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21 December 2022
Man Sentenced to 18+ Years in Prison for Selling Fatal Dose of Fentanyl to St. Peters WomanRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a man who sold the fentanyl that killed a St. Peters, Missouri woman in 2020 to 18 years and four months in prison.
Nathan Matson, 27, of O’Fallon, Missouri, met with the victim in the driveway of her home on July 4, 2020 and sold her ten capsules containing fentanyl for $100.
When the victim contacted Matson to ask him what he sold her, Matson lied and said it was morphine, according to a sentencing memorandum. Knowing that she was in distress, Matson could have contacted the victim’s family or called 911 but did not.
The woman’s mother discovered her daughter dead in her bedroom the next day.
The St. Peters Police Department investigated and both Matson and his co-defendant, Jason Post, admitted their role to police.
In court Wednesday, the victim’s sister said Matson, “took advantage of someone who trusted him.” She said her sister would still be alive if she’d never met Matson.
The victim’s mother said, “I can’t understand why Nathan Matson would give my daughter a drug that would kill her and drive away, knowing what was going to happen.”
The sentencing memo says Matson tested positive for opiates 25 times since he was charged, suggesting he must have been selling fentanyl to support his own drug addiction even after the 2020 death.
Matson pleaded guilty in August to a fentanyl distribution charge.
Post, 30, of O’Fallon, Missouri, pleaded guilty in February to aiding and abetting in the distribution fentanyl and was sentenced in July to eight years in prison. He drove Matson to St. Louis to purchase the fentanyl, and then drove Matson to the victim’s house. He was rewarded with five capsules of fentanyl.
“Poisonings involving opioids jumped to more than 80,000 last year and are the leading cause of death for those ages 18 to 45,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Davis, head of the Drug Enforcement Administration division that leads DEA investigations in Missouri. "The gravity of this problem is one reason the DEA and our law enforcement partners, like the St. Peters Police Department, take these investigations so seriously and why long sentences are appropriate.”
The St. Peters Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case.
Madison Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Devin Crayton, 33, Madison, Wisconsin pleaded guilty and was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James Peterson to six years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On or about January 11, 2022, Crayton was handling a firearm and discharged it in his girlfriend’s residence. Later that morning he was arrested. Officers obtained a warrant to search the house and found an unloaded Taurus 9mm handgun along with a magazine containing four live rounds. They also found a bullet hole from the upstairs hallway that travelled down into the living area, and a stolen police captain’s badge and handcuff case. Crayton is a convicted felon, has been to prison in Nevada, and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Crayton said that he likes “car shopping” (stealing from vehicles) and that the police badge was in a bag that he took. He also admitted that he was handling the gun when it discharged in the house. While the defendant said it was a negligent discharge and he only briefly handled it, a witness said that Crayton always carried the gun, that he had pointed it at her before, and that he fired it in the house to wake people up as he was trying to get methamphetamine.
Relevant conduct considered at sentencing included a March 27, 2022, arrest where the defendant was in possession of two handguns and a short barrel shotgun.
At sentencing Judge Peterson said that the most aggravating factor of the case was that after the defendant’s arrest in this case, he spent two months in jail on state charges and, after being released, immediately got more guns. The fact that he discharged the firearm was also concerning, and the court was skeptical of claims that this was a negligent discharge. Judge Peterson noted that at 33 years old, the defendant can no longer blame his conduct on a difficult childhood, and that he had a bad criminal record.
The charge against Crayton was the result of an investigation conducted by the Verona Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Lyndon Station Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kyle O. Luke, 27, of Lyndon Station, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to five years in federal prison for receiving child pornography. This prison term will be followed by 15 years of supervised release. Luke pleaded guilty to this charge on September 13, 2022.
In January 2022, agents executed a search warrant at Luke’s home based on a tip provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. During the search, agents seized numerous electronic devices. Agents interviewed Luke and he admitted that he accessed child pornography with his phone and that there may still be videos on that phone that had been sent to him on Snapchat.
At the time of the offense in this case, Luke was on supervision for attempted 2nd degree sexual assault and child enticement. Because Judge Conley found the defendant had a pattern of minimizing his sexually deviant conduct, three years of the sentence in this case will run consecutive to a five-year sentence the defendant is currently serving in that prior case.
The charge against Luke was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Juneau County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
Leader of Violent Brockton-Based Drug Crew Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role leading a wide-ranging drug trafficking conspiracy reaching from Boston to Brockton to Cape Cod.
Djuna Goncalves, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 230 months, or more than 19 years, in prison and five years of supervised release. In October 2021, Goncalves pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base, oxycodone and marijuana; possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin; possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base and marijuana; being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
“Djuna Goncalves was the leader of a violent drug trafficking operation that, for years, fueled serious and deadly crimes involving guns and including murders that plagued neighborhoods across our Commonwealth,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “This office will continue to prioritize protecting our communities by finding and prosecuting the drug traffickers and violent offenders who terrorize our neighborhoods. If you fall into that category, consider yourself warned.”
“Djuna Goncalves was the leader of a violent drug crew responsible for moving vast quantities of fentanyl and other deadly drugs throughout southeastern Massachusetts. While they turned a profit, people and their families were tormented by the forces of drug use and addiction,” said Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for the Homeland Security Investigations New England Field Office. “HSI is committed to dismantling and disrupting drug trafficking operations to stop the flow of drugs into New England. We’re proud to join our partners to announce today’s sentence.”
“DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling Drug Trafficking Organizations and individuals like Mr. Goncalves who are responsible for distributing lethal drugs like fentanyl and heroin,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division. “Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Goncalves accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are fueling the opioid epidemic with deadly drugs in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. DEA’s top priority is combatting the opioid epidemic by working with our local, county, state and federal partners to bring to justice anyone who distributes this poison.”
In the fall of 2018, law enforcement began investigating a violent Brockton drug crew headed by Djuna Goncalves. The investigation revealed that Djuna Goncalves worked with his brothers (and co-defendants) Cody and Tony Goncalves and others to distribute large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, cocaine base and marijuana throughout southeastern Massachusetts from a base of operations in Brockton. The investigation also targeted several Boston-based drug suppliers to the Goncalves brothers. Large quantities of heroin, fentanyl, cash, a loaded handgun, and an AK-47 assault rifle were seized from Djuna Goncalves, who had previously been convicted of two prior drug distribution offenses.
In all, 17 defendants, including Djuna Goncalves, were indicted as part of a wide-ranging drug trafficking conspiracy. Djuna Goncalves was the last defendant to be sentenced.
U.S. Attorney Rollins; HSI SAC Millhollin; DEA SAC Boyle; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Alathea E. Porter of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Lawrence Woman Sentenced in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence woman was sentenced in federal court in Boston yesterday for a drug trafficking offense in connection with her role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
Danybelkis Vasquez-Rodrigue, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV, to 45 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On Aug. 30, 2022, Vasquez-Rodrigue was convicted following a five-day trial of one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
In November 2020, law enforcement began an investigation into Rodriguez-Ruiz, who had been identified as a Lawrence-based drug supplier. On Nov. 24, 2020, Rodriguez-Ruiz distributed nearly one kilogram of fentanyl to a cooperating witness. In exchange for the fentanyl, Vasquez-Rodrigue collected $42,000 from the cooperating witness. Through small payments to multiple individuals through local money remitting businesses, Vasquez-Rodrigue then transmitted those drug proceeds to the fentanyl supplier in Mexico.
On Sept. 9, 2022, Rodriguez-Ruiz was sentenced to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release after previously being convicted of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Strike Force including the Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea E. Porter and Stephen W. Hassink of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.Kodiak Man’s Murder Convictions Upheld by Court of AppealsRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld James Wells’ murder convictions which were handed down by a trial jury in October 2019 for the April 2012 murders of two U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) employees, Electrician’s Mate First Class James Hopkins and retired Chief Boatswain’s Mate Richard Belisle at a United States Coast Guard base on Kodiak Island, Alaska.
In February 2013, Wells was arrested for the murders of Hopkins and Belisle, who were both Wells’ co-workers at the USCG antenna maintenance facility, located at the USCG Communication Station (COMMSTA) on Kodiak Island. Wells was convicted in 2014 and the case was reversed for retrial by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in December 2017. After a three-week retrial that ended in October 2019, a federal jury quickly convicted Wells of two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of murder of an officer or employee of the United States and two counts of possession and use of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. Wells appealed. In a ruling issued last week, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Wells’ murder convictions, thus Wells sentence of life imprisonment remains in place. The court of appeals issued two separate rulings: 1) affirming the convictions and dismissing Wells’ arguments for a new trial and 2) the court remanded the sentencing court’s decision on valuing how restitution to the spouses of the men Wells murdered would be paid, along with upholding that Wells interview by investigators was done lawfully.
“The court’s ruling, solidly affirming Wells two murder convictions at trial, puts an end to this saga for the wives of Messrs. Belisle and Hopkins, the colleagues of the murdered men, the community of Kodiak and the United States Coast Guard,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker. “Justice has been served. James Wells took the stand and attempted to explain away what he did that day, an explanation that was quickly rejected by the trial jury and by the court of appeals. Wells will spend the rest of his life in prison for the murder of these two men.”
“We are all relieved to bring final closure on this heinous and heartless crime. Our hearts continue to go out to the families and loved ones of the victims, and to the community of Kodiak for having the strength to endure this lengthy process,” said Paul Shultz, CGIS Special Agent in Charge, CGIS Northwest Region.
"I'm proud of the trial team's tireless efforts in the pursuit of justice on behalf of the Hopkins and Belisle families. Now with the Appellate Court's decision, comes a sense of some closure for all," said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office.
Evidence at trial established that on April 12, 2012, between 7:09 a.m. and 7:14 a.m., Wells had shot and killed Hopkins and Belisle with a .44 revolver while working at their duty stations in the Rigger Shop at COMMSTA. First responders noted no evidence of a break-in or robbery and both men appeared to be victims of a targeted killing. Wells was due to arrive at the Rigger Shop the same time as Hopkins and Belisle, but instead left two phone messages for Hopkins and Belisle, noted to be after the victims’ time of death, stating Wells was running late due to a flat tire. Wells arrived to the Rigger Shop over an hour after his normal start time, immediately claiming to have had a flat tire.
USCG security videos captured Wells passing the Main Gate at Base Kodiak at 6:48 a.m. in his white Dodge truck on his way toward the Kodiak Airport, and returning toward his residence at 7:22 a.m. However, a small blue SUV, owned by Wells, was captured on USCG security videos passing the Rigger Shop front entrance. The evidence showed Wells drove his white Dodge truck to the airport, where he swapped vehicles and drove Nancy Wells’ blue Honda CR-V to COMMSTA to commit the murders. There was a 34-minute period of time for which James Wells could not account and that unexplained discrepancy captured the attention of the interviewing agents. Additionally, a tire with a nail in it was seized and through extensive testing, the examiner concluded that the nail had been manually inserted into the tire, undermining the foundation of Wells’ alibi that he had picked up a nail while driving to work on the morning of the murders.
At Wells’ sentencing hearing after the second trial in 2019, U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason made specific findings for the record that Wells threatened or unlawfully interfered with witnesses and that during the trial, Wells testified on several occasions in a “materially false manner.” The ruling of the Ninth Circuit equally found that Wells’ alibi at trial was not credible.
“I want to thank all of our partner agencies that were involved in the prosecution of this case through the decade of sentencing, retrial, and appeals,” said Rear Adm. Nathan Moore, 17th Coast Guard District, Commander. “Your continued dedication to this case ensured justice was met, and that James’ and Richard’s loved ones and our Coast Guard family can move one step closer to closure.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case, with support from the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), and the Alaska State Troopers (AST).
