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20 October 2022
Everton Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Leading Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Everton, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for leading a conspiracy to distribute nearly 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine in southwest Missouri.
Cheyenne W. Conn, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 21 years in federal prison without parole.
On July 22, 2021, Conn pleaded guilty to participating in the drug-trafficking conspiracy from Nov. 22, 2016, to Sept. 26, 2018. Conn also pleaded guilty to participating in a money-laundering conspiracy.
Conn admitted he was responsible for the distribution of approximately 960 pounds of methamphetamine over a period of nearly two years. Approximately 960 pounds of methamphetamine at that time had a conservative wholesale value of more than $3.8 million and a retail value of more than $6.1 million.
During the course of the conspiracy, Conn transported approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine per week by vehicle from California, after it had been smuggled into the United States from Mexico, to the Springfield area. Conn then distributed the methamphetamine to other dealers in the conspiracy.
Conn also admitted that he directed others to send wire transfers of drug-trafficking proceeds from multiple Walmarts and other businesses in the Springfield area to members of the drug trafficking organization in California and Mexico. This was done to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds.
Conn was arrested on Nov. 22, 2016, after two women reported the truck he was driving on Farm Road 124 in Greene County, Mo., was unable to maintain lanes and two men who occupied the truck were throwing needles out of the truck. A Greene County Sheriff’s Department lieutenant attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the truck, but Conn failed to stop. Conn jumped out of the truck onto State Highway F and was taken into custody. Officers searched the truck, which was in the ditch, and found a Lorcin .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol, 4.27 grams of methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia.
On Dec. 22, 2016, officers searched Conn’s residence and found approximately 15 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Conn was also present on Sept. 22, 2017, when law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a business, a shop owned by co-defendant Jeremy A. Ingram, 44, of Springfield. Conn, who was in one of the garage bays, told officers he was at the shop visiting Ingram and working on motorcycles, and identified a white truck parked in the front of the shop as his vehicle. Officers searched the truck, which had been reported stolen, and found a loaded Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol. Officers also seized 300 rounds of 9mm ammunition, numerous rounds of various caliber ammunition, a lock pick set, a loaded Springfield Armory 9mm semi-automatic pistol, and drug paraphernalia from the shop.
Conn was stopped by an Oldham County, Texas, sheriff’s deputy on Dec. 10, 2017, while he was driving a Buick Regal with California license plates. Conn was unable to identify the owner of the vehicle and did not have a driver’s license. Conn had approximately $900 in cash in his pocket, a hypodermic needle, and a baggie that contained approximately 6.27 grams of methamphetamine. The deputy searched the car and found an SD 9mm pistol magazine hidden in the left rear quarter panel behind the carpet. He also found a black bag that contained $29,217 in cash.
Conn is among 12 defendants who have been sentenced in this case. Ginger L. Huerta, also known as Ginger L. Gray, 42, of Halfway, Mo., was sentenced on Oct. 17, 2022, to 11 years in federal prison without parole. Lloyd R. Bradley, 45, of Fordland, Mo., was sentenced on May 10, 2022, to four years and six months in federal prison without parole. Tresha R. Ahart, 33, of Springfield, was sentenced on Jan. 4, 2022, to nine years in federal prison without parole. Larry E Stapp, 43, of Springfield, was sentenced on Nov. 9, 2021, to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Shelby R. Maupin, 34, of Ozark, Mo., was sentenced on Sept. 16, 2021, to eight years and nine months in federal prison without parole. Summerlee M. Barnett, also known as Summerlee M. Lacount, 36, of Salem, Mo., was sentenced on Sept. 16, 2021, to six years and eight months in federal prison without parole. Cassidy R. Clayton, 27, of Springfield, was sentenced on Sept. 8, 2021, to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Jeremy A. Ingram, 44, Laurie B. Holmes, 40, and Lonnie J. Tinker, 37, all of Springfield, were sentenced on Aug. 5, 2021. Ingram was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Holmes was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Tinker was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Chandler B. Roberts, 23, address unknown, was sentenced on Aug. 29, 2022, to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
Four defendants have pleaded guilty in this case and await sentencing: Michael R. Housley, 30, and Megan L McNary, 27, both of Springfield; Johnathon W. Arnold, 41, of Everton; and Samuel C. Gonzalez, Jr., 29, of Bakersfield, California.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Dade County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Department, and the Oldham County, Texas, Sheriff’s Department.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case 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.
Erie Man Pleads Guilty in Conspiracy to Distribute MethRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal drug laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
David Anthony Madden, 36, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Madden conspired with two co-defendants to possess with intent to distribute five hundred grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for February 9, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $5,000,000, 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Madden.
Engineer sentenced to federal prison after admitting conspiracy to steal aircraft design secretsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A South Carolina man who led a conspiracy to steal trade secrets from aircraft companies has been sentenced to nearly seven years in prison.
Gilbert Basaldua, 63, of Hilton Head, S.C., was sentenced to 80 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets and Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. also ordered Basaldua to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Theft is theft, whether it’s a bag full of cash or a digital file holding specialized design information – and Gilbert Basaldua and his co-conspirators are thieves,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “This sentence will hold him accountable for attempting to enrich himself by stealing valuable information from a private company.”
As spelled out in court documents and testimony, Basaldua worked as a numerical control engineer contractor for an aircraft manufacturer in the Southern District from October 2016 through November 2018. During that time, Basaldua conspired with his co-conspirators to steal valuable proprietary aircraft wing designs and anti-icing testing information from various aircraft manufacturers, including the company where Basaldua worked. The conspirators intended to use the stolen information to quicken the process of obtaining Federal Aviation Administration certification for another company’s product.
Basaldua was on trial on the charges in September 2021 when he pled guilty during the second day of testimony.
“Basaldua and his co-conspirators betrayed the trust placed in them by their employers for outright greed,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will continue to work with our partners to stop people who are out to illegally enrich themselves.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer G. Solari.
Eau Claire Man Charged with Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – An Eau Claire, Wisconsin man is charged with wire fraud, identity theft, and money laundering in a 25-count indictment returned on October 12, 2022, by a federal grand jury sitting in Madison, Wisconsin. The indictment is announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
Robert Carter, 43, made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Madison yesterday and was detained in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for 3:30 p.m. today.
The indictment charges Carter with 17 counts of wire fraud, 2 counts of identity theft, and 6 counts of money laundering. The indictment alleges from April 2016 to January 2021, Carter engaged in a scheme to defraud financial institutions and other businesses. The indictment alleges that Carter obtained credit cards and loans from financial institutions by providing false information on applications, including listing false employment, false income, false ownership of real estate, false length of time of ownership and residence at his home, and using the identity of another person.
The indictment further alleges that Carter made false statements, material omissions, and provided false documents to various business owners and investors to obtain a business’s identification and proprietary information and use this confidential data to apply for loans without the permission or knowledge of the actual business owners. The indictment alleges that the amount of proceeds Carter obtained as a result of the fraud scheme totals $511,177.
If convicted, Carter faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud and money laundering charge. The identity theft charges each carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 2 years and federal law requires that any sentence on these charges be served consecutive to any other prison time imposed.
The charges against Carter are the result of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Trustee’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Graber is handling the prosecution.
You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Dubois Woman Distributed Meth to UsersRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Dubois, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to violation of federal narcotics laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Cindy Chung announced today.
Megan Pyne, age 28, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possesses with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand. Pyne was one of 47 defendants charged in six related indictments as part of the Return to Sender investigation.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Pyne was a methamphetamine distributor who obtained between 350 grams and 500 grams of methamphetamine as part of a large-scale methamphetamine distribution conspiracy and redistributed it to methamphetamine users.
Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for Pyne on Feb. 27, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a sentence of not less than five years to a maximum of forty years in prison, a fine not to exceed $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The court ordered that the defendant remain on bond pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion
Borough Police Department.This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Drug Trafficker Sentenced for Possessing Enough Fentanyl to Kill MillionsRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – An Idaho man was sentenced today to 135 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.
According to court documents, from at least November 2021 through February 2022, Joel A. Duran, 53, transported massive quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine from California to several locations in the United States, including Massachusetts, North Carolina, Florida, and the Hampton Roads region in Virginia. Over three cross-county trips, Duran possessed 27.9 kilograms of fentanyl— enough to potentially cause the fatal overdose of 14 million people— and 192 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney; Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Comstock and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Stolle 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-48.
Doctor Pays $720,000 and Agrees to 15 Year Exclusion from Federal Health Care Programs for Violating the False Claims ActRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Mangesh Kanvinde, M.D., of Batavia, Ohio, has paid $720,000 and agreed to be excluded from Federal Health Care Programs for fifteen years for his role in a scheme to order unnecessary durable medical equipment and genetic tests. The DME he ordered included commonly used braces for knees, ankles, shoulders, and the back and neck. The genetic tests he ordered included testing for the inherited genetic variants that are associated with a high to moderate increased risk of cancer. As part of the civil settlement with the United States, Dr. Kanvinde also agreed to make additional payments contingent upon his income over the next five years.
The United States alleged that, between December 5, 2016, through June 20, 2019, Dr. Kanvinde violated the False Claims Act by knowingly conspiring to submit and causing the submission of false claims to Medicare. The United States alleged that Dr. Kanvinde had improper financial arrangements with temporary physician staffing agencies and telehealth companies to furnish DME and genetic testing items and services and that he received illegal kickbacks in exchange for ordering medically unnecessary DME and genetic tests and services. The United States further alleged that Dr. Kanvinde had no physician-patient relationship with the Medicare beneficiaries, often did not speak with the beneficiaries, and knew his prescribed goods and services were not medically necessary.
“We will continue to vigorously pursue medical providers who violate federal law by engaging in illicit schemes which include the filing of false claims seeking Medicare reimbursement,” said Michael A. Bennett, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. “I commend the HHS-OIG and AUSAs Malloy and Weyand for their outstanding effort in this matter.”
