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4 August 2023
Felon imprisoned for possessing prohibited firearmRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 27-year-old San Diego man has been ordered to federal prison after illegally possessing a short-barreled shotgun, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Chris Davila Jr. pleaded guilty April 24.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Davila to serve a total of 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In imposing the sentence, the court admonished the Davila about the dangerousness of his conduct and the promise of future encounters with law enforcement if he continues.
On Feb. 26, 2022, authorities conducted a traffic stop and soon discovered a short-barreled shotgun between Davila’s driver’s seat and the center console of the car. Davila is a previously convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.
The investigation revealed that on a previous occasion, Davila had also been discovered with a prohibited firearm in his vehicle - a “sawed-off” shotgun.
“The firearms recovered in this investigation were especially dangerous,” said Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “Our community was made much safer by getting those firearms and the convicted felon who possessed them off the streets.”
Davila remains in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
ATF conducted the investigation along with police departments in San Diego and Alice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Martin prosecuted the case.
Ewing, Nebraska Woman Sentenced in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Lindsey Ann Rokahr, 40, of Ewing, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for her participation in a methamphetamine conspiracy. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Rokahr to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, she will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.
In May 2020, the Holt County Sheriff's Office, Nebraska State Patrol, and the united States Postal Inspection Service, began investigating Rokahr and Dallas Rhinehart for their involvement in the distribution of methamphetamine in the Norfolk area. As a result of the investigation, it was determined that Katherine Marie Tacheira would mail multi-ounce packages from California to different recipients in Nebraska. The USPS was able to determine that three packages of methamphetamine were sent by Tacheira to Rokahr in July, August, and September of 2020. The September package from Tacheira to Rokahr was intercepted and contained three ounces of methamphetamine. Rokahr was found responsible for receiving at least 13 ounces in the mail.
Rhinehart was sentenced on March 13, 2023, to 130 months’ imprisonment. Tacheira was sentenced on May 16, 2023, to 120 months’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Holt County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol, and United States Postal Inspection Service.
Doctor Convicted for COVID-19 Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Baltimore convicted a Maryland doctor today for submitting over $15 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and a commercial insurer for patients who received COVID-19 tests at his testing sites.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ron Elfenbein, 49, of Arnold, was an owner and the medical director of Drs ERgent Care LLC, dba First Call Medical Center and Chesapeake ERgent Care. Drs ERgent Care operated multiple drive-through COVID-19 testing sites in Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties. Elfenbein instructed the employees of Drs ERgent Care that, in addition to billing for COVID-19 tests, the employees were to bill for high-level evaluation and management visits. In reality, these visits were not provided to patients as represented. Rather, Elfenbein instructed his employees that the patients were “there for one reason only – to be tested,” that it was “simple and straightforward,” and that the providers were “not there to solve complex medical issues.”
Elfenbein ordered these high-level visits to be billed for all patients, including those who were asymptomatic, who were getting tested for COVID-19 for their employment requirements, and who were being tested for COVID-19 so that they could travel. Elfenbein, through Drs ERgent Care, caused the submission of millions of dollars in claims to Medicare and a commercial insurer for tens of thousands of high-level visits that were not provided as represented and were ineligible for reimbursement.
The jury convicted Elfenbein of five counts of health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 7 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count. Elfenbein is the first doctor convicted at trial by the Justice Department for health care fraud in billing for office visits in connection with patients seeking COVID-19 tests. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Thomas Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office; and Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Conrad J. Quarles of the Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General (OPM-OIG) made the announcement.
The HHS-OIG, DCIS, FBI, and OPM-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney D. Keith Clouser of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew P. Phelps for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
In the past three years, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force has rooted out health care fraud related to the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, 53 defendants have been charged in nationwide COVID-19 Health Care Fraud Enforcement Actions for causing over $784 million in loss associated with the pandemic, including this case.
Columbus man sentenced to 5 years in prison for laundering more than $2 million from online romance fraud scamsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 60 months in prison for laundering $2.3 million of proceeds generated by online romance fraud scams.
Maximus Okwudili Adiele, 49, of Columbus, was born in Nigeria and immigrated to the United States in 2010. He became a naturalized citizen in 2015.
According to court documents, from January 2017 until 2020, Adiele participated in a money laundering conspiracy, laundering $2.3 million for online romance fraud scammers into 12 different bank accounts that he controlled.
Adiele used his international car dealing business to conduct financial and wire transactions to individuals in Nigeria.
The conspiracy involved unidentified perpetrators who fabricated online relationships with men and women throughout the United States to manipulate the victims into sending money to one of Adiele’s bank accounts. Many of the victims of the scam were elderly individuals who lost their life savings. In total, Adiele laundered the money from at least 17 victims.
Adiele wired to Nigeria nearly $1.2 million of the $2.3 million he received. The defendant failed to report additional income to the IRS for tax years 2017, 2018 and 2019, causing a loss to the IRS in the amount of $64,242.
As part of his sentence, Adiele was ordered to pay $967,669.98 in restitution to the individual victims and $64, 242 to the IRS.
Adiele was charged by a bill of information and pleaded guilty in November 2022 to money laundering and submitting a false tax return.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) announced the sentence imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge James L. Graham. Assistant United States Attorneys Brenda S. Shoemaker and David J. Twombly are representing the United States in this case.
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Columbus Man Sentenced to 5 Months in Prison for Mail Fraud and Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jerald Schreiber, 66, of Columbus, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for mail fraud and making false statements. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Schreiber to 5 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Schreiber will begin a three-year term of supervised release. Schreiber must also pay $138,184 in restitution.
On May 12, 2023, following a four-day jury trial, Schreiber was found guilty of mail fraud and two counts of making false statements to a government entity. The case arose out of fraudulent applications Schreiber made to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as part of the Farm Service Agency’s 2018 market facilitation program. The evidence at trial showed that Schreiber falsified on two applications the number of hogs he had at his farms. On an application for one of his farms, he stated that he had 9,079 hogs. This application resulted in the USDA mailing Schreiber approximately $72,631. On an application for a different farm, he stated he had 8,194 hogs. This resulted in the USDA mailing Schreiber approximately $65,682. Both of these farms had substantially fewer hogs than Schreiber claimed. By inflating the number of hogs, Schreiber received more money than he was entitled. Once he received the inflated payments, he deposited them into checking accounts.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Cleveland Man Found Guilty of Distributing Fentanyl and Cocaine that Resulted in DeathRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko announced today that Willie A. Pratt, 34, of Cleveland, Ohio, was found guilty of one count of distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death, one count of conspiring to possess fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, and two counts of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances. The trial lasted four days and was presided over by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams.
According to court documents and trial testimony, on October 30, 2021, Pratt sold cocaine and fentanyl to the victim who died as a result of the use of those substances. Further, on November 1, 2021, Defendant engaged in conspiracy or agreement with another person to distribute controlled substances, specifically, fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin. Defendant then aided and abetted the possession of such substances with the intent to distribute them. Finally, on November 1, 2021, upon his arrest, Defendant himself possessed cocaine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute it.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 21, 2023. Pratt faces a mandatory minimum sentence of twenty years in prison, although his sentence will be determined by many factors and may be higher than the mandatory minimum. The judge will determine the appropriate sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other factors.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Rocky River Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Payum Doroodian and Yasmine Makridis.
Cherokee County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Austin Cole Yanez, age 23, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, punishable by a minimum of five years in prison.
The indictment alleged that on or about June 21, 2022, Yanez possessed a semi-automatic pistol for the purposes of protecting the fentanyl he intended to distribute.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tahlequah Police Department, and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Yanez will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Zachary W. Parsons represented the United States.
- Centreville Man Sentenced to over 13 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
Cedar Rapids Drug User with Loaded Firearm Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as an unlawful drug user was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison.
Silas Paul Griffin, age 31, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 8, 2023 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that on January 31, 2022, law enforcement stopped a vehicle in Marion, Iowa. Griffin was in the front passenger seat. On his person, officers found hydrocodone pills (prescribed to someone else), marijuana, and a loaded magazine. Officers then searched underneath Griffin’s seat and found a loaded gun. Griffin admitted that he possessed the gun. He later gave a urine sample that tested positive for the presence of THC and benzodiazepines.
Griffin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Griffin was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Griffin is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
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.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Marion Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-45.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
California Woman Indicted for Possessing More Than 110 Pounds of Methamphetamine and Nearly Three Pounds of Cocaine During Traffic StopRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Martha Betancourth Angulo, 34, of Torrance, California, was indicted last week on one count each of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine.
The indictment alleges that, on June 29, 2023, Angulo was traveling on Interstate 8 in Yuma County, Arizona when she was stopped by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. During the encounter, officers found 90 packages hidden within Angulo’s vehicle. Field tests on the contents of the packages revealed the presence of methamphetamine and cocaine. The total weight of the methamphetamine, including packaging, was 112.87 pounds. The total weight of the cocaine, including packaging, was 2.99 pounds.
Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and up to lifetime supervised release.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Yuma Office, is conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph K. Nwoga, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01112-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-121_Angulo# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.California Man Sentenced for Distributing Meth, Heroin through MailRead the Press Release
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A California man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine and heroin to a narcotics dealer through the mail.
According to court documents, in May 2019, Charles Trevino, 50, mailed over 1,300 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine and over 220 grams of heroin via the U.S. Postal Service from California to a drug dealer in Fairbanks, Alaska, for distribution. Law enforcement intercepted the package and the dealer said he planned to divide it and sell it to other dealers, who would sell it to users.
At the time of the crime, Trevino lived in Arizona. He purchased the packages of drugs from an individual in California, labeled them and shipped them to Fairbanks. He also traveled to Fairbanks multiple times to assist with drug distribution.
“Individuals who traffic dangerous drugs into Alaska present a severe risk to our communities and these actions will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Let this sentence be a reminder that getting dangerous substances off the street is a priority for our office, and we will continue to work with our partners and dedicate resources to identifying, investigating and prosecuting individuals who threaten the health and safety of the people of Alaska.”
“The Drug Enforcement Administration and our partners are steadfast in our commitment to protect Americans from drug trafficking threats and this case is another example of our cooperative approach making a difference in our community,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Alaska is a little safer today because of our work together in this case.”
