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13 October 2022
Fishers Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Two ChildrenRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Steven Danford, 51, of Fishers, Indiana, was sentenced late yesterday to 35 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor.
According to court documents, on June 16, 2020, the Fishers Police Department responded to a report of child molestation. The report indicated that Minor Victim 1, age 5, was playing with a friend at Danford’s home when the child was molested by Danford. Minor Victim 1 was forensically interviewed by investigators and the child disclosed being sexually abused by Danford on multiple occasions.
On September 14, 2020, police were contacted and advised that Danford had moved out of his residence. After Danford moved out, the landlord was cleaning the property and found cable equipment and a 16GB Gorilla flash drive. Police took custody of the flash drive, and it was examined. The flash drive contained three video and audio files of Danford sexually abusing Minor Victim 1. The files also corroborated the statements Minor Victim 1 made during the forensic interview.
In June 2022, two additional files were identified on the flash drive. Those files depicted Danford sexually abusing Minor Victim 2 when she was between the ages of 9 and 11. After Minor Victim 2 was identified by the child’s mother, Minor Victim 2 was forensically interviewed. Minor Victim 2 disclosed being sexually abused by Danford on multiple occasions. Minor Victim 2 explained that Danford told the child not to tell anyone and the child didn’t for fear of being yelled at.
Danford was previously convicted of a misdemeanor third-degree assault of a child.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and R. Sean Fitzgerald, acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations’ Chicago Field Office, made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. The Fishers Police Department provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II. As part of the sentence, Judge Sweeney ordered that Danford be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 25 years following his release from federal prison. Danford must also register as sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn E. Olivier who prosecuted this case.
This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a partnership of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies led by the Indiana State Police. The Task Force is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting crimes involving the technology-facilitated sexual exploitation of children and the trafficking of child sexual abuse material. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.
Española man indicted for child’s deathRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that a federal grand jury on Oct. 12 returned a four-count superseding indictment against Malcolm Torres charging him with first degree felony murder, second degree murder of a child, assault resulting in serious bodily injury of a child under the age of 18, and tampering with a victim, witness, or informant. Torres, 29, of Española, New Mexico, is scheduled for arraignment on Oct. 20, and will remain in custody pending trial.
According to the indictment and other court records, on Sept. 7, 2019, Torres, who is not an enrolled member of any federally recognized Tribe, allegedly abused the victim, identified as Jane Doe, at his home in Española on the Santa Clara Pueblo. Jane Doe, who is Indian by federal law, and was five years old at the time, died as the result of the abuse.
On Sept. 8, 2019, Torres allegedly disposed of Jane Doe’s body in an attempt to avoid detection of his crimes.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Torres faces up to life in prison.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Espanola Police Department, Santa Clara Pueblo Tribal Police Department, Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Office, New Mexico State Police, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Albuquerque Police Department Open Space Search and Rescue Team, Espanola Fire Department and Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo Tribal Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Jack Burkhead and Letitia Carroll Simms are prosecuting the case.
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Eleven Defendants Arrested for Investment Fraud, Money Laundering and Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business SchemesRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Jin Hua Zhang, Gregory Armand, Chen Chen, Yanbin Chen, Yanbing Chen, Changgui Huang, Xin Jin, Jiahui Miao, Lingming Zeng, Jin Fu Zhang and Hua Zhou with various offenses, including money laundering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, bank fraud conspiracy, passport fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft and conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. The defendants were arrested and arraigned today, in federal court in Brooklyn before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo. One defendant remains at large.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director‑in‑Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the indictment.
“As alleged, nearly $18 million was swindled from over 200 victims throughout the country and laundered through the defendants’ sophisticated money laundering scheme,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “These 11 arrests demonstrate the seriousness of financial fraud and the commitment of this Office and our law enforcement partners to rooting out bad actors and protecting victims.”
