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14 July 2023
Two Mexican Nationals Sentenced for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens into the United StatesRead the Press Release
FARGO – United States Attorney Mac Schneider, District of North Dakota, announced that on July 13, 2023, Armando De Dios-Carrillo, age 38 and Victor Manuel Perez-Aguilera, age 35, Mexican Nationals, were sentenced to federal prison for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens into the United States. De Dios-Carrillo was sentenced to 24 months in prison and a $100 special assessment and Perez-Aguilera was sentenced to 18 months in prison and a $100 special assessment. The third co-defendant, Jose Ramon Gonzalez-Resendiz, is set for a change-of-plea and sentence hearing on July 24, 2023.
According to court documents, Armando De Dios-Carrillo and Victor Manuel Perez-Aguilera and others partially carried out the smuggling of a group of nationals of Mexico across the United States-Canada border into North Dakota in late March 2023, planning to move them further into the United States in exchange for payment of thousands of dollars per person. The plan fell apart when a pickup truck they were using got stuck in the snow. The pickup had to be towed from the drifted snow and was discovered by Border Patrol agents later at a Langdon, North Dakota, hotel where the smugglers and some of the people they smuggled were staying.
“These strong sentences are another reminder to smugglers: If you think the northern border is a soft target, think again,” Schneider said. “Smugglers who put human lives at risk at the northern border will be caught by our partners in law enforcement, prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, and face jail time.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection -- Office of Field Operations and Pembina County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob T. Rodenbiker.
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Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Possessing with Intent to Distribute More than 332 Kilograms of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Hector Francisco Ramirez-Roman, 39, of San Luis, Rio Colorado, Mexico, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 108 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Ramirez-Roman also was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. Ramirez-Roman pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine.
Ramirez-Roman was stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers on May 21, 2021, while crossing from Mexico into the United States driving his tractor-trailer loaded with cucumbers. Upon inspection, agents discovered that the passenger-side gas tank was filled with a combination of gasoline and liquified methamphetamine. More than 332 kilograms of methamphetamine -approximately 1.3 million individual doses - was removed from the gas tank.
United States Customs and Border Protection, assisted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-01384-JCH-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-107_Ramirez-Roman# # #
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.Three Gang Members Plead Guilty to RICO Charge and Admit Roles in the Robbery and Fatal Shooting of LAPD OfficerRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Three members of a Los Angeles street gang have pleaded guilty to violating the federal racketeering statute for their roles in the robbery and fatal shooting last year of Los Angeles Police Officer Fernando Arroyos, the Justice Department announced today.
The following defendants – all members of the South Los Angeles-based Florencia 13 (F13) street gang – each pleaded guilty late Thursday to one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act:
- Luis Alfredo de la Rosa Rios, 29, a.k.a. “Lil J” and “Lil Malo”;
- Ernesto Cisneros, 24, a.k.a. “Gonzo” and “Spooky”; and
- Jesse Contreras, 35, a.k.a. “Skinny Jack” and “Flaco.”
According to three plea agreements filed Thursday afternoon, on the night of January 10, 2022, the defendants were driving in Rios’ truck around F13’s “territory” in the Florence-Firestone area of South Los Angeles, looking for people to rob. The three defendants decided to rob Officer Arroyos because he was wearing gold chains around his neck. Arroyos was accompanied by his girlfriend, another victim who is identified in court documents as “A.M.” Contreras handed Rios a loaded gun. Cisneros already possessed a loaded gun. Rios and Cisneros, both armed, then exited Rios’ truck.
Cisneros approached the off-duty officer, patted him down, and then took his chains and wallet, which contained Arroyos’ LAPD identification card. Rios approached A.M., patted her down and stole her property.
After robbing Arroyos, Rios and Cisneros opened fire. Arroyos was struck by a single bullet, which killed him.
Rios and Contreras further admitted in their plea agreements to committing armed robberies against two victims outside a bar in the Florence-Firestone area earlier the same day.
“This case starkly illustrates the devastating impact of gangs on our community,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “A young man who had achieved great success and returned to serve his community as a Los Angeles Police officer was murdered while shopping for a home in the city he took an oath to protect. These senseless tragedies are repeated too often. Our work in this case sends a message that we will aggressively prosecute violence against our community.”
“The defendants admitted to their role in the callous and cowardly murder of an off-duty police officer,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “These defendants now face spending the better part of their lives in prison and will no longer be in a position to prey on innocent victims.”
“The murder of LAPD Officer Fernando Arroyos was a senseless murder,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna. “The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is thankful for the interagency collaboration with the LAPD, and other local and federal agencies. LASD’s Homicide Bureau is appreciative of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Justice for their efforts in bringing some semblance of justice to Officer Arroyos’ loved ones.”
The three gang members pleaded guilty Thursday before United States District Judge Percy Anderson, who scheduled sentencing hearings on September 25 for Rios and Contreras, and an October 16 sentencing hearing for Cisneros. As a result of their guilty pleas, each defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Prosecutors have agreed to seek terms of between 35 and 50 years in prison for Rios and Cisneros, and a prison term of 35 years for Contreras.
Haylee Marie Grisham, 20, an F13 associate who was Rios’ girlfriend, pleaded guilty on April 5 to one count of violent crime in aid of racketeering for participating in the fatal robbery of Arroyos. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 11, at which time she will face a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Joanna M. Curtis, Chief of the General Crimes Section; Christopher C. Kendall of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section; and Kathy Yu of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Three Darknet Fentanyl Vendors Sentenced to over 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Tempe, Arizona, woman was sentenced today to 5 years in prison for her role in operating multiple darknet pages selling illicit drugs alongside two previously sentenced co-conspirators.
According to court documents, from at least in and around January of 2022 through August 2022, Veronica Dittman, 28, along with co-conspirators Rick Schiffner, 31, and Devin Langer, 30, both based in Phoenix, Arizona, ran the darknet monikers “TrustedTraphouse,” “GoldenTrails,” “PopcornPlug,” and others across at least dozen different darknet markets. On these markets, the co-conspirators advertised various controlled substances, including crystal methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills that the conspirators advertised as oxycodone. During the course of the conspiracy, the conspirators made over 1,300 sales of controlled substances over the darknet using these accounts, distributing at least 800 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, 500 grams of methamphetamine, 16 grams of heroin, and 7 grams of cocaine. The conspirators described the pressed pills containing fentanyl on one marketplace as “Not normal OxyCodone”, informing potential customers “These are MUCH stronger than pharmaceutical OxyCodone… These were NOT made by a pharmacy,” and warning customers to “BE CAREFUL.” Dittman worked primarily with Schiffner to process orders over the darknet and then package and ship them. Dittman also operated her own vendor accounts on the darknet using the monikers “VirtualPeddler” and “Darkette”. By the time of her arrest, she had made at least 74 sales of controlled substances through those accounts, the majority of which were fentanyl.
The darknet, also called the darkweb, is a portion of the Internet that hosts darknet markets, or hidden commercial websites. A darknet market operates as a black market, selling or brokering transactions involving legal products, as well as drugs, weapons, counterfeit currency, stolen credit card details, forged documents, unlicensed pharmaceuticals, steroids, and other illicit goods.
Co-conspirators Schiffner was sentenced on April 14, 2023, to 150 months imprisonment. Co-conspirator Langer was sentenced on April 17, 2023, to 84 months imprisonment.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and George A. Scavdis, Special Agent in Charge of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia expresses its appreciation to the FBI Phoenix Field Office, USPIS Phoenix Division, Homeland Security Investigations Phoenix, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office, the Arizona Department of Public Safety, FBI Las Vegas Field Office, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for their significant assistance in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Call prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-31.
Task Force Agent ArrestedRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment on Thursday, July 13, 2023, charging Antonio Pizarro Adorno, a Puerto Rico Special Investigations Bureau (“NIE” as known in Spanish) officer assigned to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (HSI), for concealing $170 during a law enforcement seizure.
According to court documents, on April 27, 2023, Pizarro Adorno, took $170 in cash seized by the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), with the intent to impair its integrity and availability for use in an investigation being conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives related to drug trafficking in a community in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“Investigating and prosecuting officials who abuse their positions of trust will continue to be a top priority in the Justice Department and this office,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
Pizarro Adorno is scheduled for his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Giselle López-Soler of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI San Juan Field Office, Public Corruption Unit is investigating the case, with the collaboration of the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Christine Amy is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Tacoma man charged federally with production of images of child sexual abuseRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 37-year-old Tacoma man will appear this afternoon in U.S. District Court in Tacoma charged with production of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Steven Nicholas Corona was arrested yesterday without incident and will make his initial appearance at 2:00 PM.
According to the criminal complaint, in December 2022 Australian law enforcement contacted law enforcement in the U.S. regarding images of sexual abuse of a young child that had been shared on the internet. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was able to identify Corona as the person who posted the photos and determined that the material had been created between June and September 2019. The investigation determined that Corona had been living with the child’s household and provided childcare at times during this period.
Production of child pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison and up to 30 years.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Hampton.
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 United States Attorneys Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Suspected Russian Intelligence Operative Extradited from Estonia to Face Charges Related to Providing American-Made Electronics and Ammunition to Russian MilitaryRead the Press Release
A Russian citizen with alleged ties to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) will be arraigned today on an indictment charging him with conspiracy and other charges related to a global procurement and money laundering network on behalf of the Russian government.
According to court documents, Vadim Konoshchenok, 48, of Tallinn, Estonia, was arrested in Estonia on a provisional arrest warrant issued from the Eastern District of New York and extradited from Estonia to the United States on July 13.
“This defendant, who is suspected of having ties to the FSB, smuggled hundreds of thousands of illicit munitions in support of Moscow’s war machine, using front companies to conceal his criminal enterprise,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department of Justice remains steadfast in its mission to counter Russian aggression and we will give no quarter to those who violate U.S. sanctions to further fuel its war effort.”
“In early December, I met with Estonian counterparts in Tallinn regarding the pending U.S. request to arrest Vadim Konoshchenok,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “I would like to pay tribute to Prosecutor General Andres Parmas’s team, and to the Estonian Internal Security Service, for their prioritization of this case, and for their close coordination with the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs on the provisional arrest and extradition of Konoshchenok.”
“As alleged, the defendant was a critical participant in a scheme to provide sensitive, American-made electronics and ammunition in furtherance of Russia’s war efforts and weapons development, violating U.S. export controls, economic sanctions and other criminal statutes,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “Let this case serve as the latest example that no matter where you are in the world, if you violate U.S. export controls or evade U.S. sanctions, we will not rest until you face justice in a U.S. courtroom.”
“The FBI and our partners work diligently to bring to justice those who assist Russia’s military interests and put national security at risk,” said Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “According to the allegations in the indictment, Konoshchenok helped the FSB smuggle military grade ammunition and a range of nuclear and computer equipment which could be used as instruments of war. Today’s indictment is a fierce reminder of the lengths Russian intelligences services will go to advance Russia’s military capabilities. The FBI is deeply committed to disrupting and dismantling these actions.”
According to the indictment and court filings, Konoshchenok and his co-defendants were affiliated with Serniya Engineering and Sertal LLC (the Serniya Network), Moscow-based companies that operate under the direction of Russian intelligence services to procure advanced electronics and sophisticated testing equipment for Russia’s military industrial complex and research and development sector, some of which can be used in the development of nuclear and hypersonic weapons, quantum computing and other military applications. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of Commerce (DOC) Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) levied sanctions against Serniya, Sertal and several individuals and companies engaged in the scheme, calling them “instrumental to the Russian Federation’s war machine.”
As alleged in the indictment, the Serniya Network was licensed to conduct highly sensitive and classified procurement activities by Russia’s FSB, Russia’s principal security agency and the main successor agency to the Soviet Union’s KGB. According to court documents, in electronic communications, Konoshchenok explicitly identified himself as an FSB “Colonel” and enclosed a photograph of himself wearing his FSB uniform. Additionally, a review of electronic communications equipment recovered from Konoshchenok revealed saved contacts beginning with the prefix “FSB” and email addresses from “FSB[.]ru” domains. One of Konoshchenok’s calendar entries referenced an “FSB order.”
As described in the indictment, Estonia was a popular transshipment point, where Konoshchenok would smuggle U.S.-origin items across the border into Russia. On Oct. 27, 2022, Konoshchenok was detained by Estonian authorities while attempting to cross into Russia from Estonia with approximately 35 different types of semiconductors and electronic components, including several U.S.-origin and export-controlled items. Konoshchenok has also been repeatedly stopped by Estonian border officials attempting to smuggle hundreds of thousands of American-made and export-controlled rounds into Russia, including 6.5 mm, 7 mm, .338 and .308 magnum rounds, which are commonly used by snipers, as well as military-grade .223 rounds.
