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1 August 2023
U.S. Attorney's Office for Western District of Kentucky to Participate in Community Events During National Night OutRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – U. S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky will join community organizers, neighbors, and law enforcement partners to participate in National Night Out events on August 1, 2023. During this year’s National Night Out, community events will be held across the Commonwealth, including five neighborhood events hosted by the Louisville Metro Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will attend LMPD’s Eighth Division festivities at Walker Warren Park in the Douglas Hills neighborhood, along with LMPD, ATF, FBI, DEA, and other local partners.
“We are excited to participate in National Night Out this year, as this is a great opportunity for fellowship with our local law enforcement partners and the communities we serve,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett.
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
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U.S. Attorney Graves Joins Local Law Enforcement and the Community for National Night OutRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew M. Graves joined law enforcement partners at Rosedale Recreation Center in Northeast, Fifth District, along with community organizers, and neighbors for National Night Out today.
"We have no greater partner in our fight against crime than our fellow community members,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “From reporting crime, bearing witness, and providing evidence – including, in this day and age, providing video from private security cameras at their residences. The community has been and will continue to be one of our greatest crime fighting partners. And that’s why National Night Out is so important.”
This year, hundreds of residents across the District participated in various National Night Out events in their communities. This annual community-building campaign promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer. Established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice, the initiative is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
With coordination by local law enforcement and community partners, National Night Out provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together in a positive way, by hosting neighborhood block parties, cookouts, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, and more fun activities. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
Two Maryland MS-13 Gang Members Sentenced to 22 Years and 16 Years in Federal Prison for Participating in a Racketeering Conspiracy, Including MurderRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Hernan Yanes-Rivera, a/k/a “Recio,” age 22, of Adelphi, Maryland, on July 28, 2023, to 22 years in federal prison, and sentenced Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, a/k/a “Terrible,” age 26, of Silver Spring, Maryland, today to 16 years in federal prison, each followed by three years of supervised release, for their participation in a racketeering conspiracy, including murder, related to their activities as part of the MS-13 gang. On July 25, 2023, Judge Xinis sentenced co-defendant Brian Samir Zelaya Mejia, a/k/a “Chispa,” age 25, of Hyattsville, Maryland, to six years in federal prison for his role in the MS-13 enterprise. Judge Xinis ordered that Rivas Rodriguez must also pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, including any funeral costs incurred by Victim 1 and Victim 4’s estates.
The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to court documents, the La Mara Salvatrucha gang, also known as “MS-13,” is an international criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, with members operating in the State of Maryland, including Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Frederick County, and throughout the United States. In Maryland and elsewhere, MS-13 members are organized into “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region. MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence, both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang and against rival gangs. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increases the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang and opens the door to promotion to a leadership position.
As detailed in the plea agreement, Rivas Rodriguez, Yanes-Rivera and Zelaya Mejia were members and associates of Weedams Locos Salvatrucha, (WLS), an MS-13 clique operating primarily in Adelphi, Maryland. Rivas Rodriguez was the clique’s second in command.
On February 23, 2020, at the direction of MS-13 leaders Brayan Alexander Torres and Rivas Rodriguez, Yanes-Rivera and co-defendant MS-13 member Franklyn Sanchez shot and killed Victim 1, a former WLS member, in retaliation for the victim’s suspected cooperation with law enforcement. In the weeks prior to the murder, Victim 1 had been in touch with WLS members over social media, text messages and voice calls. Records show that WLS members told Victim 1 that if he met with gang members to make amends, his cooperation would be forgiven. Victim 1 was instructed to wait on the side of a road at a location in or near Adelphi, Maryland, on February 23, 2020. A junior WLS member drove Yanes-Rivera and Sanchez to the location, where they picked up Victim 1. They drove to a location in or near Hyattsville, Maryland. Yanes-Rivera, Sanchez and Victim 1 got out of the car and walked into a wooded area, where Yanes-Rivera and Sanchez shot Victim 1. Victim 1 died from his gunshot wounds. As a result of his participation in the murder, Yanes-Rivera was promoted within the hierarchy of MS-13.
On August 8, 2020, WLS members, including Franklyn Sanchez, were gathered at a park in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Sanchez and several of the WLS members agreed to the murder of Victim 4, who was suspected of cooperating with law enforcement and to whom Sanchez owed a debt. Sanchez and another MS-13 member murdered Victim 4, then WLS members dragged Victim 4’s body to a stream and left it there. As he was leaving the woods, Sanchez was concerned that his DNA may have been left on the body. To prevent the discovery of DNA or other evidence and to hinder the investigation and prosecution of Victim 4’s murder, Rivas Rodriguez, Zelaya Mejia and other WLS members were called and ordered to bring shovels to the wooded area, where they dug a hole and buried Victim 4’s body. Victim 4’s body was later recovered with a bullet wound to the head.
Rivas Rodriguez also conspired with other MS-13 members to kill a female member of the rival 18th Street gang. Rivas Rodriguez and the WLS leader ordered subordinate members of the gang to track the female to a house and kill her. The group of MS-13 subordinates gathered with guns and were preparing to follow their orders, when police arrived on scene and stopped the plan from coming to fruition.
Yanes-Rivera, Rivas Rodriguez and Zelaya Mejia were also responsible for collecting extortion payments, or “rents,” from at least two extortion victims on behalf of WLS, knowing that the victims making extortion payments did so under the threat of death or bodily injury by members of WLS. For example, gang members used baseball bats to impose rents and sometimes collected rent while flashing firearms or otherwise making it known that they were carrying weapons.
Finally, Yanes-Rivera also participated in money laundering by transferring gang funds obtained through its extortion activities to MS-13 members and associates in El Salvador.
Torres, a/k/a “Spooky,” age 29, of Adelphi, Maryland, is expected to be sentenced to 28 years in federal prison at his sentencing on September 13, 2023. Torres will also be required to pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, including any funeral costs incurred by Victim 4’s estate. On May 19, 2023, Judge Xinis sentenced Franklyn Edgardo Sanchez, a/k/a “Freddy,” “Magic,” “Miclo,” and “Delinquente,” age 26, of Adelphi, Maryland, to 28 years in federal prison and ordered that Sanchez must pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, including any funeral costs incurred by Victim 1 and Victim 4’s estates.
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Barron and Assistant Attorney General Polite commended the FBI, HSI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Montgomery County Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo, and Trial Attorney Christopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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The U.S. Attorney's Office to Participate in Community Events During National Night OutRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King along with federal prosecutors and office personnel with the Western District of North Carolina will join community organizers,
National Night Outneighbors, and law enforcement partners to participate in National Night Out events on Tuesday, August 1, 2023.
National Night Out (NNO) is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.
During this year’s National Night Out, U.S. Attorney King and members of her Office will attend community events organized by the Hidden Valley and the Historic Camp Greene neighborhoods, and the West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition.
“The first and most important job of law enforcement is to protect the rights and safety of our communities and address crime problems. To do that, we must understand the unique challenges communities face, and that begins with community engagement. Participation in events like National Night Out provides an opportunity to increase public trust, strengthen ties between law enforcement and the communities we serve, and demonstrates our commitment to sustaining strong and safe neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney King.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Fentanyl Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Randell Love (48, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Love faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the fentanyl charge, and minimum mandatory term of 5 years, up to life, imprisonment consecutive to any other term of imprisonment for the firearm offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on October 5, 2021, deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office pulled over a car driven by Love, a 14-time convicted felon, as it bore the license plate of a different vehicle and because Love’s driver license was suspended. After stopping the vehicle, Love hid a loaded 9mm handgun with his male passenger, and approximately 26 grams of fentanyl with his female passenger. Deputies subsequently recovered the drugs and the firearm and located a drug ledger in Love’s possession. Further investigation revealed that Love had received approximately five ounces of fentanyl at a time from his suppliers and sold the drugs to approximately 25 customers per day.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.
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.
Syracuse Man Sentenced to Nearly 21 Years for Armed Robberies of Corner StoresRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Akiem Howard, age 24, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to serve 250 months (20 years and 10 months) in federal prison for robbing two Syracuse corner stores, and for related firearms charges, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Chief Joseph Cecile, City of Syracuse Police Department (SPD), John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), United States Marshal David McNulty, and William Fitzpatrick, Onondaga County District Attorney.
As part of his previous guilty plea to robberies of businesses engaged in interstate commerce (the Hobbs Act) and using firearms in furtherance of federal crimes of violence, Howard admitted robbing two Syracuse corner stores at gunpoint. The first robbery occurred on December 13, 2020, and the second was on December 21, 2020.
The December 13 robbery occurred at about 11:14 pm and Howard robbed it along with a second robber. Both Howard and the second robber pointed handguns at the store clerk. The December 21, 2020 robbery occurred at about 10:45 am approximately one-fifth of a mile from an elementary school. Howard robbed the store with a third robber, Chantal Jaquez. Howard used a revolver and Jaquez carried a rifle. While fleeing the store, Howard fired several rounds from his revolver at the store clerk. One of the bullets struck Jaquez in the leg. Jaquez previously pleaded guilty to participating in the December 21, 2020, robbery and, on August 18, 2022, was sentenced to serve 111 months in federal prison.
As part of his guilty plea, Howard also admitted committing three other armed robberies on December 19, 2020.