“Physicians who use their position of trust in schemes to submit false claims to Medicare for their own financial gain undermine the integrity of taxpayer-funded federal health care programs and the public’s trust in the health care profession,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our agency is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that bad actors are held accountable for their actions.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. C. Malloy and A. Matthew Weyand handled the matter.
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District Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Attacks on Residents of Apartment BuildingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Corey Keelin Bridges, 28, of Washington, D.C., has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a pair of attacks on residents of an apartment building in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Bridges pleaded guilty on Oct.19, 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count each of attempted assault with a dangerous weapon, simple assault, and lewd, indecent, or obscene acts. Bridges will be sentenced on Jan. 6, 2023, by the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz. In addition to facing a prison term, Bridges will be required to register as a sex offender for 10 years.
According to the government’s evidence, Bridges assaulted residents of an apartment building in the 1400 block of E Street NE, on separate occasions. On May 4, 2022, at approximately 5 p.m., Bridges accosted a minor in the hallway of the building. He tried to pull down the minor victim’s sweatpants and pulled down his own shorts, exposing himself. The minor victim escaped into her apartment. On June 4, 2022, at about 4 p.m., he knocked on the door of an apartment in the same building and, when the resident opened the door, Bridges held a knife and a screwdriver to the victim’s stomach. The victim managed to avoid injury.
Bridges was arrested on June 4, 2022, and he remains in custody.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the cases at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Christina Bloodworth, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlos A. Valdivia, Jared English, and Crystal Gaines, who investigated and prosecuted the matters.
Defendant Sentenced for the First Degree Murder of a Man on a BicycleRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man was sentenced Thursday for shooting and killing a bicyclist in order to impress members of a street gang, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Chief U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Devon Blevins, 29, of Tulsa, to life in federal prison.
“Devon Blevins took the life of Maurice Burgess in an effort to gain membership into a street gang,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Today’s life sentence reflects this defendant’s callous disregard for life and reaffirms the resolve of prosecutors and law enforcement to hold violent criminals accountable for their actions.”
“Thanks to a determined investigation by the FBI and our law enforcement partners, this senseless act of violence will not go unpunished,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “We hope today’s sentence provides some solace to the family of Maurice Burgess, and reminds the public of our commitment to eliminating the threat of gang violence.”
On Sept. 22, 2021, a federal jury found Blevins guilty of first-degree murder in Indian Country and causing death by using and discharging a firearm during the commission of first degree murder.
Blevin’s codefendant, Jacob Bruce Banks, 22, was the driver of the car, and on Sept. 17, 2021, he pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to first degree murder in Indian Country. The two defendants were involved with the Savage Boys street gang and did not know the victim.
On April 12, 2021, just after 8 pm, officers were notified of a shooting that occurred in the parking lot of the Waterstone Apartments near South Peoria Avenue. Officers discovered the victim, Maurice Burgess, on the ground near a bicycle with apparent gunshot wounds. No weapon was found on or near the victim.
Several witnesses stated that shortly after the shooting, they observed a red 4-door Nissan Altima depart from the parking lot and head toward 61st Street and South Peoria Avenue. Detectives reviewed surveillance footage from the area and observed a red Nissan Altima with distinct damage on the front passenger-side bumper. Surveillance video also showed the car trailing the victim, the victim falling from his bicycle, and a figure positioned in the car’s window.
Later, on April 17, 2021, a Tulsa police officer received information regarding the discharge of a firearm in public. During his investigation, the officer conducted a traffic stop on a red Nissan Altima after it failed to stop at a stop sign. As the officer approached the vehicle, he observed a rifle in the passenger seat of the vehicle and codefendant Jacob Banks in the driver’s seat. The officer then arrested Banks for possessing a deadly weapon and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Detectives requested the officer examine the damage to the car, and it was determined to be consistent with the damage observed on the car seen in video surveillance from April 12, 2021, when Mr. Burgess was killed.
Codefendant Banks testified in court that on the day of the crime, both men were armed. Blevins told him there was a silver vehicle following people and directed Banks to drive in the area to look for the silver vehicle. Instead, the defendants saw an African American male on a bicycle ahead of them closest to the driver’s side of the car. Banks stated that Blevins propped himself up, sitting on the ledge of an open front passenger window, and fired multiple times across the hood of the vehicle hitting the man. Banks quickly drove away from the scene.
In an April 20, 2021, interview with police, Blevins admitted he was responsible for the shooting but stated that the man on the bicycle had reached for his waist area, and Blevins thought he may have been reaching for a handgun. Blevins stated that he positioned himself on the car’s open window ledge then shot the victim twice. During the interview, he also told detectives that he recently joined the Savage Boys and that during the shooting he “didn’t want these guys thinking my loyalty wasn’t with them.” He said he wanted the shooting to “look good” so that Banks would give him the “okay” to be admitted into the gang. Blevins chose not to testify at trial.
During closing arguments, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Heatherman, lead prosecutor in the case, called it a senseless murder caught on surveillance tape. He and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Harder recounted the evidence offered at trial and contended that Blevins committed a murder to show his loyalty to the Savage Boys.
The prosecutors argued that Blevins was looking for trouble that day. They explained that as the victim rode his bicycle in the parking lot ahead of the Nissan, the defendant pulled himself halfway out of the window- taking a tactical position, switched off the American Heritage six shooter’s safety, pulled the hammer back, laid his elbows across the car to steady his aim, and shot the victim, striking him in the throat. He pulled the hammer back again and shot the victim a second time. He pulled the trigger a third time, but the revolver misfired. He then fled the scene with Banks and disposed of the weapon. They reminded the jury that these are not the actions of an individual who acted in self defense.
The jury returned guilty verdicts two hours later.
The Tulsa Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan H. Heatherman and Michael F. Harder prosecuted the case.
Cumberland Man Indicted, Arraigned on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Cumberland man indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of distribution and possession of child pornography turned himself in to the United States Marshal Service today and was arraigned in U.S. District Court, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Robert Aprea, 58, was charged by way of an indictment on October 12, 2022, with four counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The indictment was unsealed today at Aprea’s arraignment in U.S. District Court. He was released on unsecured bond.
It is alleged that in January 2022, Aprea participated in an online chatroom where, on three different dates, he allegedly uploaded multiple images of child pornography. Aprea’s alleged activity on the social media platform was brought to the attention of the Cumberland Police Department by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, who, in turn, brought it to the attention of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
On March 3, 2022, members of ICAC Task Force executed a court-authorized search of Aprea’s residence and of his digital devices, and allegedly discovered over 3,000 images depicting child pornography, including images of prepubescent minors.
A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton.
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Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Auburn man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Worcester to a child pornography charge.
Christopher Rondeau, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for March 8, 2023. Rondeau was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in November 2020 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2020. He has remained in federal custody since his arrest.
During a search of Rondeau’s residence in November 2020, a cell phone was found containing images and videos of child pornography. In 2016, Rondeau was convicted of receipt of child pornography and sentenced to 68 months in prison and seven years of supervised release. He was released from federal custody in August 2019 and was on supervised release at the time of his November arrest.
Due to Rondeau’s prior conviction, the charging statute provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Auburn Police Chief Todd. R. Lemon; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial Bennett of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Convicted Felon Going Back to Prison on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jose F. Ramos, 36, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and violation of supervised release, was sentenced to serve 40 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Moynihan, who handled the case, stated that Ramos was arrested on June 20, 2021, after employees at the McDonald’s Restaurant on Upper Falls Boulevard in Rochester, reported a drive-thru patron displaying a handgun and threatening to shoot an employee. Officers determined Ramos was riding in the vehicle but departed the location by the time police officers arrived. While reviewing video surveillance, officers observed Ramos grabbing at his waist-band area after he exited the passenger side of the vehicle, approach the drive-thru window and throw a drink tray through the window. Ramos was arrested nearby on North Clinton Avenue. Officers found a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun on the floor of the passenger seat.
In June 2010, Ramos was convicted in Federal Court for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy and sentenced to serve 132 months in prison. At the time of his latest arrest, Ramos was serving a term of supervised release and was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
The matter was brought by the United States Attorney’s Office as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.The sentencing was the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito, New York Field Division.
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Convicted Felon Awaiting Trial Charged with Trafficking Fentanyl, Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A North Providence man currently on bail while awaiting trial in Rhode Island state court on drug trafficking charges, and who is also currently on probation in four separate state court cases, has been ordered detained in federal custody as the result of an unrelated FBI Safe Street Task Force and Providence Police Narcotics Unit Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation into his alleged dealing of fentanyl powder and fentanyl pills, as well as for allegedly being in the unlawful possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
It is alleged in court documents that on at least seven occasions between June 9 and October 6, 2022, Keurys Pena, 33, sold an individual fentanyl pills and fentanyl powder in quantities that ranged from 1.66 grams to 238.5 grams; and on September 8, 2022, he allegedly sold the same individual a 9mm handgun. It is alleged that, in total, Pena sold the individual 909.4 grams of narcotics for $14,770.
On Tuesday, FBI agents and Providence Police detectives executed court-authorized searches of Pena’s residence and a drug stash house that he allegedly operated in Pawtucket. From the stash house, law enforcement seized over 500 grams of fentanyl in pill and powder form; cutting agents; scales, sifters, and other packaging materials; and parts to a pill press used to make counterfeit narcotics containing fentanyl. Ammunition, an unsecured firearm, and a pill press were allegedly seized from Pena’s residence.
Pena is charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Stacey P. Veroni.
According to court records, Pena has been convicted multiple times in state courts on drug trafficking charges. Additionally, he has been convicted on firearm, assault, domestic assault, forgery, breaking and entering, and assault/escape of an inmate charges.
