliff was robbed of business cash. On February 21, 2021, the Applebee’s Bar and Grill in Radcliff was robbed of business cash. On February 25, 2021, the Stop N Shop in Elizabethtown was robbed of business cash. On March 2, 2021, Brooks Express in Radcliff was robbed of business cash.
Joshua Dimon Jones, 30, was sentenced to 7 years and 8 months in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for interference with commerce by robbery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Jones participated in the February 25, 2021, armed robbery of Stop N Shop in Elizabethtown. Jones, a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing a firearm, was later found to be in possession of one of the firearms used in the robberies.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“This case is indicative of the collaboration and cooperation that exists among our federal, state, and local enforcement agencies in the Western District,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. I commend our federal partners, the Elizabethtown Police Department, and the Radcliff Police Department for their outstanding work which was critical to the successful prosecution of this case.”
“These two defendants threatened the safety of innocent people during this string of armed robberies,” said Special Agent in Charge Morrow. “I am proud of the investigative work of ATF and our law enforcement partners, and the diligent work of the United States Attorney’s Office. These offenders will no longer terrorize our local businesses or prey on the innocent in our communities. These sentences send a clear message that if you use a firearm to commit a violent crime, Kentucky law enforcement will ensure you receive justice.”
“This case is an excellent example of collaboration at the local and federal level,” stated Chief Thompson. “When law enforcement agencies across our Commonwealth partner, we become a force multiplier in protecting our citizens. When agencies don’t care who gets the credit for great police work, the citizens of Kentucky win and criminals lose. We thank our local partners at the Radcliff Police Department, and our federal partners with the ATF, FBI, and United States Attorney’s Office.”
The case was investigated by the ATF, the FBI, the Elizabethtown Police Department, and the Radcliff Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin McKenzie prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Two Men Sentenced in Large Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken and U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier, sentenced two men, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Both sentencings took place on August 11, 2023.
Jose Arguello, 37, of Rapid City, South Dakota, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Arguello was sentenced by Judge Viken.
Fernando Valenzuela, 41, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Valenzuela was sentenced by Judge Schreier.
Arguello and Valenzuela were indicted, along with several others, for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance in the spring of 2021, and each pleaded guilty in May of 2023.
Beginning around July 2020, methamphetamine was trafficked into South Dakota from Arizona and Mexico through coordination by Jose Arguello, Fernando Valenzuela, and several other persons. Arguello served as lead organizer of the conspiracy and recruited and coordinated others to send money packages through the U.S. Postal Service, UPS, and other mail carriers. At times, money was also wired to various locations. All of the money sent was to obtain large volumes of methamphetamine. When the bulk quantities of methamphetamine arrived in the Rapid City area, Arguello divided and packaged it and dispersed it to multiple sub-distributors for further distribution in the Black Hills. Some members of the conspiracy, including Kevin Dunn, expanded the group’s methamphetamine trafficking activities to North Dakota. Dunn was previously sentenced to 20 years in prison in January of 2023, by Judge Viken.
In addition to the large volume of methamphetamine that was distributed through the course of this conspiracy, multiple firearms were also possessed in furtherance of the conspiracy.
In total, four members of the conspiracy have been sentenced, three have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing, one still has a pending warrant, and one is set for a trial at the end of August of 2023.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina S. Nelson prosecuted the case.
Arguello and Valenzuela were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Twelve People Indicted in Fentanyl Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned three related indictments charging a total of 12 people following a large scale law enforcement investigation into an alleged drug trafficking ring.
In the first indictment, Rafael Turner, 33, of Phoenix, Arizona, and formerly of Wichita is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl, two counts of attempted distribution of fentanyl, two counts of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and four counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The grand jury also indicted Rafael Turner on 24 counts of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking, one count of maintaining a drug premises, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit fraud in relation to identification documents, and six counts of money laundering.
Andrea Bohanon, 33, of Wichita is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of maintaining a drug premises, and six counts of money laundering,
Antwain Gails, 33, of Wichita is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, nine counts of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit fraud in relation to identification documents.
Antonio Turner, 55, of Wichita is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and nine counts of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking,
Wayne Turner, 30, of Wichita is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
As part of a second indictment, William Parks, 27, of Salina was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and attempt to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and three counts of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking.
Santino Dupree, 29, of Wichita was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and attempt to distribute fentanyl, and three counts of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking.