In 2019 the Deputy Criminal Chief Steven Skrocki prosecuted the case along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Sherman, and U.S. Coast Guard Commander Kelly Stevens, who was appointed as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.
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Kansas Man Indicted on Cocaine and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
WICHTA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with crimes related to drug trafficking and firearms.
According to court documents, Clinton Bruner, 49, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a stolen firearm.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Annali L. Vanarsdale, 19, of Wichita was indicted on one count of bank robbery. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mona Furst and Jason Hart are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jonathan Richard Chapman, 42, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to attempted distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from about June 5, 2021, until June 30, 2022, Chapman used a peer-to-peer file sharing program to make 704 digital media files of suspected child pornography available to others. Chapman admitted that the digital media files included an image depicting a prepubescent minor female subjected to sexually explicit conduct. Chapman further admitted to possessing 91 images of child pornography on his personal electronic devices on August 11, 2022. The child pornography included several images and videos depicting infants and toddlers subjected to sexually explicit conduct.
Chapman is scheduled to be sentenced on March 15, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie White is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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-174.
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Justice Department Secures Settlement with Florida School District to Protect Students with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today it has secured a settlement agreement with the Okaloosa County School District in Florida to resolve its investigation into allegations of physical and verbal abuse and discriminatory use of seclusion and restraint on students with disabilities.
The department’s investigation concluded that the school district violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in its response to known physical and verbal abuse and improper seclusion and restraint of students with disabilities. The district secluded and restrained students before first attempting appropriate behavior-management or de-escalation strategies. As a result of these practices, some students with disabilities were injured, and others lost many hours of class time. Under the settlement agreement, the Okaloosa County School District has voluntarily agreed to strengthen its complaint procedures and internal investigations, continue to prohibit seclusion, reform its restraint practices and improve its staff training.
“All children deserve an opportunity to learn and thrive in a safe and supportive environment,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Schools must provide students with disabilities appropriate educational supports and cannot resort to practices that physically and mentally harm them. The Justice Department will vigorously pursue allegations of abuse and unlawful restraint and seclusion of students and will not stand by when their rights are infringed.”
“We stand with our colleagues in the Civil Rights Division in the fight to redress discrimination against students with disabilities in school,” said U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody for the Northern District of Florida. “We also commend the Okaloosa County School District for agreeing to remedy the problems brought to light by the department’s investigation, by employing effective and non-discriminatory tools and protocols when handling behavioral matters in its schools.”
The district fully cooperated throughout the investigation. Under the settlement agreement, the district will implement reforms to end discrimination against students with disabilities. The district will, among other steps:
- Continue to prohibit the use of seclusion;
- Limit its use of restraint;
- Clarify and improve crisis response team procedures and post-restraint procedures;
- Report all instances of restraint and evaluate if they were justified;
- Designate trained staff to collect and analyze restraint data and oversee the creation of appropriate behavior intervention plans;
- Review procedures for students with disabilities who are restrained on the bus or who have behaviors that may manifest during transport;
- Strengthen its multi-tiered systems and supports at all schools;
- Reform district complaint procedures and improve internal district investigations into allegations of employee abuse or improper use of restraint or seclusion;
- Strengthen practices related to employee hiring and transfers;
- Deliver training and resources to help schools implement the agreement; and
- Designate an administrator to oversee the district’s related services (i.e., paraprofessionals, transportation and behavioral staff) and schools’ use and review of restraint, and to ensure the district’s compliance with the agreement and Title II of the ADA.
Enforcement of Title II of the ADA is a priority of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the Educational Opportunities Section’s work is available at https://www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section. To learn more about the Section’s work under the ADA to combat improper seclusion in schools, visit this website: https://www.justice.gov/schoolseclusion.
To report a possible civil rights violation, please visit www.civilrights.justice.gov/.
View the agreement below.
Jury Finds McKeesport Felon Guilty of Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - After deliberating for approximately an hour and 15 minutes yesterday, a federal jury of four men and eight women found Deamonte Law guilty of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Law, 29, formerly of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, was tried before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to Assistant United States Attorneys Barbara K. Doolittle and DeMarr Moulton, who prosecuted the case, the evidence presented at trial established that Law possessed a Smith and Wesson, Model M&P, .40 caliber pistol on Sept. 4, 2020, despite having previously been convicted of a felony. In May of 2015, Mr. Law was convicted of conspiring to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine base, in the form commonly known as crack, as well as possessing a firearm in furtherance of this drug trafficking crime, at Criminal No. 13-202 in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Federal law prohibits a convicted felon from possessing a firearm.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for April 19, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued the defendant’s detention.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the McKeesport Police Department, and the Allegheny County Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Deamonte Law.
Jury Convicts Wichita Man of Money Laundering, Wire and Bank FraudRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN.– A federal jury convicted a Kansas man of defrauding federal and state agencies by a total of $355,550 in COVIID-19 business recovery funds.
Michael Capps, 44, of Wichita was found guilty of submitting false and fraudulent documents on behalf of his companies to Emprise Bank for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for Economic Injury Disaster (EIDL) loans, as well as to the Kansas Department of Commerce for Small Business Working Capital grants.
The jury convicted Capps of: • one count of false statement to a bank for a PPP loan, • one count of bank fraud – PPP loan, • two counts of false statement to the SBA for EIDL loan, • two counts of wire fraud SBA, • two counts of wire fraud Kansas Department of Commerce, and
• four counts of money laundering.The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alan Metzger and Molly Gordon prosecuted the case.
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Judge Sends Cocaine Dealer to Prison for Covid-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Grand Rapids man sentenced to 87 months for role in conspiracy to obtain more than $1 million in COVID-19 relief funds.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — United States Attorney Mark Totten announced today that a local drug dealer has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for his role in a plot to obtain more than $1.4 million COVID-19 relief funds.
“Instead of treating the COVID-19 pandemic as a tragedy, Jemar Mason welcomed it as an opportunity to get rich quick. He took money intended to keep workers from losing their jobs, all while dealing cocaine.” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten, for the Western District of Michigan. “My office remains committed to holding fraudsters fully accountable for their misdeeds.”
Defendant Jemar Mason is a previously convicted drug offender from the Grand Rapids area. In 2020, he joined a scheme with four other people: Andre Jackson, a corrupt former police officer from Georgia, Jackson’s “accountant,” a local used-car salesman, and a local cocaine user named David Kurbanov. The group worked together to help Mason and Kurbanov prepare fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program loans authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security ("CARES") Act. This Act was a federal law designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses through the PPP program, which was designed to provide small businesses with loans in order to keep employees on payroll. Mason and his co-conspirators exploited the program to obtain approximately $1.495 million in fraud proceeds. Afterwards, Mason and his confederates attempted to hide the proceeds by marking expenditures like car purchases as “payroll” expenses. Mason and Kurbanov also attempted to wire $500,000 to an overseas bank account that Jackson selected in order to invest the money for their own profit.
Investigators from the Internal Revenue Service detected the plot and took steps to freeze the bank accounts of the conspirators, ultimately recovering approximately $1.123 million of the fraud proceeds. Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Michigan brought charges against five codefendants, including Mason, all of whom have now been convicted in connection with the scheme.
Mason’s criminal activity went beyond financial crimes: he was also trafficking cocaine. After obtaining a Title III wire intercept, investigators from the Drug Enforcement Administration learned that Mason, his coconspirators, and associates were actively dealing drugs throughout West Michigan. Search warrants later uncovered multiple stash locations that were used to hide drugs, firearms, and drug dealing tools.
Mason’s prison term of 87 months will be followed by a six-year term of supervised release in which his activity will be monitored by the United States Probation Office.
“Mason exploited the pandemic to defraud United States taxpayers for his own personal gain,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Detroit Field Office. "IRS-CI is proud to work with our law enforcement partners to hold wrongdoers accountable and to protect the integrity of vital federal assistance programs.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge for the Detroit Division also weighed in, stating, “Mason and many of his associates were responsible for trafficking kilogram-level quantities of addictive and destructive illicit drugs throughout western Michigan. Their criminal acts have certainly destroyed lives and eroded communities. This sentencing should serve as a stark reminder to anyone peddling poisons in our communities: your unlawful and destructive actions will not be tolerated.”
The charges in this case were part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, dubbed Operation Cashout, by law enforcement officers in the Western District of Michigan and the Northern District of Georgia, including the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Michigan State Police, the Kent Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (KANET), and the Grand Rapids Police Department.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Jamestown Woman Going to Prison on Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Loegan Morrison Samples, 24, Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of maintaining a drug-involved premises, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that in April 2019, the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at Samples’ residence on Partridge Street, during which investigators recovered methamphetamine, small amounts of cocaine and marijuana, a shotgun, a stun gun, and drug paraphernalia. Samples sold methamphetamine for boyfriend and co-defendant Jacob Komenda and maintained the premises on Partridge Street for drug trafficking. In September 2019, investigators executed a second search warrant at a new residence in Jamestown that Samples shared with Komenda, seizing $3,182 in cash, methamphetamine, and various drug paraphernalia.
Jacob Komenda was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone.
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Jamestown Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Justin Brooks, 33, Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $10,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that on February 8, 2021, Jamestown Police officers responded to Brooks’ residence on Bush Street for a report of a possible assault and initiated an investigation into a burglary/assault. Subsequently, officers executed a search warrant at Brooks’ residence and recovered suspected marijuana, $6,500, scales, packaging material, a sword, and approximately 357 grams of methamphetamine.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 20, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Sinatra.
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Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a firearm pled guilty on December 19, 2022, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Lavell Andre Barnes, Jr., age 27, from Iowa City, Iowa, was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon.
At the plea hearing, Barnes admitted that he illegally possessed a firearm after being previously convicted of two felony convictions in Cook County, Illinois. Barnes was previously convicted of a controlled substance offense involving heroin and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Barnes remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Barnes faces a possible maximum sentence of not more than 10 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a fine of not more than $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Dorval Norwood and was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department’s Street Crimes Action Team. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 22-CR-84.
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Indianapolis Area Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization Dismantled and Twelve Defendants ArrestedRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging eleven individuals for their alleged roles in an Indianapolis-based drug trafficking organization with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, and related charges. An additional defendant was charged by criminal complaint with offenses related to armed methamphetamine trafficking. The indictment was unsealed on December 14, 2022, following their arrests and initial appearances, and is being announced following hearings on the pretrial detention status of the defendants.
As alleged in court documents, beginning in 2021, the defendants primarily distributed methamphetamine in Indianapolis, Indiana. Erick Apolinar Romero operated out of Indianapolis and arranged for the delivery of the controlled substances to Indianapolis for their redistribution by other members of the conspiracy. Romero and Julian Islas-Lozada maintained residential properties for the purpose of stashing and distributing the illegal drugs, including an apartment in the Nora neighborhood on the north side of Indianapolis. Kevin Patino-Romero facilitated the movement of drug proceeds. The members of the conspiracy used cellular devices and code words to facilitate these drug trafficking activities. Members of the conspiracy allegedly travelled to Nebraska on multiple occasions in October and November 2022 to acquire drugs that were being smuggled by train car and bring them to Indianapolis for distribution.
On December 13, 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), along with several local and federal law enforcement agencies, executed search warrants at seven residences in Indianapolis and arrested ten of the defendants charged in the indictment. Eduardo Abel Torres De Leon was apprehended in West Grove, Pennsylvania. Jose Ponciano-Felix was arrested on December 13, 2022, in Indianapolis, during the execution of one of the search warrants, and charged by criminal complaint with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
During the life of the investigation, law enforcement officers seized approximately 408 pounds of methamphetamine; eight kilograms of fentanyl and 28 firearms. The seized firearms included several semi-automatic AR platform rifles. Approximately $32,800.00 in US Currency as well as 6 vehicles, 2 trailers, 3 all-terrain vehicles and a dirt bike were also seized.