The DEA, with assistance from the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Alaska State Troopers, North Pole Police Department, Fairbanks Police Department and North Slope Borough Police Department, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Tansey and Carly Vosacek prosecuted the case.
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Bulk Fentanyl Trafficker Is Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jermaine Douglas Grandy, 42, Lenoir, N.C., has been sentenced to 35 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl and illegal gun possession, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Robert Schurmeier, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), and Sheriff Alan C. Jones of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to evidence presented at Grandy’s trial and documents filed with the court, between December 2020 and February 2021, Grandy conspired with others to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl in Caldwell County and surrounding areas. Trial evidence established that Grandy obtained the drugs from a supply source in Arizona, and frequently travelled there to purchase fentanyl pills in bulk quantities. On February 14, 2021, as Grandy was returning to North Carolina from a trip to Arizona, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Grandy’s vehicle in Granite Falls, N.C. Upon searching the vehicle, law enforcement located inside the vehicle three loaded 9mm pistols, and approximately 34,221 pills wrapped in fourteen bundles concealed in the air vent under the hood of the car. Later the same day, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence associated with Grandy, from which they seized a money counter, two digital scales, and other items consistent with the packaging and distribution of narcotics. Law enforcement also seized 29 illegal firearms, including semi-automatic rifles and handguns, ammunition, and approximately 79 magazines.
In February 2023, a federal jury convicted Grandy of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Grandy is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prison upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the ATF, the SBI, and the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case and thanked the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, the Hickory Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to sexual exploitation of children, distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
Robinson Alberto Baez-Nova, 39, of Jamaica Plain, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children, one count of distribution of child pornography, and two counts of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Nov. 17, 2023. Baez-Nova was charged by criminal complaint on Apr. 29, 2021.
On Nov. 5, 2020, police received 13 National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTipline reports associated with a Google account and email addresses linked to Baez-Nova. These reports indicated that the Google account uploaded suspected child pornography to Baez-Nova’s Google Photos between Nov. 14, 2018 and Aug. 27, 2020. A subsequent search of Baez-Nova’s cellphone revealed images and videos of child pornography.
A further review of Baez-Nova’s cellphone revealed a WhatsApp chat with an individual saved in Baez-Nova’s phone with the initials “Y.P.” who has since been identified as a 17-year-old male living the in the Dominican Republic. Y.P. had access to his niece, referred to the Indictment as “MINOR A.” Within this chat, Baez-Nova and Y.P. discussed MINOR A’s ninth birthday and Y.P. requested money from Baez-Nova for MINOR A’s birthday celebration. Y.P. continually told Baez-Nova how much his family and MINOR A needed money and requested that Baez-Nova send money to him. Baez-Nova, in turn, beginning in or around July 2020, told Y.P. that he would send money if Y.P. exploited MINOR A by producing child pornography of MINOR A. Ultimately, Y.P. sent Baez-Nova five different videos of MINOR A in response to the Baez-Nova’s specific requests.
In addition to the chat outlined above with Y.P., while searching Baez-Nova’s device, law enforcement located another WhatsApp chat with another minor female who has been identified as a 14-year-old female residing in the Dominican Republic, hereinafter referred to as “MINOR B.” During this conversation, Baez-Nova solicited MINOR B to obtain images and videos of “little kids” engaged in sexual conduct in exchange for money.
On August 27, 2020, Baez-Nova distributed child pornography to MINOR B. Additionally, on August 28, 2020, Baez-Nova distributed child pornography of MINOR A to MINOR B.
Ultimately, over 200 images and over 400 videos of child pornography were found on Baez-Nova’s cell phone and in his Google Photos account.
The charge of sexual exploitation of children provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years and up to 30 years in prison. The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Each charge also provides for a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; Nashua Police Department; Hillsborough County (N.H.) District Attorney’s Office; and Homeland Security Investigations in Boston. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mackenzie Duane and Mark Grady of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
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/.
Border Enforcement Security Task Force seizes 30,000+ fentanyl pills from alleged trafficker in Tukwila, WashingtonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 46-year-old Mexican citizen is in federal custody tonight charged with possession of controlled substances with intent to deliver, for some 30,000 fentanyl pills found in his pick-up truck, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. David Garcia-Garcia made his appearance on the criminal complaint this afternoon. He remains detained pending further hearings.
According to records filed in the case, the Border Enforcement Security Task Force became aware that a dealer known as “Daby,” was offering fentanyl for sale. Agents were able to identify Daby as an alias for Garcia-Garcia. A meeting was arranged with Garcia-Garcia near a restaurant in Tukwila to review the goods for a possible drug sale. Following the drug meeting, officers moved in and arrested Garcia-Garcia and impounded his truck.
Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the truck and found multiple packages of fentanyl pills – the total was more than three kilos – likely more than 30,000 fentanyl pills.
Because of the amount of fentanyl involved, Garcia-Garcia faces a mandatory minimum ten years in prison and up to 40 years in prison.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Garcia-Garcia faces deportation following any prison term.
The case was investigated by agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Seattle Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elyne Vaught.
Beggs Resident Sentenced for Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bernard Richard Poulin, age 31, of Beggs, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for murder and 5 years for an unrelated arson. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
The charges arose from investigations by the Beggs Police Department, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On August 23, 2022, Poulin pleaded guilty to Murder in Indian Country – Second Degree, along with Arson. According to investigators, on May 10, 2021, Poulin stabbed and killed the victim during a physical altercation at the victim’s residence. While incarcerated in the Okmulgee County Jail after his arrest, Poulin started a fire outside his cell area. The crimes occurred in Indian Country, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Poulin will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.
Bassfield Man Sentenced to over 13 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Bassfield, Mississippi man was sentenced to 160 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Jamario Myers, 26, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg.
According to court documents, from December 2019 through February of 2020, DEA agents conducted an investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine in the Bassfield area by Myers.
During that time Myers was monitored and surveilled distributing methamphetamine from his shed behind his residence. His methamphetamine distribution occurred throughout Jefferson Davis County, MS.
Myers was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 23, 2022. He plead guilty on February 28, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erica Rose and Shundral Cole.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. 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.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement Regarding the 58th Anniversary of the Voting Rights ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland ahead of the 58th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act:
“The right of all eligible citizens to vote and to elect representatives of their own choice is the foundation of our democracy.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law 58 years ago this weekend, with the goal of making real the 15th Amendment’s guarantee that no American citizen be denied the right to vote on account of race.
That law, enacted thanks to the urgent calls to action of the Civil Rights Movement, gave the Justice Department some of its most important authorities to protect the right to vote, including Section 5 of the law, its “preclearance” provision. That provision required jurisdictions with a history of suppressing voting rights to obtain preclearance from the Justice Department or a court before making any changes in voting procedures. Between 1965 and 2006, the Justice Department blocked almost 1,200 proposed voting laws in those jurisdictions in order to protect the fundamental right to vote.
With the Supreme Court’s decision Shelby County v. Holder in 2013, the Justice Department effectively lost this powerful tool. And in the wake of that decision, states across the country advanced voting measures that have made it harder for citizens to cast a vote that counts, measures that the Justice Department likely would have been able to block or deter had the preclearance provision still been in place. The Justice Department therefore continues to urge Congress to restore the tools we need to effectively protect the right to vote.
But we are not waiting for Congress to act. The Justice Department is using every authority we have to protect the franchise for all voters. We have doubled the size of the Civil Rights Division’s enforcement staff for protecting voting rights. The Department has brought voting rights cases and filed statements of interest and amicus briefs in courts across the country. We have sought to address discriminatory voting laws, to protect language access at the ballot box, and to ensure that voters with disabilities are able to exercise the right to vote. And we have provided guidance and outreach to state and local election officials and the public about federal voting rights laws.
The Justice Department will never stop working to ensure that all eligible voters can cast a vote, that all lawful votes are counted, and that every voter has access to accurate information. Our democracy depends on it.”
Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta to Deliver Remarks at Justice Department’s 8th Annual Government-to-Government Violence Against Women Tribal ConsultationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, Aug. 8, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta will deliver opening remarks at the Justice Department’s 8th Annual Government-to-Government Violence Against Women Tribal Consultation in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Associate Attorney General’s trip to Tulsa, the second in a series of government-to-government meetings with Tribal leadership, includes a visit with leaders and members of the Muscogee Creek Nation and follows her visit earlier this summer to the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota. This trip is part of the Justice Department’s continued efforts to strengthen ties to Indian Country, elevate the voices and concerns of American Indians and Alaska Natives and reinforce the Department’s commitment to bolstering support for Tribal governments by investing additional resources to tackle uniquely Tribal issues.
At the consultation, which runs from Aug. 8 – Aug. 10, Tribal government leaders will provide recommendations on administering tribal funds and programs; enhancing the safety of American Indian and Alaska Native women from domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, homicide, stalking and sex trafficking, along with strengthening the federal response to these crimes; and improving access to local, regional, state and federal crime information databases and criminal justice information systems.
The consultation is required by law to address the federal administration of Tribal funds and programs established under the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) and its subsequent reauthorizations. In addition to the Associate Attorney General, Director Rosie Hidalgo of the Office on Violence Against Women, Director Tracy Toulou of the Office of Tribal Justice and U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Clinton Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma and Bob Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, among other Justice Department leaders, will attend the consultation and give remarks.
WHEN: 8:30 a.m. CT / 9:30 a.m. ET
WHERE:
River Spirit Resort
8330 Riverside Parkway, Tulsa, OK 74137
OPEN PRESS
Reporters with questions for Office of the Associate Attorney General should contact Terrence.Clark@usdoj.gov.
Members of the press who wish to attend the consultation must register and will need to check in at the hotel registration desk upon arrival to obtain credentials, which must be worn and displayed at all times throughout the event. For more information and to register as press, visit: www.ovwconsultation.org/Attend/Register.
Question regarding the consultation and logistics should be directed to Connie.Palmer-Dodson@usdoj.gov.
Arkansas Man Pleads Guilty, Sentenced for Illegally Transporting Unlawfully Killed WildlifeRead the Press Release
DELTA JUNCTION, Alaska – An Arkansas man pleaded guilty and was sentenced on July 18, 2023, for illegally transporting a bull caribou out of Alaska, which he killed in violation of state law.