United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also sentenced Howard to a three-year term of supervised release to begin after he serves his term of imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Syracuse Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division (SPD-CID), the SPD Intelligence Section (SPD-Intel), the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, and the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sutcliffe.
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 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.
St. Francis Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a St. Francis, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on July 27, 2023.
Tanner Kills Enemy, age 25, was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Kills Enemy was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. He pleaded guilty on April 24, 2023.
Kills Enemy was convicted of Sexual Abuse in 2010. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and to update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment. In October of 2022, Kills Enemy was released from prison and began a period of supervised release residing in St. Francis, but did not thereafter register or update his registration.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Kills Enemy was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Shooting at DeputyRead the Press Release
SPRNGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for shooting at a Greene County Sheriff’s Department deputy when officers arrested him for escaping from a local halfway house.
Richard Dale Friederich, 41, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 13 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.
On Oct. 20, 2022, Friederich pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting a federal law enforcement officer with a dangerous or deadly weapon and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Friederich admitted that he fired a Kel-Tec 9mm semi-automatic pistol at a Greene County sheriff’s deputy who was assisting the U.S. Marshals Service to arrest him after he absconded from Alpha House, a halfway house in Springfield.
On Aug. 20, 2022, law enforcement officers arrived at a Springfield residence searching for Friederich, who had an active federal warrant out for his arrest. Friederich had been convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and was released to Alpha House following his incarceration in April 2020. Less than four months later, he escaped from Alpha House.
When a woman opened the door and informed officers that Friederich was in the house, an officer yelled to Friederich to come out of the bedroom. Instead, Friederich kicked the bedroom door closed and yelled for the officers to get away from the door. Officers attempted to persuade Friederich to come out of the bedroom. Friederich used his cell phone to call the woman who had opened the door to the officers; he told her that once she and her children were out of the house, he intended to “shoot it out” with law enforcement.
About an hour later, the Greene County Sheriff’s Department SWAT Team arrived and shot gas into the bedroom. When that was unsuccessful, a noise flash diversionary device was deployed and officers kicked open the bedroom door. A deputy sheriff stepped into the room to deploy his police dog but saw Friederich crouched down on the bed, pointing the handgun directly at him. Friederich fired two shots at the deputy sheriff.
SWAT shot additional gas into the room, but Friederich still refused to leave. Officers deployed a robot into the room and could see that Friederich had retreated to a closet in the corner of the bedroom. An hour later, Friederich came out of the closet and was arrested. Officers recovered the loaded Kel-Tec pistol as well as a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol from the bedroom closet.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Social Security employee charged with theft of government property and aggravated identity theftRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 38-year-old Harlingen resident is now in custody on allegations he created false profiles to steal government money, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Authorities arrested Lee Marvin Nichols today. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ignacio Torteya III at 1:15 p.m. Aug. 4.
According to the three-count indictment, returned June 27, Nichols was a claims specialist at the Social Security Administration (SSA) in Harlingen.
Nichols allegedly created fictitious profiles for two children that did not exist. The indictment alleges Nichols linked the profiles of the fictitious children to a recently deceased man and a disabled woman living in Mexico in an attempt to create survivor benefits application.
Nichols used debit cards issued to the children to withdraw funds, according to the charges. When he would obtain the funds, he allegedly attempted to disguise himself by using hats pulled down over his face, sunglasses, balaclavas and other clothing to conceal his appearance.
In addition to Social Security benefits, the IRS issued economic stimulus payments of $1,400 to each fictitious child, according to the indictment.
Nichols is charged with one count of theft of government property which carries a maximum of 10 years in federal prison. If convicted of aggravated identity theft, he must also serve a mandatory two years which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed.
The SSA-Office of Inspection General conducted the investigation with the assistance of IRS-Criminal Investigation and Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad Gray, Ben Sandel, Andrew Swartz and Jose Esquivel are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Smuggling organizer sentenced for recruiting and directing drivers to transport up to 185 peopleRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 55-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of conspiracy to transport undocumented aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Charles Lee Smith pleaded guilty Dec. 1, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Gray Miller ordered Smith to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
From Feb. 26, 2021, through Sept. 14, 2021, Smith recruited others to transport undocumented aliens from Laredo to San Antonio, Houston and other destinations. Smith acquired and paid for the load vehicles as well as drivers’ travel expenses and lodging. He also recruited drivers, oversaw the events and supervised the transport of 182 undocumented aliens, including six unaccompanied minors. On Dec. 8, 2020, Smith personally transported three non-U.S. citizens, but law enforcement caught him. It was after this that he began recruiting others to drive.
On Sept. 9, 2021, Brandon Joseph Bartholomew and Smith met in the Houston area. Smith hired and contracted Bartholomew for $10,000 per load to transport a tractor trailer pre-loaded with non-U.S. citizens from Laredo to Houston. Smith told Bartholomew he would be able to take multiple loads that week.
On Sep. 14, 2021, Bartholomew drove a tractor-trailer to the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Freer. He told authorities he was hauling rice and beans and presented a fraudulent bill of lading. Upon inspection, law enforcement discovered the logos and Department of Transportation number printed on the tractor and trailer were fraudulent. Authorities cut the trailer door seal and discovered 49 undocumented aliens from Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala. The temperature inside the enclosed trailer was 91 degrees.
On April 19, 2022, U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña imposed a 33-month sentence for Bartholomew, 40, Magnolia.
Smith will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Homeland Security Investigations and BP conducted the investigations on the other transporters with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Matthew Isaac prosecuted this case. AUSA Colton Turner handled the sentencing.
Seventeen Charged and Twelve Arrested in Joint Enforcement Operation in Carlsbad, New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Today, Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, Eric Castañeda, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, and Francisco B. Burrola, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and Jeffrey C. Boshek II, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, announced seven indictments returned by a federal grand jury on April 19 and July 19, 2023, one criminal complaint issued on August 1, 2023, and the arrest of 12 alleged drug and firearms traffickers on August 1, 2023, in a coordinated, multiagency enforcement operation in Carlsbad, New Mexico.
According to the indictments and other court records, in February of 2022, agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Pecos Valley Drug Task Force (PVDTF) received information regarding individuals who were trafficking drugs in southeastern New Mexico. Through diligent and painstaking investigation, agents identified a drug trafficking organization operating out of Eddy County, New Mexico that was distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl in Carlsbad. As a result of the year-long investigation, a federal grand jury issued indictments against 16 defendants for drug and firearms trafficking charges.
Jesus Daniel Sonora-Gonzalez, 29, of Carlsbad, Guerrero Muro, 33, of Midland, Texas, and Marco Antonio Torres-Vivas, 40, of Carlsbad were charged on April 19 with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances including 50 grams and more of methamphetamine and 500 grams and more of fentanyl, nine counts of distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine, and one count of attempt to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl. If convicted, both men face up to life in prison.
Damon Michael Johnsey, 28, and Kelly Lamar Burke, 31, both of Carlsbad, were charged under separate indictments on July 19 with possession with intent to distribute 40 grams and more of fentanyl, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession a firearm and ammunition. Johnsey was previously convicted of possession a controlled substance. Burke was previously convicted of abuse of child and possession of a controlled substance. If convicted, both men face up to life in prison.
Kinny Gonzalez, 29, his sister Kassandra Lee Perales, 32, her boyfriend Carlos Michael Venegas, Jr., 24, Amber Kathleen Owen, 50, Brian Kain Purdy aka “Guero,” 41, Sabino Alfonso Maldonado aka “Flaco,” 31, Jared Michael Moore aka “Ghost,” 42, all of Carlsbad, and Jesus Alonso Cerezo-Espidio aka “Pitufo,” 50, of Mexico, were charged on July 19 with conspiracy to distribute cocaine; possession with intent to distribute cocaine, 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, and 5 grams and more of methamphetamine; distribution of 400 grams and more of fentanyl and 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, smuggling goods from the United States and conspiracy thereto; attempt to smuggle a firearm and ammunition out of the United States to promote a drug trafficking crimes; attempt to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine and 500 grams and more of cocaine; and using and carrying a firearm during and relation to a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, Gonzalez, Perales, Venegas, Owen, and Cerezo-Espidio face up to life in prison. If convicted, Moore faces up to 20 years in prison. If convicted, Purdy and Maldonado each face up to 10 years in prison.
Manuel Pineda Montoya, 43, of Carlsbad, was charged on July 19 with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, and 40 grams and more of fentanyl; using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; and being a felon in possession a firearm and ammunition. If convicted, Montoya faces up to life in prison.
Silvester Cruz Rueda II, 44, and Jaycelyn Amberly Marrujo, 22, both of Carlsbad, were charged on July 19 with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl as well as possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Rueda II also was charged with using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. In convicted, Rueda II faces up to life in prison, and Marrujo faces up to 20 years in prison.
David Kirk Haynes, 55, was charged on July 19 with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl. If convicted, Haynes faces up to life in prison. Haynes is a fugitive and has not yet been arrested.
Gonzalez, Owen, Purdy, Maldonado, Moore, Rueda II, Marrujo, Johnsey, and Burke were arrested in Carlsbad on August 1, 2023. Perales and Venegas, Jr. were arrested on August 1, 2023, in North Dakota.
Freddie Trevino, 48, was arrested in Carlsbad on August 1, 2023, and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, Trevino faces up to life in prison.