As of December 20, 2022, eleven of the twelve defendants were ordered detained pending trial or detaining pending hearing. Richard Michael Moore was ordered released on conditions set by the Court.
The charges are as follows:
Defendant
Charge(s)
Erick Romero aka “Erick Bustos,” aka “Christian Ramirez,” 33, Indianapolis
Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy; Methamphetamine Distribution; Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine; Unlawful Use of a Communication Facility
Julian Islas-Lozada, aka “Chusy,” 35, Indianapolis
Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy; Methamphetamine Distribution; Unlawful Use of a Communication Facility
Alexander Franco-Lopez, aka “Sicario,” aka “Nino,” 19, Indianapolis
Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy; Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine;
Kevin Josue Patino-Romero, 20, Indianapolis
Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy; Methamphetamine Distribution;
Junior Castillo, aka “Catracho,” 35, Indianapolis
Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy; Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine;
Eduardo Perez-Martinez, aka “Cholilo,” 28, Indianapolis
Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy; Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine;
Jesus Alberto Casillas-Martinez, aka “Cholo,” 26, Indianapolis
Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy; Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine;
Zachary Polk, 45, Vincennes, Indiana
Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine;
Matthew Wright, 45, Greencastle, Indiana
Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine;
Richard Michael Moore, aka “Mike Moore,” aka “Suegro,” 54, Indianapolis
Unlawful Use of a Communication Facility
Eduardo Abel Torres De Leon, aka “Primo,” aka “Forty,” 29, West Grove, Pennsylvania
Unlawful Use of a Communication Facility
Jose Ponciano-Felix, 41, Indianapolis
*Charged by complaint
Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime
The defendants face the following possible penalties, if convicted:
Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy
10 years to life in prison
Methamphetamine Distribution and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
10 years to life in prison
Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine
10 years to life in prison
Unlawful Use of a Communication Facility
Up to 4 years in prison
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
5 years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence
Actual sentences are determined by a federal district court judge and are typically less than the maximum penalties.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office, Chief Randal Taylor, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Rodney Hopkins, Postal Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Detroit Division, Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office, and R. Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations Chicago, made the announcement.
This case was a result of an investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Agency, IMPD’s Drug Task Force, HSI, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and IRS-CI. The Beech Grove Police Department, Lawrence Police Department, IMPD, Indiana State Police, and the FBI assisted in the execution of search and arrest warrants.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jayson McGrath and Lindsay Karwoski, who are prosecuting this case.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
An indictment or complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Harford County Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for His Participation in a Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Che Jaron Durbin, age 44, of Aberdeen, Maryland, on December 19, 2022, to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine and for two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in connection with his participation in a drug trafficking organization distributing cocaine and crack cocaine in Harford County, Maryland.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Harford County State’s Attorney Albert J. Peisinger, Jr.; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office; and the Harford County Drug Task Force, a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, comprised of members of the Harford County Sheriff's Office, the Aberdeen Police Department, the Bel Air Police Department, and the Havre de Grace Police Department.
According to evidence presented at the eight-day trial, in May 2019, members of the Harford County Drug Task Force were investigating Durbin, who was suspected of drug trafficking in the Harford County area. Witnesses testified that on May 17, 2019, a U.S. Postal Inspector notified detectives that a suspicious package was en route to Durbin’s mother’s apartment in Aberdeen, Maryland. Detectives watched as a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier delivered the parcel to Durbin, who took it into the apartment. A short time later, a woman, later identified as co-defendant Jameka Cara Thompson, left the apartment with the parcel and drove to her home. Law enforcement detained Thompson and obtained a search warrant for her vehicle. The parcel was found to contain one kilogram of compressed cocaine. Further investigation revealed that co-defendant Jack Anderson from Tucson, Arizona was the sender of the package.
On January 22, 2020, law enforcement learned from U.S. Postal Inspectors that Durbin sent a parcel from Havre de Grace, Maryland, addressed to Anderson in Tucson, Arizona. A search warrant was obtained for the parcel after a K9 gave a positive alert. The parcel contained $82,300 in cash inside a wireless headphones box.
In February 2020, as part of the investigation, law enforcement intercepted Durbin’s communications, as well as those of Anderson, co-defendant Terrell Walton, and other co-defendants to whom Durbin supplied cocaine and crack cocaine. The evidence at trial demonstrated that Walton obtained cocaine from Durbin, which Walton then sold to a network of individuals in Harford County. Intercepted communications between Durbin and Walton included discussions regarding the amounts of drugs and the price, often using coded language.
According to trial testimony, in May 2020, law enforcement surveilled Durbin meeting with Anderson at a Tucson, Arizona hotel. Soon after the meeting, Durbin picked Thompson up at the Tucson Airport and drove her back to his hotel room. Durbin flew back to Maryland the next day and Thompson ultimately obtained a bulk supply of cocaine from Anderson on Durbin’s behalf. Thompson drove cross-country from Arizona to Harford County, where she was arrested on May 12, 2020. Law enforcement searched her vehicle, seizing 1.4 kilograms of cocaine. Durbin was also arrested. According to trial testimony, over the course of the conspiracy Thompson made at least eight similar trips on Durbin’s behalf, transporting almost 40 kilograms of cocaine to Maryland for Durbin to distribute.
Co-defendant Terrell Darnell Walton, age 36, of Delaware, was also convicted at trial for the drug conspiracy and was sentenced on September 23, 2022, to 13 years in federal prison. Co-defendant Jack Anderson IV, age 46, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced to 126 months in federal prison in December 2021, after Anderson entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Co-defendants Jameka Cara Thompson, age 42, of Abingdon, Maryland, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison; Gerrick Devlon Jackson, age 40 of Havre de Grace, Maryland, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison; and Michael Ronnell Wells, age 38, of Forest Hill, Maryland, was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison, for their roles in the conspiracy.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office, the DEA, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, and the Harford County Drug Task Force for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Romano, who prosecuted 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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Grand Jury Returns Two IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
La Crosse Man Charged with Possessing Methamphetamine for Distribution
Joshua R. Wittenberg, 40, La Crosse, Wisconsin, is charged with possession of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. The indictment alleges that he possessed the methamphetamine on November 7, 2022. Wittenberg was arrested in La Crosse on November 7. He is being held at the La Crosse County Jail.
If convicted, Wittenberg faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum of life. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the La Crosse Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anita Marie Boor is handling the prosecution.
Mexican Citizen Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.
Jose Luis Garcia-Garduno, 24, a citizen of Mexico found in Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed. The indictment alleges he was found in the United States on October 27, 2022.
If convicted, Garcia-Garduno faces a maximum penalty of 2 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the prosecution.
Goose Creek Man Indicted for Production of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography Involving a Prepubescent MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned an indictment against Michele “Mike” Mancino, 40, of Goose Creek, for production and possession of child pornography.
The indictment alleges that from at least November 2021, until December 2022, Mancino employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit activity in order to produce a visual depiction of that conduct. The indictment additionally alleges that on or about October 26, 2022, Mancino possessed child pornography involving a child under the age of 12.
Mancino faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison, and he is currently detained.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Charleston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Orville is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Gang Member Gets Life in Prison for Murders Committed During Home InvasionsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Gang member Derrick Slade (aka “D” or “Solja”), 28, has been sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years for murders committed during a series of home invasion robberies in Broward County.
According to evidence presented at trial, Slade joined a criminal enterprise in November 2015 that committed armed home invasions and robberies, assaults, and murders. He was convicted of engaging in a racketeering conspiracy that included the commission of murder. On November 3, 2015, Slade shot and killed a man during the course of a home invasion robbery in Dania Beach, Fla. The next day, November 4, 2015, he was involved in another home invasion robbery in Lauderhill, Fla., that resulted in the death of a second man. On November 25, 2015, Slade shot a third man and left him for dead during a home invasion robbery in Hollywood, Fla., which was captured on a security camera. Slade also committed two other burglaries in Hollywood in November 2015. He and his fellow gang members advertised their success on social media to advance the gang’s prestige and reputation.
Slade was convicted on 10 counts, including RICO conspiracy, Hobbs Act conspiracy, conspiracy to use or carry a firearm during a crime of violence, causing the death of a person by using a firearm, three counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and three counts of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and acting Special Agent in Charge Maged Behnam, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated this case with assistance from Broward Sheriff’s Office, Hollywood Police Department, Lauderhill Police Department, Hallandale Beach Police Department, Davie Police Department, and Fort Lauderdale Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul F. Schwartz and Jeffrey N. Kaplan prosecuted it.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 20-CR-60107.
Four Drug Dealers Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced four individuals to federal prison terms for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Edgar Ortiz Lopez (30, Jacksonville) was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months, Jeffrey Rivera Gomez (39, Puerto Rico) was sentenced to 4 years and 8 months, Yaddiel Ortiz Lopez (26, Jacksonville) was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months, and Cassidy E. Martinez Iglesias (30, Jacksonville) was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months. Each had previously pleaded guilty.
According to court documents, between January 2020 and February 2021, Yaddiel Jesus Ortiz Lopez (“Yaddiel”), Edgar Yandell Ortiz Lopez (“Edgar”), and Iglesias obtained multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from Gomez in Puerto Rico and distributed it in Jacksonville. Law enforcement officers with the United States Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) learned that the cocaine was being shipped from Puerto Rico to Jacksonville via the United States Postal Service and then delivered to various locations in Jacksonville for further distribution.
On January 4, 2021, during a routine inspection of parcels at the mail facility on Kings Road in Jacksonville, law enforcement officers found a suspicious package addressed to Gomez in Puerto Rico. After obtaining a search warrant, law enforcement opened the package which contained $88,990 in cash in a shoebox and a GPS tracker. The money was seized and forfeited. Video surveillance from the post office revealed that Edgar had mailed the package.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office worked together and located records for 40 parcels that were associated with Yaddiel, Edgar, Gomez, and Iglesias. The conspirators were responsible for the distribution of up to 50 kilograms of cocaine.
“The introduction of illicit narcotics continues to ravage our communities and rip families apart,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “The sentencings of these criminals to a combined 189 months in federal prison is a testament to the dedication of HSI special agents, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office in stopping the influx of dangerous narcotics into our communities and households.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie Hackenberry.
Former MPD Officers Convicted in the Death of 20-Year-Old Karon Hylton-BrownRead the Press Release
Jurors Found Evidence of a Conscious Disregard of the Extreme Risk of Harm
A jury sitting in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia returned guilty verdicts against two former members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in connection with a fatal police pursuit, on Oct. 23, 2020, in Northwest Washington, that caused the death of Karon Hylton-Brown, announced Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division.
Terence Sutton, 38, an officer, was found guilty of second degree murder, conspiracy to obstruct, and obstruction of justice. Andrew Zabavsky, 54, a former lieutenant, was found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice. The trial was heard before the Honorable Paul L. Friedman in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
The jury found that Sutton caused Mr. Hylton-Brown’s death by driving a police vehicle in conscious disregard for an extreme risk of death or serious bodily injury to Mr. Hylton-Brown. The jury further found that Sutton and Zabavsky conspired and combined to hide from MPD officials the circumstances of the traffic crash leading to Mr. Hylton-Brown’s death.
At the time of the police pursuit, Sutton was assigned to the Crime Suppression Team in MPD’s Fourth Police District. Zabavsky supervised the Fourth Police District’s Crime Suppression Team officers, including Sutton. The pursuit began at approximately 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, after officers observed Mr. Hylton-Brown, 20, driving a moped on a sidewalk in the Brightwood Park area of Northwest Washington. The pursuit continued on neighborhood streets for more than 10 blocks and into an alley off the 700 block of Kennedy Street NW. Immediately upon exiting the alley and entering Kennedy Street, Mr. Hylton-Brown was struck by an oncoming civilian vehicle. He suffered severe head trauma and died on Oct. 25, 2020.