According to court documents, Edward A. Bundy, 54, was charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office on one count of violating the Lacey Act for illegally killing and transporting a bull caribou in April 2018. Bundy claimed to be an Alaska resident and killed the animal without the proper non-resident Alaska Department of Fish and Game hunting license and locking tag.
As part of a plea agreement, Bundy was sentenced to pay a fine of $12,000 to the Lacey Act Reward Fund as restitution for five animals unlawfully killed by the defendant while hunting in Alaska. He will serve a sentence of 18 months’ probation and is prohibited from hunting anywhere in the world throughout the duration of his probation. Bundy must also forfeit two bull caribou and one black bear, all killed illegally.
“Let Mr. Bundy’s actions be a reminder that illegal killing and transportation of wildlife will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Our office will continue to be vigilant in working with our partners to identify and prosecute individuals who choose to commit crimes in violation of the Lacey Act.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with assistance from the Alaska Wildlife Troopers and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Skrocki prosecuted the case.
###Ardmore Resident Sentenced for Robbery in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Robert Carnell Knight, Jr., age 31, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to a term of 68 months in prison for Robbery in Indian Country.
The charges arose from investigations by the Ardmore Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On July 17, 2023, Robert Knight, Jr. pleaded guilty to Robbery in Indian Country. At the plea hearing, Knight, Jr. admitted that on November 24, 2019, he and others broke into an occupied house in Ardmore with the intent to steal money and marijuana. Brandishing firearms, the group attacked and threatened the victim before absconding with approximately $1,200 and one pound of marijuana. The crime occurred in Indian Country, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Robert Knight, Jr. will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura represented the United States.
Amphenol Corporation Pays $18 Million to Resolve Allegations That It Submitted False Claims for Electrical ConnectorsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Amphenol Corporation (Amphenol) has agreed to pay the United States $18 million dollars to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for electrical connectors to the United States government when Amphenol sold electrical connectors that failed to fully comply with applicable government regulations and contract specifications, due to Amphenol’s failure to meet required testing standards and other manufacturing and program requirements.
The U.S. military and government buys tanks, fighter jets, rockets, missiles, and other equipment and weapon systems containing electrical connectors manufactured by Amphenol, and also purchases electrical connectors from Amphenol to use as replacement parts in weapon systems and equipment. Government contracts and regulations calling for the use of Military Specification (MIL-SPEC or MS) connectors require that both the supplier (Amphenol) and the product supplied (MS electrical connectors) meet all military specifications for the manufacture and testing of those electrical connectors. The Qualified Products List (QPL) program for the six MS connector series covered by the settlement agreement was at all times overseen and managed by Defense Logistics Agency (DLA).
As part of the settlement, Amphenol admits that, between 2012 and 2017, it manufactured and sold the following MIL-SPEC electrical connectors directly and indirectly to the U.S. Government that did not fully conform to the applicable MIL-SPECs: Series Nos. 22992, 26482, 26500, 27599, 38999, and 83723 connectors (the “six MS connector series”). Specifically, Amphenol failed to timely complete required retention of qualification testing,[1] failed to timely report required testing results to DLA, and failed to immediately report certain testing failures to DLA, all as required by the applicable MIL-SPECs.
Between 2012 and at least March 2016, Amphenol also obtained parts and components from sources that DLA did not authorize. Amphenol used these parts in the assembly and manufacture of the six MS connector series.
As a result of all of this conduct, from 2012 through 2017, Amphenol submitted or caused to be submitted to DLA, and other Government agencies, claims for the six MS connector series when those connectors did not fully conform with the requirements of the applicable MIL-SPECs.
“Defense contractors agree to follow strict manufacturing and testing protocols so that taxpayers receive the equipment they pay for,” said Carla B. Freedman, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York. “These high standards also ensure that our service members have the reliable equipment that they expect and deserve. Today’s $18 million settlement holds Amphenol accountable for its failure to meet those high standards for specific electrical connectors.”
The settlement with Amphenol was the result of a coordinated effort by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York; the Defense Logistics Agency; the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division; the Air Force Office of Special Investigations; and the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carl Eurenius and John Hoggan for the Northern District of New York.
[1] “Retention of qualification” testing is periodic testing required by the applicable MIL-SPECs for a manufacturer to maintain status as a QPL manufacturer for a particular QPL-listed product.
Altamonte Springs Dentist Convicted of Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Frantz Brignol guilty of tax evasion. Brignol faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 9, 2023, before Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell. Brignol was indicted on November 22, 2022.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Brignol amassed more than $600,000 in tax liabilities with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Between 2014 and 2020, he evaded his tax payments by hiding hundreds of thousands of dollars in his mother’s bank accounts (for which he had signatory authority), trading funds overseas in his mother’s name, and making materially false statements to the IRS on financial disclosure forms.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hannah Nowalk and William S. Hamilton.
Alden Man Who Illegally Possessed a Firearm Pled Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Seth Peterson, 30, from Alden, Iowa, pled guilty on August 4, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City, to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Peterson was previously convicted of Aggravated Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Aggravated Domestic Abuse Assault with the Intent or Display a Weapon, and felony Extortion.
At the plea hearing, Peterson admitted he possessed a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun with an obliterated serial number. Peterson further admitted to knowingly being a felon at the time he possessed the firearm, and being a user of methamphetamine and marijuana, all of which prohibit him from possessing a firearm.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Peterson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Peterson faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
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.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-3007.
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Akron Man Sentenced to over 13 Years for Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Reginald Allen, 37, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced yesterday to 157 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Bridget M. Brennan, after he pled guilty to a nine-count indictment including charges for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, a fentanyl analog, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Allen also pled guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Judge Brennan ordered Allen to serve 5 years of supervised release following imprisonment.
According to court documents and court records, on March 16, 2022, Portage County Sheriff’s Deputies stopped Allen for traffic violations. Allen possessed 34 grams of Fentanyl and a loaded firearm in the center console of his car. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Allen’s apartment in Akron, Ohio following the traffic stop. Allen possessed 41 grams of Fentanyl, 23 grams of P-Fluorofentanyl (a Fentanyl analog), 32 grams of Methamphetamine, 7 grams of cocaine, drug scales, a drug press, and another loaded firearm in his apartment. Allen had prior felony drug trafficking and firearm convictions in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms, and Explosives, the Portage County Sheriff’s Department, and the Akron Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron P. Howell and Damoun Delaviz.
Akron Man Sentenced to over 11 Years for Robbing Two BanksRead the Press Release
AKRON – Jacob Onusic, 28, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced yesterday to over 11 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Bridget Meehan Brennan, after he pleaded guilty to robbing a bank in Cuyahoga Falls and one in Canal Fulton as well as possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Onusic was ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment, pay a $300 special assessment, and pay $142,700 in restitution.
According to court documents and court records, on July 14, 2022, ONUSIC entered the Peoples Bank located on State Road in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio dressed in all black with a cap covering his hair and a blue medical mask. ONUSIC asked to open an account. When ONUSIC was taken to meet with a teller to open the account, he told the teller to place her hands on the desk and if she moved her hands he would “blow her head off”. ONUSIC then ordered other tellers to lock the front door, open the vault and place the money in a trash bag which ONUSIC provided. All the tellers complied. ONUSIC told one of the tellers to empty her personal bag so ONUSIC could place the stolen $142,700.00 in U.S. Currency inside it. ONUSIC then ordered the tellers to lay on the ground until he was gone.
On August 26, 2022, ONUSIC entered the Apple Creek bank in Canal Fulton, Ohio wearing a wig and multiple masks. ONUSIC requested to open an account. When he did not have the correct paperwork, ONUSIC asked about getting a safe deposit box. As bank employees were taking him to the safe deposit box area, ONUSIC demanded they open the vault, which a teller opened. Once the vault was opened, ONUSIC demanded the money in the vault and then ordered all the bank employees inside the vault. ONUSIC left the bank with $57,234.00 in U.S. Currency and drove away.
When law enforcement attempted to stop ONUSIC’s vehicle, he attempted to flee from law enforcement and eventually crashed his vehicle in Akron, Ohio. ONUSIC then fled on foot. ONUSIC hid in a shed in the back yard of a residence. ONUSIC assaulted an Akron Police Officer and an Akron Police Canine Officer as law enforcement attempted to take him into custody. Inside ONUSIC’s vehicle, law enforcement recovered the $57,234.00 in U.S. Currency, the wig ONUSIC was wearing during the robbery, a loaded firearm and ammunition.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Akron and Canton Resident Agency’s, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department and the Akron Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Toni Beth Schnellinger Feisthamel.
Adam Runsdorf and Woodfield Distribution, LLC, Agree to Pay $2.475 million to Resolve Allegations They Failed to Properly Account for Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Adam Runsdorf and his companies, Florida-based drug wholesaler Woodfield Distribution, LLC and associated operations in Texas, surrendered their seven Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registrations and agreed to pay $2.475 million in civil fines to resolve violations of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). These CSA requirements are designed to prevent the diversion of controlled substances.
Beginning in 2013 through 2016, Woodfield Distribution’s Florida location violated multiple CSA provisions, and as a result entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the DEA to prevent future CSA violations. In 2018 and 2020, the DEA discovered additional CSA violations at Woodfield Distribution’s Florida and Texas locations. These CSA violations included: failure to account for over 120 million dosage units of controlled substances; failure to design and operate a system for monitoring suspicious orders; failure to notify the DEA of over 200,000 dosage units of stolen controlled substances; falsifying importation documents and the illegal importation of over 200 million dosage units of controlled substances; failure to properly store and secure controlled substances; lack of complete and accurate records; and failure to report controlled substance transactions and sales.
In August 2021, the DEA issued three Immediate Suspension Orders (ISO) for Woodfield Distribution’s Texas Distributor and Importer Registrations, as well as Manufacturer Registration for Woodfield Pharmaceuticals, LLC. The ISOs were issued for Woodfield’s failure to maintain effect controls and procedures against the theft and diversion of controlled substances and the imminent danger to public health and safety. ‘
In August 2022, a separate criminal investigation by DEA resulted in Adam Runsdorf and Woodfield Pharmaceuticals pleading guilty in the Eastern District of Texas to criminal charges of conspiracy, trafficking in counterfeit drugs, and money laundering conspiracy. According to the criminal indictment, from April 2014 until August 2021, Runsdorf, the owner and President of Woodfield Pharmaceutical based in Boca Raton, Florida, conspired with drug traffickers in Houston, Texas, to distribute misbranded and counterfeit cough syrup.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA Miami Division, and Daniel Comeaux, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Houston Division announced the resolution.
