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10 August 2023
East St. Louis Brothers Sentenced on Federal Kidnapping ChargesRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A U.S. District judge sentenced two brothers from East St. Louis each to more than 30 years imprisonment after the pair was found guilty of kidnapping a man who has never been found.
Convicted by a jury on Nov. 10, 2022, Kendrick Frazier, 36, received a 396-month sentence and Kenwyn Frazier, 39, received a 365-month sentence for kidnapping Kein Eastman, also of East St. Louis, in August 2020. Since his abduction, Eastman has not been seen or heard from according to law enforcement and his family members.
“The lengthy sentences represent the severity of the defendants’ crimes and their blatant disrespect for human life and the law,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe.
“This sentencing simply does not happen without ISP’s commitment to bringing criminals to justice,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “ISP Public Safety Enforcement Group special agents will continue to work with local law enforcement, the community, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to reduce and prevent violence, while holding those who break the law accountable.”
According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, Kenwyn forced Eastman out of his grandmother’s house at gunpoint on Aug. 13, 2020, because he believed Eastman had stolen his jeweled mouthpiece, commonly known as a “grillz.” He drove Eastman in a Dodge Durango to an apartment on Kansas Avenue in East St. Louis and made him look for the grillz.
When Eastman couldn’t find it, Kenwyn called his brother, Kendrick, to the apartment. Shortly after Kendrick arrived, the Frazier brothers pulled Eastman out of the apartment at gunpoint threatening to shoot him if he did not take them to the grillz. Recorded by a Ring doorbell camera outside the house, the brothers forced Eastman to the ground, repeatedly threatening and assaulting him.
Eastman insisted he hadn’t taken it and pleaded with them not to shoot. Despite his pleas, Kendrick fired one shot at Eastman while he laid on the ground. After the shooting, witnesses testified they saw Eastman bleeding from his face as he ran from the apartment complex. Kendrick and Kenwyn followed immediately after him in the Dodge Durango.
Hours later, the Dodge Durango was found on fire and burned to the frame by the East St. Louis Fire Department.
Jasmine M. Crawford, 25, of East St. Louis, was also charged in the indictment and pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice after she admitted to tampering with a Ring doorbell camera as it recorded portions of the crime. She was sentenced to 4 years of probation on Dec. 7, 2022.
Agents with the Illinois State Police Public Safety Enforcement Group led the investigation with support from the East St. Louis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ali Summers and Zoe Gross prosecuted the case.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced yesterday to 30 years in federal prison for production and possession of child pornography.
According to public court documents, and evidence presented at sentencing, William Richard Trudell, 43, was identified by law enforcement as a person of interest after a cybertip was received by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The cybertip from the MeWe social media platform reported that images of child pornography had been uploaded. Law enforcement traced the email that was used to upload the images back to Trudell. During a search of Trudell’s electronic devices, officers located hundreds of images of child pornography. The investigation also revealed that Trudell had been sexually abusing a minor child over a three-year period and produced child pornography images and videos of the abuse.
After completing his prison term, Trudell will be required to serve eight years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Trudell was also ordered to pay restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
Couple Who Drugged and Raped Young Girl Multiple Times Sentenced to 360 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that U.S. District Judge Jane M. Beckering sentenced Amy Lucille Shanty, of Scottville, Michigan, to 30 years in prison for creating multiple videos of child pornography after drugging and raping a young girl. Co-defendant in this case, Michael James Walworth, of Scottville, was also sentenced to 30 years in June.
“The facts of this case are appalling,” said U.S. Attorney Totten. “My office is fully committed to protecting our most vulnerable citizens. As this case demonstrates, we will hold those who harm our kids accountable.”
For years, the young girl visited Walworth and Shanty, who were supposed to be caring for her. Walworth and Shanty drugged the young girl and gave her gifts to coax her into engaging in sex acts with them. Walworth also set up hidden cameras in his home, which he used to capture the young girl while she was in the bathroom. When police executed a search warrant at the couple’s home, they also uncovered an extensive collection of child pornography on Walworth’s computer that he had downloaded over the Internet.
“This sentencing is a testament to HSI’s commitment along with our partners to identify, investigate and prosecute perpetrators who prey on innocent children in our communities,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “It is my hope that this justice brings some measure of peace to the courageous survivors of Shanty and Walworth’s horrific crimes.”
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force, federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the following web site: www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, , the Scottville Police Department, and the Mason County Sheriff’s Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Davin M. Reust.
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Corficolombiana to Pay $80M to Resolve Foreign Bribery InvestigationsRead the Press Release
Corporación Financiera Colombiana S.A. (Corficolombiana), a Colombian financial services institution, has agreed to pay over $80 million to resolve parallel bribery investigations by criminal, civil, and administrative authorities in the United States and Colombia stemming from the company’s involvement in a scheme to pay millions of dollars in bribes to high-ranking government officials in Colombia.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s resolution is coordinated with authorities in Colombia, as well as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
According to court documents, Corficolombiana entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the Department in connection with a criminal information filed in the District of Maryland charging the company with conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Corficolombiana was majority-owned and controlled by Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores S.A., a Colombian holding company and issuer in the United States.
According to court documents, between 2012 and 2015, Corficolombiana conspired to offer and pay more than $23 million in bribes to high-ranking Colombian government officials in order to win a contract to construct and operate a highway toll road known as the Ocaña-Gamarra Extension. Corficolombiana conspired with Odebrecht S.A. (Odebrecht), a global construction conglomerate based in Brazil, to pay bribes to Colombian government officials in the executive and legislative branches and to an executive at Colombia’s state-owned infrastructure agency, in order to win the rights to construct and operate the Ocaña-Gamarra Extension. To carry out the bribery scheme, Corficolombiana caused other entities to enter into fictitious contracts with companies associated with intermediaries that passed along the bribe payments to the Colombian government officials. Ultimately, Corficolombiana earned approximately $28.63 million in profits from the corruptly obtained business.
“Corficolombiana, together with its co-conspirators, agreed to pay more than $20 million in bribes to high-ranking government officials across the Colombian government to win a massive infrastructure project,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s resolution – the first-ever coordinated with Colombian authorities in a foreign bribery case – reflects the Justice Department’s commitment to working shoulder-to-shoulder with our foreign partners to combat transnational corruption and hold accountable companies that brazenly pay bribes for economic gain.”
“Corficolombiana has acknowledged its role in a significant foreign bribery scheme, and for that it is being held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “Under the DPA, the company is paying a substantial criminal penalty and will continue to cooperate with the United States in criminal investigations relating to this conduct. My office is pleased to be part of this first-ever joint FCPA bribery prosecution with Colombian authorities.”
Pursuant to the DPA, Corficolombiana will pay a criminal penalty of $40.6 million. The Department has agreed to credit up to half of that criminal penalty against money that the company and its subsidiary, Estudios y Proyectos del Sol S.A.S. (Episol), paid to Colombia’s Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio (SIC), for violations of Colombian laws related to the same conduct, so long as the company and Episol drop their appeals of the SIC resolution. In addition, Corficolombiana will pay over $40 million in disgorgement and prejudgment interest as part of a resolution of the SEC’s parallel investigation.
Corficolombiana also agreed to continue cooperating with the Department in any ongoing or future criminal investigations relating to this conduct. In addition, under the agreement, Corficolombiana agreed to continue enhancing its compliance program and providing reports to the Department regarding remediation and the implementation of compliance measures for the term of the DPA.
“Today’s resolution shows that justice has a steep price for those who attempt to bribe foreign government officials,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Schemes like these violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and are an attempt to fundamentally undermine the spirit of economic competition. The FBI is dedicated to protecting the integrity of the global marketplace, which means investigating bribes of any amount, and preventing the corruption of officials at all levels.”
The Department reached this resolution with Corficolombiana based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense. Corficolombiana received credit for its cooperation with the Department’s investigation, which included (i) timely providing the facts obtained through the company’s internal investigation; (ii) making numerous detailed factual presentations that distilled certain key factual information; (iii) producing documents that the government may not otherwise have had access to in ways that did not implicate foreign data privacy laws; (iv) providing sworn testimony from Colombian criminal and administrative proceedings of relevant witnesses whom the government could not independently interview; (v) proactively identifying information previously unknown to the government; and (vi) collecting and producing voluminous relevant documents and translations, including documents located outside of the United States.
The company promptly engaged in extensive remedial measures including, among other things (i) conducting a root cause analysis of the conduct identified during internal investigations and promptly taking actions to enhance its corporate governance and controls at joint venture entities, as well as improving its oversight of non-controlled joint ventures and investments; (ii) overhauling its compliance program; (iii) enhancing its third-party intermediary risk management process; (iv) implementing a robust process for reporting and investigating allegations of misconduct; (v) establishing a disciplinary process overseen by a cross-functional ethics committee; (vi) conducting testing of its anticorruption compliance program; and (vii) engaging in a periodic review of and updating of its anticorruption compliance program. In light of these considerations, the criminal penalty calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 30% reduction off the bottom of the applicable guidelines fine range.
The FBI’s International Corruption Squad in Miami is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Colombia’s Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio, and the Fiscalía General de la Nación provided substantial assistance in the matter.
Trial Attorney Michael Culhane Harper of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David I. Salem for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Corficolombiana pagará $80 millones de dólares estadounidenses para resolver las investigaciones por soborno en el extranjeroRead the Press Release
La Corporación Financiera Colombiana S.A. (Corficolombiana), una institución colombiana de servicios financieros, ha acordado pagar más de $80 millones de dólares estadounidenses para resolver las investigaciones paralelas sobre sobornos realizadas por autoridades penales, civiles y administrativas de los Estados Unidos y Colombia, derivadas del involucramiento de la empresa en un ardid para pagar millones de dólares en sobornos a altos funcionarios del Gobierno de Colombia.