The charge of second-degree murder carries a statutory maximum of 40 years in prison. The conspiracy charge carries a statutory maximum of five years and the obstruction of justice charge carries a maximum of 20 years. 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 Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Former Gallia County 911 dispatcher charged federally for 24 arson fires in Wayne National ForestRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A fire department administrator and former 911 dispatcher has been charged federally with crimes related to at least 24 arson fires since spring 2022 in Wayne National Forest.
James A. Bartels, 50, of Patriot, Ohio, was arrested yesterday and appeared in federal court in Columbus.
Bartels is an administrator at the Greenfield Township Volunteer Fire Department. He also served as a 911 dispatcher for Gallia County.
According to an affidavit filed in support of a criminal complaint, Ohio Department of Natural Resources law enforcement officers observed a truck registered to Bartels near Wayne National Forest on Oct. 29, 2022. Bartels was observed on Dry Ridge Road. Within an hour, a fire was reported in the forest near Dry Ridge Road and Cauley Creek Road.
In the days after Bartels’s Nov. 8 resignation from working as a 911 dispatcher for Gallia County, at least 17 fires were lit. Bartels was seen at two separate locations in the vicinity of multiple fire starts within minutes of their ignition.
The affidavit details that in a law enforcement interview, Bartels admitted to starting the fires with a lighter to “give the boys something to do” and to distract himself from depression. He identified 24 arson fires for which he was responsible. His truck’s infotainment system data also placed him at the locations of the fires.
Bartels is schedule for a preliminary hearing in U.S. District Court on Jan. 3, 2023, in Columbus.
Willfully committing arson is a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and the U.S. Forest Service announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael J. Hunter is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Former Federal Special Agent Found Guilty of Civil Rights Crimes for Committing Sexual Assaults Against Two WomenRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A former special agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was found guilty by a jury today of federal civil rights violations for sexually assaulting two women and abusing his official position to prevent them from reporting his violent conduct.
John Jacob Olivas, 48, of Riverside, was found guilty of three counts of deprivation of rights under color of law. Olivas was ordered remanded into federal custody after today’s verdict was read.
According to evidence presented at his 11-day trial, Olivas began his career with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2007 and resigned in September 2015 after working as an HSI special agent for just over six years. He sexually assaulted the two victims in 2012.
Olivas attempted to rape one woman in January 2012 after making it clear to her that the police would not be responsive to any report she would make about Olivas because he was “above a cop,” and “untouchable” and “invisible” to police due to his position as a federal agent, according to the victim’s trial testimony. Olivas also threatened the victim that he could make her “disappear,” have her children taken from her, and get her arrested on fake criminal charges, the victim testified.
Olivas raped another woman in September 2012 and then again in November 2012. Both times, Olivas made it clear to the victim that police would not respond to any report she might make about attacks by him, causing the victim to believe that he was “invincible” to the criminal justice system, the victim testified. She also testified at trial that Olivas pointed his HSI-issued service weapon into her back moments before he sexually assaulted her in September 2012.
Both victims endured Olivas’s “violent, escalating, controlling, and intimidating behavior, which included his repeated brandishing of HSI credentials to [them] and asserting that he was above the law,” prosecutors wrote in court documents. In all three sexual assaults, Olivas violated the victims’ constitutional rights to liberty and bodily integrity.
United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal scheduled a March 11, 2023 sentencing hearing, at which time Olivas will face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
The FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Office of Professional Responsibility investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Eli A. Alcaraz of the Riverside Branch Office and Frances S. Lewis of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Former Coral Springs Police Officer Ordered to Pay Restitution for COVID-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Jason Scott Carter, a 45-year-old former Coral Springs, Fla., police officer, must serve five years of probation and pay restitution following a federal conviction for fraudulently applying to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for a COVID-19 relief advance grant and low-interest loan.
According to court records, Carter submitted a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application and loan agreement on behalf of Jason S. Carter Inc., a South Florida business he allegedly owned and operated. That application falsely certified that during the 12 months prior to January 31, 2020, the business had gross revenues of $100,000. In reality, the business had only minimal gross revenues. He also falsely certified in his SBA application that he would use the funds for business expenses to alleviate pandemic-related economic injury. Instead, Carter spent more than $21,000 of the SBA loan obtaining high-end repairs on his 1969 Ford Mustang.
Carter pled guilty to one count of wire fraud on October 12, 2022. In addition to his probation, he must serve six months home confinement, pay a $5,000 fine, and pay restitution in the amount of $30,000.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Omar Perez Aybar, Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge David Walker, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tampa, Fla., Field Office, made the announcement.
HHS-OIG Miami, Tampa Field Office, and FBI Tampa investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will J. Rosenzweig prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Laserna is handling asset forfeiture.
In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized and provided funding to SBA to provide EIDLs to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the pandemic. This allowed them to meet financial obligations and fund operating expenses. EIDL applications were submitted directly via the SBA’s website where the applications were processed and loans funded for qualifying applicants.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
-Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case no. 22-CR-80094.
Florida Man Charged with Smuggling Firearms into Mexico at Eagle PassRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A federal grand jury in Del Rio returned an indictment last week charging a Florida man with smuggling firearms into Mexico.
According to court documents, Ivan Sanchez-Jorge, 39, of Clearwater was selected for vehicle inspection by Customs and Border Protection officers (CBPOs) at Eagle Pass on Dec. 3, 2022 and gave multiple negative declarations for weapons, ammunition and currency in excess of $10,000. Upon inspection, CBPOs found and seized a .380 caliber pistol and two 12-gauge shotguns.
Sanchez-Jorge is charged with one count of smuggling goods from the U.S. The defendant is scheduled to make his initial court appearance Dec. 29, 2022 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Collis White of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 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 Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio Division made the announcement.
HSI and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Brown is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Felon Pleads Guilty to PPP Loan Fraud, Money Laundering and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ANTRUM COSTON, 40, of New Haven, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to fraud, money laundering and drug offenses.
In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2021, Coston applied for and subsequently received two PPP loans, totaling $41,666, purportedly in relation to a cleaning business he operated. In association with the loan applications, Coston made multiple false statements, including that his business was established in 2018 when, in fact, no cleaning business associated with Coston had been formed in 2018, and that the business had total gross income for 2019 of $114,658 when, in fact, the business had not earned such income, and Coston was incarcerated for all of 2019. In February 2022, Coston sought forgiveness of both loans, falsely asserting in each instance that the funds had been spent on payroll costs.
On December 31, 2021, police stopped a car Coston was driving in West Haven. After initially stopping, Coston drove off, nearly striking the officer as he fled. Coston was found hiding in a parking lot a short distance away. A search of vehicle and person revealed distribution quantities of heroin/fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine, and more than $2,000 in cash. A related search of Coston’s residence revealed a ballistic vest, $2,790 in cash, a small quantity of crack, and narcotics paraphernalia.
Coston pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for March 15, 2023.
Coston is released pending sentencing.
Coston’s criminal history includes multiple convictions, including two federal convictions. In 2004, Coston was convicted in federal court of possession of a firearm by a felon. He was sentenced to 37 months of imprisonment for that offense, and, in June 2007, received an additional 18 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release. In December 2017, Coston was sentenced to 40 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for gun and drug offenses. He was released from federal prison in April 2020, and was on supervised release when he committed the PPP loan fraud, money laundering and drug possession offenses.
This matter has been investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the Bureau of Alcohol. Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the West Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer R. Laraia.
Individuals with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictment Charging Ruston Woman with Illegally Dispensing and Distributing Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Bonnie Jennifer Sherrard a/k/a May Bonnie Jennifer Sherrard, 46, of Ruston, Louisiana, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Shreveport for illegally dispensing and distributing controlled substances, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown.
The indictment alleges that Sherrard was a nurse practitioner licensed to practice in the State of Louisiana and worked with a physician in Ruston. Count 1 of the indictment charges Sherrard with the use of a DEA Registration Number issued to another person; Counts 2 through 41 charge Sherrard with illegal dispensation and distribution of controlled substances outside the bounds of professional medical practice. In addition, the indictment seeks forfeiture of Sherrard’s license to practice as a nurse practitioner in the State of Louisiana.
It is alleged in the indictment that Sherrard was authorized to distribute and dispense controlled substances so long as these acts were in accordance with the collaborative practice agreement between she and the physician. Sherrard had a DEA Registration Number issued to her for use in distributing and dispensing controlled substances, but she was not authorized to prescribe controlled substances in connection with treatment for chronic pain or in connection with the treatment of family members.
The indictment further alleges that on or about January 11, 2020, through November 27, 2020, Sherrard knowingly and intentionally distributed and dispensed controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice to members of her family. These controlled substances included Hydrocodone, Adderrall, Xanax, and Clonazepam.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Sherrard faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 on the counts involving illegal dispensation and distribution. In addition, if convicted, Sherrard faces a sentence of up to 4 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 on the count involving illegal use of a DEA Registration Number issued to another person.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan.
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FBI and Partners Issue National Public Safety Alert on Financial Sextortion SchemesRead the Press Release
U.S. Virgin Islands - The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), in partnership with Homeland Security Investigations and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, is issuing a national public safety alert regarding an explosion in incidents of children and teens being coerced into sending explicit images online and extorted for money—a crime known as financial sextortion. Over the past year, law enforcement has received over 7,000 reports related to the online financial sextortion of minors, resulting in at least 3,000 victims, primarily boys, and more than a dozen suicides. A large percentage of these sextortion schemes originate outside of the United States, and primarily in West African countries such as Nigeria and Ivory Coast. As many children enter winter break this holiday season, the FBI and our partners implore parents and caregivers to engage with their kids about financial sextortion schemes so we can prevent them in the first place.
“The FBI has seen a horrific increase in reports of financial sextortion schemes targeting minor boys—and the fact is that the many victims who are afraid to come forward are not even included in those numbers,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI is here for victims, but we also need parents and caregivers to work with us to prevent this crime before it happens and help children come forward if it does. Victims may feel like there is no way out—it is up to all of us to reassure them that they are not in trouble, there is hope, and they are not alone.”
“The protection of children is a society’s most sacred duty,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “It calls on each of us to do everything we can to keep kids from harm, including ensuring the threats they face are brought into the light and confronted. Armed with the information in this alert message, parents, caregivers, and children themselves should feel empowered to detect fake identities, take steps to reject any attempt to obtain private material, and if targeted, have a plan to seek help from a trusted adult.” Financial sextortion schemes occur in online environments where young people feel most comfortable—using common social media sites, gaming sites, or video chat applications that feel familiar and safe. On these platforms, online predators often use fake female accounts and target minor males, between 14 to 17 years old but the FBI has interviewed victims as young as 10 years old.
“The sexual exploitation of children is a deplorable crime. HSI special agents will continue to exhaust every resource to identify, locate, and apprehend predators to ensure they face justice,” said Steve K. Francis, HSI Acting Executive Associate Director. “Criminals who lurk in platforms on the internet are not as anonymous as they think. HSI will continue to leverage cutting-edge technology to end these heinous acts.” Through deception, predators convince the young person to produce an explicit video or photo. Once predators acquire the images, they threaten to release the compromising material unless the victim sends money or gift cards. Often the predators demand payment through a variety of peer-to-peer payment applications. In many cases, however, predators release the images even if payments are made. The shame, fear, and confusion that victims feel when they are caught in this cycle often prevents them from asking for help or reporting the abuse.
