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8 June 2023
North Little Rock Man Sentenced to Prison for Falsifying Disability ClaimsRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK— A North Little Rock man was sentenced to prison for submitting a falsified disability application to the Veteran’s Administration (VA) and receiving more than $91,000 in disability payments. Darold Maxfield, Jr., 30, was sentenced to four months in federal prison today by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller.
This is a case of stolen valor. In October 2018, Maxfield filed for disability benefits from the VA, alleging he sustained psychological trauma after he recovered the remains of a cadet who died while conducting a land navigation exercise at West Point Military Academy. At the time, Maxfield was enrolled at the United States Military Academy Prep School. Maxfield’s VA disability application was approved, and he began receiving $1,567 per month.
The VA was alerted of potential fraud regarding Maxfield’s benefit application in May 2020 after it was discovered that the physician’s signature on Maxfield’s disability benefit questionnaire had been cut and pasted onto Maxfield’s application from another application. Upon further investigation, agents were able to verify that, three days after Maxfield enrolled at the United States Military Academy Prep School, a cadet at West Point Military Academy died during a field training exercise. However, agents found no evidence that Maxfield was anywhere near the proximity where the remains were located; he was not on the land navigation course on the date of the cadet’s death; and the two cadets who did find the dead cadet’s remains stated they were the only two present when the body was located.
“Today, this defendant was held accountable for falsely claiming to be disabled in order to steal taxpayer dollars from a program meant to benefit deserving service-disabled veterans,” said Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s South Central Field Office. “The VA OIG is dedicated to ensuring the integrity of VA’s benefits programs and services. The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in this case.”
On June 1, 2021, Maxfield was charged in an indictment with theft of public money and making a false statement or representation to a department or agency of the United States. Maxfield pled guilty to the indictment on January 19, 2023. Maxfield was sentenced to four months in prison on each count, to be served concurrently, three years of supervised release, and he was ordered to pay $91,651.70 in restitution.
The case was investigated by the Veterans Affairs – Office of the Inspector General and the Army Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant United States Attorneys J. William Crow and Jana Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
New York Woman Admits Bribing Mail Carriers to Steal Postal Arrow KeysRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New York woman man today admitted her role in a scheme to bribe mail carriers to steal postal arrow keys in order to unlock mail receptacles and to use stolen items from the mail to obtain funds fraudulently from banks, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Halimatou Ndiaye, 27, of the Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to an information charging her with one count of bribery of U.S. Postal Service mail carriers and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Ndiaye schemed to bribe mail carriers in East Orange and Newark by offering them cash, typically $5,000, in exchange for the mail carriers giving her and another individual a postal arrow key, which could be used to access a variety of postal service mail receptacles. Ndiaye and others sought USPS arrow keys so that they could steal mail. For example, from June to July 2021, Ndiaye and the other individual drove to various locations in East Orange and Newark, where they stopped mail carriers and handed them a note indicating they would give $5,000 to the mail carrier in exchange for an arrow key.
In addition, from January 2021 to July 2021, Ndiaye conspired with others to obtain funds fraudulently from banks by using stolen checks and bank cards to draw funds from bank accounts linked to the stolen items and using the identification of others to fraudulently obtain funds.
The bribery charge to which Ndiaye pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; the bank fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. Sentencing is currently scheduled for Oct. 25, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark under the direction of Postal Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jihee G. Suh of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
ndiaye.information.pdfNew Orleans Man Sentenced for Violation of Federal Drug Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – TIMREK ANDREWS, age 43, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on June 08, 2023, to time served (15 months imprisonment) by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier for Possession of Firearm by a Convicted Felon, a violation of the Federal Gun Control Act, Title 18 United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. ANDREWS was additionally ordered to serve a three (3) year term of supervised release and to pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to previously filed court documents, ANDREWS and a co-defendant were under surveillance by investigators. When agents approached, they found a firearm in the floorboard of the driver’s seat where ANDREWS had been previously sitting. ANDREWS is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his previous conviction for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Rayburn of the Violent Crimes Unit.
New Orleans Man Sentenced on Federal Drug and Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHRISTIAN GUITY, age 26, a resident of Orleans Parish, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to 87 months imprisonment, 5 years supervised release, and a $300 mandatory special assessment fee on Counts One, Two, and Three of a four-count indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
Count One of the indictment charged GUITY with possession with intent to distribute dangerous substances in violation of Title 21, United States Code Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C), and (b)(1)(D). Count 2 charged GUITY with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of Title 18, United States Code Sections 924(c). Count 3 charged GUITY with possessing a machine gun in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o).
On July 29, 2021, New Orleans Police Officers conducted a stop on a vehicle containing three individuals, including GUITY. During this stop, two of the occupants fled the vehicle but were later apprehended by officers. Officers also observed GUITY in the front passenger seat of the vehicle. After searching the vehicle, officers discovered illegal drugs and weapons, including a machine gun.
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.
U. S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Orleans Man Federally Charged in a Superseding Indictment with Producing Files Depicting the Sexual Victimization of Children, Extorting Minor Females to Send Sexually Explicit Depictions, and Distribution and Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – On May 19, 2023 COLE DIGGS a/k/a Kevon Godson, age 29, a resident of New Orleans, was charged in a nine-count superseding indictment with production and attempted production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a), interstate communications with intent to extort, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, 875(d), and distribution and receipt of CSAM, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, 2252(a)(2), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
DIGGS faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years and a maximum term of imprisonment of thirty (30) years as to each of Counts 1, 3,4, 5, and 6, a maximum term of imprisonment of two (2) years as to each of Counts 2 and 7, a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five (5) years and a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years as to Count 8, and a minimum term of imprisonment of five (5) years and a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years as to Count 9. DIGGS also faces a lifetime of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine that applies to each count. DIGGS also faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee per count and can be required to register as a sex offender.
U. S. Attorney Evans reiterated that a superseding indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
New Jersey Man Indicted in Money Laundering Conspiracy SchemeRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A federal indictment was unsealed today charging Angel Mendez, a resident of New Jersey, with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to the indictment, between July 2020 and January 2021, defendant Angel Mendez, 33, conspired with other persons to launder millions of dollars of illicit proceeds derived from Business Email Compromise (“BEC”) schemes. A BEC is a type of internet fraud that occurs when an employee of a company is fooled into interacting with an email message that appears to be, but is not, legitimate. Criminal actors use such schemes to defraud companies into sending large payments to their criminal organization instead of the intended legitimate recipient.
Specifically, the Indictment alleges that Mendez laundered money that derived from two separate BECs: a fraud perpetrated on “Victim A” and a fraud perpetrated on “Victim B.” The Indictment alleges that bank accounts controlled by Mendez received, and subsequently laundered or attempted to launder, over $2.1 million fraudulently obtained from “Victim A” and over $1.2 million fraudulently obtained from “Victim B.”
Mendez is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office, made the announcement. The FBI Baltimore Cyber Task Force also assisted with this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jesse S. Wenger and Samuel S. Frey are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 23-44.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
New Hampshire Man Who Shipped Kilos of Fentanyl in the Mail, to Grand Rapids and Across the Country, Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Craig Warme, 24, of New Hampshire was sentenced to 156 months in the Bureau of Prisons after he pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Jane M. Beckering also ordered that when Warme is released from prison, he will be on supervised release for three years.
“Foolishly, Mr. Warme thought he could illegally operate an online store on the dark web trafficking poison across our state and country,” said U.S Attorney Totten. “My office will hold traffickers peddling drugs accountable.”
From June 2022 through December 2022, Warme operated an online store on the dark web under the username “DopeKingUSA.” Warme advertised various forms of heroin for sale on the site and mailed drug orders across the country, including to several customers and undercover investigators in Grand Rapids, using the United States Postal Service. Investigators determined that the drugs that Warme provided were actually fentanyl, not heroin, as advertised. Warme received a total of $417,355 in gross sales in the seven months his dark web store was operational. The Court found that he was responsible for trafficking more than 10 kilograms of fentanyl during that time.
“Postal inspectors work every day to prevent the flow of illicit drugs through the U.S. mail and to ensure the safety and security of the American people,” said Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Detroit Division. “This investigation and resulting sentence imposed today on Craig Warme is a testament to the commitment postal inspectors and our law enforcement partners have to identifying and seeking prosecution of individuals who are deliberately distributing deadly fentanyl into our communities. The Postal Inspection Service is committed to combatting the opioid and fentanyl epidemic by pursuing drug traffickers who attempt to exploit the distribution channels of the Postal Service while wrongly believing the dark web allows them to engage in criminal activity with anonymity.”
“This investigation clearly demonstrates the dark web does not provide a safe haven from which criminals can anonymously distribute fentanyl and other illicit drugs,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene. “DEA and our partners will relentlessly pursue individuals like Mr. Warme, no matter where they operate or the means by which they distribute their illicit and deadly products.”
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Michigan State Police Metropolitan Enforcement Team and the New Hampshire State Police.
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New Bedford Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Edwin Collazo, 27, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl; and to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Sept. 5, 2023. Collazo was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2022.
