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22 February 2023
Former Methuen Man Sentenced for Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Methuen man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a Lawrence-based drug trafficking conspiracy involving fentanyl and cocaine.
Pablo Rosario Pablo a/k/a “Angel Ayala Roque” a/k/a “Cuco,” 57, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to 41 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In September 2022, Rosario Pablo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and other controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and other controlled substances.
In May 2020, an investigation began into a Lawrence-based drug trafficking organization (DTO). Between December 2020 and December 2021, intercepted communications identified Rosario Pablo as an associate of the DTO who distributed drugs to members of the DTO and others in and around the Merrimack Valley. In December 2021, 21.4 grams of fentanyl, 51.8 grams of cocaine, 23.8 grams of cocaine base, 35 kilograms of marijuana, heroin, steroids a mixture containing fentanyl, heroin and Tramadol, and $5,300 were seized from Rosario Pablo’s apartment.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Ferguson, Deputy Chief of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit, prosecuted the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Kentucky Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Charges for Assaulting Two Federal InmatesRead the Press Release
A former Kentucky correctional officer pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward B. Atkins to two charges of deprivation of rights under color of law for assaulting two federal inmates.
According to court documents, Samuel J. Patrick, 42, of Inez, Kentucky, a former Bureau of Prisons corrections officer who held the title of Case Management Coordinator, admitted during his plea hearing that he assaulted two federal inmates while he worked at U.S. Penitentiary Big Sandy. Regarding the first assault, Patrick acknowledged that he punished a non-violent inmate by taking him to the ground and repeatedly elbowing him in the head, and that one of his co-defendants, Clinton L. Pauley, assisted him with the assault. Patrick also acknowledged that he entered an unlawful agreement with other corrections officers, including Pauley and another co-defendant, then-supervisor Kevin C. Pearce, to cover up what happened. Patrick admitted that the cover-up included steps such as writing false reports and pressuring other corrections officers to join the cover-up. Regarding the second assault, Patrick acknowledged that he punished another non-violent inmate for walking too slowly to his cell, and that both of his co-defendants also later assaulted the same inmate. Patrick admitted that he wrote a false report and spread a false cover story about the incident in order to cover up his and other correctional officers’ unlawful uses of force.
Patrick faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years of imprisonment for each of the assault offenses.
Pauley and Pearce have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled to begin trial on March 6.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge William Hannah of the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General (DOJ-OIG) Chicago Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Officemade the announcement.
The DOJ-OIG and FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Dembo for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Thomas Johnson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Foley Woman Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Embezzling Church FundsRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Foley woman was sentenced to 60 months in prison for wire fraud in connection with her embezzlement of more than $200,000 from a church where she worked.
According to court documents, Sharon Collins, 53, was employed by the First Baptist Church in Foley between May 2007 and July 2019, during which time she served as the church’s financial secretary. In that role, Collins was responsible for, among other things, managing the church’s accounting system, preparing financial reports, creating and providing financial statements to the church’s leadership, and managing church-issued credit cards meant to be used solely for the church’s benefit.
During her time as financial secretary, Collins embezzled $209,744.61 of church funds through unauthorized use of church-issued credit cards. In connection with her guilty plea, Collins admitted that between 2008 and 2019, she made hundreds of electronic transactions for her benefit and the benefit of her friends and family. Among other things, Collins fraudulently used church-issued credit cards to pay for personal expenses, to purchase trips to New Orleans and Las Vegas, to book a cruise, to buy jewelry, and to fund a bachelor’s degree. Collins’s fraudulent credit card transactions transmitted interstate wire signals in furtherance of her fraud scheme, in violation of federal law.
Investigators interviewed Collins in August 2020 with her attorneys present. Collins admitted that during the interview, she made several false statements obstructing the investigation and prosecution of her crimes. Among other things, Collins admitted that she lied about having the church’s approval to make various personal expenditures.
United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered Collins to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon her release from prison, during which time she will receive mental health evaluation and treatment and will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Collins to pay $209,744.61 in victim restitution and $1,200 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bishop Ravenel and Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Federal Jury Convicts Man of Voluntary Manslaughter and related charges on Menominee Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on February 21, 2023, a federal jury in Green Bay convicted Duane A. Waupoose, Jr. (age: 28) of voluntary manslaughter, assault with a dangerous weapon, and use of a firearm during a crime of violence, in violation of federal law. The offense related to an armed assault which resulted in the death of a man on the Menominee Indian Reservation. Waupoose and the victim were enrolled members of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin and formerly resided on the reservation.
The evidence presented at trial showed that around midnight on January 31, 2021, the defendant and others were approached by a group looking to fight another person. A fight broke out in the driveway of a home in the School View area of the Menominee Indian Reservation, and Waupoose received minor injuries after being shot. Waupoose then disarmed the man who shot him and pursued him down the driveway and into the street, striking him with the shotgun.
The evidence also showed that, after the man fled, Waupoose caught up with him approximately 40 yards down the road and repeatedly struck him on his face and head, causing multiple serious injuries which eventually resulted in his death.
“The jury’s verdict is the direct result of the collaborative effort and hard work of the Menominee Tribal Police Department and the FBI,” stated U.S. Attorney Haanstad. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is fully committed to working with its federal, state, local, and tribal partners to make all of our communities safer places in which to live and work.
Waupoose faces at least five years in prison and a maximum of life in prison when he is sentenced by Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach on June 2, 2023.
The Menominee Tribal Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case, with assistance from the Menominee Indian Reservation Violent Crime/Safe Trails Task Force. The Safe Trails Task Force was formed in 2003 by the United States Attorney’s Office, Menominee Tribal Police, FBI, Wisconsin Department of Justice-Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Sheriff’s Departments and District Attorney’s Offices of the counties adjoining the reservation to investigate and prosecute violent crimes committed on tribal land.
Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew J. Maier and Peter J. Smyczek prosecuted the case.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Felon for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and Machine GunRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment today charging a local man with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and for illegally possessing a machine gun.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on February 13, 2023, Charles Divine, 26, possessed two Glock 9-millimeter pistols after having previously been convicted of the following felony offense. On June 30, 2020, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Devine was convicted of wanton endangerment in the first degree.
The indictment also alleges that on February 13, 2023, Divine illegally possessed a machine gun, that is a Glock switch bearing no serial number. A Glock Switch device allows a semi-automatic handgun to function as an automatic and is defined as a machine gun under federal law.
Divine will make his initial court appearance before a United State Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on a later date. If convicted, Divine faces a maximum sentence of 15 years 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 the ATF and the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl is prosecuting this 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.
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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Fayetteville Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years for Child Pornography After Negotiating a Plan to Have Sex with a Child in JamaicaRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Darren Kalmar of Fayetteville was sentenced today to 188 months in prison for two counts of receipt of child pornography. Kalmar, 58, pled guilty to the charge on May 13, 2022.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, in 2019, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received two CyberTip reports from a social networking platform, Tagged, regarding suspected child exploitation activity. The CyberTips concerned activity in May 2019 between two users who discussed arranging for sex with minors abroad. One user, later identified as Kalmar, mentioned having sex with a 13-year-old Dominican girl and asked the other person to arrange contact with a girl who was nine or 10 years old. The other responded with a photo that appeared to depict a prepubescent female, and Kalmar responded, “perfect, I want her.” They negotiated prices, settling on $90 for nude photos and $250 for access to the child for five days. He provided a CashApp payment username that contained “kalmar” and an email address with username dskalmar32. At the end of the conversation, Kalmar states that he sent the money and that he needs the photos now before asking the second user, “You get the money and run[?]”
The IP address for the second user was traced to a woman in Jamaica. Kalmar’s IP was tracked to a residence in Fayetteville, and DMV records showed that the defendant Darren Kalmar resided there. Law enforcement compared Kalmar’s driver’s license photo to a user profile photo on his Tagged account and found that they matched.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executed a search warrant on Kalmar’s home on October 18, 2019. On Kalmar’s cellphone, agents found audio files in which Kalmar appeared to be discussing upcoming travel to the Philippines for sex with a 15-year-old minor female and her friends. FBI confirmed that Kalmar had purchased tickets to travel to the Philippines on those dates. Records also showed Kalmar had previously traveled to Cambodia and the Philippines in 2018.
Kalmar agreed to be interviewed and admitted to owning the Tagged account and chatting with someone in Jamaica. He also confirmed that the CashApp account was his but claimed the conversation arranging a sexual encounter with a minor was merely fantasy.
FBI conducted forensics on Kalmar’s computer and several mobile devices. On a cellphone they found 21 images depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and on a computer they found an additional 401 images and 11 videos of CSAM. The files included minors under the age of 12.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The FBI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-00013-FL.
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Fayette County Man and Business Plead Guilty to Clean Water Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Graves, 67, of Charlton Heights, and West Virginia Environmental Services (WVES), a company wholly owned by Graves, each pleaded guilty today to a felony violation of the Clean Water Act.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Graves and WVES owned and managed an industrial waste landfill in Fayette County, West Virginia. As noted by inspectors from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Graves and WVES failed to maintain the landfill’s leachate collection for several years beginning in at least 2016. Leachate is any liquid that passes through the landfill and picks up material from the landfill, including toxic materials that must be properly treated prior to discharge into a stream or tributary.
The failure of Graves and WVES to maintain the leachate collection system caused the discharge of leachate that contained toxic water pollutants into a tributary that flowed into the Kanawha River near Alloy, West Virginia. The toxic pollutants included arsenic, hexavalent chromium, and selenium. The Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for the landfill has since lapsed and has not been renewed.
Graves is scheduled to be sentenced on June 1, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. WVES faces a maximum penalty of $500,000 and five years of probation. Graves and WVES both face a possible order of restitution.
“Polluters must be held accountable when their violations result in a risk to our communities,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I thank the Criminal Investigative Division of the Environmental Protection Agency and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection for their investigative work in this case.”
“Our nation’s environmental laws are designed to ensure water contaminated with heavy metals and known carcinogens from industrial activities, such as those seen here, do not get into our rivers and streams,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Conrad of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Program in West Virginia. “Today’s guilty plea by Mr. Graves and West Virginia Environmental Services demonstrates that individuals and companies who knowingly violate those laws will be held responsible for their crimes.”
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes and Special Assistant United States Attorney Perry McDaniel are prosecuting the case.
On May 5, 2022, the Department launched the Office of Environmental Justice and announced a comprehensive environmental justice enforcement strategy. Enforcement of this strategy relies upon meaningful engagement and transparency with impacted communities regarding environmental justice issues, efforts, and results.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia enforces federal laws to protect environmental quality and human health in all communities within the district. In coordination with components of the Justice Department, the United States Attorney’s Office will hold polluters accountable for their actions, prioritizing cases that will reduce public health and environmental harms to overburdened and underserved communities.
The United States Attorney’s Office encourages the public to report suspected environmental violations within the district. Reports may be submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency or by email, mail, or phone to the United States Attorney’s Office.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-186.
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Fairhope Drug Dealer Sentenced to 54 YearsRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Fairhope man was sentenced to 54 years (648 months) in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Darrell Williams, 53, was convicted on both charges by a federal jury in October of 2022.
The evidence at trial showed that Williams was a local drug distributor in an organization whose leaders were distributing cocaine from suppliers in Texas and heroin from a supplier in Birmingham, Alabama. The trial evidence showed that the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) obtained a court-authorized wiretap on two of the local conspirators and identified Williams as one of those regularly receiving controlled substances for distribution in Baldwin County. During the investigation, agents deciphered a coded reference to an address in Mobile where a two-kilogram shipment of cocaine from Texas was being delivered. Williams agreed to wait for the delivery of the cocaine and transport it to Baldwin County, where it was going to be packaged for further distribution. The shipment was intercepted by the FBI and the drugs were seized.