United States Attorney Cunha, the FBI, and the Providence Police Department thank the North Providence Police Department and the Pawtucket Police Department for their assistance on Tuesday during the execution of the search warrants.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Columbus man pleads guilty to making and selling ‘ghost guns’Read the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A local man pleaded guilty in federal court today to making and selling “ghost guns,” untraceable homemade weapons made in whole or in part with a 3D printer.
Court documents detail that Thomas Develin, 25, of Columbus, also made antisemitic and violent statements online while employed to provide security services at local synagogues and Jewish schools.
Develin admitted in his plea agreement that he created ghost guns to sell for profit. He also made and possessed homemade conversion devices to convert semi-automatic AR-15 rifles and Glock-type pistols into fully automatic machine guns. Develin admitted that he made and sold firearms that he knew were illegal.
Develin advertised online that he possessed and was selling 3D-printed sears, which are devices designed to convert semiautomatic AR-type rifles into fully automatic rifles. Devices that are intended to convert semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic firearms are considered “machineguns” under federal law. Other messages on Develin’s phone stated that he had manufactured a two-handed firearm with an overall length under 26 inches, which is illegal.
On March 31, the day Develin was arrested, agents discovered in his vehicle: night vision goggles, ballistic plates, a ballistic helmet, first aid equipment and a large quantity of ammunition including several loaded magazines.
Agents discovered more than 25 firearms in Develin’s residence and vehicle while executing search warrants in March and April 2022. They also discovered two IED manuals.
Develin admitted in his plea agreement that in late March 2022, he knew law enforcement may be coming for him so he went to the property surrounding the cabin of a person he knew to hide and burn illegal firearms parts. In text messages with another person, Develin also discussed hiding and destroying incriminating evidence. Develin admitted he took these acts with the intent to obstruct the investigation.
The defendant has been charged in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas with various crimes, including making terroristic threats. Those charges remain pending.
Illegally making firearms and unlawfully engaging in the business of manufacturing and dealing machine guns are federal crimes punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Manufacturing and dealing any firearms without a license are punishable by up to five years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. The law enforcement agencies were assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Jessica W. Knight are representing the United States in this case.
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Colombian Attorney Sentenced for Obstruction of Justice in Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Colombian lawyer has been sentenced for federal obstruction violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Maritza Claudia Fernanda Lorza Ramirez, 49, was convicted on June 10, 2022, of obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting. Ramirez was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan.
A peace agreement signed in 2016 between the Colombian government and members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) ended a conflict between the two, and guaranteed members of the FARC that they would not be extradited for crimes committed before December 1, 2016, in furtherance of the insurgency.
According to information presented in court, beginning in 2016, Ramirez, a Colombian attorney, informed at least seven defendants indicted in the Eastern District of Texas and multiple defendants indicted in the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, that she could help them avoid extradition to the United States and that she could corruptly assist them in adding their names to the list of FARC members to avoid extradition to the United States. As a result, on-going criminal investigations were affected as these defendants would not cooperate with investigators or prosecutors. In exchange, Ramirez was paid in excess of $3 million USD by the large-scale Colombian drug traffickers. Ramirez was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas on May 10, 2018.
“Ramirez offered services to Colombian drug traffickers, who were not members of the FARC, promising them they could be fraudulently placed on the FARC list and avoid extradition to and prosecution in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “Not only did Ramirez’s actions pervert the rule of law and the peace process in Colombia, but they also hindered ongoing investigations which facilitated the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. by protecting dangerous drug traffickers. The investigators and prosecutors in this case did an amazing job coordinating with our Colombian partners. We applaud the effort by agents of the DEA and our Colombian partners to bring Ramirez to justice.”
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (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.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Offices from the Dallas Field Division, Miami Field Division, and the Bogota Country Office. This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Texas with special assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida.
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Chester County Serial Child Predator who Produced and Collected Images of Child Abuse Sentenced to 100 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Robert Dean Caesar, 60, of Oxford, PA, was sentenced to 100 years in prison and lifetime supervised release United States District Court Judge Gerald Pappert for multiple child exploitation offenses including producing, transmitting, and collecting child pornography.
In April 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to those child pornography charges detailed in a 2018 Indictment. According to court documents, beginning in 2017, the defendant hired two teenage brothers, then ages 14 and 15, from the Pennsylvania Dutch (or Amish) to perform yard work and other odd jobs at Caesar’s residence in Chester County. During this time, the defendant sexually abused both boys on numerous occasions, and also used a cell phone to take sexually explicit photos of one of them. After the boys disclosed the abuse, a search warrant executed at the defendant’s residence revealed a massive collection of child pornography, amounting to tens of thousands of images and videos, as well as the sexually explicit images he produced of his minor victim during the abuse. The investigation further revealed that Caesar had been assaulting young boys for decades, dating back to the 1980’s.
“This defendant committed unspeakable, horrific acts, abusing unknown numbers of children until he got to these two victims, these brothers, and destroyed their entire lives,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “And for that he will now spend the rest of his life behind bars. It is our duty to protect the most vulnerable members of society, and together with our law enforcement partners we will continue to uphold that duty by bringing to justice anybody who preys upon minor children.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erica Kivitz and Kelly Harrell.
Career Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced in Multi-State Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Vermont man with two prior federal convictions for drug conspiracy was sentenced on Oct. 18, 2022 for his role in a drug trafficking organization.
Juan Ramos, 45, of Wardsboro, Vt., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to eight years in prison and six years of supervised release. On April 8, 2022, Ramos pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
From 2015 through 2016, Ramos distributed more than 300 grams of cocaine in Massachusetts and various customers in Vermont. Ramos had obtained the cocaine from co-conspirator David Cruz, whom he had met while serving a five-year prison sentence in Hampden County for cocaine trafficking.
Ramos has two prior federal convictions for cocaine distribution conspiracy. In 2002, Ramos was convicted in the District of Vermont and was sentenced to nine years in prison. In 2010, Ramos was convicted in the Southern District of New York and was sentenced to five years in prison.
Cruz previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Westfield Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police and the Vermont State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Catherine Curley, Neil L. Desroches and Steven H. Breslow of Rollins’ Springfield Office 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.
Canterbury Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing Machineguns and Other FirearmsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANDRES VASQUEZ, 35, of Canterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. Circuit Judge Sarah A.L. Merriam in Bridgeport to nine months of imprisonment, followed by 18 months of supervised release, for illegally possessing machineguns and other firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 28, 2020, federal agents executed a search warrant at an apartment in New Britain and seized drugs, drug paraphernalia, a 9mm handgun, and ammunition. Analysis of the seized handgun and a review of firearm records revealed that the handgun was registered to Vasquez and had not been reported stolen, and that Vasquez had several other firearms registered to him.
On June 5, 2020, a search of Vasquez’s Canterbury residence revealed five semi-automatic rifles, three handguns, two machineguns bearing no serial numbers, additional un-serialized firearms, firearm parts, ammunition, and drug paraphernalia. When interviewed by investigators, Vasquez admitted that, in addition to purchasing firearms, he built machineguns and other firearms. After searching the residence, investigators determined that four other firearms registered to Vasquez were missing.
Vasquez was a heroin user when he was in possession of the firearms. The firearm seized on April 28, 2020, was found in an apartment connected to Vasquez’s heroin dealer, and another firearm registered to Vasquez was found on January 1, 2022, in the possession of a Hartford man who is charged with federal firearm possession and crack cocaine distribution offenses. Three of Vasquez’s registered firearms have not been recovered.
Vasquez was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on December 14, 2020. On July 20, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of firearms by a user of a controlled substance.
Vasquez, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on January 5.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Connecticut State Police, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel M. Krull through 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. In May 2021, the Justice 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.
Canadian Man Sentenced to 14½ Years in Federal Prison for Leading Drug Trafficking Ring that Exported Truckloads of NarcoticsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Canadian man was sentenced today to 174 months in federal prison for leading a drug-trafficking organization that intended to ship hundreds of pounds of cocaine and heroin from Southern California into Canada – and import MDMA (ecstasy) into the United States – using big-rig trucks and encrypted telephones to achieve their aims.
Vincent Yen Tek Chiu, 44, of Vancouver, Canada, was sentenced by United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt.
A federal jury found Chiu guilty in March of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, one count of conspiracy to export controlled substances, one count of distribution of cocaine, one count of distribution of heroin, and one count of distribution of MDMA.
Chiu – the lead defendant in this criminal case, who was known by a number of monikers including “El Chino,” “Tiger,” “TigerOfMexico,” “TigerOfSweden” and “ControllerCard” – and other members of the drug trafficking organization obtained multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, and sometimes heroin, in Los Angeles and passed the narcotics to couriers who intended to transport them to Canada for further distribution. Big-rig trucks were used in attempts to export some of the cocaine into Canada.
Chiu arranged the purchase of bulk quantities of cocaine in the United States for importation into Canada in exchange for cash or bulk quantities of MDMA. Chiu also arranged for the transportation of MDMA from Canada into the United States in exchange for cocaine. Chiu and his co-conspirators used modified cellular devices with military-grade, end-to-end encryption to talk to each other about the drug buys and transportation of narcotics.
At today’s sentencing hearing, the court determined that Chiu was involved in distributing 77 kilograms (169.7 pounds) of cocaine, 8 kilograms of heroin, and 24 kilograms of MDMA, which prosecutors presented evidence at trial had a wholesale value of more than $3 million.
Federal agents intercepted several of the drug deliveries in 2018 and 2019. Law enforcement seized more than $800,000 in Canadian currency during this investigation.
“[Chiu] controlled every aspect of his lucrative and high-volume business: setting up the wholesale drug purchases and dictating the terms and price; managing the financials, including sending invoices for the product and orchestrating the money dropoffs; directing others to conduct quality testing of the product to ensure that it was ‘high heat,’ which was the type of cocaine he demanded; and arranging long-haul semi-trucks to transport the drug loads across the United States and into Canada,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum.