Between approximately March 2022 and June 2022, Collazo purchased fentanyl from the DTO that he then redistributed to others. Intercepted communications revealed Collazo discussing purchasing fentanyl from the DTO and surveillance footage showed other members of the DTO visiting Collazo’s residence for brief periods of times, which is consistent with illegal drug trafficking. Fentanyl was also seized during a search of Collazo’s residence in July 2022.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira; and Fairhaven Police Chief Michael J. Myers made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Homeland Security Investigations; Bristol County Sherriff’s Office; and Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro, Scituate, Yarmouth, Providence (R.I.) and West Warwick (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Levy’s Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
NE Georgia Man Convicted of Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A Madison County, Georgia, resident was convicted by a federal jury yesterday evening of distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), days after GBI investigators discovered evidence that he was continuing to distribute CSAM on a social media app and had concurrently cut off his ankle monitor to escape custody.
Christopher Snow, 35, of Carlton, Georgia, was convicted on June 7 of one count of distribution of child sexual abuse material and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material following a two-day trial that began on June 6 before U.S. District Judge Tilman E. Self, III. Snow faces a mandatory minimum of five years up to a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count, for a maximum of 40 years in prison. In addition, he is facing up to a lifetime of supervised release and will have to register as a sex offender upon release from federal prison. Snow will remain in federal custody awaiting sentencing on Oct. 3 in Athens.
“By cutting his ankle monitor prior to trial, Snow attempted to evade justice for actively distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material involving young children; he’s lost his freedom and will no longer be able to hurt innocent and vulnerable kids in this way,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “It often takes many different groups to stop a child predator, as demonstrated in this case. I am thankful for the excellent collaboration at every level to protect children.”
“This conviction serves as a strong reminder of our commitment to protecting children from the atrocities of child sexual abuse. The GBI remains resolute in its pursuit of justice and will not tolerate those who exploit the innocence of our most vulnerable population,” said GBI Director Mike Register.
“Snow not only distributed the disturbing material for years but didn’t stop even after he was under arrest and facing trial,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that people like this receive their full measure of justice.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, GBI received a Cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in Aug. 2018 that a Facebook user distributed suspected CSAM via Facebook Messenger. As a part of their investigation, GBI was able to determine that the user of that Facebook account resided in Carlton, Madison County, Georgia. A search warrant was executed at Snow’s residence in Carlton; law enforcement seized several electronic devices that Snow kept in a padlocked room. A digital forensic examiner later determined that those electronic devices, including the phone that was found on Snow the day of the search warrant, contained at least 45 images and 17 videos of CSAM. The material contained images of children under the age of 12.
As a condition of Snow’s pretrial release, he was required to wear an ankle monitor and not have access to electronic devices. On June 1, 2023, GBI received an additional Cybertip indicating that Snow may have been continuing to distribute CSAM on the Kik messenger app in 2022, while awaiting trial. Snow was scheduled for a federal hearing on June 2 prior to his trial but cut off his ankle monitor on June 1. A bench warrant was issued for his arrest, and he was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals on June 5.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the GBI, with assistance from the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Kalim and Robert McCullers are prosecuting the case for the Government.Michael Wayne Lee Sentenced for Drug Offenses Related to an Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On June 8, 2023, Michael Wayne Lee, 45 of Blaine, Tennessee, was sentenced to 87 months in prison by the Honorable Clifton Corker, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Following his imprisonment, Lee will be on supervised release for three years.
Following a 4-day trial, ending on January 27, 2023, Lee was convicted by the jury of Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C); Abetting the Distribution of Fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(c), and 18 U.S.C. § 2; and Using a Communication Facility to Conspire to Distribute Fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 843(b) and (d)(1).
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on May 15, 2020, two inmates at the former Northeast Correctional Complex, Carter County Annex (NECX) of the Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) were transported to a local hospital for treatment related to a fentanyl overdose; one inmate died. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and TDOC investigators responded to the facility to investigate the incident. During the investigation, they learned that Lee, an inmate at NECX, used a contraband cell phone to communicate with a co-defendant, Debra Kathleen Vekasi. Vekasi would acquire narcotics and transport them to Carter County. She would hide the narcotics in tennis balls, which were thrown over a security fence and into the recreation yard. Inmates would collect the narcotics-filled tennis balls for Lee, who would distribute the drugs throughout NECX. On May 15, 2020, the narcotics that Vekasi provided to the inmate in NECX included 30 fake oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl. A search of Vekasi’s cell phone included text messages between her and Lee that discussed the receipt and distribution of narcotics, as well as the receipt and payment of money for the narcotics.
On May 25, 2023, Vekasi, 70, of Knoxville, Tennessee, who was also convicted at trial, was sentenced by the Honorable Clifton Corker to time served (28 months) and three years of supervised release, for her role in the conspiracy.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the TBI and TDOC’s Office of Inspection and Compliance. The investigation was led by Special Agent Jason Roark of TBI.
Assistant United States Attorneys B. Todd Martin and Mac D. Heavener represented the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Unauthorized AliensRead the Press Release
FARGO – United States Attorney Mac Schneider, District of North Dakota, announced that on June 7, 2023, Rodolfo Arzola-Carrillo, age 39, Mexican National residing in Tifton, Georgia, pled guilty in Federal Court, Fargo, ND, before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte, to the offense of Conspiracy to Transport Unauthorized Aliens. Chief Judge Welte imposed the sentence of 18 months in Federal Prison, one-year supervised release and $100.00 Special Assessment.
An investigation determined that Rodolfo Arzola-Carrillo conspired, coordinated, and partially carried out the smuggling of a group of seven undocumented noncitizens from Mexico, including two minor children, across the United States - Canada border into North Dakota and down to Georgia in November 2022. The plan fell apart when weather conditions deteriorated, putting lives at risk. The harsh temperature, snow, and wind caused the group to seek assistance from the Pembina County Sheriff’s Office, who responded to aid all nine individuals and then alerted U.S. Border Patrol.
Arzola-Carrillo’s co-defendant, Ernesto Falcon Jr., is set for a change-of-plea and sentence hearing on August 21, 2023.
“As this case and others have shown, attempting to smuggle human beings across the northern border is not just illegal and exploitative, it is also a threat to human life,” Schneider said. “The U.S. Attorney’s office will continue working with the U.S. Border Patrol and our partners in federal, state, and local law enforcement to hold smugglers accountable, maintain the rule of law, and keep people safe.”
“The collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this case was outstanding. This incident is a testament to our long-standing partnership with the Pembina County Sheriff’s Office. Human smuggling can be very dangerous and I’m glad that this came to a successful law enforcement resolution. As a reminder, anyone who puts their lives in the hands of a smuggler, is putting their life, and the lives of their family at risk.” Chief Patrol Agent Scott D. Garrett said.
This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol, with assistance from the Pembina County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob T. Rodenbiker.
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Mercer Man Pleads Guilty to Threats against FBIRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Mercer, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of interstate threats and influencing or retaliating against a federal officer by threat, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Adam Bies, age 47, pleaded guilty to fourteen counts before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Bies made threats to murder, injure, and assault agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the days following the FBI’s search of former President Donald Trump’s home in Florida on August 8, 2022, pursuant to a federal search warrant.
Sentencing in this matter has been scheduled for October 4, 2023. The law provides for a total sentence of 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 offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court ordered that the defendant be detained.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Adam Bies.
Mercer County Man Sentenced to 130 Months in Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 130 months in prison for his role as the leader of a Trenton drug-trafficking organization responsible for the distribution of heroin in the Trenton area, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Robert M. Gbanapolor, 36, of Trenton, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to a superseding indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin; one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin; and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute a detectable amount of heroin.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
From June 2018 through May 2019, Gbanapolor and others engaged in a heroin trafficking conspiracy in the areas of Stuyvesant, Hoffman, and Highland avenues in Trenton, as well as in the area of Barbary Road in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Gbanapolor obtained regular bulk supplies of heroin from Duane Paulino-Escalera, whom Gbanapolor referred to as “Papi.” Gbanapolor, in turn, distributed this heroin for profit to other members of the drug-trafficking organization, who distributed the heroin in and around Trenton. Paulino-Escalera pleaded guilty in January 2020 and was sentenced on May 7, 2021, to five years in prison.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Gbanapolor to four years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Division, Camden Resident Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; and task force officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Steve Wilson, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked detectives and officers of the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Christine A. Hoffman; detectives and officers of the Gloucester Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Harkins; members of the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; detectives and officers of the Bordentown Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Pesce; and special agents of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller.
This case 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.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric A. Boden, Attorney in Charge of the Trenton Office, and Michelle Gasparian, Chief of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit in Newark.
Massachusetts Man Arrested for Knowingly Concealing the Source of Material Support or Resources to a Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Wakefield, Mass. man was arrested today for knowingly concealing the source of material support or resources that he intended to go to a foreign terrorist organization, namely the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).
Mateo Ventura, 18, was charged today in a criminal complaint with one count of knowingly concealing the source of material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization. Ventura will appear in federal court in Worcester at 12:30 p.m. today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy.
