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28 July 2023
United States Obtains Consent Decree Against Manhattan Wholesale Food Distributor for Storing over 40,000 Pounds of Meat and Poultry in Rodent-Infested WarehouseRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Paul Kiecker, the Administrator of the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA-FSIS”), announced that the United States has sued wholesale meat and poultry distributer YA FENG TRADING, INC., its owner and president LINMIN YANG, and its warehouse manager KONG PING NI (collectively, the “Defendants”) for storing more than 40,000 pounds of meat and poultry products in a rodent-infested warehouse and for other conduct violating the Federal Meat Inspection Act (“FMIA”) and the Poultry Products Inspection Act (“PPIA”). The U.S. has simultaneously entered into a Consent Decree with the Defendants, approved by the District Court, which bars YA FENG and YANG from further work under the FMIA and PPIA for a period of three years, requires all the Defendants to comply with the FMIA and the PPIA in any covered work, and imposes significant civil penalties for any future violations. YA FENG ceased operating in December 2022 because of the risk of enforcement action relating to violations at issue in this case.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Federal law requires food distributers and retailers to ensure that their products are stored in sanitary, uncontaminated conditions. As this lawsuit illustrates, this Office has no tolerance for actors who ignore their legal obligations at the expense of public health.”
USDA-FSIS Administrator Paul Kiecker said: “Our inspection personnel and investigators are on the job daily, verifying that establishments are complying with food safety regulations. FSIS remains committed to public health and we will take swift action to protect American consumers.”
The FMIA and the PPIA protect public health by ensuring the nation’s commercial supply of meat and poultry is sanitary, safe, wholesome, and accurately labeled and packaged. These requirements allow consumers to have confidence in the safety of their meat and poultry products and permit public health officials to trace problems to their source.
According to the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court:
The Defendants violated the FMIA and the PPIA by storing their meat and poultry products in a warehouse that was overrun with rodents. In April 2022, USDA-FSIS investigators visited the YA FENG warehouse and observed multiple rodents scurrying into a walk-in cooler. One rodent ran out of the cooler and up the leg of a USDA-FSIS investigator. Chew marks were observed on meat and poultry products, and droppings were observed throughout the warehouse, including on the lids of products. Rodent nesting materials and a dead mouse were found in a walk-in freezer.
The Defendants also violated the FMIA and the PPIA repeatedly between December 2018 and April 2022 by offering for sale hundreds of pounds of misbranded meat and poultry products and by failing to maintain required records.
In the Consent Decree, the Defendants admit and accept responsibility for, among other things, the following:
- On several occasions between December 2018 and April 2022, Defendants sold, transported, and/or offered for sale and/or transportation misbranded meat, meat food products, poultry, and/or poultry products, and/or failed to maintain records regarding their business transactions. Specifically:
- On or about December 13, 2018, YA FENG sold 20 pounds of misbranded chicken gizzards.
- On or about January 28, 2020, YA FENG offered for sale and transportation 80 pounds of misbranded pork spare rib product and failed to maintain records that fully and correctly disclosed all business transactions involving meat in its business.
- On or about November 9, 2020, and on other dates, YA FENG offered for sale and transportation five pounds of misbranded chicken gizzards and 117 pounds of misbranded meat products (pork spareribs, pork fat, pork feet).
- On or about November 30, 2021, YA FENG offered for sale and transportation approximately 600 pounds of misbranded whole chickens, bone-in chicken thighs, chicken drumsticks, and chicken leg quarters.
- On or about April 14, 2022, USDA-FSIS investigators visited the YA FENG warehouse facility and observed 43,771.75 pounds of meat and poultry products being held in insanitary, rodent-infested conditions. Fresh and old rodent droppings were observed throughout the building, including in a walk-in freezer and walk-in cooler that held meat and poultry products. Droppings were observed on the lids of meat and poultry product boxes and beneath pallets holding the products. Some products had gnawing and chewing marks from rodents. Rodent nesting materials and a dead mouse were found in the walk-in freezer.
- Also, on or about April 14, 2022, YA FENG offered approximately 280 pounds of misbranded poultry products for sale.
In the Consent Decree, the Defendants expressly admit and accept responsibility for having “repeatedly violated the FMIA and PPIA.”
The Consent Decree bars YA FENG and YANG from engaging in activity subject to the FMIA or PPIA for three years. All Defendants must complete mandatory training and education in the FMIA and the PPIA before returning to this line of work while the Consent Decree remains in effect. They are also prohibited from storing meat and poultry products in unsanitary conditions, selling or transporting any uninspected meat and poultry products that are required to be inspected and passed by the USDA, selling any mislabeled meat and poultry products, failing to keep records regarding meat and poultry product business transactions, and engaging in any other conduct that would violate the FMIA or the PPIA. The Defendants are subject to additional sanctions, including civil monetary penalties and other relief, if they violate the provisions of the Consent Decree.
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Mr. Williams thanked the USDA-FSIS for its efforts on this matter.
This case is being handled by the Environmental Protection Unit of the Office’s Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Osmond is in charge of the case.
U.S. v. Ya Feng et al Complaint U.S. v. Ya Feng et al Consent Decree- On several occasions between December 2018 and April 2022, Defendants sold, transported, and/or offered for sale and/or transportation misbranded meat, meat food products, poultry, and/or poultry products, and/or failed to maintain records regarding their business transactions. Specifically:
United States Attorney’s Office to Participate in Community Events During National Night OutRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia 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 Chris Kavanaugh, along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys and staff from the Abingdon, Charlottesville, and Roanoke branches of the United States Attorney’s Office, will attend community events in areas throughout the Western District, including Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, and Roanoke.
“National Night Out brings communities together, shining a light on the strength of unity while fostering safety, trust, and harmony among citizens, state and local law enforcement, and government agencies,” United States Attorney Kavanaugh said today. “Each and every year, I look forward to spending quality time interacting with the colleagues and neighbors as we all forge an alliance in support of a safer Virginia.”
Established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice and administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization, 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 of people take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August, thus sending a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
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 much more.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref Hosts Federal & Tribal Regional Summit Focused on Tribal Treaty Rights, Environmental Justice, and Civil RightsRead the Press Release
From July 25-26, 2023, U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref–alongside co-hosts from the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), the Office of Environmental Justice, and the Office of Tribal Justice – hosted Tribes from across the Northwest Region of the United States at a joint federal and Tribal Summit in Spokane, Washington.
The Summit built on a November 2022 Tribal Listening Session in Washington, DC and a national Federal/Tribal Summit in Columbia, South Carolina in early 2023. The purpose of the submit was to focus on commitment to work with Tribal governments and other federal agencies to find “ways to address and incorporate Tribal concerns into the Department’s enforcement work.” This week’s meeting was the first of three Regional Summits planned for this calendar year.
At the meeting, U.S. Attorney Waldref welcomed representatives of Tribal Nations from Idaho, Washington, and Montana. At the outset of the Summit, U.S. Attorney Waldref acknowledged that the gathering was taking place on the ancestral lands of the Spokane Tribe. The meeting was held in the Spokane Public Library overlooking the Spokane Falls and artwork by Virgil “Smoker” Marchand, a member of the Lakes Band of the Colville Confederated Tribe, who passed away earlier this year. Monica Tonasket, a member of the Spokane Tribal Council gave a land acknowledgement and blessing to the group to kick off the Summit. Numerous Tribal leaders, including from each of the Tribes in the Eastern District of Washington, attended and actively participated in the Summit.
In remarks made during the summit, Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim for ENRD challenged the group to identify new ways to work together to address the substantial challenges that Tribes face in establishing and preserving sustainable homelands. AAG Kim noted the unique government-to-government relationship that the United States has with Tribes, and the Justice Department’s role in upholding and asserting federal reserved water rights claims and other tribal and treaty rights. He then linked Summit goals to three key Administration priorities: respecting Tribal sovereignty and self-governance, furthering environmental justice and combating the climate crisis.
In her remarks, U.S. Attorney Waldref noted the criminal prosecutions that her office has pursued in Indian Country and announced that the Justice Department has selected the Eastern District of Washington to house a federal prosecutor focused on addressing the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People for the Western Region of the United States. She also conveyed her commitment to environmental justice, reflected in her position as Chair of the Environmental Justice & Environmental Issues Subcommittee that advises Attorney General Merrick Garland. U.S. Attorney Waldref also emphasized that environmental protection is a critical component of public health and safety.
The Summit then included a number of short presentations followed by in-depth discussions around three issues: tribal water rights, challenges Tribes are facing with a rapidly changing climate, and treaty rights related to hunting and gathering of natural resources.
On July 26, 2023, the second day of the summit, Regional Administrator Casey Sixkiller for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 10 addressed the group. The Federal Bureau of Investigation then presented on the FBI’s work in Indian County, including emerging trends related to pollution crime, theft of natural resources, and illicit activity tied to extractive industries. Additional presentations provided information on federal grant opportunities, the National Ocean Justice Strategy and grant and investigatory resources at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“It was an honor for the Eastern District of Washington to host the Justice Department’s first regional summit focused on defending and strengthening Tribal homelands, climate adaptation, resilience and environmental justice,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref after the event. “It was humbling to gather together with several Tribal nations at the base of Spokane Falls, where Tribes from across the Columbia Plateau have historically gathered to fish for the Chinook Salmon that once spawned beneath these sacred waterfalls. The Justice Department and our District are fully committed to enforcing laws to achieve environmental justice, working together to combat the climate crisis, and protecting civil rights, all while continuing to recognize and respect Tribal sovereignty.”
U.S. Attorney Waldref leads the Environmental Justice & Environmental Issues Subcommittee for the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC). As the leader of the Environmental Justice Subcommittee, U.S. Attorney Waldref plays a key role in advising the AGAC on environmental matters of importance to the Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. U.S. Attorney Waldref has been serving in this role since September 2022.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Highlights Prosecutions This Week Removing from Our Communities Criminals Who Are Using GunsRead the Press Release
Baltimore and Greenbelt, Maryland – Seven defendants pleaded guilty or were sentenced this week in cases involving the illegal possession of firearms or ammunition. The charges included illegal possession of firearms or ammunition, possession of a firearm in a school zone, and drug distribution cases where firearms were seized.
Prosecutors are using all available resources and any legal means necessary to investigate and prosecute repeat violent offenders—specifically for any wrongdoing that meets office priorities, especially pandemic-related fraud, and utilizing a federal school zone statute that makes it a crime to possess a gun within 1000 feet of a school. As a result, homicides in Baltimore are down approximately 23% and nonfatal shootings are down approximately 6.5%; homicides and non-fatal shootings are also down in Prince George’s County.
The sentences and guilty pleas were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Acting Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
“Removing from our communities those violent individuals who use guns is one of the top priorities of my office,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron. “Working collaboratively with federal, state and local partners to implement innovative programs to reduce violent crime and using all the tools we have available, we are making progress in our fight to reduce homicides and non-fatal shootings across the state.”
“All throughout Maryland, there are criminals who are determined to carry and possess firearms, regardless of where they are or the threat it poses to the people around them,” said ATF Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby. “Some are sitting by elementary schools or standing on the corner dealing drugs with a gun right by their side. Others are convicted felons driving around with guns or keeping guns and drugs in their homes. That same level of determination they feel to do the wrong thing is matched only by the level of determination ATF and our law enforcement partners have every day to investigate and incarcerate them. The law-abiding citizens of Maryland deserve to feel safe in their communities and it is our mission to ensure we take offenders off the street who keep that from happening.”
At a press conference on August 24, 2022, U.S. Attorney Barron announced several new programs, including a new Violent and Organized Crime Section, expanded collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement, state funds supported the hiring of additional Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys, whose sole focus has been on violent crime, along with investigators, and other legal support personnel.
In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is continuing to sponsor and participate in reentry events for returning citizens, as well as call-ins for those at risk of re-offending, in order to connect them with services and assistance to assure their best chance for success. We are also engaging community members and youth through monthly community walks, school outreach, and gang and internet safety training.
Illegal Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition
Three defendants were sentenced for illegal possession of a firearm or ammunition and a fourth defendant pleaded guilty to that charge after law enforcement recovered loaded firearms from the defendants, including two privately made firearms, commonly known as “ghost guns,” and an AR-15 pistol.