Other members of this drug trafficking conspiracy have received prison sentences, including Anthony Louis Lam, 37, of Vancouver, Canada, who is now serving four years in federal prison; Henry Liu, 33, of Rosemead, who is serving a 10-year prison sentence; Christian Raul Gastelum-Sanchez, 27, of Los Angeles, who is now serving five years in federal prison; Raul Arturo Gastelum-Benitez, 54, of Los Angeles, who is now serving four years in federal prison; and Khonsavanh Vorachack, 62, of Sacramento, California, who now serving three years in federal prison. Each defendant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigated this matter. Critical support was provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the California Highway Patrol, and the West Covina Police Department.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (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.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brittney M. Harris and MiRi Song of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section prosecuted this case.
California Woman Pleads Guilty to Drug and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Stockton, California, pleaded guilty in federal court to violation of federal narcotics and money laundering laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Cindy Chung announced today.
Lisandra Maldonado, age 32, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possesses with intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana as well as one count of conspiracy to launder money before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand. Maldonado was one of 47 defendants charged in six related indictments as part of the Return to Sender investigation.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Maldonado conspired with her husband, Christian, and others to launder drug proceeds obtained from the distribution of methamphetamine and marijuana that was shipped from California, Oregon, and Nevada to the Western District of Pennsylvania as part of a large-scale conspiracy.
Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for Maldonado on Feb. 21, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. The law provides for a sentence of no more than 20 years in prison, a fine not to exceed $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The court ordered that the defendant remain on bond pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion
Borough Police Department.This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Brandon Man Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Eric Grenier, 40, of Brandon, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Burlington following his guilty plea to a charge that he possessed firearms as a convicted felon. U.S. District Court Judge Christina Reiss sentenced Grenier to 24 months of imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Grenier has been in custody since his arrest in August 2021.
According to court records, on August 13, 2021, state and federal law enforcement authorities executed a state court search warrant at Grenier’s home in Brandon. An officer with the Brandon Police Department obtained the warrant to look for and seize a handgun which Grenier allegedly displayed during an altercation with a neighbor in July. During the search, agents seized two rifles and two pistols, as well as assorted ammunition, from Grenier’s locked bedroom. Grenier is prohibited by federal law from possessing any firearms because he has three felony convictions in Vermont for burglary and cultivating marijuana.
The case was investigated by the Brandon Police Department and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Grenier is represented by William Vasiliou II, Esq. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn
Braintree Man Sentenced for Role in Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy and Ammunition OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Braintree man was sentenced yesterday for trafficking cocaine and illegally possessing ammunition.
Martin Angomas, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to four years in prison and three years of supervised release. On June 16, 2022, Angomas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and to possessing ammunition as a convicted felon.
Angomas was charged with 23 others in June 2020 as part of Operation Snowfall – a multi-year investigation into drug trafficking activities by a drug trafficking organization (DTO) comprised of Boston-based street gang members and associates. According to the charging documents, beginning in November 2018, law enforcement investigated drug trafficking activities gang members and associates in the Commonwealth Development in Brighton, formerly known as Fidelis Way, a multi-apartment public housing development. It is alleged that the defendants, through their drug trafficking activities, assumed control over multiple apartments, where they stored, cooked, packaged and sold drugs. As a result, their activities caused a blight of the development and reduced the quality of life of the other residents.
The investigation identified Angomas as a drug distributor and supplier. During intercepted communications between Angomas and co-defendant Hassan Monroe, a wholesale supplier and distributor within the DTO, Angomas coordinated providing Monroe with cocaine to be given to Kenji Drayton, one of the DTO’s principal suppliers and distributors. Angomas and Monroe were later observed meeting at an agreed-upon location, getting into a vehicle and driving to meet Drayton for the deal. They then left in separate vehicles.
During a search of Angomas’ residence in June 2020, ammunition, cocaine base (crack cocaine), two loaded firearms and over $360,000 were recovered. At the time of the offense, Angomas had a prior conviction punishable by a more than one year in prison.
Angomas is the 12th defendant to be sentenced in the case. The remaining defendants are either pending sentencing or have pleaded not guilty and are pending trial. One defendant, Derek Hart, remains at large. On Sept. 28, 2022, Drayton was sentenced to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. On July 28, 2022, Monroe was sentenced to six years in prison and four years of supervised release.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Brian Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistance in the investigation was provided by the Braintree, Cambridge, Canton, Randolph and Weymouth Police Departments; the Suffolk, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorneys’ Offices; and the Suffolk, Plymouth and Norfolk County Sheriffs’ Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell and Timothy E. Moran Chief of the Organized Crime & Gang 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.
Athens, Georgia, Grandmother Convicted of Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. –– An Athens resident was convicted by a federal jury of trafficking methamphetamine resulting from an investigation and subsequent arrest during which she and a co-defendant attempted to flee law enforcement with her two-year-old grandchild in the car.
Kimberly Garcia, 52, of Athens, Georgia, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of methamphetamine on Oct. 19, concluding a trial that began on Oct. 17 before U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal. She faces a maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment and a $5,000,000 fine. A co-defendant, Corey Gresham, 38, of Athens, previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine. Sentencings for both defendants will be scheduled at a date determined by the Court.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, information provided by a confidential source (CS) sparked a local law enforcement investigation into the drug distribution activities of Garcia in June 2020. The CS told law enforcement that Garcia often sold methamphetamine with her grandchildren in the car at the Airport Mini Mart in Athens. Under surveillance, Garcia and Gresham drove together to a Lawrenceville (Gwinnett County), Georgia, apartment complex on July 6, 2020. Garcia was observed entering the apartment of a known methamphetamine supplier along with a person associated with the Sureños criminal street gang and exiting with a bag. On their return trip to Athens, deputies with the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle, driven by Gresham. Gresham evaded law enforcement by speeding and running red lights. Gresham then slowed the car down at Fairfield Circle, Athens, and bolted from the car as it continued to move forward. Garcia moved to the driver’s side and stopped the car before it crashed into a telephone pole. Gresham, who had outstanding arrest warrants at the time, ran inside a family member’s nearby home but was taken into custody. Garcia remained in the car with her two-year-old grandchild in the backseat. Officers recovered 37.94 grams of methamphetamine and drug distribution supplies including baggies and a spoon during a search of the vehicle and the area where Garcia attempted to flee law enforcement. A search of Garcia’s cell phone found many communications about trafficking methamphetamine with Gresham and others.
The case was investigated by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, Oconee County Sheriff’s Office and DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Jarrett is prosecuting the case.
Armed Robbery Crew Posing as DEA Agents Charged in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—An indictment was unsealed in federal court today charging six Texas men for conspiring with one another to travel from Texas to Southern Oregon to commit an armed robbery of marijuana while disguised as agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Nevin Cuevas Morales, 21, Michael Ray Acuna, 20, Jose Manuel Lopez, 22, Alan Jaasiel Lopez, 19, Jordan Allen Gammage, 19, and Juan Carlos Conchas, 20, all of San Antonio, Texas, have been charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, in the afternoon of March 12, 2022, local law enforcement officers were dispatched to a rural address in Josephine County, Oregon after receiving reports of a possible armed robbery in progress. Minutes later, officers arrived on scene to find a residence with a closed driveway gate and two empty vehicles running in the driveway with all their doors open. The officers observed multiple individuals running toward the back of the property. Victims found in the residence told the officers that multiple armed individuals dressed in DEA attire and wearing body armor arrived at the property and restrained several of the victims with zip ties and duct tape.
The officers quickly cleared the residence and outbuildings and proceeded to search the property and idling vehicles. Inside the residence, garage, and outbuildings, they found numerous plastic totes containing packaged marijuana. They found more packaged marijuana in the vehicles and body armor, badges, firearms, ammunition, and shell casings dumped along the path the suspects fled on near the rear of the property. The badges located resembled those carried by DEA agents. Nearly all the outbuildings on the property appeared to be broken into.
Law enforcement conducted an extensive investigation to determine the identity of the robbers. They soon learned that, in late February, the group traveled from San Antonio, Texas to Southern Oregon, staying in multiple hotels. After arriving in Oregon, the group put on their DEA attire and posed, with firearms, for a photo in a hotel room. Investigators located and seized the incriminating photos and multiple text message conversations in which the conspirators discussed their robbery plans.
Local authorities arrested Alan Lopez the same day as the robbery in Josephine County. On October 14, 2022, after being transferred to federal custody, he made his first appearance in federal court in Medford and remains detained pending further court proceedings.
On October 6, 2022, Morales and Acuna were located and arrested in San Antonio. One week later, on October 13, 2022, Conchas and Jose Lopez were also arrested in San Antonio. All four made their first appearances in federal court in the Western District of Texas and were ordered detained pending transfer to the District of Oregon.
Jordan Gammage is currently at large and believed to be in the San Antonio area.
Conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana are punishable by up to 10 and 40 years in prison, respectively. Using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime is punishable by up to life in prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with assistance from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marco Boccato and Amy Potter are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Armed Drug Dealer Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that NAMIR WALKER, 23, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. Circuit Judge Sarah A. L. Merriam in Bridgeport to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 26, 2021, East Hartford Police arrested Walker after he was found in possession of approximately 170 dose bags of fentanyl, approximately 18 grams of crack cocaine, and a loaded .40 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun. Subsequent investigation revealed that Walker had previously possessed a Zigana, Model PX-9G2 pistol, which had been part of a shipment of 50 Zigana PX-9G2 pistols that was stolen from an R&L Carriers warehouse in South Windsor in August 2021. Investigators recovered the stolen Zigana pistol, and reviewed social media posts from mid-September 2021 in which Walker appears to offer to sell two stolen Zigana pistols to another individual in exchange for $1,800.
Walker has been detained since his arrest. On July 29, 2022, he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
To date, 14 of the 50 stolen firearms have been recovered by law enforcement
This investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the South Windsor Police Department and East Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and A. Reed Durham through 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. In May 2021, the Justice 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.