According to the charging documents, Ventura provided multiple gift cards to an individual he believed was an ISIS supporter, with the intention that the gift cards be sold on the dark web for a little less than face value and resulting profits be used to support ISIS. Ventura allegedly stated that he wanted the proceeds to go to ISIS “for war on kuffar,” (disbelievers). In total, it is alleged that between January and May 2023, Ventura donated $705 intended to support ISIS.
The charge of knowingly concealing the source of material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen for the Justice Department’s National Security Division; and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. The Massachusetts State Police and Wakefield Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy H. Kistner and Laura J. Kaplan of Levy’s National Security Unit are prosecuting the case. Valuable assistance was provided by Trial Attorneys Charles Kovats and Andrea Broach of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Elias Nick Costianes, age 44, formerly of Nottingham, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to possession of firearms and ammunition by an unlawful user of any controlled substance.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to his plea agreement, on February 12, 2021, the FBI executed search warrants at Costianes’s residence, his vehicle, and on his cellphone. Costianes was taken into custody pursuant to an arrest warrant issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Costianes was advised of his Miranda rights and voluntarily agreed to be interviewed. Costianes told agents that he kept four firearms in cases in the basement. Law enforcement searched the basement and recovered the four firearms described by Costianes: a 9mm pistol; a M&P 15 semi-automatic rifle; a .223 caliber semi-automatic rifle; and a 12-gauge shotgun, as well as thousands of rounds of ammunition, including 9mm, .22 caliber, .223 caliber, and shotgun cartridges. A box containing 100 rounds of 9mm ammunition was also found in the trunk of Costianes’ vehicle. Two of the firearms were semiautomatic and capable of accepting a large-capacity magazine.
As detailed in his plea agreement, during the search, law enforcement also recovered marijuana and four vials containing either testosterone enanthate or testosterone cypionate, both controlled substances. The electronic evidence from Costianes’ phone, including photographs and text message conversations, revealed that Costianes illegally used cocaine, testosterone, and marijuana and that his use of each substance was consistent, prolonged, and recent. Constianes admitted that not only did he purchase cocaine and testosterone for his personal use, but that he also conspired to distribute, and did distribute, cocaine and testosterone to others.
Costianes and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, the government will recommend that Costianes not be sentenced to more than 37 months in prison. Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for September 25, 2023, at 10 a.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey J. Izant and P. Michael Cunningham, who are prosecuting the federal case. Mr. Barron also thanked Paralegals Andrew Branigan, Mark Phares, Matthew Kerrigan, and Derek Harwerth, and Intelligence Research Specialist Angelina Thompson for their assistance.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Louisville Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced today for possessing a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, United Stated Marshal Gary B. Burman of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Danny Lee Maupin, 39, was sentenced to 2 years in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Maupin was found in possession of a firearm on September 21, 2021, when he was arrested by the United States Marshals Service Western Kentucky Regional Task Force pursuant to a Jefferson Circuit Court warrant for his failure to appear for charges of complicity to attempted arson in the second degree.
The case was investigated by the USMS, the ATF, and the LMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mac Shannon prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Lavaca Man Sentenced in $134 Million COVID-19 Health Care Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
FORT SMITH – A Lavaca, Arkansas, man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $29,835,825.99 in restitution for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering.
Billy Joe Taylor, age 44, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering on October 27, 2022. According to court documents, Taylor and his co-conspirators submitted more than $134 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare in connection with diagnostic laboratory testing, including urine drug testing and tests for respiratory illnesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, that were medically unnecessary, not ordered by medical providers, and not provided as represented. Taylor and his co-conspirators obtained medical information and private personal information for Medicare beneficiaries, and then misused that confidential information to repeatedly submit claims to Medicare for diagnostic tests. According to court documents, Taylor and his co-conspirators received more than $38 million from Medicare on those fraudulent claims.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson, of the FBI’s Little Rock division; Special Agent in Charge Jason Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Dallas Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Altemus of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, Dallas Field Office, made the announcement
The FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elser of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas and Senior Litigation Counsel Jim Hayes and Trial Attorney D. Keith Clouser of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section’s National Rapid Response Strike Force prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Lavaca Man Sentenced in $134 Million COVID-19 Health Care Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
FORT SMITH – A Lavaca, Arkansas, man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $29,835,825.99 in restitution for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering.
Billy Joe Taylor, age 44, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering on October 27, 2022. According to court documents, Taylor and his co-conspirators submitted more than $134 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare in connection with diagnostic laboratory testing, including urine drug testing and tests for respiratory illnesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, that were medically unnecessary, not ordered by medical providers, and not provided as represented. Taylor and his co-conspirators obtained medical information and private personal information for Medicare beneficiaries, and then misused that confidential information to repeatedly submit claims to Medicare for diagnostic tests. According to court documents, Taylor and his co-conspirators received more than $38 million from Medicare on those fraudulent claims.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson, of the FBI’s Little Rock division; Special Agent in Charge Jason Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Dallas Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Altemus of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, Dallas Field Office, made the announcement
The FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elser of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas and Senior Litigation Counsel Jim Hayes and Trial Attorney D. Keith Clouser of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section’s National Rapid Response Strike Force prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov
Laurel man admits illegally possessing firearms after law enforcement finds 35 guns in his residenceRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Laurel man today admitted he illegally possessed firearms and ammunition after law enforcement found 35 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition in his residence, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Nicholas Steven Capella, 38, pleaded guilty to prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition as charged in an indictment. Capella faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Capella was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in August 2022, members of the Billings Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit were surveilling a residence in Laurel when Capella and another person left the house and got into a vehicle that was parked outside. Capella had a pistol holstered on his hip. Officers converged on the vehicle, placed Capella and the other person in custody and advised them of their rights. A search warrant was executed at the residence. During the search, Capella agreed to open a gun safe, which contained a large cache of firearms. Law enforcement seized 35 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Capella was prohibited of possessing firearms because of felony convictions in Washington.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich is prosecuting the case. The Billings Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Lafourche Parish Man Charged with Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – DELVIN EDMOND, age 32, of Thibodaux, La., was charged on June 2, 2023 in a recently unsealed five-count indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
EDMOND is charged with the following offenses:
Count 1-Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846;
Count 2-Distribution of 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A);
Count 3-Distribution of 5 grams or more Methamphetamine and a quantity of Fentanyl in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B) (methamphetamine), and 841(b)(1)(C) (fentanyl);
Count 4-Possession with Intent to Distribute a quantity of Methamphetamine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C); and
Count 5-Distribution of 50 grams or more Methamphetamine in violation to Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A).
For Counts 1, 2, and 5, EDMOND faces a statutory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
For Count 3 (Methamphetamine), EDMOND faces a statutory minimum sentence of 5 years up to forty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000, and at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
Count 3 (fentanyl) and 4, EDMOND with possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). For this offense, he faces up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
For each of the counts for which EDMOND is charged, he faces a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Thibodaux Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
LaPorte Man Sentenced to 210 months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Donta Bridges, 39 years old, of LaPorte, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Jon E. DeGuilio after being found guilty by a jury in October 2022 of heroin distribution, attempted heroin distribution, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Bridges was sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by 6 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in the fall of 2019, Bridges was selling various substances to include heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and the horse tranquilizer xylazine. During one sale, Bridges told a customer to be careful with the drugs because Bridges knew that someone had overdosed on the drugs he was selling. During the execution of a search warrant at his house, investigators recovered a gun along with heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Bridges was sentenced on the instant offense as a career offender based on his two prior felony convictions for controlled substance offenses; possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and heroin distribution.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the LaPorte County Drug Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly L. Schultz and Jerome W. McKeever.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Kern High School District Employee Charged with Federal Explosive OffensesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment today against Angelo Jackson Mendiver, 26, of Bakersfield, an employee of the Kern High School District, charging him with conspiring to commit offenses against the United States; engaging in manufacturing and dealing in explosive materials; two counts of mailing an explosive device; improper storage of explosives; and making false statements to agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Mendiver used an Instagram account to sell explosives and explosive materials and worked closely with a male juvenile Bakersfield high school student to fulfill transactions. A federal search warrant executed at Mendiver’s residence on June 1, 2023, resulted in the seizure of approximately 500 pounds of explosives and explosive materials. Agents seized another 500 pounds of explosives and explosive materials from the juvenile’s residence.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Mendiver is scheduled for arraignment on the indictment on June 15, 2023. If convicted of engaging in the manufacture and dealing in explosive materials, Mendiver faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,00 fine. If convicted of making false statements to the FBI and conspiring to commit offenses against the United States, he faces a maximum statutory penalty for each count of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Mailing an explosive device and improper storage of explosives carry a maximum penalty for each count of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Justice Department Secures Settlement with Domino’s Pizza Franchisee to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination ClaimsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with Maryland-based Treacy Enterprises Inc., which owns and operates several Domino’s Pizza franchises (Treacy Enterprises). The settlement resolves the department’s determination that Treacy Enterprises violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by requiring a non-U.S citizen worker to provide more documents than necessary to prove his permission to work, even though he had already shown sufficient documentation.