U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Marcus Pitts, age 27, of Baltimore to 46 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of ammunition. Pitts was arrested after law enforcement saw him engage in suspected hand-to-hand drug transactions. Law enforcement recovered a 9mm ghost gun, loaded with seven rounds of ammunition and two orange prescription bottles, one containing 27 amphetamine pills and the other containing 13 alprazolam pills, as well as $426 in cash.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Darius Linwood Ashby, age 36 of Capitol Heights, Maryland, to two years of home detention with electronic monitoring, followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Ashby was also ordered to perform 50 hours of community service. Ashby was arrested after officers performed a traffic stop and recovered a .45-caliber pistol on the driver’s seat where Ashby had been seated before being removed from the vehicle. The gun was loaded with eight rounds of .45-caliber ammunition, including one round in the chamber. Officers recovered a .45-caliber magazine and additional ammunition from Ashby’s pants pockets. The firearm was found to have been stolen on July 4, 2020 from North Carolina.
U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Darrien Ledante Taylor, age 39, of Capitol Heights, to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Taylor was arrested after a search warrant executed at his home recovered a 9mm handgun loaded with 13 rounds of 9mm ammunition and approximately 24 rounds of ammunition loaded in an extended magazine; an AR-15 pistol with no serial number and with an extended magazine loaded with 39 rounds of 5.56xc45mm caliber ammunition; approximately 78 rounds of ammunition of various calibers; and two baggies with 50 pills inside, which laboratory analysis concluded contained fentanyl. Officers also recovered 13 plastic vials containing approximately 1.6 fluid ounces of phencyclidine, commonly known as PCP, from the driver-side door pocket of Taylor’s vehicle. Taylor admitted that he possessed the fentanyl and PCP with the intent to distribute the drugs and that he possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
Brandon Ford, age 33, of Baltimore, was pulled over by Baltimore County Police officers after he drove by them without headlights at 2:00 a.m. on April 3, 2021. After failing several field sobriety tests, Ford was arrested and his vehicle was searched. Officers recovered a .357 caliber ghost gun, loaded with 14 rounds of .357 caliber ammunition from the vehicle console. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for Ford on January 4, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.
All four defendants admitted that they knew they had been convicted of a felony and were prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Pitts was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Gordin; Ashby was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah B. Grossi; Taylor was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Kibbe and Ford is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia C. McLane
Possession of a Firearm in a School Zone
U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Gerald Dean, age 31, of Baltimore, to 30 months in federal prison, followed by six months of home detention as part of three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm in a school zone. As detailed in his plea agreement, law enforcement was called to Mosher and Ashburton Streets, where they found Dean sleeping in his car with the lights on and the motor running, within 1,000 feet of the Katherine Johnson Global Academy (formerly Calverton Elementary/Middle School). Dean eventually woke up and was secured by the officers. A subsequent search recovered a .380 caliber pistol loaded with eight rounds of ammunition from Dean’s vehicle and recovered eight small green containers of crack cocaine, four small black containers of heroin, 16 methamphetamine pills and a sublingual strip from Dean’s person. Dean admitted that he knew or had reasonable cause to believe that he was in a school zone at the time he possessed the firearm. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Tsuei.
Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
One defendant was sentenced for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and a second defendant pleaded guilty to that charge.
Kevin Corbett, age 32, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine. An officer observing a surveillance camera in the 600 block of Poplar Grove Street in Baltimore for suspected drug activity saw Corbett engage in several suspected hand-to-hand drug transactions. The full outline of a firearm was clearly visible in Corbett’s right jacket pocket. Officers arrived at that location, arrested Corbett and recovered a .9mm handgun loaded with eight rounds of ammunition, including one in the chamber, from Corbett’s jacket pocket. Officers also recovered from Corbett 144 gel capsules containing a mixture of heroin and Para-fluorobutyryl fentanyl and 43 flip-top jugs of cocaine. Corbett admitted to possessing the firearm, which he must forfeit as part of his plea agreement. U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby set Corbett’s sentencing for October 17, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. Corbett is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Keelan F. Diana and Assistant U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Fuchs.
Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Alonta Johnson, age 30 or Baltimore, to 138 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, specifically cocaine and buprenorphine. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle, but the driver, later identified as Johnson, fled, repeatedly opening the driver’s side door while the car was in motion. Johnson crashed into a parked vehicle and ran away, pursued by officers. As detailed in his plea agreement, Johnson dropped a handgun while running from the scene and was arrested a short time later. Officers recovered three clear baggies of a white rock-like substance on the ground next to Johnson, which were determined to be cocaine. Law enforcement also recovered seven pink containers of a white rock-like substance, 32 suboxone strips, and a digital scale, among other items. The firearm Johnson dropped was recovered and was determined to be a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with eight rounds of .22 caliber ammunition. Johnson knew that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to previous felony convictions. As part of his plea agreement, Johnson is required to forfeit the firearm and ammunition. In addition, Chief Judge Bredar ordered that Johnson serve his federal sentence concurrent to the 30 year state sentence he is currently serving. Johnson was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Tsuei.
These cases are 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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in these investigations and thanked the Assistant U.S. Attorneys and the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney who are prosecuting the cases.
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-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Two Members of Caribbean Arms Trafficking Ring Sentenced to More Than Four Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Tevin OBrian Oliver (30, Homestead) and Jameal Kaia Phillip (31, Trinidad and Tobago) each to four years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to smuggle goods from the United States. The defendants also agreed to forfeit various firearms, ammunition, and related items, which facilitated the offenses. Oliver and Phillip pleaded guilty on April 11, 2023.
According to their plea agreements and factual bases, Oliver and Phillip were part of a ring that unlawfully exported firearms, firearms components (including upper/lower receivers and gun parts kits), and related items from Florida to Trinidad and Tobago between 2019 and 2022. Oliver and Phillip are both nationals of Trinidad. The firearms, which included pistols and long rifles and related equipment, were concealed within boxing/fight equipment, speakers, and other household items to avoid detection by law enforcement and customs authorities. Conspirators also acquired firearms from different sellers through straw purchases, falsely representing the identities of the actual purchasers and recipients of the firearms, as well as their ultimate destination.
On or about April 7, 2021, Oliver shipped a package concealing and containing various firearms and related equipment, including a Taurus G2C 9mm pistol, a SAR Arms SAR-9 9mm pistol, a Taurus G3 9mm pistol, and a Ruger Security-9 9mm pistol, from Miami, Florida to Trinidad and Tobago. Authorities in Trinidad seized those firearms and other related items that had been concealed in the shipment at Piarco International Airport on or about April 22, 2021.
“Dismantling this illicit weapons trafficking network makes a significant impact toward lowering crime and gun violence in Trinidad and Tobago, and the Caribbean,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristopher Pagitt. “These sentences demonstrate the commitment of HSI, alongside our federal and Caribbean nation partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, to be steadfast in investigating and shutting down illegal firearms smuggling from the U.S.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), including HSI’s Attaché (Caribbean), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of National Security (Transnational Organized Crime Unit) and Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (Special Investigations Unit), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Risha Asokan and Cherie Krigsman.
This case is 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Texas Man Convicted of Conspiracy and Honest Services Fraud for Bribing Former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel GreenbergRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Michael C. Shirley (40, Austin, Texas) guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and four counts of honest services fraud. Shirley faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 31, 2023. Shirley was indicted on August 10, 2022.
According to the evidence presented at trial, in 2016 Shirley served as the campaign manager for former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg. In 2017, on his first day in public office, Greenberg caused the tax collector’s office to enter into a lucrative consulting contract with Shirley’s newly formed company, Praetorian Integrated Services LLC, which provided Shirley with $12,500 each month for the performance of “consulting services.” In fact, Shirley did little to no work for the tax collector’s office under the contract each month. Additionally, Shirley began submitting grossly inflated invoices to the tax collector’s office for printing services.
Trial evidence further demonstrated that on September 25, 2017, Shirley, through middleman Joseph Ellicott, gave Greenberg a $6,000 cash kickback and bribe. He paid this kickback and bribe in exchange for Greenberg’s award of the contract and so that Shirley could continue receiving monthly payments for his “consulting.” As a result of the kickback and bribe, Shirley was allowed to continue billing his monthly fee to the Seminole County Tax Collector’s office until September 2019. In total, Shirley defrauded Seminole County taxpayers out of more than $634,000.
In 2022, Ellicott was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment for his role in the bribery and kickback payment.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda S. Daniels and Chauncey A. Bratt.
Sutherland Woman Convicted for Trafficking in a Password or Other Similar InformationRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Lacie Brown, 21, of Sutherland, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, by Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for trafficking in a password or other similar information. Brown was sentenced to one year of probation. There is no parole in the federal system.
On July 21, 2021, UNL-PD received a complaint concerning student loan fraud. Victim 1 reported that he was contacted by a loan services company after a third loan attempt was denied. He was completely unaware of the first two loans which were already dispersed. Victim 1 was notified that in all three incidents he was marked down as the co-signer and the primary signer was Lacie Brown.
Through subsequent investigation it was determined that Brown used Victim 1’s Social Security Number and date of birth on the student loan applications listing Victim 1 as a co-signer and subsequently creating a login on his behalf and signing on his behalf as well. Victim 1 is a relative of Brown’s and there was no evidence Victim 1’s information was illegally acquired by Brown.
This case was investigated by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Police Department and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Assaulting Deputy U.S. Marshals, Selling MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Court Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Friday sentenced a man from St. Louis who injured two deputy U.S. marshals, one permanently, during his arrest to 27 years in prison.
Emilio Justin Sandoval, now 34, had been indicted on felony methamphetamine charges in 2021 and the U.S. Marshals were tasked with arresting him. On Nov. 10, 2021, they found him at his home. Sandoval and his significant other ran to a vehicle and tried to escape. He then rammed marshals’ vehicles multiple times. One deputy marshal suffered serious injuries to his left knee, left elbow and left hand. The other was struck by the open passenger door, knocked down and dragged by Sandoval’s vehicle. She suffered serious, permanent and life-threatening injuries to her head, neck and spine.
What began as a drug case “quickly transitioned into an attempted murder case as a result of Mr. Sandoval’s actions,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Rea said during Friday’s hearing, adding that “’attempted murder’ is not too strong a term.”
“But for the bravery, tenacity, and quick thinking” of the marshals, “there could have been very different, horrific outcomes for everyone involved,” Rea said.
Rea said the case was not about Sandoval. “It is about the courageous members of the United States Marshals Service who perform their jobs day-in and day-out with the utmost professionalism and commitment to serve with absolutely zero fanfare or need for recognition – all the while never knowing what threat awaits them at any given moment.”
Judge Schelp agreed, saying attacks on law enforcement “will not be something that will ever be taken lightly. They put their lives on the line for all of us.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating Sandoval’s drug sales in December 2019, learning that he was storing and selling methamphetamine out of his home in the 4400 block of Dewey Avenue in St. Louis. Sandoval sold two ounces of methamphetamine on Oct. 20, 2020 for $1,000, which led to a consensual search of his home and the discovery of a total of 545 more grams of methamphetamine, three guns and $11,234 in a safe.
Sandoval pleaded guilty in March to one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of assaulting an officer of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated this case.
St. Charles County Man Sentenced to 12 Years on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Friday sentenced a man from St. Charles County who possessed and shared child pornography over social media to 12 years in prison.
Judge Sippel also ordered James Schoggins, 42, to pay a total of $12,000 to four victims whose images he shared online.
Schoggins pleaded guilty in October to one felony count of possession of child pornography. He admitted possessing 421 videos and 148 images of child pornography. He had videos and images on his computer of a girl dating back to when she was 13 or 14. Schoggins told the minor what type of images and videos to send to him and engaged in sexual communications with her, his plea says.
Schoggins also sent child pornography via Kik Messenger and recommended a way to share child sexual abuse material. Claiming to be a 17-year-old male, Schoggins contacted a 16-year-old via WhatsApp and exchanged nude pictures with her.
After Schoggins accessed child pornography on his Snapchat account, the company reported him to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, triggering an investigation by law enforcement.