“This is a growing crisis and we've seen sextortion completely devastate children and families,” said Michelle DeLaune, CEO of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. “As the leading nonprofit focused on child protection, we've seen first-hand the rise in these cases worldwide. The best defense against this crime is to talk to your children about what to do if they're targeted online. We want everyone to know help is out there and they're not alone.”
What if you or your child is a victim?
If young people are being exploited, they are victims of a crime and should report it. Contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at tips.fbi.gov. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has outlined steps parents and young people can take if they or their child are a victim of sextortion, including:
- Remember, the predator is to blame, not your child or you.
- Get help before deciding whether to pay money or otherwise comply with the predator. Cooperating or paying rarely stops the blackmail and continued harassment.
- REPORT the predator’s account via the platform’s safety feature.
- BLOCK the predator and DO NOT DELETE the profile or messages because that can be helpful to law enforcement in identifying and stopping them.
- Let NCMEC help get explicit images of you off the internet.
- Visit org/IsYourExplicitContentOutThere to learn how to notify companies yourself or visit cybertipline.org to report to us for help with the process.
- Ask for help. This can be a very complex problem and may require help from adults or law enforcement.
- If you don’t feel that you have adults in your corner, you can reach out to NCMEC for support at gethelp@ncmec.org or call NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST.
Take a moment to learn how sextortion works and how to talk to your children about it. Information, resources, and conversation guides are available at fbi.gov/StopSextortion.
Erie, PA Man Indicted on Multiple Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a three-count indictment charging Tristin Pearson, 26, of Erie, PA, with production, distribution, and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Cantil, who is handling the case, stated that between January 1 and March 27, 2018, Pearson coerced a minor female victim to engage in a sexual relationship. Pearson used his cellular telephone to record videos of their sexual acts and then sent the recorded videos to others without the victim’s knowledge.
The defendant was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and released on conditions.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Michael Stansbury.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Erie Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation ChargeRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. – A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Robert Mark Dyer IV, 31, 2136 Knoll Avenue, Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from November 2020 to April 2022, Dyer possessed and accessed with intent to view visual images and videos in individual computer files depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for April 25, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued Dyer on bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Dyer.
East Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Elderly Woman of over $83,000Read the Press Release
CONCORD – Craig Corriveau, 51, of East Rochester, pleaded guilty in federal court to wire fraud, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Corriveau knew the elderly victim maintained a checking and savings account and had at least two credit cards. He was also aware that the victim had physical limitations.
Between March 2019 and July 2021, Corriveau used the victim’s credit cards to make unauthorized purchases totaling at least $83,628.69. He spent over $30,000 alone at a firearms store to purchase firearms and ammunition. Corriveau also used the victim’s credit cards to purchase goods from retailers such as Dick’s Sporting Goods, Target, Home Depot, Bob’s Discount Furniture, Wayfair, Etsy, and Amazon. Records from those companies showed the name, delivery address, e-mail address, and phone number associated with the purchases belonged to Corriveau. During a search of Corriveau’s home, police found some of the goods Corriveau bought using the victim’s credit cards.
To facilitate the scheme, Corriveau used the victim’s personal identifying information, including the victim’s Social Security number, maiden name, and date of birth, to add himself as an authorized user on the victim’s credit card account. Corriveau had a credit card in his name but under the victim’s account mailed to his address. Corriveau was able to access the victim’s bank accounts and used the victim’s funds to make payments on his credit card purchases.
Corriveau is scheduled to be sentenced on March 29, 2023.
The case was investigated by the Rochester Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen.
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Des Moines Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Drug, Firearm, and Supervised Release CrimesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – On Monday, December 19, 2022, Michael Joseph Wilson, age 34 of Des Moines, was sentenced to a total of 240 months in prison for four crimes: conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and MDMA; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; attempt to possess contraband in prison; and violation of supervised release.
In May 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Wilson’s Des Moines residence. Officers found methamphetamine, heroin, MDMA, and a loaded revolver. At the time, Wilson was on federal supervised release for an Indiana firearm conviction. While in the Polk County Jail awaiting sentencing,Wilson worked with others in an attempt to get contraband, specifically K2, into the jail by imitating legal mail.
At sentencing, the Court sentenced Wilson to: 120 months for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, 60 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, 12 months for attempting to possess contraband in prison, and 48 months for violating his supervised release. Each sentence must be served consecutively, for a total of term of 240 months in prison.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.
The investigation was conducted by the Des Moines Police Department, United States Marshals Service, and Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Defense Contractor Sierra Nevada Corporation Pays $10 Million to Settle Allegations of Overcharging Federal AgenciesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today that Sierra Nevada Corporation (“SNC”), a company that provides various services to federal agencies pursuant to defense and space contracts, has paid a total of $10 million to resolve two matters alleging the company violated the federal False Claims Act. As more fully described below, SNC is alleged to have knowingly overcharged labor costs and inflated rates in two separate matters.
The improper charges resulted from SNC knowingly: (1) charging duplicate labor hours, premium rates, and unauthorized extended hours under the Army’s Multi-Sensor Aerial Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (MAISR) program; and (2) erroneously accruing and expensing certain bonus costs, resulting in application of inflated rates more broadly charged to contracts with several federal agencies. The government relies on contractors to accurately charge costs, and to classify both the nature and timing of contract costs to properly calculate rates and appropriately pay for work on government programs.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the integrity of federal procurement contracting,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “We will vigorously pursue federal contractors who fail to comply with the highest standards of accuracy to ensure federal agencies are appropriately charged for goods and services.”
“The announced settlement is a victory for the Department of Defense (DoD) and the American taxpayer in that it restores integrity into the contracting process by recovering inappropriate payments made based on unjustified claims by the contractor," said Bryan D. Denny, the Special Agent in Charge of the DoD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Western Field Office. ”Along with our law enforcement partners, DCIS will use all tools available to safeguard the integrity of the Defense contracting process and taxpayer resources.”
“This settlement further demonstrates the resolve of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (DACID) and our law enforcement partners to protect and defend the assets of the United States Army,” stated Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland of the DACID’s Major Procurement Fraud Field Office.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine J. Swann, in a coordinated effort with the Defense Contract Management Agency, the Defense Contract Audit Agency, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division. The claims settled by the two governing settlement agreements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Dominican Republic Man Sentenced to 141 Months Incarceration in Connection with Haulover Bay ShootoutRead the Press Release
ST. THOMAS, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Rammer Guerrero Morales, 31, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced to 141 months of imprisonment by Chief Judge Robert A. Molloy. In March 2022, Guerrero Morales pleaded guilty to possession and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and assaulting a federal officer.
According to court documents and evidence presented at co-defendant Samuel Pena Columna’s trial, on September 25, 2019, Guerrero Morales was involved in a shootout with several U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Interdiction agents. On the evening of September 25, 2019, Guerrero Morales and three co-conspirators were driven by Pena Columna to Haulover Bay, a well-known drug smuggling area on the east end of St. John, with over $1.1 million to conduct a 100-kilogram cocaine transaction with traffickers from Tortola, BVI. After arriving at the trail in Haulover Bay, Guerrero Morales and co-defendant Joan Morales Nolasco headed down the trail. Guerrero Morales was armed with a handgun and Morales Nolasco was armed with the long gun. After confirming that the trail was clear, Guerrero Morales and Morales Nolasco had planned to signal for the other co-conspirators waiting in Pena Columna’s vehicle to bring the $1.1 in cash down the trial to complete the drug transaction while Pena Columna waited at the top of the trail in his vehicle.
Trial evidence further revealed that, on their way down to the trail, Guerrero Morales and Morales Nolasco encountered two CBP agents who immediately announced themselves as police. The agents were fired upon by Guerrero Morales and a shootout ensued leaving one agent with gunshot wounds to his shoulder and leg. The agents returned fire hitting Guerrero Morales in his leg which was later amputated due to the severity of his injury. During the shootout, Morales Nolasco fled the scene and ultimately made his way to the Dominican Republic. He was later extradited back to the Territory for prosecution. Pena Columna and the two remaining co-conspirators also fled the scene. Pena Columna, a paid confidential source conducting his own drug trafficking organization, later told federal agents that he took the two men, along with the $1.1 million dollars, near the Cruz Bay area where they escaped.
Pena Columna was convicted in September 2022, and his sentencing is scheduled for January 19, 2023. Morales Nolasco pleaded guilty in March 2022, and on December 6, 2022, he was sentenced to 101 months of incarceration for his role in the drug trafficking conspiracy.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and the Virgin Islands Police Department investigated this case, and Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith Edwards and Kyle Payne prosecuted the case. This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ OCDETF.
Corona Man Arrested on Federal Complaint Alleging Armed Robbery Spree Last Month That Targeted Businesses in Orange CountyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Riverside County man was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint alleging he committed eight armed robberies – and two attempted armed robberies – of businesses, mostly restaurants, during a week-long crime spree last month.
George Arizon, 27, of Corona, is charged with one count of interference with commerce by robbery (in violation of the Hobbs Act) and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Arizon is expected to make his initial appearance on Thursday in United States District Court in Santa Ana.
According to an affidavit filed last Friday with the complaint, Arizon robbed three restaurants – and attempted to rob two more – in Santa Ana on November 1, stealing a total of $1,200 in cash.
During the robberies, Arizon allegedly displayed a black semi-automatic handgun, which had a gold-colored barrel, pointed the handgun at the victims, and told the restaurant employees to give him the money.
On November 8, Arizon allegedly brandished a handgun while robbing two restaurants located adjacent to each other in Garden Grove. Approximately 15 minutes after the Garden Grove robberies, Arizon allegedly again brandished a firearm and, in succession, robbed a Chinese restaurant, a Supercuts store and a 7-Eleven located on the same block in Westminster.
Police officers responding to calls about the Westminster robberies later recovered and retained a black sweatshirt, black hat, and mask that Arizon is alleged to have worn during the crimes. Officers also recovered the black semi-automatic handgun, with a gold-colored barrel, which had been discarded nearby. Security camera footage showed Arizon wearing this apparel, the affidavit states.
A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted of all charges, Arizon would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the Hobbs Act robbery count, and seven years in federal prison for the firearm brandishing count.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Orange County Violent Crime Task Force investigated this matter, and received assistance from the Santa Ana Police Department, the Garden Grove Police Department, and the Westminster Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 11 Years for Possession of Firearms, Possession of Controlled Substances with the Intent to Distribute, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Antwon Brown, 30, has been sentenced to 138 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms, possession of marijuana and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, in February 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began an investigation into Antwon Brown, a convicted felon and known member of the Unknown Vice Lords street gang.
On February 14, 2022, a confidential informant purchased a firearm and approximately half a pound of marijuana from Brown in a parking lot on Whitten Road.
On April 15, 2022, Brown was arrested and found to be in possession of marijuana, methamphetamine, digital scales, plastic baggies, and a pistol. On September 12, 2022, Brown pled guilty to all 7 counts of a federal indictment charging him with being a convicted felon in possession of firearms (2 counts); possession of marijuana and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute (3 counts); and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking (2 counts).
On December 15, 2022, United States District Judge Sheryl Lipman sentenced Brown to 138 months imprisonment to be followed by three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF.
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Wendy K. Cornejo and P. Neal Oldham, who prosecuted this case.
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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901- 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
Chatham County man sentenced to decades in federal prison for producing, possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A Chatham County man has been sentenced to nearly 30 years in federal prison after admitting to multiple charges of child sexual exploitation.
Rodney Bryant, 38, of Savannah, was sentenced to 336 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Production of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Bryant to pay $413,800 in restitution to four victims, to register as a sex offender, and to serve 15 years of supervised release after completion of his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Rodney Bryant is a dangerous predator who exploited multiple children by sharing images of sexual abuse through the internet’s electronic cesspool,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “The dedicated work of our law enforcement partners ensures our communities will be safer with this criminal behind bars.”