“While employers must verify every new hire’s permission to work in the United States, they can’t require unnecessary documents or discriminate based on someone’s citizenship status or national origin in the process,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to fight to remove discriminatory barriers to employment.”
The department’s investigation began when a lawful permanent resident worker complained that Treacy Enterprises was requiring him to provide additional and unnecessary documentation to prove his permission to work instead of accepting the valid documentation he had already presented. The department determined that Treacy Enterprises discriminated against the worker by (1) demanding additional documentation to prove he could work rather than accepting the valid documents the worker had already provided and (2) requiring that the worker prove his citizenship status by showing a Permanent Resident Card (also known as a green card). Federal law allows workers to choose which valid, legally acceptable documentation to present to demonstrate their identity and permission to work, regardless of citizenship, immigration status or national origin. Employers cannot demand more documents than necessary or specific documentation as part of this process.
Under the settlement, Treacy Enterprises will pay a civil penalty to the United States. The agreement also requires the company to train its human resources staff on the INA’s requirements, revise its employment policies, and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements.
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation and intimidation.
Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Find more information on how employers can avoid discrimination when verifying permission to work on IER’s website. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email IER@usdoj.gov; sign up for a free webinar; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe for email updates from IER.
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Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Assault with Intent to Kill While Armed and Related Charges in Shooting of a Pregnant Woman in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Joshua Hemphill, 32, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty yesterday of two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and other charges, in an early morning shooting that took place in Southeast Washington on September 21, 2018, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Interim Chief Ashan Benedict, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The jury also found Hemphill guilty of aggravated assault while armed, first-degree burglary while armed, multiple counts of contempt, and other firearms offenses. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz, who scheduled sentencing for August 11, 2023.
According to the government’s evidence, on September 21, 2018, Hemphill went to the home where his former romantic partner was staying with her friend. In a fit of rage, he fired one round into the door and made his way inside the apartment. He then chased the two women into a small closet where he fired two rounds from approximately three feet away. The first round hit the friend in the left hand and the second hit her in the back of her head. The friend was 24 weeks pregnant at the time she was shot. The victim received emergency neurosurgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and both she and her child survived.
Hemphill was arrested weeks later in Pennsylvania. Upon his return to the District of Columbia, Hemphill was ordered by a District of Columbia Superior Court Judge on October 24, 2018, to stay away and have no contact with his former romantic partner. Evidence showed that Hemphill violated that order numerous times between October 24, 2018, and April 29, 2019.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Interim Chief Benedict commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Loeb and Angela Buckner, current Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bonnie Thompson, Dana Joseph, Ryan Sellinger, and Jodi Lazarus, Appellate Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nick Coleman and Bryan Han, Paralegal Specialists Tiffany Fogle, Garcia Clarke, Lynda Randolph, and Tijuana McPhail, Supervisory Paralegal Specialists Linda McDonald and RaeShawn Johnson, Supervisory Victim Services Advocate Roderick Johnson, Victim/Witness Advocates Lu Lan and Rogers Dickerson, Witness Security Specialists Orlando Teel and Lesley Slade, Victim/Witness Service Coordinator Maenylie Watson, Criminal Investigations Unit Special Agent in Charge Tina Lukens, and Criminal Investigations Unit Special Agents Matthew Fox-Moles, and Nelson Rhone.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaVater Massie-Banks and Brian Yang, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Juneau Man Pleads Guilty to Bank and Credit Union TheftRead the Press Release
JUNEAU – A Juneau man pleaded guilty to charges of Theft, Embezzlement, and Misapplication of Funds by a Person Connected in a Capacity with a Bank and Credit Union.
According to court documents, Austin Nolan Dwight Rutherford, 29, of Juneau plead guilty to Bank and Credit Union Theft. Between January 21, 2019, and March 2022, Rutherford was an armed transport guard for Axiom Armored Transport (Axiom), which provided armed transportation of U.S. Currency for U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, Key Bank, NuVision Credit Union, and Alaska USA Federal Credit Union and their customers Automatic Teller Machines (ATM). Rutherford started to steal funds when he was transferred to Axiom’s Juneau branch in March 2020 through May 2022. Rutherford was terminated March of 2022 but continued to make cash deposits into his bank accounts through May 2022 that were above and beyond any legitimate sources identified during the investigation. An internal audit determined that Rutherford stole a total of $579,400.00 in bank and credit union funds.
Rutherford is scheduled to be sentenced on August 17, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000.00, and up to life on supervised release. Rutherford has agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $579,400.00 as part of his guilty plea. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt is prosecuting the case.
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Jose Trujillo, Co-Defendant of Solomon Peña, Detained Pending TrialRead 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 Jose Louise Trujillo was arraigned on an indictment charging him with: conspiracy, four counts of interference with federally protected activities, four counts of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, possession with intent to distribute 40 grams and more of fentanyl, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Trujillo, 22, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Trujillo on May 24 along with Solomon Peña and Demetrio Trujillo. According to the indictment, Peña ran for District 14 of the New Mexico House of Representatives during the November 2022 mid-term elections. Following his electoral defeat in November 2022, Peña allegedly organized the shootings on the homes of two Bernalillo County commissioners and two New Mexico state legislators. The shootings were carried out between Dec. 4, 2022, and Jan. 3, 2023, with assistance from Trujillo.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Trujillo faces up to life in prison.
Solomon Peña, 40, is scheduled for arraignment and a detention hearing on June 9. If convicted, Peña faces up to life in prison.
Demetrio Trujillo, 41, is scheduled for arraignment and a detention hearing on June 13. If convicted, Demetrio faces life in prison.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the Albuquerque Police Department and the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Senior Litigation Counsel Victor R. Salgado of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy Peña and Patrick E. Cordova for the District of New Mexico are prosecuting the case.
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Johnstown Woman Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison and 4 Years of Supervised Release for Conspiring to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Heroin, and FentanylRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Johnstown, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 60 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release on her conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Amber Lingafelt, age 40, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, from on or about April 2019 to on or about July 2021, Lingafelt did conspire to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base, in the form commonly known as crack, a quantity of heroin, and a quantity of fentanyl.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Mr. Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Lingafelt. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Insurance Broker Sentenced to over 4 Years in Federal Prison for Stealing More Than $1.2 Million from Clients’ Investment Accounts Through Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Bruce Ford, 50, of Centerpoint, Indiana has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to five counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering.
According to court documents, Ford was licensed as an insurance broker in Indiana beginning in 2008. From January 1, 2013, through December of 2018, Ford stole approximately $1.2 million from at least ten victims through a fraudulent investment and Ponzi scheme.
On April 5, 2012, Ford created Ford Financial and Insurance Services. Through his company, Ford promoted investment services to current and former insurance clients and others despite the fact that he had not register himself or his company with the Indiana Securities Division, as required by law.
As part of his scheme and in order to induce his current and former insurance clients to invest with his company, Ford falsely held himself out to be a financial advisor and promised clients through false and misleading claims and omissions that he could provide higher returns on their investments than they would otherwise yield from their traditional and long-term investment products such as Individual Retirement Accounts and 401ks.
Ford induced his clients to cash out their retirement and other investment accounts and transfer the funds to Self-Directed Individual Retirement Accounts (SDIRA). Rather than invest the funds in real estate and business ventures as promised, Ford transferred the victims’ investment money out of their SDIRAs to his own personal bank accounts, and used the stolen money for his own purposes, including to pay his personal credit cards, and to purchase goods, services, a mobile-home, land, and a recreational vehicle. Some of Fords’ victims were already retired or were approaching retirement and were left to suffer substantial financial hardship.
Ford concealed his scheme for five years through Ponzi-scheme type payments—using funds wrongfully taken from some investors to pay purported returns to others.
In total, Ford fraudulently obtained $1,264,208.13 from his victims.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers and Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.
“This defendant took advantage of the trust of Hoosier workers and retirees to steal the hard-earned savings intended to provide for the retirements they’d planned,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Crooks operating Ponzi schemes under the guise of providing financial services must be identified and held accountable for their crimes. The sentence imposed today is the result of our commitment—together with the FBI, Indiana’s Securities Division and all of our law enforcement partners—to protect investors from fraud.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Indiana Secretary of State Securities Division investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney. Judge Sweeney also ordered that Ford be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison. Ford was also ordered to pay $1,089,708.13 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case.
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Huntsville Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – A Huntsville man was sentenced yesterday to 240 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court documents, since August 2022, detectives with the Benton County Drug Unit and special agents with Homeland Security Investigations had been conducting an on-going narcotics investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine in Northwest Arkansas. During the investigation, law enforcement conducted multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Richard Patrick Horton, age 56. Subsequently, investigators learned that Horton was receiving methamphetamine through the mail. Law enforcement ultimately intercepted a package bound for Horton’s address that contained two large bundles of suspected methamphetamine.
The purchased and seized methamphetamine was later submitted to the Homeland Security Investigations Crime Laboratory for testing where it was tested and determined to be methamphetamine. Between the controlled purchases and the intercepted parcel, Horton was held accountable for over 2 kilograms of methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Benton County Drug Unit and Homeland Security Investigations Fayetteville investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Eaton prosecuted the case.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov.