The case was investigated by the St. Charles County Cybercrime Task Force and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is handling 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Springfield Woman Convicted of CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
Springfield Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict on July 27, 2023, against Lerin E. Hughes, 25, of the 500 block of N. McClernand Avenue, Springfield, Illinois, for two counts of Cyberstalking. Sentencing for Hughes has been scheduled for November 30, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. at the U.S. Courthouse in Springfield, Illinois before U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless.
At the two-day trial, the government presented evidence to establish Hughes made repeated threatening Facebook posts directed towards an employee of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) who was assigned to investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect. Hughes also sent threatening text messages, e-mail messages, and sought out the personal Facebook page of a caseworker employed by an agency contracted to work with DCFS. The threats occurred over a four-month period during the summer of 2022. The communications, in addition to containing multiple types of threats, included threats to kill the two child protection workers.
Hughes remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service. At sentencing, Hughes faces statutory penalties of not more than 5 years imprisonment, not more than 3 years supervised release, not more than a $250,000 fine, $100 and restitution.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, with valuable assistance from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Seberger and Sierra Senor Moore represented the government at trial.
Shambaugh Man Sentenced for Drug Distribution OffensesRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – On Thursday, July 27, 2023, a Shambaugh man was sentenced to 60 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance following his plea of guilty.
According to public court documents, from June 2022 to July 2022, the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE) completed several controlled buys of methamphetamine with Michael Leo Pickens, 49. In August 2022, a search warrant was executed by DNE on Pickens’ residence in Shambaugh. Agents recovered approximately 26 grams of methamphetamine and a scale from the residence.
Pickens must serve a four-year term of supervised release following the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement investigated the case.
Rutland Bank Robber Sentenced to 67 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced today that James Thurston, aka “Thirsty,” 34, of Rutland, Vermont was sentenced today to serve 67 months of imprisonment after his conviction for bank robbery. Chief United States District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford also sentenced Thurston to serve three years of supervised release after his incarceration.
According to court records, on October 5, 2022, Rutland City Police Officers responded to an alarm activation at the TD Bank located at 89 Merchants Row in Rutland City, Vermont. Employees reported that a man wearing a surgical mask and hooded sweatshirt had walked through the main door, up to a teller window, and stated “Give me all your cash, I have a gun, give me all your cash.” The teller thereafter provided the man with $500 from the teller drawer, and the man left the bank. Officers obtained surveillance footage from the TD Bank as well as neighboring buildings, which resulted in the identification of Thurston as the bank robber.United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the coordinated investigatory efforts of the Rutland City Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The prosecutor was Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Ophardt. Thurston was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Mary Nerino.
Reseda Man Affiliated with Violent White Supremacist Group Charged in Federal Criminal Complaint with Drug and Ammunition OffensesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man associated with a racially motivated violent extremist group is expected to appear in federal court later today after being charged this morning in a criminal complaint with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of ammunition.
Ryan Scott Bradford, 34, of Reseda, was arrested at his residence Thursday and is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon at United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
As alleged in the complaint, between 2021 and January 2023, Bradford posted online messages and photographs documenting his use of a 3-D printer to manufacture firearms, as well as calling for the mass murder of Jews.
During a search of Bradford’s residence yesterday, agents and officers with the FBI, the DEA and the LAPD recovered 116 rounds of ammunition, which Bradford is prohibited from possessing due to a 2012 burglary conviction; firearms parts – including two 3D printed auto sears and five “switches,” both of which are used to convert semi-automatic firearms into fully-automatic firearms; two 3D printers, one of which had swastikas painted on it; various Nazi propaganda; and an apparent improvised explosive device (IED). Following the discovery of the apparent IED yesterday morning, law enforcement temporarily shut down streets in the vicinity of Bradford’s residence.
“As alleged, this convicted felon affiliated with a violent white supremacist group who espouses horrific acts of violence against Jews appears to be manufacturing firearms and possessing an improvised explosive device,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “The potential danger to the community cannot be overstated. We will continue to investigate this matter to ensure that this defendant is held accountable for his crimes, and to keep our community safe from acts of violence motivated by racist and hateful ideology.”
“The defendant is a self-described anti-Semite associated with a white supremacist group which espouses the hatred of Jews and other minorities,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Hateful rhetoric that crosses the line into violence will get the attention of law enforcement and those who engage in such extremism will be held accountable should they act upon their violent rhetoric.”
“Dangerous individuals that conspire to distribute synthetic drugs, such as methamphetamine, are driving addiction and death in our communities,” said DEA Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Bill Bodner. “The interagency collaboration with our local and federal partners was instrumental in preventing further violence and harm in our neighborhoods.”
“The LAPD values the ongoing partnership with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney in the pursuit of disrupting gun trafficking and the devastating impact these firearms have in our communities,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Michel R. Moore.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Bradford used an Amazon account with the username “Peck Erwood” with a woodpecker avatar. The woodpecker is a logo used by the San Fernando Valley Peckerwoods, a racially motivated violent extremist group based in Los Angeles County. The Peckerwoods originated in the California state prison system and its members have engaged in racially motivated violence, drug and illegal firearms trafficking, and fraud, according to the affidavit.
As alleged in the complaint, Bradford – using online usernames referencing the Peckerwoods – used messaging applications such as Telegram to post racist remarks against Jewish people, including calling for mass murder and genocide of Jews. Yesterday, law enforcement recovered from Bradford’s residence a calendar with a handwritten note stating: “New Year’s Resolution: Take over the world – save Aryan race *Bake every single Jew.*” Bradford also posted links and instruction manuals on Telegram concerning hand grenades, biological warfare, and the “Aryan Revolution,” and he offered to make firearms and firearm parts for others using 3-D printers, according to the complaint.
The affidavit further alleges that Bradford sent text messages in November 2022 to coordinate the distribution of methamphetamine and sent two photographs of methamphetamine to a buyer. The complaint alleges that he conspired with Kris Dean Drakakis, 42, another member of the Peckerwoods, who was indicted on June 30 on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl; possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes; and being a felon in possession of ammunition. Drakakis has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has an August 22 trial date scheduled. He is in federal custody.
A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted of the charges in the complaint, Bradford would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the drug conspiracy charge and up to 15 years in federal prison for the ammunition possession charge.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Reema El-Amamy of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Red River County Nurse Guilty of Stealing Fentanyl from Hospital EmployerRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – An Annona, Texas nurse has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Crystal McLin Lipe, 41, pleaded guilty on July 27, 2023, to obtaining a controlled substance by fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge Aileen Goldman Durrett.
According to court documents presented in court, Lipe worked as a registered nurse in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a hospital in the Eastern District of Texas. At various points during her time with the hospital, Lipe knowingly accessed and obtained fentanyl, a controlled substance under federal law, for personal use without the hospital’s authorization. In particular, Lipe acquired the fentanyl fraudulently, by removing the fentanyl from its original vials, replacing the fentanyl with a liquid containing sodium chloride, and failing to disclose her conduct to the hospital.
Lipe faces up to 4 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentences prescribed by Congress are provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
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Purcell Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Garret John David Woodle, 34, of Purcell, has pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On May 16, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a four-count Superseding Indictment against Woodle. Count 1 charged Woodle with distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury. Count 2 charged Woodle with possession of a firearm by a felon. Count 3 charged Woodle with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Count 4 charged Woodle with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. According to the Superseding Indictment, on or about September 30, 2022, Woodle distributed fentanyl to an individual, and Woodle’s distribution of that fentanyl resulted in serious bodily injury to another person.
On July 24, 2023, Woodle pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the Superseding Indictment. At his plea hearing, Woodle admitted to distributing a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. The fentanyl Woodle distributed resulted in the overdose of the victim, who required two doses of Narcan, as well as other medical measures, to be resuscitated.
As part of his plea, the United States has agreed not to advocate for more than 20 years in prison.
This case is a result of investigations by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Grady County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Joynes and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaleigh Blackwell are prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for further information.
Predator Sentenced to More Than 35 Years for Coercion and Enticement of a ChildRead the Press Release
TULSA Okla. – A Sand Springs man was sentenced July 27 to more than 35 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a child and one count of abusive sexual contact in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Jeremy Nicholas Botonis, 45, was convicted on Friday, May 6, 2022, by a federal jury following two hours of deliberation.
U.S. District Judge Stephen Murphy has now sentenced Botonis, to 35 years and four months for coercion and enticement of a child and 24 months for abusive sexual contact in Indian Country. Sentences are to run concurrently followed by 7 years of supervised release.
“Devious individuals like Botonis use social media to gain access, groom their victims and violate their trust,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The victim in this case displayed incredible strength as he testified and is to be commended along with our law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors Chris Nassar and Stephanie Ihler for ensuring Botonis was held accountable for his predatory crimes.”
“The appalling conduct perpetrated by this defendant towards a minor is not only criminal, but inexcusable,” said Robert Melton, HSI Dallas Assistant Special Agent in Charge Oklahoma and Texas Panhandle Division. “We hope that his lengthy prison sentence serves as a reminder to predators everywhere that HSI and our law enforcement partners will never relent in prosecuting those who choose to exploit children.”
On Aug. 24, 2019, while in the woods, Botonis placed his hand inappropriately on the clothed minor victim’s thigh and what the victim described as his “private area.” He then attempted to kiss the victim. When the child rejected his advances and pulled away, Botonis became upset and concerned the child might reveal what had occurred to his parents. He demanded the victim delete prior messages between the two.
After the incident, Botonis continued to communicate with the victim using a Facebook page titled “Wolf Page.” Eventually, the victim’s father discovered the sexually explicit messages and the victim disclosed to his father the page belonged to Botonis and that Botonis had attempted to kiss him in the woods during an outing. The child’s parents reported the crime to authorities. During the investigation, the child further disclosed to law enforcement that Botonis had also touched him inappropriately the day of the incident.
Federal agents were able to extract messages from the victim’s cell phone including 5,000 messages where the defendant talked about the child’s looks, professed his “love” for the victim, made sexual innuendos, described sex acts. Botonis further suggested the two should engage in the “furry lifestyle,” which for some is a sexual fetish that involves dressing in animal costumes and performing sex acts. At one point, the victim indicated to the defendant that he was uncomfortable and did not want to receive any further sexual messages.
At trial, federal prosecutors contended that at the time of the crime, Botonis was a 41-year-old man obsessed with a vulnerable 13-year-old child, bombarding the victim with messages nearly every day and even guilt tripping the victim when he did not respond in kind. Prosecutors argued that while Botonis tried to portray himself as non-threatening and trustworthy, he was a predator hiding in the shadows, waiting for a vulnerable victim and the right moment to engage.
The case was initially charged in Mayes County District Court but was dismissed in April 2021 due to lack of jurisdiction based on the Supreme Court’s decision in McGirt v Oklahoma. The victim is a Cherokee citizen. The U.S. Attorney’s Office then charged the case in federal court in May 2021.
Botonis has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Mayes County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Nassar and Stephanie Ihler 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Port St. Lucie Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Trading Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Yesterday, Anthony James Howe, 33, of Port St. Lucie, Florida, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty in March to distribution and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
In March 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents learned that an individual, later identified as Howe, had been using social media applications and chatrooms to trade CSAM with other users. Some of the images and videos traded by Howe depicted sexual abuse activities of children as young as toddlers. HSI agents also learned that Howe claimed he had installed a hidden camera in a minor child’s bedroom. HSI agents identified Howe as the person involved and executed a federal search warrant at his home. Howe later admitted to using social media platforms to send and receive CSAM.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jose E. Martinez.
HSI Fort Pierce Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luisa Berti and Justin Hoover prosecuted it.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about the Project Safe Childhood initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-14003.
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Plexus Worldwide, LLC, Agrees to Pay $600,000 to Resolve Alleged False Claims Violations for Mailing Packages with Underpaid and Duplicate PostageRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – United States Attorney Gary M. Restaino announced today that Plexus Worldwide, LLC (Plexus), an Arizona limited liability corporation that directly markets health and wellness products, agreed to pay $600,000 to resolve allegations that the company violated the federal False Claims Act (FCA).
The settlement resolves allegations by the United States that Plexus presented mail to the United States Postal Service (USPS) for delivery with postage that was based upon and calculated with attributes not associated with the items mailed, which resulted in underpaid postage. The United States also alleged that Plexus mailed other items with re-used postage. According to the United States’ allegations, the postage Plexus affixed to the mailed items represented that postage had been appropriately paid, when in fact, it had not, and the misrepresentations facilitated Plexus’ underpayment or non-payment of postage.