During the arrests on August 1, 2023, agents executed four search warrants in Carlsbad and seized methamphetamine, cocaine, firearms, and money. To date, agents have seized approximately 56 kilograms of methamphetamine, four kilograms of cocaine, four kilograms of fentanyl, 31 firearms, and $75,000 from the drug trafficking organization.
“No corner of New Mexico is beyond the reach of federal criminal investigators. Through strong partnerships with local law enforcement, we struck at the heart of this drug trafficking network, disrupting its operations from the source to the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “But our mission does not end here. We remain vigilant throughout New Mexico to investigate and prosecute drug distribution networks flooding our streets with poison.”
“This is a violent organization with links to cartel activity,” said Eric Castañeda, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s El Paso Division. “Make no mistake. DEA will continue to aggressively pursue this and other organizations responsible for bringing these dangerous drugs into the communities of southern New Mexico.”
“Organized crime has no place in our country or our communities, especially organizations that poison our citizens with their dangerous drugs and illicit activities,” said Francisco B. Burrola, special agent in charge for HSI El Paso. “These arrests exemplify HSI’s commitment to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to dismantle international criminal organizations one by one.”
“ATF remains committed to protecting the citizens of New Mexico from the scourge of violent firearm offenders. Armed drug trafficking organizations are at the heart of many of the violent acts occurring around us every day. We are proud of the hard work shown here by our partners to put some of the worst of the worst behind bars” stated ATF Dallas Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.
“These types of operations have a powerful and lasting impact on our communities. Strong partnerships between federal and local law enforcement make our towns safer and a better place to live. The Eddy County Sheriff’s Office will always stand ready to do our part!”
This investigation was conducted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Pecos Valley Drug Task Force led the investigation, with enforcement assistance from the United States Marshal Service, Carlsbad Police Department, Eddy County Sheriff’ Department, Roswell Police Department, Chaves County Drug Task Force, DEA Airwing and Customs and Border Patrol. The New Mexico Air National Guard’s Air Unit, Artesia Police Department and Customs and Border Patrol’s Air Unit also provided support in this matter.
The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Renee L. Camacho and Devon Aragon-Martinez.
The charges contained in an indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Retired Air Force Officer Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, RICKIE LEE GRESS, 54, a retired Air Force officer from Midwest City, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On March 21, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Gress, charging him with receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. According to the Indictment, between August 2016 and May of 2022, Gress knowingly possessed images of child pornography on his computer.
On August 1, 2023, Gress pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the Indictment. As part of his plea, Gress, admitted to possessing a laptop computer that contained child pornography, including depictions of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Gress was remanded to federal custody following his hearing.
At sentencing, Gress faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00.
This case is a result of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Choctaw Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney D.H. Dilbeck is prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for more information.
Registered Sex Offender from Shawnee Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, BRUCE JACKSON MOORE, 47, of Shawnee, was sentenced to serve 40 years in federal prison for producing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
“The evil cruelty exhibited by this defendant against innocent three-year-old children is shocking,” said U.S. Attorney Troester. “While we are pleased with the 40-year sentence imposed by the Court to hold Moore accountable, there is nothing that can undo the irrevocable damage he has done to the vulnerable child victims. I commend Homeland Security Investigations, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office, and the prosecutors in my office for their detailed and aggressive work on this important case.”
“This defendant repeatedly preyed on innocent children without regard for the life-long pain his actions would cause.“ said Robert Melton, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the HSI Dallas - Oklahoma and Texas Panhandle Division. "HSI will never relent in our commitment to protecting our society's most vulnerable citizens."
According to court records, Moore produced images of himself engaging in sexual acts with a three-year-old child around 2021 to 2022 and distributed them via social media direct messaging. On May 4, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Moore. Count 1 charged him with sexual exploitation of a child, and Count 2 charged him with commission of a felony offense involving a minor as a registered sex offender.
On January 10, 2023, Moore pleaded guilty to Count 1 before United States District Judge Joe Heaton. According to that count, between February 2021, and February 2022, Moore used a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
As part of his plea agreement, Moore admitted to taking part in sexually explicit conduct with a child, in order to get a photograph to send through social media.
In announcing the sentence today, Judge Heaton took into consideration Moore’s prior conviction for sexually abusing a different two-to-three-year-old child, his failure to register as a sex offender, the vulnerable age of his current victim, and his distribution of the child pornography images he produced. In sentencing Moore, Judge Heaton noted that Moore’s conduct was “the most serious type of criminal activity that our system has to address.” After serving 40 years in prison, Moore will be supervised by the United States Probation Office for the rest of his life.
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Hale and Corbin Houston.
This case is also part of Project Safe Childhood. Project Safe Childhood is the Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children.
Reference is made to public filings for more information.
Rapid City Woman Sentenced for Theft from Indian Tribal OrganizationRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Theft from Indian Tribal Organization. The sentencing took place on July 31, 2023.
Tiffany LaClaire, age 36, was sentenced to seven months in federal custody, three months of home confinement, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. She was also ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.
LaClaire was indicted for Theft from Indian Tribal Organization by a federal grand jury in July of 2023. She pleaded guilty on May 1, 2023.
The defendant had three children, but her parental rights were terminated in 2011 and the children lived with a new family. On July 19, 2021, the defendant fraudulently applied to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and requested $2,000 for each of her former children under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP). In the application, she falsely indicated all three children were living with her and in her custody, and thus she was eligible to receive economic assistance for each of the children under the ARP. She was issued checks and used the money. The money never went to the benefit of the three children. Later, the family that was actually caring for the children learned the fraudulent application had been made by the defendant and the matter was reported and investigated.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher prosecuted the case.
LaClaire was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Oxford Man Sentenced in Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – An Oxford man was sentenced today to 80 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.
According to court documents, Jeremy Fondren, 41, of Oxford, Mississippi, pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi to one count of conspiracy to possess in excess of five kilograms of cocaine. Fondren was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock to 80 months in prison. He was further sentenced to five years of supervised release following his release from prison.
U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner announced the sentence following Fondren’s sentencing hearing on Tuesday afternoon.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program in partnership with state and local law enforcement. 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. Multiple agencies assisted with the investigation including the Tupelo Police Department and Lee County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case.
Orange County Woman and Man Charged with Running $2.2 Million Scheme that Tricked Banks into Cashing Out Victims’ MortgagesRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – Two Orange County residents have been charged by a federal grand jury with fraudulently obtaining more than $2 million by stealing the identities of homeowners – primarily elderly Vietnamese Americans – and duping banks into “cashing out” mortgages on those properties, the Justice Department announced today.
Thao Thi Kim Nguyen, 47, of Garden Grove, and Nghiep Chinh Nguyen, 55, of Westminster, were arraigned Monday afternoon in United States District Court in Santa Ana.
Both defendants, who have been granted bond, are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud. Thao Nguyen additionally is charged with seven counts of bank fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft. Nghiep Nguyen is charged further with two counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
At their arraignments, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. A September 26 trial date was scheduled in this matter.
The schemers allegedly obtained a type of mortgage that allows homeowners to convert home equity into cash by borrowing against the value of the property.
According to an indictment returned on July 26, during a roughly four-month period in 2018, Thao Nguyen opened accounts in her name at two banks. The alleged purpose of these bank accounts was to collect the scheme’s ill-gotten gains.
Thao Nguyen then would visit the bank, accompanied Nghiep Nguyen and other co-schemers. Nghiep Nguyen and other co-schemers posed as the victim homeowners – whose identities they allegedly had stolen – and forged the victims’ signatures to fraudulently obtain cash-out mortgages on the victim-owned properties, which otherwise were unencumbered.
To pursue the fraud, Nghiep Nguyen allegedly used counterfeit California driver’s licenses and Social Security cards containing the victims’ names, and forged the victims’ signatures on documents, including bank and mortgage forms as well as grant deeds for the victims’ real estate properties. The victims’ names also were added to the Thao Nguyen-controlled bank accounts.
Thao Nguyen allegedly used her accounts to receive wire transfers totaling more than $2 million in fraudulently obtained cash-out mortgage proceeds. She allegedly would transfer the fraudulently obtained mortgage proceeds to other bank accounts she controlled and would make cash withdrawals totaling approximately $1 million. The remaining funds were distributed to the co-schemers.
In total, the defendants fraudulently obtained approximately $2,182,753 through the scheme, the indictment alleges.
For example, in July 2018, Thao Nguyen opened a bank account in her name. Later that month, Nghiep Nguyen and another co-schemer, accompanied by Thao Nguyen allegedly posed as two homeowners at the bank branch in Orange.
Two days later, Nghiep Nguyen allegedly forged the two victim homeowners’ signatures on a grant deed for properties in Garden Grove and Long Beach. Nghiep Nguyen and another co-schemer allegedly then used fake IDs in the victims’ names to add those names to Thao Nguyen’s bank account. While doing so Thao Nguyen told bank personnel that the victims were her parents, according to the indictment.
In August 2018, Thao Nguyen allegedly received a wire transfer of approximately $623,196 in fraudulent mortgage proceeds. She then transferred most of the ill-gotten funds to accounts she and another co-schemer controlled, according to the indictment.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted of all charges, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each conspiracy and fraud charge, and a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison for each aggravated identity theft charge.
The FBI, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter. The Long Beach Police Department, the California Attorney General’s Office, and investigators with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Charles E. Pell of the Santa Ana Branch Office and Special Assistant United States Attorney Gregory B. Wagner are prosecuting this case.