The DEA Miami Field Division, West Palm Beach District Office; DEA Houston Division Office, and DEA Galveston Resident Office investigated this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Lavine from the Southern District of Florida and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Venezia from the Southern District of Texas handled the civil matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Ross, Jonathan Lee, and Robert Austin Wells from the Eastern District of Texas prosecuted the criminal case.
A copy of the agreement is available at the link below.
Agreement###
3 August 2023
West Columbia Man Sentenced to 6 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute over 40 Grams of FentanylRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Daniel Scott Burgess, 39, of West Columbia, was sentenced to 6.5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that between November 10, 2018, and September 5, 2021, law enforcement from various jurisdictions in Richland, Lexington, and Berkeley Counties arrested Burgess different times for various drug and firearm offenses.
Thereafter, federal agents and officers assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (ACHIDTA) Task Force in Columbia worked in conjunction with local law enforcement to adopt Burgess’ pending state cases for federal prosecution.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Burgess to 78 months in prison, to be followed by a 4-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
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 the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. The local law enforcement agencies involved in this case include the Town of South Congaree Police Department, Cayce Department of Public Safety, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Multi-Agency Narcotics Enforcement Team, Lexington County Fugitive Task Force, Springdale Police Department, Summerville Police Department, West Columbia Police Department, and Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Bales is prosecuting the case.
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/.
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Watertown Man Sentenced to 130 Months for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Ryan D. Monroe, age 41, of Watertown, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 130 months (10 years and 10 months) in federal prison for his conviction for possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office, and Jefferson County District Attorney Kristyna S. Mills.
Monroe was arrested by members of the Metro-Jefferson Drug Task Force (“Met-Jeff”) on May 18, 2022, on bench warrants for his failure to appear in Jefferson County Court for sentencing on two New York State felony cases. Met-Jeff Detectives located Monroe in the City of Watertown as he got out of a car. A short foot pursuit ensued after which Monroe was taken into custody. A search incident to arrest located 56 grams of nearly pure methamphetamine in Monroe’s pants pocket along with $2,388.00 in U.S. currency. A shoulder bag that Monroe discarded during the foot chase was searched pursuant to a search warrant and found to contain 29 grams of cocaine, a set of digital scales, 12 grams of cocaine base (crack), and approximately 50 small plastic baggies containing individual quantities of a heroin/fentanyl mixture.
This case was investigated by the Metro-Jefferson Drug Task Force, consisting of Special Agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Detectives from the City of Watertown Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, Investigators from the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, and U.S. Border Patrol Agents. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick.
Waterford Woman Charged with Fraud and Theft from Addiction and Mental Health Services NonprofitRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging MICHELE DEVINE, 49, of Waterford, with fraud and theft offenses in connection with her role as the former executive director of the Southeastern Regional Action Council on Substance Abuse, Inc.
The indictment was returned on July 26. Devine appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford, entered a plea of not guilty, and was released on a $25,000 bond.
As alleged in the indictment and statements made in Court, the Southeastern Regional Action Council on Substance Abuse, Inc. (“SERAC”), headquartered in Norwich, is a 501(c)(3) organization that serves 41 towns in southeastern and northeastern Connecticut with substance abuse, problem gambling, and mental health related services. SERAC is primarily funded through hundreds of thousands of dollars in state and federal grants from the State of Connecticut’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Devine was the executive director of SERAC until July of 2022. In that role, Devine is alleged to have spent thousands of dollars on purchases that did not relate SERAC but instead appear to be personal expenses for Devine and her family. These charges include thousands of dollars spent on home appliances; a trip to the Canyon Ranch luxury spa in the Berkshires, Massachusetts; timeshare fees at the Water’s Edge resort; and purchases at Marshalls, Target, Amazon, Best Buy, Etsy, and scrapbooking/crafting websites.
The indictment charges Devine with nine counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count, and two counts of theft from an agency receiving federal funds, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the New London State’s Attorney’s Office and the State of Connecticut Office of the Attorney General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah P. Karwan.
Wallingford Man Charged with Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that today a federal grand jury sitting in Burlington, Vermont returned a one count indictment charging John Grandizio, 39, of Wallingford, Vermont, with knowingly possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony offense.
On August 1, 2023, Grandizio was arrested on another federal firearms charge and he made his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle yesterday. Grandizio was ordered detained pending further proceedings in this matter. Grandizio’s next scheduled court date is August 15, 2023.
According to court records, in April 2023, United States Customs and Border Protection intercepted two parcels coming from China destined for Grandizio’s Wallingford post office box, each containing devices that were or could be easily converted to be a firearms silencer. When Grandizio was arrested on August 1 on charges resulting from the discovery of these parcels, Grandizio possessed a loaded brown Glock 19 handgun, which led to the charge contained in today’s indictment. Court records state that during a search of Grandizio’s and his girlfriend’s Wallingford residence on August 1, agents seized approximately 23 firearms and at least hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Grandizio remains presumed innocent until and unless he is convicted of a crime. Grandizio faces a maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and United States Customs and Border Protection.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Michael Drescher. Grandizio is represented by Matthew Hart, Esq.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.Vacaville Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a single count indictment today against Ramon Garcia Jr., 31, of Vacaville, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Nov. 5, 2022, law enforcement officers responded to a call involving Garcia at an apartment complex. When officers arrived, Garcia fled before being taken into custody. During his arrest, officers located a key to a white GMC Acadia in his pocket. Officers located the GMC Acadia nearby and conducted a search, where they found a Glock-17 handgun and an unloaded high-capacity, 31-round Glock magazine. Garcia is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has multiple state felony convictions, including two prior domestic violence convictions.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Vacaville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Solano County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Garcia faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.
Union County Man Sentenced to 61 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearm and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 61 months in prison for illegally possessing fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and oxycodone for distribution and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
William Murphy, 45, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with one count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Judge Arleo imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On July 30, 2020, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Murphy’s residence and found oxycodone pills; knotted bags containing mixtures of cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl; a digital scale; a money counter; numerous empty vacuum sealed bags; and approximately $13,000 in cash. The officers also recovered a 9mm Taurus handgun, loaded with 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition, a magazine loaded with 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and a box containing 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Murphy to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; and Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief Giacommo Sacca, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dong Joo Lee and Vince D. Romano of the Narcotics/Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit.
U.S. Navy Service Member Allegedly Transmitted Sensitive U.S. Military Information to a Chinese Intelligence OfficerRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal prosecutors today unsealed a grand jury indictment that accuses a United States Navy service member with receiving bribes in exchange for transmitting sensitive U.S. military information to an intelligence officer from the People’s Republic of China.
Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, 26, also known as Thomas Zhao, of Monterey Park, was arrested Wednesday by special agents with the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). Zhao, who is charged in the indictment with conspiracy and receipt of a bribe by a public official, is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
The indictment alleges that Zhao, who worked at Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme and held a U.S. security clearance, received bribes from a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for violating his official duties as a U.S. sailor by, among other actions, disclosing non-public, sensitive U.S. military information.
Beginning in August 2021 and continuing through at least May 2023, at the Chinese intelligence officer’s direction, Zhao violated his official duties to protect sensitive military information by surreptitiously recording, and then transmitting to the intelligence officer, U.S. military information, photographs and videos, according to the indictment.
In exchange for bribes, Zhao allegedly sent the Chinese intelligence officer non-public and controlled operational plans for a large-scale U.S. military exercise in the Indo-Pacific Region, which detailed the specific location and timing of Naval force movements, amphibious landings, maritime operations and logistics support.
The indictment further alleges that Zhao photographed electrical diagrams and blueprints for a radar system stationed on a U.S. military base in Okinawa, Japan.
Zhao also obtained and transmitted details about the Navy’s operational security at the Naval Base in Ventura County and on San Clemente Island, including photographs and videos, according to the indictment.
The intelligence officer allegedly directed Zhao to conceal their relationship and to destroy evidence of the unlawful and corrupt scheme.
In exchange for the sensitive information Zhao provided – information Zhao accessed as a result of his position within the U.S. Navy – the Chinese intelligence officer paid Zhao approximately $14,866, the indictment alleges.
“By sending this sensitive military information to an intelligence officer employed by a hostile foreign state, the defendant betrayed his sacred oath to protect our country and uphold the Constitution,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Unlike the vast majority of U.S. Navy personnel who serve the nation with honor, distinction and courage, Mr. Zhao chose to corruptly sell out his colleagues and his country.”
“By accepting cash bribes from a hostile nation whose leaders are intent on stealing American secrets, Zhao betrayed his military oath and sold out his country while he brazenly put Americans and our servicemen at risk, said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Zhao’s alleged actions are a reminder that American citizens with access to state secrets or intellectual property are being targeted by the Chinese government. The FBI will continue to seek out such behavior with our partners and hold offenders accountable.”
“NCIS is committed to protecting the Department of the Navy’s sensitive information to ensure the safety of the warfighter and our nation,” said Special Agent in Charge Brice Miller of the NCIS Office of Special Projects. “NCIS will continue to leverage its unique law enforcement and counterintelligence authorities to vigorously pursue those who attempt to compromise our national security information. We are grateful to the FBI and Department of Justice for their substantial assistance to this lengthy investigation and greatly appreciate our continued partnership.”
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If he were to be convicted of the two counts in the indictment, Zhao would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The FBI’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division of the Los Angeles Field Office and NCIS conducted the investigation. IRS Criminal Investigation provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Annamartine Salick, Sarah Gerdes, Christine Ro and Kathrynne Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case. The Counterintelligence and Export Control Section at the Department of Justice is providing substantial assistance.
U.S. Navy Sailor Arrested and Charged with EspionageRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 3, 2023
SAN DIEGO – Jinchao Wei, a United States Navy sailor, was arrested yesterday on espionage charges as he arrived for work at Naval Base San Diego, the homeport of the Pacific Fleet. Wei is scheduled to appear in federal court today pursuant to a federal grand jury indictment charging him with conspiracy to send national defense information to an intelligence officer working for the People’s Republic of China.