La resolución del Departamento de Justicia de EE. UU. se coordina con las autoridades de Colombia, así como con la Comisión de Bolsa y Valores (SEC, por su siglas en inglés) de EE. UU.
Según los documentos del tribunal, Corficolombiana firmó un acuerdo de procesamiento diferido (DPA, por sus siglas en inglés) de tres años con el Departamento en relación con una querella penal presentada en el Tribunal de Distrito de Maryland en la que se le imputaba el cargo de asociación delictuosa para violar la disposición contra el soborno de la Ley de Prácticas Corruptas en el Extranjero (FCPA, por sus siglas en inglés). Corficolombiana era propiedad mayoritaria y estaba controlada por el Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores S.A., un holding colombiano y emisor en los Estados Unidos.
Según los documentos del tribunal, entre 2012 y 2015, Corficolombiana se unió en una asociación delictuosa para ofrecer y pagar más de $23 millones de dólares estadounidenses en sobornos a altos funcionarios del gobierno colombiano con el fin de obtener un contrato para construir y operar una autopista de peaje conocida como la Ampliación Ocaña-Gamarra. Corficolombiana se unió en una asociación delictuosa con Odebrecht S.A. (Odebrecht), un conglomerado mundial de la construcción con sede en Brasil, para pagar sobornos a funcionarios del gobierno colombiano de las ramas ejecutiva y legislativa y a un ejecutivo de la entidad de infraestructuras de propiedad estatal de Colombia, con el fin de obtener los derechos para construir y operar la Ampliación Ocaña-Gamarra. Para llevar a cabo el ardid de sobornos, Corficolombiana causó que otras entidades firmaran contratos ficticios con empresas asociadas con intermediarios que pasaban los pagos de sobornos a los funcionarios del gobierno colombiano. En última instancia, Corficolombiana obtuvo aproximadamente $28.63 millones de dólares estadounidenses de ganancias provenientes de los negocios obtenidos de forma corrupta.
“Corficolombiana, junto con sus coconspiradores, acordó pagar más de $20 millones de dólares estadounidenses en sobornos a altos funcionarios del Gobierno colombiano para conseguir un gran proyecto de infraestructuras,” declaró la fiscal general adjunta en funciones Nicole M. Argentieri, de la División Penal del Departamento de Justicia. “La resolución de hoy, la primera coordinada con las autoridades colombianas en un caso de soborno en el extranjero, refleja el compromiso del Departamento de Justicia de trabajar hombro a hombro con nuestros socios extranjeros para combatir la corrupción transnacional y exigir responsabilidades a las empresas que descaradamente pagan sobornos para obtener beneficios económicos”.
“Corficolombiana ha reconocido su papel en un importante ardid de sobornos en el extranjero, y por ello se le exigen responsabilidades,” dijo el fiscal federal del Distrito de Maryland, Erek L. Barron. “En virtud del DPA, la empresa está pagando una importante sanción penal y seguirá cooperando con los Estados Unidos en las investigaciones penales relacionadas con esta conducta. Mi oficina se complace en ser parte de este primer procesamiento conjunto con las autoridades colombianas por sobornos en el marco de la FCPA”.
De conformidad con el DPA, Corficolombiana pagará una sanción penal de $40.6 millones de dólares estadounidenses. El Departamento ha acordado descontar hasta la mitad de esa sanción penal del dinero que la empresa y su filial, Estudios y Proyectos del Sol S.A.S. (Episol), pagaron a la Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio (SIC) de Colombia, por violaciones de las leyes colombianas relacionadas con la misma conducta, siempre que la empresa y Episol desistan de apelar la resolución de la SIC. Además, Corficolombiana pagará más de $40 millones de dólares estadounidenses en concepto de reembolso por daños y perjuicios e intereses como parte de la resolución de la investigación paralela de la SEC.
De conformidad con el DPA, Corficolombiana ha acordado seguir cooperando con el Departamento en cualquier investigación penal en curso o futura relacionada con esta conducta. Además, en virtud del acuerdo, Corficolombiana acordó seguir mejorando su programa de cumplimiento normativo y proporcionar informes al Departamento en relación con la reparación y la aplicación de medidas de cumplimiento normativo durante el término del DPA.
“La resolución de hoy demuestra que la justicia tiene un precio muy alto para quien intenta sobornar a funcionarios de gobiernos extranjeros,” declaró el subdirector Luis Quesada, de la División de Investigaciones Penales del FBI. “Ardides como este violan la Ley de Prácticas Corruptas en el Extranjero y son un intento de socavar fundamentalmente el espíritu de la competencia económica. El FBI se dedica a proteger la integridad del mercado mundial, lo que significa investigar los sobornos de cualquier cuantía y prevenir la corrupción de funcionarios a todos los niveles”.
El Departamento llegó a esta resolución con Corficolombiana basándose en una serie de factores, incluso, entre ellos, la naturaleza y gravedad de la infracción. Corficolombiana recibió crédito por su cooperación con la investigación del Departamento, que incluyó (i) la entrega oportuna de los datos obtenidos a través de la investigación interna de la empresa; (ii) la realización de numerosas presentaciones detalladas de hechos que resumían cierta información clave sobre los hechos; (iii) la presentación de documentos a los que, de otro modo, el gobierno no habría tenido acceso de forma que no implicaran leyes extranjeras de privacidad de datos; (iv) la prestación de testimonio jurado de procedimientos penales y administrativos colombianos de testigos relevantes a los que el gobierno no pudo entrevistar de forma independiente; (v) la identificación proactiva de información previamente desconocida para el gobierno; y (vi) la recolección y producción de voluminosos documentos y traducciones relevantes, incluso documentos ubicados fuera de los Estados Unidos..
La empresa emprendió rápidamente amplias medidas correctoras que incluían, entre ellas (i) la realización de un análisis de las causas profundas de las conductas detectadas durante las investigaciones internas y la pronta adopción de medidas para mejorar su gobierno corporativo y sus controles en las entidades de empresas conjuntas, así como la mejora de su supervisión de las empresas conjuntas e inversiones no controladas; (ii) la revisión de su programa de cumplimiento normativo (iii) la mejora de su proceso de gestión de riesgos de terceros intermediarios; (iv) la aplicación de un proceso sólido para informar e investigar alegatos de mala conducta; (v) el establecimiento de un proceso disciplinario supervisado por un comité de ética interfuncional; (vi) la realización de pruebas de su programa de cumplimiento anticorrupción; y (vii) la realización de una revisión periódica y la actualización de su programa de cumplimiento anticorrupción. A la luz de estas consideraciones, la sanción penal calculada con arreglo a las Directrices sobre sentencias de EE. UU. refleja una reducción del 30% de la parte inferior de la gama de multas establecida.
La Brigada de Corrupción Internacional del FBI en Miami está investigando el caso. La Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales del Departamento de Justicia, la Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio y la Fiscalía General de la Nación de Colombia proporcionaron asistencia sustancial en el asunto.
El fiscal Michael Culhane Harper, de la Sección de Fraude de la División Penal, y el fiscal auxiliar de los EE. UU. David I. Salem para el Distrito de Maryland, están procesando el caso.
La Sección de Fraude de la División Penal se encarga de investigar y procesar los asuntos relacionados con la FCPA. Además, puede obtenerse más información sobre la aplicación de la FCPA por el Departamento de Justicia en www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Columbia County man charged with scheme to bilk customers for purchase of cryptocurrency computersRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A Columbia County man has been indicted on federal charges involving a scheme to sell expensive computer equipment to more than 30 customers who never received their orders.
Steven Drawdy, 39, of Grovetown, Ga., was indicted in U.S. District Court on one count of Wire Fraud, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Conviction on the charge carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 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.
“Even though this alleged scheme involves complicated computer technology, at its core this is still just a case of taking money for goods that weren’t provided,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “With our law enforcement partners, we will work to protect consumers from schemes designed to steal their money.”
The indictment in the case alleges that from about August 2021 through April 2022, Drawdy participated in an online cryptocurrency discussion forum, and received approximately $1 million from at least 30 victims who believed they were paying Drawdy to provide them with cryptocurrency “mining” computers.
The indictment further alleges that after receiving payment in cryptocurrency for the orders, Drawdy would eventually cease communicating with the customers. In some cases, he would offer a partial refund but would require the customer to pay a fee to receive the refund – and then would provide neither the refund nor the computer.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The FBI is asking anyone who might have been a victim of the scheme to call 706-722-3702.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer A. Stanley.
Colorado Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Lamar, Colorado, man convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on August 9, 2023.
Jose Dominguez, age 39, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Dominguez was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. He pleaded guilty on May 22, 2023.
On October 19, 2022, the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office received a driving complaint from concerned citizens traveling on the interstate. The citizens reported a dark grey Toyota Corolla was driving erratically and in speeds in excess of 100 mph. Law enforcement located the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop. Dominguez was identified as the driver A search of the vehicle produced a Ziplock bag containing 212 grams of pure methamphetamine and several baggies common to distribution. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II controlled substance. Dominguez admitted to officers he was transporting the drugs to an individual in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where it would be distributed.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Dominguez was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Christian County Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Christian County, Kentucky man was sentenced yesterday for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine in McCracken County, Kentucky.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Division, and Paducah Police Chief Brian Laird made the announcement.
According to court documents, Michael Crawford, 29, of Oak Grove, Kentucky, possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in McCracken County, Kentucky.