Williams and one of his co-defendants, James Harding, elected to take their cases to a jury trial. Harding was identified during the trial as the supplier of the heroin distributed through the organization. The evidence offered against Williams at the trial included recorded phone conversations between him and another conspirator which were obtained through the court-authorized wiretap. Williams also provided a statement to FBI agents after he had been advised of his constitutional rights. In this video- and audio-recorded statement, he admitted his involvement in the conspiracy and in the events leading up to the seizure of the two-kilogram shipment of cocaine. Williams was found guilty on both counts by the trial jury.
United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer, who sentenced Harding to 960 months’ imprisonment earlier this month, imposed the 648-month sentence in Williams’ case at the sentencing hearing. The sentence consisted of a 324-month term for each count, which were ordered to run consecutively to each other. The judge ordered that the total term of imprisonment, 648 months, will be followed by a five-year term of supervised release. Williams will undergo testing and treatment for drug abuse. The judge also imposed a special condition that the probation office may search Williams’ person or property upon a showing of reasonable suspicion that he is in violation of any of the conditions of his supervision. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that Williams pay $200 in special mandatory assessments.The FBI, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Baldwin County Drug Task Force, the Foley Police Department, the Daphne Police Department, Gulf Shores Police Department and the Bay Minette Police Department, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office all participated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Ex-prison guard sentenced after admitting she took bribes to allow inmate to receive smuggled itemsRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: A former guard at a private federal corrections facility was sentenced to prison after she admitted to accepting bribes to allow smuggled material into a prison.
Tiffany Fletcher, 36, of McRae, Ga., a former corrections officer and counselor at the privately operated McRae Correctional Facility, was sentenced to 12 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Bribery, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen Jr. also fined Fletcher $1,500 and ordered her to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of her prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The illegal smuggling of contraband materials, particularly cell phones, represents a continuing threat to the safety and security of our nation’s correctional facilities,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “We continue to partner with investigative agencies to combat the flow of contraband material into prisons.”
McRae Correctional Facility, in Telfair County, is operated by the private corrections company CoreCivic and houses male inmates under contract with the federal Bureau of Prisons. From June to December 2019, Fletcher admitted accepting bribes totaling $4,390 in return for “turning a blind eye” to smuggling and possession of contraband in the facility.
“We trust Correctional Officers to keep federal prisons safe and secure. By accepting bribes and allowing contraband to enter the prison, Fletcher violated that trust and diminished the safety and security of the entire institution,” said James F. Boyersmith, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Miami Field Office.
The case was investigated by the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcela C. Mateo.
Essex County Man Indicted in Scheme to Steal Checks and Defraud BanksRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was charged for his role in a scheme to steal and alter checks from the mail and fraudulently obtain funds from banks by depositing the stolen and altered checks, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Baba Diakite, 21, of East Orange, New Jersey, is charged by indictment with bank fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to commit mail theft and possess stolen mail, the theft and possession of a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) key, and aggravated identity theft. Diakite was previously charged by criminal complaint in February 2022.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From January 2020 to March 2022, Diakite and others conspired to steal checks from the mail in Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Passaic, Somerset, and Union counties, which they then sold to third parties or deposited, sometimes in altered or duplicate form, into the bank accounts of complicit accountholders who had provided access to their bank accounts for the scheme. They obtained stolen official USPS arrow keys, which Diakite and others used to access mail and steal checks directly from USPS receptacles. Diakite targeted the accounts associated with the checks he stole and created false identifications in the names of the accountholders, which his conspirators used to make fraudulent withdrawals from those accounts.
The count of bank fraud conspiracy is punishable by a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. The count of conspiracy to commit mail theft and possess stolen mail is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The count of theft and possession of stolen USPS keys is punishable by a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The count of aggravated identity theft is punishable by a statutory mandatory penalty of two years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment. The bank fraud conspiracy count is also punishable by a fine of up to $1 million; all other charges are punishable by a maximum potential fine of up to $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greatest.
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; special agents with the U.S. Postal Service - Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office; and special agents with the Office of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Clifton Police Department, Hillside Police Department, Livingston Police Department, Millburn Police Department, Port Authority NY-NJ Police Department, Roselle Park Police Department, South Plainfield Police Department, Warren Township Police Department, and Watchung Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tazneen Shahabuddin of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con una empresa de contrataciones en el sector informático con sede en Nueva York que resuelve unas acusaciones de discriminación relacionadas con la inmigraciónRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con Amiga Informatics (Amiga), una empresa de contrataciones en el sector informático con sede en Nueva York. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento que Amiga vulneró la Ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) al publicar anuncios de trabajo discriminatorios en los que únicamente solicitaba candidaturas de personas con una ciudadanía o un estatus migratorio específicos.
«Los empleadores tienen una responsabilidad de verificar que sus anuncios de trabajo y sus procesos de contratación no excluyan ilegalmente a personas debido a su ciudadanía o estatus migratorio», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «La División de Derechos Civiles está comprometida a derribar los obstáculos innecesarios que niegan a las personas oportunidades de empleo».
La investigación del Departamento determinó que Amiga publicó al menos seis anuncios de trabajo facialmente discriminatorios en 2021. En cuatro de estos anuncios buscaban únicamente a ciudadanos de los EE. UU. y residentes permanentes legales, de tal modo que disuadían a otras personas con permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos sin patrocinio, entre ellos asilados y refugiados, de presentar solicitudes y de ser considerados de manera justa para las oportunidades de empleo. Además, en dos de los anuncios buscaban únicamente solicitantes con estatus de Capacitación Práctica Adicional (OPT, por sus siglas en inglés), un estatus de autorización de trabajo temporal que se otorga a determinados estudiantes no ciudadanos de los EE.UU. en los EE. UU. Por lo tanto, los anuncios excluían ilegalmente a los asilados, los refugiados, los residentes permanentes legales y los ciudadanos y nacionales de los EE. UU. Por lo general, la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA prohíbe que los empleadores recluten o se nieguen a contratar a trabajadores con base en su ciudadanía o estatus migratorio.
Conforme al acuerdo, Amiga le pagará una sanción civil de $24,864 a los EE. UU. Asimismo, el acuerdo requiere que Amiga capacite a sus reclutadores 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 (IER, por sus siglas en inglés) de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. 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.
Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto. Encuentre más información sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación en la contratación y reclutamiento en el sitio web de la IER. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio 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. Para recibir las últimas noticias de la IER, inscríbase a GovDelivery.
El Departamento de Justicia entabla demanda de acoso sexual contra un administrador y los dueños de propiedades en CaliforniaRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia hoy anunció que ha entablado una demanda de acoso sexual y toma de represalias bajo el ámbito de la ley de Vivienda Justa contra Joel Nolen, el dueño y operador de propiedades de arrendamiento en el Condado de Lassen, California. La demanda también nombra como demandados a Shirlee Nolen y Nolen Properties LLC, los copropietarios de las propiedades de arrendamiento en los momentos pertinentes. La demanda, entablada en el Tribunal Federal de Distrito para el Distrito Este de California, alega que Joel Nolen acosó sexualmente a las inquilinas desde al menos 2011. Según la demanda, Nolen ofreció beneficios relacionados con la vivienda a cambio de contacto sexual, hizo comentarios e insinuaciones sexuales no deseados a las inquilinas, entró en las viviendas de las inquilinas sin su permiso, sometió a las inquilinas a tocamientos y manoseos no deseados y tomó medidas adversas relacionadas con la vivienda contra las inquilinas que rechazaron sus insinuaciones sexuales.
“Nadie debería sentirse inseguro o sufrir acoso sexual en su casa, especialmente a manos de su proveedor de vivienda”, manifestó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “El Departamento de Justicia se compromete a hacer cumplir enérgicamente la ley de Vivienda Justa y a hacer responsables a los propietarios y proveedores de viviendas que acosen sexualmente a sus inquilinos”.
“El acoso sexual y las represalias alegadas en la demanda de hoy vulneran nuestras leyes federales de vivienda justa y no serán toleradas”, afirmó el Fiscal Federal Phillip A. Talbert. “Los propietarios y otros proveedores de vivienda que incurran en este tipo de conducta tendrán que rendir cuentas para garantizar que las personas se sientan seguras y cómodas en sus hogares”.
La demanda busca una indemnización por daños y perjuicios para compensar a las personas perjudicadas por el presunto acoso, sanciones civiles para reivindicar el interés público y una orden judicial que prohíba futuras discriminaciones.
El Departamento de Justicia puso en marcha su Iniciativa en contra del Acoso Sexual en la Vivienda en octubre de 2017. La iniciativa, dirigida por la División de Derechos Civiles, en coordinación con las Fiscalías Federales de todo el país, pretende abordar y concienciar sobre el acoso sexual por parte de arrendadores, administradores de propiedades, trabajadores de mantenimiento, agentes de préstamos u otras personas que tienen control sobre la vivienda. Desde la puesta en marcha de la iniciativa, el Departamento de Justicia ha entablado 27 demandas por acoso sexual en la vivienda y ha recuperado más de 9.7 millones de dólares para las víctimas de dicho acoso.
La ley federal de Vivienda Justa prohíbe la discriminación en la vivienda por motivos de raza, color de piel, religión, origen nacional, género, discapacidad y estado familiar. Para más información acerca de la División de Derechos Civiles y las leyes que hace cumplir, visite a www.justice.gov/crt.
Aquellos individuos que creen haber sido víctimas de acoso sexual u otros tipos de discriminación en la vivienda en las viviendas de arrendamiento que son de propiedad de Joel Nolen, Shirlee Nolen, o Nolen Properties LLC, u administradas por los mismos, o aquellos que tengan información que podría ser de interés en este caso, pueden llamar a la Línea de Información de Discriminación en la Vivienda al 1-833-591-0291, oprima el 1 para continuar en inglés, y oprima la opción número 2, y luego la opción 7 para dejar un mensaje. También se puede enviar un correo electrónico al Departamento de Justicia a fairhousing@usdoj.gov o presentar una queja en línea. Las denuncias también se pueden presentar poniéndose en contacto con el Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de los EE. UU. al 1-800-669-9777 o entablando una queja en línea.
Eight Defendants Indicted in Michigan for Obstructing a Reproductive Health Services FacilityRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today an indictment charging eight people with federal civil rights offenses and violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.
According to court documents, Calvin Zastrow, Chester Gallagher, Heather Idoni, Caroline Davis, Joel Curry, Justin Phillips, Eva Edl and Eva Zastrow are charged with engaging in a civil rights conspiracy and with violating the FACE Act in connection with an August 2020 blockade of a reproductive health care clinic in Sterling Heights, Michigan. In addition, Idoni and Edl were also charged with violating the FACE Act in connection with an April 2021 blockade of a reproductive health care clinic in Saginaw, Michigan.
The indictment returned by a federal grand jury alleges that on Aug. 27, 2020, all eight defendants engaged in a conspiracy to prevent the Sterling Heights clinic from providing, and patients there from receiving, reproductive health services. According to the indictment, Gallagher advertised the Sterling Heights clinic blockade on social media, and he and Curry livestreamed the incident. The defendants convened at a location near the Sterling Heights clinic, where an uncharged co-conspirator who recorded the incident announced that the defendants were “going over to stand in front of the door” and “interpose.”
The indictment also alleges that all eight defendants violated the FACE Act by using physical obstruction to intimidate and interfere with the Sterling Heights clinic’s employees and patients, because the clinic’s employees were providing, and the patients were seeking, reproductive health services.
The indictment further alleges that on April 16, 2021, Idoni and Edl again used physical obstruction to intimidate and interfere with patients and employees of the Saginaw clinic because the clinic’s employees were providing, and patients were seeking, reproductive health services.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan, Assistant Director Luis Queseda of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division and Special Agent in Charge Timothy Waters of the FBI Detroit Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Detroit Field Office and Bay City Resident Agency investigated the case.
The Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov. For more information about clinic violence, and the Department of Justice’s efforts to enforce FACE Act violations, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Eight Defendants Indicted in Michigan for Obstructing a Reproductive Health Services FacilityRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today an indictment charging eight people with federal civil rights offenses and violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.