Operation Cross Country XIII Leads to Identification/Location of Adolescent VictimsRead the Press Release
Note: B-roll from Operation Cross Country XIII operations can be found/downloaded here: Operation Cross Country 2023 B-Roll
The FBI, working with its state and local partners, identified and located 200 victims of sex trafficking during a nationwide enforcement campaign called Operation Cross Country. The operation also led to identification or arrest of 126 suspects of child sexual exploitation and human trafficking offenses and 68 suspects of trafficking were identified or arrested.
Through targeted operations and collaborative efforts, Operation Cross Country achieved significant milestones in recovering victims, apprehending offenders, and raising public awareness about these heinous crimes. The FBI and its partners located 59 minor victims of child sex trafficking and child sexual exploitation offenses and located 59 actively missing children during its 2-week operation in July.
“Sex traffickers exploit and endanger some of the most vulnerable members of our society and cause their victims unimaginable harm,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This operation, which located 59 actively missing children, builds on the tremendous work the FBI has undertaken over many years to rescue minor victims and arrest those responsible for these unspeakable crimes. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners across the country to prevent human trafficking; increase detection, investigation, and prosecution of human trafficking crimes; and expand support and services to protect and empower survivors.”
The FBI-led nationwide initiative, in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), focused on identifying and locating victims of sex trafficking and investigating and arresting individuals and criminal enterprises involved in both child sex and human trafficking. Law enforcement agencies conducted targeted operations to identify and apprehend offenders, dismantling criminal networks, and preventing further harm to victims. Those suspects identified will be subject to additional investigation for potential charges.
“Human traffickers’ prey on the most vulnerable members of our society, and their crimes scar victims – many of them children – for life. The FBI's commitment to combatting this threat will never waver, and we will continue to send our message that these atrocities will not be tolerated,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “This operation would not be possible without the commitment and collaboration from our state and local law enforcement partners, and it demonstrates our continued focus on actively pursuing the criminals responsible for these heinous violations and connecting those impacted with dedicated victim services and resources.”
A multidisciplinary team (MDT), to include victim specialists, child/adolescent forensic interviewers, and other victim service personnel, in addition to special agents, ensures a victim-centered, culturally responsive, trauma-informed investigative response. The FBI MDT works with state and local partners to make resources available to meet the unique needs of trafficking victims.
Victim specialists provide services based on the individual needs of human trafficking victims, to include crisis intervention, emergency food and clothing, transportation to receive emergency services, and locating shelter or housing. The victim specialists also serve as conduit between the victims and the investigative team to help ensure they are receiving case updates, as appropriate.
“Behind every statistic, there is a person with dreams, aspirations, and the right to live a life free from child sex trafficking and exploitation. As a society we must work together to ensure the protection, support, and empowerment of those impacted by this heinous crime.” said NCMEC President & CEO Michelle DeLaune. “We applaud the FBI and their partner law enforcement agencies for their unwavering dedication to protecting children. Their tireless efforts in combatting crimes against children sends a powerful message that child sexual exploitation will not be tolerated.”
The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to combatting child exploitation and human trafficking. Operation Cross Country is just one facet of the Bureau's ongoing efforts to protect the most vulnerable members of society and hold offenders accountable. The FBI encourages continued vigilance, cooperation, and reporting from the public to help identify and recover victims and bring perpetrators to justice.
Resources:
- Victim Services Division
- Crimes Against Children
- National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
- NCMEC’s 24/7 call center number: 1-800-THE-LOST (843-5678)
Northern District of Indiana US Attorney’s Office to Participate in Community Events During National Night OutRead the Press Release
HAMMOND - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana will join community organizers, neighbors, and law enforcement partners to participate in National Night Out events on August 1, 2023. During this year’s National Night Out, United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson has directed staff to attend community events throughout the Northern District, which includes areas within Northwest Indiana, South Bend and Fort Wayne. Staff will be meeting law enforcement and first responders during this yearly event.
United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson said, “National Night Out activities are important steps in building bridges between law enforcement and the communities they serve. I encourage all District residents to participate in National Night Out activities in order to create law enforcement and community partnerships, which will, in turn, build safer neighborhoods and stronger communities.”
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the United States Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
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Northeast Philadelphia Pharmacies and Their Owners Agree to Pay over $3.5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act LiabilityRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Future Pharmacy, Inc. (“Future”) and JJ Pharmacy, Inc. (“JJ”), and their respective owners, Arthur Kilimnik, Alexander Ferman, Mikhail Ferman, Leonard Kilimnik, and Aleksey (Alex) Orlov, have agreed to pay over $3,500,000 to the federal government to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by billing Medicare for prescription medications that were not actually dispensed. During the period January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2016, these medications included but were not limited to Lidocaine, Lidoderm, Advair Diskus, Nexium, Creon, and Abilify. Future Pharmacy and JJ Pharmacy have also agreed to a five-year federal healthcare exclusion, which will prohibit them from receiving payments from any federally funded health care insurer such as Medicare during the that time. The pharmacies have also surrendered their DEA Certificates of Registration and ceased operations.
As a majority owner of Future Pharmacy and minority owner of JJ Pharmacy, and a pharmacist, the government also contends that Arthur Kilimnik violated the Controlled Substances Act by: (a) failing to maintain complete and accurate records; (b) failing to separate Future Pharmacy’s Schedule II biennial inventory from its Schedule III-V biennial inventory; (c) failing to take appropriate inventory within a two-year period following Future Pharmacy’s last inventory; (d) receiving Schedule II supply from another company, Future Medical, and filling prescriptions generated by Future Medical without proper documentation; and (e) improperly allowing another individual to use Kilimnik’s Controlled Substance Ordering System username and password to order Schedule II controlled substances.
“Pharmacies and pharmacists have a responsibility to serve as gatekeepers of a closed system of prescription drug distribution. That responsibility was allegedly abused for profit here,” said U.S. Attorney Romero.
“Pharmacies are integral partners in patient care, and they are expected to act with integrity,” said Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Philadelphia Regional Office of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. “We take allegations of pharmacy fraud seriously, and today’s settlement reflects our commitment to working with our partners to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent in an appropriate manner – on needed medications, not wasted on fraud and abuse.”
“Pharmacies are entrusted with the proper dispensing and safeguarding of controlled substances in their possession,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “The Controlled Substances Act mandates that pharmacists maintain accurate records and inventories to account for these drugs.”
The settled civil claims are allegations only. There has been no determination of civil liability.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General and the Drug Enforcement Agency. It was handled by Civil Chief Gregory B. David, Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah W. Frey, and Auditor George Niedzwicki.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EDWARD WALKER, 50, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for producing child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June and July 2019, Walker made two cell phone videos of himself engaging in sexual activity with a 16-year-old girl who was a runaway from foster care and dependent on Walker for housing, food, and other necessities.
On April 12, 2023, Walker pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.
Judge Shea ordered that the 10-year sentence will run concurrently with a 25-year federal sentence that Walker is currently serving after being convicted of sex trafficking This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angel M. Krull and Shan Patel.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Multimillion Dollar Fraudster Returned to Prison for Structuring Transactions While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Wake Forest man was sentenced to 36 months in prison for violating the terms of his supervised release and structuring transactions to avoid reporting requirements. Ricky Lamont Congleton, age 53, pled guilty to the charge on November 9, 2022.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Congleton was previously sentenced to 66 months in prison in October of 2014, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for orchestrating a multi-million-dollar mortgage fraud upon various banks. In that scheme, Congleton and others used “straw buyers” to purchase properties that he and others had developed. Congleton then, with the assistance of a conspiring attorney, sold the properties at a discount by concealing from banks that he had supplied the downpayments on the sales.
After being released from prison, but while on federal supervision, an investigation was opened into Congleton’s movement of large amounts of cash into bank accounts that were then used to purchase new properties. The investigation ultimately uncovered that, to evade reporting requirements, Congleton broke approximately $100,000 in cash into small amounts and deposited it into different banks in different cities. This act of breaking up cash transactions to avoid bank reporting requirements is a federal criminal offense and is commonly known as “structuring.” Not only did Congleton commit structuring, but he also did so while under federal supervision.
At sentencing, the Court sentenced Congleton to the top of the guideline range – 24 months in prison, followed by an additional consecutive year for committing the offense while on supervised release. Congleton was also sentenced to an additional three years of supervised release.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge James C. Dever, III. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Gilmore prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:12-CR-1-1D and 7:22-cr-00108-D.
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Monroe, N.C. Woman Is Charged with Embezzling More Than $2.3 Million from Her EmployerRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal indictment was unsealed in federal court today, charging Kristy Lawrence, 44, of Monroe, N.C., with wire fraud, for allegedly embezzling more than $2.3 million from her employer, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to allegations in the indictment, from 2016 to April 2022, Lawrence was employed by a small family business located in Monroe. Over the course of her employment, Lawrence allegedly worked in a purchasing and accounting function for the business and handled the company’s books and records. The indictment alleges that Lawrence embezzled millions from the company by making multiple unauthorized electronic transfers from the company’s bank account to make payments for her personal benefit, including to pay her credit cards. Lawrence allegedly covered up the fraud by using her position and access to falsify documents and make fraudulent accounting entries in the company’s books and records. Lawrence’s alleged embezzlement scheme was uncovered after the defendant was on extended leave and another employee took over her responsibilities.