Konoshchenok used an Estonian front company called Stonebridge Resources and communicated frequently with other co-conspirators about sourcing, transporting and paying for controlled items. In electronic communications, Konoshchenok is clear that his fee is “10%” because he “can’t do less. Sanctions . . . Sanction item for 10%.”
To date, over half a ton of military-grade ammunition linked to Konoshchenok has been recovered or interdicted before being smuggled into Russia.
If convicted, Konoshchenok faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
The FBI is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Estonian authorities, including Estonian Internal Security Service (KAPO) and the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Estonia, provided significant assistance in securing foreign evidence, the arrest and extradition of Konoshchenok.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Artie McConnell and Matthew Skurnik for the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
This case has been coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions, and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022, and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will leverage all the Department’s tools and authorities against efforts to evade or undermine the economic actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.
Suspected Russian Intelligence Operative Extradited from Estonia to Face Charges Related to Providing American-Made Electronics and Ammunition to Russian MilitaryRead the Press Release
Vadim Konoshchenok will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr., at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn on an indictment charging him with conspiracy and other charges related to a global procurement and money laundering network on behalf of the Russian government. Konoshchenok, a Russian citizen with alleged ties to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), was arrested in Estonia on a provisional arrest warrant issued from the Eastern District of New York and extradited from Estonia to the United States on July 13, 2023.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Andrew C. Adams, Director, Task Force KleptoCapture; Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jonathan Carson, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office (DOC), announced the extradition.
“As alleged, the defendant was a critical participant in a scheme to provide sensitive, American-made electronics and ammunition in furtherance of Russia’s war efforts and weapons development, violating U.S. export controls, economic sanctions and other criminal statutes,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Let this case serve as the latest example that no matter where you are in the world, if you violate U.S. export controls or evade U.S. sanctions, we will not rest until you face justice in a U.S. courtroom.”
United States Attorney Peace thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and Estonian authorities, including Estonian Internal Security Service (KAPO) and the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Estonia for their significant assistance in securing foreign evidence, the arrest and extradition of Konoshchenok.
“In early December, I met with Estonian counterparts in Tallinn regarding the pending U.S. request to arrest Vadim Konoshchenok,” stated Assistant Attorney General Polite. “I would like to pay tribute to Prosecutor General Andres Parmas’s team, and to the Estonian Internal Security Service, for their prioritization of this case, and for their close coordination with the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs on the provisional arrest and extradition of Konoshchenok.”
“This defendant, who is suspected of having ties to the FSB, smuggled hundreds of thousands of illicit munitions in support of Moscow’s war machine, using front companies to conceal his criminal enterprise,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department of Justice remains steadfast in its mission to counter Russian aggression and we will give no quarter to those who violate U.S. sanctions to further fuel its war effort.”
“Vadim Konoshchenok allegedly provided cutting edge, American-developed technologies and ammunition to Russia for use in their illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Far from the battlefield, Konoshchenok will now face justice in an American courthouse, thanks to the staunch commitment of our Estonian partners and the federal prosecutors and agents who have dedicated their time and talents to disrupting the Kremlin’s war machine,” stated KleptoCapture Director Adams.
“Last year, charges were announced against the defendant and others involved in this complex transnational criminal scheme under the direction of Russian intelligence services. Today’s extradition of Vadim Konoshchenok is a testament to the team of law enforcement professionals dedicated to enforcing U.S. export controls,” stated DOC Special Agent-in-Charge Carson. “We will continue to enforce the unprecedented export controls implemented in response to Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine and the Office of Export Enforcement intends to pursue these violators wherever they may be worldwide.”
According to the indictment and court filings, the defendants were affiliated with Serniya Engineering and Sertal LLC (the “Serniya Network”), Moscow-based companies that operate under the direction of Russian intelligence services to procure advanced electronics and sophisticated testing equipment for Russia’s military industrial complex and research and development sector, some of which can be used in the development of nuclear and hypersonic weapons, quantum computing and other military applications. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of Commerce (DOC) Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) levied sanctions against Serniya, Sertal and several individuals and companies engaged in the scheme, calling them “instrumental to the Russian Federation’s war machine.”
As alleged in the indictment, the Serniya Network was licensed to conduct highly sensitive and classified procurement activities by Russia’s FSB, Russia’s principal security agency and the main successor agency to the Soviet Union’s KGB. In electronic communications, Konoshchenok explicitly identified himself as an FSB “Colonel” and enclosed a photograph of himself wearing his FSB uniform. Additionally, a review of electronic communications equipment recovered from Konoshchenok revealed saved contacts beginning with the prefix “FSB” and email addresses from “FSB[.]ru” domains. One of Konoshchenok’s calendar entries referenced an “FSB order.”
As described in the indictment, Estonia was a popular transshipment point, where Konoshchenok would smuggle U.S.-origin items across the border into Russia. On October 27, 2022, Konoshchenok was detained by Estonian authorities attempting to cross into Russia from Estonia with approximately 35 different types of semiconductors and electronic components, including several U.S.-origin and export-controlled items. Konoshchenok has also been repeatedly stopped by Estonian border officials attempting to smuggle hundreds of thousands of American-made and export-controlled rounds into Russia, including 6.5 mm, 7 mm, .338 and .308 magnum rounds, which are commonly used by snipers, as well as military-grade .223 rounds. To date, over half a ton of military-grade ammunition linked to Konoshchenok has been recovered or interdicted before being smuggled into Russia. Konoshchenok used an Estonian front company called “Stonebridge Resources” and communicated frequently with other co-conspirators about sourcing, transporting and paying for controlled items. In electronic communications, Konoshchenok is clear that his fee is “10%” because he “can’t do less. Sanctions . . . Sanction item for 10%.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Artie McConnell, Craig Heeren, and Matthew Skurnik are in charge of the prosecution, along with Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The Defendant:
VADIM KONOSHCHENOK
Age: 48
Tallin, EstoniaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-409 (HG)
Statement of U.S. Attorney Damian Williams on the Arrest of Sophia MarksRead the Press Release
“Last night, my Office, the Southern District of New York, authorized the arrest of Sophia Marks in connection with her distribution of fake oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl. At least one of Marks’s counterfeit pills was purchased and taken by a teenager who subsequently died of a suspected overdose. The arrest was critical because, as we allege, Marks knew the pills could kill, and she continued selling them anyway. The investigation is ongoing.
Fentanyl is now the number one killer of Americans between the ages of 18 and 49. More than cancer, car accidents, or gun violence. It is a law enforcement crisis and a public health crisis. And we are doing everything we can to stop it.”
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SOPHIA MARKS, 20, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and alprazolam, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and two counts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, each of which also carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. v. Marks ComplaintSouth Bend Man Sentenced to 138 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Victor Gamez, 43 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to distributing methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Gamez was sentenced to 138 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on four occasions between May 2021 and March 2022, Gamez sold varying amounts of pure methamphetamine to a person in South Bend. The total weight distributed was 264.9 grams.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Indiana State Police, the South Bend Police Department, and the DEA North Central Laboratory. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerome W. McKeever.
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Soap Lake Man Pleads Guilty to Production and Attempted Production of Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
Spokane – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Michael Gene Rice, 48, of Soap Lake, Washington, pleaded guilty to Production and Attempted Production of Child Pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2251(a), (e). United States District Judge Thomas. O. Rice accepted Rice’s guilty plea and scheduled a sentencing hearing for October 11, 2023, in Spokane, Washington.
According to court documents and proceedings, Rice caused an 11-year old minor in his care to record the minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct on Rice’s phone. The minor disclosed the conduct to law enforcement, and a search warrant was granted for Rice’s iCloud account data. In Rice’s iCloud account, law enforcement observed child pornography videos consistent with the minor’s statements.
Court documents reveal that Rice was previously convicted in 2002 of Rape of a Child in the First Degree, in Grant County, Washington. The victim in that case was also 11 years old.
Sentencing is also pending in Grant County Case No. No. 22-1-00131-13, where Rice was convicted after a jury trial earlier this year of two counts of Dealing in Depictions of a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct and two counts of Possession of Depictions of a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct.
“As a parent, I am chilled by Mr. Rice’s exploitative conduct of a young child,” said United States Attorney Waldref. “My office will continue to take child exploitation seriously, whether online or in-person. Children everywhere deserve to live in a world free from predators.” United States Attorney Waldref continued, “This case, like so many of the cases we prosecute in federal court, involved a joint effort by federal, state and local law enforcement. We are particularly grateful for the Grant County Prosecuting Office’s partnership on this case. When law enforcement is able to partner together – as we did here – we are able to do much to strengthen our communities and keep our citizens, including young children, safe.”
This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. The Project Safe Childhood Initiative (“PSC”) has five major components:
- Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, and to identify and rescue children;
- Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives;
- Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases;
- Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; and
- Community awareness and educational programs.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
In addition, this case was investigated by the Missing and Exploited Children Task Force (MECTF), which is dedicated to protecting the children of Washington State by assisting and investigating missing child and exploitation cases. Washington State Patrol (WSP) MECTF partnered with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Spokane on a Task Force housed at the HSI Spokane office. The Task Force includes Special Agents, Detectives, and Analysts from WSP, HSI, Spokane PD, and representatives from outlying Counties dedicated to serving the children and communities of the region. The MECTF traces its origins to 1999, when the Washington Legislature established a task force on missing and exploited children under the direction of the Chief of the state patrol, RCW 13.60.110.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Ann T. Wick, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
2:23-CR-23-TOR
Sentencings in Athens-Area Armed Drug Trafficking CasesRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – Three defendants found guilty in multiple armed drug trafficking investigations in the Athens community were sentenced to federal prison this week for their crimes.
Stacey Collins aka “Sue,” 45, of Alto, Georgia, was sentenced to 240 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. She previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine in Case No. 3:22-cr-00009.
Juan Carlos Pimentel aka “Manuel Romero Gonzalez,” age unknown, of Athens and Mexico, was sentenced to 168 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin in Case No. 3:20-cr-00045. Co-conspirator, Steven Ricole Scott aka “Black” aka “Unc,” 47, of Athens, was sentenced to 120 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine in Case No. 3:20-cr-00008.
U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal handed down the sentences on July 10. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Not only are illegal controlled substances themselves growing deadlier due to the intentional or the unintentional mixing in of fentanyl, drug trafficking networks often precipitate violent crime that simply cannot be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “These cases demonstrate our office’s firm commitment to support local, state and federal law enforcement in their efforts to hold armed drug traffickers accountable in the Athens area.”
“The sentencing of these individuals ends an exhaustive investigation and proves that the FBI and our partners will spare no resource when it comes to ending an epidemic in our society that fuels violent crime and kills our citizens,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Athens office. “We want to thank our partners who relentlessly work along our side to dismantle these organized, violent criminal enterprises.”
“Drug dealing breeds violence and traffickers who engage in this dangerous lifestyle often protect their drug stash with firearms,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Consequently, these defendants will spend well-deserved time in prison. DEA and its law enforcement partners are committed to making communities safer by removing such criminals from the streets.”
According to court documents in the Collins case, federal agents learned in 2018 that co-conspirator Malcody Dinges aka “Cody” aka “Yes, Sir Cody,” 44, was conducting drug deals using contraband cell phones while in custody at Wheeler Correctional Facility. During the investigation, agents learned that Dinges was communicating with Collins and other co-defendants located in the Athens region about controlled substances; these individuals would travel to locations in Atlanta as directed by Dinges to receive methamphetamine and return to Athens to distribute the drugs. Dinges received a fee for brokering the deals. Collins kept large amounts of Dinges’s drug proceeds, methamphetamine and other illegal substances at her northeast Georgia home. A subsequent investigation led to her arrest in possession of a five-gallon bag of methamphetamine and approximately $4,300 in cash. A search warrant was executed at her home where agents located several bags of methamphetamine and a firearm. Collins admitted she kept the drugs and up to $50,000 cash at her home because she was a trusted associate of Dinges. Dinges was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Dec. 16, 2021.