Greenwood Village Psychiatrist Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Distribution of Controlled Substances and Financial CrimesRead the Press Release
DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Howard Weiss of Greenwood Village was sentenced to six months in federal prison for distributing a controlled substance outside the usual course of professional practice, for structuring financial transactions in a way to evade reporting requirements, and for engaging in monetary transactions greater than $10,000 that were derived from unlawful activity. After his custodial sentence, the defendant will face ten months of home confinement, as part of three years on supervised release. The 69-year-old also was ordered to forfeit $826,083.24 in criminal proceeds, pay $150,000 in community restitution, and surrender both his medical license as well his license to prescribe controlled substances.
According to the plea agreement, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS-CI) began an investigation into the defendant because of suspicious financial activity, reports related to his patients’ sale of controlled substances, and one patient’s poly-drug overdose death. The investigation revealed that the defendant was prescribing methamphetamine to several adult patients. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II stimulant with a high potential for abuse. The FDA has approved only one methamphetamine product for medical use in rare circumstances. When investigators looked in detail at Weiss' prescribing records they discovered other red flags, including poly-drug prescribing. It is unusual to prescribe high-dose stimulants with high-dose sedatives because of the drugs competing effects. Yet, the defendant routinely prescribed high-dose stimulants with high-dose sedatives. The defendant also regularly prescribed stimulants such as Adderall at the upper end of the usual dosing range and, sometimes, well beyond the upper end of the usual dosing range.
In July 2017, one of the defendant’s patients was arrested when the patient showed up to a drug deal with 119 methamphetamine pills prescribed by the defendant. The defendant’s prescriptions to that patient were outside the usual course and did not have a legitimate medical purpose. Further, the patient’s probation officer had previously contacted the defendant to warn about the patient’s methamphetamine addiction, but Weiss prescribed the methamphetamine anyway.
In addition, as described in the plea agreement, the defendant engaged in illegal banking activity. Federal regulations prohibit the “structuring” of financial transactions to thwart the requirement that banks file reports for currency deposits of more than $10,000. Between November 2015, and February 2018, the defendant made forty-five cash deposits in excess of $9,000 but below the $10,000 threshold, which would require the bank to file a Currency Transaction Report. Bank tellers reported occasions in which the defendant would show up with cash, ask for it to be counted, and then decline to deposit any amount more than $10,000.
“This defendant prioritized personal enrichment over the health and safety of his patients,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “Thanks to the excellent investigation by our partners at DEA and IRS-CI, in addition to his prison sentence, the defendant will give up over $825,000 in criminal proceeds and will not be able to harm any more patients.”
“Howard Weiss knowingly and unlawfully distributed controlled substances outside the usual course of practice for no other purpose than greed,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge David S. Olesky. “Thanks to the dedicated team at the DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division, the IRS-CI Denver Office and our U.S. Attorney’s Office, Weiss ended up losing more than he gained and will never lawfully practice medicine again.”
“IRS-CI Special Agents are experts in uncovering the financial schemes criminals use to hide money gained through illegal activities,” said Andy Tsui, Special Agent in Charge, Denver Field Office. “Weiss’ desire for money, and his disregard for the welfare of his patients, led to an investigation into his financial activity and ultimately the severe financial penalties that were handed down today.”
United States District Court Judge Daniel D. Domenico presided over the sentencing on June 6, 2023.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS-CI. Assistant United States Attorneys Bryan Fields and Jena Neuscheler are handling the prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Young is handling the parallel forfeiture action.
Case Number: 21-cr-00233
Greenbrier County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Raymond Matthew Ramos, 41, of Lewisburg, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 29. 2022, Ramos sold a quantity of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Alderson. Ramos admitted to that transaction and further admitted to selling quantities of methamphetamine to the confidential informant on July 6, 2022, in Beaver and on July 27, 2022, in Lewisburg.
On July 28, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence where Ramos was staying. Officers seized a quantity of methamphetamine, scales and packaging material, and over $1,000. The cash included recorded money from the July 27, 2022, drug transaction. Ramos admitted that he possessed the seized methamphetamine and intended to distribute it. Ramos also admitted to telling law enforcement officers that he distributed a half-pound of methamphetamine weekly between the third week of April 2022 and July 14, 2022.
Ramos is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force is composed of members of the West Virginia State Police, the Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Department, and the Lewisburg Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Isabell and Timothy D. Boggess are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-228.
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Grand Jury Issues Superseding Indictment in $2.9 million dollar Paycheck Protection Program Fraud and Clean Air Act ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A federal grand jury has issued a superseding indictment charging Christopher Lee Carroll with multiple counts of bank fraud, money laundering, making false statements to a financial institution, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act, violations of the Clean Air Act, and witness tampering. The federal grand jury also indicted the company run by Carroll, Whiskey Dix Big Truck Repair, with twenty-one counts of violating the Clean Air Act.
The superseding indictment charges Carroll with three counts of bank fraud, six counts of money laundering, and three counts of making false statements of a financial institution in connection with Carroll’s company, Square One Group’s, receipt of two fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, one in the amount of more than $1.2 million, and the second loan in the amount of more than $1.6 million.
The superseding indictment alleges that Carroll and his business partner, George Reed, submitted PPP loan applications in their spouses’ names, rather than their own names, to misrepresent and conceal Carroll’s status as a paroled felon, which would have precluded his company from receiving PPP funds. It is further alleged, that Carroll and Reed did not use the funds to compensate their employees, but instead, used the funds to start a trucking company called Whiskey Dix Big Truck Repair, and to fund $660,000 in payments to themselves. The superseding indictment further alleges that the company suspended their employees’ pay and health insurance coverage after applying for PPP funds.
The superseding indictment further alleges that Carroll and his company, Whiskey Dix Big Truck Repair, violated the Clean Air Act by unlawfully removing the emissions control systems from more than 30 diesel-fueled trucks, which caused the trucks to release between 30 and 300 more pollutants into the atmosphere. The superseding indictment also alleges that Carroll asked his employees to take the fall for the Clean Air Act violations, and when one of the employees indicated that he was going to talk to federal investigators, Carroll threatened not to pay for the employee’s attorney.
"Square One Group received nearly $3,000,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds intended to sustain their workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis" said FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker. "Instead, company owners Chris Carroll and George Reed allegedly used those funds to start new businesses and compensate themselves all while laying off the very staff for whom those funds were intended.”
“The defendants violated the Clean Air Act by removing devices designed specifically to reduce pollution on more than 20 heavy-duty diesel trucks,” said Special Agent in Charge Lance Ehrig of EPA’s criminal investigation program in Missouri. “Diesel exhaust not only worsens air quality, but harms people’s health, in particular people with respiratory conditions like asthma and COPD, so when these illegal trucks travel through neighborhoods they are creating serious health problems for residents.”
Charges set forth in the superseding indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the US Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gwendolyn Carroll and Matthew Drake are handling the case.
Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding California Car DealershipRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Michael Uziewe, 63, of Grayson, Georgia, pleaded guilty today to one count of bank fraud related to an online scheme that defrauded a business owner in California and a second business owner in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Uziewe owned a purported business named God’s Word Christian Book Store. In March 2020, the first victim, an owner of a classic car dealership in Irvine, began communicating with a purported seller of two transmissions. At the seller’s direction, the victim sent more than $13,000 to the God’s Word business account that Uziewe controlled at Ameris Bank. The victim never received the transmissions.
Also, in April 2020, the second victim, an owner of a nail salon in Jersey City, New Jersey, sent more than $100,000 to Uziewe’s Ameris Bank account. She sent the funds to assist the return to the United States of an individual who claimed he was a surgeon working for the United Nations in Yemen and needed money to pay for costs associated with traveling to the United States.
When Uziewe attempted to withdraw the funds from the God’s Word account, he falsely claimed that they were proceeds of book sales.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Thuesen is prosecuting the case.
U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta is scheduled to sentence Uziewe on Sept. 14, 2023. He faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the court’s discretion after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Framingham Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing Two Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Framingham man was indicted today for unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
Edwin Alago, 42, was indicted on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Alago was previously arrested on related state charges and will appear in federal court at a later date.
According to the indictment, in May 2021, Alago possessed a SCCY .9mm CPX-2 semi-automatic pistol bearing a defaced serial number and seven rounds of .9mm ammunition. It is further alleged that, in November 2022, Alago possessed a Colt, automatic, .25mm pistol and six rounds of .25 caliber ammunition.
Due to multiple previous felony convictions for drug distribution and possession and assault with a dangerous weapon, Alago is considered an armed career criminal and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
The charge of being a felon in possession provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Due to Alago’s status as an armed career criminal, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office and the Framingham Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Meghan C. Cleary of Levy’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Four Time Deported Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Today, LUIS ALFREDO LEZAMA-RAMIREZ, age 47, pled guilty to a one-count indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, LUIS ALFREDO LEZAMA-RAMIREZ ("LEZAMA-REMIREZ") admitted reentering the United States after being deported on June 8, 2018. LEZAMA-RAMIREZ had also been previously deported in 2006, 2009, and 2012. LEZAMA-RAMIREZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of up to one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Four Michigan Pharmacies Settle Alleged Controlled Substances Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
DETROIT–Four Michigan pharmacies have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal government to resolve allegations that they violated certain provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Joining in the announcement was Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Field Division.