Lawrence was released on bond after her initial appearance. The wire fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI in Charlotte and the Union County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Ryan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
Missouri Nurse Sentenced for Taking Leftover Fentanyl from HospitalRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Tuesday sentenced a registered nurse who stole fentanyl from the hospital where she worked to three years of probation, 200 hours of public service work and a $5,000 fine.
Judge Limbaugh also ordered Lindsey M. Francis, 35, to undergo drug treatment. She will be subject to random drug screenings.
Francis was formerly a nurse at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. On Jan. 15, 2022, a colleague discovered a used syringe in a locker room in the hospital’s emergency department. A subsequent investigation revealed that a vial of fentanyl had been tampered with. Confronted by hospital staff, Francis said that since June or July of 2021, she had taken and injected leftover fentanyl due to work and personal stress, her plea agreement says. The total amount of fentanyl diverted was determined to be less than 4 grams.
Francis pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau in May to one count of unlawfully acquiring a controlled substance.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis is prosecuting the case.
Mission Man Sentenced for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault With a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on July 31, 2023.
Cordero Morris, a/k/a Cordero McIntire, age 36, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Morris was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. He pleaded guilty on May 10, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred near Mission, on September 15, 2022. On that date, Morris was riding in a vehicle driven by the victim, Morris’s spouse and intimate partner. Morris and the victim subsequently got into an argument and Morris produced a knife, which he used to cut the victim on her arm. The victim stopped the vehicle and Morris got out, at which point the victim drove away. The victim then drove into Mission and went to the residence of a family member, who called 911. In April of 2023, while the case was pending trial, Morris called the victim from jail and attempted to persuade her to change her description of the incident and to say she did not remember what happened.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
Morris was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Michigan Man and Woman Plead Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Darrell Lamar Holcomb, also known as “Smiley,” 31, of Dearborn Heights, Michigan, and Nicole Christian Ball, 44, of Jackson, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the distribution of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Holcomb also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl,
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning approximately in or before 2019, Holcomb began supplying controlled substances including methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana to an individual living in the Oak Hill area of West Virginia. Holcomb or a courier would transport the controlled substances to the individual from the Detroit, Michigan area approximately once or twice per month. Holcomb usually provided the controlled substances on consignment, accepting payment after the individual sold them. Holcomb also provided cell phones to the individual that he was to use only to communicate with Holcomb.
In early December 2021, Holcomb negotiated with the individual to sell him approximately 5 pounds of methamphetamine and 3 kilograms of fentanyl along with approximately 2 kilograms of a cutting agent to mix with the fentanyl and increase the sellable amount. The individual was required to pay Holcomb $60,000 from a prior shipment as part of this drug deal.
Ball admitted that she was the courier for this transaction, delivering what she now knows was methamphetamine, fentanyl and the cutting agent to the individual in the Pea Ridge Road area of Oak Hill on December 12, 2021. Ball further admitted to taking what she believed to be $60,000 packaged in vacuum-sealed plastic from the individual. Law enforcement officers stopped Ball’s vehicle following the transaction and seized the money.
Holcomb and Ball are scheduled to be sentenced on November 8, 2023, and each faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central West Virginia Task Force.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-216.
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Merrillville Woman Sentenced to 84 MonthsRead the Press Release
HAMMOND-Stephanie Fazekas, 50, of Merrillville, Indiana was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to distribution of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Fazekas was sentenced to 84 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents filed in the case, on or about April 3, 2021, Fazekas distributed visual depictions of minors being utilized in sexually explicit conduct using a telecommunications application.
This case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Indiana State Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. McGrath.
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.
Merrillville Man Convicted of Crimes Against Children OffenseRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Tyrone Johnson, age 35, of Merrillville, Indiana, was found guilty following a 2-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Judge Philip P Simon, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
The jury found Johnson guilty of two (2) counts charged in the Second Superseding Indictment. Johnson was convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor for purpose of producing a visual depiction. He was also convicted of committing a felony offense involving a minor while being required by law to register as a sex offender.
Johnson will be scheduled for sentencing by separate order of the Court. Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the District Court Judge after consideration of federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Indiana State Police, the Lake County, Indiana Sheriff’s Department, the Peru, Illinois Police Department, the LaSalle County, Illinois Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois State Police Offender Registration Unit. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Morgan, Abizer Zanzi and Philip Benson as well as former Assistant United States Attorneys Molly Kelley and Jill Koster.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Memphis Man Sentenced to 31 Years in Federal Prison for Series of Armed Robberies of Mid-South HotelsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Today a federal judge sentenced the last of three men involved in a series of robberies of hotels in Memphis. Reginald Rose, 30, of Memphis was sentenced to 382 months in federal prison for his role in five hotel robberies in the Memphis area, said Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. U.S. District Court Judge Mark S. Norris also ordered Rose to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Judge Norris previously sentenced both of Rose’s co-defendants: Memphis resident Gregory Moore, 24, was sentenced on May 18, 2023, and resident Randy Jack, 27, was sentenced on March 1, 2023. Judge Norris sentenced both Moore and Jack to 168 months and one day in prison after they pled guilty to four of the same robbery charges. Judge Norris also ordered that both Moore and Jack serve three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force.
According to United States Attorney Ritz and the information presented in court, between August 5 and 7, 2021, Rose, Moore, and Jack robbed four Memphis hotels at gunpoint. On August 8, 2021, Rose and Moore also robbed a fifth hotel at gunpoint. On August 5, 2021, Randy Jack and Reginald Rose entered the Quality Suites, 2575 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Memphis, and Jack pointed a firearm at the employee, demanding money. Rose stood in front of the counter to distract the other victims and employees. After taking money from the cash registers, the pair fled to a waiting getaway car driven by Moore.
Although they changed roles in some of the subsequent robberies, the trio went on to conduct similar robberies of the following hotels:
- August 7, 2021: Quality Inn, 3105 Millbranch Road, Memphis, Tennessee.
- August 7, 2021: Quality Inn and Suites, 1335 McRee Street, Memphis, Tennessee.
- August 7, 2021: Extended Stay America Suites, 2520 Horizon Lake Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee.
- August 8, 2021: Microtel Inn and Suites, 2423 North Germantown Parkway, Memphis, Tennessee. (This robbery was committed by Rose and Moore alone.)
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Greg Wagner, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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Member of St. Louis Drug Ring Sentenced to 18 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White on Tuesday sentenced a member of a St. Louis drug conspiracy that killed two rivals to 18 years in prison.
Michael “Beezy” Johnson, 30, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in May to one count of conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He admitted discharging a firearm in furtherance of the drug conspiracy, and admitted that Kevin Davis Jr., 24, was shot on June 30, 2017 in the 1900 block of Belt Avenue in St. Louis.
A witness told investigators that Johnson fired 25 shots at Davis Jr. after chasing him down the street. One of the leaders of the drug conspiracy, Maurice Herbert Lee II, had placed a bounty of between $5,000 and $15,000 on any rival gang members or drug dealers. Earlier on the day of the murder, another member of the conspiracy, Delvin Bost, called Lee to confirm that a bounty for Davis was still being offered. Bost later claimed credit, received $10,000 from Lee and then paid Johnson, plea agreements by Lee and Bost say.
Lee pleaded guilty May 2 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He admitted being responsible for between 4 and 12 kilograms of fentanyl and between 500 grams and 1.5 kilos of methamphetamine. He also admitted that another fatal shooting occurred in furtherance of the drug conspiracy, that of Alexander Noodel on May 8, 2017.
"If ever there was an example of how drug trafficking and violence go hand in hand, this is it," said Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Davis, head of the Drug Enforcement Administration division that leads DEA investigations in Missouri and Kansas, as well as southern Illinois. "Not surprising that individuals who are willing to sell illicit drugs that could kill someone are willing to engage in other criminal activities that result in death. We must hold them responsible for their actions.”
Lee is scheduled to be sentenced September 7. Bost is scheduled to be sentenced August 29. Three other members of the conspiracy are also scheduled to be sentenced that week. In all, 17 defendants were charged and all pleaded guilty.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul D’Agrosa and Mohsen Pasha are prosecuting the case.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Illegal Controlled Substances as well as Possession with Intent to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on July 31, 2023, Glendon Parrish-Cambell, 23, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William K. Sessions III to a sentence of 42 months’ imprisonment and a 3-year term of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base and for possession with intent to distribute heroin.
According to court records, during the months of March and April of 2022, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of fentanyl and cocaine base at a residence in Washington, Vermont. Law enforcement identified Justin Llano, aka “TJ,” and Glendon Parrish-Cambell, aka “B,” as drug traffickers distributing fentanyl and cocaine base from the residence. A Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives obtained a search warrant for the residence, which was executed on May 13, 2022. During the search, law enforcement seized 14 firearms, approximately 28 grams of cocaine base, and approximately 400 bags of fentanyl.
Previously, as courts records show, on May 22, 2021, law enforcement found Parrish-Cambell in an apartment in Barre, Vermont, with approximately 10,300 bags of heroin nearby and $2,428 in United States currency on his person.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Vermont Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Air and Marine, Homeland Security Investigations, Vermont State Police, Montpelier Police Department, Barre City Police Department, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office also provided valuable assistance.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Gilman. Parrish-Cambell was represented by Robert L. Sussman, 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.