Bryant had been scheduled for trial in June 2022 when he opted to plead guilty to two child exploitation charges. As described in court documents and testimony, agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the Savannah Police Department searched Bryant’s residence in 2020 after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children provided CyberTip reports regarding the origin of images of child sexual abuse to the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Following those leads, investigators identified Bryant and later seized dozens of electronic devices from his home, finding thousands of images of child sexual abuse and child erotica on those devices. The investigation determined Bryant produced many of those images in Georgia and while stationed with the U.S. Army in Fort Drum, N.Y.
“Bryant is a predator who not only abused children, but he also recorded these horrible acts for others to see. Thankfully, he will no longer be able to continue his deplorable acts of abuse and we all can breathe a little easier,” said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI and its partners will continue to find, arrest and prosecute those who seek to exploit our most vulnerable population.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Savannah Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer J. Kirkland and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Tara M. Lyons.
This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood. Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.
Cedar Rapids Cocaine Dealer Sentenced to over a Decade in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who worked with others to distribute over 9 kilograms of cocaine was sentenced December 20, 2022, to more than 12 years in federal prison.
Paris Martell Cullar, age 26, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 12, 2022 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Information disclosed at sentencing showed that from November 2017 through July 2021, Cullar worked with others to distribute over 9 kilograms of cocaine and several grams of crack cocaine in the Cedar Rapids area. Cullar obtained his supply of cocaine from individuals in California and Chicago, Illinois. After Cullar was arrested, he intimidated or attempted to intimidate a witness while at the Linn County Correctional Center.
Cullar was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Cullar was sentenced to 149 months’ and 28 days’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a 5‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Cullar is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-00009.
Cheyenne Man Acquitted on Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo announced today that ROLAND FRENCH, age 48, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was acquitted on December 17, 2022, by a federal jury for illegal possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun with an obliterated serial number.
French was indicted on May 18, 2022, by a federal grand jury. The trial took place in front of United States District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson and lasted three days.
Case No. 22-CR-00054-ABJ
Business Owner Sentenced for Failing to File Corporate Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – The owner of a land and mineral acquisition company has been sentenced in federal court to five years' probation and restitution of $548,412.00 on his conviction of failing to file corporate tax returns for his company, Deep Rock Mineral Group, Inc., United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Thomas E. Wingard, 39, of Bethel Park, PA.
According to information presented to the court, Wingard pled guilty to One Count of failing to file a corporate tax return for his company, Deep Rock Mineral Group, Inc., for the year 2017.
Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Wingard.
Bellingham, Washington, man arrested and charged federally for crimes related to sexual abuse of childrenRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 27-year-old Bellingham, Washington, man appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle today charged with two federal felonies related to his attempts to sexually assault a child, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Clayton Harker was arrested yesterday when he arrived at a Bellingham hotel believing he was going to sexually assault an 8-year-old girl. The ‘girl’ in this case was fictitious and Harker had been communicating with undercover Homeland Security Investigation agents. Harker is being held at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac pending further hearings.
According to the criminal complaint, Harker came to the attention of law enforcement as they were investigating a different snapchat user who was pressuring young people for explicit images, claiming he wanted to pay them as “models.” Based on the communication between that subject and the person later identified as Harker, law enforcement began investigating his online activity. In November 2022, Harker began communicating with an undercover agent who claimed to have an 8-year-old niece Harker could molest. Harker not only communicated with that undercover agent, he also communicated with another agent who posed as the 8-year-old girl. Harker arrived at the hotel yesterday afternoon allegedly with materials to molest the child and video the assault. Harker was arrested before he even entered the hotel.
Law enforcement continues to investigate Harker’s online activities including allegedly pressuring young girls for sexually explicit photos. Just this week DOJ, the FBI and HSI issued an alert about strangers extorting children for sexual images.
Attempted enticement of a minor is punishable by a mandatory minimum ten years in prison and up to life in prison. Attempted production of child pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force based at the Seattle Police Department. The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office also assisted.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Hampton.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on Anniversary of Pan Am Flight 103 Bombing over Lockerbie, ScotlandRead the Press Release
The Justice Department released the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland:
“Thirty-four years ago today, 270 people, including 190 Americans, were killed in the terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.
“Today, the Department of Justice joins families and communities in the United States and around the world in remembering the lives taken in this horrific attack.
“For over three decades, the victims’ loved ones have endured enormous grief. During that time, American and Scottish law enforcement have worked tirelessly to identify, find, and bring to justice the perpetrators.
“Most recently, as the Department announced on Dec. 12, that work led to the indictment and arrest of a former Libyan intelligence operative for his alleged role in building the bomb used in the attack. He is currently in U.S. custody and facing charges in the United States.
“Yesterday, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and I had the opportunity to meet with Dorothy Bain, the Lord Advocate of Scotland, and thank her for the partnership of Scottish law enforcement in this important step to ensure accountability.
“I am also grateful to the generations of Department professionals who have dedicated themselves to this work. I am particularly grateful to the Deputy Attorney General for her tireless efforts, over many years, to seek justice for the victims and their families and to hold accountable those responsible for this attack.
“Today, all of us at the Justice Department reaffirm that no amount of time or distance will stand in the way of our efforts to honor the victims of the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing and to pursue justice on their behalf.”
Albion Man Sentenced to 144 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Anthony Linn, 29 years old, of Albion, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Linn was sentenced to 144 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, on June 14, 2021, Linn was driving a vehicle that had false and fictitious license plates. When an officer attempted to stop the vehicle, Linn fled from police. While fleeing, Linn threw a gun and a magazine from the vehicle. He was located in a parking lot and threw out a plastic bag containing approximately 31 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Fort Wayne Police Department Gang and Violent Crime Unit. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
20 December 2022
Wolf Point woman admits role in kidnapping, assault of minor girl on Fort Peck Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Wolf Point woman charged in the assault and kidnapping of a minor girl in Wolf Point, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, admitted to her role in the kidnapping, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Elmarie Amelia Weeks, 22, pleaded guilty on Dec. 14 to a superseding information charging her with kidnapping of an individual under 18. Weeks faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and not less than five years to life of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for April 27. Weeks was detained pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that Weeks aided and abetted in the Sept. 15, 2021 kidnapping of a 15-year-old minor girl from her house by a group of individuals. That evening, after drinking alcohol, Weeks accompanied the group of individuals to the victim’s house. Co-defendant Cheri Cruz Granbois offered to pay another co-defendant, Kaylee Jade Jackson, money to “beat up” the victim. As a result, the victim was lured out of the house and the situation escalated. Some individuals in the group assaulted the victim. When eyewitnesses yelled that they were going to call the police, some of the group kidnapped the victim, forcing her into a vehicle and driving away to continue the assault. Weeks helped to seize, confine or abduct the victim. The vehicle took the victim to a vacant field in Wolf Point, where some in the group beat the victim again.
Co-defendant Lavanchie Patricia Goodbird has pleaded guilty in the case and is pending sentencing. Four other co-defendants have pleaded not guilty and are pending trial, including Granbois, Jackson, Dylan Troy Jackson and Patti Jo Annunciata Mail.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy A. Johnson is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Fort Peck Law Enforcement, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and Wolf Point Police Department.
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Wanted Fugitive Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking After Fleeing Scene of Vehicle CrashRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Kevin Robertson, 53, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on January 25, 2022, law enforcement officers were attempting to arrest Kevin Robertson on an outstanding warrant when they saw him leave his Indianapolis residence. Robertson placed a black bag in a blue Ford pickup truck and drove away from his home. The Ford pickup truck was reported stolen earlier that month. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but Robertson sped away. Robertson crashed into another vehicle at the intersection of New York and Denny Streets. The driver of the vehicle was injured and taken to the hospital.
Robertson fled the scene of the crash on foot and was subsequently arrested by officers. Investigators found Robertson’s black bag in the vehicle, which contained 75 grams of pure methamphetamine, a digital scale with drug residue, numerous plastic bags, and a loaded pistol. In his guilty plea, Robertson admitted that he intended to distribute the illegal drugs.
At the time of his arrest, Robertson had a lengthy criminal history, including 6 felony convictions related to dealing methamphetamine, illegally possessing a handgun, and resisting law enforcement officers.
“Armed drug dealers fuel the violence in our communities,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The U.S. Attorneys Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to work diligently to make our streets safer through targeted prosecution of dangerous criminals. The sentence imposed today demonstrates that those who continue to deal deadly drugs and illegally carry deadly weapons will spend significant time in federal prison.”
“Holding the defendant accountable for his violent actions and illegal drug activities should send a clear message to others in the community of the impact of this criminal activity,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “If you choose to pursue a path of criminal activity, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will ensure that you are identified, investigated and removed from society.”
“The Indiana State Police works diligently with its law enforcement partners at all levels to help ensure those who bring illicit and dangerous drugs and guns into our communities are held accountable to fullest extent possible,” said Doug Carter, ISP Superintendent.
The FBI and Indiana State Police investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James P. Hanlon. Judge Hanlon also ordered that Robertson be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Pamela Domash who prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Resolves Civil Claims Against Woonsocket Defense Contractor for Foreign GoodsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – The United States Attorney’s Office has resolved a civil False Claims Act investigation into Hyman Brickle & Son, Inc., a Woonsocket-based Rhode Island textile manufacturing company that supplies products to the U.S. military, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
The investigation focused on allegations that Hyman Brickle sold woolen blankets to the U.S. Department of Defense, despite knowing that the blankets were produced using labor from India, rather than U.S. labor, as federal law requires. Through legislation known as the Berry Amendment, Congress has required that textiles sold to the Department of Defense be produced in the United States, including using United States labor for the production of the textiles. The government alleges that Hyman Brickle’s sale of these nonconforming goods to the Department of Defense violated the False Claims Act.
As part of the False Claims Act settlement, Hyman Brickle will pay $492,236 to the federal government, representing full restitution for the cost of product paid for by the U.S. government and double the damages on the relevant claims.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bethany Wong handled the litigation of this matter. The case was investigated by the U.S. Defensive Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, Major Procurement Fraud Field Office.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Provides Update on Federal Prosecutions and Ongoing Strategies to Combat Violent Crime in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today provided an update on federal prosecutions and strategies to combat violent crime in Chicago and the surrounding area.
“A fundamental duty of our government is to keep people safe, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office is using every available law enforcement tool to do that,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “We are committed to investigating and prosecuting violent offenders and bringing quality, impactful cases to disrupt the cycle of violent crime in Chicago.”
The centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts continues to be Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. PSN is an evidence-based program that focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs to pursue lasting reductions in crime.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago leads the Chicago Firearms Trafficking Strike Force, one of five Department of Justice cross-jurisdictional strike forces designed to disrupt illegal firearms trafficking and reduce gun violence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Illinois and across the country to stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and to identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes. The Chicago strike force’s efforts have been substantially enhanced by the Chicago Police Department’s (CPD’s) Gun Investigations Team.
“Firearms traffickers and straw purchasers enable violence,” said U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch, Jr. “The Chicago Firearms Trafficking Strike Force has strengthened collaboration between our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners and enhanced our longstanding efforts to hold accountable individuals or groups who illegally traffic firearms into Chicago.”
In addition to a sustained focus on prosecutions of federal firearm offenses, the U.S. Attorney’s Office endeavors to disrupt violent crime by seeking pre-trial detention for defendants who pose a danger to the community and pursuing appropriate prison sentences to deter dangerous individuals from continuing to cause violence in their communities.
Following up on activities most recently reported in May of this year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office remains active in fighting violent crime through enforcement actions, prosecutions, and community partnerships, as illustrated by the below examples from the past six months.