Tehran Wilson, 30, of Wichita was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and attempt to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking.
Justice Johnson, 27, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
In a third indictment, a federal grand jury charged Kayla Dean, 21, of Southfield, Michigan, Isaiah Gails, 34, of Wichita, and Marquez Gails, 42, of Wichita on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit fraud in relation to identification documents.
Dean was also indicted on six counts of money laundering, and Isaiah Gails was also indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Wichita Police Department, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deb Barnett and Ola Odeyemi are prosecuting the case.
OCDETF
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Tulsa Man Sentenced for Robbery and Kidnapping in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Muscogee Nation citizen from Tulsa was sentenced to 15 years in prison for robbery in Indian Country and kidnapping in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Chief Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Andrew Michael Crowels, 27, to 15 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Heil further ordered Crowels to pay $819.92 in restitution.
“Andrew Crowels and his co-defendant, kidnapped the victim at gunpoint, robbed him, and then drove him to his place of employment and forced him to empty the safe,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Now, thanks to the work of our law enforcement partners, Crowels and his co-defendant have both been sentenced.”
In his plea on May 11, 2022, Crowels admitted that he, along with others, robbed and kidnapped the victim by force, threatened him with a firearm, and stole items including a car, firearm, phone, debit card, cash, and clothing. Crowels further admitted that they took the victim, at gun point, to several ATMs attempting to get cash from the debit card. When that failed, the victim was taken to a Mazzio’s where he was a manager and forced to get cash out of the safe.
Katie Dawn Bowdler, a co-defendant in this case pleaded guilty to robbery in Indian Country April 1, 2022. She has been sentenced to five years and three months in a federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. She was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $819.92.
The Tulsa Police Department and FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi prosecuted the case.
Tucson Firearms Smuggler Sentenced to 60 Months for Conspiring to Smuggle Firearms into MexicoRead the Press Release
Defendant assisted in smuggling almost 50 assault rifles and high-capacity semi-automatic pistols from the United States into Mexico
TUCSON, Ariz. – Victor Coronado, Jr., 40, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Coronado pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods from the United States.
Coronado was the leader of a conspiracy to smuggle firearms from the United States into Mexico between October 2019 and July 2020. Coronado and his co-conspirators purchased firearms, made false statements to firearms dealers in the acquisition of firearms, provided funds to others for the purchase of firearms, and assisted in smuggling 49 assault rifles and high-capacity semi-automatic pistols into Mexico.
The firearms that Coronado conspired to smuggle are prohibited from being exported from the United States into Mexico without a valid license. Neither Coronado, nor any of his co-conspirators, had a valid license or any other lawful authority to export the firearms into Mexico.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, assisted by Homeland Security Investigations and United States Customs and Border Protection, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Bolling, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-02081-RM-MSA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-125_Coronado, et al.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tompkinsville Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Tompkinsville, Kentucky man was sentenced yesterday to 11 years and 1 month in prison for methamphetamine trafficking.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Director Ron Lafferty of the Barren River Drug Task Force made the announcement.
According to court documents, on June 10, 2022, and July 7, 2022, in Monroe County, Kentucky, Chad Emberton¸ 45, distributed five grams or more of methamphetamine to another person. Following release from his 11-year and 1-month prison sentence, Emberton was ordered to serve 4 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the DEA Bowling Green Post of Duty Office and the Barren River Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Toledo Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
TOLEDO – James Luther Sawyer IV, 33 of Toledo, Ohio was sentenced on Tuesday August 15, to 10 years in prison by U.S. District Judge James R. Knepp after earlier pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Knepp also ordered Sawyer to pay a $300 special assessment and be placed on supervised release for 4 years upon release from imprisonment.
According to court documents, on April 24, 2022, Toledo police officers responded to a 911 call of a man pointing a handgun at passing vehicles. Officers spotted Sawyer fitting the description in the area of Huron and Lagrange Streets in Toledo. When Sawyer was ordered to stop by officers, he removed a handgun from his pants and threw it to the ground. After officers arrested Sawyer and recovered the handgun, they searched Sawyer’s backpack and found 28 plastic bags containing approximately 67 grams of methamphetamine. Sawyer was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior Felonious Assault conviction in Lucas County Common Pleas Court.
This case was investigated by the Toledo Police Department and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sara Al-Sorghali.