Alleged Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
An Albuquerque man thought to have committed a string of bank robberies across Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Mississippi, and California was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for an armed bank robbery in Abilene, Texas, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Fernando Enriquez, 35, pleaded guilty in July to one count of aggravated bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.
According to plea papers, Mr. Enriquez admitted that on March 29, 2022, he entered a Chase Bank in Abilene, Texas, brandished a firearm, demanded cash from the teller, and then fled the scene.
Both the teller and another employee activated their silent alarms during the robbery. When law enforcement arrived, a witness turned over cell phone video he’d recorded of the suspect exiting the bank and entering a white Chevrolet suburban bearing Mississippi license plates.
Shortly thereafter, Texas DPS and Abilene Police Department officers pulled over the suburban in Merkel, Texas and detained Mr. Enriquez and his girlfriend. Inside the vehicle, officers found a firearm, a gray hoodie that matched the descriptions of the one worn by the robber, and a significant sum of U.S. currency.
Law enforcement transported Mr. Enriquez and his girlfriend to the Abilene Police Department, where the woman told FBI agents that over the past 14 months, she and Mr. Enriquez have lived in Arizona, Mississippi, New Mexico, and California. She stated that though Mr. Enriquez was not employed most of that time, he always seemed to have cash on hand.
She told officers that prior to the robbery, Mr. Enriquez left her and his children at a motel, stating he had to fill the car with gas. When he returned, she said, he rushed to get the vehicle loaded and leave. She described Mr. Enriquez’s driving during their departure from Abilene as faster and more erratic than usual.
Based on physical description and the modus operandi, investigators believed that the suspect who committed the Abilene robbery may have committed similar robberies in Arizona, Mississippi, New Mexico, and California. They showed the girlfriend two photographs from the other bank robberies, both provided by FBI Phoenix. She identified the man in the photographs as Mr. Enriquez.
On April 19, 2022, Mr. Enriquez was indicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Arizona with four counts of bank robbery and four counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Following today’s sentencing, Mr. Enriquez will be transported to the District of Arizona to face those charges. (An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Enriquez is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.)
The Federal Bureau of Investigations’ Phoenix and Dallas Field Offices conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Abilene Police Department, and the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Tusing and Jeff Haag of the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case with significant support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Arizona.
Albuquerque man indicted for mail, wire fraudRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Pholopater Faltas was arraigned on an indictment charging him with eight counts of mail fraud and two counts of wire fraud. Faltas, 24, of Albuquerque, will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Faltas on October 12.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the CARES Act, which was signed into law on March 27, 2020. Among other provisions, the CARES Act bolstered and expanded unemployment insurance. In New Mexico, unemployment insurance is administered by the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, and claimants may apply either over the phone or online, using the New Mexico Workforce Connection Online System. Eligible claimants can receive payments by direct deposit to their bank account or a prepaid debit card.
According to the indictment, Faltas allegedly recruited participants to his scheme by telling them he would submit applications for benefits on their behalf. If the applications were approved, Faltas allegedly would cause the funds to be disbursed to debit cards and bank accounts that he possessed and controlled. Faltas then either provided only a small fraction of the benefits to participants, falsely informing them that they were receiving all the benefits disbursed, or falsely informed participants that their applications had been denied. In either case, Faltas retained all or most of the assistance funds disbursed. The activity alleged in the indictment occurred in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, between April and October of 2020.
Some of the participants in whose names Faltas submitted applications were not eligible for benefits, including because certain applicants were not actually residents of New Mexico. In those cases, Faltas included and aided and abetted the inclusion of materially false pretenses, representations, and promises calculated to make the purported applicant appear eligible, including by claiming non-New Mexico residents lived at addresses in New Mexico.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Faltas faces up to 30 years in prison.
The United States Secret Service, Albuquerque Resident Office, and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case with assistance from the Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Taylor F. Hartstein is prosecuting the case.
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262 Month Sentence ImposedRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Nahkomie Taylor, 31 years old, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Jon E. DeGuilio on his plea of guilty to two counts of bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Taylor was sentenced to 262 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $12,155 in restitution.
According to documents in this case, Nahkomie Taylor was on parole for armed robbery for less than a month when he robbed a bank at gunpoint in South Bend on February 18, 2020. Three days later, Taylor robbed a different bank at gunpoint in South Bend. That same day, he traveled to Oak Park, Illinois, and robbed a third bank at gunpoint.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department, the Oak Park Police Department, and the Chicago Police Department. The case was prosecuted in coordination with the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Illinois and handled by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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19 October 2022
Yonkers Doctor Pleads Guilty to Illegal Distribution of More Than 100,000 Oxycodone PillsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MARC LARUELLE pled guilty to one count of distributing Oxycodone, among other narcotics, without a legitimate medical purpose while acting outside the usual course of professional practice. LARUELLE pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Denis L. Cote.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Marc Laruelle abused his medical license and violated the oath of his profession when he prescribed more than 100,000 doses of a highly potent and addictive opioid without a legitimate medical need. As this case makes clear, we will aggressively prosecute physicians who are contributing to the national opioid crisis. Laruelle now awaits sentencing for his crime.”
According to the Indictment, LARUELLE’s plea agreement, and statements made in Court:
Between in or about September 2016 up to and including in or about October 2021, MARC LARUELLE, a licensed doctor specializing in psychiatry, prescribed more than 100,000 doses of Oxycodone without a legitimate medical purpose outside of the usual course of professional practice. Oxycodone is a highly potent and addictive opioid that commands high prices in the black market because of demand by drug abusers. LARUELLE often prescribed Oxycodone in combination with Xanax (alprazolam) and/or Adderall (amphetamine), controlled substances that are themselves frequently abused and resold illicitly. LARUELLE failed to perform proper physical examinations or medical tests prior to prescribing Oxycodone to his patients. LARUELLE also charged patients as much as $800 per prescription and prescribed large amounts of Oxycodone with the understanding that the quantity would be resold in the black market.
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LARUELLE, 65, of Yonkers, New York, pled guilty to one count of distributing Oxycodone, Amphetamines, and Xanax, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The statutory maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing will be determined by a judge. LARUELLE is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Cote on January 26, 2023.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) New York Strike Force for their support and assistance in this matter. The OCDETF New York Strike Force is a crime-fighting unit comprising federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. The Strike Force is affiliated with the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA, New York City Police Department, New York State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Marshals Service, New York National Guard, Clarkstown Police Department, U.S. Coast Guard, Port Washington Police Department, and New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement for their assistance in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitzi S. Steiner is in charge of the prosecution. The case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit.
Willmar Man Charged with Illegal Possession of Explosive Devices and a FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Willmar man has been indicted for illegally possessing two explosive devices and a short-barreled shotgun, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on November 20, 2021, Brian Keith Kohls, 39, illegally possessed a short-barreled shotgun and two explosive bombs, none of which were registered to him under the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Kohls is also charged with being an unlawful user of controlled substances and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.
Kohls is charged with one count of possession of unregistered destructive devices, one count of possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun, and one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of controlled substances. If convicted, he faces a potential maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Kohls made his initial appearance yesterday in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Becky R. Thorson. Kohls was ordered to remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing on October 20, 2022.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Willmar Police Department, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the St. Cloud Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruth S. Shnider is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Rishi Budhadev, age 37, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Budhadev admitted to receiving a series of fraudulent MoneyGram money transfers from several individuals he did not know in October 2015. He also admitted to receiving in October 2015 a fraudulent deposit for $9,000 in his checking account from a person he did not know. He admitted to receiving each of these transfers at the request of a coconspirator located in India.
In each of these transactions, Budhadev admitted believing that the funds being transmitted to him had very likely been obtained through fraud. He admitted consciously using deliberate efforts to avoid confirming the fraudulent nature of these transactions, despite his concerns that they were fraudulent.
Budhadev admitted to using the proceeds of the fraudulent MoneyGram money transfers to purchase iPhones, which he delivered to the same coconspirator located in India in February 2016. He also admitted to personally withdrawing the $9,000 in cash from his bank account the same day that it was deposited and later delivering the cash to the same coconspirator in India around February 2016.
The government’s investigation determined that, Budhadev, working with other unnamed co-conspirators, defrauded victims using common advance-fee mass marketing scams. During a roughly two-month time period from October 2015 to December 2015, the government found that Budhadev received around 500 MoneyGram money orders worth over $500,000, including about 300 MoneyGram money orders worth over $407,000 from more than 250 senders that he picked up from seven different Walmart stores. In addition, Budhadev received a number of large cash deposits in his bank accounts, which he quickly withdrew. The government’s investigation also determined that around 50 people who sent funds to Budhadev subsequently identified themselves as victims of various scams, including investment scams, romance scams, person-in-need scams, internet purchase scams, IRS tax scams, and loan scams.
Budhadev admitted to receiving a subset of these transactions in connection with his guilty plea.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Virginia Beach Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man pleaded guilty yesterday to production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, on March 31, the Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) were jointly conducting online investigations of persons looking to engage in sexual activity with minor children. Dylan Seader, 22, started a sexually explicit chat online with an undercover law enforcement agent (UC) who was posing as a 14-year-old girl. Seader and the UC agreed to meet that night to engage in sex. That night, Seader showed up at the designated meeting spot in Virginia Beach. As discussed in the chat, Seader brought condoms with him. A subsequent forensic review of Seader’s phone by VBPD showed, in addition to the chat with the UC, he possessed images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct in his Google Photos. The analysis also showed Seader produced visual depictions of himself performing a sexual act with a toddler.
Seader is scheduled to be sentenced on March 9, 2023. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. HSI Washington, D.C.; Mack Hickman, Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Norfolk Field Office; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at USAVAE-UnMasked@usdoj.gov.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-69.