“The Postal Service is a unifying force in America,” said United States Attorney Restaino. “It has always delivered mail through snow and rain and heat and ‘gloom of night’; during the pandemic it delivered free masks to protect our Nation; and it increasingly connects our fellow citizens with access to the ballot box for local, state and federal elections. It is therefore incumbent on all businesses to pay their fair share to support this integral means of communication.”
“Mailers who underpay postage short-change the U.S. Postal Service of necessary funds to carry out our mission,” stated Phoenix Division Acting Inspector in Charge Glen Henderson. “Postal Inspectors are committed to protecting the Postal Service from abuse and ensuring its financial viability by holding businesses accountable for underpaying postage. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to vigorously investigate mailers who fail to comply with postal regulations.”
As part of the settlement, Plexus admitted to underpaying postage and submitting duplicate postage that resulted in a net deficit of postage due to the USPS. Plexus also admitted that it presented mail to the USPS for delivery, even though the postage weights and other attributes used to calculate postage were underreported, resulting in underpaid postage and duplicates. Additionally, Plexus admitted that systems and controls were lacking, resulting in duplicate postage and in payments that understated the postage due. Additional details of the United States’ allegations and Plexus’ admissions are set forth in the settlement agreement, available here.
Plexus Settlement AgreementThe investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was handled by the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona.
Individuals with information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse related to federal programs should contact the relevant federal agency. A list of agencies and contact information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/agency-links.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-114_Plexus
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Pine Ridge Woman Indicted for MurderRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, woman for Second Degree Murder.
Stacey Bissonette, age 26, was indicted in July of 2023. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on July 26, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
In June of 2023, near Pine Ridge, Bissonette killed a man by stabbing him.
The charge is merely an accusation and Bissonette is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This matter is being 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.
The investigation is being conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case.
Bissonette was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Peoria Felon Sentenced to 40 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a HandgunRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois man, Jermaine Harry Bernard Allison, 29, of the 300 block of East Archer Street, was sentenced on July 27, 2023, to 40 months’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm by a felon. Allison was also ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government provided information that Allison was a passenger in a car stopped by the Peoria Police Department for a traffic violation. Allison fled the scene of the traffic stop and was arrested a short distance away, following a foot chase by police. Police located several firearms in the car during the traffic stop, including a handgun on the floor directly in front of where Allison had been seated. The gun was loaded with seven rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber. Allison’s fingerprints were found on the handgun.
Allison was indicted and arrested in January 2023 and pled guilty in March 2023. He has remained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service while his case has been pending.
The Peoria Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Allison 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.
Pain Clinic Owner, L5 Medical Holdings Plead Guilty- Agree to Pay $4 Million in RestitutionRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A former mortgage broker, who, seeking a “recession proof” business model, decided to purchase pain clinics throughout the Western District of Virginia including Lynchburg, Madison Heights, Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Woodlawn, pled guilty this week to a federal drug and health care fraud conspiracy.
John Gregory Barnes, 57, of South Carolina, waived his right to be indicted and pled guilty this week to a one-count Information charging him with conspiring to knowingly using, in the course of dispensing and distributing a controlled substance, registration numbers issued to others; distributing and dispensing buprenorphine not for a legitimate medical purpose; and knowingly executing and attempting to execute a scheme to defraud health care benefit programs.
In addition to his personal plea of guilty, L5 Medical Holdings, the business entity controlled by Barnes, pled guilty this week to the same charge encompassing the same conspiracies, as well as a conspiracy to distribute and dispense fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine not for a legitimate medical purpose. L5 and Barnes jointly agreed to pay almost $4 million in restitution to Medicare and Virginia Medicaid and to forfeit $250,000 to the United States.
“The conduct here is beyond the pale. We have a record-high number of Virginians fighting opioid addiction while this defendant intentionally prioritized profit over genuine patient care,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “I am grateful to those who investigated this matter and brought this case to justice, and we will continue to leverage federal charges against those who commit such brazen crimes.”
“Our fight against addiction and the opioid epidemic isn’t just with the drugs or major pharmaceutical companies, but also with the individuals who take advantage of addiction, of others’ pain, for their personal gain. Monetizing addiction is immoral and illegal,” said Attorney General Miyares. “I’m proud of my office and our federal partners for working together to deliver justice.”
“Our investigation into Barnes’ illegal business activities of highly addictive pain medication at the height of the opioid epidemic emphasizes his criminal indifference to human life,” said Special Agent in Charge Jared Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division. “Today’s guilty plea highlights our commitment to the tireless work of investigating the diversion of controlled substances and prosecuting those responsible for fueling opioid addiction and deadly poisonings in our area – saving lives in our communities.”
According to court documents, in 2014, despite having no medical training, Barnes bought a medical practice through his company, L5 Medical Holdings. L5 operated pain management clinics, which involved the prescribing of prescription opioids and opioid addiction treatment medications, including Suboxone.
Barnes, who previously worked in the mortgage industry, concluded that pain management was a “recession proof” Industry. In addition, he conducted a feasibility study that identified Lynchburg, Virginia, as a prime location for a pain management clinic.
After Barnes began operating his pain clinics, those clinics became more focused on prescribing Suboxone and opioids and less focused on interventional treatments. Barnes and L5 operated the clinics in a manner that prioritized revenue maximization over patient care. Providers were encouraged to limit patient visits to 15 minutes and to see as many as 30 patients per day.
In addition, at the direction of Barnes, medical providers with L5 followed the opinion of non-medical professionals in making medical decisions, including whether a patient should be treated for opioid addiction or for pain management, whether a patient should receive a prescription, and what type of drug should be prescribed.
Patient interactions with non-medical professionals were billed to Virginia Medicaid and Medicare improperly.
L5 also implemented a urine drug screening policy principally based on insurance reimbursements rather than patient care. In particular, Barnes and L5 specifically refused to implement a random drug screening policy in order to avoid losing the revenue that resulted from billing Medicare and Virginia Medicaid for as many drug tests as those insurance policies would pay for.
At sentencing, Barnes faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, the Virginia State Police, and the Virginia Attorney General’s Office - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Cagle Juhan, Jason Scheff, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Janine M. Myatt, Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, are prosecuting the case.
Omaha Woman Sentenced to 117 Months for Drug and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Racheal Cain, 36, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha after being convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Cain to a total of 117 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, Cain will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
In September 2021, Omaha police conducted surveillance on an apartment that was suspected of being used to distribute methamphetamine. Cain lived in the apartment with her boyfriend, co-defendant Andrew Sackett.
On September 23, 2021, Cain was arrested during a traffic stop after leaving the apartment. Police found a small amount of methamphetamine in the vehicle. Cain admitted to selling methamphetamine and told officers that methamphetamine was in her apartment along with at least one firearm. Cain consented to a search.
In the apartment, officers found more than 100 grams of methamphetamine with purity of 95 percent, along with three firearms and $11,902 in cash. Police seized an additional $677 from Cain at the jail. As part of the plea, Cain forfeited the $12,579 to the United States as being illegal drug proceeds.
Sackett pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to a total of 147 months in prison on July 10, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Olmsted County Man Sentenced to More Than 18 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Olmsted County man was sentenced to 220 months in prison followed by eight years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute controlled substances and for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in early 2021, law enforcement received information that Christopher Allen Edwards, 41, was dealing drugs in the Rochester area. Law enforcement determined that Edwards and his co-conspirator, Chloe Michelle Johnson, 25, were dealing a variety of drugs throughout Rochester and Southeastern Minnesota, from May 2021 through October 16, 2021, the date of their arrest.
According to court documents, in October 2021, law enforcement tracked Edwards’ rental vehicle as he traveled to Austin, Texas, and back to Minnesota in a quick turnaround road trip. On October 16, 2021, law enforcement stopped Edwards and Johnson in Edwards’ rental car once they drove back into Olmsted County. Edwards was caught with four kilograms of cocaine in his backpack in his rental car. That same day, law enforcement executed search warrants on Edwards’ and Johnson’s residences and found various amounts of cocaine packaged for distribution, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
Edwards was found guilty at trial on November 17, 2022, of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, specifically, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Edwards was sentenced yesterday before Judge Nancy E. Brasel.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Enforcement Team, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Rochester Police Department, the Lake City Police Department, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan H. Nelson and Hillary A. Taylor.
Nine Members and Associates of Asian Boyz Gang Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Nine members and associates of the Asian Boyz (ABZ) gang have been charged in connection with drug trafficking conspiracies and dealing in firearms, including machinegun conversion devices – commonly known as “switches.”
The following were arrested and charged yesterday in U.S. District Court in Boston:
- Anel Reyes, a/k/a “A-Tecc,” a/k/a “A.T.E.C.,” 24, of Lawrence, was charged with one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of p-Fluorofentanyl, a fentanyl analogue; and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
- Samnang Son, a/k/a “Smiley,” 33, of Lowell, was charged with one count of felon in possession of firearm and ammunition; one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license; one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams of more of methamphetamine; one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and one count of transfer and possession of a machinegun;
- Billy Chan, a/k/a Juju,” 18, of Lowell, was charged with one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license; one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of distribution or and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and one count of transfer and possession of a machinegun;
- Bill Phim, a/k/a “Bonez,” 35, of Acton, was charged with two counts of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine;
- Erickson Dao, a/k/a “Silent,” 31, of Lowell, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine;
- Brian Gingras, a/k/a “Cheech,” 37, of Lowell, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine;
- Marcus Holder, a/k/a “Heartless” 28, of Newton, N.H, was charged with two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and
- Joseph Bagrowski, 35, of Chelmsford, was charged with two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
The following defendant was also charged yesterday and is currently in state custody:
- Sary Rath, a/k/a “BG,” a/k/a “Bad Guy,” a/k/a “Baby Gangsta,” 37, formerly of Lowell, was charged with one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
As alleged in court documents, the ABZ gang is one of the nation’s largest Asian street gangs. Members and associates of the ABZ gang are known to engage in illegal drug and firearm trafficking as well as acts of violence against rival gang members and associates. While ABZ gangs around the country operate independently of each other as far a structure and leadership, they use their ABZ gang network to facilitate their interstate narcotics and firearms trafficking.
According to court documents, Rath is a leader of the ABZ gang in Lowell and has been a self-admitted member of ABZ gang for at least the last 15 years. It is alleged that Son, Phim, Dao, Gingras and Holder are also members of the ABZ gang; Reyes and Bagrowski are associates of the ABZ gang and Chan is an associate of the Young Crip Hitters, a group aligned with the ABZ gang.
According to court documents, the defendants were part of a large drug distribution network that profited primarily from the sale of thousands of homemade counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine. It is alleged that the defendants worked together to manufacture, supply and distribute their significant supply of methamphetamine pills – including to an undercover officer on 12 different occasions between March 2022 and October 2022. Rath allegedly used a gang-affiliated business, “Money Affiliated,” to facilitate the distribution of narcotics. Rath produced and performed rap music, and he used “Money Affiliated” as a brand for the music, which prominently referenced the ABZ gang and featured other ABZ gang members, including Dao, Gingras, Phim and Holder. In total, the defendants are alleged to have distributed or possessed with intent to distribute approximately 12,100 counterfeit Adderall pills – weighing over 25 kilograms – containing methamphetamine, over 900 grams cocaine, over 400 grams of fentanyl and approximately 500 grams of para-Fluorofentanyl.
It is further alleged that, in addition to narcotics, the defendants also sold at least 15 firearms – including five machinegun conversion devices, an AR-type and “ghost guns” – magazines and hundreds of rounds of ammunition over the course of the investigation.
A search of the defendants’ residences following yesterday's arrests allegedly resulted in the recovery of multiple cellular telephones, approximately $1,000 in cash, approximately 1,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing suspected methamphetamine, 300 Euros pills containing suspected MDMA/Ecstasy, a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number loaded with 9mm ammunition, a “ghost gun” pistol frame, magazines, firearms parts and a ballistics vest.