“For once the name of a scam - pig butchering - reflects the grotesque nature of the harm it causes victims. We allege these fraudsters bled dry each of their victims and then used the money to set up fake cryptocurrency accounts. We know there are many more victims of these types of scams, and we urge those people to report it to the FBI. We will do all we can to bring each and every criminal to justice,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
“Drug trafficking is often linked with other criminal activities like money laundering, fraud and conspiracy,” said DEA Special Agent In Charge Frank Tarentino. “DEA’s partnership with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York has resulted in shutting down a multi-million dollar investment fraud and money laundering scheme operating in our backyard. I commend the agents, officers, and attorneys for their diligence throughout this investigation.”
“These defendants betrayed the trust of hundreds of people for profit, stealing millions of dollars through their brazenly callous investment scheme,” said NYPD Commissioner Sewell. “The NYPD and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue anyone who seeks to defraud and victimize others, holding them fully accountable for their actions. I want to thank and commend the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, the New York Field Office of the FBI, the DEA’s New York Division, and our NYPD investigators for their tireless work on this case.”
According to the indictment and a memorandum filed in connection with the defendants’ bail hearings, the defendants engaged in a money laundering conspiracy dating back to May 2021 in which they laundered proceeds from an investment fraud scheme referred to as “Sha Zu Pan” or the “pig butchering” scam. Through this scam, more than 200 victims were contacted through messaging applications and convinced to invest almost $18 million in trading platforms by sending funds to purported money manager bank accounts that were later stolen. The defendants also operated an unlicensed money transmitting business in which they converted approximately $52 million in cash into cashier’s checks on behalf of customers. As payment for their services, the defendants received a fee, which was generally a portion of the fee that the business received. As part of these criminal schemes, the defendants opened bank and cryptocurrency accounts under false names, using forged passports and identification documents of real people.
This case is part of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. 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.
In July 2022, Mr. Peace was selected as the Chairperson of the White Collar Fraud subcommittee for the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC). As the leader of the subcommittee, Mr. Peace will play a key role in making recommendations to the AGAC to facilitate the prevention, investigation and prosecution of various financially motivated, non-violent crimes including mail and wire fraud, bank fraud, health care fraud, tax fraud, securities and commodities fraud, and identity theft.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity section. Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin Weintraub and Miranda Gonzalez are in charge of the prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Morris of the Office’s Asset Recovery section is handling forfeiture matters.
The Defendants:
JIN HUA ZHANG
Age: 35
Staten Island, New YorkGREGORY ARMAND
Age: 44
Belleville, New JerseyCHEN CHEN
Age: 33
Queens, New YorkYANBIN CHEN
Age: 24
Queens, New YorkYANBING CHEN
Age: 28
Brooklyn, New YorkCHANGGUI HUANG
Age: 30
Brooklyn, New YorkXIN JIN
Age: 33
Brooklyn, New YorkJIAHUI MIAO
Age: 24
Cliffside, New JerseyLINGMING ZENG
Age: 37
Brooklyn, New YorkJIN FU ZHANG
Age: 39
Staten Island, New YorkHUA ZHOU
Age: 33
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-458 (LDH)
Eleven Charged in International Money Laundering and Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Eleven individuals from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York and California have been charged in connection with their alleged involvement in a sophisticated international money laundering and drug trafficking organization involving cocaine and MDMA (ecstasy).
This morning, five defendants were arrested in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and will appear in federal court in Boston later today. Three defendants were arrested in Brooklyn, N.Y. and are expected to appear today in the Eastern District of New York. Three defendants remain at large.
“We allege that this group of individuals conspired to sell deadly narcotics in Massachusetts communities then laundered millions of dollars’ worth of their drug proceeds through a global network to conceal their illegal activity. Thanks to the incredible collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement, this alleged large-scale criminal enterprise has been stopped in its tracks,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Money is the lifeblood to drug trafficking activity and those who launder directly contribute to the ongoing drug crisis. Dirty money always leaves a trace, and no amount of laundering – whether through financial institutions or digital currency exchanges – will allow perpetrators to evade detection by law enforcement. That is a promise.”