Yesterday, Crawford was sentenced to 7 years and 3 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Paducah post of duty and the Paducah Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Chelmsford Dentist Sentenced to More Than a Year in Prison for Medicaid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chelmsford dentist was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for engaging in a Medicaid Fraud Scheme.
Dr. Scott Cale, 68, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 18 months in prison and one year of supervised release. Cale was also ordered to pay restitution of over $1.1 million. In April 2023, Cale pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud and one count of health care fraud.
Cale was indicted by a grand jury and arrested in January 2020 along with co-conspirators Dr. Anthony DiStefano III, a fellow dentist practicing in Worcester, and Robin Cronin, a Worcester Dental Office Manager. DiStefano was barred from participating in the MassHealth insurance program because of concerns regarding the quality of dental care DiStefano delivered to patients. In order to circumvent his exclusion from the MassHealth provider network, DiStefano recruited Cale to join his practice.
From 2014 to 2018, dental services that DiStefano personally delivered were billed to MassHealth using Cale’s provider identification credentials. Cale then paid DiStefano a share of the money that MassHealth had paid Cale. The purpose of this arrangement was to deceive MassHealth into paying for dental services that were not reimbursable (because MassHealth had terminated DiStefano from the MassHealth program). As a result of this scheme, multiple MassHealth patients were harmed and received dangerously poor care from DiStefano.
Charges against the DiStefano were dismissed. Cronin pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy in September 2021. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 15, 2023.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations; and Andrea Joy Campbell, Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit and Chris Looney of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Lownds, detailed from Campbell’s office, prosecuted the case. Additional attorneys and investigators in the Office of the Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts played a significant role in conducting the investigation.Cavalier, ND, Man Sentenced to 29 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography and Failure to Register as a Sexual OffenderRead the Press Release
FARGO - United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that Cody John O’Hara, age 35 of Cavalier, ND, was sentenced by Chief District Court Judge Peter Welte, U.S. District Court, Fargo, ND, to 29 years’ imprisonment for Receipt of Materials Containing Child Pornography and Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Specifically, O’Hara was sentenced to 27 years on the above-mentioned charges and a consecutive two years for a supervised release violation.
This case came to the attention of law enforcement after a United States Probation Officer discovered child pornography on O’Hara’s cellphone. O’Hara was previously convicted of Possession and Receipt of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors in U.S. District Court, District of North Dakota in 2012. He was sentenced to 78 months incarceration followed by a five-year term of supervised release and was required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act
( SORNA).
Following his period of incarceration, O’Hara began residing Fargo during which time he was subject to the supervision of a U.S. Probation Officer. Beginning in the summer of 2021 and continuing through early 2022, the U.S. Probation Officer made several unannounced visits to O’Hara’s registered address, but she was unable to locate him there. The U.S. Probation Officer eventually discovered that he was living at a girlfriend’s residence in Moorhead, Minnesota. Thereafter, O’Hara was ordered to report to the U.S. Probation Office, after which his probation officer requested to view his cellphone. O’Hara initially lied about having his cellphone with him, but upon further questioning O’Hara eventually admitted that it was in his car hidden under the seat.
The cell phone was later searched by the U.S. Probation Officer pursuant to his conditions of supervised release. During this search, the U.S. Probation Officer located child pornography and O’Hara’s cell phone was later forensically examined by the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations. This examination revealed nearly 500 images and videos of child pornography. Following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, it was discovered that one of the children depicted in the child pornography images recovered from O’Hara’s phone was a child located in Minnesota, whom O’Hara was sexually abusing.
“This decades-long sentence protects children in North Dakota and beyond,” Schneider said. “As this case shows, criminals who exploit children will be swiftly dealt with by law enforcement, prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, and sent to federal prison. Keeping kids safe is a priority of the highest order for our state and federal law enforcement partners.”
“Exploitation of children is a reprehensible crime we at Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) work tirelessly to combat,” said Jamie Holt, HSI St. Paul Special Agent in Charge. “O’Hara’s sentencing highlights the fact that predators will inevitably face significant penalties for their crimes that leave victims and families traumatized. HSI St. Paul will continue to fight against the exploitation of children and support victims by providing critical resources and services.”
This case was investigated by North Dakota BCI, Homeland Security and Investigations and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s office, with First Assistant United States Jennifer Klemetsrud-Puhl assigned to the case.
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Career Criminal Sentenced to 4+ Years in Prison for Fentanyl, Cocaine Trafficking in Androscoggin CountyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: An Auburn man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland today for trafficking both fentanyl and cocaine base in and around Androscoggin County.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Zachery Paradis (aka “Pee Wee”), 41, to 51 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Paradis pleaded guilty on December 1, 2022.
According to court records, in March 2022, the FBI conducted a controlled buy of narcotics from Paradis, purchasing 10 grams of fentanyl. During the exchange, which was captured on video and audio recording, Paradis bragged of multiple other crimes including being involved in a 2021 shooting in Lewiston. In April 2022, a second controlled buy of approximately 12.8 grams of cocaine base took place. A career criminal, Paradis has at least ten convictions as an adult, including two past federal convictions for firearms offenses.
The FBI’s Southern Maine Gang Task Force, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Lewiston Police Department and Auburn Police Department investigated the case.
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Busby man admits assaulting dating partner on the Northern Cheyenne Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Busby man accused of hitting and injuring his dating partner admitted to an assault crime today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Weston Francis Littlewhiteman, 31, pleaded guilty to assault resulting in substantial bodily injury. Littlewhiteman faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Littlewhiteman was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on Oct. 30, 2022, Littlewhiteman and the victim, identified as Jane Doe, were drinking at a house in Busby, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. They argued, and Littlewhiteman left the home. Later that night. Jane Doe woke up and Littlewhiteman punched the victim in the face. Jane Doe was treated at the Indian Health Service in Lame Deer for injuries. At the time of the assault, Jane Doe and Littlewhiteman were dating partners.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey A. Sabol is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and FBI conducted the investigation.
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Bronx Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Shooting Outside of Bronx DeliRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DEMONT CHRISTIAN was sentenced today to 78 months in prison in connection with a shooting at the corner of Westchester Avenue and Faile Street in the Longwood neighborhood of the Bronx, New York, on October 7, 2022. CHRISTIAN previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken, who also imposed today’s sentence, to one count of possessing ammunition after conviction for a felony.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “On October 7, 2022, Demont Christian pulled a loaded handgun from his pocket and opened fire on a pedestrian in front of a Bronx deli. Christian perpetrated this senseless act of violence at a busy intersection filled with New Yorkers on nearby sidewalks and in passing vehicles. Today’s sentence sends an important message that we will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute gun violence to the fullest extent of the law.”
As alleged in the Indictment and statements made in open court:
At approximately 10:24 pm on October 7, 2022, in the vicinity of a deli located at 1126 Westchester Avenue in the Bronx, CHRISTIAN, wearing a ski mask, pulled a gun from his pocket and fired four shots at a Victim using a .380 caliber handgun. CHRISTIAN fired at the Victim from approximately two to four car lengths away as the Victim walked away across Westchester Avenue. At the time of the first gunshot, the Victim had not even reached the yellow center line, while CHRISTIAN aimed his gun from the sidewalk. Surveillance footage shows that CHRISTIAN took deliberate aim at the Victim while bystanders stood just feet away:
CHRISTIAN was not permitted to possess ammunition because of his prior New York State conviction for attempted assault in the second degree, for which he was sentenced to two to four years in prison. CHRISTIAN has at least 15 prior criminal convictions.
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In addition to his prison term, CHRISTIAN, 28, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department.
This case is being supervised by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney William C. Kinder is in charge of the prosecution.
Boston Doctor Arrested for Lewd Acts on an AircraftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was arrested and charged today for allegedly masturbating and exposing himself within the view of a 14-year-old female seated next to him onboard a flight from Honolulu to Boston in May 2022.
Dr. Sudipta Mohanty, 33, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of lewd, indecent and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Mohanty was arrested today and was released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston.
“Everyone, especially children, has the absolute right to not be exposed to lewd conduct when they are traveling,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “If you engage in the type of illicit behavior alleged here, you will be caught and held accountable wherever it happens.”
“What Dr. Mohanty is accused of doing in front of a fourteen-year-old girl is reprehensible,” said Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Today’s arrest should make it crystal clear that the FBI takes crimes aboard aircraft seriously, everything from sexual misconduct as alleged in this case, to assault, interfering with the flight crew, and theft. If you’ve been the victim of a crime aboard an aircraft or have witnessed one take place, we ask you to report it to both your flight crew and the FBI.”
According to the charging documents, Mohanty is an internal medicine and primary care doctor with a practice in Boston. It is alleged that, on May 27, 2022, Mohanty was a passenger aboard a Hawaiian Airlines Flight enroute from Honolulu to Boston with a female companion. Mohanty was allegedly seated next to a 14-year-old minor travelling with her grandparents, who were seated nearby.
About half-way through the flight, the minor allegedly observed that Mohanty had covered himself with a blanket up to his neck and that Mohanty’s leg was bouncing up and down. Shortly thereafter, the minor observed that the blanket was on the floor, no longer covering Mohanty, and that Mohanty was masturbating. The minor moved herself to an empty seat in a different row for the remainder of the flight.