Sturgis Man Sentenced for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sturgis, South Dakota, man convicted of Bank Robbery. The sentencing took place on August 10, 2023.
Deric Dufek, 33, was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crimes Victim Fund.
Dufek was indicted for Bank Robbery by a federal grand jury in March of 2022. He pleaded guilty in June of 2023.
On March 14, 2022, Dufek entered Great Western Bank in Spearfish, South Dakota, wearing a mask. Dufek proceeded to go to a bank teller window and showed the teller a note reading "give me the money OR DIE" demanding money from the teller. The teller, believing the defendant had a gun, produced stacks of money to the defendant. The defendant fled Spearfish but was apprehended by law enforcement in Deadwood, South Dakota, later the same day.
This case was investigated by the Spearfish Police Department, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina S. Nelson prosecuted the case.
Dufek was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Spencer Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Leighton Marshal Jones, 41, from Spencer, Iowa, plead guilty in federal court on August 18, 2023, to Possession of Child Pornography.
At the plea hearing, Jones, admitted that he knowingly possessed and attempted to possess child pornography, including a depiction involving a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Jones was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Jones faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig Hamit and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-04015.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Shiprock Man Pleads Guilty to Assault Against a ChildRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Myron Benally, 38, of Shiprock, and a registered member of the Navajo Nation, pled guilty in federal court to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Benally will remain in custody pending sentencing which has not been scheduled.
According to court documents, on June 27, 2019, Benally assaulted a 13-month-old infant in his care, causing serious bodily injury including a broken arm.
At sentencing, Benally faces up to 10 years in prison followed by a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years and restitution.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Mark Probasco is prosecuting the case.
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Seventeen Residents of the Western District of Pennsylvania Indicted on Violating Federal Narcotics and Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Following a four-month long Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking, unlawful firearms possession, and gang activity in Pittsburgh’s Northside neighborhoods, seventeen residents of the Western District of Pennsylvania have been charged by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh in two separate but related Indictments with violations of the federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
“This office is committed to protecting the residents of Western Pennsylvania from those who engage in gun violence and traffic in fentanyl and other dangerous drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “Together with our trusted law enforcement partners at the FBI, ATF, and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, we will continue to investigate and hold accountable the most dangerous offenders through effective enforcement of federal drug and firearm laws.”
“Violence doesn’t belong in our communities,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. “Those indicted today have targeted the Northside in and around the Allegheny Commons for far too long. The FBI’s Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force pursues those who terrorize our communities with violence and dangerous drugs like fentanyl. We are proud to work side by side with the U.S. Attorney’s office and our state and local partners to hold these people accountable for their crimes.”
The first Indictment names Dayon Shelton, 32, of Pittsburgh, PA, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on April 5, 2023, Shelton possessed with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 5 and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
A separate but related nineteen-count Indictment charges sixteen defendants with violations of the federal narcotics and firearms laws occurring between December 2022 and August 2023. Fifteen of the named defendants are:
• Dejarnette Blanchard, 32, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Babangida Adam, 27, of Carnegie, Pennsylvania
• Kenneth Blanchard, 37, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Terry Booth, aka “Sheisty,” 19, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Norman Davis, 37, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Lawrence Gray, 55, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Terry James, 23, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Clinton McLaughlin, 55, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Taemon Posey, 28, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Demetrius Reynolds, 20, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Markel Sayles, 25, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Gilbert Smith, 44, of Bruin, Pennsylvania
• Ories Smith, 25, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Denzel Tomlin, 27, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Damor Williams, 19, of Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaOne defendant remains a fugitive so that name is not being released at the present time.