“Today’s arrests by FBI Boston’s Organized Crime Task Force have disrupted a sophisticated transnational criminal organization that is accused of trafficking kilos of cocaine and laundering at least $25 million in illicit proceeds from their illegal businesses all over the world,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Now, these individuals know the FBI is just as committed to eradicating organized crime as this group was to allegedly embracing it. This investigation should be a warning to others engaged in similar conduct: we will infiltrate your network, shut you down, and bring you to justice, no matter where you are.”
According to the charging documents, following a months-long undercover operation, investigators identified Jin Hua Zhang as the leader of a criminal organization whose members laundered millions of dollars, conspired to distribute multiple kilograms of cocaine in Massachusetts and operated throughout the United States, including the greater Boston area, as well as overseas. It is alleged that Zhang directed his co-defendants and others to deliver hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and millions of dollars in wire transfers and bank deposits to undercover agents in exchange for cryptocurrency. The funds were proceeds of drug trafficking and various fraud schemes that were based in the United States and abroad. Zhang allegedly believed cryptocurrency would enable his organization to transfer illicit funds without detection by banks’ security teams or law enforcement. In total, it is alleged that Zhang and his co-conspirators laundered more than $25 million
According to court documents, to date, funds have been traced from Zhang’s organization to Hong Kong and elsewhere in China, India, Cambodia and Brazil, among other locations.
Additionally, the investigation also revealed that Zhang and members of his organization allegedly conspired to distribute kilogram-sized quantities of cocaine and MDMA to undercover agents and cooperating witnesses. For example, it is alleged that on May 25, 2022, Zhang directed a co-defendant to deliver more than one kilogram of cocaine to an undercover agent in New Jersey. On Aug. 12, 2022, Zhang and co-defendant Yanbing Chen allegedly worked together to deliver more than three kilograms of cocaine to an undercover agent in Boston.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the amount involved, whichever is greater. 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.
U.S. Attorney Rollins and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Boston Organized Crime Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Quincy and Altamonte Springs (Fla.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Brian A. Fogerty of Rollins’ Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Addendum
The following defendants have been charged:
(1) Jin Hua Zhang, 35, of Staten Island, N.Y.;
(2) Licheng Huang, 39, of Braintree, Mass.;
(3) Feng Chen, 38, of Canton, Mass.;
(4) Roger Luo, 35, of Winthrop, Mass.;
(5) Thong Nguyen, 28, of Saugus, Mass.;
(6) Augustin Villa, 59, of Cranston, R.I.;
(7) FUGITIVE;
(8) Rongjian Li, 35, of Staten Island, N.Y.;
(9) FUGITIVE;
(10) Yanbing Chen, 28, of Staten Island, N.Y.; and
(11) FUGITIVE.
El Dorado Arkansas Group Sentenced to 47 Years Combined in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
EL DORADO – The final member of a South Arkansas drug trafficking organization was sentenced yesterday to federal prison for the Distribution of Methamphetamine. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearings for the United States District Court in El Dorado.
According to court documents, beginning in February of 2019, investigators with the 13th Judicial District Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) initiated an investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating out of the El Dorado Division of the Western District of Arkansas. During the course of that investigation, Pharell Jackson and his drug trafficking organization were identified by investigators to be responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine from Magnolia, Arkansas, to other locales in the Western District of Arkansas and the Eastern District of Arkansas.
Those members of the drug trafficking organization indicted federally have been sentenced as follows:
Pharell Bronse Jackson: age 32, El Dorado, Arkansas - Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine – 168 months imprisonment and 3-year term of supervised release.
Michael Fitzgerald Williams Jr.: age 31, North Little Rock, Arkansas - Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine - 120 months imprisonment and 3-year term of supervised release.
Gary Bernard Green II: age 33, Camden, Arkansas - Distribution of Methamphetamine -168 months imprisonment and 3-year term of supervised release.