After arriving in Boston, the minor informed members of her family about the incident and law enforcement was notified.The charge of lewd, indecent and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States provides for a sentence of up to 90 days in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $5,000. 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 U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI Acting SAC DiMenna made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Billings man sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for armed robbery in carjackingRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man convicted of robbery and gun crimes for stealing a car at gunpoint in Billings and leading law enforcement on a chase into Big Horn County was sentenced today to 11 years and nine months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Joseph Wayne Cantrell, 30, pleaded guilty in April to Hobbs Act Robbery and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on Jan. 8, 2022, the victim was sitting in his 2017 Subaru Outback in a parking lot in Billings when Cantrell approached his driver’s side door. The victim told Cantrell to go away. Cantrell then pulled out a handgun, and the victim immediately surrendered his car to Cantrell, who drove off in it. Less than an hour later, law enforcement found Cantrell with the car. Cantrell fled and led law enforcement on a chase from Yellowstone County into Big Horn County. Law enforcement deployed spike strips to stop Cantrell and could hear gunshots coming from the car. The car wrecked a short time later and Cantrell fled with the firearm into a field. The car’s passenger side window had been shot out. After a standoff lasting several hours, Cantrell threw the firearm away and was arrested. The firearm was a 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas K. Godfrey and Lori Harper Suek prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Billings Police Department, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Probation and Parole, conducted the investigation.
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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Asylee sentenced for third smuggling convictionRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 41-year-old Honduran asylee residing in Houston has been sentenced for smuggling aliens for the third time, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Marlon Enrique Gallegos-Rapalo pleaded guilty May 23. Gallegos was previously convicted of smuggling aliens in 2015 and 2017. Gallegos had been granted withholding of removal under U.S. asylum laws, preventing immigration authorities from removing him.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now sentenced him to 78 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard how Gallegos had committed these offenses while under the protection of immigration laws. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Gallegos had “committed a serious abuse of the system.” He is expected to face removal proceedings following his sentence.
On July 19, 2022, law enforcement discovered a stash house in McAllen being used to hide 35 migrants illegally present in the United States. Further investigation revealed Gallegos was the lease holder on the house and that he was directing the co-defendant Jose Ever Hernandez-Escobar to provide food and clothes to the migrants. Authorities also found that Gallegos and Hernandez harbored over 200 migrants at this residence during the conspiracy.
“Gallegos was given an incredible opportunity that some don’t have to make a new life in the United States,” said Hamdani. “Instead, he wasted that chance and continued to smuggle migrants, resulting in his third conviction and a lengthy prison term. We will not stop our fight against migrant smuggling, especially those who engage in such a large scale operation.”
Gallegos-Rapalo has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Hernandez-Escobar, 22, Honduras, also pleaded guilty and is set for sentencing Sept. 19.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, Texas Department of Public Safety, Precinct 3 Hidalgo County Constables’ Office and the McAllen Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jongwoo Chung and Theodore Parran III prosecuted the case as part of the Human Smuggling Prevention Program (HSPP). The primary goal of HSPP is to disrupt and dismantle human smuggling organizations on our Southwest Border through close cooperation with Homeland Security Investigations, Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection-Office of Field Operations and local law enforcement partners.
9 August 2023
Woman Indicted on Trafficking Meth & FentanylRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas woman for drug trafficking offenses between April 2023 and May 2023.
According to court documents, Mana E. Reyes, 48, of Wichita is charged with two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ola Odeyemi and Katie Andrusak are prosecuting the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Oleg Popov, 29, was indicted on one count of failure to register as a sex offender. The U.S. Marshal Service is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting the case.
Regan Riner, 30, of Wichita was indicted on two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, two counts of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lanny Welch and Katie Andrusak are prosecuting the case.
Abram Velo, 40, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, one count of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lanny Welch and Katie Andrusak are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Winchester Man Sentenced to 84 Months for Selling Fatal Dose of FentanylRead the Press Release
HARRISONBURG, Va. – A Winchester, Virginia man, who facilitated the sale of a fatal dose of fentanyl in October 2020, was sentenced yesterday to 84 months in federal prison.
Kenneth James Hughes, Jr., 27, pled guilty in April to two counts of distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents, following a fentanyl overdose resulting in the death of a user on October 23 2020, an investigation by law enforcement revealed Hughes to be the deceased user’s source of supply.
In October 2020, one of Hughes’ drug customers contacted him in regard to buying fentanyl in the form of “pressed pills,” namely, fentanyl pills made to appear like Oxycodone 30mg pills. Hughes sold two pressed pills to the customer who subsequently consumed the drugs and was found unresponsive the following morning at his home in Winchester. It was determined his death was the result of acute fentanyl intoxication.
The following month in Berryville, Virginia, Hughes sold twenty-two capsules containing fentanyl for $300 to a confidential informant working on behalf of law enforcement.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Jared Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Washington Division, announced the sentence today.
The Virginia State Police, the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force (composed of the Virginia State Police, the Winchester Police Department, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office) and the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee prosecuted the case.
West Virginia man sentenced for federal gun chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jason Lee Gordon, age 36, of Rio, West Virginia, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by prohibited person.
According to court documents and statements made in court, officers were called to Gordon’s home for a welfare check and destruction of property complaint reported by his girlfriend. Gordon left the home shortly after officers were dispatched. When officers arrived on scene, they found Gordon in his car in a ditch. Deputies recovered three rifles, two shotguns, and four pistols in Gordon’s vehicle. Gordon was convicted of domestic violence in Mineral County in 2009, and thus is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office; and the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Waterloo Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A prohibited person who possessed a firearm pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Ezekiel Menteer, age 23, of Waterloo, was convicted of one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. At the plea hearing, Menteer admitted that, in January 2022, he possessed a Kimber pistol after having been convicted of a felony and while being an unlawful drug user.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Menteer remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Menteer faces a possible maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 23-2009.
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Waterbury Man Sentenced 57 Months in Federal Prison for Drug Distribution OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JULIAN GOODMAN, 25, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl and heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an ongoing investigation into gangs, drug trafficking and the illegal possession of firearms in Waterbury. The investigation revealed that Goodman and his associate, Alex Reyes, were distributing fentanyl and heroin. On August 26, 2021, Waterbury Police attempted to execute search warrants for Reyes’s residence and person. Reyes, who was sitting in his car as officers approached, fled the scene, and struck two police vehicles. He was located later that day using Goodman’s vehicle. After Reyes was apprehended, a search of his person revealed a 9mm handgun and $1,433 in cash, and a search of Goodman’s vehicle revealed more than 80 grams of fentanyl, drug packaging materials, multiple cell phones, and $3,492 in cash. Goodman was apprehended a short distance away.
Goodman has been detained since his arrest. On November 28, 2022, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, heroin and fentanyl.
On December 13, 2022, Reyes pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm by a felon. On June 2, 2023, he was sentenced to an effective term of imprisonment of 60 months.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Connecticut State Police; the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Police; the Waterbury Police Department; the Wolcott Police Department; and the Connecticut Department of Correction. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Pierpont, Jr., and Natasha M. Freismuth.
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Waterbury for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
The prosecution 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. In May 2021, the Justice 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.
Vermont Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Vermont man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Dominick Bailey, 57, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 87 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Bailey pleaded guilty in December 2021.
“This office is committed to doing whatever we can to crack down on illegal gun possession,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “When someone repeatedly breaks gun laws, as this defendant clearly did, they will be held accountable.”
“The Postal Service is part of the communities we serve,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division. “The combined efforts of the Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Boston Police Department has resulted in a significant sentence for a true threat to the safety of our community. While we are proud of the work in this case, we will not rest in our efforts to identity and bring to justice those who would misuse the U.S. Mail and threaten the safety of our communities.”
“This sentence should serve as notice to repeat offenders, determined to continue to illegally possess firearms. ATF and our law enforcement partners will not falter in our resolve to investigate and incarcerate offenders who illegally possess and traffic firearms,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division.
“This previously convicted felon attempted to obtain methamphetamine in exchange for illegal firearms,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “As we all know, narcotics and unlawfully possessed firearms are serious threats to our communities in Massachusetts. This is unacceptable and will not be allowed to happen. These enforcement actions with our federal, state and local partners show what happens when law enforcement works together.”
In November 2019, Bailey was arrested in Boston in possession of four firearms, including an AR-15 style rifle capable of accepting a large capacity magazine. Bailey and his co-defendant had arranged to transport the firearms from Vermont to Boston in exchange for a quantity of methamphetamine. Bailey assumed he was negotiating with a Boston-area drug dealer, when in fact, he was communicating with an undercover federal agent.
This was Bailey’s third federal conviction for being a felon in possession of firearms, having been twice convicted of the same charge in U.S. District Courts in Vermont and New Hampshire.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, USPIS INC Larco-Ward, ATF SAC Ferguson, DEA SAC Boyle and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Vermont State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip C. Cheng and James E. Arnold of Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Urbana Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
A man who sexually exploited a child pled guilty on August 4, 2023, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Michael Heinitz, age 20, of Urbana, was convicted of one count of sexual exploitation of a child. At the plea hearing, Heinitz admitted that, between August and September 2022, he recorded sexually explicit videos of a four-year-old girl.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Heinitz remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Heinitz faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $55,100 in special assessments, and supervised release for 5 years to life following any imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 23-33.
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Unforgiven Gang Member Sentenced to More Than 21 Years in Federal Prison for Violent AttackRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL –United States District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Joshua Hall (44, North Carolina) to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison for kidnapping in aid of racketeering activity and assault in aid of racketeering. Hall had pleaded guilty on October 21, 2022.
According to court documents, Hall was a member of the Unforgiven, a violent white supremacy organization that operates as an enterprise engaging in racketeering activity, and whose members and associates have committed acts and threats involving murder, kidnapping, robbery, distribution of controlled substances, and tampering with witnesses. Members often carry out acts of extreme violence to gain entry into the gang and are required to get tattoos, such as swastikas, iron crosses, and lightning bolts. The Unforgiven commit violence against perceived racial enemies as well as members of its own group who fail to abide by their constitution and bylaws. The gang often revokes membership of those who violate their code by using extreme violence to remove membership tattoos, or “patches,” which are usually in “kill zones” on members’ bodies.