According to court documents in the Pimentel and Scott case, agents were investigating the distribution of illegal controlled substances and firearms from the Athens Gardens Apartment Complex by Rickshun Willingham, of Athens, who is deceased. Willingham obtained drugs from Pimentel and Scott, and agents observed Willingham purchasing drugs from Scott’s stash house on Lombardy Circle in Athens. During the investigation, Willingham arranged to buy one kilogram of heroin for $77,000 from Pimentel and another co-conspirator at Pimentel’s home in Athens in Dec. 2019. Willingham told Scott he “robbed the Mexicans” by using $50,000 in fake currency. Scott warned him to be careful because they carry firearms. Under surveillance, Pimentel conducted additional large quantity transactions of heroin. Multiple search warrants were executed in Jan. 2020, including at Pimentel’s residence. Agents seized two firearms and ammunition, $20,000 cash, several cell phones used for drug distribution, receipts for money transfers to Mexico and vacuum sealed bags. Additional narcotics were located at stash houses of co-conspirators named in the indictment. Pimentel is responsible for distributing between three and ten kilograms of heroin. Scott is responsible for distributing 780 grams of crack cocaine.
The Collins case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Banks County Sheriff’s Office, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia State Patrol (GSP), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Appalachian RDEO and the Northeast Georgia Regional Drug Task Force.
The Pimentel and Scott case was investigated by the FBI, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and Georgia State Patrol (GSP).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Jarrett prosecuted the cases for the Government.
Santa Fe Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms OffenseRead 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 FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Gilbert Michael Coriz pled guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Coriz, 37, of Santa Fe, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Coriz on Dec. 8, 2021. According to court records, on Jan. 1, 2021, officers from the Santa Fe Police Department responded to a report of shots fired at a residence on Camino Capitan. After obtaining a search warrant, officers cleared and searched the residence and found Coriz allegedly hiding in a water heater closet in the garage. Officers also found two firearms and various types of ammunition.
Coriz was previously convicted of aggravated battery, felon in possession of a firearm, tampering with evidence, possession of a controlled substance and residential burglary. As a previously convicted felon, Coriz cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
At sentencing, Coriz faces up to ten years on prison.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Santa Fe Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Samuel A. Hurtado is prosecuting the case.
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Sallisaw Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Amy Lee Littledeer, a/k/a Amy Hummingbird, age 37, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The charges arose from investigations by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On May 17, 2022, Littledeer pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
On July 7, 2020, Sequoyah County Sheriff deputies executed a search warrant at Littledeer’s residence in Sallisaw, Oklahoma. During the search, they located three baggies containing a total mixture of methamphetamine weighing over 80 grams.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Littledeer will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.
Pueblo Man Sentenced to 12.5 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Firearm and Distributing DrugsRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Leonard Cordova, age 44, of Pueblo, has been sentenced to 151 months in federal prison after earlier pleading guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and two counts of distributing a controlled substance.
According to the plea agreement and criminal complaint, on September 12, 2021, the defendant, from his driveway in a residential neighborhood in Pueblo, fired numerous shots from a handgun at an individual driving down the street. The defendant was arrested on local charges but then released on bond. One week later, on September 19, 2021, the defendant, while driving his vehicle in Pueblo, fired shots at two individuals in another moving vehicle. The defendant’s victims were hit with rounds from the defendant’s gun and sought treatment at a local hospital. The defendant was again arrested on local charges but then released on bond.
The defendant was arrested by the FBI on April 15, 2022, after being charged in the District of Colorado by criminal complaint on April 13, 2022. He was ordered detained pending trial.
The defendant pled guilty in federal court on March 7, 2023. As part of his plea agreement, the defendant, a previously convicted felon, admitted to unlawfully possessing a firearm or ammunition in connection with the two September 2021 shootings. He also admitted that on October 19, 2020, he distributed 221 grams of methamphetamine, and on February 19, 2021, he distributed 98 grams of heroin.
United States District Court Judge Regina M. Rodriguez sentenced the defendant on July 12, 2023.
“Pueblo is a safer place with violent, drug-dealing felons like Leonard Cordova off the streets,” said United States Attorney Cole Finegan. “We are grateful for our partners at the FBI, DEA, and Pueblo Police Department whose hard work and dedication make a real difference for the citizens of Colorado.”
“Cases like this one exemplify what the federal system can bring to our local partners: This repeat offender will no longer threaten the Pueblo community,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “The FBI will continue to work with the Pueblo Police Department to further our shared goals.”
“The DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division is committed to making our communities safer. We know gun violence is often associated with drug-related activity, which is why these cases are a top priority for us,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge David Olesky. “The community of Pueblo should feel safer tonight knowing this defendant will no longer be a menace to his neighbors.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, DEA, and Pueblo Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Andrea Surratt. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also thanks the 10th Judicial District Attorney’s office for their assistance with 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.
CASE NUMBER: 22-cr-132
Providence Man Admits to Passport Fraud, Theft of Government Funds and Fraudulent Use of Another Person’s Identity to Obtain Social Security Disability BenefitsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man admitted to a federal judge that he fraudulently collected more than $230,000 in Social Security Administration (SAA) disability benefits in his own name, all the while continuing to work using another person’s identity, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Additionally, Leonardo Durango, 62, admitted that he used the name of that same person, without his knowledge, to fraudulently collect more than $26,000 in federally funded COVID-related unemployment benefits, and that he also made a false statement in a U.S. passport application. Durango admitted that he was not entitled to receive the funds.
Durango pleaded guilty on Thursday to charges of concealment to disclose affecting rights to SSA benefits payments, passport fraud, and theft of government property.
Durango is scheduled to be sentenced on October 12, 2023. The defendants’ sentences will be determined by a federal judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ly T. Chin.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Social Security Administration, and U.S. Department of Labor.
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Portsmouth Man Sentenced for Possessing Firearm used in Murder of Seven-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for possessing a firearm used in the shooting of a child and straw purchasing another firearm used in a second shooting.
According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Antonyo Taylor, 27, possessed a tan Smith and Wesson M&P connected to the homicide of a seven-year-old girl in Portsmouth, and separately straw purchased a GIRSAN MC 1911. On December 22, 2020, Taylor told others that he wanted to go shoot at rival gang members. Taylor and others, riding inside a gold Acura TL pulled alongside another vehicle that Taylor incorrectly indicated contained rival gang members. Taylor then fired his tan Smith and Wesson M&P towards the other vehicle. During this shooting, one of the passengers in the second vehicle, a seven-year-old girl, was shot and killed. Separately, on or about September 20, 2020, Taylor straw purchased a GIRSAN MC 1911. A co-conspirator of Taylor purchased the firearm from a legal firearm vendor and, during the purchase, checked the box on the ATF form 4473 indicating that they were the actual buyer of the firearm. The co-conspirator then transferred the firearm to Taylor. According to text messages obtained by law enforcement, Taylor admitted he used this firearm in a separate shooting in October of 2020 in Portsmouth that did not result in injuries.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. Judge John A. Gibney, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Heck prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-127.
One Detroit Violence Reduction Partnership to host Second Annual Peacenic at Heilmann Recreation CenterRead the Press Release
DETROIT - More than thirty community organizations and local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies will gather with residents for a second Peacenic at Heilmann Recreation Center on July 15. This follows a very successful Peacenic that was held on July 8th at O’Hair Park. The events on Saturday at Heilmann will run from 3pm to 7pm.
The Peacenics are part of the One Detroit Violence Reduction Partnership’s – Unified Summer Enforcement Strategy, a targeted strategy aimed at reducing gun violence in Detroit’s neighborhoods with the highest incidence of violent crime – Detroit’s 8th and 9th Precincts. The strategy has three components—enforcement, prevention, and reentry. One Detroit is a coalition of community and law enforcement partners working together to develop and execute the best strategies to reduce violent crime which was announced in May.
As part of the enhanced enforcement this summer, certain crimes committed in the “hot spot areas” are subject to immediate federal enforcement. On the reentry front, the One Detroit Partnership is holding community roundtables pairing individuals living in the hot spot communities who are on state probation with housing, mental health, and employment resources and giving them the opportunity to engage with individuals who have successfully transitioned from prison back into society. Finally, the Peacenics are a collective gathering of the community and law enforcement to share in food, fellowship and fun in the name of peace that signals the start of our One Detroit prevention efforts.
The Peacenics will feature vendors offering a variety of resources including job training, literacy programs, mental health and medical screenings, utility assistance, educational and vocational opportunities, tutorial and career development programs, expungement assistance and more. Several law enforcement agencies will also be present to engage with the community and recruit to fill vacancies in their organizations.
In addition to the resources, there will be bounce houses, face painting, and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament. Tracey Walker, II, from the Detroit Lions will be passing out book bags and doing drills. Adults will be able to join in the fun with Hustle Dance lessons, chess games, and a Spades tournament. New this year is the Thrift Clothing Boutique where residents can shop for gently used clothing. There will also be pizza, sliders, and ice cream available for free for residents at the Peacenics.
“I am so excited to be partnering again with so many organizations and individuals who are dedicated to helping improve the lives of the residents of Detroit, stated U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. “Our first step is making the city peaceful, and the Peacenics are a celebration of the One Detroit Partnership’s multifaceted approach to reducing violence in the city.”
“The Peacenic and One Detroit Partnership shows what we can do when we all work together to reduce violence and improve the quality of life in our city,” said Chief James E. White. “This is a great time in the city of Detroit as law enforcement, government, community organizations and residents are coming together to stop violent crime and increase access to resources that can help Detroiters.”
Heilmann Recreation Center is located at 19601 Brock Street (9th Precinct). Members of the media are welcome to attend the event and should contact Gina Balaya at the above email address or contact her directly at (313)226-9758.
Participating OrganizationsCity of Detroit •Detroit Police Department •Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office •U.S. Attorney’s Office •8th Precinct Community Relations Council •Black Family Development, Inc. •Brilliant Detroit •Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives •Ceasefire Detroit •Ceasefire Outreach •Delta Dental •Detroit at Work •Detroit Health Department •Detroit Housing and Revitalization Department •Detroit Lions •Detroit Pistons •Detroit Public Library •Detroit Public Schools Community District •Detroit Reconnect •Detroit Training Center •Detroit Wayne Integrated Health •Drug Enforcement Administration •Families Against Narcotics •Federal Bureau of Investigations •Goodwill Industries •I Teach Chess •Matrix Human Services
- Michigan Army National Guard •Michigan Department of
Corrections •Michigan Secretary of State •Project Clean Slate •Salvation Army •Team Wellness Center •U.S. Department of Homeland Security •Wayne County Sheriff’s Department •Wayne Metro Hope Program •Wayne State Health Mobile •Youthbuild Detroit
Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kentrell Dupri McKenzie, 22, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced yesterday to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 9, 2022, McKenzie was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by a law enforcement officer on Interstate 77 in Jackson County. The officer detected the odor of marijuana, prompting a search of the vehicle. Officers found approximately 373 grams of methamphetamine in a sealed bag hidden inside the gear shift area. McKenzie admitted to possessing the methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Ripley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Blackwell and Ryan A. Keefe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-30.
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Oahu Men Receive Sentences of 130 and 120 Months in Prison Following Federal Carjacking ConvictionsRead the Press Release
HONOLULU –Senior United States District Judge Helen Gillmor imposed prison sentences of 130 months on Treston Cory Kawailani Hardin, 35, of Waiawa, Hawaii, and 120 months on Anthony Kelii Mark, 31, of Wahiawa, Hawaii on July 13 and 14, 2023, respectively, for carjacking.
According to information presented to the court, on March 14, 2020, Hardin and Mark drove a stolen car to the Waipio Soccer Complex and parked alongside the victim, who was seated in the driver’s seat of a Nissan truck. Hardin then exited his car, walked over to the victim’s truck, opened his passenger’s side door, and displayed a bolt-action shotgun. Hardin then loaded a round into the shotgun and pointed the shotgun at the victim. Mark then approached the victim’s truck from the driver’s side and ordered the victim out of the truck. The victim complied and fled, as Hardin and Mark took his truck.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The Honolulu Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that resulted in the convictions. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregg Paris Yates and Darren W.K. Ching handled the prosecution.
O.C. Surgeon Sentenced to over 2 Years in Prison for Accepting over $300,000 in Illicit Payments to Perform Surgeries at Corrupt HospitalRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Orange County orthopedic surgeon was sentenced today to 33 months in federal prison for accepting more than $315,000 in bribes and kickbacks for performing spinal surgeries at a now-defunct Long Beach hospital whose owner later was imprisoned for committing a massive workers’ compensation insurance fraud.
David Hobart Payne, 66, of Irvine, was sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton, who also ordered him to a pay a fine of $20,000, and to forfeit $316,597 in ill-gotten gains.