Manatee County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing Loaded Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Shaborn Washington (29, Palmetto) to eight years and four months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The court also ordered Washington to forfeit the firearm and ammunition possessed during the offense. Washington had been found guilty following a bench trial on February 23, 2023.
According to court records, shortly after 2:00 A.M. on January 16, 2021, a deputy from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a car near the Miromar Outlets in Estero. When the car stopped, the deputy approached and observed Washington, who was the backseat passenger, trying to shove something underneath his seat. During a later search of the vehicle, deputies found a black bag underneath the backseat concealing a loaded handgun. Subsequent DNA analysis revealed that Washington’s DNA profile matched DNA extracted from the firearm. As a convicted felon who had only recently been released from prison for selling cocaine, Washington is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
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.
Maine Woman Sentenced to 42 Months for Possession of Drugs with the Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Arica Marie Downs, 36, of Rumford, Maine, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, by Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to 42 months’ imprisonment for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. After her release from prison, Downs will begin a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Downs pleaded guilty to her offense on March 7, 2023.
On March 9, 2022, Downs and Judith Ann Deandrade were traveling east on Interstate 80 in a rental car when they were stopped by a Lancaster County Deputy Sheriff for following a semitruck at too close of a distance. During the traffic stop, a police canine was walked around the exterior of the car and alerted to the odor of drugs emanating from the vehicle. The deputy then searched the vehicle. In the area near where the two women had been seated, the deputy located syringes, small baggies, and about a half-ounce of fentanyl. When the deputy searched the trunk, he located approximately 18.5 pounds of methamphetamine. Both were arrested. Law enforcement learned that Deandrade arranged the trip from Boston to Las Vegas to pickup up the methamphetamine, and that Deandrade offered Downs a pound of methamphetamine to accompany her on the trip.
Deandrade died in custody on April 21, 2022, while this case was pending.
The investigation was conducted by the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office and the Seward County Sheriff’s Office.
Maine Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Northern New England Fentanyl Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Maine man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with a fentanyl trafficking operation that spanned across northern New England.
Douglas Morris, 33, of Bangor, Maine, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of p-Fluorofentanyl, a fentanyl analogue. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Nov. 14, 2023. Morris was indicted by a federal grand jury along with five co-defendants in March 2022.
According to court documents, in June 2021, Morris picked up nearly two kilograms of p-Fluorofentanyl intended for distribution in Maine, allegedly from co-defendant Ivan Rodriguez Osorio in a hotel parking lot in Amesbury. State law enforcement subsequently stopped Morris’ vehicle and seized the narcotics. In July 2021, Morris again picked up nearly two kilograms of fentanyl, allegedly from Rodriguez Osorio, in the same hotel parking lot in Amesbury. State law enforcement again stopped Morris’ vehicle and seized the narcotics.
Morris is the third defendant to plead guilty in the case.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of p-Fluorofentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the New Hampshire State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen W. Hassink and Lauren A. Graber of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lorain Man Sentenced to 15 years for Selling and Possessing FentanylRead the Press Release
AKRON – Gregory Ralston, 33, of Lorain, Ohio, was sentenced on Friday, July 28, 2023, to 15 years in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams, after a jury convicted him of distributing fentanyl and possessing additional fentanyl with the intent to distribute it. Ralston was ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release following imprisonment and pay a $200 special assessment.
According to court documents and court records, Ralston sold fentanyl on May 13, 2020. The next day, detectives from the Lorain and Elyria Police Departments, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents, arrested Ralston outside a restaurant in Lorain, Ohio. Ralston possessed additional fentanyl with the intent to distribute it.
The investigation was conducted by Lorain Police Department and the FBI as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), a joint law enforcement initiative that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids and to identify wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers in Lorain County. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Kolansky and Payum Doroodian.
Live Oak Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Possess and Transfer Unregistered Firearm SilencersRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Gregory Austin Eward (25, Live Oak) to two years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess and transfer unregistered firearm silencers. Eward had pleaded guilty on February 27, 2023.
According to the plea agreement, Eward and his father and co-defendant, Dustin Eward, operated Eward Research Inc., a company that marketed and sold firearm silencers (also known as suppressors) over the internet. In lightly coded language, their website, ewardresearch.com, advertised the sale of combinations of parts designed and intended for use in assembling firearm silencers – never using the term “silencer,” but referring to individual components as “toobz,” threaded “end caps,” “spacers,” and “spools.” Sales could be completed with either cash or cryptocurrency. The website included photographs of the items for sale, which were identifiable as components of firearms silencers.
In January and again in February 2022, an undercover ATF Special Agent ordered three silencers from the Ewards, paying for them with cryptocurrency. Surveillance video from a post office showed Gregory Eward mailing one of the parcels containing silencers that the agent eventually received.
The devices were examined by an ATF Firearms Enforcement Officer and firearms expert who concluded that the devices were consistent in design and construction with firearms silencers and he recognized the devices to be firearms silencers. These silencers were not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by federal law.
At the time of his arrest, on May 9, 2022, Gregory Eward had a Glock-type handgun on the back seat of the car. The pistol had no serial number and was loaded. Agents also located three rifle bump-stocks in the car’s open trunk. These devices also had no serial numbers.
On May 10, 2022, FBI and ATF Special Agents executed a search warrant at the Ewards’s home. They located approximately 105 firearms, over 12,000 rounds of ammunition, and 35 assembled firearms silencers. There was also a sufficient quantity of parts (including metallic tubes, baffles, and threaded endcaps), which were designed or redesigned, and intended for use in assembling or fabricating more than 300 additional firearm silencers.
Gregory Eward’s co-defendant, Dustin Eward, is scheduled for trial in October 2023. He has been charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute unregistered silencers, possession of unregistered silencers, transfer of unregistered silencers, and threatening to assault and murder a federal law enforcement officer. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office, the Live Oak Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake City Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kirwinn Mike, Michael J. Coolican, and Cherie Krigsman.
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.
Kanawha County Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tonja Oakes, 58, of Cross Lanes, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, admitting to defrauding the American Red Cross (ARC) while employed at its Cross Lanes office. Oakes agreed to pay of $21,943 in restitution as a consequence of her guilty plea.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the ARC hired Oakes in 2015 as a business operations specialist, and her duties included acting as the purchasing agent for the ARC Central Appalachian Region. On March 9, 2019, Oakes began working as the executive assistance to the chief executive officer of the ARC Central Appalachian Region. Among her duties in that position, Oakes reviewed monthly statements of credit cards issued by ARC to certain employees and approved the statements for payment. This position allowed Oakes to review and approve her own expenditures.
Oakes admitted to making multiple unauthorized purchases with ARC-provided credit cards from at least February 17, 2017 through at least October 5, 2020. Oakes further admitted that the unauthorized transactions included a $973.77 payment for servicing a 2011 Kia Sorento on June 8, 2020. Other unauthorized purchases by Oakes included buying items while on vacation in South Carolina, groceries, and personal items purchased on Amazon. Oakes admitted that she used her employment position to review and approve her credit card statements, even though she knew many of the payments were unauthorized.
Oakes is scheduled to be sentenced on December 7, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 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 U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Blackwell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-67.
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Kanawha County Woman Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Imeesha Bradley, 27, of South Charleston, pleaded guilty today to receipt of stolen money. Bradley admitted to a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of $18,703 in COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 21, 2021, Bradley applied for a PPP loan for her purported business, “Imeesha Bradley.” Bradley admitted that “Imeesha Bradley” was never engaged in legitimate business activity and was not a registered business entity at the time she applied for the loan. Bradley further admitted that she falsely represented that her fictitious business received $89,772 in gross income during 2020.
The CARES Act, enacted in March 2020, offered emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This assistance included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program. Businesses applying for PPP loans had to certify that the business was in operation on February 15, 2020, and were required to provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020.
A California lender approved Bradley’s fraudulent PPP loan application for $18,703, and transferred the funds to Bradley’s personal bank account on May 10, 2021. Bradley admitted that she withdrew $5,000 of the stolen funds that day and an additional $7,000 on May 14, 2021, each time from a bank branch in Nitro, West Virginia.
Bradley is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,00 fine. Bradley also owes $18,703 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Blackwell is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-112.
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Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jonathan Kennedy, 42, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 30, 2022, law enforcement officers responded to a report of shots fired on Leon Sullivan Way in Charleston. Officers found a bullet hole at the entrance of Jet Life Apparel and obtained a search warrant for the store’s video surveillance system. The video surveillance footage showed two firearms inside the store, a Dickinson model XXPA 12-gauge shotgun and a Smith & Wesson model M&P 15 5.56-caliber rifle. The video surveillance footage also showed Kennedy running across the store while holding the shotgun following an altercation outside.
Officers recovered both firearms from a vehicle in an alley near Jet Life Apparel. Each firearm was loaded with a high-capacity drum magazine.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Kennedy knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony convictions for interstate travel in aid of drug trafficking and use of a communication facility in furtherance of an unlawful act in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on December 3, 2014.
The video surveillance footage also showed Jamon L. Woodson, 40, of Dunbar, firing a pistol in the direction of Jet Life Apparel during the altercation outside the store and Kevin Gerard Denson, 36, of Charleston, carrying both firearms inside the store afterward. Woodson was sentenced to five years in prison on July 20, 2023, after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition. Denson pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on October 12, 2022, and is awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-145.