According to court documents, Calvin Zastrow, Chester Gallagher, Heather Idoni, Caroline Davis, Joel Curry, Justin Phillips, Eva Edl and Eva Zastrow are charged with engaging in a civil rights conspiracy and with violating the FACE Act in connection with an August 2020 blockade of a reproductive health care clinic in Sterling Heights, Michigan. In addition, Idoni and Edl were also charged with violating the FACE Act in connection with an April 2021 blockade of a reproductive health care clinic in Saginaw, Michigan.
The indictment returned by a federal grand jury alleges that on Aug. 27, 2020, all eight defendants engaged in a conspiracy to prevent the Sterling Heights clinic from providing, and patients there from receiving, reproductive health services. According to the indictment, Gallagher advertised the Sterling Heights clinic blockade on social media, and he and Curry livestreamed the incident. The defendants convened at a location near the Sterling Heights clinic, where an uncharged co-conspirator who recorded the incident announced that the defendants were “going over to stand in front of the door” and “interpose.”
The indictment also alleges that all eight defendants violated the FACE Act by using physical obstruction to intimidate and interfere with the Sterling Heights clinic’s employees and patients, because the clinic’s employees were providing, and the patients were seeking, reproductive health services.
The indictment further alleges that on April 16, 2021, Idoni and Edl again used physical obstruction to intimidate and interfere with patients and employees of the Saginaw clinic because the clinic’s employees were providing, and patients were seeking, reproductive health services.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan, Assistant Director Luis Queseda of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division and Special Agent in Charge Timothy Waters of the FBI Detroit Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Detroit Field Office and Bay City Resident Agency investigated the case.
The Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov. For more information about clinic violence, and the Department of Justice’s efforts to enforce FACE Act violations, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ecuadoran Woman Pleads Not Guilty to Unlawfully Transporting Foreign Nationals in VermontRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney stated that Maria Constante-Zamora, 31, of Ecuador and Danbury, Connecticut, made her initial appearance in United States District Court in Burlington on a criminal complaint charging her with unlawfully attempting to transport three individuals within the United States while knowing or recklessly disregarding that the individuals had come to and entered the United States in violation of the law. Constante-Zamora remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending further proceedings.
According to public documents in the case, during the late evening hours of February 19, 2023, the United States Border Patrol observed camera images of three individuals walking south from Canada into the United States in the vicinity of Goodall Road in Derby, Vermont. Based on this information suggesting a nearby illegal border crossing, the United States Border Patrol initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle on Goodall Road. Before the vehicle stop, Border Patrol Agents observed the vehicle turn on its lights and travel slowly on Goodall Road. The vehicle, with Connecticut license plates, slowed and stopped in the location where the three individuals would have been likely to exit the woods. Before the vehicle stop, the vehicle also blinked its lights and then accelerated quickly. After the stop, Border Patrol identified Maria Constante-Zamora as the passenger in the vehicle and as an Ecuadoran national living in Connecticut. In close proximity to the vehicle stop, Border Patrol Agents saw three individuals standing on the side of the road. One of the individuals was clutching a tree and appeared to be in distress. The other two of the three subjects proceeded to run north toward Canada. Neither of those subjects was apprehended at that time because the individual clutching the tree collapsed. Border Patrol Agents rendered aid to the individual who collapsed until EMS arrived. EMS continued to render aid and also transported the individual to North Country Hospital in Newport, Vermont. The individual was pronounced dead at the hospital in the early morning of February 20, 2023. At this time, a cause of death has not been determined. One of the individuals who ran north toward Canada, Oscar Soto-Acosta, was eventually apprehended and has been ordered detained as a material witness.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the charge against Constante-Zamora contained in the criminal complaint is an accusation only and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. As currently charged Constante-Zamora, faces up to five years of imprisonment if convicted. Any sentence in the case will be advised by the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas Kerest credited the agents of the United States Border Patrol for their apprehension of Constante-Zamora and their continued efforts to prevent the exploitation of foreign nationals by human-smuggling organizations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher represents the United States in this case. Constante-Zamora is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Mary Nerino.
EDVA Announces Implementation of New Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy for CompaniesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia has implemented the new United States Attorney’s Offices’ Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy released earlier today.
The policy, which is effective immediately, details the circumstances under which a company will be considered to have made a voluntary self-disclosure (VSD) of misconduct to a United States Attorney’s Office (USAO), and provides transparency and predictability to companies and the defense bar concerning the concrete benefits and potential outcomes in cases where companies voluntarily self-disclose misconduct, fully cooperate and timely and appropriately remediate.
Under the new VSD policy, a company is considered to have made a VSD if it becomes aware of misconduct by employees or agents before that misconduct is publicly reported or otherwise known to the DOJ, and discloses all relevant facts known to the company about the misconduct to a USAO in a timely fashion prior to an imminent threat of disclosure or government investigation. A company that voluntarily self-discloses as defined in the policy and fully meets the other requirements of the policy, by—in the absence of any aggravating factor—fully cooperating and timely and appropriately remediating the criminal conduct (including agreeing to pay all disgorgement, forfeiture, and restitution resulting from the misconduct), will receive significant benefits, including that the USAO will not seek a guilty plea; may choose not to impose any criminal penalty, and in any event will not impose a criminal penalty that is greater than 50% below the low end of the United States Sentencing Guidelines (USSG) fine range; and will not seek the imposition of an independent compliance monitor if the company demonstrates that it has implemented and tested an effective compliance program.
The policy identifies three aggravating factors that may warrant a USAO seeking a guilty plea even if the other requirements of the VSD policy are met: (1) if the misconduct poses a grave threat to national security, public health, or the environment; (2) if the misconduct is deeply pervasive throughout the company; or (3) if the misconduct involved current executive management of the company. The presence of an aggravating factor does not necessarily mean that a guilty plea will be required; instead, the USAO will assess the relevant facts and circumstances to determine the appropriate resolution. If a guilty plea is ultimately required, the company will still receive the other benefits under the VSD policy, including that the USAO will recommend a criminal penalty of at least a 50% and up to a 75% reduction off the low end of the USSG fine range, and that the USAO will not require the appointment of a monitor if the company has implemented and tested an effective compliance program.
In cases where a company is being jointly prosecuted by a USAO and another DOJ component, or where the misconduct reported by the company falls within the scope of conduct covered by VSD policies administered by other DOJ components, the USAO will coordinate with, or, if necessary, obtain approval from, the DOJ component responsible for the VSD policy specific to the reported misconduct when considering a potential resolution. Consistent with relevant provisions of the Justice Manual and as allowable under alternate VSD policies, the USAO may choose to apply any provision of an alternate VSD policy in addition to, or in place of, any provision of its policy.
The Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC), under the leadership of United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams, requested that the White Collar Fraud Subcommittee of the AGAC, under the leadership of United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace, develop policies in response to the Deputy AG’s memo. The policy announced today was prepared by a Corporate Criminal Enforcement Policy Working Group comprised of U.S. Attorneys from geographically diverse districts, including U.S. Attorney Peace, as well as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Jessica Aber, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut Vanessa Avery, U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii Clare Connors, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California Stephanie Hinds, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia Christopher Kavanaugh, and U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Philip Sellinger. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Riedel, White Collar Crimes Coordinator for the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, also participated in the development of the policy.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Durant Woman Pleads Guilty to Mail TheftRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Durant woman pled guilty to mail theft, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Scott Pierce, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Southern Area Field Office.
Cori T. Hopson, 22, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
According to court records, Hopson was a Highway Contract Driver for the United States Postal Service and was responsible for picking up mail from remotely managed post offices for delivery to another post office. Special agents with the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General investigated after receiving complaints of missing mail along Hopson’s route. On September 29, 2022, agents found Hopson to be in possession of mail she did not deliver.
Hopson is scheduled to be sentenced on May 17, 2023. She faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen is prosecuting the case.
District Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Shooting Hospital PoliceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lynville Porter, 40, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 57 months in prison for shooting a Special Police Officer on the campus of Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington DC, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department. Mr. Porter pleaded guilty, in November 2022 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to the government’s evidence, Porter drove into the Saint Elizabeth’s campus at approximately 11:20PM on August 18, 2022, and parked at the gatehouse. The guards in the gatehouse requested assistance from Special Police Officers (SPOs), who drove to the gatehouse in response to that call. As the SPOs got out of their car, Porter fired multiple shots at them, striking one SPO twice. Porter then fled into the nearby Metro station where he was found hiding in a maintenance room. He was in possession of a ghost gun when Metropolitan Police Officers and Metro Transit Police Officers apprehended him.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and Metro Transit Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Allison Daniels and Kelly Brown, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Forgie, who investigated the matter.
Digital Healthcare Platform Ordered to Pay Civil Penalties and Take Corrective Action for Unauthorized Disclosure of Personal Health InformationRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), announced today that the government has resolved allegations that GoodRx Holdings Inc., doing business as GoodRx Gold, GoodRx Care, and Hey Doctor (GoodRx), violated the FTC Act and the FTC’s Health Breach Notification Rule. Pursuant to a settlement by the parties, a consent order was entered last Friday by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
The government’s complaint, filed on Feb. 1, alleges that by disclosing millions of users’ personal health information to third parties without the users’ authorization, consent, or knowledge, GoodRx violated the FTC Act’s prohibition on unfair and deceptive trade practices and the FTC’s Health Breach Notification Rule. The users’ information that was disclosed included personally identifying information, as well as details about medications and sensitive health conditions. GoodRx shared this personal health information despite its repeated assurances that the company would protect users’ privacy. For example, GoodRx’s public policies stated that the company would not provide to third parties any information that revealed a personal health condition or personal health information. The company’s advertising also featured a seal stating that it was “HIPAA Secure: Patient Data Protected,” even though it is not a covered entity under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and it never complied with HIPAA requirements. Moreover, GoodRx did not comply with the Health Breach Notification Rule’s requirement to notify users that it had disclosed their health information to third parties without their consent.
The stipulated order entered by the Court on Feb. 17 requires GoodRx to pay a civil penalty of $1.5 million and to take corrective action to prevent future unauthorized disclosure of users’ sensitive health information and to ensure compliance with the FTC Act and rules. The order requires that GoodRx notify users that their information was disclosed, bans the company from disclosing health information for advertising purposes, prohibits further misrepresentations and the disclosure of health information without affirmative consent and notice, and requires that users be notified in the event of a future breach. The order also imposes ongoing recordkeeping, certification, monitoring, and compliance obligations.
“Consumers have a right to know whether and how their personal health information will be used, and to know when it has been disclosed to third-parties,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department is committed to enforcing protections against deceptive practices and unauthorized disclosure of personal health information.”
“Companies that misuse their customers’ sensitive health information by sharing that information without their customers’ permission or knowledge will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds for the Northern District of California. “We will continue to work with our partners at the FTC to protect against the unauthorized disclosure of such sensitive, private information.”
This matter is being handled by Sarah Williams of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharanya Mohan for the Northern District of California, and Ronnie Solomon and Denise Oki of the FTC.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndca. For more information about the FTC, visit its website at https://www.FTC.gov.
The statements made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case had proceeded to trial, the government would have been required to prove by a preponderance of the evidence.
Damian Williams and Breon Peace Announce New Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy for United States Attorney's OfficesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Damian Williams, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and Chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC) and Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and the Chair of the White Collar Fraud Subcommittee of the AGAC, announced the implementation of the new United States Attorney’s Offices’ Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy. The policy, which is effective immediately, details the circumstances under which a company will be considered to have made a voluntary self-disclosure (VSD) of misconduct to a United States Attorney’s Office (USAO). The policy provides transparency and predictability to companies and the defense bar concerning the concrete benefits and potential outcomes in cases where companies voluntarily self-disclose misconduct, fully cooperate, and timely and appropriately remediate. The goal of the policy is to standardize how VSDs are defined and credited by USAOs nationwide, and to incentivize companies to maintain effective compliance programs capable of identifying misconduct, expeditiously and voluntarily disclose and remediate misconduct, and cooperate fully with the government in corporate criminal investigations. The policy was developed pursuant to the Deputy Attorney General’s September 15, 2022 memorandum, “Further Revisions to Corporate Criminal Enforcement Policies Following Discussions with Corporate Crime Advisory Group” (Monaco Memo), which directed each Department of Justice (DOJ) component to develop and publish a VSD policy.