Enforcement Actions and Prosecutions
The U.S. Attorney’s Office works closely with U.S. law enforcement agencies, including ATF, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), to investigate and prosecute a variety of violent crimes. State and local partners in this effort include CPD, Illinois State Police (ISP), Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Rockford Police Department (RPD), Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s Office, and other police departments and prosecutors’ offices throughout northern Illinois. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and many of these law enforcement agencies participate in the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Program (OCDETF), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal networks by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
The primary focus of these collaborative law enforcement efforts is to investigate and prosecute gangs and other groups of individuals who work in concert to commit violent crimes, including murders, attempted murders, robberies, carjackings, drug trafficking, and firearms trafficking. In addition, enforcement efforts also identify for potential federal prosecution individual offenders who drive violence.
Firearm and violent crime investigations in Chicago have been bolstered by an important tool from ATF – the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. Federal, state, and local law enforcement in Chicago have used NIBIN to help solve violent crimes and prosecute trigger-pullers and other gun offenders.
Racketeering and Gang-Related Prosecutions
“Combating the unacceptable level of gang violence in Chicago has been and will continue to be a top priority in our office,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch.
- After a two-month trial, a jury convicted the leader of the Wicked Town faction of the Traveling Vice Lords street gang and another member of the gang on racketeering conspiracy and firearm charges. The jury found that gang leader DONALD LEE, of Chicago, committed three murders and supplied the firearms used in three other killings, while TORANCE BENSON, of Chicago, committed a murder and three attempted murders. Lee faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Lee and Benson were among 13 defendants charged as part of a multi-year investigation. The other eleven defendants pleaded guilty prior to trial, with one being sentenced to 50 years in prison. The others are awaiting sentencing. ATF and CPD led the probe, with assistance from the FBI, IRS-CI, ISP, DEA, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and the Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program (HIDTA), which addresses narcotics-related issues by collaborating with law enforcement and treatment and prevention partners.
- PIERRE ROBINSON, of Chicago, was convicted of committing murder in aid of racketeering. Robinson fatally shot a man in a convenience store on the South Side of Chicago to maintain and increase Robinson’s position in the “Evans Mob,” a violent street gang. Robinson faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison. ATF and CPD led the investigation.
- A member of the Four Corner Hustlers street gang was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for engaging in a pattern of racketeering activity that included multiple murders, armed robberies, drug trafficking, and extortion. TREMAYNE THOMPSON, of Chicago, admitted that he fatally shot two victims after receiving instructions from a gang leader. Thompson was one of nine defendants convicted as part of an investigation led by ATF, HSI, and CPD.
Firearms Trafficking Prosecutions
“We are using every available federal law enforcement tool to continue to bring impactful cases that hold firearm traffickers accountable and reduce violent crime in Chicago,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch.
- JAMEL DANZY, of Hammond, Ind., was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for conspiring to “straw purchase” a handgun that was used to fatally shoot Chicago Police Officer Ella French and seriously wound her partner. Danzy bought the gun from a licensed dealer in Indiana on behalf of a convicted felon whom Danzy knew resided in Illinois and was not lawfully allowed to purchase a gun. The handgun was discovered by law enforcement at the scene of the shooting of the two officers. ATF and CPD investigated.
- A Freeport, Ill., woman pleaded guilty to firearm charges for “straw purchasing” multiple guns for a convicted felon whom she knew could not legally purchase the guns. FELICYA KNOX faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. ATF investigated the case, with assistance from the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office and Freeport Police Department.
- ROBERTO PRIETO, of Chicago, was sentenced to ten years in prison for trafficking at least five firearms and illegally possessing guns as a previously convicted felon. ATF investigated.
- SCOTT TREECE, of Rockford, was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for illegally trafficking at least ten firearms from Georgia to Chicago. Because Treece was a felon during this time, he used straw purchasers to purchase the guns, including co-defendant KYLE HALL, of Algonquin, Ill. Hall pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. ATF led the probe.
- A federal indictment charged RICARDO LARREA, of Whiting, Ind., with conspiring to “straw purchase” 27 firearms in Indiana on behalf of a Chicago resident. Larrea falsely certified on federal forms that he was the actual buyer of the guns, knowing that the Chicago resident had identified which firearms he wanted and paid Larrea to buy them. ATF investigated.
- JAVAUGHN A. HIXSON, of Rockford, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for illegally possessing four firearm “switch” devices. The device, also known as a “Glock switch,” is designed to convert a firearm into a machine gun capable of automatically firing more than one shot with a single pull of the trigger. The investigation was conducted by ATF, RPD, and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office.
- Machine gun dealer LEONARD D. JOHNSON, of Robbins, Ill., was sentenced to ten years in prison for unlawfully dealing handguns and “switch” devices in the Chicago area. A court-authorized search of Johnson’s residence turned up 117 “switch” devices and three handguns that had been converted into machine guns, as well as another handgun, a silencer, three extended magazines, and ammunition. ATF led the probe, with assistance from the Lansing, Ill., Police Department and Midlothian, Ill., Police Department.
- ARSHAD ZAYED, of Orland Hills, Ill., was charged with illegally selling 36 firearms, including personally manufactured “ghost guns” and machine guns. Many of the transactions occurred in a car wash that Zayed managed in the Chicago suburb of Matteson, Ill. The investigation was conducted by FBI, ATF, CPD, ISP, and IRS-CI.
- Two Indianapolis men – DEVANTE T. BROWN and COREY SARTIN – were charged with firearm violations for allegedly trafficking ten guns, including four semiautomatic rifles and two “ghost guns,” from Indianapolis to Chicago. The probe was led by ATF and CPD, with assistance from the Dolton, Ill., Police Department.
- Chicago resident ANTHONY PEREZ-FLORES was charged with trafficking more than a dozen guns, including a “ghost gun” and a machine gun, in Chicago. Perez-Flores was on parole for a state firearm conviction when he allegedly sold the guns to an undercover officer. ATF, CPD, and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
Carjacking Prosecutions
“Our message to would-be carjackers is simple: Committing a senseless act of violence like carjacking will earn you a home in federal prison for a long time,” said U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch, Jr. “We are working closely with our law enforcement partners to pursue, prosecute, and detain violent carjackers.”
- MONTE HANDLEY, of Chicago, was charged with stealing a Nissan Sentra in the Archer Heights neighborhood on Chicago’s Southwest Side. A woman and a one-year-old child were passengers in the vehicle at the time of the alleged carjacking. FBI and CPD led the probe, with assistance from ISP.
- Two Chicago men – EDSON RESENDEZ and MAVERICK CELA – were charged with carjacking vehicles in the Chicago suburbs of Morton Grove, Ill., and Skokie, Ill. Resendez allegedly brandished a firearm during the carjackings. The probe was led by FBI, with assistance from the Morton Grove Police Department and Skokie Police Department.
- KEWAN A. TILLMAN, of Calumet City, Ill., was charged with carjacking a vehicle at gunpoint while two children were in the car. ATF investigated, with assistance from the Posen, Ill., Police Department.
- A federal grand jury indicted NOAH RANSOM, of Chicago, on carjacking and firearm charges for allegedly carjacking a rideshare driver at gunpoint in downtown Chicago. FBI led the probe, with assistance from the ISP and CPD.
- Chicago resident ELIAS QUINONES-FIGUEROA was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for stealing a vehicle at gunpoint and striking a bicyclist while fleeing from police. FBI and CPD investigated, with assistance from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
- TRIMANE O. KIMBROUGH, of Chicago, was charged with brandishing a semiautomatic handgun and stealing a Mazda 6 from a victim in Chicago. The investigation was conducted by the FBI-led Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, ISP, and CPD. The Northwestern University Police Department assisted the task force.
- Federal charges allege ALLEN CLAY, of Chicago, brandished a semiautomatic handgun and NARONN CAIN, of Chicago, brandished a semiautomatic rifle when the pair stole a Kia Optima from a victim in Chicago. The investigation was conducted by the FBI-led Violent Crimes Task Force and CPD.
Illegal Possession of Firearms Prosecutions
“Any felon thinking about picking up a gun in Chicago should expect to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and face the possibility of going to federal prison for a long time,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch.
- KEJUAN CARR, of Chicago, was sentenced to more than four years in prison for illegally possessing a loaded handgun in Chicago’s Humboldt Park directly across the street from a children’s playground. Carr was on parole for a recent firearm conviction when he possessed the gun. FBI and CPD investigated, with assistance from IDOC.
- Heroin and fentanyl dealer LONDON GROVER, of Chicago, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for possessing a firearm to protect his drug dealing operation. ATF and CPD investigated. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Gun Crimes Prosecution Team, which works collaboratively with federal and local law enforcement to enhance the prosecution of illegal firearm possession in certain police districts in Chicago.
- Rockford resident THOMAS BROOKS II was sentenced to eight years in prison for illegally possessing a machine gun loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition. ATF and RPD conducted the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora Anderson, a prosecutor with the Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s Office who is working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office under a federal grant to prosecute certain firearm offenses in federal court.
- A Chicago man was charged with firearm and drug offenses for allegedly possessing a loaded handgun, cocaine, and fentanyl on a Chicago Transit Authority train. CPD officers boarded a CTA Green Line train in the city’s downtown Loop neighborhood and arrested TERRELL WEATHERS. FBI and CPD investigated.
- Convicted felon SHAZARIYAH F. HIBBETT, of Rockford, was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for illegally possessing a loaded semiautomatic handgun after a traffic stop in Rockford. ATF and RPD led the probe.
- TYJUAN LIGHTHALL was sentenced to more than five years in prison for illegally possessing a loaded handgun in Chicago and fraudulently obtaining a small business loan under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The gun, which Lighthall unlawfully purchased from an individual in Indiana for $400, was equipped with an extended magazine capable of holding more than fifteen rounds of ammunition. ATF and the Evanston Police Department investigated the case.
- A Grundy County man was sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison for illegally possessing two handguns, three explosives, multiple magazines of ammunition, and drug paraphernalia. During a dispute a day earlier, JOHN FEENEY, of Minooka, Ill., used one of the firearms to shoot at an individual, striking the individual’s vehicle. The case was investigated by ATF and the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office.
- JULIAN ALMANZA, of Chicago, was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for illegally possessing a loaded handgun in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood. Almanza stood in the middle of a street and pointed the gun at multiple individuals during an altercation. ATF and CPD investigated, with assistance from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
- A man who was previously convicted of a 1993 kidnapping and murder was sentenced to nearly six years in prison for illegally possessing a loaded handgun during a traffic stop in Maywood, Ill. DARNELL LUCKETT, of Berwyn, Ill., also possessed ammunition, heroin, marijuana, a digital scale, and counterfeit cash. FBI investigated, with assistance from ISP.
- BRIAN STAFFORD, of Bellwood, Ill., was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for illegally possessing two handguns and three assault rifles and dealing heroin and crack cocaine. The firearms had been stolen from a cargo train in Chicago in 2016. FBI led the probe, with assistance from ATF, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Evergreen Park, Ill., Police Department, and Bolingbrook, Ill., Police Department.
- A man who illegally possessed a semiautomatic handgun in Evanston, Ill., and tried to flee from police was sentenced to nearly eight years in prison. DARIUS MORALES, of Evanston, was a passenger in a Jeep that led police on a high-speed chase through downtown Evanston until it crashed into a fence in the backyard of a residence. DEA led the probe, with assistance from ATF, Evanston Police Department, and Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Other Significant Violent Crime Prosecutions
- A Chicago man was sentenced to nearly eight years in prison for using a machine gun to rob a law enforcement officer during an undercover firearms deal. With the assistance of aerial support, law enforcement after the transaction followed CORTEZ PRICE to a nearby residence and arrested him. ATF and CPD led the probe. U.S. Customs and Border Protection provided the aerial support.