“The trafficking of firearms and deadly narcotics by violent criminal organizations is so corrosive and destructive. It makes the hard-working residents of these communities feel unsafe when they go about their daily lives – heading to work or school or just out to play,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “The defendants charged yesterday promoted violence and pumped poison into the Lowell community for a profit. This office and our law enforcement partners will continue to relentlessly investigate, identify and disrupt criminal organizations and do all that we can to ensure our communities are safe from violence and the proliferation of drugs and firearms. The U.S. Attorney’s Office offers the weight of the federal government, and we will not hesitate to bring our resources to the table to ensure our residents’ safety.”
“Yesterday, we charged nine members and associates of one of the nation’s largest Asian street gangs, who are alleged to have trafficked illegal firearms and controlled an illegal drug distribution network once belonging to their rivals. Rivals we removed from the streets of Lowell two years ago,” said Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “In peddling thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing methamphetamine, and selling illegal firearms and machine gun conversion devices, we believe this dangerous criminal enterprise posed a direct threat to the people of Lowell. The positive impact made by removing these criminals from the streets of Lowell should immediately be felt.”
“ATF is proud to work shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement partners to ensure everyone who is involved in illegal trafficking of firearms is held accountable, and this investigation highlights the power of this collaboration,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division.
“I would like to thank our federal law enforcement partners including the FBI and ATF, the US Attorney's Office and Middlesex County District Attorney's Office for their continued collaboration on these complex, years long investigations which help keep our community safe. This operation targeted the Lowell based set of the nationally recognized ABZ street gang, which is a violent and prolific drug and firearms trafficking organization. The Lowell Police department is committed to working with all our law enforcement partners to disrupt these violent, drug and firearm trafficking organizations,” said Greg Hudon, Superintendent of the Lowell Police Department.
The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of p-Fluorofentanyl; distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, each provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine each provide for a sentence of at least five year and up to life in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years up to life in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. The charges of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and transfer and possession of a machinegun each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; FBI Acting SAC DiMenna; ATF SAC Ferguson; and Lowell Police Superintendent Hudon made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office; Massachusetts State Police; and the Billerica, Haverhill, North Andover and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Wyshak of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mexican National to Serve 19 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio Tuesday to 168 months in prison for one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, plus 60 months in prison for one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Eduardo Puente, 46, of San Buena, Coahuila, Mexico, a convicted felon with two outstanding Texas arrest warrants, came under an FBI Safe Streets Task Force investigation in January 2022 and was identified as the source of supply for two controlled narcotics purchases of methamphetamine. On Feb. 17, 2022, the task force, with assistance from Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers and Criminal Investigation Division agents, observed Puente carrying a white shoe box en route to a third controlled purchase, as part of the investigation. DPS Troopers and CID agents conducted a traffic stop on Puente, which led to a foot pursuit, during which he tossed a Ruger .357 revolver. Puente was assisted in the pursuit by an individual in a red Chevrolet Silverado, who picked Puente up to aid in his escape. DPS executed a traffic stop on the truck and, though Puente again attempted to flee on foot, he was arrested.
In a search of Puente and his vehicle, DPS Troopers and FBI Agents seized eight small bags of suspected methamphetamine, a bag of a black tar substance suspected to be heroin, and $2,090 in cash. In a search of Puente’s residence, FBI agents seized 2.281 kg of marijuana, 3.016 kg of heroin, and 44.021 kg of methamphetamine. They also seized a .223 caliber rifle loaded with armor piercing rounds and approximately $6,400 in cash.
“I commend the efforts of our federal and state law enforcement partners in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Their work on the ground resulted in a significant seizure of illegal drugs, which would have otherwise been distributed in our community. This sentence is a victory for public safety, and I am grateful for their dedication to keeping our streets safe.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to work diligently to hold criminals who are bringing dangerous drugs into our communities accountable for their actions,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Marcus Joachim for the FBI San Antonio Division. “The American people deserve to live in communities safe from violence and criminal activity associated with illegal narcotics trafficking."
The FBI and DPS investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karina O’Daniel prosecuted the case.
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Maryland Man Found Guilty of Assault with Intent to Kill for Brutal Metro StabbingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Darrell Jones, 49, of Beltsville, MD, was convicted of all counts stemming from the April 7, 2022 stabbing of Wayne Pitt, at the Anacostia Metro Station, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Michael Anzallo, of the Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD). The verdicts were returned yesterday by a Superior Court jury that found Jones guilty of assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault while armed, and carrying a dangerous weapon. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 26, 2023.
On April 7, 2022, shortly before 7p.m., Darrell Jones arrived at the Anacostia Metro Station with his friend, Wayne Pitt. According to the government’s evidence, the two men were intoxicated as they spent more than an hour the Metro station platform. Jones pulled a folding knife out of his pocket and began attacking Mr. Pitt, driving the victim onto his back and swinging the knife at him 20 times. Mr. Pitt suffered nine stab wounds to his chest, sternum, abdomen and hand, suffering a punctured lung and numerous deep wounds that required immediate surgery. An MTPD officer arrived on scene, drew his weapon, and demanded that Jones drop the knife. Jones attempted to retreat from the officer, and then turned and cocked back his arm with the knife, as if to throw it in the direction of the officer. The officer shot Jones once.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Anzallo commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metro Transit Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who provided assistance in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including: Deputy Chief of the Major Crimes Section Kimberly Nielsen, Paralegal Specialist Crystal Waddy, Litigation Technology Supervisor Leif Hickling, and Litigation Technology Specialist Charlie Bruce. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Noah Simmons and Ella Gladman, who prosecuted the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Connor Mullin, who initially investigated the case.
Manderson Man Found Guilty Following a Jury TrialRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Gabriel White Plume, Sr., age 39, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, of Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Use of Force, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, Assault by Strangulation and Suffocation, Distribution of a Controlled Substance to an Individual Under 21, Tampering with a Witness, Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner, two counts of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Sexual Abuse following a four-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City. The verdict was returned on July 28, 2023.
White Plume faces any term of years up to life in custody and/or up to a $5,000,000 fine, a minimum of five years up to life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count.
White Plume was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2023.
The charges related to White Plume physically and sexually abusing his dating partner by the use of force at Manderson. The victim sustained substantial bodily injury from the physical assault and serious bodily injury from the sexual assault. Prior to being charged federally, White Plume was able to obtain a cellular device in his cell while incarcerated at Pine Ridge. White Plume used the cellular device to access Facebook in order to corruptly persuade his victim into dropping tribal charges.
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.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Poppen and Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for October 18, 2023. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Man Unlawfully in the United States Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on July 28, 2023, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced Moises Perez-Ochoa (Age: 40) to a total sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Perez-Ochoa distributed more than five pounds of methamphetamine in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, from December 2022 through February 2023. After Perez-Ochoa was arrested, agents with the Manitowoc Metro Drug Unit learned that Perez-Ochoa also distributed approximately four pounds of methamphetamine in Pierce County, Wisconsin, from October 2022 through November 2022. As a result, Perez-Ochoa was charged and convicted of distribution of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Agents determined that at the time of his offense, Perez-Ochoa was not legally present in the United States, and that he had been removed from the country in 2006, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2019. Perez-Ochoa’s criminal record includes two separate convictions for Re-Entry of a Removed Alien and a prior conviction for drug distribution.
The Manitowoc Metro Drug Unit investigated the case, which Assistant United States Attorney Alexander E. Duros prosecuted in United States District Court.
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Man Stopped in St. Louis County Accused of Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Wednesday on fentanyl distribution charges.
The indictment accuses Alejandro Chacon-Martinez, 20, of possession with the intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing fentanyl on July 17. A criminal complaint filed July 18 says Chacon-Martinez was stopped the day before at a gas station in Fenton, Missouri as he was traveling east on Interstate 44 in a car with a Mexican license plate. A K-9 detected the odor of drugs and investigators found ten individually wrapped kilograms of suspected fentanyl concealed in side panels in the trunk of the car Chacon-Martinez was driving, the complaint says.
The charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both.
Charges set forth in an indictment or a criminal complaint are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and St. Louis County Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dane Rennier is prosecuting the case.
Macon Man Sentenced to Prison Resulting from Identity Theft InvestigationRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Middle Georgia resident was sentenced to prison this week after he admitted to committing wire fraud in an identity theft scheme.
Aaron Jamal Denzel Austin, 33, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on July 26, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Identity theft and fraud is rampant. In this case, the defendant was using stolen personal information to execute a variety of schemes, from registering fake businesses so he could obtain large credit lines to depositing a stolen $49,000 check,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Local and federal investigators have prevented continued fraud and distress for these victims and have helped us hold the defendant accountable for his criminal schemes.”
“This case is another example that clearly shows criminals are continuously looking for ways to commit fraud. In this case, fictious business were created for the sole purpose of committing fraud,” said Resident Agent in Charge (RAC) Clint Bush, United States Secret Service, Albany, Georgia, Resident Office. “The United States Secret Service, along with our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners will continue to investigate, arrest and support the successful prosecution of the criminals who choose to commit this and other types of financial fraud in our community and around the nation.”
According to court documents, Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies found eight debit cards and three driver’s licenses belonging to other people in Austin’s possession during a traffic stop for reckless driving and failing to maintain lane on Jan. 19, 2020. A subsequent investigation revealed that Austin, who worked at an Atlanta club, had used two stolen identities to register two separate fictious businesses with the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office to obtain two Capital One business credit cards with credit limits of $30,000 and $20,000. Investigators discovered Austin used three other identities in a similar scheme to obtain business credit cards but was denied by the credit card company.
Investigators found text conversations between Austin and others discussing criminal fraud, including obtaining “socials” or social security numbers, exchanging a victim’s banking user name and password, and how to call banks to learn account balances and other victim information. Authorities also concluded the defendant recruited individuals to allow him to use their bank accounts to conduct fraudulent transactions. For example, Austin deposited a stolen $49,000 check from a New York couple into a coconspirator’s account. In all, authorities identified 23 actual or intended victims; Austin is being held accountable for a loss of $100,000.
The case was investigated by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom prosecuted the case.
Mount Pleasant Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, man was sentenced to federal prison today for child exploitation charges, announced U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis.
Clinton Shawn Gransden, 44, was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the production, receipt, transportation, and possession of child pornography, followed by supervised release for life.
Over the course of several months in 2019, Gransden repeatedly provided a minor teenage girl with alcohol, methamphetamines, and cocaine. While she was under the influence of those substances, he filmed the victim performing sex acts with him and others, and otherwise controlled and degraded her. Gransden also forced a prepubescent girl to perform oral sex on him.
The sexual abuse videos that Gransden created were posted online, where individuals acquainted with the teenage victim saw them and reported the crime to the authorities. Investigators searched Gransden's electronic devices and discovered the sexual abuse videos as well as evidence that Gransden had sent the videos to others. Investigators also found evidence that Gransden downloaded and possessed child pornography depicting the victims.
A federal grand jury indicted Gransden on nine counts of producing child pornography and one count each of transporting, receiving, and possessing child pornography. On February 2, 2023, Gransden pleaded guilty to all the charges.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Maury County Sherriff’s Office investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Carran Daughtrey and Trial Attorneys Austin M. Berry and Adam Braskich of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
The case against Gransden’s co-defendants Angel Morales Depasquale and Michelle E. Klen remain pending and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Leader of Money Laundering Operation Sentenced to Three Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ABRAHAM ADENIYI was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos to three years in prison for operating a money laundering scheme that laundered nearly $8 million of wire fraud proceeds. ADENIYI previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Abraham Adeniyi used a web of bank accounts to funnel millions of dollars stolen from fraud victims into his own pockets and the pockets of the fraudsters. He now faces prison time and is required to forfeit his ill-gotten gains.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment filed against ADENIYI and other court proceedings:
From at least in or about 2017 through at least in or about 2020, ADENIYI opened and directed others to open multiple bank accounts, which received proceeds of various wire fraud schemes. ADENIYI provided his accomplices with fraudulent identification information to open those bank accounts. Upon arrival of the fraudulent proceeds, ADENIYI transferred and directed others to transfer those proceeds rapidly among the various bank accounts controlled by participants in the scheme in order to conceal and disguise the source, location, ownership, and control of the funds. Ultimately, after moving through multiple bank accounts, the funds were withdrawn as cash, transmitted overseas, or used for ADENIYI’s personal expenses. This rapid transfer of funds prevented the banks and the victims from recovering the funds once the underlying frauds were detected. During the course of the scheme, ADENIYI laundered at least nearly $8 million dollars of fraud proceeds.