“The new Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy sets a nationwide standard for how U.S Attorney’s Offices will determine whether a company has made a voluntary self-disclosure, and makes transparent the specific, tangible benefits to a company for making a voluntary self-disclosure, fully cooperating, and remediating the criminal conduct” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. “As a result, no matter where in the country a company operates, it can rely on receiving the same treatment and benefits for voluntarily self-disclosing criminal conduct to a U.S. Attorney’s Office. We hope and expect that companies, as good corporate citizens, will take advantage of this new policy to report criminal misconduct by employees and agents when they become aware of it, so that individual wrongdoers can be held accountable. When they do, they will have far better and more predicable outcomes under this policy.”
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The new Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy is an important step forward in encouraging corporate accountability. This transparent and clearly delineated policy allows for more predictable outcomes, and seeks to incentivize corporations to do the right thing by reporting wrongdoing before detected by regulators and law enforcement. We hope that this new policy has a long-lasting, nationwide effect in promoting honest corporate culture and leads to more companies getting ahead of financial malfeasance before authorities come to them.”
The Monaco Memo instructed that each DOJ component that prosecutes corporate crime review its policies on corporate voluntary self-disclosure and, if there was no formal written policy to incentivize self-disclosure, draft and publicly share such a policy. In response, the AGAC, under the leadership of U.S. Attorney Williams, requested that the White Collar Fraud Subcommittee, under the leadership of U.S. Attorney Peace, develop such a policy. The policy announced today was prepared by a Corporate Criminal Enforcement Policy Working Group comprised of U.S. Attorneys from geographically diverse districts, including U.S. Attorney Peace, as well as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Jessica Aber, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut Vanessa Avery, U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii Clare Connors, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California Stephanie Hinds, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia Christopher Kavanaugh, and U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Philip Sellinger. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Riedel, White Collar Crimes Coordinator for the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, also participated in the development of the policy.
Under the new VSD policy, a company is considered to have made a VSD if it becomes aware of misconduct by employees or agents before that misconduct is publicly reported or otherwise known to the DOJ, and discloses all relevant facts known to the company about the misconduct to a USAO in a timely fashion prior to an imminent threat of disclosure or government investigation. A company that voluntarily self-discloses as defined in the policy and fully meets the other requirements of the policy, by—in the absence of any aggravating factor—fully cooperating and timely and appropriately remediating the criminal conduct (including agreeing to pay all disgorgement, forfeiture, and restitution resulting from the misconduct), will receive significant benefits, including that the USAO will not seek a guilty plea; may choose not to impose any criminal penalty, and in any event will not impose a criminal penalty that is greater than 50% below the low end of the United States Sentencing Guidelines (USSG) fine range; and will not seek the imposition of an independent compliance monitor if the company demonstrates that it has implemented and tested an effective compliance program.
The policy identifies three aggravating factors that may warrant a USAO seeking a guilty plea even if the other requirements of the VSD policy are met: (1) if the misconduct poses a grave threat to national security, public health, or the environment; (2) if the misconduct is deeply pervasive throughout the company; or (3) if the misconduct involved current executive management of the company. The presence of an aggravating factor does not necessarily mean that a guilty plea will be required; instead, the USAO will assess the relevant facts and circumstances to determine the appropriate resolution. If a guilty plea is ultimately required, the company will still receive the other benefits under the VSD policy, including that the USAO will recommend a criminal penalty of at least a 50% and up to a 75% reduction off the low end of the USSG fine range, and that the USAO will not require the appointment of a monitor if the company has implemented and tested an effective compliance program.
In cases where a company is being jointly prosecuted by a USAO and another DOJ component, or where the misconduct reported by the company falls within the scope of conduct covered by VSD policies administered by other DOJ components, the USAO will coordinate with, or, if necessary, obtain approval from, the DOJ component responsible for the VSD policy specific to the reported misconduct when considering a potential resolution. Consistent with relevant provisions of the Justice Manual and as allowable under alternate VSD policies, the USAO may choose to apply any provision of an alternate VSD policy in addition to, or in place of, any provision of its policy.
Damian Williams and Breon Peace Announce New Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy for United States Attorney’s OfficesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Damian Williams, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and Chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC), and Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and the Chair of the White Collar Fraud Subcommittee of the AGAC, announced the implementation of the new United States Attorney’s Offices’ Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy. The policy, which is effective immediately, details the circumstances under which a company will be considered to have made a voluntary self-disclosure (VSD) of misconduct to a United States Attorney’s Office (USAO). The policy provides transparency and predictability to companies and the defense bar concerning the concrete benefits and potential outcomes in cases where companies voluntarily self-disclose misconduct, fully cooperate, and timely and appropriately remediate. The goal of the policy is to standardize how VSDs are defined and credited by USAOs nationwide, and to incentivize companies to maintain effective compliance programs capable of identifying misconduct, expeditiously and voluntarily disclose and remediate misconduct, and cooperate fully with the government in corporate criminal investigations. The policy was developed pursuant to the Deputy Attorney General’s September 15, 2022, memorandum, “Further Revisions to Corporate Criminal Enforcement Policies Following Discussions with Corporate Crime Advisory Group” (Monaco Memo), which directed each Department of Justice (DOJ) component to develop and publish a VSD policy.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The new Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy is an important step forward in encouraging corporate accountability. This transparent and clearly delineated policy allows for more predictable outcomes and seeks to incentivize corporations to do the right thing by reporting wrongdoing before detected by regulators and law enforcement. We hope that this new policy has a long-lasting, nationwide effect in promoting honest corporate culture and leads to more companies getting ahead of financial malfeasance before authorities come to them.”
E.D.N.Y. U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said: “The new Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy sets a nationwide standard for how U.S. Attorney’s Offices will determine whether a company has made a voluntary self-disclosure, and makes transparent the specific, tangible benefits to a company for making a voluntary self-disclosure fully cooperating, and remediating the criminal conduct. As a result, no matter where in the country a company operates, it can rely on receiving the same treatment and benefits for voluntarily self-disclosing criminal conduct to a U.S. Attorney’s Office. We hope and expect that companies, as good corporate citizens, will take advantage of this new policy to report criminal misconduct by employees and agents when they become aware of it, so that individual wrongdoers can be held accountable. When they do, they will have far better and more predicable outcomes under this policy.”
The Monaco Memo instructed that each DOJ component that prosecutes corporate crime review its policies on corporate voluntary self-disclosure and, if there was no formal written policy to incentivize self-disclosure, draft and publicly share such a policy. In response, the AGAC, under the leadership of U.S. Attorney Williams, requested that the White Collar Fraud Subcommittee, under the leadership of U.S. Attorney Peace, develop such a policy. The policy announced today was prepared by a Corporate Criminal Enforcement Policy Working Group comprised of U.S. Attorneys from geographically diverse districts, including U.S. Attorney Peace, as well as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Jessica Aber, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut Vanessa Avery, U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii Clare Connors, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California Stephanie Hinds, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia Christopher Kavanaugh, and U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Philip Sellinger. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Riedel, White Collar Crimes Coordinator for the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, also participated in the development of the policy.
Under the new VSD policy, a company is considered to have made a VSD if it becomes aware of misconduct by employees or agents before that misconduct is publicly reported or otherwise known to the DOJ, and discloses all relevant facts known to the company about the misconduct to a USAO in a timely fashion prior to an imminent threat of disclosure or government investigation. A company that voluntarily self-discloses as defined in the policy and fully meets the other requirements of the policy, by — in the absence of any aggravating factor — fully cooperating and timely and appropriately remediating the criminal conduct (including agreeing to pay all disgorgement, forfeiture, and restitution resulting from the misconduct), will receive significant benefits, including that the USAO will not seek a guilty plea; may choose not to impose any criminal penalty, and in any event will not impose a criminal penalty that is greater than 50% below the low end of the United States Sentencing Guidelines (USSG) fine range; and will not seek the imposition of an independent compliance monitor if the company demonstrates that it has implemented and tested an effective compliance program.
The policy identifies three aggravating factors that may warrant a USAO seeking a guilty plea even if the other requirements of the VSD policy are met: (1) if the misconduct poses a grave threat to national security, public health, or the environment; (2) if the misconduct is deeply pervasive throughout the company; or (3) if the misconduct involved current executive management of the company. The presence of an aggravating factor does not necessarily mean that a guilty plea will be required; instead, the USAO will assess the relevant facts and circumstances to determine the appropriate resolution. If a guilty plea is ultimately required, the company will still receive the other benefits under the VSD policy, including that the USAO will recommend a criminal penalty of at least a 50% and up to a 75% reduction off the low end of the USSG fine range, and that the USAO will not require the appointment of a monitor if the company has implemented and tested an effective compliance program.
In cases where a company is being jointly prosecuted by a USAO and another DOJ component, or where the misconduct reported by the company falls within the scope of conduct covered by VSD policies administered by other DOJ components, the USAO will coordinate with, or, if necessary, obtain approval from, the DOJ component responsible for the VSD policy specific to the reported misconduct when considering a potential resolution. Consistent with relevant provisions of the Justice Manual and as allowable under alternate VSD policies, the USAO may choose to apply any provision of an alternate VSD policy in addition to, or in place of, any provision of its policy.
Dallas Center Woman Sentenced to Prison for FraudRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – A Dallas Center woman was sentenced on February 14, 2023, to 18 months in prison for wire fraud.
According to court documents, Jordyn Darion Culp, age 28, stole $273,698 from the Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) program. From approximately October 2019 to September 2021, Culp accessed FEGLI trust accounts through her employment and fraudulently transferred money from the FEGLI accounts to her personal bank account. Using the funds, Culp purchased a motorcycle, motorhome, and cargo trailer which were forfeited. Culp posted TikTok videos discussing her purchases. Culp was ordered to pay restitution and after her prison sentence she will serve three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Insurance Fraud Bureau investigated the case.
Coraopolis Man Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Steal Vehicles and Transport them Across State LinesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to a charge of violating federal conspiracy law in connection with the theft of 24 vehicles, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Bernard Washington, age 31, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from on or about May 30, 2021, until on or about Oct. 25, 2021, Washington conspired to commit offenses against the United States, namely, transportation and receipt of stolen vehicles. Washington admitted that he worked as a contractor for the Hertz Rent a Car at the Pittsburgh International Airport between May and July 2021. During that time, and for several months thereafter, Washington and co-conspirators accessed the Hertz parking lot and stole approximately 24 vehicles, at least three of which were transported across state lines from Pennsylvania to other states, including Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. Washington and his co-conspirators provided these stolen vehicles to other individuals in exchange for payment. Washington also received at least two stolen vehicles from a co-conspirator, one of which had crossed state lines after being stolen.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for May 16, 2023. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Karen Gal-Or and William Guappone are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading that led to the prosecution of Washington.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to More than 6 Years in Prison on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A federal judge yesterday sentenced a Demopolis man for illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
Chief U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler sentenced Terrance Jamela Armstead, 31, of Demopolis, Alabama, to 80 months in prison. Armstead pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm in October 2022.
According to court documents, on October 13, 2020, the assistant police chief of the Eutaw Police Department was at the One Stop gas station in Eutaw. While there, he observed a fight between Armstead and another individual. The assistant chief intervened and sprayed both individuals with pepper spray. Armstead succumbed to the pepper spray and attempted to run, but fell. In taking him into custody, the assistant chief recovered a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol from Armstead's waistband. The pistol had been reported stolen to the Eutaw Police Department a few months prior to the incident.