- JOSEPH HAMMOND, of Chicago, was sentenced to nine and a half years in prison for attempting to fire a loaded gun at federal agents and task force officers while holding a toddler. Hammond pulled the trigger, but it misfired. ATF and CPD investigated.
- A federal judge sentenced FLOYD E. BROWN, of Springfield, Ill., to 55 years in prison for killing Special Deputy U.S. Marshal Jacob Keltner. Special Deputy Keltner was fatally wounded in 2019 when members of the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force and other law enforcement officers attempted to execute a warrant for Brown’s arrest at a Rockford hotel. Special Deputy Keltner served as a McHenry County Sheriff’s deputy and was a sworn member of the task force. FBI led the federal investigation, with assistance from ATF, USMS, RPD, McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, Bloomington, Ill., Police Department, Loves Park, Ill., Police Department, Lincoln, Ill., Police Department, Logan County Sheriff’s Office, and ISP.
- TIMOTHY O’DONNELL, of Chicago, was sentenced to nearly three years in prison for setting fire to a CPD vehicle during a period of civil unrest in downtown Chicago in 2020. O’Donnell set the fire while wearing a “Joker” mask that partially covered his face. FBI investigated, with assistance from CPD.
- A Chicago man was charged with shooting a Senior Inspector U.S. Marshal and his K9 partner during the execution of an arrest warrant. The Senior Inspector U.S. Marshal and K9 partner suffered non-life threatening injuries. The case was investigated by FBI and CPD, with assistance from USMS.
Drug Trafficking Prosecutions
The U.S. Attorney’s Office targets traffickers who bring illegal drugs into Illinois from other states or countries, with a focus on organizations or individuals who use guns, violence, and threats of violence to protect and promote their illegal businesses. The U.S. Attorney’s Office works directly with state’s attorney’s offices throughout the district to ensure that individuals trafficking drugs are charged with appropriate offenses in either federal or state court.
Public safety is also being threatened by unprecedented levels of opioid poisoning, misuse, and overdose. Opioids are a class of highly addictive drugs that includes heroin, fentanyl, and prescription painkillers such as oxycodone and hydrocodone. U.S. Attorney Lausch in 2019 created an Opioid Task Force for the purpose of combatting the growing number of unlawful distributions of controlled substances fueling the nation’s opioid crisis. This effort includes prosecuting the leaders of traditional drug trafficking organizations, as well as rogue health care providers and others who contribute to the misuse of opioids.
“We are actively attacking the opioid crisis from all investigative and prosecutorial angles,” said U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch, Jr.
- International drug trafficker LUIS EDUARDO GONZALEZ GARCIA was sentenced to 30 years in prison for partnering with Mexican drug cartels to purchase and transport thousands of kilograms of cocaine to Chicago and other parts of the U.S. DEA led the probe as part of an OCDETF operation.
- A multi-year drug trafficking investigation resulted in charges against ten individuals for allegedly conspiring to distribute at least 35 kilograms of fentanyl-laced heroin and crack cocaine on the West Side of Chicago. Law enforcement during the probe seized more than a kilogram of narcotics, as well as 13 firearms and more than $40,000 in suspected illicit proceeds. FBI, IRS-CI, and CPD conducted the investigation.
- RICHARD A. HUSBAND and WAYNE TOWNSEND, both of Chicago, were charged with selling fentanyl-laced heroin to individuals at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is leading this ongoing investigation.
- A suburban Chicago man was sentenced to seven years in prison for laundering illegal narcotics proceeds on behalf of drug traffickers in Mexico. HUAZHI HAN, of North Riverside, Ill., picked up approximately $1.5 million in drug money from others in the Chicago area, used the cash to purchase and re-sell electronic devices, and then sent the laundered money back to drug traffickers in Mexico. DEA investigated, with assistance from IRS-CI, CPD, HSI, and the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
- ROSEMARY MAYS, an office manager for a Chicago medical practice, was sentenced to a year in prison for using a doctor’s prescription pad to write more than 3,000 fraudulent prescriptions for hydrocodone, oxycodone, and other controlled substances. The case was investigated by DEA, FBI, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
- RAYLOE JACKSON, of Maywood, Ill., was sentenced to more than ten years in prison for working with a Rockford-based narcotics supplier to traffic fentanyl and heroin. The investigation was conducted by a DEA-led task force, which included officers from the Crystal Lake, Ill., Police Department, Belvidere, Ill., Police Department, and Boone County, Ill., Sheriff’s Office. RPD assisted the task force.
- A man who failed to appear in federal court in Chicago before his 2009 drug trial was arrested in Panama and returned to the U.S. COSME CHACON was among four defendants indicted in 2007 for allegedly participating in a drug trafficking organization that transported heroin to Chicago from New York, Florida, and Texas. HSI and IRS-CI investigated the drug case. USMS, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted in Chacon’s return to the U.S.
- A federal jury convicted two suburban Chicago men on conspiracy charges as part of a federal probe that disrupted a Mexico-to-Chicago drug pipeline. SHELDON MORALES, of Morton Grove, Ill., and EDUARDO SANTANA, of Skokie, Ill., conspired with a supplier in Mexico and two inmates in a Texas prison to traffic methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine from Mexico to the Chicago suburbs. DEA and IRS-CI led the probe, with assistance from the Evanston Police Department.
- Suburban Chicago physician ELIZA DIACONESCU was charged with health care fraud for allegedly prescribing opioids to patients without a medical exam and fraudulently billing Medicare for the nonexistent treatment. The case was investigated by DEA, FBI, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
Community Partnerships
The PSN program continues to invest resources in violence-prevention initiatives. The PSN Chicago Task Force, which includes members from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, CPD, ATF, IDOC, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, and academic researchers, is designed to address gun violence in certain neighborhoods in Chicago with the highest violent crime rates through aggressive prosecution of violent offenders. The task force, which in 2018 expanded to include the city of Rockford, strengthens the relationship between the U.S. Attorney’s Office, CPD, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, RPD, and Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The PSN Task Force dedicates federal grant funds to support crime prevention programs that are aligned with law enforcement’s strategy to address gun violence. Currently, PSN grant funds support Camp Hope, a crime prevention program in Rockford for at-risk juveniles who have experienced or witnessed domestic violence; Choose to Change, a program created by Children’s Home & Aid and Youth Advocate Programs in Chicago to engage youth who are heavily impacted by violence and trauma by connecting them with intensive advocate and wraparound support services and trauma-informed therapy; and Readi Chicago’s Reentry Program, a pilot program in Chicago jointly developed by Heartland Alliance and IDOC to provide pre-release and post-release support for individuals returning home from prison.
Members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office have also participated in offender notification meetings and youth outreach forums. These meetings and forums are still being held during the Covid-19 pandemic, including in a virtual environment, to maintain critical outreach to former offenders. Offender notification meetings provide an opportunity for individuals who have been convicted of a state or federal offense to make an informed choice not to engage in further criminal activity.
Researchers at Arizona State University found that youth outreach forums in Chicago have a positive influence on the offenders’ perception of police and help create an understanding that criminal activity results in a higher risk to return to prison. Researchers at Yale University found that ex-offenders who attend an offender notification meeting in Chicago are 30% less likely to commit a new offense than those who did not attend a meeting.
The youth forums assist teenagers to identify a path beyond criminal activity. They are conducted in partnership with CPD, the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, and local social service agencies.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects Nearly $4.7 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 22Read the Press Release
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. - U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe announced Tuesday the Southern District of Illinois has collected $4,699,850.01 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2022. Of this amount, $2,525,112.94 was collected in criminal actions and $2,174,737.07 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Southern District of Illinois worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $1,874,109.81 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $63,747.79 was collected in criminal actions and $1,810,362.02 was collected in civil actions.
“Federal prosecutors and financial litigation staff worked tirelessly throughout the last fiscal year to collect millions of dollars in restitution from individuals charged with fraud and other illegal activities,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “The funds directly support crime victims regain a sense of normalcy and offer assistance to law enforcement officers with their efforts to apprehend criminals.”
Across the nation, the U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss.
While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
The office worked with partner agencies and divisions to also collect $544,705 in asset forfeiture actions. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and a variety of law enforcement purposes.
U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Agreement with Massachusetts Department of Correction to Address Unconstitutional Mental Health Treatment of Incarcerated IndividualsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division have entered into an Agreement with the Massachusetts Department of Correction (DOC) to resolve its investigation into the treatment of incarcerated individuals with acute mental health issues.
The Settlement Agreement resolves the United States’ claim that the DOC engaged in a pattern or practice of constitutional violations under the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
“As prosecutors, we have a duty to enforce criminal laws which can result in sending people to carceral facilities. We also have a duty to ensure that once someone is incarcerated and in the custody and control of a state, local or federal government, that they receive constitutional treatment and adequate mental and physical health care. In the instant case, our investigation found unconstitutional conditions and circumstances where incarcerated people in mental health crisis harmed themselves up to and including suicide,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “We must provide better mental health treatment in our carceral facilities. Statistics show that far too many of the incarcerated population suffers from significant mental health and substance use disorders, among other severe things. Moving forward, we will be working closely with DOC to address and correct the serious issues and violations identified in our November 2020 Notice. This agreement is the product of hard work and collaboration and offers many innovative solutions. Specifically, the creation of a Stabilization Unit, a newly established civilian Support Person position, as well as mandatory out-of-cell mental health contacts. With these innovations, we intend for Massachusetts to become the gold standard in mental health supervision and treatment for incarcerated individuals. DOC could become an example for the nation.”
“Our investigation found that Massachusetts’ prisons subjected incarcerated people in mental health crisis to prolonged periods of restrictive housing conditions, instead of providing them constitutionally adequate mental health care and supervision,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement ensures heightened supervision, increased out-of-cell contact with mental health staff, and intensive mental health care in a new treatment-focused housing unit when needed. These reforms will help ensure people receive the services they need when they are in crisis.”
Under the Agreement, the DOC will improve policies and training related to mental health care for incarcerated individuals. These improvements will ensure that individuals in mental health crisis receive three daily mental health contacts; that support staff interact with them while they are on a mental health watch; and that the DOC develop a new unit to provide more intensive mental health treatment for individuals in mental health crisis who are not improving while on mental health watch. In addition, the DOC will provide better documentation of increasing mental health treatment for incarcerated individuals experiencing prolonged mental health crisis. The DOC’s Mental Health Director will now have a role in determining the cell conditions and privileges for anyone on a mental health watch.
The Agreement also provides for the appointment of an independent monitor, Dr. Reena Kapoor, to ensure compliance with this Agreement. Dr. Kapoor is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. She has previously served on legal monitoring teams that assessed mental health care in prison systems and has published extensively on the intersection between solitary confinement and mental illness. Dr. Kapoor will assess the DOC’s implementation of the Agreement’s requirements; review clinical determinations to ensure adequate mental health treatment for individuals in mental health crisis is being provided; and file public reports on compliance with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and DOJ’s Civil Rights Division on the progress.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and the Civil Rights Division initiated the investigation of the DOC in October 2018 under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, enacted in 1980. This law authorizes the Attorney General to file a lawsuit to address the rights of individuals in institutionalized settings. In November 2020, the Department announced findings that the DOC violated the constitutional rights of incarcerated individuals in mental health crisis. The Department found that the DOC did not adequately supervise incarcerated individuals in mental health crisis, did not provide them adequate mental health care and used prolonged mental health watches under restrictive housing conditions.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Massachusetts and the Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section of the Department of Justice. This matter is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer A. Serafyn, Chief of Rollins’s Civil Rights Unit and Michelle Leung and Gregory Dorchak also with Rollins’s Civil Rights Unit.
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Unit please visit www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.