The indictment, unsealed this morning, alleges that Wei, also known as Patrick Wei, was an active-duty sailor on the amphibious assault ship U.S.S. Essex stationed at Naval Base San Diego. In his role as a machinist’s mate, Wei held a U.S. security clearance and had access to sensitive national defense information about the ship’s weapons, propulsion and desalination systems. Amphibious assault ships like the Essex resemble small aircraft carriers and allow the U.S. military to project power and maintain presence by serving as the cornerstone of the U.S. Navy’s amphibious readiness and expeditionary strike capabilities.
The crime of espionage under U.S. Code Section 794 has never been charged in this district, and until today had only been charged five times in the last six years across the entire country. The statute is reserved for the most serious circumstances involving the passage of national defense information intended to harm the United States or for the benefit of a foreign power.
The indictment alleges the following:
In February 2022, Wei began communicating with an intelligence officer from the People’s Republic of China who requested that Wei provide information about the U.S.S. Essex and other Navy ships. Specifically, the Chinese officer tasked Wei with passing him photos, videos, and documents concerning U.S. Navy ships and their systems. The two agreed to hide their communications by deleting records of their conversations and using encrypted methods of communication.
At the request of the intelligence officer, Wei sent photographs and videos of the Essex; disclosed the locations of various Navy ships; and described defensive weapons of the Essex, between March 2022 and the present. In exchange for this information, the intelligence officer paid Wei thousands of dollars over the course of the conspiracy.
The indictment further alleges that in June of 2022, Wei sent the intelligence officer approximately 30 technical and mechanical manuals. These manuals contained export control warnings and detailed the operations of multiple systems aboard the Essex and similar ships, including power, steering, aircraft and deck elevators, as well as damage and casualty controls. The intelligence officer confirmed with Wei that at least 10 of those manuals were useful to him. For passage of those materials, the indictment alleges that Wei was paid $5,000.
In June 2022, the intelligence officer requested that Wei provide information about the number and training of U.S. Marines during an upcoming international maritime warfare exercise. In response to this request, Wei sent multiple photographs of military equipment to the intelligence officer.
In August 2022, Wei sent an additional 26 technical and mechanical manuals related to the power structure and operation of the Essex and similar ships. The manuals contained warnings that this was technical data subject to export controls and that it was deemed “critical technology” by the U.S. Navy.
The indictment further alleges that in October 2022, Wei sent a technical manual to the intelligence officer describing the layout and location of certain departments, including berthing quarters and weapons systems. Specifically, Wei sent a weapons control systems manual for the Essex and similar ships. This manual contained export-controlled data that could not be exported without a license from the U.S. government. The indictment alleges that Wei knowingly violated the International Traffic in Arms Regulations by transmitting this manual to the Chinese intelligence officer without obtaining a required license.
The intelligence officer continued to request information in 2023, including information about the overhaul and upgrades to the Essex. Specifically, he requested blueprints, especially those related to modifications to the flight deck. Wei provided information related to the repairs the Essex was undergoing, as well as other mechanical problems with similar vessels.
During the alleged conspiracy, the intelligence officer instructed Wei to gather U.S. military information that was not public and admonished him not to discuss their relationship and to destroy any evidence regarding the nature of their relationship and their activities.
“We have entrusted members of our military with tremendous responsibility and great faith,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “Our nation’s safety and security are in their hands. When a soldier or sailor chooses cash over country, and hands over national defense information in an ultimate act of betrayal, the United States will aggressively investigate and prosecute.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and investigating agencies for their excellent work on this case.
“Petty Officer Wei, who as a service member was trusted with our nation’s secrets, is accused of selling out his country and betraying his oath to the Navy by willingly providing sensitive military information to a Chinese intelligence officer for his own financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Brice Miller of the NCIS Office of Special Projects. “NCIS will continue to leverage its unique law enforcement and counterintelligence authorities to aggressively root out those who put our nation’s warfighters at risk. We sincerely thank the FBI and the Department of Justice for their significant assistance to this complex investigation.”
“These arrests show the FBI’s commitment to utilizing all of its law enforcement and U.S. intelligence community resources and capabilities to aggressively combat the People’s Republic of China’s government’s threats against our military and to protect the United States’ most precious assets,” said FBI San Diego Field Office Special Agent in Charge, Stacey Moy. “We remain committed to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling any and all efforts by the PRC to threaten our national security.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Parmley and Fred Sheppard from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California and Trial Attorney Adam Barry from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
View the Indictment
wei_indictment.pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 23CR01471-H
Jinchao Wei Age: 22 San Diego
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, United States Code, Section 794(c) – Conspiracy to Communicate, Deliver, or Transmit Defense Information to Aid a Foreign Government
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, $250,000 fine
Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 794(a) – Communicate, Deliver, or Transmit Defense Information to Aid a Foreign Government
Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $250,000
Title 22, U.S.C., Sec. 2778(b)(2) and (c); Title 22, C.F.R., Secs. 121.1, 127.1 and 127.3 – Conspiracy to Export Defense Articles Without a License
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $1 million fine
Title 22, U.S.C., Sec. 2778(b)(2) and (c); Title 22, C.F.R., Secs. 121.1, 127.1 and 127.3 – Export of Defense Articles Without a License
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $1 million fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Two U.S. Navy Servicemembers Arrested for Transmitting Military Information to the People’s Republic of ChinaRead the Press Release
In two separate cases in the Southern and Central Districts of California, two U.S. Navy servicemembers were arrested for transmitting sensitive military information to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
“These individuals stand accused of violating the commitments they made to protect the United States and betraying the public trust, to the benefit of the PRC government,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to use every tool in our arsenal to counter threats from China and to deter those who aid them in breaking our laws and threatening our national security.”
“These arrests are a reminder of the relentless, aggressive efforts of the People’s Republic of China to undermine our democracy and threaten those who defend it,” said Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The PRC compromised enlisted personnel to secure sensitive military information that could seriously jeopardize U.S. national security. The FBI and our partners remain vigilant in our determination to combat espionage, and encourage past and present government officials to report any suspicious interactions with suspected foreign intelligence officers.”
United States v. Jinchao Wei, Southern District of California
A U.S. Navy sailor, Jinchao Wei, aka Patrick Wei, was arrested yesterday on espionage charges as he arrived for work at Naval Base San Diego, the homeport of the Pacific Fleet. He was indicted for conspiracy to send national defense information to an intelligence officer working for the People’s Republic of China.
The indictment, unsealed this morning, alleges that Wei, was an active-duty sailor on the amphibious assault ship the U.S.S. Essex stationed at Naval Base San Diego. In his role as a machinist’s mate, Wei held a U.S. security clearance and had access to sensitive national defense information about the ship’s weapons, propulsion and desalination systems. Amphibious assault ships like the Essex resemble small aircraft carriers and allow the U.S. military to project power and maintain presence by serving as the cornerstone of the U.S. Navy’s amphibious readiness and expeditionary strike capabilities.
According to the indictment, in February 2022, Wei began communicating with an intelligence officer from the PRC who requested that Wei provide information about the U.S.S. Essex and other Navy ships. Specifically, the Chinese intelligence officer tasked Wei with passing him photos, videos and documents concerning U.S. Navy ships and their systems. The two agreed to hide their communications by deleting records of their conversations and using encrypted methods of communication.
At the request of the intelligence officer, between March 2022 and the present, Wei sent photographs and videos of the Essex, disclosed the locations of various Navy ships and described defensive weapons of the Essex. In exchange for this information, the intelligence officer paid Wei thousands of dollars over the course of the conspiracy.
The indictment further alleges that in June 2022, Wei sent the intelligence officer approximately 30 technical and mechanical manuals. These manuals contained export control warnings and detailed the operations of multiple systems aboard the Essex and similar ships, including power, steering, aircraft and deck elevators, as well as damage and casualty controls. The intelligence officer confirmed with Wei that at least 10 of those manuals were useful to him. For passage of those materials, the indictment alleges that Wei was paid $5,000.
In June 2022, the intelligence officer requested that Wei provide information about the number and training of U.S. Marines during an upcoming international maritime warfare exercise. In response to this request, Wei sent multiple photographs of military equipment to the intelligence officer.
In August 2022, Wei sent an additional 26 technical and mechanical manuals related to the power structure and operation of the Essex and similar ships. The manuals contained warnings that this was technical data subject to export controls and that it was deemed “critical technology” by the U.S. Navy.
The indictment further alleges that in October 2022, Wei sent a technical manual to the intelligence officer describing the layout and location of certain departments, including berthing quarters and weapons systems. Specifically, Wei sent a weapons control systems manual for the Essex and similar ships. This manual contained export-controlled data that could not be exported without a license from the U.S. government. The indictment alleges that Wei knowingly violated the International Traffic in Arms Regulations by transmitting this manual to the Chinese intelligence officer without obtaining a required license.
The intelligence officer continued to request information in 2023, including information about the overhaul and upgrades to the Essex. Specifically, he requested blueprints, especially those related to modifications to the flight deck. Wei provided information related to the repairs the Essex was undergoing, as well as other mechanical problems with similar vessels.
During the alleged conspiracy, the intelligence officer instructed Wei to gather U.S. military information that was not public and admonished him not to discuss their relationship and to destroy any evidence regarding the nature of their relationship and their activities.
“We have entrusted members of our military with tremendous responsibility and great faith,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman for the Southern District of California. “Our nation’s safety and security are in their hands. When a soldier or sailor chooses cash over country, and hands over national defense information in an ultimate act of betrayal, the United States will aggressively investigate and prosecute.”
U.S. Attorney Grossman thanked the prosecution team and investigating agencies for their excellent work on this case.
The FBI and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Parmley and Fred Sheppard for the Southern District of California and Trial Attorney Adam Barry of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
United States v. Wenheng Zhao, Central District of California
A U.S. Navy servicemember, Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, aka Thomas Zhao, 26, of Monterey Park, California, was arrested following an indictment by a federal grand jury, charging him with receiving bribes in exchange for transmitting sensitive U.S. military information to an individual posing as a maritime economic researcher, but who was actually an intelligence officer from the PRC.
The indictment alleges that Zhao, who worked at Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme and held a U.S. security clearance, received bribes from a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for violating his official duties as a U.S. sailor by, among other actions, disclosing non-public sensitive U.S. military information.