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Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – George Michael Thayer, 52, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to four years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of oxycodone.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 24, 2022, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Thayer. The officer searched the vehicle and found approximately 12 oxycodone pills, multiple empty sandwich bags and a set of digital scales. Thayer admitted that he possessed the oxycodone found during the vehicle search and further admitted that he intended to distribute it. The Court also found that Thayer possessed and intended to distribute approximately 48 grams of methamphetamine, 1.8 grams of fentanyl, and 45 clonazepam pills.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the assistance provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Mid-Atlantic Laboratory.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-70.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Shawn Michael Patton, 47, of Dunbar, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 13, 2022, Patton sold 2 ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on the front porch of his Park Drive residence in Dunbar in exchange for $700.
On February 9, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Patton’s residence and seized approximately 2 pounds of methamphetamine from a bedroom chair and a total of $14,572.
Law enforcement officers executed another search warrant at Patton’s residence on September 20, 2022, and seized approximately 287 grams of methamphetamine, two firearms and $554.
On October 5, 2022, Patton was arrested by law enforcement officers and consented to a search of his residence. Officers seized approximately 25 grams of heroin, 379 grams of marijuana and $2,315.
Patton is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-212.
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Kahliq Richardson Sentenced for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Kahliq Richardson, 20, formerly of Rutland County, was sentenced yesterday in the United States District Court in Burlington to 30 months of imprisonment for possessing a firearm while being an unlawful user of controlled substances. United States District Judge William K. Sessions III also ordered that Richardson serve three years of supervised release following his period of incarceration.
According to court documents, on April 3, 2021, Richardson was at the Quality Inn in Rutland when he shot 19-year-old Jonah Pandiani in the head. Jonah died instantly. The investigation of the homicide revealed that Richardson had a history of drug use and had been using crack cocaine in the hours before the shooting. The homicide and the investigation that followed resulted in the instant federal firearm charge, as well as state charges for voluntary manslaughter. The state charges are still pending.
In imposing the 30-month sentence, Judge Sessions varied upward from the otherwise applicable advisory Federal Sentencing Guidelines in part to recognize the recklessness which led to death of Jonah Pandiani.
This case was investigated by the Vermont State Police, the Rutland Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy L. Fuller represented the government. Mark A. Kaplan, Esq. represented Richardson.
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.
Illinois Man Sentenced to 72 Months for Possessing Methamphetamine for DistributionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Leroy D. Hampton, 32, Champaign, Illinois was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 72 months for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Hampton pleaded guilty to this charge on May 9, 2023.
On November 12, 2020, a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper stopped a car on Interstate 90/94 in Juneau County, Wisconsin for illegally tinted windows and an obstructed Illinois temporary license plate.
During the interview with the driver, later identified as Hampton, the trooper smelled the odor of marijuana coming from inside the car. When asked, Hampton admitted to possessing a personal use amount of marijuana in his backpack. The trooper searched Hampton’s car and found a cell phone, as well as seven individually packaged bags of methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration Laboratory tested the methamphetamine and determined it weighed 418 grams and was 99% pure.
Agents from the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation searched Hampton’s cell phone pursuant to a search warrant and found text messages consistent with drug distribution.
The charge against Hampton was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin State Patrol, Juneau County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted this case.
Illegal Possession of Drugs and Firearm Results in Hefty Sentence for Shreveport ManRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencing of Odis Freeman, 36, of Shreveport today. United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote sentenced Freeman to 102 months (8 years, 6 months) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for illegal possession of drugs and a firearm. Freeman pleaded guilty on March 15, 2023 to one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to information introduced in court, officers with the Shreveport Police Department found Freeman in his vehicle in possession of a cigar with suspected marijuana on the center console of his vehicle, as well as a loaded Glock magazine inside the center console, a Glock, Model 30, .45 caliber pistol with an extended magazine under the driver’s side floor mat, a bag on the passenger seat which contained several suspected bags of marijuana, and another bag with packaging materials, a loaded extended magazine, and a sandwich bag full of suspected marijuana. Officers also found over $3,900 in cash in Freeman’s vehicle.
After being advised of his Miranda rights, Freeman spoke with the officers and admitted that he had additional marijuana inside his residence and a search was conducted. Officers recovered approximately 365 grams of suspected marijuana, approximately 28.6 grams of suspected methamphetamine, and two dosage units of alprazolam. In addition, Freeman had packaging materials used for distributing narcotics, five .45 caliber shell casings, and a digital scale with marijuana residue on it.
The seized narcotics were sent to the North Louisiana Crime Lab for testing and the suspected marijuana was confirmed. The suspected methamphetamine was determined to be substituted cathinone, a Schedule I controlled substance. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) examined the firearm and determined it was a functioning firearm.
The case was investigated by the ATF and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan.
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Hammond Man Sentenced to 41 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Brian Long, 32 years old, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge James T. Moody after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Long was sentenced to 41 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on January 30, 2020, Brian Long possessed a semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine in a parking lot of a business in Hammond, Indiana. Long’s criminal history revealed he has a prior felony conviction for continuing criminal financial enterprise, and as such is prohibited from possessing the firearm in this case. At the time of his current offense, Long was on probation from his prior felony conviction.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force and the Hammond Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth.
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.
Fugitive charged in scheme that misdirected millions in charitable donations intended for Christian outreach in ChinaRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: A former Dublin, Ga., resident is being sought internationally on multiple federal charges alleging he orchestrated a scheme that misdirected more than $30 million donated for Christian ministry in China.
Jason Gerald Shenk, 45, is charged in a newly unsealed federal indictment with four counts of Wire Fraud; three counts of International Concealment Money Laundering; 13 counts of Concealment Money Laundering; 21 counts of Money Laundering Involving Transactions Greater than $10,000; and one count of Failure to File Report of Foreign Bank Account, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Conviction on the charges would subject Shenk to statutory penalties of up to 20 years in prison, forfeiture of any property involved in or traceable to the offenses, substantial financial penalties, and a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison sentence.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Warrants have been issued for Shenk’s arrest. He is considered innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
“When people of faith donate money for evangelistic purposes, they reasonably expect those who solicit their donations to act as faithful stewards of those funds,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This case alleges an egregious breach of that trust at the expense of multiple charities and individual donors.”
As spelled out in the indictment, Shenk is alleged to have planned and executed a scheme in which he obtained more than $30 million from faith-based charities and individual donors, primarily from religious communities in Ohio and North Carolina, based on his promises that he would use the funds for producing and distributing Bibles and Christian literature in the People’s Republic of China.
Instead, the indictment alleges Shenk converted a significant amount of the funds to his own use, including:
- Payments of approximately $1 million to an online sports gambling website;
- Purchases of equity shares of approximately $850,000 in a privately held nuclear energy company;
- Approximately $4 million in purchases of at least 16 life insurance policies in various people’s names;
- Purchases of diamonds, gold, and precious metals in amounts totaling approximately $1 million;
- Purchases of domestic and foreign stocks totaling more than $188,000;
- Payments of approximately $7 million to the company running Shenk’s family farm;
- Purchases on at least 10 personal credit cards totaling more than $820,000; and,
- Purchases of $320,000 in real estate in the “Galt’s Gulch” development in Santiago, Chile.
The indictment alleges Shenk obtained approximately $22 million from one charitable organization and its donors, and approximately $10 million from another charity and its donors, along with other donations from individuals. The funds were directed to a variety of shell corporations as a result of Shenk’s claims to those religious communities that he was a missionary dedicated to various Christian mission projects around the world and would use the funding to produce and distribute Bibles and Christian literature in China.
Companies that served as conduits for these donations included Morning Star Ministries, with a bank account in Dublin, Ga.; Connect Connect Asia BV, with multiple bank accounts in Singapore; CLF Asia Limited, owner of a bank account in Hong Kong; Autumnvale Group Limited, owner of multiple bank accounts in Singapore; BCB International LLC, an entity registered in Georgia with bank accounts in the United States; Heartland Plantations LLC, an entity registered in Georgia with bank accounts in the United States; Global Paradigm LTD, an entity associated with bank accounts in the United States; and Shenkland LLC, an entity registered in North Carolina and owner of bank accounts in the United States.
The indictment alleges Shenk perpetrated the scheme from as early as April 2010 until July 2019, and that Shenk renounced his U.S. citizenship in 2016 to avoid financial reporting requirements under federal law.
If you believe you sent money directly or indirectly to Jason Gerald Shenk or one of the entities listed in the indictment for charitable purposes, please contact federal authorities at 478-752-6810. In addition, if you have information regarding the whereabouts of Jason Gerald Shenk, please contact federal authorities at this same number.
The case is being investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, and prosecuted for the United States of America by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew A. Josephson.
us_dis_gasd_3_22cr19_indictment_as_to_jason_gerald_shenk.pdfFugitive charged in scheme that misdirected millions in charitable donations intended for Christian outreach in ChinaRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: A former Dublin, Ga., resident is being sought internationally on multiple federal charges alleging he orchestrated a scheme that misdirected more than $30 million donated for Christian ministry in China.