Hall and co-defendants were directed by members of the Unforgiven council to violently assault a particular victim. Hall violently assaulted the victim in a vehicle, then took the victim’s jewelry, cellphone, and tattoo equipment. The victim tried to leave the vehicle, but the doors were locked. Hall and others then drove to a home in Pasco County where they ordered the victim into a back bedroom and beat the victim and forcibly tattooed over the victim’s neck, face, and chest, including the victim’s “patch” located on the back of his neck. The victim was bloodied and dazed from the assault.
“This is a huge win for public safety,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “Today’s decision underscores our commitment to work with partners – in this case the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office – and combat violent crime wherever it exists.” ATF has been investigating the Unforgiven’s criminal acts since October 2015.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha Beckman and David Sullivan.
Two Nigerian Nationals Plead Guilty, and One Sentenced to Prison for International Inheritance Fraud Scheme That Defrauded Elderly U.S. VictimsRead the Press Release
Two Nigerian nationals who were previously extradited to the United States from Spain pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit fraud, and one Nigerian national who was extradited to the United States from the United Kingdom was sentenced to 87 months in prison, all for their respective roles in an international inheritance fraud scheme.
According to court documents, Ezennia Peter Neboh, 48, Kennedy Ikponmwosa, 52, and Jerry Chucks Ozor, 43, were part of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States, falsely claiming that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died years before in Portugal. Victims were told that before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees and taxes, and also were instructed to make other payments. Victims sent money to the defendants through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims. The defendants convinced these former victims to receive money from new victims and then forward the fraud proceeds to others. On July 25, U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams sentenced Ozor to 87 months in prison for his role in the scheme. Ikponmwosa pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail fraud and wire fraud on the same date. Earlier today, Neboh pleaded guilty to committing the same offense.
“The Justice Department's Consumer Protection Branch will continue to bring to justice international criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Working together, U.S. and foreign law enforcement can and will thwart schemes such as the one charged in this case and prevent further losses to American victims.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has a long tradition of protecting American citizens from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice,” said Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the USPIS Miami Division. “This result is a testament to the dedicated partnership between the Justice Department's Consumer Protection Branch, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the USPIS, to protect our citizens from these scams.”
“International criminal organizations using schemes that target and steal from the elderly will be held responsible for their despicable actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown of HSI Arizona. “This case demonstrates HSI’s commitment, with our partner law enforcement agencies domestically and abroad, to prove wrong those who believe they are beyond the reach of the law. I thank all the law enforcement agencies that dedicated countless hours to ensure that this investigation was successful.”
In June, Judge Williams sentenced Emmanuel Samuel, 39, of London, to 82 months in prison for his role in the scheme. During sentencing, Judge Williams said that it was important to send a message to international criminals who believe that “they would never have been caught” that they cannot prey on people in the United States “with impunity.” Sentencing is scheduled for Neboh and Ikponmwosa on Nov. 2 and Oct. 20, respectively.
The Consumer Protection Branch, USPIS, and HSI are investigating the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Europol and authorities from the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal all provided critical assistance.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Two New York Men Admit Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, NJ. – Two New York men today admitted their roles in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy, and one of the men also admitted conspiring with seven separately charged individuals to defraud multiple states to obtain COVID-19 unemployment benefits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Billy Castro, 33, of Queens, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to a three-count information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Juan De La Cruz Infante Torres, 52, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty before Judge Shipp on June 14, 2023, to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to documents filed in this and other cases and statements made in court:
In May and June 2021, Castro and Infante conspired with others to distribute fentanyl. On June 15, 2021, Castro and Infante took approximately two kilograms of fentanyl from Castro’s apartment to Clifton, New Jersey, where they were arrested trying to sell it. Law enforcement agents then searched Castro’s apartment and found approximately two additional kilograms of fentanyl. The agents also found driver’s licenses, Social Security cards, debit cards, tax forms, bills, and other documents – including COVID-19 unemployment benefits applications and debit cards – in the names of approximately 100 individual victims.
On April 24, 2023, the following individuals were separately charged by complaint with conspiracy to commit wire fraud:
Rafael Josmin Nunez Duarte, 33; Natanael Valdez Brito, aka “El Pocho,” 34; Josmin Rafael Nunez Duarte, aka “Mello,” 33; and Alexander Arismendy Alix Hernandez, 22, all of Bronx, New York; Leonel Frias Espaillat, 32, of Allentown, Pennsylvania; and Abrahan Rivas Rojas, aka “Milandro,” 36, and Yarisa Espaillat, aka“Yari,” 34, both of the Dominican Republic.
A subsequent investigation revealed that Castro conspired with Nunez, Valdez, Duarte, Alix, Frias, Rivas, Espaillat, and others to use the personal identifying information of thousands of individual victims to create fictitious online profiles claiming to be real people seeking unemployment benefits as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using these fake profiles, the conspirators submitted fraudulent applications to the departments of labor of Puerto Rico and numerous states, including Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. Once the fraudulent unemployment benefit applications were approved, the conspirators received unemployment benefit funds through debit cards, which they either cashed out at ATMs or used to make purchases. To date, law enforcement has identified that the victims’ information was used to fraudulently obtain approximately $25 million in unemployment benefits from 29 different states.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl each carry a statutory maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a statutory maximum fine of $1 million. The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a statutory maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of the greatest of $250,000, twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greatest.
Sentencing for Castro is scheduled for Dec. 14, 2023. Sentencing for Infante is scheduled for Oct. 25, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas and charges. He also thanked the U.S. Department of Labor, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, and New York Department of Labor for their assistance in the investigation.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Pesce of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations against Nunez, Valdez, Duarte, Alix, Frias, Rivas, and Espaillat are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
castro.information.pdf
infante.information.pdfTwo Charged in Drug-Related Shooting on Bronx Street That Hit an 11-Month-Old Baby in the FaceRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Christie M. Curtis, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing today of an Indictment charging AHMED ALTOREI, a/k/a “AK,” and SAMUEL BAUTISTA, a/k/a “Sammy,” with distributing narcotics and carrying firearms in connection with a drug trafficking operation based on the Grand Concourse and East 198th Street in the Bronx, New York. In connection with those crimes, ALTOREI and BAUTISTA were involved in a street shooting on January 19, 2022, that targeted a rival drug dealer but resulted in an 11-month-old baby being shot in the face.
ALTOREI was arrested yesterday evening and BAUTISTA was arrested earlier today in an operation conducted by the FBI and NYPD, and both are expected to be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein later this afternoon. The case is assigned to Chief U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “On January 19, 2022, on a day like any other, gunshots rang out in the Bronx. It was a targeted shooting. But one of the bullets hit an innocent victim – a baby girl, who was just 11 months old – who was shot in the face as she sat in a car with her mother. The baby survived, and that’s a miracle. But the emotional and physical trauma will never go away. Safety is a civil right. And like all rights, in order to keep it, we have to enforce it. That is why I am proud to announce that we have arrested and indicted the two men who we allege shot that baby girl. As United States Attorney, I promise you this: we will never abandon our communities. Not a single inch. And our commitment to public safety will never waver. Not for a single second. The people of this great city deserve nothing less.”
FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Christie M. Curtis said: “As alleged, the defendants possessed firearms as part of a narcotics trafficking operation that directly led to the shooting of an 11-month-old infant. This is yet another unfortunate example of an innocent bystander being harmed as a result of drugs and guns. The FBI is committed to making our communities safer by removing violent drug traffickers from the streets.”
NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “Today’s indictment again proves that violence on our streets will not stand. The men and women of the NYPD will remain relentless in holding accountable anyone who allegedly dares to carry and indiscriminately shoot an illegal gun in New York City. I thank and commend all of our investigators and everyone at the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District whose dedication to justice and public safety is reflected in these charges.”
As alleged in the Indictment:[1]
ALTOREI and BAUTISTA are charged for their involvement in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute both cocaine and crack cocaine from at least in or about May 2018 through at least in or about August 2023 and for carrying firearms in connection with the same, some of which were brandished and discharged, including the firearm that shot the infant on January 19, 2022.
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ALTOREI, 36, and BAUTISTA, 30, both of the Bronx, New York, are each charged with one count of narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of using or carrying firearms during and in relation to, or possessing firearms in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime, some of which were brandished and discharged, which carries a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; and possessing ammunition after a felony conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and NYPD and thanked the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance in this case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael R. Herman and Thomas John Wright are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
U.S. v. Altorei and Bautista IndictmentTwenty-One-Year-Old Memphis Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for String of Robberies Against Postal EmployeesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Jonathan D. Holmes, 21, of Memphis, to 11 years in federal prison for a string of assaults and robberies of United States postal employees. U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr. also ordered Holmes to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today.
According to United States Attorney Ritz and the information presented in court, on October 4, 2021, a carrier for the U.S. Postal Service was delivering mail near Kings Grant Cove in South Memphis when Jonathan Holmes parked his car in front of the postal vehicle and pointed a gun at the postal worker. The mail carrier fled in his postal vehicle. Approximately 15 minutes later, Holmes approached a second letter carrier near Silver Chalice Drive and again pointed a handgun at the worker. Holmes demanded packages off the truck and fled the scene after stealing multiple packages. About 15 minutes after that robbery, Holmes robbed a third letter carrier near Hallshire Cove and again fled the scene with several packages.