According to this Indictment, between December 2022 and August 2023, the above-named defendants conspired with one another, and with others, to distribute and possess with intent to distribute Schedule II controlled substances, namely fentanyl and cocaine base (in the form commonly known as “crack”). Defendants Dejarnette Blanchard, Babangida Adam, Kenneth Blanchard, Terry Booth, Norman Davis, Terry James, Demetrius Reynold, and Denzel Tomlin, are also charged with possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances such as fentanyl, cocaine, and/or cocaine base on various dates during the conspiracy. Defendants Dejarnette Blanchard, Babangida Adam, Norman Davis, Terry James, Demetrius Reynolds, and Denzel Tomlin are charged with violations of the federal firearms laws for unlawfully possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and/or for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
The penalties for these crimes vary. As to the drug trafficking conspiracy charged in the Indictment, defendants Dejarnette Blanchard, Babangida Adam, Demetrius Reynolds, and Ories Smith face a maximum sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, or both. Defendants Kenneth Blanchard, Terry Booth, Norman Davis, Lawrence Gray, Terry James, Taemon Posey, Markel Sayles, Gilbert Smith, Denzel Tomlin, and Damor Williams face a maximum total sentence of not less than 5 and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up $5,000,000, or both. Defendant Clinton McLaughlin faces a maximum total sentence of up 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, or both. Those defendants charged with additional violations of the federal narcotics and firearms laws face potential additional terms of imprisonment and fines, if convicted. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentences imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorney Jerome A. Moschetta is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police led the investigation with the assistance of law enforcement officers from the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Department, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Allegheny County Probation and Parole, and the Penn Hills Police Department. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Seminole County Resident Pleads Guilty to Assault with A Dangerous Weapon in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Darian Ty Farris, age 27, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, and one count of Using, Carrying, Brandishing and Discharging a Firearm during and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
The Indictment alleged that on March 2, 2023, Farris intentionally shot the victim in the stomach with a firearm during a confrontation. The crimes occurred in Seminole County, on the Seminole Reservation, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wewoka Police Department.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Farris was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura represented the United States.
Self-Professed “Shot Caller” Sentenced for Retaliation PlotsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Johnny Dolph, 50, originally of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was sentenced today in Omaha, Nebraska, by Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. to an overall cumulative sentence of 150 months’ imprisonment for 10 Counts: Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Possession of a Firearm Following a Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence; 2 counts of False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm; Conspiracy to Tamper with Documents or Proceedings; Tampering with Documents or Proceedings; 2 counts of Conspiracy to Assault a Witness; and 2 counts for Attempted Assault of a Witness. After his release from prison, Dolph will serve a 5-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Dolph is a self-professed “shot caller” for the Irish Mob Gang, which is a gang that originated in the Oklahoma state prison system. Dolph came to Omaha in early 2021 on an interstate parole compact following a prison sentence in Kansas. Dolph had lied to Kansas and Nebraska’s parole offices claiming that he would be living with an individual in Omaha who he claimed was his brother; the man was not his brother and is an affiliate of the Irish Mob Gang. In the summer of 2021, Dolph brought an individual from Kansas to Omaha to set up a forgery operation. This individual from Kansas was stopped by the Richardson County Sheriff’s Office in September 2021 and found to be in possession of numerous forgery related items to include counterfeit currency, forged Treasury checks, and document making implements.
Shortly after the individual from Kansas’s arrest, Dolph and co-defendant Norwood began contacting the individual from Kansas’s wife, identified as Victim 1 who was located in Omaha, in attempts to prevent her from going to law enforcement. Victim 1 reported receiving threatening communications from Dolph and Norwood. Dolph, Norwood, and others began researching and attempting to locate where Victim 1 was located.
In the fall of 2021, Norwood conducted a straw-purchase for Dolph of a Hi-Point C9 9mm handgun from gunbroker.com. The transfer was completed on October 25, 2021. A straw purchase is an illegal purchase of a firearm by one person for another. Dolph was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to eleven felony convictions in Oklahoma and Kansas as well as due to two misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence in Kansas.
In October 2021, Dolph’s apartment in Omaha was searched pursuant to a Federal search warrant. The affiant for the search warrant was a federal agent with the Omaha Metro Financial Crimes Task Force, identified as Victim 2. Following the execution of the search warrant, Dolph began researching Victim 2 and found, what Dolph believed to be, Victim 2’s home address; this address belonged to another individual with the same name as Victim 2. Dolph drove by what he believed to be Victim 2’s address and filmed it. Dolph then disseminated this video and address to third parties and, in one such conversation, expressed a need to obtain a “throw away” gun.
In November 2021, Dolph contacted Kate Ruth and requested that she come to Omaha from Kansas to help him locate and carry out the “green light” he had put on Victim 1. Ruth was driven to Omaha by Juanita Gibson. Dolph paid for Ruth and Gibson’s gas and provided directions on where to go once they arrived in Omaha. Dolph and Norwood let Gibson and Ruth stay with them in their apartment. While in Omaha, the four attempted to locate Victim 1. At Dolph’s direction, Ruth and Gibson drove to a residence in Omaha at which Victim 1 was believed to be staying.