Jason Gerald Shenk, 45, is charged in a newly unsealed federal indictment with four counts of Wire Fraud; three counts of International Concealment Money Laundering; 13 counts of Concealment Money Laundering; 21 counts of Money Laundering Involving Transactions Greater than $10,000; and one count of Failure to File Report of Foreign Bank Account, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Conviction on the charges would subject Shenk to statutory penalties of up to 20 years in prison, forfeiture of any property involved in or traceable to the offenses, substantial financial penalties, and a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison sentence.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Warrants have been issued for Shenk’s arrest. He is considered innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
“When people of faith donate money for evangelistic purposes, they reasonably expect those who solicit their donations to act as faithful stewards of those funds,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This case alleges an egregious breach of that trust at the expense of multiple charities and individual donors.”
As spelled out in the indictment, Shenk is alleged to have planned and executed a scheme in which he obtained more than $30 million from faith-based charities and individual donors, primarily from religious communities in Ohio and North Carolina, based on his promises that he would use the funds for producing and distributing Bibles and Christian literature in the People’s Republic of China.
Instead, the indictment alleges Shenk converted a significant amount of the funds to his own use, including:
Payments of approximately $1 million to an online sports gambling website;
• Purchases of equity shares of approximately $850,000 in a privately held nuclear energy company;
• Approximately $4 million in purchases of at least 16 life insurance policies in various people’s names;
• Purchases of diamonds, gold, and precious metals in amounts totaling approximately $1 million;
• Purchases of domestic and foreign stocks totaling more than $188,000;
• Payments of approximately $7 million to the company running Shenk’s family farm;
• Purchases on at least 10 personal credit cards totaling more than $820,000; and,
• Purchases of $320,000 in real estate in the “Galt’s Gulch” development in Santiago, Chile.
The indictment alleges Shenk obtained approximately $22 million from one charitable organization and its donors, and approximately $10 million from another charity and its donors, along with other donations from individuals. The funds were directed to a variety of shell corporations as a result of Shenk’s claims to those religious communities that he was a missionary dedicated to various Christian mission projects around the world and would use the funding to produce and distribute Bibles and Christian literature in China.
Companies that served as conduits for these donations included Morning Star Ministries, with a bank account in Dublin, Ga.; Connect Connect Asia BV, with multiple bank accounts in Singapore; CLF Asia Limited, owner of a bank account in Hong Kong; Autumnvale Group Limited, owner of multiple bank accounts in Singapore; BCB International LLC, an entity registered in Georgia with bank accounts in the United States; Heartland Plantations LLC, an entity registered in Georgia with bank accounts in the United States; Global Paradigm LTD, an entity associated with bank accounts in the United States; and Shenkland LLC, an entity registered in North Carolina and owner of bank accounts in the United States.
The indictment alleges Shenk perpetrated the scheme from as early as April 2010 until July 2019, and that Shenk renounced his U.S. citizenship in 2016 to avoid financial reporting requirements under federal law.
If you believe you sent money directly or indirectly to Jason Gerald Shenk or one of the entities listed in the indictment for charitable purposes, please contact federal authorities at 478-752-6810. In addition, if you have information regarding the whereabouts of Jason Gerald Shenk, please contact federal authorities at this same number.
The case is being investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, and prosecuted for the United States of America by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew A. Josephson.
Forney resident sentenced for trafficking “ice” for Michoacan CartelRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 40-year-old Texan has been sentenced for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute approximately 19 kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Ernesto Diaz-Velazquez pleaded guilty Dec. 6, 2022.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has now ordered Diaz-Velazquez to serve 84 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that he trafficked meth “ice” in the city of Laredo. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the high-purity of meth and that it belonged to Michoacan Cartel. Judge Marmolejo admonished the defendant for seeking to distribute such a dangerous and disfiguring drug.
On Sept. 5, 2017, authorities launched an investigation into suspected drug trafficking across the local port of entry. It led to Diaz-Velazquez as the individual who took possession of approximately 18.58 kilograms of pure meth at a local store parking lot. He received the high-purity meth in liquid form.
The investigation revealed the Michoacan Cartel was the ultimate source of the drug supply.
Diaz-Velazquez was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with assistance from the Laredo Police Department as part of an 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, mutlti-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
Former Principal of New Mission School Charged with Misusing Nearly $40,000 in School FundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former Head of School for New Mission School in Hyde Park, an autonomous pilot school within the Boston Public Schools system, has been charged with one count of wire fraud for allegedly engaging in a scheme to defraud Boston Public Schools of approximately $38,806 by misusing school funds for her own personal use.
Naia Wilson, 60, of Mattapan, was charged by an Information with one count of wire fraud. Wilson, who has agreed to plead guilty and pay restitution, will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, Wilson was employed as Head of School for New Mission School from 2006 until about June of 2019. Pilot schools like New Mission are granted maximum autonomy over their budget and spending. New Mission School receives a lump sum per pupil budget from Boston Public Schools and school administrators decide how to spend that money based on the needs of the school.
Pilot school budgets are managed by an external fiscal agent that contracts with Boston Public Schools. The school funds managed by the external fiscal agent were held in a bank account. In order to spend school funds managed by the external fiscal agent, Wilson, in her role as headmaster of New Mission School, would be required to make a formal check request to the external fiscal agent for a check to be issued from the bank account holding the school’s funds.
Beginning in or about September of 2016 and continuing until at least May of 2019, Wilson allegedly requested checks from the external fiscal agent school account to be issued in the name of other individuals, fraudulently endorsed those checks to herself and then deposited them into her own bank account without the nominee ever knowing or authorizing her to do so.
Additionally, Wilson allegedly requested checks from the external fiscal agent that were used to pay for two all-inclusive personal vacations to Barbados for Wilson and her friends in 2016 and 2018. For both the 2016 and 2018 Barbados trips, Wilson requested that the external fiscal agent issue checks payable to other people who went on the trips and then converted that money to pay for the all-inclusive hotel and airfare. Wilson also fraudulently endorsed the checks used to pay for the 2018 trip.
“Protecting children is one of the very top priorities of this Office and threats come in all forms. Here, Ms. Wilson is accused of diverting school funds for her personal benefit. We will not allow this type of gross abuse of authority and responsibility fly under the radar. Individuals who take advantage of public trust to line their pockets will be investigated and held accountable,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.
“Instead of working honestly on behalf of her students, Naia Wilson is accused of abusing her authority and using the school’s budget as her own personal slush fund to embezzle tens of thousands of dollars to fund two all-inclusive vacations to Barbados for herself and her friends,” said Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Today’s charges should serve as a reminder to municipal workers everywhere that there are serious consequences for such shameful conduct, and it is the taxpayers they serve and answer to at the end of the day.”
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, FBI Acting SAC DiMenna and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. The Boston Public Schools were cooperative in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eugenia M. Carris and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former President of Waterbury Credit Union Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Embezzling $254KRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TARA KEWALIS, 51, of Beacon Falls, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 21 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for embezzling from a Waterbury credit union where she was employed.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kewalis was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Skyline Financial Federal Credit Union located in Waterbury. From approximately September 2016 until her employment was terminated in March 2021, Kewalis used her position to access the credit union’s accounting system to create fraudulent accounts, make fraudulent entries, and steal $254,532 in credit union funds.
Kewalis has paid restitution of $254,532, but may be required to pay additional restitution to reimburse expenses incurred by the credit union during the investigation and prosecution of this criminal matter.
On December 7, 2022, Kewalis pleaded guilty to embezzlement by a credit union officer or employee. She has been detained since July 17, 2023, when her bond was revoked after she was found to have violated the conditions of her release.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.
Former Charlotte Housing Provider Is Sentenced to Prison for Medicaid Fraud and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced Delores Jordan, 54, of Charlestown, Indiana, to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for her role in a $15 million conspiracy to defraud the North Carolina Medicaid program (Medicaid), announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Judge Bell also ordered Jordan to pay $5,879,340 in restitution.
Joining U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement are Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI), and Attorney General Josh Stein, who oversees the North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division (MID).
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, Jordan was the owner of Legacy Housing, which provided subsidized housing to tenants in Charlotte and Greensboro. Jordan’s co-conspirator, Donald Booker, owned and operated United Diagnostic Laboratories (UDL), a urine toxicology testing laboratory, and United Youth Care Services (UYCS), a company that provided mental health and substance abuse treatment services. Court documents show that from January 2018 to December 2020, Jordan conspired with Booker and others to defraud Medicaid via a fraudulent drug testing scheme of urine samples of Medicaid-eligible beneficiaries.
As Jordan previously admitted in court, she along with other co-conspirators recruited housing-vulnerable individuals and other Medicaid-eligible beneficiaries for housing and other programs and services. Once enrolled, the beneficiaries were required to submit urine specimens for drug testing as a condition of their participation in the program. The specimens were provided to UDL and UYCS for medically unnecessary urine drug testing. Booker and his co-conspirators paid Jordan a kickback from the Medicaid reimbursements on the drug testing. Jordan also conspired with Booker to execute a conspiracy to launder the fraudulent proceeds in order to conceal and disguise the nature and source of the illegal kickback payments for the illicit drug testing referrals.
On December 9, 2022, Jordan pleaded guilty to health care fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In January 2023, Booker was convicted at trial of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, multiple violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, money laundering conspiracy, and money laundering. Booker is awaiting sentencing.
The FBI, IRS-CI, and NC Medicaid Investigations Division investigated the case.
The prosecution for the government is handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Graham Billings and Mike Savage of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.