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In addition to his prison term, ADENIYI, 40, of Atlanta, Georgia, was ordered to forfeit and pay restitution in the amount of $7,814,294.56.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anden Chow is in charge of the prosecution.
Lake City Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Austin Harper (26, Lake City) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Harper faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, on September 15, 2021, an undercover detective and confidential informant (CI) met with a drug dealer in Lake City, Florida to purchase crystal methamphetamine. That dealer, a defendant in a related case, traveled with the pair to meet with Harper, who supplied them with more than 85 grams of methamphetamine. Two weeks later, on September 29, the detective and CI again traveled with the dealer to meet with Harper. This time, Harper supplied them with more than 165 grams of methamphetamine. Laboratory testing would later show that the drugs that Harper had supplied was pure methamphetamine. Further investigation established that Harper was a regular supplier of methamphetamine in the Lake City region.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Columbia County Drug Task Force, the North Star Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force, the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Florida Tax Return PreparersRead the Press Release
The United States filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida against George Brito, Luis Brito, and Brito and Brito Accounting USA, Inc. The civil complaint seeks to enjoin the defendants from preparing federal tax returns for others.
The civil complaint alleges that the defendants George Brito and Luis Brito have worked as tax return preparers for almost thirty years, and since 2019 have prepared thousands of tax returns annually. The complaint alleges that the defendants prepare returns that understate their customers’ tax liabilities and overstate their refunds. According to the complaint, the defendants’ unlawful schemes include deducting ineligible expenses as itemized deductions; claiming false or inflated business expenses and losses; and fabricating residential energy credits without any factual basis to claim them.
As alleged in the complaint, the defendants have caused the United States to issue inflated refunds that defendants’ customers were not entitled to receive and to lose tax revenue. The complaint further alleges that the defendants’ conduct harmed their customers who pay substantial fees for what they believe to be honest return preparation services, but eventually learn that they owe money to the IRS because of the inaccuracies reported on their returns.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers as return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’s Dirty Dozen Tax Scams. The IRS offers tips on how to accurately file returns and how to choose a tax return preparer, as well as steps taxpayers can take to get a jumpstart on filing. The IRS has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers and offers information on how to avoid “ghost” tax preparers, whose refusal to sign a return should be a red flag to taxpayers.
In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $73,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronical federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found here.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Convicted Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pleaded guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, Samuel McCray, 35, was found in possession of a firearm by a Jackson Police Officer on April 16, 2022, during an investigation into a domestic abuse incident. McCray has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
McCray will be sentenced on November 3, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Jackson Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Terrill.
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.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on July 27 was:
Leota Lynn Beartusk-Martinez, 38, a transient, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Beartusk-Martinez faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Beartusk-Martinez was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 22-130.
Derry Jerel Howard, 42, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Howard faces a mandatory minimum five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release on the drug charges and a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm charge. Howard was detained pending further proceedings. The Billings Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-86.
Shaynee Renee Gibbs, 45, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute meth and fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Gibbs faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release on the drug charge and a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm charge. Gibbs was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Billings Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol, Laurel Police Department, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-39.
Dawn Marie Guevara, aka Dawn Marie Owen, 42, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Guevara faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. Guevara was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 19-01.
Appearing on July 25 was:
Sean Wesley Colwell, 43, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Colwell faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Colwell was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service and Montana Probation and Parole investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-76.
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on July 28 was:
Raymond Perez Ramos, 30, of Long Beach, California, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Ramos faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Ramos was released pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Service and Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-13.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Indian Citizen Pleads Guilty to Multiple Counts of Alien Smuggling and ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Simranjit Singh, age 40, a citizen of India living in Canada, pled guilty today to alien smuggling and conspiracy to commit alien smuggling. At the request of the United States, Singh was taken into custody on June 28, 2022, in Ontario, Canada. Singh was extradited from Canada to the United States on March 30, 2023.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
In pleading guilty, Singh admitted that from at least March of 2020 through March of 2021, he facilitated the smuggling of numerous Indian nationals from Canada into the United States, via Cornwall Island and the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation in the St. Lawrence River region, for profit.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 28, 2023, before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino in Albany, New York, at which time Singh faces a mandatory term of 5 years in prison and up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. Singh will be subject to deportation following the conclusion of his sentence, which is determined by an immigration judge. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by United States Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Canadian Border Services Agency, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt with assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of International Affairs.
Husband and Wife Plead Guilty to $65 Million TRICARE FraudRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – July 28, 2023
SAN DIEGO - Jimmy and Ashley Collins, a married couple living in Birchwood, Tennessee, pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that they participated in a health care fraud scheme that bilked TRICARE – the health care program that covers United States service members –out of more than $65 million.
The couple admitted they worked with others to recruit TRICARE beneficiaries who were willing to sign up to receive expensive compounded medications, even though the beneficiaries did not really need the medications. The beneficiaries’ information was sent to Choice MD, a Tennessee medical clinic co-owned and operated by the Collinses. Doctors and medical professionals employed by the Collinses at Choice MD, including Dr. Susan Vergot, Dr. Carl Lindblad, and nurse practitioner Candace Craven, then wrote prescriptions for the TRICARE beneficiaries, despite never conducting a medical review or examination of the patients in person. Once signed by the doctors, these prescriptions were not given to the straw beneficiaries, but sent directly to The Medicine Shoppe, a pharmacy in Bountiful, Utah, which filled the prescriptions and received massive reimbursement from TRICARE.
Between December 2014 and May 9, 2015 – the day that TRICARE stopped reimbursing for compounded medications – the doctors working for the Collinses at Choice MD authorized 4,442 prescriptions and billed TRICARE $65,679,512 for these prescriptions.
The owners of The Medicine Shoppe then paid kickbacks to the Collinses based on a percentage of the TRICARE reimbursement paid for the prescriptions referred by the Collinses’ recruiter network. Between February and July 2015, these kickback payments to the Collinses totaled at least $45.7 million dollars. The Collinses, in turn, paid kickbacks to the recruiters working as part of their network, including defendants Josh Morgan, Kyle Adams, and Daniel Castro, among others.
The United States has seized property and items purchased by the Collinses and others with the proceeds of the scheme. Included among these items is an 82-foot yacht; multiple luxury vehicles, including two Aston-Martins; a multimillion-dollar investment annuity; dozens of pieces of farm equipment and tractor-trailer trucks; and three pieces of Tennessee real estate.
The Collinses are the last members of the conspiracy to plead guilty. The doctors and nurse practitioner who prescribed these unnecessary prescriptions, the corporate owner of the pharmacy that filled these unneeded prescriptions, and the patient recruiters have all pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and admitted their roles in this fraudulent scheme.
“The scheme alleged in this case resulted in massive losses to a taxpayer-funded healthcare program meant to help members and veterans of our armed forces,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “The days of yachts and luxury cars are gone. With these guilty pleas, we are holding these defendants accountable for their crimes.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and investigating agencies for their excellent work on this case.
“The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is committed to protecting the integrity of TRICARE, the health care system for our military members and their families,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Michael C. Mentavlos of the DCIS Southwest Field Office. “Today's outcome demonstrates our unwavering commitment to hold accountable those that perpetrate fraud against TRICARE and put its beneficiaries at risk.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Collins operated a TRICARE scheme that defrauded the American taxpayer of more than $65 million in healthcare resources that should have been directed to service members, retirees, and their dependents,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office. “This guilty plea should serve as a warning that NCIS and our partners are dedicated to rooting out fraud that harms the military community.”
Jimmy and Ashley Collins are scheduled to be sentenced on October 27 at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino.
DEFENDANTS Case Numbers: 18-CR-1850-JLS, 18-CR-1855-JLS
Jimmy Collins Age: 59 Birchwood, TN
Ashley Collins Age: 37 Birchwood, TN
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Jimmy Collins:
Receipt of Illegal Remuneration, in violation of 42 U.S.C. §1320(a)-7b(b)(1)(A)
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $100,000 fine or double loss amount, whichever is greater
An order of restitution requiring defendant to repay at least $65,679,512.71 to DHA/TRICARE
Ashley Collins:
Conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine or double loss amount, whichever is greater
An order of restitution requiring defendant to repay at least $65,679,512.71 to DHA/TRICARE
AGENCY
Defense Criminal Investigative Service
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
IRS Criminal Investigation Division, Gulfport, MS
Federal Bureau of Investigation - Jackson, MS Field Office
Guymon Woman Sentenced to Serve 15 Months in Federal Prison for Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY - Today, LIZBETH SAENZ LONGORIA, 52, of Guymon, Oklahoma, was sentenced to serve 15 months in federal prison for aiding or assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On December 12, 2022, a criminal Information was filed charging Longoria with willfully aiding or assisting in the preparation of a false return. On January 25, 2023, Longoria pleaded guilty to the charge.
According to the Information, Longoria knowingly included approximately $13,299 worth of medical or dental expenses on a person’s 2017 Individual Income Tax Return, Form 1040, despite knowing the individual did not have medical or dental expenses near that amount for the year 2017.
At a sentencing hearing today, U.S. District Court Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Saenz to serve 15 months in federal prison. Judge Palk took into account relevant conduct by Longoria that included 116 additional false returns and ordered her to pay $291,520.00 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. In announcing the sentence, the court noted the seriousness of the offense and the need for general deterrence.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Farrior.
Reference is made to public filings for more information.
Félix Verdejo-Sánchez Found Guilty of Kidnapping Resulting in Death, and Intentionally Killing an Unborn ChildRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal jury convicted Félix Verdejo-Sánchez today for federal crimes that arise from the murder of Keishla Rodríguez Ortiz on April 29, 2021.
The jury determined, according to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Félix Verdejo-Sánchez, along with his co-defendant Luis Antonio Cádiz-Martínez, aiding and abetting each other, committed a kidnapping that resulted in the death of Keishla M. Rodríguez Ortiz and her unborn child.
On the morning of April 29, 2021, Félix Verdejo-Sánchez executed a premeditated plan to murder Keishla Rodríguez Ortiz and her unborn child by luring Ms. Rodríguez Ortiz into his Dodge Durango where, with the assistance of Luis Cádiz Martínez, Verdejo punched Ms. Rodríguez Ortiz, injected her with drugs and then tied her with metal wire to a cement block. Mr. Verdejo Sánchez then drove the victim to the Teodoro Moscoso bridge, and, with Cadiz’s assistance, threw Ms. Rodríguez Ortiz into the San José Lagoon. He later jumped into the lagoon in order to finish murdering both victims.
“We stand firmly with the family of Keishla Rodríguez Ortiz and all those in the community who sought justice for this senseless, cruel, and heinous act of premeditated and cold-blooded violence against Keishla and her unborn child,” said United States Attorney Muldrow. “I also commend the hard work, dedication, and relentless pursuit of justice by federal and local law enforcement, including the FBI, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety, the Puerto Rico Forensic Science Institute, and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, as well as the prosecutors and professional staff in the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“There are damages which cannot ever be repaired, not even by a just verdict,” said FBI San Juan Special Agent in Charge, Joseph González. “In cases such as these, all we can do is give our all in the pursuit of justice. Today, I can say that my team did exactly that, and I am proud of their dedication. I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the amazing work and the jury for their service. We did what we do and justice was served.”
Defendant Verdejo-Sánchez faces a mandatory life sentence for each conviction under 18 USC Sections 1201(a)(1) and 1841, respectively. The sentencing was scheduled for November 3, 2023 at 2:00 pm.
The FBI was in charge of the investigation with the close collaboration and support of the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Gottfried, Chief of the Violent Crimes and National Security Section at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeanette Collazo prosecuted the case.
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Fourteen Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to More than 11 Years for Gun and Narcotics OffensesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Wilmington man was sentenced today to 138 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl and heroin, possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On April 26, 2023, Jarrod Eugene Davis, age 42, pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Wilmington Police Department officers responded to a ShotSpotter activation on April 13, 2022, where they located the defendant and attempted to speak to him. The defendant initially fled on foot from law enforcement, but he was quickly apprehended by officers. A search of the defendant revealed $982 in United States Currency. Officers backtracked the defendant’s path of flight and found a “fanny pack” containing 321 bags of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin and a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun underneath the “fanny pack.” Additionally, officers located a spent 9mm shell casing in the area where the initial contact was made with the defendant. Forensic testing revealed the defendant’s fingerprint on the magazine of the handgun and determined the spent shell casing found on the scene was fired from the 9mm Taurus handgun. At the time of this offense, the defendant was on post release supervision after being released from prison on December 4, 2021, after serving a 76 to 104 month prison sentence for possessing a firearm by a convicted felon and being a habitual felon.