Violent Felon Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Fully Automatic AR-15 Style Rifle Following a High-Speed ChaseRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Raymond Bowie, 21, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on September 4, 2021, officers recognized an individual in attendance at the funeral of a homicide victim. The individual was a fugitive, was noticeably armed, and had an outstanding warrant. Several other individuals in attendance at the funeral were also armed. Officers were aware of various threats of violence and retaliation that were made by associates and family members of the deceased individual.
Officers saw the fugitive leave the funeral and enter the driver’s side of a vehicle, along with three other individuals, including Bowie. Police attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the fugitive’s vehicle near the 3700 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The fugitive driver did not comply and led police on a high-speed chase exceeding speeds of 100 miles per hour. Due to the excess speeds, police terminated the pursuit. Officers searched the area of the chase and within minutes located the vehicle crashed on I-465 northbound near the I-65 on-ramp.
As officers approached the vehicle, they saw Bowie and another passenger fleeing from the crash on foot. Bowie was recklessly swinging a rifle with an extended magazine around as he fled police, which he later discarded. Bowie eventually dropped to the ground because of his injuries from the accident and was detained by police without incident. Officers located the firearm discarded by Bowie, which was a converted fully automatic AR-15 style rifle loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition.
Bowie has three prior felony convictions for armed robbery and was also convicted of dangerous firearm possession. Bowie was on probation at the time of his September 4, 2021, offense, and violated the terms of his probation by illegally possessing a firearm. Bowie is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law due to his previous felony convictions.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Columbus Field Division (ATF), made the announcement.
ATF investigated the case in conjunction with the Indiana Crime Gun Task Force. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James Patrick Hanlon. As part of the sentence, Judge Hanlon ordered that Bowie be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force (ICGTF). ICGTF is a partnership of law enforcement officers and analysts from several central Indiana law enforcement agencies in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson, and Shelby counties. In cooperation with state, local, and federal partners, ICGTF collaborates to address violent crime through a comprehensive strategy including innovative approaches to locating suspects and evidence related to violent crimes and illegal possession of firearms.
Also, 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 Construction and Procurement Investigation into Route 6/10 Project; Former Superintendent to Plead Guilty; Massachusetts Construction Company to Pay $1.5 Million in Connection with False StatementsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha announced today the resolution of federal criminal and civil investigations into Barletta Heavy Division, Inc., the Massachusetts construction firm responsible for construction of the Route 6/10 Interchange Project, and Dennis Ferreira, former Superintendent for the project.
These resolutions involve a criminal plea, a civil resolution that will recover more than twice the amount paid by the government as a result of the conduct, and a non-prosecution agreement with the construction firm.
Federal investigations into contracting and procurement on portions of the federally-funded 6/10 project centered on false statements made by a project superintendent and the company in connection with the project, as well as billing submissions made to the federal government for stone and dirt that was transported from sites in Boston and Pawtucket and used in portions of the 6/10 Project as fill. This fill, which was required to either be used at its original location, or subjected to additional testing and handling, did not meet the requirements of the contract.
Ferreira, the former project superintendent, will plead guilty in federal court to charges of making false statements; under a separate agreement, Barletta will pay a criminal fine of $500,000, return $1,000,000 to the government, make factual admissions, and undertake a series of monitoring, reporting, and compliance measures.
“When federal tax dollars fund work in our communities, we expect that the government will get what it bargains for,” said U.S. Attorney Cunha. “In this case, that didn’t happen. Today’s resolution should serve as a reminder to any company or corporate official that, when the government is footing the bill, false statements have consequences.”
As part of the resolution, as detailed in documents filed in federal court, Ferreira will plead guilty to an Information that charges him with three counts of making a false statement in connection with a federally funded highway project. These charges stem from Ferreira’s decision to import railroad ballast (loose stone) from a Barletta project site in Massachusetts, and soil from the Pawtucket/Central Falls Rail Station and Bus Hub Project, a separate Barletta job site in Rhode Island, to the 6/10 Project to be used as fill. It is alleged in the Information that
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In July of 2020, Ferreira caused an environmental report to be sent to the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) that falsely represented the origin and environmental quality of the stone imported from Massachusetts.
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In September of 2020, during meetings with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and RIDOT officials, Ferreira falsely represented the origin and environmental quality of the imported stone and falsely stated that none of the material imported from Pawtucket was used on the Project. and
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Ferreira allegedly caused a letter to be sent to RIDOT officials which falsely stated that the stone imported from Massachusetts had been tested prior to being brought to Rhode Island.
The United States has separately entered into a Non-Prosecution Agreement with Barletta Heavy Division, Inc., in connection with the series of false statements that were made in the summer of 2020 to FHWA and RIDOT Officials. These statements were meant to conceal the fact that Barletta had imported regulated material in violation of a Soil and Materials Management Plan, which was part of the contract governing the 6/10 Project. Under the Agreement, Barletta accepts responsibility for the actions of its employees and admits to the facts that constitute making false statements in connection with a federally funded highway project. In addition to paying a $500,000 criminal fine, the agreement requires Barletta to implement ongoing monitoring, reporting, and compliance measures for a period of three years; failure to comply with these conditions will make the company subject to prosecution for the conduct set forth in an agreed-upon Statement of Facts.
Additionally, Barletta has entered into a False Claims Act settlement that resolves allegations that the company knowingly submitted claims for payment for work on the project in connection with the movement of dirt that did not comply with contract requirements, in violation of the federal and Rhode Island state False Claims Acts. Barletta will pay $1,000,000 to the government, representing more than twice the government funds paid as a result of the relevant claims.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dulce Donovan and Bethany Wong are handling the prosecution and litigation of these matters.
The cases were investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, with the assistance from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Division of Law Enforcement.
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United States Attorney Files Complaint to Ban West Boylston Man from Distributing Unapproved Drug and Adulterated FoodRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a complaint for a permanent injunction today to stop Daniel R. Marold from distributing a product the government contends to be an unapproved new drug and an adulterated food under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA).
The United States contends that Marold sells Chill6, a multi-flavored beverage powder, to consumers across the country through a website that claims that the product cures, treats, mitigates and prevents anxiety, insomnia, stress, alcoholism and post-traumatic stress disorder, among other conditions. The complaint, filed in partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), also alleges that Chill6 contains Phenibut HCL, an unsafe food additive that is not approved for use in the United States. The government further alleges that Marold continued to distribute Chill6 even after FDA sent him a warning letter in July 2021.
The United States’ complaint seeks to permanently enjoin Marold from selling Chill6 in its current form to any consumer and requires him to comply with federal food safety regulations before selling any other food products.
“The FDA is responsible for making sure drugs meet the necessary safety guidelines for human consumption. We allege that Chill6 does not, and even after being warned, Mr. Marold continued distributing this unapproved substance,” said United States Attorney Rachael S Rollins. “Be it by criminal offense or civil violation, we are committed to ending the distribution of unregulated and adulterated supplements.”
“Those who distribute drugs, dietary supplements, or foods must comply with federal law designed to ensure these products are safe,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will continue to work closely with FDA to stop the distribution of unapproved new drugs and adulterated food products.”
“The FDA’s primary responsibility is to protect U.S. patients and consumers from unproven and dangerous products,” said Judith McMeekin, Pharm.D., Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs in the FDA’s Office of Regulatory Affairs. “With our partners at the Department of Justice, we will keep pursuing individuals and firms that distribute products that put the public at risk and violate federal law.”
U.S. Attorney Rollins, AAG Boynton and Associate Commissioner McMeekin made the announcement today. The matter is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Sharobem of Rollins’ Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit and Trial Attorney Manu J. Sebastian of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, with the assistance of Associate Chief Counsel Leah A. Edelman of the FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove by a preponderance of the evidence.
US Attorney Darcie McElwee Appoints District Election Officer to Ensure Voter Access, Poll Worker SafetyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) John Osborn will lead the efforts of her office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022 general election. AUSA Osborn has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Maine, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department headquarters in Washington.
U.S. Attorney McElwee said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
U.S. Attorney McElwee stated, “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Osborn will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. Anyone with election day concerns can contact AUSA Osborn at 207-771-3214 or AUSA Andrew McCormack in our Bangor office at 207-262-4615.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI office can be reached by the public at 207-541-0700.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
U.S. Attorney McElwee said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming Appoints District Election OfficerRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Timothy W. Gist will lead the efforts for his office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA Gist has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Wyoming has long been successful in holding fair elections; however, we want to ensure that the process is free from interference or discrimination and that election officials and staff do not experience unlawful threats of violence,” said Acting United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo. “ If you have specific information about voting right concerns or election fraud, please report it immediately to the local FBI office or to our office so we can take appropriate action.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against crimes such as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Gist will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 307-632-6224. AUSA Gist can be reached at the Lander Office: 307-332-8195 or Toll-Free at 1-888-266-1309.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Attorneys Announce District Election Officers for Eastern & Western Districts of WisconsinRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Wisconsin’s United States Attorneys, Gregory J. Haanstad and Timothy M. O’Shea, announced today that four Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) will lead their offices’ efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSAs Christopher Ladwig and Philip Kovoor have been appointed to serve as the District Election Officers (DEOs) for the Eastern District, and AUSAs Daniel Graber and Meredith Duchemin have been appointed to serve as the District Election Officers (DEOs) for the Western District. In that capacity, these AUSAs are responsible for overseeing their Districts’ handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
U.S. Attorney Haanstad said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
U.S. Attorney O’Shea stated that, “Voting is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSAs/DEOs Ladwig, Kovoor, Graber, and Duchemin will be on duty while the polls are open.”