"The illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon risks turning any minor dispute into a deadly confrontation," said U.S. Attorney Escalona. "We are grateful for the actions of the Eutaw Police in this case to prevent further violence."
The FBI investigated the case, along with the Eutaw Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Baty prosecuted the case.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Khalif Marquee Coleman, 35, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Coleman admitted to arranging the sales of mixtures containing fentanyl to confidential informants asking to purchase heroin in Charleston in seven separate transactions between May 2, 2022, and September 23, 2022. All but one of these transactions occurred at a Chesterfield Avenue residence in Charleston and the mixtures totaled approximately 92.64 grams.
Coleman also admitted to arranging seven additional sales of mixtures containing fentanyl in August and September, 2022, at or near the Chesterfield Avenue residence.
On September 28, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Chesterfield Avenue residence and found mixtures containing fentanyl totaling 55.97 grams, scales, drug packaging materials, and $5,926. Some of the cash recovered during the search was prerecorded buy money from the sales to the confidential informants.
Coleman is scheduled to be sentenced on June 8, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the assistance provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Mid-Atlantic Laboratory.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-198.
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Brookneal Lumber Mill Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
LYNCHBURG, Va. – A Brookneal, Virginia lumber mill owner who failed to pay employee taxes to the Internal Revenue Service pleaded guilty last week to one count of willful failure to collect or pay over taxes.
According to court documents, James Edward Adams, 65, took over the day-to-day operation of his family’s lumber mill, Adams Lumber Company, in 2011. In 2012, Adams Lumber was referred to the IRS for failure to pay payroll taxes and a trust fund recovery penalty was imposed.
From 2012 to 2022, Adams incorporated additional lumber and flooring entities, including Adams Wood, Halifax Forest, Halifax Flooring Products, Halifax Lumber Products, and Timber Trucking (collectively, the “Companies”), and exercised control over the Companies’ business and financial affairs.
Even though Adams withheld employment and trust fund taxes from his employees, he failed to pay over the vast majority of these monies to the IRS for tax years 2014 through 2021, resulting in an outstanding balance of $598,800.
The Federal Insurance Contribution Act (“FICA”) requires employers to withhold Medicare and Social Security taxes from their employees’ wages while the Internal Revenue Code requires employers to withhold federal income taxes from their employees’ wages. Employers are required to hold these taxes (“trust fund taxes”) in trust for the United States and to pay them over to the IRS on behalf of their employees.
In addition to trust fund taxes, employers are separately required to make contributions under FICA in amounts matching the amounts withheld from their employees’ pay for those purposes. These taxes paid by the employer, combined with the trust fund taxes withheld from the employees, are collectively known as “employment taxes.”
At sentencing, Adams faces up to five years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh made the announcement today.
The Internal Revenue Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charlene R. Day and Jason Scheff are prosecuting the case.
Bronx Gang Leader Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for 2020 Murder and Other CrimesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ANDREW DONE, a/k/a “Caballo,” the leader of the “Shooting Boys” gang, was sentenced today to 35 years in prison for the November 5, 2020, murder of Angel Barreiro in the Bronx and other racketeering offenses. DONE previously pled guilty before United States District Judge Jed S. Rakoff, who imposed the sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Andrew Done, dissatisfied with his membership in the Trinitarios gang, decided to perpetuate gang violence in New York City by breaking off from the Trinitarios and starting his own gang. His decision created a rivalry between his new gang and the Trinitarios, which led to increased acts of violence, multiple shootings, and the tragic murder of Angel Barreiro. Done’s sentence should highlight that anyone who exacerbates violent crime in our community will face a lengthy prison sentence.”
According to the Indictment, other documents filed in federal court, and statements made in public court proceedings:
The “Shooting Boys” is a criminal organization based in the University Heights section of the Bronx. DONE founded the Shooting Boys in or about 2017. DONE and his followers were originally associated with the “Sunset” chapter of the Trinitarios gang, but DONE decided to break off from the Trinitarios and form his own gang. DONE then convinced other disaffected Trinitarios to join the Shooting Boys as well.
Under DONE’s leadership, the Shooting Boys sold crack, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana throughout the Bronx and engaged in a back-and-forth series of shootings with the Trinitarios and other associated gangs. The rivalry between the Shooting Boys and the Trinitarios led to multiple non-fatal shootings and other acts of violence against rival gang members and innocent bystanders. It culminated in the murder of Angel Barreiro on November 5, 2020.
On that date, Barreiro was sitting in the driver’s seat of his parked car opposite 1365 Cromwell Avenue in the Bronx. DONE approached Barreiro, removed a firearm from his jacket, and shot Barreiro multiple times through the car’s passenger side window. DONE then walked over to the driver’s side of the car and shot Barreiro again. DONE fled to the Dominican Republic shortly after the murder and was apprehended by the United States Marshals Service in April 2022.
* * *
In addition to his prison term, DONE, 24, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
DONE was initially charged by indictment in March 2022 with nine other individuals who were members or associates of the Shooting Boys gang. The other nine defendants have all pled guilty to various racketeering related charges and have either been sentenced to prison terms or are awaiting sentencing.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dominic A. Gentile, Adam S. Hobson, and Jim Ligtenberg are in charge of the prosecution.
Bozeman man sentenced to 15 years in prison for transporting child pornography filesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Bozeman man who admitted to using an online account to transport child pornography files was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Jacob Michael Rieger, 23, pleaded guilty in October 2022 to transportation of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in February 2022, the Bozeman Police Department, which is a member of the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), investigated Rieger for a child pornography crime. The investigation involved Rieger using an online account to transport child pornography files. At that time, Rieger was on probation with the Montana Department of Corrections for a prior child pornography crime. The Bozeman Police Department reported the investigation to Rieger’s state probation officer. The probation officer and ICAC officer searched Rieger’s residence, and Rieger admitted to using an online social media account to access child pornography. Records for Rieger’s online account showed that he was accessing and saving child pornography videos and images to the online account from approximately October 2021 through March 2022.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyndee L. Peterson and Brian C. Lowney prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bozeman Police Department and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Boston Man Indicted for Robbing Brookline BankRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man has been indicted in connection with the September 2022 robbery of a bank in Brookline.
Jerome Lamont Turner, 47, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston on one count of bank robbery. He will appear in Boston at a later date. Turner was previously charged by criminal complaint on Jan. 23, 2023.
According to the charging documents, on Sept. 26, 2022, an individual – later identified as Turner – entered a Brookline Bank branch in Brookline. Once inside the bank, Turner allegedly approached a teller and inquired about opening a new account. Turner was provided a bank pamphlet on the process, and he exited the bank. A few minutes later, it is alleged that Turner reentered the bank, approached the same teller and handed them the pamphlet with the words, “Let me have 17,000 in large bills no dye pack,” written on it. As the teller was gathering money from the cash drawer, it is alleged that Turner repeatedly motioned for more money before exiting the bank.
A subsequent investigation allegedly identified Turner on the bank’s video surveillance from a previous arrest less than a week earlier and identified his fingerprints on the pamphlet.
It is further alleged that on Sept. 27, 2022, Turner was located wearing the same clothing worn in the Brookline robbery. Following a violent struggle, Turner was taken into custody and allegedly found in possession of over $2,500 in cash.
The charge of bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three 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.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Brookline Acting Chief of Police Jennifer Paster made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Aurora Felon Sentenced to More Than 19.5 Years in Prison for Weapons ViolationsRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Robert Vandori Johnson, age 40, of Aurora, was sentenced to more than 19.5 years in federal prison after a jury convicted him of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to facts presented at trial, on February 1, 2022, Denver police officers were searching for Daevon House due to an outstanding arrest warrant. After locating him, they observed House and Johnson drive to an apartment complex in Denver, Colorado. Both went into an apartment and came back out a short time later. As House and Johnson got back into the car, officers stopped the car and attempted to arrest House. When officers approached, House ran. He was carrying a firearm which he dropped as he fled before being taken into custody. House had previously been convicted of a felony, making it illegal for him to possess a firearm or ammunition. Johnson was contacted and escorted from the driver seat of his car vehicle. As he exited the vehicle, a semiautomatic pistol dropped from his waistband. Johnson had previously been convicted of a felony offense making it unlawful for him to possess a firearm or ammunition.
The jury returned its guilty verdict on November 16, 2022. Judge Philip A. Brimmer presided over Johnson's two day trial. On February 17, 2023, Judge Raymond P. Moore sentenced Johnson to 235 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
Co-defendant Daevon House, age 30, of Denver, previously pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition. Judge Raymond P. Moore sentenced House to 91 months in prison on August 9, 2022.
“We are working aggressively with the ATF and the Denver Police Department to take dangerous felons with guns off the streets of Denver,” said United States Attorney Cole Finegan. “If you are a convicted felon caught with a firearm or ammunition, you can expect to face severe consequences.”
"The presence of two felons who are unlawfully carrying firearms on our streets is a clear indication of impending violent crime,” said Acting ATF Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “Our partnership with the Denver Police Department, along with the successful prosecution by the US Attorney's Office, underscores our shared determination to make our communities a safer place."
The investigation was handled by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Denver Police Department. The prosecution was handled by the Violent Crime and Immigration Enforcement Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
CASE NUMBER: 22-cr-00046-RM
A North Carolina man pleaded guilty today to preparing false tax returns for clients.Read the Press Release
A North Carolina man pleaded guilty today to preparing false tax returns for clients.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Montanna Gore of Garner provided tax return preparation services from his cell phone store in Fayetteville from at least 2013 through 2018. Gore reported false items on clients’ tax returns in order to inflate the tax refunds they would receive. He also fraudulently claimed education credits on his personal tax returns for 2015 and 2016. Gore did not file tax returns for himself for 2017 and 2018, even though he continued to earn income by preparing returns for clients in those years. In total, Gore’s conduct caused a tax loss to the IRS of over $1.7 million.
Gore is scheduled to be sentenced on May 23 and faces a statutory maximum of three years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Mitchell Galloway, Michael L. Jones, and Andrew Ascencio of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
50 charged in Harris County firearms initiativeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Several dozen felons have been charged with varying offenses related to the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition throughout Harris County, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led a 90-day surge with the assistance of the FBI, Houston Police Department (HPD), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office (HCDA). Over the course of those days, 44 people were indicted and six others charged by criminal complaint as being felons illegally in possession of firearms or ammunition. Thus far, 36 have been arrested. Warrants remain outstanding for 14 others.
The goal was to help reduce firearms-related violent crime and to assist in reducing the backlog of felon in possession cases throughout the county. The backlog had allowed previously convicted felons who are arrested with a firearm to remain in our community for several months, sometimes years, before they faced a trial.
The surge involved over a dozen investigators, an intelligence research specialist as well as prosecutors on both the state and federal levels.
It is in concert with the effort to combat violent crime in the area.
However, this effort is not over nor limited to Harris County. Law enforcement continues to target those similar felons who potentially pose a danger to the community. Just this morning, another man - an alleged gang member in the Navasota area - was in federal court for a detention hearing. He again is a convicted felon, now federally charged with illegally possessing a firearm.
The federal firearms charges carry potential terms of imprisonment of up to 10 or 15 years depending on the offense date and maximum fines of $250,000.
The ATF conducted the investigations with the assistance of the FBI, HPD, USMS and the HCDA. A variety of Assistant U.S. Attorneys throughout the U.S. Attorney’s Office are handling the cases.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
12 Defendants from 4 States Charged in Federal Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Owensboro, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned a two-count indictment on February 15, 2023, charging twelve defendants with conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Shane Catone of the DEA Chicago Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet, Jr. of the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Chief Art Ealum of the Owensboro Police Department, and Sheriff Brad Youngman of the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, the following 12 defendants were each charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine between July 2022 and February 14, 2023:
Chance Morton, 34, of Owensboro, Kentucky;
Nicholas Stallings, 38, of Forest Park, Georgia;
George James, 52, of Hawesville, Kentucky;
Desmond Morton, 38 of Owensboro, Kentucky;
Morgan Anderson, 36, of Owensboro, Kentucky;
William Simmons, 49, of Owensboro, Kentucky;
Johnny Albury, 55, of Owensboro, Kentucky;
Charles Hudson, 44, of Vero Beach, Florida;
Ellis Parker, 64, of Owensboro, Kentucky;
Willie Mosley, 55, of Hagerstown, Maryland;
Brian Ray, 36, of Philpot, Kentucky; and
Lindsay R. Harper, 39, of Hawesville, Kentucky.