The defendant has over thirty criminal convictions, fourteen of which are for felony offenses. In November of 2003, the defendant was sentenced to 94 to 122 months in prison after he pled guilty to numerous felony offenses in New Hanover County Superior Court relating to an incident where he shot at two Wilmington Police Department Officers on February 22, 2003, and for an armed robbery that he committed five months prior.
“We are prioritizing the prosecution of shooters and violent repeat offenders like this defendant, who sow fear and push deadly narcotics into our communities. I am grateful to local law enforcement and district attorneys for prioritizing these cases through our Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP),” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley.
“Repeat offenders are a burden to our law enforcement agencies and a danger to our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “ATF and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify and apprehend those individuals who blatantly ignore the laws in place to keep neighborhoods safe.”
“Our priority remains going after armed repeat offenders and putting them in prison for years. This result would not be possible without the partnership between state and federal authorities made possible through New Hanover County” said District Attorney Ben David.
“Felons who possess firearms and traffic in illegal substances have no place in our community and we will continue to pursue them. Once again, our women and men have stepped up to the plate to get another violent offender off the streets. I am grateful for our continued partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies as well. Anyone who brings heroin, fentanyl, or any other illegal substance into our city will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law” said Wilmington Police Department Chief Donny Williams.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Wilmington Police Department, the Wilmington Police Department Gun Crimes Task Force, and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Special Assistant United States Attorney William Van Trigt prosecuted the case. Van Trigt is a prosecutor with the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office assigned to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal violent crimes and other criminal matters. This has been made possible by a grant funded by New Hanover County.
The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, and interagency coordination and intelligence-led policing.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:23-cr-00005D-001.
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Four indicted for money laundering in prolific human smuggling network takedownRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas - A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging four defendants with conspiracy to launder money.
The new charges were filed against Erminia Serrano Piedra aka Irma or Boss Lady, 32, Elgin and Oscar Angel Monroy Alcibar aka Pelon, 40, both of Elgin; Pedro Hairo Abrigo, 34, Killeen; and Juan Diego Martinez-Rodriguez aka Gavilan, 38, Dale.
As alleged in the superseding indictment, the defendants conspired to engage in financial transactions designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership and control of ill-gotten proceeds of illicit human smuggling and the unlawful harboring and transportation of undocumented aliens. The leaders of the organization allegedly recruited and used straw persons to accept human smuggling proceeds in their bank accounts and then transferred these proceeds to the leaders under the pretense of “work” payments for construction. The defendants also allegedly used businesses and business accounts to transfer the human smuggling proceeds. In addition, the defendants recruited individuals to accept human smuggling proceeds in the form of cash in exchange for checks from the recruited individuals’ business bank accounts, according to the charges.
The superseding indictment also notices the criminal forfeiture of three properties with values currently estimated at approximately $2.275 million, $515,000 and $344,000 as well as money judgments amounting to at least $2,945,027.
Three of the four defendants were previously charged with human smuggling in an indictment filed in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) and unsealed on or about Sept. 13, 2022. That indictment was the culmination of a significant enforcement operation to disrupt and dismantle an alleged prolific human smuggling organization operating in Texas and elsewhere. That operation resulted in the arrests of 14 alleged members of a human smuggling organization Piedra led that facilitated the unlawful transportation and movement of hundreds of migrants within the United States and harbored and concealed those migrants from law enforcement detection. The migrants were citizens of Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia, and they or their families allegedly paid members of the human smuggling organization to help them travel unlawfully to and within the United States. According to the indictment, the human smuggling organization used drivers to pick up migrants near the U.S.-Mexico border and transport them into the interior of the United States, often harboring them at “stash houses” along the way in locations such as Laredo and Austin. Drivers for the human smuggling organization allegedly hid migrants in suitcases placed in pickup trucks and crammed migrants in the back of tractor-trailers, covered beds of pickup trucks, repurposed water tankers and wooden crates strapped to flatbed trailers. These methods allegedly placed the migrants’ lives in danger, because they were frequently held in contained spaces with little ventilation, which became overheated, and they were driven at high speeds with no vehicle safety devices.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the SDTX and Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
HSI Laredo, along with Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Border Patrol Laredo Sector and Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG), led the investigation and received substantial assistance from HSI offices in Austin, San Antonio, Waco and Corpus Christi; New Orleans, Louisiana; Gulfport, Mississippi; Mobile, Alabama; West Palm Beach, Florida; Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C.; as well as CBP’s National Targeting Center; U.S. Marshals Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations – Austin; and the Treasury Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture. Police departments in Laredo, Killeen, Elgin and Round Rock as well as Wiggins, Mississippi and Bogalusa, Louisiana; Webb County Constable’s Office; Webb County District Attorney’s Office; sheriffs’ offices in Webb, Bastrop and Caldwell Counties in Texas, Harrison, George and Stone Counties in Mississippi, Mobile County, Alabama, and Jefferson and Washington Parishes in Louisiana; Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics; and the Louisiana State Police also provided substantial assistance.
Trial Attorneys Christian Levesque and Angela Buckner of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), Trial Attorney Daria Andryushchenko of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) and SDTX Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day are prosecuting the case with substantial assistance from MLARS Financial Investigator Kelly O’Mara, Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations’ (OEO) Electronic Surveillance Unit (ESU) and ESU Acting Deputy Chief Jessica Reid.
The indictments against these defendants were brought under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). Attorney General Merrick B. Garland created JFTA in June 2021 in partnership with DHS to strengthen the department’s overall efforts to combat these crimes based on the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA’s goal is to disrupt and dismantle those human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, with a focus on networks that endanger, abuse or exploit migrants, present national security risks or engage in other types of transnational organized crime.
Since its creation, JTFA has successfully increased coordination and collaboration between the Justice Department, DHS, and other interagency law enforcement participants, and with foreign law enforcement partners, including in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico; targeted those organizations who most significantly impact the United States; and coordinated significant smuggling indictments and extradition efforts in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 100 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of human smuggling; several dozen convictions; significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial asset forfeiture. JTFA is comprised of detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including SDTX, Western District of Texas, Districts of New Mexico, Arizona and Southern California. Numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division are part of JTFA, led by HRSP, and including the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training, Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, MLARS, OEO, the Office of International Affairs and the Organized Crime and Gang Section. JTFA is made possible by substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and other partners.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Four Men Federally Indicted for Hobbs Act Conspiracy, Firearms Charges, and a KidnappingRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today the unsealing of a July 13, 2023, Indictment returned by a federal grand jury charging four Delaware men with a crime spree that culminated in the kidnapping and rape of an individual identified in the Indictment as “Victim-1.”
According to the Indictment, on April 14, 2023, Tonnaire McNair-Matthews, 24, David Hinson, 23, Michael Caldwell, 21, and Mahkiya Powell, 20, conspired to rob unsuspecting drivers by rear-ending them in a stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee (“the Jeep”) with the intent to rob the drivers when they exited their vehicles. After multiple attempted robberies, McNair-Matthews, the driver of the Jeep, rear-ended Victim-1, who was on her way to work, in Pennsylvania, causing Victim-1 to pull over after crossing into Delaware. McNair-Matthews then approached Victim-1’s vehicle, brandished and pointed a privately made firearm, commonly referred to as a ghost gun, at Victim-1, and then forced Victim-1 back inside Victim-1’s car at gunpoint. McNair-Matthews then drove Victim-1, against her will, in Victim-1’s vehicle from Delaware into Pennsylvania. During the ride, McNair-Matthews forced Victim-1 to disrobe, demanded Victim-1’s PIN code, and digitally penetrated her against her will. After arriving in Pennsylvania, McNair-Matthews then forcibly raped and robbed Victim-1 of personal property at gunpoint. After raping and robbing Victim-1, McNair-Matthews abandoned Victim-1, took Victim-1’s car, and fled. McNair-Matthews then drove Victim-1’s car to Delaware convenience stores and withdrew money from Victim-1’s bank accounts via ATM transactions.
McNair-Matthews then reunited with Hinson, Powell, and Caldwell in Wilmington, Delaware and delivered them Victim-1’s bank cards, Victim-1’s PIN, and the ghost gun. At McNair-Matthews’ direction, Hinson, Powell, and Caldwell then cleaned Victim-1’s car and removed personal property, including a designer purse, from Victim-1’s vehicle. Hinson and Caldwell then travelled in a stolen Nissan Pathfinder to local gas stations to withdraw money from ATMs. McNair-Matthews, who attempted to evade detection by switching clothes, and Powell drove the stolen Jeep to a Wilmington, Delaware gas station to meet Hinson and Caldwell.
Law enforcement tracked the Defendants to that Wilmington gas station. On sight, McNair-Matthews and Powell led law enforcement on a high-speed chase in the Jeep and evaded capture. Shortly thereafter, Hinson and Caldwell attempted to rendezvous with McNair-Matthews and Powell in Pennsylvania. While on I-95 North, Hinson and Caldwell, in the stolen Nissan Pathfinder, collided with another vehicle. After the collision, Caldwell brandished and pointed the ghost gun given to him by McNair-Matthews at the driver of the other car. Later, while travelling back to Delaware from Pennsylvania on I-95 South, Hinson and Caldwell led law enforcement on a miles-long high-speed chase before colliding with another vehicle and crashing into an exit ramp sign. Hinson and Caldwell fled on foot, tossed the ghost gun, but were quickly apprehended. Powell was arrested on April 17, 2023. Defendant McNair was arrested that same day in Maryland, after fleeing from law enforcement.
All defendants are charged with Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery, Carjacking, Hobbs Act Robbery, and Brandishing and Use of a Firearm in Relation to a Hobbs Act Robbery charge. McNair-Matthews is also charged with Kidnapping causing serious bodily injury and brandishing and use of a firearm during his rape and robbery of Victim-1. Hinson, Caldwell, and Powell are charged with Accessory After the Fact for their role in Victim-1’s kidnapping. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Weiss, Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Delaware State Police Troop 2 Commander Capt. John Laird, Jr. commended the work of those who investigated the case, including the Delaware State Police Criminal Investigations Unit, FBI's Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Taskforce, Pennsylvania State Police, Wilmington Police Department, Maryland State Police, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Delaware Department of Justice. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin P. Pierce and Samuel S. Frey and Special Assistant United States Attorney Diana Dunn are assigned to prosecute the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 23-68.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Four Indicted for Money Laundering in Prolific Human Smuggling Network TakedownRead the Press Release
Note: This release has been updated to reflect the latest arrest statistics for Joint Task Force Alpha.
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Texas has returned a superseding indictment charging four defendants with conspiracy to launder money.
The new charges were filed against Erminia Serrano Piedra, aka Irma, aka Boss Lady, 32, of Elgin, Texas; Oscar Angel Monroy Alcibar, aka Pelon, 40, also of Elgin; Pedro Hairo Abrigo, 34, of Killeen, Texas; and Juan Diego Martinez-Rodriguez, aka Gavilan, 38, of Dale, Texas.
As alleged in the superseding indictment, the defendants conspired to engage in financial transactions designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of ill-gotten proceeds of illicit human smuggling and the unlawful harboring and transportation of undocumented aliens. The leaders of the organization allegedly recruited and used straw persons to accept human smuggling proceeds in their bank accounts and then transferred these proceeds to the leaders under the pretense of “work” payments for construction. The defendants also allegedly used businesses and business accounts to transfer the human smuggling proceeds. In addition, the defendants allegedly recruited individuals to accept human smuggling proceeds in the form of cash in exchange for checks from the recruited individuals’ business bank accounts.
The superseding indictment also notices the criminal forfeiture of three properties with values currently estimated at approximately $2.275 million, $515,000, and $344,000, as well as money judgments amounting to at least $2,945,027.