On April 6, 2023, Holmes pled guilty to one count of aggravated assault of a federal employee, two counts of robbery of a postal employee, and one count of brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. On August 8, 2023, U.S. District Judge Fowlkes sentenced Holmes to 132 months in federal prison to be followed by three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
"This office takes very seriously its duty to protect the safety of United States Postal Service employees and the security of the U.S. Mail,” said U.S. Attorney Ritz. “This sentence should stand as a message to anyone who would threaten or attempt to threaten government institutions, innocent citizens, and community safety. We will do all we can to see that acts of violence and greed are met with the full measure of consequences."
“The sentence imposed today exemplifies the unending dedication of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to protect the employees of the United States Postal Service. When our employees are victims of robberies and assaults, we do not stop until we identify those responsible,” said Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “We are proud of the work done by the Postal Inspectors, and we are very pleased with the sentence, which we feel speaks to the gravity of the offense. We appreciate the work of the United States Attorney’s Office to bring Mr. Holmes to justice.”
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Three Sioux Falls Men and Two Sioux Falls Women Sentenced for ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced three Sioux Falls, South Dakota, men and one Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, and one Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments.
Salvador Magana Madrigal, age 41, was sentenced on August 7, 2023, to 33 years and four months in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
Oscar Madrigal, age 30, was sentenced on July 27, 2022, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Rosa Elena Magana Madrigal, age 65, was sentenced on August 15, 2022, to five years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
William Burt Hartwick, age 54, was sentenced on November 21, 2022, to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Maria D. Magana-Zavala, age 53, was sentenced on December 27, 2022, to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
A sixth co-conspirator, Anahi Plascencia Cardona, will be sentenced on October 30, 2023.
All six defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in the summer of 2021. Oscar Madrigal pleaded guilty on April 4, 2022; Rosa Madrigal pleaded guilty on May 25, 2022; William Hartwick pleaded guilty on August 30, 2022; Maria Magana-Zavala pleaded guilty on October 4, 2022; and Salvador Magana Madrigal and Anahi Plascencia Cardona were found guilty of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering following a four-day federal jury trial in Sioux Falls on May 2, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from activities that started when Salvador Madrigal and Anahi Cardona, who are husband and wife, recruited other members of Madrigal’s family to assist them in obtaining large amounts of methamphetamine from California and distributing it in Sioux Falls. Salvador Madrigal and Cardona recruited Madrigal’s aunt and uncle, Maria Magana Zavala and William Hartwick, to transport methamphetamine by vehicle from California. Eventually Salvador’s brother, Oscar, became involved in the conspiracy by assisting his brother in transporting and counting shipments of methamphetamine.
Salvador Madrigal, Jr. and Cardona, along with Salvador’s mother, Rosa Madrigal, also intentionally conspired to knowingly conduct wire/money transfers which involved the proceeds of unlawful activities. The group conducted numerous financial transactions intended to transfer the proceeds from methamphetamine sales, while concealing the nature and ownership of the money.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
All five defendants were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following their respective sentencing.
Texas Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that ELIAS SALAS, age 19, from Edinburgh, Texas, pleaded guilty on as charged on August 8, 2023 to Count 1 of the indictment, charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846.
SALAS faces a minimum of ten years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000.00 fine, at least five years supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kenner Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Texas Man Sentenced to over 8 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Eufracio Rodriguez, Jr., 52, of Lamesa, Texas, was sentenced to over 8 years in federal prison after earlier pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that, on September 17, 2022, officers and investigators with the Columbia Police Department (CPD) worked in conjunction with federal agents and officers assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (ACHIDTA) Task Force in Columbia to conduct an investigation into Rodriguez’ possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
CPD conducted a traffic stop on a car in which Rodriguez was a passenger. During the stop, the driver gave permission to search the car, and Rodriguez admitted to possessing drugs inside the car. Law enforcement located 20 bags of pills which tested positive for fentanyl. The total weight of the fentanyl pills was 2,188 grams. Rodriguez admitted to purchasing the fentanyl pills in Atlanta, Georgia, for between $13,000 and $16,000 and transporting them to South Carolina for distribution.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Rodriguez to 97 months in prison, to be followed by a 4-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This prosecution is part of a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA) investigation. HIDTA is a grant program purposed with improving public safety and well-being by disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking and money laundering organizations through intelligence-driven multi-jurisdictional operations; enhancing the safety and effectiveness of law enforcement operations through training; and improving communication and information sharing among criminal justice, drug prevention, and drug treatment professionals in support of the objectives as administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Additional information can be found at https://www.achidta.org/, https://www.dea.gov/operations/hidta, and https://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/.
The DEA ACHIDTA Task Force in Columbia is comprised of agents and officers from the DEA, United States Postal Inspection Service, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Department of Public Safety for the City of Orangeburg, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Bales is prosecuting the case.
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Texas Man Sentenced for Stealing Checks and Identity Theft in Troy, AlabamaRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On August 8, 2023, a federal judge sentenced John Eugene Dibello, 41, from Pasadena, Texas, to 43 months in prison for conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud and the separate offense of aggravated identity theft, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart. In addition, the judge also ordered that Dibello serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
According to his plea agreement and other court records, in late 2021, Dibello and a companion – 30-year-old Taelor Amie Owens from Houston, Texas – traveled to Alabama so that Owens could visit family. While in Troy, Dibello and Owens broke into several mailboxes and stole mail that included checks and identity information. Dibello and Owens then used the identity information they acquired to cash the stolen checks and pocket the proceeds. Investigators discovered that Dibello and Owens were staying in a hotel in Pike County and found more stolen mail from Texas inside their room. Among their belongings were also a post office arrow key (a universal key used by postal workers to access collection boxes, outdoor parcel lockers, cluster box units, and apartment panels) and at least two fake identities, one for each of them.
On May 25, 2023, Owens pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy and aggravated identity theft offenses as those to which DiBello pleaded guilty. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Owens on September 28, 2023. At that proceeding, she will face a term of imprisonment of not less than two years and a maximum of 30 years.
The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Troy Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Megan A. Kirkpatrick is prosecuting the case.
Taunton Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston for his involvement in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed fentanyl throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Michael Pacheco, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Nov. 1, 2023. Pacheco was indicted along with nine other co-defendants in August 2022.
In March 2021, law enforcement began investigating a DTO allegedly led by Estarlin Ortiz-Alcantara operating in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Intercepted communications on numerous cellphones allegedly identified members of the DTO who regularly distributed multiple kilograms of fentanyl from a base of operations at a stash house in Fall River.
The investigation identified Pacheco as a regular DTO customer who re-distributed fentanyl to his own customer base in Southeastern Massachusetts. Intercepted communications showed Pacheco ordering fentanyl from the DTO and was soon after observed meeting with the DTO’s couriers. A search of Pacheco’s residence in July 2022 resulted in the seizure of approximately 41 grams of fentanyl.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira; and Fairhaven Police Chief Michael J. Myers made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Homeland Security Investigations; Bristol County Sherriff’s Office; and Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro, Scituate, Yarmouth, Providence (R.I.) and West Warwick (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Syracuse Man Sentenced to 40 Months for Violating His Sex Offender Registration Obligations and the Conditions of His Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Justin Donohue, age 38, of Syracuse, was sentenced today for violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act by failing to notify the New York State Sex Offender Registry of a social media and email account he created and used, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release for a prior federal child pornography conviction. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, United States Marshal David McNulty, and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
United States District Judge Hon. Glenn T. Suddaby sentenced Donohue to serve 16 months imprisonment for failing to report Snapchat and Gmail accounts to the Sex Offender Registry, as required by law. In his earlier guilty plea, Donohue admitted that he created the email account using a false name and accessed it 67 times on an unreported cellular telephone that he possessed in violation of his conditions of supervised release. Investigators found that the email address was used to join at least twelve child pornography trading groups online, but that Donohue regularly factory reset his phone, thereby deleting all data.
Donohue was further sentenced to serve a consecutive term of 24 months in prison for violating the conditions of his supervised release by having contact with a known felon, possessing the unreported cellular telephone, failing to register his internet accounts, and falsifying monthly probation reports.
Following his terms of incarceration, Donohue will be returned to supervised release for another 20 years and will continue to be required to register as a sex offender.
Donohue’s case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)-Mid-state Child Exploitation Task Force in cooperation with the New York State Police, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa M. Fletcher as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Stratford Man Charged with Robbery, Kidnapping, and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned an indictment charging GUY EUGENE, also known as “Fresh,” 41, of Stratford with robbery, kidnapping, and firearm offenses.
The indictment was returned on July 19, 2023. Eugene appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He has been detained since his arrest on July 12, 2023.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on September 26, 2022, Eugene and others kidnapped a victim at gunpoint from the area of the Island Vybez Restaurant located at 690 Beechmont Avenue in Bridgeport. Shortly before the kidnapping, the victim withdrew $3,000 from an ATM and intended to use the money for a monthly rent payment for the restaurant. During the kidnapping, a masked assailant hit the victim on the head with a gun, and the victim was dragged into a rear of a vehicle. In the car, Eugene and others threatened to kill the victim and demanded that he call someone to bring them more money. Eugene and others took from the victim a bank deposit bag with $3,000, and his gold earrings, iPhone, car keys, house keys, and keys to the restaurant. The victim was released on Maplewood Avenue in Bridgeport.
The indictment charges Eugene with interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; kidnapping, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of life; and carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of seven years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendants who are awaiting trial are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, which includes personnel from the Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Trumbull Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Gresham and Rahul Kale.
St. Louis County Man Sentenced for Fentanyl, Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced a man involved in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine to five years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release.