The defendants are in custody and scheduled to make their initial court appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky tomorrow. If convicted, all defendants face a mandatory 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 U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
The DEA, FBI, HSI, Owensboro Police Department, Daviess County Sheriff’s Office, and the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Owensboro-Daviess County Drug Task Force are investigating the case, with the assistance of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Kentucky State Police DESI-West, the Indian River County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office, the Indiana State Police, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Secret Service, and the ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Mark Yurchisin are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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21 February 2023
مكتب المدعي العام الأمريكي للمقاطعة الشرقية لمدينة نيويورك ينضم إلى وزارة الأمن الداخلي، وزارة الخارجية ومتحف السميثونيان الوطني للفن الآسيوي في أكبر إعادة لممتلكات حضارية مسروقة إلى اليمنRead the Press Release
واشنطن – مساء الأمس، قام مكتب المدعي العام الأمريكي للمقاطعة الشرقية لمدينة نيويورك ووزارة الأمن الداخلي الأمريكية ووزارة الخارجية الأمريكية ومعهد سميثونيان بالاشتراك في أحتفال تاريخي بإعادة 77 قطعة من ممتلكات الفن الحضاري المسروق والتي قام مسئولي حفظ القانون الأمريكي بالتحفظ عليها إلى حكومة جمهورية اليمن.
تشمل هذه الآثار 64 من الرؤوس الحجرية المحفورة و11 من صفحات مخطوطة للقرآن الكريم، وطبق من البرونز به كتابة، ونصب جنائزي من معان أو حضارات معين القبلية من المرتفعات الشمالية - الغربية في اليمن والتي تعود إلى القرن الأول قبل الميلاد.
تم مصادرة الرؤوس الحجرية المنحوتة ال 64 إلى الولايات المتحدة عن طريق تنفيذ أمر مصادرة قام به مكتب المدعي العام الأمريكي للمقاطعة الشرقية لمدينة نيويورك متعلق بالإقرار بالذنب الخاص بمهرب للآثار يدعى موسى خولي ومعروف باسم "موريس خولي" في شهر أبريل 2012. وطبقا للشكوى القضائية المتعلقة بالمصادرة، تم تهريب الرؤوس الحجرية المنحوتة ال 64 إلى الولايات المتحدة من دولة الأمارات العربية المتحدة مع مراسلات وإيصالات تحتوي على العديد من المعلومات الغير متناسقة وتم التحفظ عليها من منزل ومعرض خولي. تم مصادرة آثار أخرى في نفس القضية وإعادتها إلى مصر في شهر أبريل 2015.
صرح المدعى العام الأمريكي بريون بيس أن "مكتبنا ليفخر أن العمل الذي قام به في هذه القضية أدى إلى إعادة هذه الآثار الثقافية الهامة إلى موطنها الأصلي في اليمن".
صرح القائم بإعمال مساعد مدير تحقيقات وزارة الأمن الداخلي التنفيذي ستيف ك. فرانسيس أن "يتشرف مكتب تحقيقات وزارة الأمن الداخلي أن يعمل يدا بيد مع شركائنا الذين يشملوا وزارة الجمارك وتأمين الحدود الأمريكية ووزارة الخارجية الأمريكية ومكتب المدعي العام الأمريكي للمقاطعة الشرقية لمدينة نيويورك ومعهد سميثونيان والسفير محمد الحضرمي لإعادة كنز الآثار هذا إلى شعب اليمن،" كما أضاف أنه "كثيرا ما يحدث أن يتم إعطاء قيمة مالية للممتلكات والفن والتحف المسروقة في السوق، ولكن القيمة التاريخية والأهمية الحضارية لهذه الآثار تفوق بكثير أي قيمة مالية. أن مكتب تحقيقات وزارة الأمن الداخلي يفخر بأنه لعب دورا في وضع اليد واسترجاع هذا الأرث الحضاري الذي لا يُقدر بمال إلى الشعب اليمني ليستمتعوا به لأجيال قادمة".
صرح السفير محمد الحضرمي "بالنيابة عن حكومة اليمن، أعبر عن أمتناني الجزيل للحكومة الأمريكية وخاصة وزارة الأمن الداخلي الأمريكية ووزارة الخارجية الأمريكية ومكتب المدعي العام الأمريكي للمقاطعة الشرقية لمدينة نيويورك لكل الجهد المبذول في استرجاع وإعادة هذه الآثار اليمنية. منذ بداية الانقلاب الحوثي في اليمن، أضحى أرثنا وتاريخنا تحت الهجوم، وأن سفارة اليمن ستظل مستمرة في تواصلها مع الحكومة الأمريكية لتعقب واسترجاع الممتلكات والأرث التاريخي المسروق الخاص باليمن. أود أيضا أن أؤكد على أمتناني الشديد لمتحف السميثونيان الوطني للفن الآسيوي لموافقته على الاحتفاظ بهذه الآثار بصفة مؤقتة حتى يتم اعادتها بالكامل إلى اليمن في المستقبل".
يشكل إعادة هذه الآثار المسروقة علامة فارقة في العلاقات الأمريكية - اليمنية حيث إن انتهاء التحقيق الأمريكي الدؤوب للتعرف على وتحديد أماكن هذه الممتلكات الحضارية والتحفظ عليها والتأكد من مكانتها هو تاريخيا أكبر عدد من هذه الآثار التي قامت الحكومة الأمريكية باعادتها إلى المسئولين اليمنين منذ ما يقرب من 20 عاما.
قامت حكومة اليمن بالتوصل إلى أتفاق مع متحف السميثونيان الوطني للفن الآسيوي للأحتفاظ بهذه الآثار لمدة عامين قابلة للتمديد بطلب من الحكومة اليمنية، وستقوم السفارة بتقديم النصح بخصوص الوصول والبحوث والمحافظة على هذه القطع.
قام مساعد المدعى العام الأمريكي كلير س. كاديشيان من القسم الجنائي، قطاع استرجاع الممتلكات، بالأدعاء في هذه القضية.
المتهمين:
موسى خولي، والمعروف بإسم "موريس خولي"
العمر: 38 سنوات
بروكلين، نيويورك
سجل المقاطعة الشرقية لمدينة نيويورك رقم: CR 11-00340 (EDNY) (ERK)
الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية ضد العديد من الآثار والممتلكات الحضارية الُمتحفظ عليها بأسم آثار وندسور و/أو موسى خولي وشركائه CV 11-2889 (ERK).
Woodland Woman Sentenced to 10 Years Conspiring to Distribute and Possessing with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Woodland, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 120 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release on her convictions of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Cassandra Wallace, age 37, of Woodland, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, from July 2019 to June 2020, Wallace did conspire to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Further, on December 18, 2019, Wallace did distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Mr. Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Wallace. 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, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, 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.
Woman Pleads to Voluntary Manslaughter While Armed in August 2022 KillingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Alexis Hawkins, 46, of Washington, D.C. pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed in the August 14, 2022 killing of Cynthia Stewart and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in an unrelated case, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The plea was entered on February 17, 2023, before the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The defendant faces a possible sentence of eight and a half to 12 years in prison, followed by supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for May 12, 2023.
According to the government’s evidence, on August 14, 2022, officers of the Metropolitan Police Department responded to an apartment in the 3900 block of 4th Street SE in reference to a stabbing. Upon their arrival officers discovered the decedent suffering from multiple stab wounds to the body, including a fatal stab wound to the chest.
The investigation revealed that prior to the killing, the decedent was inside an apartment with two other women. Hawkins came over to the apartment and began to argue with the decedent. The argument then turned physical when Hawkins began hitting the decedent. During the physical altercation, Hawkins grabbed a knife out of her bag and stabbed the decedent multiple times before fleeing the scene.
Hawkins was arrested on August 25, 2022. She has been in custody since that time.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Gilbert and Victim/Witness Advocate Latrice Washington-Williams. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Miles Janssen, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Wilkes-Barre Man Sentenced to 300 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tysheen Gott, a/k/a, “LB,” age 46, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on February 17, 2023 to 300 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack, and tramadol.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Gott was responsible for having conspired to distribute in excess of 14 kilograms of fentanyl and heroin throughout Luzerne and surrounding counties.
Gott was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release upon release from custody.
Gott was one of eleven defendants indicted in May 2020. With the exception of Gott, all other co-conspirators pleaded guilty and have been sentenced. Gott was convicted on all charges by a jury after a trial that took place in August 2021.
This case was the result of a year-long investigation, in part driven by multiple federal wiretaps conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, the Scranton Police Department, the Pittston City Police Department, the Plymouth Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, the Wyoming County District Attorney’s Office and the Office of Pennsylvania Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Olshefski and Robert O’Hara prosecuted the case.
This case is also 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.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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West Texas Man Arrested, Charged with Bribing HSI AgentRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A Seminole man was arrested Thursday in El Paso on criminal charges related to his alleged bribery of a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent.
According to the criminal complaint, Pedro Thiessen, 70, failed to declare more than $10,000 when entering the United States at the Ysleta Port of Entry in October 2022. Thiessen filed a petition to recover the funds and was interviewed by an HSI agent in January 2023 regarding the petition. An affidavit attached to the complaint alleges that Thiessen offered to pay the agent an unknown amount of money if the agent assisted with the recovery. The agent reported the offer to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).
The affidavit alleges that Thiessen again proposed a monetary offer to the agent during a phone call on Feb. 6. On Feb. 15, the agent arranged a meeting with Thiessen for the following day. According to the court documents, Thiessen presented the agent with $1,000 at that meeting and was immediately arrested.
Thiessen is charged with bribery of public officials. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of the HSI El Paso Division made the announcement.
HSI and ICE OPR are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Osterberg is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Washington, D.C. Man Convicted After Nine-Day Trial for Use of A Firearm in Connection with A Murder and A Robbery, and for A Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Madani Ilara Tejan, a/k/a “Malik,” “Mylik,” and “Dani,” age 30, of Washington, D.C., late on February 17, 2023, for using a firearm in connection with murder and robbery, and for a drug distribution conspiracy.
The guilty verdict was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief Robert J. Contee of the Metropolitan Police Department; Director Corenne Labbé of the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections; and Director Thomas N. Faust of the D.C. Department of Corrections.
According to the evidence presented at this nine-day trial, on October 3, 2018, Tejan met with a drug customer, to whom Tejan had arranged to sell drugs. During the meeting, Tejan shot and killed the drug customer, then stole the victim’s car, wallet, and other personal items. On October 20, 2018, a search warrant was executed at a residence in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, associated with Tejan and law enforcement recovered the victim’s wallet, two bags of marijuana and a prepaid cellular phone. Investigation revealed that the prepaid phone had been in contact with the victim’s phone several times on October 3, 2018 and was used interchangeably with Tejan’s registered phone to communicate with the victim in the hours before his murder. Additionally, 1,013 fentanyl pills were seized from Tejan while he was residing in a government-run residential facility. Tejan’s social media accounts and phone messages revealed that he distributed fentanyl marketed as oxycodone as well as other prescription drugs and marijuana to multiple individuals, including the victim.