Beginning in August 2021 and continuing through at least May 2023, at the Chinese intelligence officer’s direction, Zhao allegedly violated his official duties to protect sensitive military information by surreptitiously recording, and then transmitting to the intelligence officer, U.S. military information, photographs and videos. According to the indictment, the Chinese intelligence officer told Zhao that the intelligence officer was a maritime economic researcher seeking the information for investment decisions.
In exchange for bribes, Zhao allegedly sent the Chinese military officer non-public and controlled operational plans for a large-scale U.S. military exercise in the Indo-Pacific Region, which detailed the specific location and timing of Naval force movements, amphibious landings, maritime operations and logistics support.
The indictment further alleges that in exchange for bribes, Zhao also photographed electrical diagrams and blueprints for a radar system stationed on a U.S. military base in Okinawa, Japan.
The intelligence officer allegedly directed Zhao to conceal their relationship and to destroy evidence of the unlawful and corrupt scheme.
In exchange for the sensitive information Zhao provided – information Zhao accessed as a result of his position within the U.S. Navy – the Chinese intelligence officer paid Zhao approximately $14,866, the indictment alleges.
“By sending this sensitive military information to an intelligence officer employed by a hostile foreign state, the defendant betrayed his sacred oath to protect our country and uphold the Constitution,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “Unlike the vast majority of U.S. Navy personnel who serve the nation with honor, distinction and courage, Mr. Zhao chose to corruptly sell out his colleagues and his country.”
If convicted, Zhao faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The FBI Los Angeles Field Office’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division and NCIS investigated the case. IRS Criminal Investigation provided substantial assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Annamartine Salick, Sarah Gerdes, Christine Ro and Kathrynne Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section for the Central District of California are prosecuting this case. Trial Attorney Adam Barry of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section is providing substantial assistance.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wei Indictment Zhao IndictmentTwo Men Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Possessing A Firearm While Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Javier Alejandro Lopez Rivera (36, Orlando) to six years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Judge Mendoza also sentenced co-defendant, Pedro Manuel Tapia Matos (30, Ocala), to five years and three months for conspiracy to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Lopez Rivera had pleaded guilty on November 8, 2022, and Tapia Matos pleaded guilty on May 4, 2023.
According to court documents, Lopez Rivera and Tapia Matos were the subjects of a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) led investigation for the purchase of fentanyl. From March 24, 2022, through April 6, 2022, the DEA used a confidential source (CS) to conduct undercover buys of ounce quantities of fentanyl from Lopez Rivera and Tapia Matos. Over the course of multiple ensuing transactions, the CS, purchased 60.4 grams of fentanyl. On one such occasion, however, the CS purchased a firearm from Lopez Rivera, in conjunction with fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terry B. Livanos.
Texas Man Who Threatened Elections Official, County Attorney Sentenced to 3 ½ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A Texas man who suggested a “mass shooting of poll workers” and threatened two Maricopa County officials and their children was sentenced yesterday to three and a half years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Frederick Francis Goltz, 52, pleaded guilty in April to interstate threatening communications. He was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who ordered three years of supervised release following the defendant’s prison term.
“Election workers perform a duty sacred to the body politic. Setting aside their personal political leanings, they help voters of all political persuasions cast their ballots – a ritual vital to the functioning of American democracy. County attorneys perform a similarly vital role in responding to legal challenges in court. Threats against either are unconscionable,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “This particular defendant repeatedly advocated violence against not only these men, but against their children as well. The Justice Department will not stand by as bad actors threaten members of law enforcement or election officials.”
"Our Democracy demands equal access and unencumbered participation. I am in awe of the dedicated workers and public servants that fulfill their duties to ensure that all of our voices can be heard above the noise created by repugnant threats intended to incite fear and physical harm,” said Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough. “This noise has no functional place in our society, and the FBI will continue to protect the American people from threats of violence and find justice for victims."
According to court documents, Mr. Goltz threatened several individuals in Arizona – including a Maricopa County Attorney’s Office lawyer and a Maricopa County elections official – on the far-right-wing social media platforms Patriots.win and Gab.com.
In plea papers, Mr. Goltz admitted that on Nov. 21, 2022, he posted the lawyer’s name, purported home address, and purported telephone number on social media along with the sardonic comment, “It would be a shame if someone got to [sic] this children. There are some crazies out there. This kind of info shouldn’t be readily available on the internet.” On the same date, in response to another post referring to other Maricopa County officials, Mr. Goltz said, “Someone needs to get these people AND their children. The children are the most important message to send.”
Just two days later, according to court records, Mr. Goltz responded to a post about the elections official with the comment, “He’s got a WIFE that is a lawyer, too. We need to find out her name and where she works. I don’t think he has kids, but I’m not 100% on that.” When another user commented that kids should be “off limits,” Mr. Goltz responded by saying, “NOTHING is off limits. It’s people like you that are supposedly with us, who don’t have the stomach to do what it takes to get our country back.”
An FBI investigation into Mr. Goltz’s other social media activity revealed a long history of threatening statements against a variety of targets, including government officials, law enforcement officers, and others:
For example, according to court records, on Nov. 13, 2022, Mr. Goltz advocated for "a mass shooting of poll workers and election officials” in precincts he believed had “suspect” results.
A few weeks later, he said he was “willing to take lives” in order to protect against what he called a “tyrannical government.”
According to court records, Mr. Goltz repeatedly emphasized that “children are not off limits,” and said that going after children is important because “it sends a message… people will pay the price for ‘sins of the father.’ Dead children burn into the memories of people.” He also discussed the potential use of concealed firearms.
At Thursday’s sentencing hearing, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office lawyer testified that he, his wife, and his four children were assigned round-the-clock protection and issued body armor in response to the threat.
The elections official, in a statement read aloud by the prosecutor, said the case went far beyond the two men Mr. Goltz specifically targeted online:
“While I am the person directly threatened in this case, the impact of such threats is felt by a much larger community: the thousands of committed election workers who operate our democratic processes,” the elections official, identified as S.R., said in his victim impact statement. “When threats are made against any election workers, the impact reverberates through the whole community. It creates an atmosphere of fear and apprehension. If those who step forward to serve their community – typically an older demographic – are concerned about intimidation or threats, it could discourage them from participating in future election cycles. This potential chilling effect not only threatens the robust functioning of our electoral processes, but it also strikes at the heart of our democracy itself.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Agency conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Haag prosecuted the case with the assistance of National Security Division Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe and Criminal Division Attorney Robert Heberle.
Syracuse Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Possession of a Handgun as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Cedric L. Hudson, Jr., age 37, of Syracuse, was sentenced yesterday to serve 96 months (8 years) in federal prison for his possession of a firearm as a prior convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli.
On October 17, 2022, New York State Police stopped a vehicle driven by Hudson in the Town of Dewitt for traffic violations. The registration of his car was expired, and Hudson advised he had no driver’s license. When informed that the vehicle would be towed, Hudson told New York State Troopers that there was a handgun and ammunition in the passenger compartment. A .45 caliber Hi Point pistol and a loaded ammunition magazine were recovered from the interior of the vehicle. When interviewed, Hudson said he intended to sell the handgun.
Records checks revealed that Hudson was previously convicted of several prior felonies in New York State and North Carolina and was the subject of an active arrest warrant for absconding from parole in North Carolina. While detained awaiting sentencing on the instant federal firearm charge, Hudson was arrested and charged with bringing drugs into the Oneida County Jail. He is presumed innocent on both his North Carolina Parole absconding violation and his pending Oneida County charge of Promoting Prison Contraband in the Second Degree (misdemeanor) unless or until proven guilty.
The New York State Police Community Stabilization Unit (NYSP-Community Stabilization), Troop D Uniform Patrol (NYSP-Troop D), and the FBI Syracuse Resident Agency investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.
Superseding Indictment Alleges 3 More New Haven Gang Members Committed Murder and Attempted MurdersRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Bridgeport returned a superseding indictment yesterday charging an additional three alleged members and associates of the “Exit 8” street gang in New Haven with conspiring to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, including drug trafficking, murder, and attempted murder, as well as related offenses. The grand jury previously returned an indictment charging six alleged members and associates of Exit 8 with related offenses.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; John P. Doyle, Jr., State’s Attorney for the New Haven Judicial District; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson.
The superseding indictment charges
JAEDYN RIVERA, also known as “Jae Honcho,” 22
TYJON PRESTON, also known as “TJ,” 21
SAMUEL DOUGLAS, also known as “Blamm,” 25
QUAYMAR SUGGS, 19
KIVEON HYMAN, also known as “Tiny, ” 25
DONELL ALLICK, JR., also known as “D-Nice,” 24
DEVIN SUGGS, also known as “JB,” 19
NYZAIRE BARNES, also known as “Melo,” 19
ANTWAN HILL, also known as “Bandz,” 19Devin Suggs, Barnes, and Hill were arrested today. They appeared in New Haven federal court and were ordered detained. Rivera, Preston, Douglas, Quaymar Suggs, Hyman, and Allick were charged in an indictment that was returned on March 22, 2023, and are detained.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address violence in New Haven, including murders and attempted murders, the ATF, FBI, DEA and New Haven Police Department, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, have been investigating an ongoing gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city. The Exit 8 gang is named after the geographic area accessed by exiting Interstate 91 at Exit 8 in New Haven. Recently, younger members of Exit 8 are identifying themselves with the word “Honcho,” which is derived from the street name of an Exit 8 member who was murdered on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020.
The superseding indictment alleges that members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking, used and shared firearms, and, since June 2018, have committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders. Exit 8 members and associates stole vehicles, at times from outside of the state, and used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence. Gang members also promoted, coordinated, facilitated, and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube.