On March 1, 2022, law enforcement attempted to arrest Dolph on a state warrant. Dolph was located and the Hi-Point C9 9mm handgun that Norwood had illegally purchased for him was recovered. The ATF examined the Hi-Point C9 pistol and determined that it travelled in interstate commerce to be located in Nebraska on March 1, 2021.
Dolph was interviewed by law enforcement. He admitted to being a “shot caller” for the Irish Mob Gang. Dolph admitted to researching and threatening Victim 1. Dolph stated that he wanted to prevent Victim 1 from cooperating with law enforcement. Dolph stated that he believed a “green light” to be an assault. Dolph admitted to bringing “clovers,” female members of the Irish Mob Gang, from Kansas to Omaha to carry out the green light on Victim 1. He identified those clovers as Juanita Gibson and Kate Ruth. Dolph also admitted that Norwood purchased the Hi-Point C9 pistol on his behalf. Dolph admitted to possessing the handgun and making a fake handgun purchase permit to make it appear like he had legally purchased the firearm if he were to come into contact with law enforcement. Dolph admitted that he knew he was a felon. A review of Dolph’s social media included a photograph of him holding the firearm and telling another individual that Norwood had bought the firearm for him.
Following his arrest on the state warrant, Dolph was Federally indicted for the firearms charges and was incarcerated at the Douglas County Correctional Center. On March 30, 2022, at 7:58 p.m. and at 8:14 p.m., Dolph called Norwood. Dolph used his assigned inmate PIN number and called Norwood at her known phone number. Inmates are advised that all non-attorney calls are recorded. In the calls, Norwood told Dolph that she was going to their trailer per his earlier request. The trailer was later identified and located at a storage facility in Omaha. Dolph then provided step-by-step instructions over the phone to Norwood on how to retrieve an item that was concealed in an air compressor in the trailer. Dolph instructed Norwood to burn the item using gasoline and a blow torch. During the call, Dolph was very agitated that the item be destroyed and said it will send him to prison. Dolph also expressed concern that Norwood did not destroy it and was going to turn it over to law enforcement. Dolph then asked Norwood to take a picture of the item burning to prove to him that she destroyed it. An image of the item burning was found on Norwood’s phone.
The individual from Kansas was sentenced on May 23, 2022, to time-served after serving a nine-month sentence for Possession of Counterfeit Currency and Possession of a Document Making Implement or Authentication Feature and is currently serving a five-year term of supervised release. On July 18, 2023, Gibson pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Assault a Witness and Attempted Assault of a Witness and her sentencing is scheduled for October 13, 2023. Norwood and Ruth are currently pending trial and are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty.
After the sentencing today, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “Today’s sentencing of John Dolph is a message to criminals who think threatening a witness and destroying evidence will keep them out of prison. The FBI will find you. Intimidation and threats of violence will never be tolerated.”
“The United States Secret Service is proud of the effective partnerships it maintains with the Omaha Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the United States Attorney’s Office, whose tireless efforts were instrumental in seeing justice served in this case,” said Kansas City Field Office Special Agent in Charge Brandon Bridgeforth. “We can think of no greater outcome than protecting citizens and witnesses of crimes from violent criminals such as Johnny Dolph.”
"Our office has the power and authority to prosecute all offenses against the United States. Any attempts to subvert this pursuit of justice through illicit means will be met with aggressive prosecution," said Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr. "Today's sentencing is an example of this commitment and should serve as a warning to those who are contemplating unlawful attempts to undermine the criminal justice process."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, the Omaha Police Department, and the Richardson County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
San Diego Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 18, 2023
SAN DIEGO – Pedro Escamilla Del Rosario of San Diego was sentenced in federal court today to 360 months in prison for sexually abusing a drugged eight-year-old girl while another person recorded the assault.
The defendant pleaded guilty on March 27, 2023, to one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.
According to the publicly filed documents in the case, in March 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding the user of a Google, LLC account who had been uploading digital files of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
From March 2022 through June 2022, HSI agents received 41 separate reports regarding the Google account, and it involved approximately 6,700 digital files. Based on this information, HSI obtained a search warrant for the Google account and discovered thousands of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. This account belonged to Del Rosario. Among the visual depictions located in Del Rosario’s account, HSI agents discovered two videos which were produced in March 2018, one of which forms the basis of this federal conviction.