In 2020, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating HealthPlus Pharmacy of Ann Arbor, HealthPlus Pharmacy of Brighton, HealthPlus Pharmacy of Howell, and All Care Pharmacy in Allen Park (collectively, Health Plus Pharmacies) for potential violations of the CSA. The DEA’s investigation revealed that Health Plus Pharmacies committed several significant recordkeeping violations, including failing to maintain a complete and accurate record of all Schedule II controlled substances dispensed by the pharmacies. The DEA also determined that Health Plus Pharmacies failed to maintain effective controls to guard against the diversion of controlled substances. As a result, DEA concluded that Health Plus Pharmacies could not properly account for more than 30,000 hydrocodone and oxycodone pills over an approximate 18-month period.
As part of the settlement agreement, Health Plus Pharmacies will collectively pay civil penalties of $180,000. Health Plus Pharmacies has also entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the DEA requiring, among other things, that the pharmacies hire an external auditor to conduct unannounced audits of highly abused controlled substances over the next two years and to institute a broad-based educational program for its employees that focuses on prevention of drug diversion in the workplace.
“Our Office is committed to combatting the opioid crisis and will seek to hold accountable participants at every level of the distribution chain who fail to comply with their obligations under the Controlled Substances Act,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “Pharmacies play a critical role in preventing drug abuse and diversion, and this settlement helps ensure these four pharmacies comply with the law.”
“The failure to adhere to regulations by medical professionals adds fuel to the inferno that is the opioid crisis. We will protect our community by vigorously pursuing pharmacies and pharmacists that fail to follow proper procedures as they relate to controlled substances," said Special Agent in Charge Greene.
Congress passed the CSA to combat the illegal distribution and abuse of controlled substances. Under the CSA, entities registered with the DEA who purchase, distribute, dispense, transfer, or sell controlled substances must comply with strict inventory and documentation requirements. Regulations promulgated under the CSA require that each DEA registrant, including pharmacies, maintain complete and accurate records of each substance manufactured, received, sold, delivered, dispensed, or otherwise disposed of by the registrant. These requirements play a vital role in ensuring the appropriate handling, accounting, and distribution of controlled substances.
This matter was investigated by Diversion Investigators from DEA’s Detroit Field Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Gentner from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Four Defendants Charged in Connection with Extensive Prostitution EnterpriseRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that four individuals were indicted on charges related to a prostitution enterprise called XO Companions, or XOC. The four defendants are Anton Panin, age 40, of Hollywood, Florida, Jennie Lawson, age 37, of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, Tracey Lawson, age 57, of Thomasville, Pennsylvania, and Viktoriia Zakirova, age 32, of Miami, Florida.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges each defendant with conspiring to transport women in interstate and foreign commerce with intent that the women engage in prostitution and conspiring to persuade women to travel to engage in prostitution. The indictment further charges Panin and the Lawsons with money laundering.
The indictment explains that Panin and Zakirova recruited women in Russia and other Eastern European countries to travel to the United States to work as prostitutes for XO Companions. Once in the United States, XO Companions workers traveled throughout the country to meet with clients in major cities. XO Companions workers typically sent cash prostitution proceeds to the Lawsons, who in turn transported the money to Panin in Florida. Additionally, the defendants operated a password-protected website through which clients could view schedules, view services offered, reserve time, and provide reviews.
“The indictment in this case has dismantled an extensive and long-running commercial sex enterprise that exploited countless women and repeatedly violated U.S. laws,” said U.S. Attorney Karam. “We commend the law enforcement agents who coordinated across multiple agencies and worked tirelessly in the investigation that led to these charges.”
“As the lead agency in this investigation, the Diplomatic Security Service demonstrated its commitment to maintaining the integrity of U.S. travel documents and the rights of visitors to the United States,” said the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Assistant Director for Domestic Operations Andrew Wroblewski. “Our strong relationship with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania continues to be essential in pursuing those who profit from exploiting U.S. visa systems.”
“Tracing money obtained as the result of criminal acts is the specialty of IRS Criminal Investigation agents,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “IRS-CI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that individuals who attempt to hide their criminal involvement will be held accountable.”
"As alleged, Anton Panin, Viktoriia Zakirova, Jennie Lawson and Tracey Lawson operated an illicit prostitution ring over the span of many years in cities across the United States. To date, the investigation has identified hundreds of individuals linked to the criminal enterprise, some of whom are suspected of being victims of human trafficking,” said HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo. “We would like to thank HSI Miami’s Fort Lauderdale office and HSI Philadelphia’s Harrisburg office for their significant contributions to this multi-year investigation. HSI is committed to working with law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions to protect potential victims from being exploited for personal profit. I commend the collaboration of our agents and our law enforcement partners whose investigative efforts over the past five years were instrumental in apprehending these suspected sex traffickers.”
"The defendants preyed upon vulnerable women hoping for a better life in the United States, and they now will be held accountable for their heinous actions. Today's indictment sends a message to would be traffickers that the FBI and its partners are committed to protecting victims and bringing their predators to justice," said Philadelphia Division FBI Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire.”
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact Homeland Security Investigations at 866-347-2423 or SexTrafficking_Outreach@hsi.dhs.gov.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law is five years of imprisonment for the prostitution-related conspiracy and 20 years of imprisonment for money laundering, 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 and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Four Colombian Nationals Charged with Interstate Transportation of Stolen Goods ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Four Colombian nationals were charged today for their roles in a scheme to burglarize a home in New Jersey and transport the stolen goods to New York, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
William Londono Rojas, 28, of Plainfield, New Jersey; Andrew Cifuentes Cadavid, 32, and Nicolas Ochoa Zambrano, 19, both of Elizabeth, New Jersey, and Jose Alejandro Calvo Orozco, 27, of Madison, New Jersey, are each charged by complaint with conspiracy to transport stolen property. Rojas, Cadavid and Zambrano made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court and were detained. Orozco was recently deported.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Nov. 30, 2022 through Dec. 2, 2022, the four defendants burglarized a home and then transported the stolen goods across state lines from Union County, New Jersey, to New York.
The charge of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the FBI Newark’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement Removal Operations, under the direction of Field Office Director John Tsoukaris; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office under direction of Prosecutor William Daniel and Chief Harvey Barnwell; and the Cranford Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ryan Greco, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked New Jersey State Police, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their assistance as well as the police departments of Berkeley Heights Township, Branchburg, Cranford, Edison, Elizabeth, Kearny, Livingston, Metuchen, Monroe, Montgomery, Mountainside, Raritan Borough, and Warren.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force/Narcotics Unit and Rebecca Sussman of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
rojasetal.complaint.pdfFour Arizona Swindlers Sentenced for Paycheck Protection Program FraudRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Four Arizona residents were sentenced to significant prison terms in connection with their schemes to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, a federal loan initiative designed to help businesses pay their employees and meet expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. All four defendants, Willie Mitchell, Sean Swaringer, Kimberly Coleman, and Jason Coleman pleaded guilty to Bank Fraud.
They were each sentenced as follows:
- Willie Mitchell, aka Blu Mitchell, 41, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced on February 6, 2023, by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 97 months in prison.
- Sean Swaringer, 57, of Peoria, Arizona, was sentenced on April 4, 2023, by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 121 months in prison.
- Kimberly Coleman, 39, of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced on April 10, 2023, by Judge Logan to 120 months in prison.
- Jason Coleman, 41, of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced on May 15, 2023, by Judge Logan to 60 months in prison.
In addition to their respective prison terms, all four defendants also were ordered to serve five years of supervised release.
Mitchell, working with others, fraudulently obtained seven PPP loans totaling $9,470,900. He purchased a vehicle, multiple properties, and vacations with the PPP funds.
Swaringer obtained four fraudulent PPP loans totaling more than $1.5 million on behalf of two entities: Cryotherapy for Veterans and Cryoworld Therapy, LLC. In addition to his own loans, Swaringer also recruited more than 10 individuals to apply for fraudulent PPP loans. He assisted in preparing and submitting their PPP applications in exchange for kickbacks from their PPP loan proceeds. Swaringer was ordered to pay more than $3.8 million in restitution for his own loans and the kickbacks from at least 15 other PPP loans. Swaringer purchased jewelry, vehicles, vacations, and real estate with the fraudulent funds.
Kimberly Coleman and her husband, Jason Coleman, collectively prepared and submitted approximately two dozen fraudulent PPP loan applications in an attempt to receive more than $30 million in PPP funds. They were successful in at least 10 of those submissions and fraudulently obtained more than $13 million in PPP funds. The Colemans’ purchases included luxury vehicles and real estate properties, personal property from several high-end retail outlets, vacation, and jewelry.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation in these cases, with significant assistance from Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Small Business Administration-Office of the Inspector General. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecutions.