Among the violent acts committed by the Exit 8 gang, the superseding indictment alleges that:
- On June 16, 2018, Douglas and Hyman shot and attempted to kill a member and associate of a rival gang, and shot another individual in the vicinity;
- On January 24, 2019, members and associates of the gang shot and attempted to kill a member and associate of a rival gang;
- On July 14, 2020, Preston and others shot and attempted to kill a member and associate of a rival gang;
- On September 26, 2020, Hill, Preston, and others shot and attempted to kill a member and associate of a rival gang;
- On April 27, 2021, Preston, Devin Suggs, and others shot and attempted to kill an individual;
- On May 3, 2021, Rivera shot and attempted to kill two members and associates of a rival gang;
- On May 10, 2021, Rivera and others shot and attempted to kill a member and associate of a rival gang;
- On May 14, 2021, Rivera and Devin Suggs shot and attempted to kill a member and associate of a rival gang;
- On May 17, 2021, Exit 8 members shot and attempted to kill rival gang members;
- On May 19, 2021, Hill, Preston and others conspired to kill rival gang members, including a rival gang member who was shot and killed on that date by Quaymar Suggs and others;
- On May 20, 2021, Rivera, Preston, and others shot and attempted to kill rival gang members, and Rivera, Devin Suggs, and others shot and attempted to kill two other individuals;
- On June 30, 2021, Preston shot and attempted to kill an individual;
- On July 5, 2021, Hill, Preston, and others shot and killed an individual;
- On August 29, 2021, Exit 8 members and associates shot and attempted to kill a member and associate of a rival gang;
- On March 16, 2022, Devin Suggs and others shot at and attempted to kill rival gang members;
- On April 12, 2022, Hill, Barnes, and others shot at and attempted to kill rival gang members;
- On September 16, 2022, Allick and others shot and killed an individual.
- On January 20, 2023, Devin Suggs and others stole a black BMW from Scarsdale, New York. Devin Suggs and Barnes then shot and attempted to kill an individual.
The superseding indictment charges each defendant with racketeering conspiracy. If convicted of this charge, Quaymar Suggs, Preston, and Allick face a maximum term of imprisonment of 60 years, and Rivera, Douglas, Hyman, Devin Suggs, Barnes, and Hill face a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
The superseding indictment also charges Rivera and Preston with attempted assault with a dangerous weapon and attempted murder, in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (“VCAR”) statute, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; Rivera with VCAR assault with a dangerous weapon and attempted murder, and offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; Rivera with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; and Douglas with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by ATF, the FBI, the DEA, the New Haven Police Department, the Hamden Police Department, and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens, Rahul Kale and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office on the Fourth Anniversary of the El Paso ShootingRead the Press Release
"Four years after the tragedy in El Paso, our community continues to heal. As we reflect on the memories of those we lost to such an unforgiveable act of hate, our thoughts remain with all of the victims, their families and the community members whose lives have changed forever." - U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas
Stapleton Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Possession of Drugs and FirearmsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Joseph Lynn Duran, 38, of Stapleton, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 2, 2023, to 12 years’ imprisonment by Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and for being a felon in possession of firearms. After his release from prison, Duran will begin a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Duran pleaded guilty to both offenses on March 30, 2023.
On September 13, 2021, a deputy sheriff in Lincoln County, Nebraska, attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Duran. Duran did not stop, and a vehicle pursuit ensued that continued into Logan County. During the pursuit, Duran tossed a duffel bag out the window of his vehicle. Police recovered the duffel bag a short time later and found it contained about four ounces of methamphetamine.
Duran continued driving toward his home in rural Logan County. He was eventually stopped a couple hundred yards away from his driveway. Police obtained a search warrant for his home. Among other things, they located a safe which contained items with THC (the major psychoactive component found in marijuana), ammunition, and a pipe bomb. In a second safe in the home, police located several firearms. One of the firearms was a Mini-14 rifle with a folding stock. In the garage, police located approximately five pounds of marijuana packaged for sale from marijuana dispensaries in the states of Washington and California. Duran had prior felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
The investigation was conducted by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and members of the CODE Task Force. The CODE Drug Task Force is made up of law enforcement agencies from several counties in west-central and southwest Nebraska, and they focus on investigating cases involving the distribution of controlled substances.
Stapleton Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Possession of Drugs and FirearmsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Joseph Lynn Duran, 38, of Stapleton, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 2, 2023, to 12 years’ imprisonment by Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and for being a felon in possession of firearms. After his release from prison, Duran will begin a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Duran pleaded guilty to both offenses on March 30, 2023.
On September 13, 2021, a deputy sheriff in Lincoln County, Nebraska, attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Duran. Duran did not stop, and a vehicle pursuit ensued that continued into Logan County. During the pursuit, Duran tossed a duffel bag out the window of his vehicle. Police recovered the duffel bag a short time later and found it contained about four ounces of methamphetamine.
Duran continued driving toward his home in rural Logan County. He was eventually stopped a couple hundred yards away from his driveway. Police obtained a search warrant for his home. Among other things, they located a safe which contained items with THC (the major psychoactive component found in marijuana), ammunition, and a pipe bomb. In a second safe in the home, police located several firearms. One of the firearms was a Mini-14 rifle with a folding stock. In the garage, police located approximately five pounds of marijuana packaged for sale from marijuana dispensaries in the states of Washington and California. Duran had prior felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
The investigation was conducted by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and members of the CODE Task Force. The CODE Drug Task Force is made up of law enforcement agencies from several counties in west-central and southwest Nebraska, and they focus on investigating cases involving the distribution of controlled substances.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 71 Months for Making Rape Threats to Five WomenRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Court Stephen R. Clark on Thursday sentenced a man from St. Louis, Missouri who repeatedly harassed and threatened to rape five women to 71 months in prison.
After his release from prison, Robert D. Merkle, 54, will be on supervised release for three years, during which he will be barred from using or possessing electronic devices and accessing the internet without permission.
“Robert Merkle has terrorized innocent women for years,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming. “This lengthy prison sentence and the term of supervised release will prevent him from harassing women for nearly nine years, and hopefully deter him from engaging in similar behavior ever again.”
At his guilty plea in March, Merkle admitted harassing women in the St. Louis area and across the country for months, while he was on parole for similar crimes with different victims. Merkle met several of the women on dating sites and worked with another woman. He used email, multiple cell phones and a service that can send texts anonymously to threaten the women.
Merkle contacted a St. Louis County woman who he’d met on a dating site more than seven years earlier, sending a series of text messages in which he said he’d made a copy of her house key and was planning on breaking into her home two days later and raping her. She then contacted the Town and Country police.
In a letter to Judge Clark, one of Merkle’s earlier victims wrote, “He has a deeply rooted problem, where he seemingly gets a thrill out of tormenting women online and via text.” She said dealing with Merkle has been “crippling” at times.
Another wrote that Merkle’s “actions have shown to be more aggressive and inherently dangerous over time.”
Yet another said Merkle called for two years at random times day and night, threatening her and her daughter when the girl was as young as five years old.
Judge Clark called Merkle “a danger to society” and his conduct “tremendously troubling.”
Merkle pleaded guilty in March in U.S. District Court to the five felony counts he was facing: two counts of interstate communication of threats and three counts of cyberstalking.
He still faces a pending felony charge of harassment in St. Louis County Circuit Court.
Merkle was charged with harassment in 2017 and 2018 in Jefferson County Circuit Court and St. Louis Circuit Court, resulting in a three-year prison sentence. He was living in a halfway house in St. Louis at the time he committed his new, federal crimes.
The FBI, the Town and Country Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Glen Ellyn (Illinois) Police Department and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department and the Gulfport Police Department in Mississippi investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lang is prosecuting the case.
Resources and information for stalking victims is available at the Office for Victims of Crime via this link: https://ovc.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh226/files/pubs/helpseries/HelpBrochure_Stalking.html.
South Carolina Return Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A South Carolina woman was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States by preparing and filing false tax returns.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Georgina Gonzalez, formerly of Miami, worked as a tax return preparer since at least 2013. For the 2016 and 2017 tax filing seasons, Gonzalez temporarily relocated to South Carolina to prepare returns and manage multiple locations of a tax preparation business located in Columbia. At these offices, Gonzalez conspired with others to inflate client refunds by preparing returns that falsely claimed, among other things, business losses, household help income, and American Opportunity and education tax credits. Gonzalez and her co-conspirators charged clients up to $999 to prepare each return. In total, Gonzalez caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $420,000.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis ordered Gonzalez to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $423,917 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Ashley Stein, Francesca Bartolomey, and Jessica Kraft of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Winston Holliday for the District of South Carolina prosecuted the case.
Six Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Plead Guilty to Torturing and Abusing Two Black MenRead the Press Release
Two federal criminal informations were unsealed today charging six former Mississippi law enforcement officers with a total of 16 felonies stemming from the torture and physical abuse of three Rankin County residents in two separate unrelated incidents. Those 16 felonies include civil rights conspiracy, deprivation of rights under color of law, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, conspiracy to obstruct justice and obstruction of justice.
In federal court this morning, six defendants, five former members of the Rankin County, Mississippi, Sheriff’s Office (RSCO) – Chief Investigator Brett McAlpin, 52, Narcotics Investigator Christian Dedmon, 28, Lieutenant Jeffrey Middleton, 46, Deputy Hunter Elward, 31, Deputy Daniel Opdyke, 27 – and one former member of the Richland, Mississippi, Police Department – Narcotics Investigator Joshua Hartfield, 31 – pleaded guilty to all charges against them.
The defendants admitted that on Jan. 24, without a warrant or any exigent circumstances, they kicked in the door and entered a home in Braxton, Rankin County, Mississippi where two Black men, M.J. and E.P., were residing. The defendants handcuffed and arrested the men without probable cause to believe they had committed any crime, called them racial slurs, and warned them to stay out of Rankin County. Further, the defendants punched and kicked the men, tased them 17 times, forced them to ingest liquids, and assaulted them with a dildo. During the incident, Dedmon fired his gun twice to intimidate the men.
At the conclusion of the incident, Elward surreptitiously removed a bullet from the chamber of his gun, forced the gun into M.J.’s mouth and pulled the trigger. The unloaded gun clicked but did not fire. Elward racked the slide, intending to dry-fire a second time. When Elward pulled the trigger, the gun discharged. The bullet lacerated M.J.’s tongue, broke his jaw and exited out of his neck.
As M.J. was bleeding on the floor, the defendants did not provide medical aid, but instead gathered outside the home to devise a false cover story and took steps to corroborate it, including: planting a gun on M.J.; destroying surveillance video, spent shell casings, and taser cartridges; submitting fraudulent drug evidence to the crime lab; filing false reports; charging M.J. with crimes he did not commit; making false statements to investigators; and pressuring witnesses to stick to the cover story. Three of the defendants admitted in court that they were members of “The Goon Squad,” a group of RCSO officers who were known for using excessive force and not reporting it.