At the conclusion of a six-day trial, a federal jury on March 3 found Payne guilty of one count of conspiracy, two counts of honest services wire fraud, and one count of use of an interstate facility in aid of bribery.
Michael Drobot – the owner of the Long Beach-based Pacific Hospital – conspired with doctors, chiropractors, and marketers to pay kickbacks and bribes in return for the referral of patients to Pacific Hospital for spinal surgeries and other medical services. These services and surgeries were paid for primarily through the California workers’ compensation system. During its final five years, the scheme resulted in the submission of more than $500 million in medical bills for spinal surgeries involving kickbacks.
Payne received bribes from Drobot of up to $15,000 for each spinal surgery that he performed at Pacific Hospital. The top bribe payment was for lumbar spinal surgeries Payne performed on patients at Pacific Hospital with implants from one of Drobot’s companies. Drobot and Payne covered up the bribes by disguising them as payments for marketing services and fees based on a sham contract.
In total, Payne received more than $315,000 in illegal payments.
In April 2013, law enforcement searched Pacific Hospital, which was sold later that year, bringing the kickback scheme to an end.
To date, 24 defendants, among them multiple physicians, have been convicted for participating in the kickback scheme. In 2018, Drobot was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison.
“Bribe schemes like [Payne’s] cause an insidious harm that lingers for years, leaving victim-patients wondering whether their surgeries were necessary or whether the unethical doctors and hospital executives who treated them as commodities also agreed to implant substandard medical hardware in their bodies,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum.
The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the California Department of Insurance investigated this matter.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally, Assistant United States Attorneys Billy Joe McLain of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, and Hava Mirell of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
Munhall Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA -- A resident of Munhall Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Zai Quan Henderson, age 25, formerly of Munhall, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on January 12, 2022, Allegheny County Police observed Henderson with a suspected firearm. Henderson fled and attempted to conceal the firearm in an abandoned house. The Allegheny County Detectives, however, recovered the firearm, which was loaded and stolen. As a convicted felon, Henderson is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for November 1, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of ten (10) years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court remanded Henderson into the custody of the United States Marshals Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Allegheny County Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Henderson.
Multi-Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Antione Oshea Ladson (29, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana and two counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Ladson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the drug offenses, and up to 15 years for the firearm and ammunition offenses. His sentencing hearing has been scheduled for October 17, 2023.
According to the plea agreement, on August 27, 2022, Ladson had checked into the Bel Air Hotel in Orlando. While walking through an outdoor breezeway, Ladson encountered another man walking past him. After a brief confrontation with the man, Ladson lifted his modified pistol and shot the man in the neck.
On November 16, 2022, Ladson was apprehended at a convenience store in Orlando. Upon review of surveillance videos, law enforcement noticed that Ladson continuously lifted a bottom-level grocery shelf, retrieved items from under the shelf, and lowered the shelf back down. Underneath the bottom shelf, law enforcement officers found a fanny pack that contained Ladson’s wallet and Social Security card, two digital scales used for weighing narcotics, a pistol magazine, and plastic baggies containing cocaine and marijuana. Under Ladson’s fanny pack was a Glock 23 pistol loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition.
On December 27, 2022, members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Gang Enforcement Unit noticed Ladson driving on Orange Blossom Trail and subsequently pulled him over. A search of Ladson’s car revealed an XD9 firearm with 19 rounds of ammunition, an additional 12-round magazine fully loaded with 9mm rounds, a drum-style magazine, 4.8 grams of crack cocaine, and 61.4 grams of marijuana. Ladson has multiple prior felony convictions and is therefore prohibited under federal law from possessing both firearms and ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Gang Enforcement Unit. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Pardo.
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.
Monroe County Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on July 11, 2023, Pernell Riddick, age 34, of Monroe County, Pennsylvania, was charged by a federal grand jury with trafficking methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. Riddick was also indicted for possessing multiple firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking operation.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Riddick with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine on September 2, 2022. The indictment also charges Riddick with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This matter was investigated by the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department, the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney Brian J. Gallagher 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.
Riddick faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, a $10 million dollar fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following imprisonment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Milledgeville-based Meth Distribution Leader Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – The leader of a methamphetamine trafficking organization centered in Milledgeville, Georgia, that was responsible for distributing five kilograms of methamphetamine into the community was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison resulting from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation.
Jarvis Havior aka “J Bo,” 31, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 360 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on July 13. Havior pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Feb. 16.
“The armed distribution of highly addictive and deadly illegal drugs—and the additional crimes spawned by large-scale trafficking—will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “It’s thanks to the strong collaboration of local, state and federal law enforcement through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force that this criminal network was disbanded, and its players brought to justice.”
“Those who distribute methamphetamine pose a grave danger to the community. These traffickers can no longer deliver dangerous drugs on the streets and must now face the consequences of their actions,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.
“The dangers associated with meth remain one of the most significant drug threats facing our community,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “With the help of our federal, state and local partners, this is a significant amount of poison that will not make it into our communities, driving crime and violence.”
“Illegal drugs are dangerous and threaten the safety of Georgia communities. The GBI is committed to getting these drugs off the streets by bringing to justice all those that take part in the illegal drug trade, from the supplier down to the dealer,” said GBI Director Mike Register.
According to court documents, agents with DEA, GBI and the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force (OCDETF) received credible information in June 2020 from multiple confidential sources that Havior was leading a multi-kilogram methamphetamine distribution ring operating in the Milledgeville community. A subsequent investigation determined the location of distribution “trap” and “stash” houses for bulk narcotics and cash that Havior and his criminal associates maintained.
On April 5, 2021, agents determined that Havior was going to replenish his methamphetamine supply at a location in Stone Mountain, Georgia, where he had previously traveled to for suspected drug re-supply runs. Agents observed Havior meet a man at a Publix parking lot in Stone Mountain and receive a fully laden green Publix bag. Havior traveled to a restaurant in Covington, Georgia, and gave the bag to co-defendant Anrico Taylor. Both defendants departed the restaurant in their respective vehicles and traffic stops were conducted on them in Baldwin County, Georgia. Taylor attempted to flee with the Publix bag, ripping apart several smaller bags of methamphetamine as he ran from officers, amounting to approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine spread on the ground. In total, four kilograms of methamphetamine was found inside the green Publix bag. In all, the drug trafficking ring is responsible for distributing at least five kilograms of methamphetamine.
The following co-defendants have been sentenced:
Nicolas Cuevas Flores was sentenced to serve 260 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Flores pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Feb. 28;
Anrico Taylor was sentenced to serve 160 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Taylor pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Feb. 28;
Dawn Carey was sentenced to serve 121 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Carey pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances Oct. 13, 2022;
Arturo Marshall was sentenced to serve 100 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Marshall pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Feb. 28;
Tyrone Hitchcock was sentenced to serve 85 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Hitchcock pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Oct. 12, 2022;
Paul Collins was sentenced to serve 78 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Collins pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Feb. 28, 2023;
Annie Collins was sentenced to serve 63 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Collins pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on March 7;
Alicia Nugent was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Nugent pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Feb. 28;
Perry Miller was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release. Miller pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Feb. 28;
Lamont Jackson was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release. Jackson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Feb. 28;
Ryan Rickard was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release. Rickard pleaded guilty to one count of the unlawful use of a communications facility on Feb. 16;
Amber Vanclief was sentenced to serve 15 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Vanclief pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Feb. 9; and
Macarthur Reeves was sentenced to serve three years of probation. Reeves pleaded guilty to the unlawful use of a communications facility on Feb. 16.
The following co-defendants entered guilty pleas and will be sentenced later:
- Matthew Cameron, 47, of Milledgeville, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and faces a maximum of ten years in prison; and
- Paris Binion, 30, of Milledgeville, pleaded guilty to one count of the unlawful use of a communications facility and faces a maximum of four years in prison.
The following co-defendants remain at large and are charged by federal indictment with the following crimes:
- Paul Bentley aka “Old School,” 56, of Milledgeville, is charged with one count conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison; and
- Noe Canela, 34, of Lilburn, Georgia, is charged with one count conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison.
An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
People with information regarding the whereabouts of Bentley and Canela can contact the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office at (770) 216-3000 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by DEA, FBI, GBI, Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, Baldwin County Sherriff’s Office, Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Department of Corrections, Milledgeville Community Supervision Office, Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office, Jones County Sheriff’s Office, Atlanta-Carolina’s HIDTA Office and Gwinnett Metro Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Kalim is prosecuting the case.
Massachusetts Man Charged with Drug and Gun Trafficking in Bennington AreaRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Keniel Santiago (a.k.a. “Kas”), 20, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was arraigned yesterday on drug and firearms trafficking charges. A federal grand jury, sitting in Rutland, charged Santiago with five counts: one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine base; one count of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime; and, three counts of aiding in the unlawful acquisition of firearms from licensed firearms dealers by making false statements. The alleged criminal conduct occurred in the Bennington area from September 2020 through March 2021.
During the hearing, Santiago pleaded not guilty to the charges, and U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Kevin Doyle ordered Santiago remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending further proceedings.
The indictment is an accusation only and Santiago is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, Santiago faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a mandatory sentence of five years imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, which would follow any sentence of imprisonment. The actual sentence will be advised by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bennington Police Department, the Vermont State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The United States is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Perella. Santiago is represented by Ian Carleton, Esq.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn .
Maryland Defense Contractor Sentenced to Almost Four Years in Federal Prison for Procurement FraudRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar today sentenced Cory Collin Fitzgerald Sanders, age 39, of Hagerstown, Maryland, to 45 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud, false claims, and making and using a false document in connection with his companies’ performance on federal contracts. Chief Judge Bredar also ordered Sanders to forfeit $173,926.99 and to pay restitution of $27,315.10. A federal jury convicted Sanders on March 6, 2023, after a nine-day trial.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, of the National Capital Region of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”); and Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office (ECFO).
According to the evidence presented at the nine-day trial, in June 2014 Sanders formed Sandtech LLC, a Maryland limited liability company whose business was the sale of video teleconference equipment to the Department of Defense and other agencies of the federal government. Sanders was the sole owner, agent, and president of Sandtech. Witnesses testified that Sanders obtained contracts with federal agencies for Sandtech to provide telecommunications equipment and services. Sanders caused Sandtech to fail to perform on contracts with the U.S. Department of Labor and the Department of the Army, which terminated the Sandtech contracts for cause. Sanders then formed Cycorp Technologies in 2016 to provide the same type of telecommunication services as Sandtech.
The trial evidence proved that from February 10, 2015 through June 30, 2020, Sanders engaged in a scheme to defraud the government by entering into contracts with federal agencies that required Sandtech or Cycorp Technologies to provide new telecommunications equipment which was still under manufacturers’ warranty. The evidence showed that in his communications with federal agency contracting officers Sanders provided false information about the delivery, source, warranty, and/or condition of the electronic equipment provided by his companies, including misrepresentations that the equipment was new and protected by the manufacturer’s warranty, when Sanders knew that the equipment was not new, or was new but not under warranty, or was procured through unauthorized channels. The evidence also showed that Sanders was not authorized to provide certain IT services to the federal government, although he represented to government officials that he was.
Further, Sanders provided contracting officials with false information and false documents about the credentials, certifications, and qualifications of Cycorp Technologies. As proven during trial, Sanders provided fabricated and forged documents falsely certifying Cycorp Technologies’ status as an “authorized partner” of two large national telecommunications equipment manufacturers. If true, the certificates would have authorized Cycorp Technologies to buy directly from those companies’ distributors, provide maintenance to their equipment, or re-sell their new and warrantied products. In addition, Sanders submitted invoices on behalf of Sandtech and Cycorp Technologies so that the government agencies he contracted with would pay for deficient or non-existent performance by electronic deposit into business bank accounts.
“Cory Collin Fitzgerald Sanders executed a brazen scheme using a pattern of deception to defraud numerous federal agencies on telecommunication contracts awarded to his companies. Today's sentencing should serve as a strong message to those who choose to defraud the government and harm the American taxpayer,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer of the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), National Capital Region. “DOL-OIG is committed to working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our investigative partners to combat fraud, deception, and other criminal acts associated with federal government contracting and purchasing.”
“Mr. Sanders deserves to be held fully accountable for his actions to defraud the U.S. Government by routinely providing telecommunications equipment that did not meet contract specifications and submitting false documentation in an attempt to cover up his scheme,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office (ECFO). “NCIS and our partners are dedicated to rooting out product substitution and other frauds that diminish the Department of the Navy’s (DON) warfighting capabilities and threaten the integrity of the DON acquisition process.”