Nicholas L. Nixon, 23, pleaded guilty in April to one felony count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. He admitted distributing drugs and accompanying a co-defendant, Marvell Sherrell, who twice sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to a confidential source working with the Drug Enforcement Administration. He also admitted throwing a Micro Draco AK-47-style pistol and 1,181 pills containing fentanyl out of a vehicle that was being pursued by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department on May 5, 2022.
Sherrell, 23, pleaded guilty July 10 to three felony counts: conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possessing one or more firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a machine gun.
Sherrell admitted entering into an agreement to sell drugs with Nixon, Jacquez T. Love, 25, Turhan Robinson Jr., 23, Arion D. Strickland, 29, and others. He admitted selling methamphetamine or both methamphetamine and fentanyl to the DEA source three times and sending that source to another person for the drug.
Sherrell also admitted driving during the May 5, 2022 police chase, during which he drove at a high speed, violated traffic lights and crashed into another vehicle. Strickland discarded a Kel Tec rifle during the chase and a fully automatic AR-15-style weapon was found where Robinson had been sitting after the Chevrolet Impala became disabled and the chase finally ended.
Sherrell admitted that when deputy U.S. Marshals arrested Love at the apartment Sherrell, Nixon and Love shared in unincorporated St. Louis County between Maryland Heights and Creve Coeur on May 12, 2022, they found drugs and guns. They found methamphetamine and a fully automatic .40-caliber Glock handgun in Sherrell’s bedroom, along with two “switches” that convert a Glock into a machine gun.
Sherrell is scheduled to be sentenced October 10 and faces at least 10 years in prison. The three other defendants in the case also pleaded guilty and have been sentenced.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the St. Louis County Police Department and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
St. Louis County Man Caught with Checks Stolen from the Mail Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Wednesday sentenced a St. Louis County, Missouri man who bought and re-sold checks stolen from the mail to 10 months in prison.
Dennis Cooperwood Jr., 19, of Country Club Hills, admitted being caught by St. Louis County Police in possession of about 179 business and personal checks on April 12, 2022 that had been taken from U.S. Postal Service collection boxes.
Officers on patrol in the Spanish Lake area spotted a vehicle stopped in the middle of the road with multiple people standing at the windows. After the crowd dispersed and the vehicle drove away, officers stopped the vehicle and found Cooperwood in the back seat wearing a shoulder bag containing a gun and the checks. Cooperwood told officers that he bought stolen checks for $5 to $10 each and would remove the writing on the checks before re-selling them for $20 to $25.
In a sentencing memo, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow said the checks belonged to about 100 individuals and businesses, and the case comes at a time of an increase in both mail theft and associated fraud which was undermining “the public’s sense of security and confidence in a vital government service.”
In court, Clow said the impact of Cooperwood’s actions “goes beyond any sort of financial harm.” In letters to Judge Ross, five victims said the theft of their mail snarled their finances, made them fear for the security of their personal information and cost them hours of work closing checking accounts and dealing with creditors. One wedding officiant said lost wedding license documentation delayed medical treatment for a woman for nearly four months over insurance issues.
“The successful investigation of the defendant’s operation resulted in the recovery of 179 checks stolen from the U.S. mail, and the prevention of potential long-term financial harm to numerous account holders,” said Inspector in Charge Ruth Mendonça who leads the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Chicago Division, which includes the St. Louis Field Office. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and its law enforcement partners will continue to work together to hold mail thieves accountable.”
Cooperwood pleaded guilty in April to one felony count of possession of stolen mail matter.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.
Spencerport Teacher Arrested, Charged with Production, Receipt, and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Ian Milam, 37, of Pittsford, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production, receipt, and possession of child pornography, and transfer of obscene material to a minor. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that on May 3, 2023, the Greece, NY, Police Department received a report that a sexually explicit video was discovered on a 12-year-old girl’s phone. The girl allegedly received the video from her friend, an 11-year-old girl (Minor Victim 1). Subsequent investigation determined that Snapchat accounts with usernames “matteckler” and “mikeywikey37” had been contacting the two minor girls.
Search warrants executed on the Snapchat accounts with the usernames “matteckler” and “mikeywikey37” were traced to defendant Milam, who allegedly posed as a high school student in the Spencerport School District and sent sexually explicit photos and videos to Minor Victim 1. Milam is also accused of manipulating Minor Victim 1 into sending a photo via Snapchat of herself in a tank top. Investigators also uncovered numerous sexually explicit conversations between “matteckler” or “mikeywikey37”and other Snapchat users who appeared to be minors, including Minor Visit 2, a 12-year-old girl. Milam is also accused of coercing Minor Victim 2 to send sexually explicit photos to him.
Milam is sixth grade math teacher at Cosgrove Middle School, within the Spencerport School District.
If any members of the public have information regarding this defendant or the Snapchat accounts “matteckler” or “mikeywikey37,” please contact the FBI at (585) 279-0085.
Milam made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and is being held pending a detention hearing on August 14, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Southbridge Man Sentenced for Attempting to Distribute Cocaine Sent Through the Mail from Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Southbridge man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for attempting to distribute a kilogram of cocaine.
Revel Pedro Rivera, 43, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to six months in prison and two years of supervised release, with the first six months to be served in home confinement. On Feb. 15, 2022, Rivera pleaded guilty to one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
In early July 2020, a package containing a kilogram of cocaine that was shipped to Rivera’s residence from Puerto Rico was intercepted by law enforcement, who replaced the cocaine with a counterfeit substance. On July 6, 2020, Rivera accepted delivery of the package and was arrested as he left the property with the package that he believed contained cocaine.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Postal Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Southbridge Police Chief Shane Woodson made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Southall Organization Conspirator SentencedRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile woman was sentenced on August 4, 2023, to 3 years in prison for her participation in the drug distribution organization operated by Darrin J. Southall. Christian Leontine Glover, 34, was a money courier for Southall and served as one of his “accountants,” to help him keep up with his drug debts. On August 23, 2021, Glover pled guilty to conspiracy possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Court documents reflect that Glover used her cell phone to keep up with Southall’s drug debts, and she picked up and delivered drug money to locations necessary for Southall to continue to buy and sell hundreds of kilograms of cocaine. Glover was implicated by some of Southall’s distributors as one of the conspirators who picked up and handled Southall’s drug money. She was also intercepted in numerous discussions with Southall in a court-authorized wiretap on some of Southall’s phones. The recorded calls showed the depth of Glover’s involvement in the scheme. For example, in one phone call between Southall and Glover on January 3, 2021, Southall’s distributors (who were identified in the call by their street names) owed a total of $931,500 for cocaine Southall had distributed to them. In a call later that day, Southall and Coleman discussed additional information on three of the distributors for a total of $147,500. On January 5, 2021, in a similar call, Southall and Glover reviewed the drug debts which totaled $653,000. Debts discussed with Glover in a call on January 8, 2021, totaled $421,000. In a call on January 14, 2021, Southall’s drug debts amounted to $1,209,000. On January 18, 2021, Glover’s total for Southall’s drug list was $843,500. On January 21, 2021, Southall and Glover reviewed a short list of only two distributors for a total of $336,000. Southall was arrested on February 26, 2021. Glover was arrested on March 3, 2021. Because the collection and movement of drug money was an integral part of the cocaine distribution conspiracy, Glover’s participation was important to the success of Southall’s organization.
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed a sentence of 36 months to be followed by 5 years of supervised release after her release from imprisonment. Glover’s supervision includes a set of standard conditions as well as a special condition that the probation office may search her person or property upon a showing of reasonable suspicion that she is in violation of any of the other conditions of her supervision. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered the forfeiture of numerous items of property seized during the investigation. Glover was ordered to pay $100 in special mandatory assessments.
The Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Mobile and Pensacola, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Saraland Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.The investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organization 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.
South Carolina Woman and Florida Woman Sentenced in COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Nariman Mahmoud Masoud, 35, of Florence, South Carolina, and Susan Masoud, 34, of Tampa, Florida, were sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to unemployment insurance benefits.
Nariman Masoud was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in the Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by a two-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Nariman Masoud was ordered to pay $604,074.00 in restitution. Susan Masoud was sentenced to 24 months of probation and ordered to pay $454,074.00 in restitution. United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III imposed the sentences.
Evidence presented to the court showed that both defendants engaged in a scheme with others to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the scheme, members of the conspiracy submitted applications in four states – Arizona, New York, Florida, and South Carolina – using the personal identifying information of other individuals, sometimes without the person’s permission. In some instances, members of the conspiracy would apply for benefits in multiple states using the same individual’s information. Members of the conspiracy then received the funds associated with the fraudulent claims, primarily through either direct deposit or debit cards. The investigation revealed a total of 69 fraudulent claims associated with the scheme, resulting in a total loss of $454,074.00 in unemployment insurance funds.
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.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor, the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the New York State Department of Labor, the Arizona Department of Economic Security, and the Small Business Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.
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Polson meth, fentanyl trafficker sentenced to more than five years in prisonRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Polson man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl was sentenced today to five years and six months years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Thomas Joseph Duran, 42, pleaded guilty in April to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that in June 2022 in Lake County, Montana Highway Patrol troopers made a traffic stop and later searched a vehicle in which Duran was a passenger. Law enforcement recovered meth, fentanyl, $8,135 in U.S. currency and firearms. Duran admitted that he distributed the drugs in exchange for money. Co-defendant Andrew Joseph Shields, of Kalispell, who was the driver of the vehicle, was sentenced recently to 11 years and three months in prison for his conviction in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case. The Northwest Drug Task Force and Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation.