CASE NUMBERS: CR21-00977-001-PHX-GMS
CR21-00981-001-PHX-SPL
CR21-00975-002-PHX-SPL
CR21-00975-001-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-088_Mitchell-Swaringer-Coleman# # #
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.Former School Bus Driver Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking ChildRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Maine man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Concord to cyberstalking an eight-year-old child, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Michael Chick, age 40, pleaded guilty to cyberstalking. U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty scheduled sentencing for September 25, 2023. Chick was arrested on a criminal complaint in August 2022 and was indicted on September 6, 2022.
Chick, a former school bus driver, began stalking an eight-year-old child on his bus route at least as early as March 2022. Chick gave the victim candy and small toys, and asked for permission to attend the child’s sporting events. Later, Chick provided the victim with cell phones and instructed the child to call Chick when he was alone. Chick told the child lies about a secret organization that would kidnap and torture the victim and kill the child’s family if the child did not fulfill various demands, which Chick purported to be relaying to the victim on behalf of the organization. Chick traveled to the child’s home at night and photographed the inside of their home by peering through the windows. Chick also placed GPS trackers on both of the victim’s parents’ vehicles. A forensic examination of Chick’s cell phone revealed surreptitiously recorded images and videos of the child and their family at various public locations such as retail stores, theme parks, and sporting events.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Homeland Security Investigations led the federal investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Greenland Police Department, the Eliot Police Department in Maine, the Old Town Police Department in Maine, the New England State Police Information Network, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland is prosecuting the case.
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Former NYPD Detective and Four Other New York Men Charged in Violent Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Keechant L. Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of Indictments charging DAGOBERTO SOTO-RAMIREZ, a/k/a “Pito,” SAUL ARISMENDY DE LA CRUZ, a/k/a “Nene,” a/k/a “Venom,” EDWIN LUCIANO RODRIGUEZ-GENAO, a/k/a “Pantalla,” SANTIAGO XAVIER MALDONADO, a/k/a “Xavier,” and DIEGO MUELAS-GONZALEZ, a/k/a “Menor,” for their participation in a violent theft crew. DE LA CRUZ, RODRIGUEZ-GENAO, MALDONADO, and MUELAS-GONZALEZ were arrested this morning and arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy. SOTO-RAMIREZ has not been arrested at this time.
DAGOBERTO SOTO-RAMIREZ: WANTED BY THE FBI
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, this crew stole substantial quantities of cash and valuables from dozens of families in New York and across the country, predominantly targeting Asian-American small business owners. And, as alleged, they bribed an NYPD detective in an attempt to get away with it. Corruption, violence, and racially targeted crime are intolerable, and this Office stands with our law enforcement partners in the fight against all three. Dagoberto Soto-Ramirez, the alleged leader of this violent crew, remains at large. We encourage anyone who may have additional information regarding Dagoberto Soto-Ramirez’s whereabouts to please call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “Over an extended period, the defendants allegedly participated in a string of violent armed robberies and additional crimes designed to conceal the thefts. The crew went so far as to entice a member of law enforcement to help them evade capture. The FBI will continue to work diligently everyday to remove violent criminals from our communities.”
NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “Violent criminal acts like the type alleged today are a disgrace. When such behavior involves a former police officer who shamelessly exploits their position of power for personal gain, it erodes public trust in law enforcement and tarnishes the reputations of the many thousands of women and men who honorably serve New Yorkers each day. There will always be zero tolerance in the NYPD for corruption of any kind. And our investigators, in close partnership with all of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, will continue to ensure that it is punished to the fullest extent possible.”
As alleged in the Indictment and Superseding Indictments unsealed in White Plains federal court:[1]
Between 2017 and 2022, SOTO-RAMIREZ organized a crew that committed residential burglaries and home invasion robberies, repeatedly targeting small business owners. The majority of the targeted victims were Asian-American. Armed with guns and other weapons, members of the crew stole money, jewelry, and other property from scores of homes in states across the country. RODRIGUEZ-GENAO, MALDONADO, and MUELAS-GONZALEZ took part in the crew’s criminal scheme, which also included the use of false identification, bank fraud, and laundering theft proceeds. In addition, SOTO-RAMIREZ and other members of the conspiracy bribed DE LA CRUZ, first an officer and later a detective of the NYPD, who helped members of the crew escape arrest. As part of his activities with the crew, SOTO-RAMIREZ committed two gunpoint home invasion robberies in Queens.
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SOTO-RAMIREZ, 41, of the Bronx, New York, DE LA CRUZ, 31, RODRIGUEZ-GENAO, 48, MALDONADO, 43, and MUELAS-GONZALEZ, 26, all of Queens, New York, are each charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. SOTO-RAMIREZ is additionally charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, each of which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and two counts of possession of a firearm, which was brandished, in furtherance of a crime of violence, each of which carry a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the FBI, the Westchester County Joint Organized Crime Task Force, the New York Public Corruption Task Force, the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, the NYPD, the Nassau County Police Department, the New York State Police, and the Fort Lee Police Department. He added that the investigation is ongoing.
The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josiah Pertz and Jeffrey C. Coffman are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment and Superseding Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the description of the Indictment and the other charging documents set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
U.S. v. Soto-Ramirez et al Indictment U.S. v. Muelas-Gonzalez Indictment U.S. v. Maldonado IndictmentFormer Branch Manager of Boston Bank Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former branch manager for a Boston bank pleaded guilty today to stealing over $100,000 in funds from customer bank accounts.
Nathan Wadsworth, 32, of Syracuse, N.Y., pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. United States District Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Sept. 7, 2023. Wadsworth was charged by an Information on May 17, 2023.
From June 2020 through November 2021, Wadsworth was employed as a branch manager for PNC Bank in Boston. Beginning in or around March 2021, Wadsworth used his position to identify dormant accounts of foreign account holders, transfer the funds in those dormant accounts to a new account he opened in the customers’ names and then moved the funds to his own accounts for personal use. In total, Wadsworth stole approximately $121,000 in customer funds. All the funds have since been repaid to the affected customers.The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. PNC Bank cooperated with the government’s investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of Levy’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Role in Identity Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A foreign national pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to sell identity documents belonging to U.S. citizens to undocumented noncitizens and others residing within the United States without lawful authority.
According to court documents, Manuel Ruiz-Aguilera, 44, of Mexico, and his co-conspirators sold government-issued identity documents, including Government of Puerto Rico-issued birth certificates and corresponding U.S. social security cards, to undocumented noncitizens residing within the United States. Ruiz-Aguilera sold the documents to undocumented noncitizens so they could assume the identities of U.S. citizens, and/or fraudulently apply for other identity documents in that person’s name in order to reside in the United States. Ruiz-Aguilera and his co-conspirators knew these documents pertained to real people.
Ruiz-Aguilera was arrested in Mexico in February 2022 pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition. In March 2023, he was extradited to Puerto Rico.
Ruiz-Aguilera pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit identification fraud by possessing, producing, and transferring identification documents. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 29. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Tae D. Johnson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Chief Postal Inspector Gary R. Barksdale of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement.
The charges are the result of Operation Island Express, an ongoing, nationally-coordinated investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) offices in Chicago, in coordination with HSI San Juan. The Illinois Secretary of State Police; Elgin, Illinois, Police Department; Seymour, Indiana, Police Department; and Indiana State Police provided substantial assistance. The HSI Assistant Attaché office in the Dominican Republic and International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2), as well as various ICE, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, DSS, and IRS-CI offices around the country, provided invaluable assistance.
Trial Attorneys Frank Rangoussis and Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Anderson for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with prosecutors to prepare the extradition request for Ruiz-Aguilera. The department thanks the Government of Mexico for their assistance in arresting and extraditing Ruiz-Aguilera.
Potential victims and the public may obtain information about the case at www.justice.gov/criminal/vns/caseup/beltrerj.html. Anyone who believes their identity may have been compromised in relation to this investigation or who may have information about particular crimes in this case should call the ICE toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or use its online tip form at www.ice.gov/tipline.
Anyone who believes that they have been a victim of identity theft, or wants information about preventing identity theft, may obtain helpful information and complaint forms on various government websites including the Federal Trade Commission ID Theft Website at www.ftc.gov/idtheft. Additional resources regarding identity theft can be found at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/pubs/ID_theft/idtheft.html, www.ssa.gov/pubs/10064.html, and www.irs.gov/privacy/article/0,,id=186436,00.html.
Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Role in Identity Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A foreign national pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to sell identity documents belonging to U.S. citizens to undocumented noncitizens and others residing within the United States without lawful authority.
According to court documents, Manuel Ruiz-Aguilera, 44, of Mexico, and his co-conspirators sold government-issued identity documents, including Government of Puerto Rico-issued birth certificates and corresponding U.S. social security cards, to undocumented noncitizens residing within the United States. Ruiz-Aguilera sold the documents to undocumented noncitizens so they could assume the identities of U.S. citizens, and/or fraudulently apply for other identity documents in that person’s name in order to reside in the United States. Ruiz-Aguilera and his co-conspirators knew these documents pertained to real people.
Ruiz-Aguilera was arrested in Mexico in February 2022 pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition. In March 2023, he was extradited to Puerto Rico.