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DOL-OIG and the NCIS for their work in the investigation and thanked the Army Criminal Investigation Division, and the Offices of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of State, the U. S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Justice for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evelyn Lombardo Cusson and Stephanie Williamson, who prosecuted the case and thanked Paralegal Specialists Juliette Jarman and Jenna Lee for their assistance.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to fight fraud, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Man Who Sexually Abused 5-Year-Old Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Snyder, Texas man who recorded himself sexually abusing a 5-year-old child was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Shemar Cameron Green, 20, was indicted in December 2022 and pleaded guilty in March 2023 to transportation of child pornography. He was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who also ordered the defendant to register as a sex offender and to pay $17,500 in restitution to identifiable child pornography victims.
According to plea papers, Mr. Green admitted he sent sexually explicit images of himself to multiple minors, received nude photographs from minors, and produced a video of himself molesting a 5-year-old.
He further admitted that he regularly viewed pornographic images of children under age 10, and uploaded several sexually explicit images of prepubescent children from his computer to his social media accounts.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children relayed a cyber tip from a social media company that housed Mr. Green’s account to law enforcement, prompting the investigation.
The Snyder Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Agency conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam prosecuted the case.
Long Island Man Pleads Guilty to Massive COVID-19 Loan FraudRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Rami Saab, of Glen Cove, New York, pleaded guilty at the federal courthouse in Central Islip to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with his participation in a scheme to defraud banks and the Small Business Association (SBA) of millions of dollars’ worth of small business loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDLP). Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge Gary R. Brown. When sentenced, Saab faces up to 20 years in prison, as well as restitution of $9,668,508 and a fine of up to $250,000.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ivan J. Arvelo, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), Thomas M. Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), and J. Russell George, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) announced the guilty plea.
“Using fraud and deceit, the defendant callously stole millions of dollars during an unprecedented public health crisis at the expense of American small business owners,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Those who engaged in blatant theft of taxpayer dollars intended to assist legitimate businesses and their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic should know they will be aggressively prosecuted by our Office.”
Mr. Peace thanked the Nassau County Police Department for their assistance on this case.
“As alleged, Rami SAAB stole nearly $10 million dollars in relief money intended for small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 global pandemic, for his own enrichment,” stated HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Arvelo. “This is an egregious case of fraud perpetrated by an individual who pilfered a program intended for those who truly needed emergency financial assistance. HSI and our law enforcement partners remain steadfastly committed to rooting out such thievery and ensuring violators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Saab pocketed nearly $10 million in ill-gotten gains by exploiting benefits meant to help those truly in need. Criminals like Saab continue to seek the quickest way to make a buck, regardless of the rule of law or those who may be victimized in the process. But as a result of strong law enforcement partnerships, today’s guilty plea means Saab now faces a large prison sentence for his criminal acts,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Fattorusso.
“As alleged, the defendant and his co-conspirators fraudulently obtained more than $9.5 million in Federal funds from the Payroll Protection Program and Emergency Injury Disaster Loans through applications containing fraudulent documents. Fraud schemes like these defraud not only a program intended to help small businesses weather a global pandemic but also the United States' taxpayers. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration is committed to working with our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office to prevent these types of fraud and to bring those responsible to justice.”
As set forth in court filings, between May 2020 and May 2021, amid the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Saab, working with others, fraudulently applied for, and received, at least 20 PPP and EIDLP loans totaling in excess of $9,500,000, on behalf of numerous corporate entities under his control. Saab submitted applications on behalf of these entities even though these were not, in fact, real businesses. Instead, these entities were “shell companies” that claimed false numbers of employees, payroll costs, and intended use of the loan proceeds – all of which was specifically designed to mislead the SBA and numerous banks administering the PPP and EIDLP loan programs. Shortly after the loans were funded, Saab engaged in numerous financial transactions designed to conceal the true nature and source of the funds, including electronically transferring portions of the loan proceeds between various bank accounts which Saab controlled. Saab, after transferring the loan proceeds though multiple accounts, utilized the laundered loan proceeds to enrich himself and others, including by personally making cash withdrawals and transferring funds to associates overseas.
Congress created the PPP and EIDLP as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Enacted on March 29, 2020, the CARES Act provided emergency financial assistance in connection with economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the allocation of funds for the issuance of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. The PPP allowed qualifying small businesses to receive unsecured loans on favorable terms, which they were required to use for specified expenses, including payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP provided for forgiveness of the loan if recipient businesses spent the proceeds on these specified expenses within a limited time period and used a certain percentage for payroll costs.
Another source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the EIDLP, which provided low-interest financing to small businesses, renters, and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters. Under the program, EIDLP recipients were eligible to receive advances of up to $10,000 for small businesses within three days of applying for an EIDL. The amount of an EIDL advance –which did not need to be repaid – was determined based on the number of employees working for the applicant.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Bagnuola and Michael Maffei are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
RAMI SAAB (also known as “Rami Hasan”)
Age: 44
Glen Cove, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-344 (GRB)
Las Vegas Police Officer Convicted of Committing Three Casino RobberiesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A federal jury today convicted a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officer of robbing three casinos and stealing approximately $164,000 in total.
Caleb Mitchell Rogers (33) was found guilty of three counts of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon presided over the trial. A sentencing date has been scheduled for October 12, 2023.
According to court documents and evidence presented during the four-day trial, Rogers stole approximately $73,810 from a casino in the western part of Las Vegas on November 12, 2021. A few months later, on January 6, 2022, he robbed a casino in North Las Vegas of approximately $11,500. In both robberies, he walked directly to the casino’s cashier cage and demanded money from the cashiers.
The third robbery occurred on February 27, 2022, in which Rogers ran toward two casino employees in the sportsbook area and yelled: “Get away from the money. I’ve got a gun. I will shoot you!” Rogers climbed over the counter and shoved one of the employees to the floor, before grabbing approximately $78,898 and placing it into a bag. Rogers fled when the employees triggered an alarm. As Rogers ran toward the parking garage, a casino security officer tackled him. Rogers drew a .357 caliber revolver and, with his finger on the trigger, threatened: “I’m going to shoot you!” Security officers were able to disarm Rogers and restrain him until LVMPD officers arrived. The officers arrested Rogers and seized his firearm. Checking the revolver’s serial number, officers learned that it belonged to the LVMPD.
The statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison for each count of interference with commerce by robbery, and life imprisonment for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the LVMPD. Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Cowhig and David Kiebler are prosecuting the case.
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La Crosse Man Charged with Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – In an indictment returned on June 28, 2023 by a federal grand jury sitting in Madison, Wisconsin, a La Crosse, Wisconsin man is charged with possessing methamphetamine for distribution and maintaining a drug house. The indictment is announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
The indictment charges Alfredo Almanza, 42, with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The indictment alleges that he possessed the methamphetamine on March 22, 2023. The indictment also charges him with using and maintaining a place in La Crosse from March 15 to March 22, 2023, for the purpose of distributing and using methamphetamine.
Almanza was arrested on Wednesday, July 12 in La Crosse by investigators with the La Crosse and Tomah Police Departments and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Almanza will make an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Madison today.
If convicted, Almanza faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum of life in federal prison on the charge of possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine for distribution, and a maximum of 20 years on the charge of maintaining a drug house. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the La Crosse and Tomah Police Departments and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the prosecution.
You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Knoxville Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison and Ordered to Repay $411,963 for Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On July 14, 2023, Ian P. Clarke, 43, currently of Knoxville, was sentenced to 24 months in prison by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Clarke agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349. Judge Crytzer ordered Clarke to pay restitution to Medicare in the amount of $411,963, and a fine of $44,258. Following his imprisonment, Clark will be on supervised release for two years.
As set forth in the filed plea agreement, Clarke was responsible for the day-to-day operations of TN Premier Care, a medical clinic in East Tennessee. Clarke paid kickbacks to coconspirators in exchange for signed doctors’ orders for durable medical equipment (“DME”) that was medically unnecessary. TN Premier Care provided the DME to Medicare beneficiaries across the country who did not want or need it. Clarke then caused the DME orders to be submitted to Medicare for reimbursement on behalf of TN Premier Care.
The DME orders were obtained from “leads,” which consisted of a recorded call between a call-center employee or telemarketer and a Medicare beneficiary during which the beneficiary provided their Medicare information. The recordings were provided to doctors who used the information to generate a completed DME order. The doctors who signed the DME orders often did so regardless of medical necessity, in the absence of a preexisting doctor-patient relationship, without a physical examination, and sometimes based solely on a short telephonic conversation. The completed DME orders were uploaded to a shared cloud-based document storage system to which Clarke had access.
To conceal the conspiracy, Clarke and his coconspirators created sham contracts and documentation to disguise the kickbacks as legitimate payments for marketing and consulting services. Clarke also opened a separate bank account in TN Premier Care’s name for the purpose of paying kickbacks and receiving reimbursement checks from Medicare.
Between in or about July 2018 and in or about May 2019, Clarke caused the submission of approximately $778,429 in claims to Medicare for DME orders on behalf of TN Premier Care, for which Medicare paid to TN Premier Care approximately $411,963.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”) Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles; and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico, made the announcement.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the FBI.
Assistant United States Attorney William A. Roach, Jr., prosecuted the case.
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Kansas City Men Sentenced for Kidnapping and Torturing Victim in Wyandotte CountyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two Kansas men were sentenced to substantial terms of imprisonment following their convictions on kidnapping, firearm, and drug charges.
In February 2023, a federal jury found David Carr, 36, of Kansas City, and James Michael Poterbin, 47, of Edwardsville, guilty of kidnapping, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and discharging a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime.
On July 6, 2023, a U.S. District Judge sentenced Carr to life in prison and Poterbin to 40 years’ imprisonment.
The convictions and sentences relate to the 2019 kidnapping and torture of a victim in Kansas City, Kansas. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, after Carr and Poterbin mistakenly believed a woman had stolen drug money from them, they kidnapped her boyfriend and demanded payment for his release.
After beating, shooting, and stabbing the victim, Carr and Poterbin believed the victim was dead and left him in the house for days before he was discovered by another individual. After the victim was found alive and rescued, Carr ordered a co-conspirator to burn the house to the ground, endangering neighbors and first responders.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department investigated the case. The Kansas City, Kansas Fire Department investigated the arson.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan J. Huschka and D. Christopher Oakley prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Catania presented the indictment to a grand jury and prepared the case for trial.
OCDETF Strike Force Cases
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The Kansas City Metro Strike Force’s mission also includes targeting violent street gangs and cartel members operating in and around the metropolitan area that are engaged in violent offenses and firearms offenses.
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Jefferson County Man Sentenced to 7+ Years in Prison on Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Friday sentenced a convicted felon from Jefferson County, Missouri who was caught twice with guns to seven years, four months in prison.
The charges against Kentrez Robinson, now 31, of Festus, stem from two incidents in 2020.
On Aug. 11, 2020, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department surveillance cameras alerted officers that a silver Pontiac Solstice was driving down Natural Bridge Avenue bearing a license plate belonging to a Chevy truck. Officers were also aware that a silver Pontiac Solstice had recently been reported stolen.
Detectives found the Solstice, parked and unoccupied, in the 1100 block of St. Louis Avenue, and then saw Robinson, who is a convicted felon, removing items from the car. Robinson had a loaded 9mm Beretta pistol in his pocket, along with fentanyl in two plastic bags.
On Oct. 5, 2020, a man reported being robbed of a gun and money on the parking lot of a market in the 3900 block of South Broadway. The vehicle driven by the robber was spotted by a license plate recognition camera near Page Boulevard and Walton Avenue and officers tried to pull it over. Robinson, who was driving, sped away, ignoring stop signs and traffic signals, and eventually reached speeds exceeding 100 m.p.h. on Interstate 70. After he left the interstate, Robinson’s vehicle hit a curb, flattening a front tire. But he kept going onto Interstate 55. Police were later able to disable the vehicle with a tire deflation device in the 5100 block of Vermont Avenue. Robinson got out and ran, climbing over at least two fences before he was arrested. He was caught with a satchel carrying the stolen gun and another pistol, as well as fentanyl.
Robinson pleaded guilty in December to two felony counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski prosecuted the case.