Jacovas Deonta Mitchell: age 32, El Dorado, Arkansas – Knowing and Intentionally Distributing Methamphetamine – 108 months imprisonment and 3-year term of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The 13th Judicial District Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration Little Rock, and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Wulff, Graham Jones, and Steven Mohlhenrich prosecuted the case for the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con una empresa de Maryland para resolver acusaciones de discriminación relacionadas con la inmigraciónRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con Professional Maintenance Management («PMM»), una empresa de servicios de limpieza y conserjería con sede en Maryland. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento de que PMM discriminó a sus trabajadores no ciudadanos estadounidenses mientras verificaba su permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos, lo que va en contra de la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad («INA», por sus siglas en inglés).
«Los empleadores no pueden tratar a los empleados de manera diferente al verificar su permiso para trabajar por motivo de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen», manifestó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «El Departamento de Justicia seguirá haciendo cumplir con firmeza la ley con el fin de garantizar que los trabajadores no se enfrenten a discriminación a la forma de probar su permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos».
La investigación del Departamento determinó que PMM, de manera rutinaria, requería documentos específicos de los no ciudadanos estadounidenses recién contratados a fin de probar que tenían permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos. En concreto, el Departamento encontró que PMM solicitaba que los residentes permanentes legales mostraran sus Tarjetas de Residente Permanente (conocidas algunas veces como «tarjetas verdes») y que los asilados y refugiados mostraran sus Documentos de Autorización para Trabajar (conocidos algunas veces como “permisos de trabajo”), a fin de probar que tenían permiso para trabajar. A la misma vez, PMM permitía que los ciudadanos estadounidenses eligieran entre varios tipos de documentos aceptables.
Según los términos del acuerdo, PMM pagará una sanción civil de $300,000 a los Estados Unidos. Además, PMM capacitará al personal sobre los requisitos de la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA, cambiará sus políticas y se someterá a supervisión por el Departamento por un período de tres años.
La ley federal permite que los trabajadores elijan la documentación válida y legalmente aceptable que desean presentar para demostrar su identidad y permiso para trabajar, independientemente de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen. La disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA prohíbe que los empleadores soliciten documentos específicos debido a la ciudadanía, el estatus migratorio o la nacionalidad de origen de un trabajador. De hecho, muchos no ciudadanos estadounidenses, entre ellos los residentes permanentes legales, refugiados y asilados, califican para presentar varios de los mismos tipos de documentos que presentan los ciudadanos estadounidenses (tales como licencias de conducir y tarjetas de Seguro Social sin restricciones) para demostrar que tienen permiso para trabajar. Los empleadores deben permitir que los trabajadores presenten cualquier documentación aceptable que los trabajadores elijan y no pueden rechazar documentación válida que razonablemente parezca ser genuina.
La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados («IER», por sus siglas en inglés) de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. La ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación.
Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto. Encuentre más información en el sitio web de la IER sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación durante el proceso de verificación de su permiso para trabajar. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a IER@usdoj.gov; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés o español. Para recibir las últimas noticias de la IER, inscríbase a GovDelivery.
Dominican National Involved in New Haven Drug Ring Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that NEFTALI FERNANDEZ, 42, a citizen of the Dominican Republic last residing in the Bronx, New York, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 120 months of imprisonment for trafficking cocaine.
This matter stems from a joint investigation headed by the DEA New Haven Task Force, FBI and New Haven Police Department that included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of heroin and cocaine, and seizures of bulk heroin and cocaine. The investigation revealed that Duane Filyaw, of New Haven, operated a heroin and cocaine trafficking ring in which he conspired with others to purchase narcotics from suppliers and then distribute the drugs to other suppliers of street-level dealers in and around New Haven. Fernandez worked with his associate, Gabriel Romero Escalera-Romero, to supply Filyaw and others with bulk quantities of cocaine.
During the investigation, law enforcement officers seized more than 500 grams of heroin, more than 300 grams of fentanyl, more than one kilogram of cocaine, three firearms, over $90,000 in cash, vehicles, jewelry and precious metals.