Ruiz-Aguilera pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit identification fraud by possessing, producing, and transferring identification documents. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 29. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Tae D. Johnson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Chief Postal Inspector Gary R. Barksdale of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement.
The charges are the result of Operation Island Express, an ongoing, nationally-coordinated investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) offices in Chicago, in coordination with HSI San Juan. The Illinois Secretary of State Police; Elgin, Illinois, Police Department; Seymour, Indiana, Police Department; and Indiana State Police provided substantial assistance. The HSI Assistant Attaché office in the Dominican Republic and International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2), as well as various ICE, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, DSS, and IRS-CI offices around the country, provided invaluable assistance.
Trial Attorneys Frank Rangoussis and Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Anderson for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with prosecutors to prepare the extradition request for Ruiz-Aguilera. The department thanks the Government of Mexico for their assistance in arresting and extraditing Ruiz-Aguilera.
Potential victims and the public may obtain information about the case at www.justice.gov/criminal/vns/caseup/beltrerj.html. Anyone who believes their identity may have been compromised in relation to this investigation or who may have information about particular crimes in this case should call the ICE toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or use its online tip form at www.ice.gov/tipline.
Anyone who believes that they have been a victim of identity theft, or wants information about preventing identity theft, may obtain helpful information and complaint forms on various government websites including the Federal Trade Commission ID Theft Website at www.ftc.gov/idtheft. Additional resources regarding identity theft can be found at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/pubs/ID_theft/idtheft.html, www.ssa.gov/pubs/10064.html, and www.irs.gov/privacy/article/0,,id=186436,00.html.
Firearms Trafficker, Drug Dealer Sentenced to 72 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Maryland man who sold seven silencers and 800 counterfeit prescription pills to undercover officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), was sentenced yesterday to 72 months in federal prison.
Milford Thomas Washington, 57, pleaded guilty in January 2023 to transporting an unregistered silencer in interstate commerce.
“The silencers involved in this case are specifically designed to mask violent, criminal behavior, and pose a direct threat to public safety,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “I am thankful to ATF and our local and state partners who worked on this matter for keeping these dangerous items off our streets.”
“The illegal possession of handgun diversion devices and distribution of deadly narcotics are significant threats to our community and remain a top priority for ATF. The leverage of our resources and valuable assets were instrumental throughout this investigation. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the men and women of ATF and our valued law enforcement partners; we were able to remove another violent criminal from our streets,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai “We will continue to do our part in combating violent crime through intelligence led strategies.”
According to court documents, between July 2021 and February 2022, Washington sold at least seven silencers to undercover ATF agents. At the time of his arrest in April 2022, Washington was prepared to illegally ship an additional 13 silencers.
The National Firearms Act, in part, makes it unlawful to possess and transfer certain firearms, including silencers, without proper registration. Washington, however, was also prohibited from engaging in the sale of silencers because he had previously been convicted of a felony.
In addition to trafficking silencers, in 2022, Washington sold approximately 800 counterfeit Percocet pills to the ATF. An analysis of some of these pills, which are designed to look like authentic prescription drugs, revealed the presence of fentanyl.
The ATF, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Postal Inspection Service, investigated the case. The Montgomery County (Maryland) Police Department also contributed to the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Coleman Adams prosecuted the case. During the investigation, he received assistance and support from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
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.
Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty to EscapeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Kevin Leon Davis, 33, a federal inmate, pleaded guilty today to escaping from the Federal Prison Camp (FPC) at Beckley.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Davis was serving a sentence for conspiracy to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine when he left FPC Beckley without permission or authorization on November 13, 2022. The United States Marshals Service captured Davis the following day near the prison.
Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the United States Marshals Service and the Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division (CUFFED) Task Force, and the assistance provided by the West Virginia National Guard.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-36.
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Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictment Against Louisville Man for Fentanyl Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment on June 6, 2023, charging a Louisville man with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville, and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, beginning in October 2022, and continuing through May 24, 2023, Markus Stillwell, 34, conspired to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, to include 400 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture. Additionally, on May 24, 2023, Stillwell possessed with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture.
Stillwell was previously charged by federal complaint and remains in federal custody. Yesterday, he made his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by HSI Louisville and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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El Paso Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Receiving, Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – An El Paso man was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso today to 180 months in prison for receipt and distribution of a visual depiction involving the sexual exploitation of a minor.
According to court documents, Oscar Garcia Jr., 33, distributed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) via a global instant messaging app in July 2022. Already a registered sex offender due to a prior conviction, Garcia used a phone belonging to his father to download CSAM. An investigation revealed more than 317 images and 33 videos containing CSAM. Garcia has remained in federal custody since his arrest on Aug. 10, 2022.
“This defendant was a repeat offender who continued to pursue child sexual abuse material despite his previous conviction,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “With this lengthy prison sentence, we ensure he will no longer possess the means to access such material, preventing him from further victimizing so many innocent children as he had the years prior.”
“FBI El Paso’s Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force, along with our law enforcement partners around the nation remain committed in identifying individuals distributing child pornography on the internet,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey for the FBI El Paso Field Office. “Investigating those who prey on our most vulnerable population remains a top priority for the FBI. This sentence sends a clear message that there are severe consequences for those who exploit children in any way and the FBI will continue to dedicate our resources to identify these individuals and bring them to justice.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Dos Santos prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con un franquiciado de Domino’s Pizza que resuelve unas acusaciones de discriminación relacionada con la inmigraciónRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a acuerdo conciliatorio con Treacy Enterprises Inc., con sede en Maryland y dueño y operador de varias franquicias de Domino’s Pizza (Treacy Enterprises). El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento que Treacy Enterprises vulneró la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) al requerir que un trabajador no ciudadano de los EE. UU. proporcionara más documentos de los necesarios para demostrar su permiso para trabajar, aunque ya había presentado suficiente documentación.
«Mientras que los empleadores deben verificar el permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos de cada persona recién contratada, no pueden requerir documentos innecesarios o discriminar durante el proceso con base en el estatus de ciudadanía o la nacionalidad de origen de uno», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «La División de Derechos Civiles seguirá luchando por quitar las barreras discriminatorias al empleo».
La investigación del Departamento comenzó cuando un trabajador que es residente permanente legal se quejó que Treacy Enterprises estaba requiriendo que entregara documentación adicional e innecesaria para demostrar su permiso para trabajar en vez de aceptar la documentación válida que ya había presentado. El Departamento determinó que Treacy Enterprises había discriminado al trabajador al (1) exigir documentación adicional para demostrar que él podía trabajar en vez de aceptar los documentos válidos que el trabajador ya había entregado y (2) requerir que el trabajador demostrara su estatus de ciudadanía al presentar una Tarjeta de Residente Permanente (también conocida como «tarjeta verde»). Las leyes federales permiten a los trabajadores elegir los documentos válidos y legalmente aceptables que desean presentar para demostrar su identidad y permiso para trabajar, independientemente de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen. Los empleadores no pueden exigir documentos específicos o adicionales a los que son necesarios como parte de su proceso.
Conforme el acuerdo, Treacy Enterprises pagará una sanción civil a los Estados Unidos. Asimismo, el acuerdo requiere que la compañía capacite a su personal de recursos humanos en cuanto a los requisitos de la INA, que revise sus políticas de empleo y que se someta a los requisitos de supervisión y declaración del Departamento.
La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, la ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación.
Para aprender más sobre la labor de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda, vea este vídeo corto. Hay información disponible en el sitio web de la IER sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación a la hora de verificar el permiso para trabajar. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su estatus migratorio, ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a IER@usdoj.gov; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés o español. Inscríbase para recibir las últimas noticias de la IER por correo electrónico. Haga clic aquí para visualizar este comunicado de prensa en inglés.
Eighth Defendant Arrested in Montezuma County Area Narcotics InvestigationRead the Press Release
DURANGO – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Douglas Brummett, age 23, of Montezuma County has been arrested on an indictment alleging multiple instances of trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine. Brummett made his initial appearance in federal court on June 1, 2023, before United States Magistrate Judge James M. Candelaria. If convicted, Brummett faces a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment on each count.
Brummett’s arrest is the latest originating from a joint investigation by the Montezuma County Sheriff's Office, the Cortez Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Previously, seven other alleged drug traffickers in the Montezuma County vicinity have been indicted and arrested on two separate indictments:
- In case number 22-cr-00359, Cesar Ortiz-Castillo, William Millard, Mary Lobato, Infant Maciel, and Russell Wall were previously indicted on conspiracy to commit drug trafficking offenses, for alleged violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, and other drug distribution and weapons offenses. These five individuals have been arrested and are pending trial.
- In case number 23-cr-00007, Luis Martinez and Crystal Bass were previously indicted on conspiracy to commit drug trafficking offenses, for alleged violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, and other drug distribution offenses. Both individuals have been arrested and are pending trial.
The charges contained in each indictment are allegations. All of the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted jointly by the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office, the Cortez Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys R. Josh Player and Jeffrey K. Graves.
Case Number 23-cr-00245