International Tax Advisor Arrested for Helping to Conceal over $100 Million of Income for High-Net-Worth U.S. TaxpayersRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Thomas Fattorusso, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), announced the indictment of FRANK BUTSELAAR for participating in a conspiracy to engage in tax fraud over the course of over seven years. BUTSELAAR was an advisor to high-net-worth DJs and fashion industry clients who earned income all over the world (the “Clients”). The Clients earned millions of dollars every year. In certain years, these Clients became U.S. tax residents, meaning they had a legal obligation to pay U.S. taxes on their worldwide income. BUTSELAAR, working with other professionals, devised a strategy to unlawfully conceal from the U.S. Government millions of dollars of income the Clients were earning outside the United States during years they were U.S. tax residents. After having been arrested earlier this year following a request from the United States to Italy for provisional arrest for purposes of extradition, BUTSELAAR was taken back into custody earlier this week in Italy following a favorable ruling on the U.S. extradition request.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, this defendant and his co-conspirators devised strategies to file false and fraudulent returns with the IRS for U.S. taxpayers of incredible means. Butselaar, as a tax advisor to many wealthy clients, knew intimately the responsibility his clients had to pay U.S. taxes on their income but ignored this obligation, opting instead to deceptively hide this income from the IRS. Our Office will continue to pursue those who use their expertise to unlawfully conceal income.”
IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso said: “Butselaar thought he was above the law. It’s alleged he operated this international fraud scheme to conceal millions of dollars in income earned by his high-profile clients around the world. This wasn’t just a get rich quick scheme, but rather Butselaar sought to play the long game and used a variety of sophisticated techniques to perpetuate this tax fraud over the course of several years. IRS-CI has a global reach, and we thank our J5 collaborators for their valuable partnership on this case. For Butselaar, it’s time to pay the tab.”
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed in White Plains federal court:[1]
FRANK BUTSELAAR conspired to defraud the United States and to conceal from the IRS through fraudulent, deceitful, and dishonest means the existence of millions of dollars of worldwide income generated by various clients, including Client-1 and Client-2, who are internationally renowned DJs (the “DJ Clients”). The DJ Clients, in particular, utilized offshore entities that at all relevant times BUTSELAAR and his co-conspirators knew the DJ Clients beneficially owned and effectively controlled. These entities were, in turn, held by trusts that the DJ Clients established on the advice of BUTSELAAR and others (the “Offshore Structures”). As part of their efforts to conceal the DJ Clients’ worldwide income, BUTSELAAR and his co-conspirators created and implemented a fraudulent scheme to use straw beneficiaries to conceal the income held within the DJ Clients’ Offshore Structures from the IRS.
In addition, FRANK BUTSELAAR and his co-conspirators devised and implemented similar fraudulent schemes for certain fashion industry clients (the “Fashion Industry Clients”) that involved fraudulent transfers of the Fashion Industry Clients’ overseas companies to family members, knowing that the Fashion Industry Clients would maintain beneficial ownership of the overseas companies and the income therefrom.
The tax evasion schemes, created and implemented by FRANK BUTSELAAR and his co-conspirators, caused to be filed Forms 1040 for the DJ Clients and the Fashion Industry Clients (during the time those Clients were U.S. tax residents) that fraudulently omitted over $100 million in worldwide income earned by those Clients.
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BUTSELAAR, 63, of Naarden, Netherlands, was charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and five counts of aiding and abetting the filing of false tax returns, each of which carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the IRS-CI and the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (“J5”). Mr. Williams also thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Italy’s Ministero della Giustizia, Arma dei Carabinieri, and Guardia di Finanza for their assistance.
The J5 works together to gather information, share intelligence, and conduct coordinated operations against transnational financial crimes. The J5 includes the Australian Taxation Office, the Canadian Revenue Agency, the Dutch Fiscal Intelligence and Investigation Service, His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs from the United Kingdom, and the IRS-CI from the U.S.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division and Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shiva H. Logarajah and Nicholas S. Bradley are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
U.S. v. Butselaar IndictmentInscription House Man Sentenced to over 24 Years for MurderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Eric Lee Kinney, 37, of Inscription House, Arizona, was sentenced on June 26, 2023, by United States District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to 292 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Kinney pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder.
On or about November 5, 2022, Kinney, a member of the Navajo Nation, stabbed the victim to death and later fled from law enforcement. Upon his arrest, Kinney directed law enforcement agents to where he had hidden the murder weapon.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-08132-PCT-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-108_Kinney# # #
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.Idaho Springs Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
DENVER - The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Edward Baker Harrington, age 59, of Idaho Springs, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for wire fraud and money laundering. Harrington was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,078,033.50.
According to the plea agreement, from April 2020 through September 2021, the defendant submitted a number of fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications to seven banks and one lender on behalf of business entities that he purportedly controlled. These PPP applications contained a number of false and fraudulent certifications and representations. The defendant obtained more than $1,000,000 in PPP loans as a result of the scheme. He falsely represented that all PPP funds would be used to pay eligible business expenses, when, in fact, the proceeds were used for his personal benefit to purchase goods and property, including real estate and vehicles. The defendant submitted PPP loan forgiveness applications in which he made more false representations and certifications regarding his businesses and his compliance with the PPP program rules, including rules related to the eligible uses of PPP loan proceeds.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans dealing with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act created PPP, a program administered by the Small Business Administration that provided loans to small businesses to retain workers, maintain payroll, and certain other expenses consistent with PPP rules.
“The defendant enriched himself with taxpayer funds meant to help workers and businesses weather the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. "Thanks to the efforts of our law enforcement partners at the IRS, he will face the consequences of his fraud.”
“Harrington used the Paycheck Protection Program as his personal ATM. He brazenly stole over one million dollars with no regard for the hard-working American business owners and families this program was intended to support,” said Andy Tsui, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office. “IRS-CI has investigated over 1000 instances of Covid-19 relief fraud since the CARES Act was introduced, and this sentence should send a clear message that we will continue to hold those accountable who abused the system for their personal benefit.”
This case is being investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Cassidy and Martha Paluch.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Case Number: 22-cr-00324
Idaho Falls Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with the Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Stephen Carston Wells, 27, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, on August 18, 2022, Idaho Falls Police responded to a welfare check in Idaho Falls and found Wells passed out in his vehicle. Wells informed law enforcement that he had “a little bit of weed,” in his vehicle. Law enforcement then searched the Wells vehicle. While searching Wells vehicle law enforcement found 459 grams of methamphetamine, 6 grams of cocaine, 7.7 grams of marijuana, 13.9 grams of THC oil, a loaded .45 caliber pistol, a loaded AR‑15 rifle, and additional loaded AR-15 magazines.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill imposed the sentence and also ordered Wells to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Wells pleaded guilty to the charge on April 24, 2023
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the Idaho Falls Police Department for their work on the case.
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High-Level Member of ISIS Sentenced to Life in Prison for Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
A New York man was sentenced today to life in prison on one count of conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and five substantive counts of providing material support to ISIS in the forms of personnel, including himself, Australian citizen Jake Bilardi and others, as well as services, weapons, property and equipment, and false documentation and identification, all between January 2013 and June 2017, when the defendant was arrested in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
According to court documents, Mirsad Kandic, 41, of Brooklyn and Kosovo, was convicted by a federal jury in May 2022 following a three-week trial in Brooklyn.
“Serving ISIS’s deadly terror campaign, this defendant fought on the battlefield, spread propaganda, smuggled weapons, and radicalized Western recruits,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The National Security Division was created to counter foreign terrorist organizations like ISIS and, with our partners, we remain committed to identifying and holding accountable those who provide support to such terrorist groups.”
“Kandic was a high-ranking member of ISIS who relished the death and destruction he wrought while providing every conceivable form of material support to a terrorist organization, including the recruitment of countless others to ISIS’s bloody campaigns in Syria and elsewhere,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for his conduct and ensures that he will never again pose a threat to the United States or any of our allies. This office will remain relentless in prosecuting terrorists who threaten the safety and security of the United States and U.S. interests around the world.”
“The defendant in this case provided numerous forms of material support to ISIS for years, and today, he was brought to justice for his actions,” said Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “This sentencing demonstrates the serious commitment of the FBI and our law enforcement partners around the world to investigating and holding accountable terrorists who threaten the safety and security of American interests, and those of our allies.”
After several failed attempts to travel from the United States to Istanbul, Turkey, Kandic took a two-day Greyhound bus ride from New York City to Monterrey, Mexico, in November 2013, and flew through Panama, Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Kosovo, and Turkey before arriving in Syria at the end of 2013. Once in Syria, the defendant joined ISIS and became a fighter for the group in Haritan, an ISIS stronghold in the outskirts of Aleppo, wielding Russian-made PK machine guns and AK-47 assault rifles.
ISIS leadership then sent the defendant to Turkey to take up the role of smuggling foreign fighters and weapons into Syria from abroad, and to serve as an emir for ISIS media. Kandic disseminated ISIS recruitment messages and gruesome propaganda using more than 120 Twitter accounts. For example, the defendant sent out an ISIS-produced “documentary” titled “Flames of War.” This video celebrated ISIS conquests and macabre executions of ISIS captives, including instances where victims were forced to dig their own graves before being summarily executed by gunshot. The defendant tweeted that this video was the “best thing ever seen on screen.”
Kandic was a prolific recruiter of foreign fighters for ISIS. He sent thousands of radicalized ISIS volunteer fighters from Western countries into ISIS-controlled territories in Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East. This included a fellow New Yorker, Ruslan Maratovich Asainov, who became an ISIS sniper and sniper trainer, and another individual who became an emir for ISIS safehouses in the Idlib province of Syria. Asainov was convicted after trial in February 2023 of conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS, two substantive counts of providing material support to ISIS, one count of receiving military-type training from ISIS, and obstruction of justice. He is awaiting sentencing.
A foreign fighter recruited by the defendant was Jake Bilardi of Australia. Bilardi contacted the defendant in June 2014 for assistance in traveling to Syria to join ISIS. Kandic provided Bilardi – who had just turned 18 years old and had never traveled internationally before – with instructions and guidance for reaching Istanbul, Turkey. Kandic then arranged for Bilardi to be picked up at the airport in Istanbul and smuggled him into Syria. Kandic maintained contact with Bilardi as he became an ISIS fighter and ISIS suicide bomber. Bilardi went on to commit a suicide truck attack with fellow ISIS members on March 11, 2015, in Ramadi Iraq, killing himself, more than 30 Iraqi soldiers and an Iraqi policeman. Prior to the attack, the defendant wished Bilardi well and stated, “May Allah make there [sic] inner organs implode.” Bilardi’s attack was coordinated with others committed at the same time; 30 members of the Iraqi military were killed, 61 were injured, and 25 were missing, whose bodies were never found, all as a result of this coordinated series of attacks. After the attack, the defendant celebrated Bilardi’s service to ISIS, on Twitter and to a co-conspirator. A member of the Iraqi Army general staff testified at trial that the March 11, 2015, attack paved the way for ISIS’s takeover of Ramadi and the Anbar Province of Iraq several weeks later.
Kandic also provided battlefield intelligence to top ISIS leadership. He also shaped the information environment in which ISIS operated by enforcing ISIS media and publicity discipline. For example, the defendant directed other ISIS supporters to refrain from posting any information about the success (or failure) of ISIS recruitment efforts as well as to minimize any reporting about ISIS military action in specific military actions. Kandic managed money for ISIS fighters in Syria, including two ISIS fighters who gave the defendant their bank cards, from which bank records showed more than $40,000 was transacted. Kandic smuggled weapons to ISIS in Syria, including a night vision scope for an ISIS sniper. Kandic operated a private market via Telegram – called “Khilafah (Caliphate) Market” – for which he was the group administrator with authority to restrict access to the group. Members posted firearms and military equipment for sale, including mortars and suicide belts (i.e., improvised explosive devices). Among the members of Kandic’s private Telegram market was Abu Luqman, who, at the time, was the ISIS governor for the Raqqa province, ISIS’s de facto capital in Syria.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Saritha Komatireddy and J. Matthew Haggans for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Huda Abouchaer and Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s Legal Attachés abroad and foreign authorities in multiple countries on three continents provided critical assistance in this case. The Bosnian and Herzegovina State Investigation and Protection Agency, the Bosnian and Herzegovina State Intelligence and Security Agency, the Bosnian and Herzegovina Foreigners’ Affairs Service, the Bosnian and Herzegovina State Prosecutor’s Office, the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Australian Federal Police, the Victoria Police (Australia), the Australian Border Force, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Australian Attorney-General’s Department, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, Joint Operations Command in Iraq, and the FBI Legal Attaché Offices in Sarajevo, Canberra, Nur-Sultan, and Baghdad, provided extraordinary assistance in the investigation and prosecution. The Ministry of Justice for the Republic of Finland, and Federal Office of Justice in the Federal Republic of Germany, the Department of Justice & Constitutional Development in the Republic of South Africa and the central authorities responsible for mutual legal assistance in Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Ukraine; and the FBI’s Legal Attaché Offices in those countries provided valuable support in the investigation.