On April 19, 2018, a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Fernandez, Escalera-Romero, Filyaw and 16 other individuals with narcotics trafficking offenses.
Fernandez and several other members of the conspiracy were arrested on April 25, 2018. Fernandez possessed a firearm on the date of his arrest.
Fernandez has been detained since his arrest. In February 2020, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and five kilograms or more of cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Fernandez faces deportation proceedings when he completes his prison term.
Filyaw and Escalera-Romero have pleaded guilty. On May 26, 2020, he was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment. Filyaw awaits sentencing.
The DEA New Haven Task Force includes personnel from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments. The Connecticut Department of Correction, Milford Police Department and East Haven Police Department have assisted the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick F. Caruso through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
District Man Indicted for Two Home Invasion Sexual Assaults of Children That Occurred in September and October of 2011Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Alphonso Owens, 42, formerly of Washington, D.C., has been indicted by grand juries in the District of Columbia and Prince George’s County, Maryland for two separate home invasion sexual assaults of children that occurred in September and October of 2011.
The indictments were announced today by Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Aisha N. Braveboy, State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County, and Malik Aziz, Chief of the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department.
On July 27, 2022, Owens was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old child in a home invasion attack that occurred on Oct. 29, 2011. Earlier this week, on Oct. 11, 2022, he was indicted by a grand jury in the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County for sexually assaulting a 10-year-old child in a home invasion attack that occurred on Sept. 26, 2011.
Owens was indicted on multiple felony charges for both attacks. In the District of Columbia, Owens was charged with three counts of first-degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, and three counts of first-degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances. In Prince George’s County, he was charged with first-degree rape, second-degree assault, second-degree sex offense, third-degree sex offense, fourth-degree sex offense, and first-degree burglary.
Owens was linked to both attacks after an analysis of DNA evidence.
He was arraigned earlier today on the D.C. indictment in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia.
The charges in the D.C. indictment carry a statutory maximum sentence of life without possibility of release. If found guilty, Owens would also be required to register as a Class A sex offender for up to the remainder of his lifetime.
The charges in the Prince George’s County indictment carry a statutory maximum sentence of life, with a mandatory minimum of 25 years, and lifetime sex offender registration.
According to the government’s evidence in the D.C. case, in the early morning hours of on Oct. 29, 2011, the 11-year-old child was sleeping in her family’s ground floor apartment in the Fort Stanton area of Southeast Washington when Owens entered through the victim’s bedroom window. He threatened to kill her if she yelled or screamed. As alleged, Owens sexually assaulted her and then fled back out the window. The victim immediately woke up her mother and reported the assault, and her mother called police.
Police believed that the offenses in the District of Columbia and Maryland may potentially have been related. Detectives with MPD’s Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit submitted the D.C. evidence for new DNA testing in 2020. DNA ultimately linked the defendant to both offenses. Owens was a stranger to both juvenile victims and their families.
Owens was convicted in 2016 of first-degree rape for a home invasion sexual assault that he committed in Baltimore in 2015 for which he is currently serving a sentence of 2x life + 25 years in Maryland.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
The District of Columbia case is being investigated by detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit, Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit, Youth Investigations Division, and detectives and officers from the Seventh Police District. Those working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office include Paralegal Specialist Cynthia Muhammad, Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson, and Forensic Child Interviewer Tracy Owusu. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsay Suttenberg investigated the D.C. case in 2011, and Assistant U.S. Amy Zubrensky, is investigating and prosecuting the D.C. case.
The Maryland case is being investigated by the Sexual Assault Unit of the Prince George’s County Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Monica Meyers of the State’s Attorney’s Office for Prince George’s County.
Dallas Man Sentenced to 30 years in Federal Prison for Supplying Heroin in Plano OverdoseRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Dallas man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug violations related to a 2019 overdose in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Jose Antonio Carreto, 31, was convicted by a jury on June 1, 2021, of conspiracy and distribution of heroin resulting in seriously bodily injury, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin resulting in serious bodily injury aiding and abetting. Carreto was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on Oct. 13, 2022.