Three of the four defendants previously were charged with human smuggling in an indictment filed in the Southern District of Texas and unsealed on Sept. 13, 2022. That indictment was the culmination of a significant enforcement operation to disrupt and dismantle an alleged prolific human smuggling organization operating in Texas and elsewhere. That operation resulted in the arrests of 14 alleged human smugglers alleged to be members of a human smuggling organization led by Piedra that facilitated the unlawful transportation and movement of hundreds of migrants within the United States and harbored and concealed those migrants from law enforcement detection. The migrants were citizens of Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia, and they or their families allegedly paid members of the human smuggling organization to help them travel unlawfully to and within the United States. According to the indictment, the human smuggling organization used drivers to pick up migrants near the U.S.-Mexico border and transport them into the interior of the United States, often harboring them at “stash houses” along the way in locations such as Laredo and Austin, Texas. Drivers for the human smuggling organization allegedly hid migrants in suitcases placed in pickup trucks and crammed migrants in the back of tractor-trailers, covered beds of pickup trucks, repurposed water tankers, and wooden crates strapped to flatbed trailers. These methods allegedly placed the migrants’ lives in danger, because they were frequently held in confined spaces with little ventilation, which became overheated, and they were driven at high speeds with no vehicle safety devices.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas, and Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
HSI Laredo, along with Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) U.S. Border Patrol Laredo Sector and Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG), led the investigation and received substantial assistance from HSI offices in Austin, San Antonio, Waco, and Corpus Christi, Texas; HSI New Orleans; HSI Gulfport, Mississippi; HSI Mobile, Alabama; HSI West Palm Beach, Florida; HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C.; CBP’s National Targeting Center; the U.S. Marshals Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations – Austin; and the Treasury Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture. Police departments in Laredo, Killeen, Elgin, and Round Rock, Texas; the Wiggins, Mississippi Police Department; the Bogalusa, Louisiana Police Department; the Webb County Constable’s Office; the Webb County District Attorney’s Office; sheriffs’ offices in Webb, Bastrop, and Caldwell Counties in Texas; sheriffs’ offices in Harrison, George, and Stone Counties in Mississippi; the Mobile County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office; sheriffs’ offices in Jefferson and Washington Parishes in Louisiana; the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics; and the Louisiana State Police also provided substantial assistance.
Trial Attorneys Christian Levesque and Angela Buckner of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), Trial Attorney Daria Andryushchenko of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from MLARS Financial Investigator Kelly O’Mara, the Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations’ (OEO) Electronic Surveillance Unit (ESU), and ESU Acting Deputy Chief Jessica Reid.
The indictments against these defendants were brought under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). Attorney General Merrick B. Garland created JFTA in June 2021 in partnership with DHS to strengthen the department’s overall efforts to combat these crimes based on the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA’s goal is to disrupt and dismantle those human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, with a focus on networks that endanger, abuse or exploit migrants, present national security risks, or engage in other types of transnational organized crime.
Since its creation, JTFA has successfully increased coordination and collaboration between the Justice Department, DHS, and other interagency law enforcement participants, and with foreign law enforcement partners, including in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico; targeted those organizations who most significantly impact the United States; and coordinated significant smuggling indictments and extradition efforts in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 200 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of human smuggling; several dozen convictions; significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial asset forfeiture. JTFA is comprised of detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of New Mexico, District of Arizona, and Southern District of California. Numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division are part of JTFA, led by HRSP, and including the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training, the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, MLARS, OEO, the Office of International Affairs, and the Organized Crime and Gang Section. JTFA is made possible by substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Federal Inmate Sentenced for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Jamaican national was sentenced to 15 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Michael Phillips, 47, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Jackson
According to court documents, on or about July 2, 2017, during an altercation with another inmate at the Federal Correctional Complex in Yazoo City, Mississippi, Phillips punched the other inmate causing him to fall backwards into a metal locker. The other inmate hit the back of his head on the locker, and he died as a result of his injuries.
Phillips pled guilty on April 4, 2023, to involuntary manslaughter.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Robles and Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Purdie prosecuted the case.
Former Erie Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Malicious Destruction of Property by FireRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to five years in jail and ordered to pay $3,295 in restitution on his conviction of malicious destruction of property by fire, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Melquan Barnett, 31.
According to information presented to the court, Barnett set fire to the Ember + Forge building located at 401 State Street in Erie on May 30, 2020.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Erie Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Barnett.
Former Coach from Pecos Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sextortion SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Joshua Rico was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Rico, 27, of Pecos, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on Dec. 22, 2022, to five counts of coercion and enticement of minors.
A federal grand jury indicted Rico on May 12, 2021. According to court documents, beginning as early as January 2018, Rico used multiple profiles on the social media platform Snapchat to coerce female high school students, some of which he was familiar with from his job as the assistant basketball coach at a local high school, into sending him sexually explicit photos and videos and engage in sexual acts. Rico used fictitious profiles under the names “Chris Lujan” and “Erik Romero” as well as a profile in his own name to threaten, coerce and manipulate at least four victims who were between 14 and 16 years old.
In each case, Rico used one or both of his fake profiles to persuade the victims into sending compromising photos, then used the threat of exposing the photos to coerce the victims into engaging in sexual acts and sending him videos of the acts. In two instances, after using a fake profile to demand that the victims engage in sexual acts and provide videos, he offered to “help” the victims by allowing them to perform the sexual act with him. Rico coerced at least one of the victims into engaging in sexual acts with him.
Rico’s scheme continued unchecked for nearly three years until one of the victims pieced together that Rico and “Erik” were the same person and reported the conduct to her school and the New Mexico State Police. Through diligent investigation, law enforcement was able to confirm that Rico was also “Chris Lujan” and “Erik Romero.”
“This case highlights the importance and benefit of law enforcement partnerships and task forces. Each agency played a vital role in developing a comprehensive case for prosecutors,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda. “The successful multi-agency investigation and prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office will keep a dangerous predator out of the school system and will prevent him from targeting additional minors.”
“Our mission is clear: to protect the innocent, to uphold the rule of law, and to ensure that those who engage in such malicious activities face the consequences of their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to safeguard our children, schools, neighborhoods, and communities. We call upon everyone to be vigilant regarding the online activity of our children and report any suspicious or concerning conduct. The safety of our children is a shared responsibility, and we must work hand-in-hand to maintain their wellbeing – whether at school, in the community, or on the internet. This sentence should send a message to would-be predators, especially those who work in positions of trust with children, that sextortion is a heinous crime that will be punished with decades in prison.”
Upon his release from prison, Rico will be required to register as a sex offender and serve a 20-year term of supervised release.
The New Mexico State Police, the FBI, and the Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory investigated this case as part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The ICAC Task Force Program is a nation-wide network of task forces including over 90 federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies in New Mexico dedicated to investigating, prosecuting and developing effective responses to Internet crimes against children.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Mease and Jaymie L. Roybal are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
For more information on sextortion and how to get help, visit the FBI website.
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Firearms Smuggler Sentenced for Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods from the United StatesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jorge Alexis Hernandez-Martinez, 25, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on July 14, 2023, by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 36 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Hernandez-Martinez pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods from the United States.
Hernandez-Martinez and his co-conspirators obtained firearms and ammunition from licensed firearms dealers within Arizona with the intent to smuggle them into Mexico. In January 2020, Hernandez-Martinez and his co-conspirators obtained 6,800 rounds of 9mm ammunition, which are designated on the United States Commerce Control List as prohibited by law for export from the United States into Mexico without a valid license. Neither Hernandez-Martinez nor any other individual involved in the conspiracy to export firearms and ammunition had a license or any other lawful authority to export them from the United States into Mexico.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Bolling and Sandra M. Hansen, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-01250-SHR-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-115_Hernandez-Martinez# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Final Defendant in Duluth Area Methamphetamine Distribution Ring Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Duluth man was sentenced to 170 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Evan Andrew Lautigar, 33, and his co-conspirators Matthew James Cuypers, 41, John Arvid Sundquist, 34, and Jacob Lee Kivela-Sandnas, 34, arranged to drive to California to buy methamphetamine from a supplier and transport it back to Minnesota for distribution in and around the Duluth area.
According to court documents, in early 2022, the DEA began investigating a drug trafficking organization operating in the Duluth area. The investigation revealed that in February 2022, Cuypers was en route from California to Minnesota after picking up a load of methamphetamine. A South Dakota Highway Patrol officer conducted a traffic stop of a 2011 Kia Sorrento for a speeding violation. Cuypers was the driver and Sundquist was the passenger. A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 27 pounds of methamphetamine.
On April 7, 2022, deputies with the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop of a 2009 Mercedes Benz driven by Lautigar. Officers executed a previously obtained search warrant on the vehicle and recovered approximately 15 pounds of methamphetamine.
All four defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and were sentenced by Judge Joan N. Ericksen. Lautigar was sentenced on July 25, 2023, to 170 months in prison; Cuypers was sentenced on June 13, 2023, to 150 months in prison; Sundquist was sentenced on January 11, 2023, to 60 months in prison; and Kivela-Sandnas was sentenced on May 11, 2023, to 155 months in prison.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, the Duluth Police Department, and the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew S. Dunne and David P. Steinkamp.
Fifteen Arrested in FBI Gun, Drug Bust Involving 200+ AgentRead the Press Release
Fifteen people were arrested in a large-scale gun and drug bust Thursday, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton announced today.
During the operation – which involved more than 200 officers and agents from FBI Dallas, the Dallas Police Department, the Dallas Sheriff’s Office, and other local agencies – law enforcement seized more than 540 grams of cocaine, more than 1,100 grams of methamphetamine, more than 150 grams of alprazolam, and more than 7 grams of fentanyl, along with nine firearms and over $10,000 in cash.
The defendants were charged in a 16-count indictment with a variety of gun and drug crimes, including possession with intent to distribute cocaine and felon in possession of firearms. They began making their initial appearances in federal court Friday morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez.
“Prosecuting these worst-of-the-worst offenders not only holds them accountable for past wrongs, but it also prevents them from committing future crimes. It makes our streets safer, and our communities sleep more soundly at night,” U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton said at an FBI press conference Friday morning. “An operation like this takes commitment – commitment of time, commitment of resources, and above all, psychological commitment – knowingly risking one’s own personal safety to ensure the security of the community… This case was almost exactly two years in the making. After yesterday, we’re confident it was worth the effort.”
"It's not our goal to just put individuals in jail for a few days, but to build cases that cut into the capabilities of these gangs and criminal enterprises, putting the most violent offenders and facilitators behind bars for as long as we possibly can," said FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office Chad Yarbrough said at the press conference.”
Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia said, “I want to thank the FBI Dallas Field Office, the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, and the other state and local agencies for their partnerships in this two year-long investigation. It takes all of us to fight and prevent crime and criminal activity. Violent crime continues to trend downward in the city of Dallas and not by accident. It is because of the hard work of the men and women of our agencies, along with our community and city leaders that we see the needle trending down. We are committed to making our neighborhoods safer.”
Those charged include:
- Alicia Slaughter: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Courtney Smith: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Edward Williams, aka “Lil ‘E:” conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, convicted felon in possession of a firearm
- Xavier Barnes: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Jordan Davis: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Ladarius Holly: convicted felon in possession of a firearm
- Quentavis Zikeiy Hawkins, aka “Luddy:” conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Lucis Lugo: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Sebastian Medlock, aka “Blue:” convicted felon in possession of a firearm
- Dmarcus Quartez Roderick Moton, aka “Little Cheese:” conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of an unregistered firearm (Glock switch)
- Christopher Samuel: convicted felon in possession of a firearm
- Perry Taylor: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Anthony Joe Womack: convicted felon in possession of a firearm
- Davonia Hart: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
- Brandon Bedford: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, convicted felon in possession of a firearm
Many of the defendants arrested Friday had extensive criminal histories, including assault, aggravated robbery, arson, deadly conduct with a firearm, and manufacture and delivery of controlled substances. Many were allegedly armed, including one who allegedly carried a Glock switch, a dangerous device that converts a regular semi-automatic weapon into a machinegun capable of continuous fire with a single depression of the trigger.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, some face as many as 40 years in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, the Dallas Police Department, and the Dallas Sheriff’s Office conducted the operation with the assistance of the Irving Police Department, the Carrollton Police Department, and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Office of Inspector General, which contributed officers to the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Kull is prosecuting the case.