High Level Member of ISIS Sentenced to Life in Prison for Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Mirsad Kandic was sentenced by United States District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis to life imprisonment following his May 2022 trial conviction on one count of conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), and five substantive counts of providing material support to ISIS in the forms of personnel, including himself, Australian citizen Jake Bilardi, and others, as well as services, weapons, property, and equipment, and false documentation and identification, all between January 2013 and June 2017, when the defendant was arrested in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Kandic was convicted by a federal jury in May 2022 following a three-week trial in federal court in Brooklyn.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Ivan J. Arvelo, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), Edward A. Caban, Acting Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“Kandic was a high-ranking member of ISIS who relished the death and destruction he wrought while providing every conceivable form of material support to a terrorist organization, including the recruitment of countless others to ISIS’s bloody campaigns in Syria and elsewhere,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for his conduct and ensures that he will never again pose a threat to the United States or any of our allies. This Office will remain relentless in prosecuting terrorists who threaten the safety and security of the United States and U.S. interests around the world.”
“Serving ISIS’s deadly terror campaign, this defendant fought on the battlefield, spread propaganda, smuggled weapons, and radicalized Western recruits,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The National Security Division was created to counter foreign terrorist organizations like ISIS and, with our partners, we remain committed to identifying and holding accountable those who provide support to such terrorist groups.”
“Let this sentence affirm that HSI will not abide any individual or organization that threatens the national security of the United States,” said HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo. “Mirsad Kandic’s steadfast physical and material support of ISIS brought untold additional members into the organization, sowing death and destruction throughout ISIS territory and the world. This investigation and successful prosecution were only possible through the close collaboration of U.S. and international partners working together to track down those who provide support to foreign terrorist organizations and bring them to justice.”
As proven at trial, Kandic had multiple responsibilities within ISIS, including recruiting foreign fighters, trafficking foreign fighters from the West through Turkey and into Syria, and obtaining weapons, military equipment, maps, money, and false identifications for ISIS fighters. In carrying out these responsibilities, Kandic worked directly with ISIS emirs and battlefield commanders, including Bajro Ikanovic, who commanded an ISIS training camp in Syria beginning in or around 2014. Ikanovic, in turn, reported to Omar Shishani, then the top military commander for ISIS, and a key advisor to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, at the time the leader of ISIS and the self-declared Caliph of the Islamic State.
After several failed attempts to travel from the United States to Istanbul, Turkey, Kandic took a two-day Greyhound bus ride from New York City to Monterrey, Mexico, in November 2013, and flew through Panama, Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Kosovo, and Turkey before arriving in Syria at the end of 2013. Once in Syria, the defendant joined ISIS and became a fighter for the group in Haritan, an ISIS stronghold in the outskirts of Aleppo, wielding Russian-made PK machine guns and AK-47 assault rifles.
ISIS leadership then sent the defendant to Turkey to take up the role of smuggling foreign fighters and weapons into Syria from abroad, and to serve as an emir for ISIS media. Kandic disseminated ISIS recruitment messages and gruesome propaganda using more than 120 Twitter accounts. For example, the defendant sent out an ISIS-produced “documentary” titled the “Flames of War.” This video celebrated ISIS atrocities and macabre executions of ISIS captives, including instances where victims were forced to dig their own graves before being summarily executed by gunshot. The defendant tweeted that this video was the “best thing ever seen on screen.”
Kandic was a prolific recruiter of foreign fighters for ISIS. He sent thousands of radicalized ISIS volunteer fighters from Western countries into ISIS-controlled territories in Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East. This included a fellow New Yorker, Ruslan Maratovich Asainov, who became an ISIS sniper and sniper trainer, and another individual who became an emir for ISIS safehouses in the Idlib province of Syria. Asainov was convicted after trial in February 2023 of conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS, two substantive counts of providing material support to ISIS, one count of receiving military-type training from ISIS, and obstruction of justice. He is awaiting sentencing.
A foreign fighter recruited by the defendant was Jake Bilardi of Australia. Bilardi contacted the defendant in June 2014 for assistance in traveling to Syria to join ISIS. Kandic provided Bilardi—who had just turned 18 years old and had never traveled internationally before—with instructions and guidance for reaching Istanbul, Turkey. Kandic then arranged for Bilardi to be picked up at the airport in Istanbul and smuggled him into Syria. Kandic maintained contact with Bilardi as he became an ISIS fighter and ISIS suicide bomber. Bilardi went on to commit a suicide truck attack with fellow ISIS members on March 11, 2015, in Ramadi Iraq, killing himself, more than 30 Iraqi soldiers, and an Iraqi policeman. Prior to the attack, the defendant wished Bilardi well and stated, “May Allah make there [sic] inner organs implode.” Bilardi’s attack was coordinated with others committed at the same time; 30 members of the Iraqi military were killed, 61 were injured, and 25 were missing, whose bodies were never found, all as a result of this coordinated series of attacks. After the attack, the defendant celebrated Bilardi’s service to ISIS, on Twitter and to a co-conspirator. A member of the Iraqi Army general staff testified at trial that the March 11, 2015 attack paved the way for ISIS’s takeover of Ramadi and the Anbar Province of Iraq several weeks later.
Kandic also provided battlefield intelligence to top ISIS leadership. He also shaped the information environment in which ISIS operated by enforcing ISIS media and publicity discipline. For example, the defendant directed other ISIS supporters to refrain from posting any information about the success (or failure) of ISIS recruitment efforts as well as to minimize any reporting about ISIS military action in specific military actions. Kandic managed money for ISIS fighters in Syria, including two ISIS fighters who gave the defendant their bank cards, from which bank records showed more than $40,000 was transacted. Kandic smuggled weapons to ISIS in Syria, including a night vision scope for an ISIS sniper. Kandic operated a private market via Telegram—called “Khilafah (Caliphate) Market”—for which the he was the group administrator with authority to restrict access to the group. Members posted firearms and military equipment for sale, including mortars and suicide belts, i.e., improvised explosive devices. Among the members of Kandic’s private Telegram market was Abu Luqman, who, at the time, was the ISIS governor for the Raqqa province, ISIS’s de facto capital in Syria.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Saritha Komatireddy and J. Matthew Haggans are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Huda Abouchaer, and Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division of the Department of Justice.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s Legal Attachés abroad, and foreign authorities in multiple countries on three continents provided critical assistance in this case. The Department of State’s Regional Security Office in Sarajevo provided critical assistance in this case. In addition, the Office extends its appreciation to the Bosnian State Investigation and Protection Agency, the Bosnian State Intelligence and Security Agency, the Bosnian Foreigner’s Affairs Service, the Bosnian State Prosecutor’s Office, the Australian Federal Police, the Victoria Police (Australia), the Australian Border Force, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Australian Attorney-General’s Department, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, Joint Operations Command in Iraq, and the FBI Legal Attaché Offices in Sarajevo, Canberra, Nur-Sultan, and Baghdad, for their extraordinary assistance in the investigation and prosecution. The Office also thanks the Ministry of Justice for the Republic of Finland, the Stuttgart Police Department and Federal Office of Justice in the Federal Republic of Germany, the Department of Justice & Constitutional Development in the Republic of South Africa, and the central authorities responsible for mutual legal assistance in Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Ukraine; and the FBI’s Legal Attaché Offices in those countries for their assistance in the investigation.
The Defendant:
MIRSAD KANDIC
Age: 41
Brooklyn, New York; KosovoE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-449 (NGG)
Related Defendants:
RUSLAN MARATOVICH ASAINOV
Age: 46
Syria and Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-402 (NGG)
Harrisburg Man Charged with Hobbs Act RobberiesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Clarence Bernard Mitchell, age 33, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on charges of robberies of businesses engaged in interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery).
According to United States Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on June 5, 2023, Mitchell entered the Agate Smoke Shop in Dauphin County, approached the cash register, pointed a paper bag at the employee in a manner indicating Mitchell had a gun in the bag, instructed the employee to open the register, and took money by means of threatened force. The indictment further alleges that on June 8, 2023, Mitchell returned to the Agate Smoke Shop and robbed the store in a similar manner as on June 5, 2023. The indictment also alleges that on June 14, 2023, Mitchell entered a Cricket Wireless, LLC authorized retailer in Dauphin County, approached the sales counter, pointed a paper bag at the employee in a manner indicating Mitchell had a gun in the bag, and took money by means of threatened force.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Harrisburg Bureau of Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the charged offense is up to 20 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Gainesville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Identity Theft and Possessing Firearms as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Brandon Jamal Alex Grant (23, Gainesville) to three years and one month in federal prison for possessing counterfeit access devices with the intent to defraud and possessing firearms as a convicted felon. Grant had pleaded guilty on May 2, 2023.
According to court documents, on July 5, 2022, troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol pulled over a Maserati owned and operated by Grant for driving on a suspended license. After troopers smelled marijuana, they searched the vehicle and discovered 61 fraudulent debit and credit cards, a forged identification card bearing Grant’s photograph, numerous fraudulent checks, electronic devices used to facilitate fraud (including a laptop computer and laser printer), two loaded firearms, and more than $14,000 in cash. Grant has prior state felony convictions for possession of a forged driver’s license, possession of oxycodone, and grand theft. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
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.
Fort Myers Couple Indicted for $3.4 Million COVID Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Timothy Craig Jolloff (46, Fort Myers) and Lisa Ann Jolloff (56, Fort Myers) with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and illegal monetary transactions. Timothy Jolloff is also charged with multiple counts of bank fraud. The chart below summarizes the indictment charges and maximum penalties as to each defendant.
Defendant
Charge
Maximum Penalty per Count
Timothy Craig Jolloff
Wire Fraud (11 Counts)
20 years in federal prison
Bank Fraud (7 Counts)
30 years in federal prison
Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering
10 years in federal prison
Illegal Monetary Transactions (4 Counts)
10 years in federal prison
Lisa Ann Jolloff
Wire Fraud
20 years in federal prison
Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering
10 years in federal prison
Illegal Monetary Transactions (4 counts)
10 years in federal prison
The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States intends to forfeit a 2019 GMC truck and approximately $3,403,265, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.
According to the indictment and other court documents, between April and March 2021, Timothy Jolloff and his wife, Lisa Jolloff, submitted false and fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications to the Small Business Administration, as well as PPP approved lenders. In the PPP loan applications, the Jolloffs falsely represented the number of employees and average monthly payroll for the applicant businesses. The Jolloffs also falsely represented and certified that PPP funds would be used to retain workers and maintain payroll or make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments. In EIDL applications, Timothy Jolloff misrepresented the gross revenue and cost of goods sold for the applicant businesses for which he sought EIDL funds. He also misrepresented the number of employees of the EIDL applicant businesses. Moreover, in loan documents signed and submitted by Timothy Jolloff for EIDL loans, he mispresented that EIDL proceeds would be used solely for working capital and to alleviate economic injury.
The Jolloffs’ false and fraudulent representations caused the Small Business Administration and PPP lenders to approve and fund 11 EIDLs and 8 PPP loans, as well as EIDL Advances, totaling approximately $3,403,265. The Jolloffs then conspired to unlawfully use PPP and EIDL funds to purchase three pontoon boats totaling more than $300,000, real estate in Fort Myers, Florida and Angola, Indiana, home furnishings, outdoor kitchens for their homes, a 2019 GMC truck, a 2020 Polaris UTV, as well as jewelry, and two dogs. The Jolloffs also fraudulently used more than $600,000 in EIDL funds to purchase a furniture business in Indiana and a landscaping business in Sarasota, Florida, which had no connection to the businesses for which the Jolloffs had obtained COVID relief money.
In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trent Reichling.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Former Woonsocket Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A former Woonsocket man who, according to court documents, operated a significant drug dealing business in the Woonsocket area has been sentenced to five years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
David Kennedy, 33, pleaded guilty on October 1, 2019, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, admitting that, on at least three occasions while under law enforcement surveillance, he supplied a total of 44.25 grams of crack cocaine to customers brought to him by an individual who acted as a “broker.”
At the time of his arrest in July 2019, Kennedy was found by members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force to be in possession of 119 grams of crack cocaine, 895 grams of powder cocaine, and $3,000 in cash.