Tejan faces a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances; a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances and for an armed commercial robbery; and a maximum of life in federal prison for use of a firearm to commit murder in relation to a crime of violence. No sentencing date has been set for Tejan.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite commended the FBI, DEA, Prince George’s County Police Department, Metropolitan Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Department; Prince George’s County Department of Corrections, D.C. Department of Corrections, for their work in the investigation and thanked the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin R. Cottingham and Trial Attorneys Gerald A. A. Collins and Lisa K. Man of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Washington Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for 2019 Murder of Alillia MinthornRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Jordan Everett Stevens, age 31 of Wapato, Washington was sentenced by Chief District Judge Stanley A. Bastian for the 2019 murder of Alillia “Lala” Minthorn. Stevens was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Following today’s sentencing, U.S. Attorney Waldref stated, “the execution and murder of this young indigenous woman was horrific. It is the obligation of law enforcement and the United States Attorney’s Office to seek justice for all victims and their family members. Not everyone who suffered a loss in this case will be able to find solace despite the lifetime of imprisonment that was handed down today, and our hearts go out to Ms. Minthorn’s family.”
According to court documents and evidence elicited at trial, on May 3, 2019, a family member reported that Ms. Minthorn was missing. She was last seen in the Toppenish area, getting into a car. Approximately two weeks later, an eyewitness informed the FBI that Stevens shot and killed Ms. Minthorn in the closed portion of the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation, north of Brownstown, Washington. The witness told investigators she and another woman were present when Stevens killed Ms. Minthorn. FBI Special Agents and Yakama Nation Police Department officers searched the area described by the witness; however, because the area was remote and vast, Ms. Minthorn’s body was not found at that time. On May 29, 2019, the witness led agents to Ms. Minthorn’s body. An autopsy later confirmed that Ms. Minthorn had been killed by a single gunshot to the head.
The trial of Jordan Stevens began on June 7, 2021, and the jury returned a guilty verdict on June 10, 2021. Stevens was found guilty of one count of First-Degree Murder and one count of Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence.
At today’s sentencing, Chief Judge Stanley Bastian, who presided over the jury trial, stated that Stevens made “the decision to execute Alillia Menthord – a decision that [he] has to live with and a decision that [he] will have to pay for.” In pronouncing Stevens’s sentence, Chief Judge Bastian then expressed his heartfelt sorrow to the family of the victim and explaining that Stevens “victimized and hurt an entire community.”
U.S. Attorney Waldref commended the efforts of the investigators and prosecutors who worked to bring justice to the victims of Stevens’s crimes. U.S. Attorney Waldref stated, “This sentence demonstrates that those who victimize members of our community will be held accountable and punished to the full extent of the law. However, a lengthy sentence in this case cannot substitute for the tragic loss of the life of this young woman. As a result of today’s sentence, the Eastern District of Washington is safer and more secure. I am grateful for the dedication and perseverance of the FBI and the Yakama Nation Tribal Police, who worked closely with Assistant United States Attorneys Ben Seal and Rick Burson to see this case through.”
“Life in prison is not a sentence we see often” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “While no sentence will undue the crimes perpetrated by Mr. Stevens, it will prevent him from victimizing anyone on the Yakama Reservation again. I appreciate the work of our investigators and partners, who too often have to respond to scenes of violence like this.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Yakama Nation Tribal Police, Washington State Highway Patrol, the Klickitat County Sherriff’s Department, and the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Ben Seal and Rick Burson, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington.
1:19-cr-02038-SAB
Washington D.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Murder and Assault Charges in Connection with a Triple ShootingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Glenn Dolford, 30, of Washington, D.C. pleaded guilty to one count of 2nd degree murder while armed, one count of aggravated assault while armed and one count of assault with a deadly weapon for the murder of Raheem Murray and shooting of Corvell Hayden and Marco Harper on February 2, 2020 (Superbowl Sunday) in the 4000 block of 3rd Street, SE. Dolford entered his guilty pleas on February 17, 2023 before Judge Maribeth Raffinan. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 25, 2023.
On February 2, 2020, at approximately 4:00 PM, a dark colored sedan pulled into the 4000 block of 3rd Street, SE, where the three victims were standing on the sidewalk discussing where they were going to watch the Superbowl. As they chatted, the dark colored sedan pulled into the block and slowed to a stop in the middle of the street. Once the car was stopped, two individuals got out of the passenger side of the car and began shooting rifle styled firearms at the three victims. The defendant, got out of the back passenger side door while firing his weapon. Victims Corvell Hayden and Marco Harper immediately took off running from the scene, both sustained gunshot wounds. Corvell Hayden was shot ten times, Marco Harper was shot twice, and Raheem Murray fell to the ground. As the victims fled and Mr. Murray fell and the fifty-seven rounds of ammunition littered the block, two young children ages 4 and 6 who were not injured, also fled the scene with their father. As the onslaught continued and after Mr. Murray fell to the ground, the defendant ran to where Mr. Murray laid on the ground, stood over him, and shot him in the head.
Using video surveillance footage from before, during, and after the shooting, detectives created a still shot of the shooter and showed it to a witness familiar with the defendant. The witness was able to identify the person in the still from the video surveillance, the individual who shot Mr. Murray in the head, as Glenn Dolford.
The plea was an 11(c)(1)(c) plea. The agreed upon sentence is 22.5 years followed by five years of supervised release.
In announcing the plea, United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert J. Contee, III, commended the work of the officers and detectives with the MPD, most notably the lead detective from the Homicide Unit, Michael Pepperman, as well as the prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Marybeth Manfreda.
Virginia Woman Sentenced in Cryptocurrency Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Virginia woman has been sentenced to federal prison for her role in a cryptocurrency money laundering conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston.
Lois Boyd, 76, of Amelia Court House, Virginia, pleaded guilty on June 14, 2022, to interstate travel in aid of racketeering enterprises and was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle.
According to information presented in court, Boyd was involved in a transnational money laundering network involved in the laundering of criminal proceeds derived from various fraud schemes. Boyd and her co-conspirators exchanged criminal proceeds for cryptocurrency and directed the cryptocurrency to wallets under the control of their foreign co-conspirators. In August 2020, Boyd and her co-conspirators traveled to Longview, Texas, where they attempted to exchange approximately $450,000 in criminal proceeds for Bitcoin.
On June 16, 2021, Boyd was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury, charging her with interstate travel in aid of racketeering enterprises and money laundering.
On April 6, 2022, Boyd’s co-conspirator, Deependra Bhusal, 47, of Irving, Texas, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for his role in the cryptocurrency money laundering conspiracy.
This effort is part of Operation Crypto Runner, 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.
The investigations arising from the operation are being conducted by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and are being led and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld and L. Frank Coan, Jr., with assistance from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and the Department’s Office of International Affairs.
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Un“lucky” fugitive sent to prison for double firearms chargesRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 49-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been sent to prison following his convictions of illegally possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Joe Adam Ramirez aka Lucky pleaded guilty March 2, 2022.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos, ordered Ramirez to serve 160 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Ramirez was sending threatening letters while in a detention facility. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Ramirez’s significant and lengthy criminal history.
At the time of his plea, Ramirez admitted that on Sept. 4, 2020, he was in possession of drugs and a gun. Ramirez was a known fugitive.
On that day, authorities were able to locate him at a hotel in Corpus Christi. They conducted surveillance and observed him exit the hotel, enter the passenger side of a truck and depart the location. Law enforcement performed a traffic stop, at which time Ramirez attempted to flee on foot, but he tripped and fell.
Authorities discovered a loaded 9mm Taurus pistol, several bags of meth, Xanax and other prescription pills.
Ramirez admitted he was aware of being a convicted felon and was not allowed to own a firearm. He said he ran because he did not want to go back to prison.
Ramirez has five prior felony convictions involving burglary of a vehicle, burglary of a habitation, theft from a person, aggravated robbery and possession of controlled substance. As such, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Marck and Ashley Martin prosecuted the case.
University City Man Admits Missouri Medicaid, Pandemic Loan FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from University City, Missouri on Tuesday admitted fraudulently obtaining a $135,000 pandemic loan and defrauding the Missouri Medicaid program.
Deandre D. Horne, 32, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Sarah. E. Pitlyk to one count of health care fraud and one count of wire fraud.
Between July 6, 2017 and March 18, 2021, Horne, owner of Serenity Home Health Care CDS, fraudulently billed Missouri Medicaid for services that were not supported by valid timesheets or electronic visit verification (EVV) documents. EVV is a system in which personal care attendants electronically clock in and out by phone. Horne also created false EVV documentation to support bills, Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Reiter said during Tuesday’s plea hearing.
Horne admitted falsely claiming to be the personal care attendant for multiple Missouri Medicaid beneficiaries and billing for times when he was traveling elsewhere in the country or to foreign locations.
At sentencing, prosecutors will argue that the Missouri Medicaid program lost between $550,000 and $1.5 million due to Horne’s fraud.
In the other scheme, on July 15, 2020, Horne applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan, which was intended to help small businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. Horne falsely claimed to be the sole owner of Budget Towing & Recovery LLC, inflated the number of employees and falsely claimed a monthly payroll of $40,000. He also falsely claimed that the money would be used to retain workers or pay business expenses. Horne received a $135,707 loan.
Horne is scheduled to be sentenced May 22. The health care fraud charge carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both and the wire fraud charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. Horne will also be ordered to repay the money.
The case was investigated by the Missouri Attorney General’s office, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Reiter is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney's Office for Eastern District of New York Joins Department of Homeland Security, Department of State and Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art for the Largest Repatriation of Stolen Cultural Property to YemenRead the Press Release
Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Department of State and the Smithsonian Institution participated in a milestone repatriation ceremony returning 77 pieces of stolen cultural property seized by U.S. law enforcement officials to the Republic of Yemen Government.
The antiquities included 64 relief carved stone heads, 11 Qur’an manuscript pages, a bronze inscribed bowl, and a Funerary Stele from Ma’în or Minaean tribal cultures in the highlands of North-West Yemen dating back to the 1st century BCE.
The 64 relief carved stone heads were forfeited to the United States in connection with an Eastern District of New York civil forfeiture action related to the April 2012 guilty plea of an antiquities smuggler, named Mousa Khouli, also known as “Morris Khouli.” As alleged in the government’s forfeiture complaint, the 64 relief carved stone heads were smuggled into the United States from the United Arab Emirates with correspondence and invoices that contained multiple inconsistencies and were seized from the home and gallery of Khouli. Other antiquities that were seized in this case were forfeited and subsequently repatriated to Egypt in April 2015.
“Our Office is proud that the work in our case is leading to these important cultural antiquities returning to their rightful home in Yemen,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace.
“Homeland Security Investigations is honored to stand with our partners including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the Smithsonian Institution, and Ambassador Mohammed Al-Hadhrami to return these treasured antiquities to the people of Yemen,” said HSI Acting Executive Associate Director Steve K. Francis. “Looted cultural property, art, and antiquities are often assigned a dollar value in the marketplace; however, the historical and cultural significance of these artifacts extends beyond any monetary value. HSI is proud to have played a role in the recovery and return of this priceless cultural heritage back to the Yemeni people so they can enjoy it for generations to come.”
Ambassador Mohammed Al-Hadhrami: “On behalf of the Government of Yemen, I express my deep gratitude to the US Government, in particular to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State and US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for all efforts exerted in the retrieval and return of these Yemeni artifacts. Ever since the Houthis’ coup in Yemen, our heritage and history have been under attack. The Embassy of Yemen will continue its close engagement with the U.S. Government in pursuit of the restitution of Yemen’s stolen cultural heritage and property. I also affirm my substantial appreciation to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art for agreeing to temporarily hold these antiquities until they are fully repatriated back to Yemen in the future.”
The return of these stolen antiquities marks a significant milestone in U.S.-Yemen relations, as the culmination of extensive U.S. investigative work to identify, locate, seize and confirm the status of this cultural property denotes historically the largest number of antiquities that have been returned by the U.S. government to Yemeni officials in nearly 20 years.
The Republic of Yemen Government and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art have entered into a two-year custodial agreement with the option to renew at the request of the Republic of Yemen Government. The Embassy will advise on access to, research on and conservation of the objects.