Additionally, during their court appearances this morning, Dedmon, Elward, and Opdyke each also pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging them with three additional federal felony offenses, including deprivation of rights under color of law and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The charges arise out of an incident on Dec. 4, 2022, in which Dedmon beat and tased a white man and fired a gun near his head to coerce a confession, while Elward and Opdyke failed to intervene.
“The defendants in this case tortured and inflicted unspeakable harm on their victims, egregiously violated the civil rights of citizens who they were supposed to protect, and shamefully betrayed the oath they swore as law enforcement officers,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will hold accountable officers who abuse the public trust that is essential to public safety.”
“No human being should ever be subjected to the kind of torturous, traumatizing and horrific acts of violence that were carried out by these law enforcement officers,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The physical and emotional impact of their crimes resulted from a calculated, deliberate, and egregious course of conduct that required a significant response from authorities. The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute law enforcement officers who violate the public trust by abusing the power given to them by virtue of their position.”
“These former law enforcement officers have committed heinous and wanton acts of violence disgracing the badge which so many others have worn with pride and honor,” said U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca for the Southern District of Mississippi. “They violated their oaths and have become the criminals they were sworn to protect us from.”
“Our citizens deserve credible law enforcement to safeguard the community from crime. The actions of these deputies and the officer significantly deprived the citizens of that protection and eroded the trust earned each day by honest law enforcement officers throughout the nation,” said Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “The FBI is committed to aggressively investigating those who misuse their authority, violate the color of law, or inject biases in the execution of their duties.”
“Without a relationship of trust between law enforcement officers and those they swear to serve and protect,” said Mississippi State Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “Our fight for justice and against crime is doomed to fail. This brutal attack caused more than physical harm to these two individual victims, it severed that vital trust with the people. This abuse of power will not be tolerated. The Attorney General’s Office is committed to delivering justice for these victims and all Mississippians, and we are grateful for this strong partnership we have with our U.S. Attorney’s Offices and FBI Field Office. Working together, it is my hope that we can help these victims heal and restore confidence in our criminal justice system.”
The defendants face state charges arising out of the same incident, including home invasion, aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice, and obstruction of justice.
The FBI Jackson Field Office investigated the federal case. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation investigated the state case.
Criminal Chief Erin O. Chalk and Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes for the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section; and Mississippi Deputy Attorney General Mary Helen Wall, who was deputized as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the federal matter are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of abuse by a deputy with the Rankin County Sherriff’s Office, call the FBI hotline at 1-800-CALL-FBI, email tips.fbi.gov or call the FBI Jackson Field Office at 601-948-5000.
Six Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Plead Guilty to Torturing and Abusing Two Black MenRead the Press Release
Two federal criminal informations were unsealed today charging six former Mississippi law enforcement officers with a total of 16 felonies stemming from the torture and physical abuse of three Rankin County residents in two separate unrelated incidents. Those 16 felonies include civil rights conspiracy, deprivation of rights under color of law, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, conspiracy to obstruct justice and obstruction of justice.
In federal court this morning, six defendants, five former members of the Rankin County, Mississippi, Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) – Chief Investigator Brett McAlpin, 52, Narcotics Investigator Christian Dedmon, 28, Lieutenant Jeffrey Middleton, 46, Deputy Hunter Elward, 31, Deputy Daniel Opdyke, 27 – and one former member of the Richland, Mississippi, Police Department – Narcotics Investigator Joshua Hartfield, 31 – pleaded guilty to all charges against them.
The defendants admitted that on Jan. 24, without a warrant or any exigent circumstances, they kicked in the door and entered a home in Braxton, Rankin County, Mississippi where two Black men, M.J. and E.P., were residing. The defendants handcuffed and arrested the men without probable cause to believe they had committed any crime, called them racial slurs, and warned them to stay out of Rankin County. Further, the defendants punched and kicked the men, tased them 17 times, forced them to ingest liquids, and assaulted them with a dildo. During the incident, Dedmon fired his gun twice to intimidate the men.
At the conclusion of the incident, Elward surreptitiously removed a bullet from the chamber of his gun, forced the gun into M.J.’s mouth and pulled the trigger. The unloaded gun clicked but did not fire. Elward racked the slide, intending to dry-fire a second time. When Elward pulled the trigger, the gun discharged. The bullet lacerated M.J.’s tongue, broke his jaw and exited out of his neck.
As M.J. was bleeding on the floor, the defendants did not provide medical aid, but instead gathered outside the home to devise a false cover story and took steps to corroborate it, including: planting a gun on M.J.; destroying surveillance video, spent shell casings, and taser cartridges; submitting fraudulent drug evidence to the crime lab; filing false reports; charging M.J. with crimes he did not commit; making false statements to investigators; and pressuring witnesses to stick to the cover story. Three of the defendants admitted in court that they were members of “The Goon Squad,” a group of RCSO officers who were known for using excessive force and not reporting it.
Additionally, during their court appearances this morning, Dedmon, Elward, and Opdyke each also pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging them with three additional federal felony offenses, including deprivation of rights under color of law and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The charges arise out of an incident on Dec. 4, 2022, in which Dedmon beat and tased a white man and fired a gun near his head to coerce a confession, while Elward and Opdyke failed to intervene.
“The defendants in this case tortured and inflicted unspeakable harm on their victims, egregiously violated the civil rights of citizens who they were supposed to protect, and shamefully betrayed the oath they swore as law enforcement officers,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will hold accountable officers who abuse the public trust that is essential to public safety.”
“No human being should ever be subjected to the kind of torturous, traumatizing and horrific acts of violence that were carried out by these law enforcement officers,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The physical and emotional impact of their crimes resulted from a calculated, deliberate, and egregious course of conduct that required a significant response from authorities. The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute law enforcement officers who violate the public trust by abusing the power given to them by virtue of their position.”
“These former law enforcement officers have committed heinous and wanton acts of violence disgracing the badge which so many others have worn with pride and honor,” said U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca for the Southern District of Mississippi. “They violated their oaths and have become the criminals they were sworn to protect us from.”
“Our citizens deserve credible law enforcement to safeguard the community from crime. The actions of these deputies and the officer significantly deprived the citizens of that protection and eroded the trust earned each day by honest law enforcement officers throughout the nation,” said Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “The FBI is committed to aggressively investigating those who misuse their authority, violate the color of law, or inject biases in the execution of their duties.”
“Without a relationship of trust between law enforcement officers and those they swear to serve and protect,” said Mississippi State Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “Our fight for justice and against crime is doomed to fail. This brutal attack caused more than physical harm to these two individual victims, it severed that vital trust with the people. This abuse of power will not be tolerated. The Attorney General’s Office is committed to delivering justice for these victims and all Mississippians, and we are grateful for this strong partnership we have with our U.S. Attorney’s Offices and FBI Field Office. Working together, it is my hope that we can help these victims heal and restore confidence in our criminal justice system.”
The defendants face state charges arising out of the same incident, including home invasion, aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice, and obstruction of justice.
The FBI Jackson Field Office investigated the federal case. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation investigated the state case.
Criminal Chief Erin O. Chalk and Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes for the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section; and Mississippi Deputy Attorney General Mary Helen Wall, who was deputized as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the federal matter are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of abuse by a deputy with the Rankin County Sherriff’s Office, call the FBI hotline at 1-800-CALL-FBI, email tips.fbi.gov or call the FBI Jackson Field Office at 601-948-5000.
McAlpin et al. Information Dedmon et al. InformationSix Inmates Plead Guilty to Possessing Weapons at FCI BeckleyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Six inmates each pleaded guilty today to possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison, the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Beckley, in separate incidents.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the following inmates each admitted to possessing a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” at FCI Beckley on the following dates:
- Rico Salguero, 40, on December 9, 2022;
- Lawrence Anderson, 27, on December 10, 2022;
- Jamal Brooks, 26, on January 7, 2023;
- Denardo Graham, 32, February 12, 2023;
- Jarvis Burl, 26, on February 22, 2023; and
- John Durant, 34, on April 10, 2023.
Salguero, Brooks, Burl and Durant are scheduled to be sentenced on November 16, 2023. Anderson and Graham are scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2023. Each faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the cases.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:23-cr-105 (Salguero), 5:23-cr-106 (Anderson), 5:23-cr-103 (Brooks), 5:23-cr-107 (Graham), 5:23-cr-101 (Burl), and 5:23-cr-102 (Durant).
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Sisseton Man Convicted of Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Sisseton, South Dakota, man, who was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on July 31, 2023, in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Larry Levi Finley III, age 26, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Finley was indicted for Sexual Abuse of a Minor by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. He pleaded guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact on May 4, 2023.
According to court documents, between approximately July and October of 2021, Finley engaged in abusive sexual contact with a minor victim. The victim was over 12 years but younger than 16, and she was unable to consent to the sexual contact. The abuse took place within the tribal lands of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Sioux Tribe.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Tribe’s Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Finley was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence.
Rochester Man Indicted for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Heath Gauthier, 46, of Rochester, New Hampshire, was indicted on one count of possession of child pornography on August 2, 2023. Gauthier will appear in federal court in Concord at a later date.
According to the charging documents, Gauthier was indicted on February 15, 2023, on charges of wire fraud, attempted wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft in connection with his alleged fraudulent applications for more than $1 million in CARES Act loans. Gauthier was arrested on February 16, 2023, and investigators executed a search warrant on his residence and person. The search warrant authorized the search of his electronic devices. Subsequently, investigators located one or more computer disks and other material that contained one or more images of child sexual abuse material.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. If a defendant has a qualifying prior conviction, the charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years and at least 10 years. 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.
IRS Criminal Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigations led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the Social Security Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Hunter 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.
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Rapid City Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on July 31, 2023.
Juan Crawford, 33, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He was also ordered to forfeit his possession and interest in a firearm and the accompanying ammunition.
Crawford was indicted for Possession of Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in November of 2022. He pleaded guilty on April 14, 2023.
On September 29, 2022, law enforcement stopped a vehicle driven by Crawford in Rapid City. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement located a handgun that had previously been reported stolen in Isabel, South Dakota. Crawford is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Crawford was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.