At sentencing on Tuesday, U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., sentenced Kennedy to 60 months of incarceration to be followed by four years of federal supervised release.
Christian Nieves, 37, formerly of Woonsocket, identified during the investigation as the “broker” working with Kennedy, pleaded guilty on October 1, 2019, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base. He was sentenced by Chief Judge McConnell, Jr., in January 2020 to five years in federal prison to be followed by four years of federal supervised release.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sandra R. Hebert and Christine D. Lowell.
The Rhode Island FBI Safe Streets Task Force consists of agents and law enforcement officers from the FBI, United States Marshals Service, Central Falls Police Department, Cranston Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, Providence Police Department, West Warwick Police Department, Woonsocket Police Department, and Rhode Island State Police.
This was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Former Virginia Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Offense for Sexually Assaulting Minor VictimRead the Press Release
A former police officer pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia to violating the civil rights of a minor victim by forcibly sexually assaulting her.
According to court documents, Cleshaun A. Cox, 31, admitted that on or about May 27, 2019, while he was in uniform and working in his official capacity as an officer with the Portsmouth Police Department in Portsmouth, Virginia, he encountered Victim 1, a 17-year-old female, during a call for a noise complaint. After another, more senior officer told Victim 1 to drive home, Cox followed Victim 1 to her home in his marked police vehicle. Cox instructed Victim 1 to drive to a parking lot, where he then instructed her to get into his vehicle. Cox then drove Victim 1 to an isolated area. There, he forced Victim 1 to have vaginal sex with him against her will. Cox admitted that he knew that Victim 1 was only 17 years old and that he knew that she did not want to have sex with him. Cox also admitted to lying to state investigators about his actions that night.
“The defendant violated his oath and abused his power to sexually assault a child,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division. “The federal government will not tolerate law enforcement officials who commit acts of sexual assault and abuse, and we will continue to seek justice for the survivors of these heinous crimes.”
“Police officers are entrusted to safeguard and protect our community, especially vulnerable children,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Police officers are not above the law. Those who abuse their position to commit such abhorrent acts must and will be held accountable.”
“Our communities trust police officers to keep their members safe, and the defendant violated that trust when he sexually assaulted a child while on duty,” said FBI Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI is committed to ensuring that law enforcement officers who abuse their authority are held accountable for their crimes.”
Sentencing has been set for Nov. 28. With his guilty plea, Cox faces a minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and registration as a sex offender under the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. In August 2021, Cox pleaded guilty to state level charges of carnal knowledge and abduction and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, 10 years of which was later suspended by the court.
The FBI Norfolk Field Office investigated the case.
Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Rebecca Gantt for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
Former Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing and Selling FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Maisha K. Daniels (46, Jacksonville) today pleaded guilty to selling a stolen firearm. Daniels faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
According to the plea agreement, Daniels worked for the U.S. Postal Service at various times, beginning in 1998. In April 2022, she was assigned to a distribution center in Jacksonville. While it was passing through that particular facility, a Sig Sauer semi-automatic pistol was stolen from a parcel that a licensed firearms dealer had shipped from Nevada to Florida. Daniels worked on the day that the pistol went missing. The Nevada firearms dealer reported the pistol stolen, and one week later, Daniels sold it to a firearms dealer in Jacksonville for $250. While conducting the transaction, Daniels provided her name, address, and cellphone number. A security camera captured an image of her during the sale.
Daniels later agreed to be interviewed by special agents from the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. She initially denied any knowledge about particular items being stolen from the postal distribution center and ever owning a firearm. When shown a picture of her at the Jacksonville gun dealer, Daniels eventually admitted that she had stolen a pistol at work. She also admitted stealing three Coach brand clutch purses.
When the agents searched Daniels’s belongings at work, they found four bags of THC edibles; a sealed letter bearing postal stamps that was addressed neither to nor from Daniels; a gift box and card, which was also not addressed to her, but instead to a third party; a Coach hat in its packaging; four gift cards; a Coach watch with its original box, and a Coach scarf and its packaging. Daniels denied stealing the Coach items and claimed that they were gifts from other postal employees.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
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.
Former Portsmouth Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Sexually Assaulting Minor VictimRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A former police officer pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia to violating the civil rights of a minor victim by forcibly sexually assaulting her.
According to court documents, Cleshaun A. Cox, 31, admitted that on or about May 27, 2019, while he was in uniform and working in his official capacity as an officer with the Portsmouth Police Department in Portsmouth, Virginia, he encountered Victim 1, a 17-year-old high school student, during a call for a noise complaint. After another, more senior officer told Victim 1 to drive home, Cox—unbeknownst to the other officer— followed Victim 1 to her home in his marked police vehicle. Cox instructed Victim 1 to drive to a parking lot, where he then instructed her to get into his vehicle. Cox then drove Victim 1 to an isolated area. There, he forced Victim 1 to have vaginal sex with him against her will. Cox admitted that he knew that Victim 1 was only 17 years old and that he knew that she did not want to have sex with him. Cox also admitted to lying to state investigators about his actions that night, including by falsely stating he did not know Victim 1’s true age and by falsely stating that it was Victim 1 who had proposed a sexual act to him.
“Police officers are entrusted to safeguard and protect our community, especially vulnerable children,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Police officers are not above the law. Those who abuse their position to commit such abhorrent acts must and will be held accountable.”
“The defendant violated his oath and abused his power to sexually assault a child,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division. “The federal government will not tolerate law enforcement officials who commit acts of sexual assault and abuse, and we will continue to seek justice for the survivors of these heinous crimes.”
“Our sworn police officers have a duty to uphold the constitution and are entrusted with protecting the safety and quality of life of the communities they serve,” said Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Norfolk Field Office. “Cleshaun Cox broke that trust when he, while acting under color of law, physically assaulted a teenage girl and violated her rights to bodily integrity. Cox’s conduct is not reflective of the honor and professionalism with which Portsmouth Police officers perform their duties, and I am grateful for the department’s collaboration in this investigation.”
Sentencing is scheduled for November 28. Under the plea agreement, Cox faces at least 15 years and up to 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and registration as a sex offender under the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. In August 2021, Cox pleaded guilty in Portsmouth Circuit Court to charges of carnal knowledge and abduction and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, 10 years of which was later suspended by the court.
Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Rebecca Gantt for the Eastern District of Virginia and Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wilson Hanes accepted the plea.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-84.
Former Oklahoma Undersheriff Sentenced for Using Excessive Force and Violating Civil Rights of DetaineeRead the Press Release
A former Oklahoma undersheriff was sentenced to 22 months in prison and three months of supervised release for violating the civil rights of a handcuffed detainee by using excessive force.
On Nov. 8, 2022, Kendall Bryan Morgan, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. At the plea hearing, Morgan, the former undersheriff in the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Department, admitted that on Jan. 25, 2017, he repeatedly struck a person under arrest and in handcuffs, causing the victim bodily injury. At the time of the assault, the individual was not resisting arrest and posed no threat to officers or the public. Morgan’s excessive force furthered no legitimate law enforcement purpose and violated the victim’s constitutional right to be free from unreasonable force by law enforcement.
“This defendant abused his authority as a law enforcement officer and violated the public’s trust by repeatedly assaulting and injuring a handcuffed arrestee,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to hold accountable those officers who abuse their authority, wherever such abuses occur.”
“The reputation of the entire law enforcement profession is tarnished when an officer betrays the oath to protect and serve,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “The sentencing of Mr. Morgan sends a clear message that the FBI will not tolerate anyone who dishonors the badge by using excessive force.”
“Law enforcement officers are bound by oath to serve and protect all citizens equally – this requires consistency, compassion, and respect for the dignity of all,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “The defendant violated that oath, and justice demands he pay the price for blatantly disregarding the law and the civil rights of others.”
Morgan will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Wilson and Special Agent in Charge Gray made the announcement.
The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarrod Leaman for the Eastern District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorney Avner Shapiro of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Former Head of Boro Park Shomrim Society Pleads Guilty to Transporting a 15-Year-Old Girl to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Jacob Daskal pleaded guilty to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis. As part of his guilty plea, the defendant agreed to a sentence within the range of approximately 14 to 17 ½ years’ imprisonment. As part of the plea Daskal is required to register as a sex offender.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York announced the guilty plea.
“The defendant has admitted he abused his power, trust and position in the community by committing deplorable acts against a child in his care,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “We want victims everywhere to hear this guilty plea as our Office’s continued declaration that no one is above the law and we will bring those who violate our children to justice.”
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, the Kings County District Attorney’s Office and the New York City Police Department.
As set forth in court filings, the defendant was the head of the Boro Park Shomrim Society (the “Shomrim”), a private, Orthodox Jewish crime-patrol group associated with the New York Police Department. In the spring of 2017, as a result of his position with the Shomrim, the defendant was connected to a 15-year-old girl, whom he took into his home and groomed for sex. Between August and November 2017, the defendant, then 58 years-old, subjected the 15-year-old victim to sexual acts.
During the summer of 2017, the sexual conduct occurred primarily at Daskal’s house in Brooklyn, New York and at his summer house in South Fallsburg, New York. The defendant frequently transported the victim between those locations by way of New Jersey. At the end of August, the defendant, his family and the victim returned full-time to his house in Brooklyn, where the abuse continued. As the school year started, the defendant helped the victim find a new school in Chicago, Illinois, and, in October 2017, she moved there to attend that school and live with another family. While the victim was in Chicago, the defendant communicated with the victim via text message and over Skype video chat. On or about November 5, 2017, the defendant traveled to Chicago for a day trip to visit the victim. The defendant booked a hotel room in Chicago, and he brought the victim to the hotel for sexual intercourse and oral sex. He flew back to New York that evening.
Throughout the abuse, the defendant instructed the victim to delete their communications and warned her not to tell anyone about their sexual relationship. The defendant also used his position as a leader in their community to quiet the victim, bragging about his connections to law enforcement and warning her that it would ruin her life if she told anyone about their relationship.
The government’s case is being handled by the office’s Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Reid and Genny Ngai are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Litigation Analyst Ryan Costley.
The Defendant:
JACOB DASKAL
Age: 64
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-110 (NGG)
Former Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Controlled Substances into the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections Detention FacilityRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Former Prince George’s County Department of Corrections correctional officer Danielle Dominique Smith, age 34, of Waldorf, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, in connection with her smuggling drugs to a prisoner with whom she had an intimate relationship.
The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Director Corenne D. Labbe of the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to her guilty plea, from November 23, 2009 through April 15, 2022, Smith was employed as a correctional officer at the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections (“PGDOC”) detention facility. During her employment, Smith developed a romantic and sexual relationship with an inmate at PGDOC, discussing their relationship on recorded jail calls beginning on at least June 3, 2021 and continuing until March 2, 2022.
As detailed in the plea agreement, from August 29, 2021 and March 2, 2022, Smith conspired with her inmate boyfriend and other co-conspirators to distribute Suboxone, and the synthetic cannabinoid commonly known as K2. Specifically, Smith obtained the controlled substances from co-conspirators outside PGDOC, then smuggled the drugs into PGDOC where she concealed them on special diet food trays designated for her inmate boyfriend. Once the inmate received the food tray, he distributed the controlled substances to other inmates within PGDOC. Other inmates, or relative and friends of inmates then sent Smith money for the controlled substances.
Smith and the inmate discussed the distribution of the controlled substances on recorded jail calls, referring to the controlled substances as food products in an effort to conceal the nature of the conversation. On September 24, 2021, PGDOC Special Investigations and Intelligence Section conducted a targeted cell search of Smith’s boyfriend’s cell for contraband and recovered white paper that was found to contain K2. On February 16, 2022, PGDOC Special Investigations and Intelligence Section conducted a targeted cell search of another PGDOC inmate for suspected contraband and found a bottle containing 395 strips that were found to contain Suboxone. The K2 and Suboxone were smuggled into PGDOC by Smith.
According to the plea agreement, at the end of February 2022, Smith took pre-approved leave from work. Smith continued to speak to her inmate boyfriend on jail calls during that time. On a March 2, 2022 jail call, the day Smith was scheduled to return to work, the inmate asked Smith if she was bringing the “meals,” and Smith said she was. Concerned that Smith was going to smuggle additional controlled substances, PGDOC administratively suspended Smith when she arrived at work that same day.
Smith and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Smith will be sentenced to six months of home detention. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for October 13, 2023, at 2:30 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, the PGDOC, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorney Leah B. Grossi, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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