The AUSAs/DEOs may be reached by the public at the following numbers:
AUSA/DEO Ladwig at 414-297-4103
AUSA/DEO Kovoor at 414-297-1721
AUSA/DEO Graber at 608-250-5468
AUSA/DEO Duchemin at 608-250-5496
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 414-276-4684, option 7.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
U.S. Attorneys O’Shea and Haanstad said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit Announces Launch of Idaho COVID-19 Fraud Task ForceRead the Press Release
BOISE – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announces the formation of the District of Idaho’s COVID‑19 Fraud Task Force and highlights the District of Idaho’s ongoing efforts to combat pandemic‑related fraud. Those efforts have included complementary actions by the Criminal, Civil, and Asset Recovery Divisions, along with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
“The Task Force represents a continuation of my office’s commitment to combatting pandemic‑related fraud,” stated U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “It brings together a broad group of law enforcement agencies with prosecutors who will work jointly to hold accountable criminals who unjustly enriched themselves at the expense of taxpayers by defrauding economic aid programs.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is pleased to announce that the following agencies are part of the Task Force:
- U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General
- Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation
- U.S. Department of Treasury, Inspector General for Tax Administration
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General
- Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- U.S. Secret Service, Boise Resident Agency and Spokane Resident Office
“Those that commit fraud against SBA’s programs will be brought to justice and held accountable,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King. “OIG remains committed to rooting out bad actors and protecting the integrity of SBA programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”
“Investigating claims of COVID-19 relief fraud remains a top priority for IRS Criminal Investigation,” said Andy Tsui, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge, Denver Field Office. “IRS-CI has investigated over 800 cases of COVID-19 related fraud and we will continue to hold accountable those that steal funds intended to help American workers, families and small businesses.”
“The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Idaho to identify and investigate fraud, waste, and abuse of COVID-19 related government assistance programs,” said Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration J. Russell George. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate those who endeavor to corrupt these programs through the misuse of IRS systems and fraudulent IRS documents in furtherance of their schemes.”
The Task Force will identify, investigate, and prosecute those whose defrauded economic aid programs intended to help individuals and small businesses negatively impacted by the COVID‑19 pandemic. That includes programs such as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), Coronavirus Farm Assistance Program (CFAP), Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), and Unemployment Insurance (UI). To fraudulently obtain these funds, criminals have created businesses, committed identity theft, and inflated the size and scope of actual businesses.
Case Examples
In conjunction with today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Hurwit also announced that Nicholas Jones, 36, of Boise, was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison for wire fraud and filing falsified campaign finance disclosures related to his run for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2020. Jones was also ordered to pay a $100,000 fine, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office has already received a separate restitution payment of over $90,000 from Jones.
Jones, a small business owner, applied for and received COVID-19 relief funds, including PPP and EIDL funds, totaling $753,600. Despite certifying that these funds would only be used for business-related expenditures, Jones used a significant portion of the funds for personal expenses, including car payments, life insurance policies, and his mortgage. He also purchased a significant amount of stocks and investments with the relief funds.
In addition, Jones ran as a candidate for U.S. House of Representatives in 2020. He used a portion of COVID-19 relief funds he received for campaign purposes. In addition to paying for political advertising, he used PPP funds to pay his restaurant employees not to work for the restaurant, but to work for his congressional campaign, including by making phone calls and hanging campaign flyers.
In imposing his sentence, Chief United States District Judge David C. Nye said that Jones had to bear the consequences of his conduct, which included misusing “money that was significant and no longer available for its intended purpose.”
Other examples of cases that the COVID-19 Fraud Task Force investigated and that led to charges include:
- Douglas Wold, 50, of Meridian, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering in December 2021. During the early months of the pandemic, Wold committed wire fraud by submitting fraudulent payroll requests to his employer. He also committed mail fraud with respect to a COVID-19 testing program by issuing fraudulent invoices to his employer Fry Foods in the name of his business, Hala Lallo Health, when, in fact, the testing was provided by another entity and at a greatly lower cost. Wold deposited the funds he received into a bank account he controlled and did not pay the health provider that actually conducted the testing. Wold committed money laundering by transferring $69,116.48 in proceeds from his frauds for the purchase of a speedboat and trailer, which the Government has since recovered.
- Jeff C. Vogt, of Caldwell, fraudulently obtained $250,000 in CFAP funds based on his false claim that he produced 22,480,000 pounds of dry onions that were shipped but not sold between January 15, 2020 and April 15, 2020. A civil complaint was filed against Vogt alleging violations of the False Claims Act and common law fraud. After Vogt failed to respond, a default judgment for $761,665 was entered against him.
- Lawrence Sikutwa, 43, of Boise, was charged with bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering charges in an indictment filed in October 2022. The charges arise from a scheme to defraud two banks by obtaining $337,976 in PPP loans and then allegedly using the loan proceeds for personal and other non-business related expenses. According to court documents, the loan applications were allegedly fraudulent because, among other things, they contained false representations and certifications about the businesses’ average monthly payroll, the number of employees, and the intended use of the funds for business-related expenses, including payroll.
- Khadijah Chapman, 58, of Atlanta, Georgia; Daniel Labrum, 41, of South Jordan, Utah; and Eric O’Neil, 57, of Bethel, Connecticut, were charged in three separate indictments filed in July 2022 with bank fraud for fraudulently obtaining PPP loans from a financial institution located in Boise. According to court documents, the defendants, along with others, allegedly falsified information and submitted fraudulent documents to collectively obtain over $2.4 million in relief funding guaranteed by the SBA for small businesses struggling with the economic impact of COVID-19.
Citizens and others who suspect fraud or other criminal wrongdoing related to the pandemic should report it to the COVID-19 Pandemic Fraud Hotline at www.pandemicoversight.gov/contact/about-hotline. Idahoans are also encouraged to report COVID-19 fraud directly to the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (208) 334-1211.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announces election officer for November 2022 General ElectionRead the Press Release
HELENA – United States Attorney Jesse Laslovich announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) John Newman will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA Newman has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Montana and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
U. S. Attorney Laslovich said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
U. S. Attorney Laslovich said, “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO John Newman will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 406-829-3336.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 801-579-1400.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
U. S. Attorney Laslovich said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American people. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud contact the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino Announces Election Officer for the District of ArizonaRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – United States Attorney Gary Restaino announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Sean Lokey will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA Lokey has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for the District of Arizona, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Restaino said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference, or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
United States Attorney Restaino further stated: “Unfortunately, there are election deniers and fear-mongers who seek to undermine our democratic process. I’m proud that my office works to remove barriers to voting, and that we provide accurate and truthful information to the voting public. Working in partnership with our state and local election officials, the Department of Justice will do its very best to ensure that every eligible voter who chooses to vote can do so easily and efficiently, without interference or discrimination.”
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Restaino stated that: “The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Lokey will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 602-514-7516.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public by phone at 623-466-1999 or online at https://tips.fbi.gov/.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
United States Attorney Restaino said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, that in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, you should call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-184_Arizona-General-Election
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown Announces $152,565 in Justice Department Grants to Support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE/ALEXANDRIA/LAKE CHARLES/MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $152,565 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program in the Western District of Louisiana. Funding will support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime, violent crime and gang violence in the district. The grant is one of a number of awards being made to state and local agencies across the country. Funds are administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, an arm of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP). The OJP provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law.
The PSN approach is guided by four key 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 of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions. PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies and community organizations. The programs’ emphasis on community engagement, prevention and intervention measures, focused and strategic enforcement, and measurement and accountability has helped achieve overall reductions in violent crime, including gun homicides, in neighborhoods where PSN strategies have been implemented.
“The PSN program has played a vital part in the battle against the problem that we have with gun violence in the Western District of Louisiana,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “This grant will help to continue the efforts of officers in Shreveport and other cities in our district to combat this type of violence on our streets. The success of the PSN program is a result of the tireless, and sometimes thankless, efforts of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. We commend these law enforcement officers for the work that they do each and every day to keep our communities safe and look forward to continuing the work before us. However, this grant will also give us an opportunity to focus on crime deterrence, prevention and educational programs through other community partners for the benefit of our district.”
Past recipients of PSN grants have been the Alexandria, Lake Charles, Monroe, Shreveport and Lafayette Police Departments as well as the Caddo Parish and Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Offices and Lafayette City Marshal’s Office. Funds were granted for various programs to include assisting with implementation of a new computer software program, body cameras for law enforcement officers, training for officers on gang prevention and overtime hours for law enforcement officers to increase patrols in areas that saw an increase in violent crime, including narcotics, gang and gun-related violent crimes.
The Shreveport Police Department has been named as the fiscal agent for administering the funds allowed through this PSN grant. A committee comprised of community volunteers from the five major cities in the Western District of Louisiana has been appointed to be responsible for reviewing the applications received from law enforcement and non-governmental agencies who submit their grant proposals.
“Project Safe Neighborhoods has been a successful program for our city,” stated Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith. “We are honored to once again act as the fiscal agent for this grant and look forward to supporting the U.S. Attorney and our federal partners in building mutual trust between law enforcement and the community to help curb the violent crime epidemic in our area.” Shreveport Police Department, on behalf of the DOJ’s OJP, is seeking applications for these grant funds under the PSN Program. At least 30% of the grant funds must be designated for grants under the PSN Program to fund new and/or current gang violence reduction strategies in the Western District. Various types of single or multi-grantee grant proposals are welcome, including those that address the following:
- Gang and gun violence reduction, deterrence, prevention, community outreach and education;
- Enforcement, adjudication and supervision programs;
- Prisoner re-entry programs; or
- Other innovative related projects.
The FY 2022 PSN Grant Announcement can be found on the Western District of Louisiana U.S. Attorney’s Office website at: www.justice.gov/usao-wdla. To be eligible, grant proposals must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, November 11, 2022, to the following e-mail address: USALAW.PSN@usdoj.gov. Interested applicants may also e-mail questions or contact Lisa Alwert at (337) 262-6618 for additional information.
More information about awards under PSN and other OJP grants can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.