Del Rosario was subsequently arrested and confessed to his involvement in the creation of the videos, including sexually molesting the minor-victim when he knew she had been over-medicated. Del Rosario also admitted to possessing the other visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
At today’s sentencing hearing, after the court heard statements by the minor-victim and the minor-victim’s foster parent, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Sherwood argued for a substantial custodial sentence because the crimes committed by Del Rosario had caused irreparable harm to the minor-victim and had been perpetrated and recorded purely for Del Rosario’s sexual gratification.
In imposing the 360-month sentence, U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson explained that the “statutory maximum for the offense of conviction, is necessary and sufficient, but not greater than necessary” to accomplish the sentencing objectives, including the need to protect the community from future crimes by Del Rosario.
“This defendant’s heinous actions have caused irreparable harm to the victim,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “The children in our community are often the most vulnerable members of our society. There are few crimes that are more vicious and outrageous than crimes involving their sexual exploitation.” Haden thanked the prosecution team and investigating agencies for their excellent work on this case.
“The sexual abuse and exploitation of children victims rob their emotional and psychological development aside from stealing their innocence,” said Chad Plantz, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego. “The defendants’ deviant and perverse behavior will not be tolerated by HSI. This kind of abuse strikes at the very foundation of our society and we all must come together to combat this unspeakable crime that plagues the public welfare; our children deserve better.”
DEFENDANTS Case Number 22cr2752-TWR
Pedro Escamilla Del Rosario Age: 44 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Sexual Exploitation of a Minor – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2251(a) and (e)
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $250,000 fine; mandatory minimum 15 years in prison
AGENCY
Homeland Security Investigations
Russell Springs Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.— Austin Lee Gladd, 26, of Russell Springs, Ky., was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison on Friday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, after previously pleading guilty to production of child pornography.
According to Gladd’s guilty plea agreement, he admitted to using social media to entice a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct; to traveling to Danville, Ky., where the victim was located, to engage in sexual intercourse with the minor victim; and to capturing multiple videos of the sexual encounter with his smartphone.
Gladd pleaded guilty in April 2023.Under federal law, Gladd must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, Gladd will be required to register as a sex offender and 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; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Tony Gray of the Danville Police Department jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Danville Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Melton.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Richmond Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for After Investigators Discover His Collection of Nearly One Million Child Sexual Abuse ImagesRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- David Julien, 65, of Richmond, Indiana, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to receipt of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, on the night of January 2, 2022, the defendant, David Julien, was making French fries in his kitchen. He left the kitchen to eat them, forgetting the hot grease on the stove and starting a fire in his kitchen. The Richmond Fire Department (RFD) responded, extinguished the fire, and began an investigation into its cause.
While inside, a Deputy Fire Chief found notebooks on a dresser that contained pictures of child sexual abuse. Officers with the Richmond Police Department spoke to Julien, who admitted that “there will be thousands and thousands and thousands more of those photos.”
Julien consented to a search of his house. During the search, officers located eight colored binders that had printed photographs of child sexual abuse material.
Officers also found a computer with approximately 10 external hard drives and 2 internal hard drives. Located near the computer were an additional 5 hard drives that contained well over 100,000 child sex abuse material images and over 3,000 videos, including those of bondage and bestiality. One hard drive had approximately 722,000 CSAM images and 29,000 CSAM videos. The child sexual abuse materials Julien collected and repeatedly viewed dated back to at least 2017. Julien’s collection of child sexual abuse images and videos included depictions of children being subjected to sadomasochistic sexual abuse and bestiality, as well as depictions of the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, Jeffrey R. Adams, Special Agent in Charge of the USSS Indianapolis Field Office, Chief Michael Britt of the Richmond Police Department, Tim Brown, Interim Fire Chief of the Richmond Fire Department made the announcement.
“For years this defendant collected over a million depictions of children being subjected to horrific sexual abuses—including rapes of babies and toddlers,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “He didn’t care about the trauma that was inflicted and perpetuated, so long as he could enjoy the heinous material he craved. Thanks to the Richmond Fire and Police Departments, the U.S. Secret Service, and our federal prosecutors, our children are safer, and this pedophile is behind bars where he belongs.”
The U.S. Secret Service investigated this case with valuable assistance provided by the Richmond Police and Fire Departments. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, Jane Magnus-Stinson. Judge Stinson also ordered that Julien be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison and register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, and goes to school.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Eakman, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
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