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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Owner of Area Restaurant Sentenced to the Bureau of Prisons and Ordered to Pay Restitution for Crimes Related to COVID-Relief FundsRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Saint Augustine, Illinois man, Michael Lewis Patch, 66, of the 100 block of West Third Street, has been sentenced to 90 days in the Bureau of Prisons, five years of Supervised Release, and to pay more than $64,000 in restitution. The sentence follows Patch pleading guilty to one count of bank fraud and two counts of wire fraud in relation to COVID-Relief funds that he fraudulently obtained.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government presented evidence of the multiple efforts the Illinois Department of Revenue took to assist Patch in bringing his business, the Vernon Street Grill (“VSG”), into compliance with the taxes owed and the VSG’s expired license. These efforts included offering to help Patch with the required paperwork and to enter a modest payment plan of $20 per month. After those efforts were repeatedly ignored by Patch, a criminal investigation was opened. During that investigation, it was determined that Patch had fabricated records and data to apply for and receive two loans that were made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Specifically, Patch admitted that he used false data to steal money through the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Congress established PPP funds to provide small businesses with funds to pay up to eight weeks of payroll costs and related expenses. Patch obtained $11,462.00 in PPP funds. The EIDL program was established to allow the Small Business Administration to provide a line of credit to small businesses that had suffered substantial economic injury as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Patch received $53,000 in EIDL loans. Patch applied for a third loan in the amount of $53,000 through EIDL, but that loan was not approved.
The investigation showed that Patch did not use COVID-relief funds for their intended purpose. Instead, Patch attempted to purchase property and over-paid his employees, requiring them to cash their checks and return the excess wages they received to him in the form of cash. In total, Patch fraudulently requested $117,462, and received $64,462 from the United States and its agency, the Small Business Administration.
Patch was indicted in September 2021 and pleaded guilty to all three counts of the indictment in September 2022. He was free on an existing bond, pending sentencing. Patch will voluntarily surrender to begin his sentence in October.
The statutory penalties for bank fraud are up to 30 years imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release. The penalties for each count of wire fraud are up to 20 years imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
The Illinois Department of Revenue, Criminal Investigative Division, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas F. McMeyer represented the government in the prosecution.
COVID-19 disaster relief and enhanced unemployment benefits are intended to help people and businesses suffering as a result of the pandemic. If members of the public suspect anyone fraudulently obtained or misused benefits, they should contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NDCF) Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or submit the NCDF Web Complaint Form. The NCDF is a national coordinating agency within the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division dedicated to improving the detection, prevention, investigation, and prosecution of criminal conduct related to natural and man-made disasters and other emergencies, such as the coronavirus (COVID-19). Hotline staff will obtain information regarding complaints, which will then be reviewed by law enforcement officials. More information is available at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud.
Orlando Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years for Armored Truck Robbery at Seminole County BankRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Michael Jerome Virgil, Jr. (23, Orlando) to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The court also ordered Virgil to forfeit the firearm and ammunition possessed during the offenses. In addition to his prison term, Virgil was ordered to pay $686 in restitution to the armored truck employee who had to replace his firearm after authorities seized it as evidence in the pending investigation. Virgil had pleaded guilty on May 18, 2023.
According to court documents, on September 1, 2022, Virgil robbed an armored truck employee who was collecting money at a Bank of America branch in Seminole County. While one of the guards was loading the money into the back of the armored truck, Virgil brandished a loaded firearm and entered the truck. Virgil then stole two bags of currency totaling $312,167 and ran back to his vehicle. When the second guard attempted to stop Virgil at gunpoint, Virgil drove towards him causing the guard to discharge his weapon, which struck Virgil’s vehicle.
Multiple law enforcement agencies joined a high-speed pursuit of Virgil, including the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), the Lake Mary Police Department, the Winter Park Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol. A SCSO helicopter was also deployed to track Virgil’s car. The chase ended in a parking garage in Orlando when officers cornered Virgil’s vehicle. Virgil was taken into custody and officers recovered the firearm and the stolen currency from the bank.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
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.
Ohio Man Convicted by Jury of Crimes Against Children OffenseRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE –Gregory Johnson, 47 years old, of Trenton, Ohio, was found guilty after a two-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
The jury returned a verdict of guilty against Johnson on the single count of the Superseding Indictment charging him with Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley J. Miller Lowery and Justin Sheridan.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Ocean County Businessman Admits Failing to Pay over $10 Million in Payroll TaxesRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County man today admitted failing to pay over $10 million in payroll taxes stemming from his ownership of several businesses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Josef Neuman, 37, of Lakewood, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to an information charging him with willful failure to pay over payroll taxes for one of his businesses in 2018.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Neuman was chief executive officer of a business in Lakewood. The company provided administrative services to operators of nursing homes and other health care facilities, including at least approximately 20 entities co-owned and operated by Neuman. As a person who controlled the companies’ financial affairs, Neuman had the responsibility to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over to the IRS the companies’ payroll taxes. During tax years 2017 and 2018, Neuman failed to pay over to the IRS over $10 million in payroll taxes owed by the companies. Neuman knew that payroll taxes were due and owing to the IRS at this time, but continued to pay other business expenses and employee salaries, instead of the unpaid taxes, while tax liabilities continued to accrue.
The charge to which Neuman pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 13, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
neuman.information.pdfNew Orleans Man Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act and the Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KENDALE ADAMS, age 42, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on August 8, 2023 by United States Judge Wendy B. Vitter to 151 months’ imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release and $200.00 in special assessment fees after pleading guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin and methamphetamine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C), and one count of felon in possession of a firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, On Saturday July 17, 2021, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Task Force Officer conducting surveillance at a convenience store in New Orleans, Louisiana observed ADAMS loitering outside the convenience store. The officer also observed a large bulge in ADAMS’s front right waistband consistent with a firearm being concealed.
The officers alerted nearby New Orleans Police Department (“NOPD”) uniformed units. Several units arrived and approached ADAMS who removed a firearm from his waistband and ran behind a vehicle. The officers apprehended ADAMS, seized the firearm and placed him under arrest.
While searching ADAMS, officers seized a clear bag containing multiple drugs from ADAMS’s front right pocket along with $366 in cash. The seized drugs consisted of approximately 6 grams of marijuana, .58 grams of methamphetamine, 4.49 grams of heroin, and approximately 5 grams of a heroin and fentanyl mixture. The recovered firearm, a Glock Model 19, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, was stolen as confirmed by law enforcement.
ADAMS acknowledged that he possessed the heroin and fentanyl with the intent to distribute the substances and that he had previously distributed heroin and fentanyl on many occasions.
ADAMS also acknowledged that he knew he had been convicted of felony offenses, making it illegal for him to be in possession of a firearm. Between 2004 and 2009, in Orleans and Jefferson Parish, ADAMS was convicted possession of crack cocaine, attempted armed robbery, possession of ecstasy, possession of heroin, theft of goods, and possession of stolen firearms.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.
New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Passing over $2,600 in Counterfeit Currency at Stores in Lackawanna, Lycoming and Columbia CountiesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Brandon Williams, age 35, of Mercer County, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on August 8, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to the charge of passing counterfeit federal reserve notes.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Williams admitted to passing $1,400 in counterfeit bills at the Michaels store in Dickson City, on April 20, 2022, and to passing $750 in counterfeit bills later that same day at the CVS Pharmacy located on Green Ridge Street in Scranton. On April 23, 2022, Williams passed $280 in counterfeit bills at the Walmart in Montoursville, $160 in counterfeit bills at the Weis Market in Montoursville and attempted to pass additional counterfeit bills at the Dollar Tree in Bloomsburg but was unsuccessful.
The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the United States Secret Service, the Dickson City Police Department, the Scranton Police Department, the Montoursville Police Department, and the Hemlock Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for each charge is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Mission Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on August 8, 2023.
Anne Cordier, age 41, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Cordier was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2022. She pleaded guilty on April 13, 2023.
Beginning in January of 2022, Cordier conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in South Dakota. Cordier received pound quantities of methamphetamine from a source in California and re-distributed it on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II controlled substance.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, FBI, Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Cordier was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Middleboro Financial Adviser Sentenced to over Four Years in Prison for Investment Adviser Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Middleboro financial adviser was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for defrauding his elderly and otherwise vulnerable clients and stealing the victims’ retirement assets.
Paul R. McGonigle, 67, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 54 months in prison and two months of supervised release. McGonigle was also ordered to pay restitution of $652,987. In February 2023, McGonigle pleaded guilty to one count of investment adviser fraud, two counts of money laundering, three counts of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
“Among the highest priorities of this office is protecting vulnerable victims from pernicious fraudulent schemes. This defendant took advantage of the elderly, including individuals living with dementia and other cognitive impairments, to line his own pockets. The conduct is despicable. The judicial system has now held him accountable and anyone embarking on such conduct is forewarned that you will be investigated and prosecuted,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.
“What Paul McGonigle did is despicable. He preyed on his elderly and vulnerable clients, betrayed their trust, and stole over $1.2 million from their retirement accounts,” said Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Last year, investment scams cost consumers nationwide $3.31 billion, and here in Massachusetts, victims reported losing almost $76 million. This case demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to holding fraudsters accountable.”
McGonigle served as a financial adviser for the victims, many of whom were elderly, one of whom had dementia, and another who suffered a traumatic brain injury. Beginning no later than February 2015, McGonigle caused unauthorized withdrawals from victims’ annuities and induced victims to give him money to invest on their behalf, which he then used for personal and business expenses. To carry out his scheme, McGonigle posed as clients on calls with their annuity companies and signed their names on forms requesting withdrawals from their annuities. When some of his clients began to ask questions, McGonigle concealed his scheme by falsely assuring clients that their investments were growing.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI Acting SAC DiMenna made the announcement today. The Massachusetts Insurance Fraud Bureau provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.