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U.S. Attorney Boroughs Announces $1.8 Million in Justice Department Grants to Support Project Safe Neighborhoods in South CarolinaRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded more than $1.8 million to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in the District of South Carolina. Funding will support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district. The grants, to Barnwell County, Cheraw, Dillon, North Myrtle Beach, Travelers Rest, and Williamston, are part of a number of awards being made to state and local agencies across the country. Funds are administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, part of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs.
Launched two decades ago as an evidence-based and community-oriented response to serious gun crime, Project Safe Neighborhoods, known as PSN, is a key component of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime, outlined by Deputy Attorney General Monaco in May 2021. The PSN approach is guided by four key 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 of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
“These funds are essential to allow our local law enforcement entities to build deeper partnerships with their communities,” said U.S. Attorney Boroughs. “When community leaders and law enforcement officials work together, they can focus on shared priorities, identify the most violent offenders, and address the root causes of violence in those communities. These community partnerships are the cornerstone of our violent crime reduction efforts because, quite simply, they work.”
“Reducing violence and sustaining those reductions will require strong partnerships between criminal justice agencies and community stakeholders and a shared commitment to the safety and well-being of every community member,” said OJP Deputy Assistant Attorney General Maureen Henneberg. “The investments we are making through Project Safe Neighborhoods will enable every stakeholder to play a part in building safer and healthier communities.”
PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies and community organizations. The programs’ emphasis on community engagement, prevention and intervention measures, focused and strategic enforcement, and measurement and accountability has helped achieve overall reductions in violent crime, including gun homicides, in neighborhoods where PSN strategies have been implemented.
“Over its two-decade history, Project Safe Neighborhoods has evolved to meet the complex challenges of community violence by enlisting the insights and expertise of local partners and by relying on the latest evidence,” said BJA Director Karhlton F. Moore. “We are proud to support our U.S. Attorneys and their allies in their critical work to curb violent crime and build the mutual trust necessary to ensure lasting success.”
The awards announced above are being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. More information about awards under PSN and other OJP grants can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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U.S. Attorney Appoints Election Officer for the Eastern District of KentuckyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Carlton S. Shier, IV announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Andy Boone will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program, for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA Boone has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Shier said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department addresses these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to that right can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Boone will be on duty in this District while the polls are open.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. Any tips or other information regarding election fraud or abuses can be submitted through the FBI’s national tip line at 800-CALL-FBI or via www.tips.fbi.gov. Additionally, the FBI Louisville Division office can be reached at 502-263-6000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC, by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
United States Attorney Shier emphasized, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
– END –
U.S. Attorney Announces Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – United States Attorney Teresa Moore announced today that Assistant United States Attorney Alan Simpson will lead the efforts of her office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming Nov. 8, 2022, general election.
Simpson has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for the Western District of Missouri, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election, said Moore. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The department will address these violations wherever they occur. The department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
Moore stated that the franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, the District Election Officer will be on duty in this district while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at 816-426-4125.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 816-512-8200.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
Moore said, ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez releases information ahead of November 2022 General ElectionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Jeremy Peña will lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA Peña has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of New Mexico, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said United States Attorney Uballez. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Uballez stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Peña will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: (505) 224-1451 and (505) 269-2038.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office can be reached by the public at 1-800-CALL-FBI or (505) 889-1300.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC, by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
“Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate,” said United States Attorney Uballez. “It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez announces $175,450 in Justice Department grants to support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $175,450 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in the District of New Mexico. Funding will support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district. The grant, to the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, is one of a number of awards being made to state and local agencies across the country. Funds are administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, part of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs.
Launched two decades ago as an evidence-based and community-oriented response to serious gun crime, Project Safe Neighborhoods, known as PSN, is a key component of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime, outlined by Deputy Attorney General Monaco in May 2021. The PSN approach is guided by four key 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 of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
“Reducing violence and sustaining those reductions will require strong partnerships between criminal justice agencies and community stakeholders and a shared commitment to the safety and well-being of every community member,” said OJP Deputy Assistant Attorney General Maureen Henneberg. “The investments we are making through Project Safe Neighborhoods will enable every stakeholder to play a part in building safer and healthier communities.”
PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies and community organizations. The programs’ emphasis on community engagement, prevention and intervention measures, focused and strategic enforcement, and measurement and accountability has helped achieve overall reductions in violent crime, including gun homicides, in neighborhoods where PSN strategies have been implemented.
“Over its two-decade history, Project Safe Neighborhoods has evolved to meet the complex challenges of community violence by enlisting the insights and expertise of local partners and by relying on the latest evidence,” said BJA Director Karhlton F. Moore. “We are proud to support our U.S. Attorneys and their allies in their critical work to curb violent crime and build the mutual trust necessary to ensure lasting success.”
The awards announced above are being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. More information about awards under PSN and other OJP grants can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
U.s. Attorneys Announce District Election Officers for Eastern & Western Districts of WisconsinRead the Press Release
Wisconsin’s United States Attorneys, Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District and Timothy M. O’Shea of the Western District, announced today that four Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) will lead their offices’ efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the November 8, 2022, general election. AUSAs Christopher Ladwig and Philip Kovoor have been appointed to serve as District Election Officers (DEOs) for the Eastern District, and AUSAs Daniel Graber and Meredith Duchemin have been appointed to serve as DEOs for the Western District. In that capacity, these AUSAs are responsible for overseeing their Districts’ handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
U.S. Attorney Haanstad said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
U.S. Attorney O’Shea stated that, “Voting is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSAs/DEOs Ladwig, Kovoor, Graber, and Duchemin will be on duty while the polls are open.”
The AUSAs/DEOs may be reached by the public at the following numbers:
AUSA/DEO Ladwig at 414-297- 4103
AUSA/DEO Kovoor at 414-297-1721
AUSA/DEO Graber at 608-250-5468
AUSA/DEO Duchemin at 608-250-5496
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 414-276-4684, option 7.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov.
U.S. Attorneys O’Shea and Haanstad said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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For further information contact:
Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales
Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov
(414) 297-1700
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Two Men Who Kidnapped Philadelphia Teen to NJ Apartment Complex Both Sentenced to 40 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Eduardo Castelan-Prado, 39, of Leonia, NJ, and Jose Ochoa, 32, of Moreno Valley, CA, were both sentenced to 40 years in prison, and five years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Harvey Bartle III, for their convictions on kidnapping charges arising from the abduction of a teenage victim from Northeast Philadelphia to New Jersey in June 2021.
In June 2022, the defendants were convicted after trial of charges of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping in connection with their actions to kidnap a 17-year-old in the parking lot of a restaurant in Philadelphia, which was the teen’s place of employment, after his shift ended. Evidence presented at trial showed that on June 14, 2021, Castelan-Prado, Ochoa, and a third co-conspirator transported the victim to a residence in New Jersey, where they held him at gunpoint while making ransom demands of $500,000 to his parents. The FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department were able to determine the victim’s location by tracing the ransom calls, and in the early morning hours of June 16, 2021, an FBI SWAT team executed a search warrant at an apartment complex in Leonia, New Jersey, rescued the victim, and arrested the defendants.
“The events of this case are every parent’s worst nightmare: someone with ill intentions forcefully taking their child. These defendants kidnapped a teenager in an effort to extort money, a crime for which they have now been convicted and each sentenced to spend 40 years in prison,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “As was the case here, our investigators and prosecutors will work quickly and tirelessly to identify, locate and charge anyone who attempts this type of violent crime in our district.”
“Ochoa and Castelan-Prado grabbed a teenage boy off the street to use as a human bargaining chip,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “They sought to extort his parents, demanding half a million dollars for their child’s survival and safe return. Fortunately, this despicable ploy for money was disrupted and the victim recovered by the FBI and our partners. Today’s sentences ensure the men behind this violent crime will be held accountable for what they’ve done and prevented from so terrorizing anyone else’s family.”
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia and FBI Newark, and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Oshana and Kate Shulman.
Two Men Sentenced in Nationwide Scheme to Steal Social Media Accounts and CryptocurrencyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men were sentenced today in federal court in Boston for their roles a scheme to take over victims’ social media accounts and steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency.
Eric Meiggs, 25, of Brockton, Mass. was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to two years and one day in prison and two years of supervised release. Declan Harrington, 22, of Rockport, Mass. was sentenced to two years and seven days in prison and two years of supervised release. In August 2021, Harrington and Meiggs each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, four counts of wire fraud, one count of computer fraud and abuse and one count of aggravated identity theft. Harrington also pleaded guilty to an additional count of wire fraud.
Beginning in November 2017, Harrington, Meiggs and co-conspirators targeted victims who were believed to have had significant amounts of cryptocurrency and those who had high value or “OG” (slang for “Original Gangster”) social media account names. Using an illegal practice known as “SIM-swapping,” Harrington, Meiggs and others conspired to hack into and take control of these victims’ online accounts to obtain things of value, including OG social media account names and cryptocurrency.
“SIM swapping” attacks involve convincing a victim’s cell phone carrier to reassign the victim’s cell phone number from the SIM card inside the victim’s cell phone to the SIM card inside a cell phone controlled by the cybercriminals. The cybercriminals can then reset the victim’s account log-in credentials and use those credentials to access the victim’s account without authorization, or “hack into” the account.
To execute the SIM swapping scheme, Harrington purchased or possessed new phones and SIM cards to which the defendants diverted password-reset links or authentication codes they caused to be sent to the victims’ phones, thereby giving Meiggs and others access to the victims’ social media and email accounts without authorization. Harrington, Meiggs and their co-conspirators then looked through the victims’ digital lives to find and take cryptocurrency currency or control of social media account names.
Harrington, Meiggs, and their co-conspirators targeted at least 10 identified victims around the country and stole (or attempted to steal) more than $530,000 in cryptocurrency from these victims. Meiggs also took control of two victims’ “OG” accounts with social media companies.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Joleen S. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Kosto, Deputy Chief of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Senior Trial Attorney Mona Sedky of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section prosecuted the case.