The government’s case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Claire S. Kedeshian of the Criminal Division, Asset Recovery Section.
The Defendant:
MOUSA KHOULI, also known as “Morris Khouli”
Age: 38
Brooklyn, NYE.D.N.Y. Docket No. CR 11-00340 (EDNY) (ERK)
United State of America v. Various Antiquities, Cultural Property and Assets held in the name of Windsor Antiques and/or Mousa Khouli, et. al. CV 11-2889 (ERK)
Two from St. Louis Area Accused of Nearly $500,000 Pandemic Loan FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two people from the St. Louis, Missouri area have been indicted and accused of fraudulently obtaining nearly $500,000 in pandemic business loans.
Pamela S. Hubbard, 45, of St. Louis, and Irwin Coats, 43, of Florissant, were each indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They each appeared in court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The indictment says that during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hubbard and Coats hatched a scheme to fraudulently obtain Paycheck Protection Program loans that were intended to help struggling small businesses. The pair planned to use the money to open a “Wing Strip” restaurant in Florissant, the indictment says.
On May 8, 2020, Coats applied for a $53,125 loan in the name of Abounding Protection LLC, a company he set up in 2007. Coats falsely claimed that the company had 12 employees and an average monthly payroll of $21,250 when there were no employees, wages, company operations or revenue, the indictment says.
On June 11, 2020, Hubbard electronically submitted a PPP loan application for Star Shyne LLC, a company she helped set up in 2019. She made false claims about employees and payroll, and submitted fake business, tax and lease paperwork and an altered check to bolster her claim, the indictment says. She eventually received $371,245.
On March 5, 2021, Coats submitted another application for Abounding Protection, seeking and receiving $24,166 with more false claims, the indictment says.
Hubbard and Coats used the money to construct the Wing Strip and for improvements on a condominium in Florissant, the indictment says.
The indictment seeks the forfeiture of any assets linked to the fraud, including money from the sale of the condominium.
The conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both.
Charges set forth in a criminal complaint are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case.
To report suspected pandemic fraud, go to the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud or call the Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721.
Two Human Smugglers Sentenced to Federal Prison for Hostage TakingRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A Mexican national was sentenced in federal court in El Paso Wednesday to 144 months in prison, along with an El Paso man who was sentenced to 200 months in prison, for violation of federal law concerning hostage taking.
According to court documents, Carlos Villa-Miranda aka “Negro,” 42 of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and Enrique Quiroz Jr. aka “Kike,” 50 of El Paso were co-conspirators in a human smuggling organization through which they demanded money from the families of the undocumented individuals they were trafficking. Quiroz threatened to kill the trafficking victims if they were to speak to the police and urged the victims to tell their families to pay the ransoms. Villa-Miranda also made threats toward the undocumented individuals, on at least one occasion brandishing a butcher-style knife.
In December 2020, Villa-Miranda was arrested after he fled a secondary inspection at the Las Cruces U.S. Border Patrol Checkpoint on Interstate-10, and Quiroz was taken into custody during a search of his apartment.
“These human smuggling organizations are incredibly dangerous and prove that they value their pursuit of money and power through unlawful means far more than the lives of their trafficking victims,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “The agents with the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) did an outstanding job tracking down these two criminals and putting a stop to their roles as human smugglers.”
“These sentences show the grave consequences human smugglers face when they exploit people in such a ruthless way,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of the HSI El Paso Division. “HSI is vehemently committed to using its ample authority to identify, investigate and arrest criminals who prey on the vulnerabilities of their human cargo with threats and acts of violence.”
HSI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Hines and Sarah Valenzuela prosecuted the case, along with former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Herbert Bunton and Spencer Kiggins.
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Two Defendants Convicted of Distributing Fentanyl and Heroin Causing OverdosesRead the Press Release
A federal jury today convicted Keith Wyche, also known as “Marco,” of distributing fentanyl which resulted in the fatal overdose of a 43-year-old Staten-Island resident on April 18, 2017. Wyche and co-defendant Oneil Allen were also convicted of distributing heroin to a 28-year old woman on October 27, 2017, leading to her suffering serious bodily injury. In addition, the two men were convicted of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and distributing those narcotics. The verdict followed a three-week trial in federal court in Brooklyn before United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry. When sentenced, both defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James E. Dennehy, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Field Office (FBI), and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the verdict.
“With today’s verdict, two drug dealers who sold lethal drugs without any regard for the lives they were endangering, have received a powerful response from the jury holding them responsible for their crimes,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The opioid epidemic has had a devastating effect on our district, with Staten Island bearing a terrible toll, and this Office will continue working tirelessly to reduce the number of victims and the availability of dangerous drugs.”
“Dealers and pushers are hooking users with a dangerously addictive mix of drugs that shouldn’t ever be used outside of a medical environment. Mr. Wyche and Mr. Allen would text customers first thing in the morning to keep their clientele coming back. Their goal was to make more money, disregarding one man’s life and the lives of others to whom they sold. The FBI Newark Transnational Organized Crime Task Force has a message for criminals at the root of this growing epidemic plaguing our communities - there is a federal prison cell waiting for you as well,” stated FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Dennehy.
“Abuse of heroin and the deadly additive fentanyl has cut a wide swath across New York City and our nation, affecting people in all neighborhoods, from all walks of life,” stated NYPD Commissioner Sewell. “To combat this scourge, we seek to shut down the supply of illegal drugs and, ultimately, to save lives. That is why NYPD detectives probe every overdose to determine how the narcotics were obtained, and it was those efforts that led to today’s verdict. I commend the investigators in this case, and the strong collaboration of the NYPD and our law enforcement partners, all of whom are helping to stem the opioid crisis.”
As proven at trial, Wyche and Allen ran a narcotics delivery service, distributing heroin and fentanyl, among other drugs, in Staten Island. The defendants used a stash house in New Jersey to package and prepare narcotics, and traveled daily into Staten Island to sell their illicit product. On the days they distributed narcotics, they would alert customers early in the morning with text messages reading “Good Morning” or “Rise and Shine,” and then coordinate meetups with customers.
On April 18, 2017, the father of a 43-year old Staten Island man (“John Doe”) found his son dead in a bathroom of a residence in Staten Island. A hypodermic needle, tourniquet, and glassines containing fentanyl were on and around the body. By reviewing the deceased victim’s phone, NYPD detectives found a series of text messages from a number labeled “Marco 5.” These messages began with a text from the contact “Marco 5” that started with “Rise and Shine,” and showed that the user of this phone had sold narcotics to John Doe in the hours before his overdose.
On October 27, 2017, NYPD Officers responded to a 911 call for a 28-year old woman (“Jane Doe”) who was reported as unconscious inside a vehicle in Staten Island. After first responders administered several doses of Narcan to Jane Doe, she regained consciousness and was transported to a hospital. A review of messages on Jane Doe’s phone showed similar messages to those found on John Doe’s phone, including a message reading “Rise and Shine” on the day of Jane Doe’s overdose. Jane Doe testified at trial that she purchased narcotics from the defendants and later helped law enforcement gather evidence against them.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Gilbert M. Rein, Irisa Chen, and James P. McDonald, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Teri Carby and Eileen Rosado.
The Defendants:
KEITH WYCHE (also known as “Marco”)
Age: 38
Staten Island, New YorkONEIL ALLEN (also known as “James”)
Age: 31
Staten Island, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-561 (S-1) (DLI)
Three Wilmington Men Among Those Charged Federally in Multi-State Fentanyl and Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that on February 16, 2023, Henri Sosa-Gomez, 36, New York, NY, Jamel Romero, 30, New York, NY, Leonel Abreu-Montero, 31, Wilmington, DE, John Doe aka Arison Hernandez-Acevado, 31, Wilmington, DE, and Christian Sanchez, 23, Wilmington, DE, have been charged by a federal grand jury sitting in Wilmington with conspiracy to traffic fentanyl and cocaine in the Wilmington, Delaware metropolitan area.
According to public documents and statements made in open court, this investigation began after a double overdose in Chester County, PA, resulting in the death of a 50-year-old woman in November 2022. Through a multi-state effort involving U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and the Chester County Detectives, law enforcement identified a drug trafficking organization (“DTO”) headed by Sosa-Gomez and Romero that supplied fentanyl and cocaine from New York to Delaware.
A subsequent investigation revealed that Romero, who resided in the Bronx, traveled from New York to deliver the controlled substances and to collect proceeds from a network of sub-distributors, including defendants Abreu-Montero, Hernandez-Acevado, and Sanchez, who then carried out and completed the drug transactions in Delaware.
On January 17, 2023, law enforcement arrested Romero and Abreu-Montero after they completed a drug transaction in Wilmington. Law enforcement recovered approximately one (1) kilogram of baked crack cocaine mixed with fentanyl, approximately one (1) kilogram of fentanyl, and about $50,000 in U.S. currency from Romero and Abreu-Montero. Law enforcement recovered additional fentanyl after determining that the DTO buried narcotics in a densely wooded area near Hockessin, DE, off W. Rolling Mill Road.
Law enforcement also contemporaneously executed search warrants for several locations and vehicles in Delaware, New York, and Maryland. A Hazardous Materials (or “Hazmat”) Team was called in to conduct a search of a Bronx residence because the residence was deemed unsafe for entry due to the amount of fentanyl and cocaine that had been cooked, mixed, and processed within the residence. During the search of the Bronx residence, law enforcement recovered approximately twelve (12) kilograms of fentanyl, about one (1) kilogram of Xylazine (a potent horse tranquilizer not approved for human use that is being linked to an increasing number of overdose deaths nationwide), cocaine, cooking materials, cutting agents, gas masks, a kilogram press, money counters, and an additional $31,000 in U.S. currency.
In announcing the Indictment, U.S. Attorney Weiss stated: “As overdoses continue to ravage our community, we will aggressively investigate and prosecute those who knowingly sell drugs that kill. We are grateful for our state and federal law enforcement partners who acted vigilantly to remove harmful drugs from our streets and to help bring some justice to the victim’s family. My office will seek significant federal prison sentences against all who seek to profit from illegal drug sales.”
“Cases like the one announced today make a true difference in the communities of Delaware,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia William S. Walker. “Today’s announcement underscores HSI’s mission and highlights the importance of teamwork, tenacity, and partnerships. As a result, investigators and prosecutors, working side-by-side and sharing information seamlessly have disrupted a drug trafficking organization operating throughout the Northeast.”
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Weiss, HSI Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker, and DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey S. Wagner commended the work of those who investigated the case, including agents from HSI, DEA, and the Chester County Detectives. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Newport, DE Police Department, the Newark, DE Police Department, and the Delaware State Police; the Kennett Township, PA Police Department; the Elkton, MD Police Department, the Cecil County, MD Sheriff’s Office, the Cecil County, MD Drug Task Force, and the Maryland State Police; the New York City Police Department and the New York State Police; HSI’s Baltimore and New York Divisions; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Chester County District Attorney’s Office; and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Maryland and the Southern District of New York.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin P. Pierce and Claudia L. Pare are assigned to prosecute the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER.
Three Men Sentenced for Illegal Firearms Possession and Marijuana TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that three defendants were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa for their roles in a marijuana trafficking ring on Pardee Street in Rochester, NY.
• J’Lyne Caldwell, 30, who was convicted of distribution of marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to serve 61 months in prison.
• Elisha Scott, 22, and Strong King, 20, who were convicted of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, were both sentenced to serve 85 months in prison.Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Marangola, who is handling the case, stated that Caldwell, Scott, and King were arrested August 11, 2022, in the area of 55 and 59 Pardee Street in Rochester, following the execution of search warrants at those residences. The search warrants were conducted after an investigation into the sale of marijuana and shootings in that area. Investigators seized marijuana packaged for sale, a loaded firearm, and U.S. currency.
The sentencings are the culmination of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Darren Cox, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith.
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