According to information presented in court, on Sep. 25, 2019, law enforcement authorities responded to a heroin overdose on a Plano highway. The victim was administered Narcan and survived the overdose. An investigation revealed that Carreto and his brother, Isauro Carreto-Cruz, had supplied the heroin used in the overdose.
“This case highlights the dangers of illegal drug use,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “Although dangerous alone, street heroin often contains chemicals that can cause death or serious bodily injury. We are seeing a drastic increase in illegal drugs poisoned with illegal fentanyl that are causing many deaths around the country. We will take all action within our power to investigate and prosecute those who spread this poison in our communities. We appreciate the great work by the investigators and prosecutor in this case.”
Jose Antonio Carreto and Isauro Carreto-Cruz were indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 13, 2019 and both were convicted at trial in June 2021. Isauro Carreto-Cruz was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison on March 11, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Plano Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Plano Fire Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ernest Gonzalez.
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DOJ sends more than $268,000 to Western Washington to combat gun violenceRead the Press Release
Seattle – U.S. Attorney Nick Brown announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $268,192 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in the Western District of Washington. Funding will support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious 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, 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.
“This year we are expanding the reach of our district’s PSN program by adding partnerships in Clark, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown for the Western District of Washington. “We will also partner with the state Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention and our state Attorney General’s Office to identify and fund community strategies that work to prevent gun violence in high-risk populations.”
“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.
Colorado Woman Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Colorado Springs, Colorado, woman, Monica Renee Wright, 39, of the 1600 block of Auburn Drive, was sentenced on October 12, 2022, to 22 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine and at least 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge Sara L. Darrow commented on Wright’s role as the interstate source of supply for kilogram quantities of methamphetamine being transported to and resold in the Central District of Illinois.
Wright was convicted following a three-day jury trial in June 2022. The statutory penalties for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine and at least 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine are ten years to life imprisonment.
“The distribution of methamphetamine brings blight to our community,” said United States Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “Our office appreciates the work of our federal and local law enforcement partners – both within Illinois and in Colorado – in helping stem the flow of illegal narcotics into our area.”
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Group (QCMEG), Rock Island County Sheriff’s Department, Scott County Sheriff’s Department, and Colorado Springs Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alyssa Raya and Jennifer Mathew represented the government at trial.
Clay County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Robert Owen Johnson, 55, of Procious, pleaded guilty today to distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 20, 2021, Johnson used Facebook and his cell phone to distribute a video of child pornography to another Facebook user during a conversation. Johnson further admitted that between 2020 and 2021, he used this Facebook account to chat with individuals and to possess and distribute child pornography.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, five years up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Johnson must also register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-155.
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Cheektowaga Man Charged with Possession of More Than 200,000 Images of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Michael P. Daly, 47, of Cheektowaga, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with possession of child pornography. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in June 2019, the New York State Police (NYSP) received a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) Cybertipline report indicating that an image of child pornography was uploaded to their network. Subsequent investigation traced the image to Daly. On October 22, 2020, NYSP executed a search warrant at Daly’s residence in Cheektowaga, seizing a laptop computer, a flash drive, and an iPhone. A forensic search of all three items recovered over 230,000 images and 95 videos of child pornography. Some of the images include prepubescent minors and depictions of violence.
Daly made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr., and was released on conditions.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Jeremy Bell, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski, and the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Gould.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.# # # #
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Colin Webb, 33, of Charleston, was sentenced today to six years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of 5 or more grams of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 13, 2020, Webb sold approximately 2 ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant for $760 in a Kanawha City parking lot. Webb admitted that he sold more than 150 grams of methamphetamine to confidential informants in a series of four controlled buys between February 13, 2020, and July 28, 2020. Webb further admitted that a large-scale drug trafficking organization supplied him with the methamphetamine over a series of years.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-53.
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Caswell Woman Faces 10 Years to Life and up to a $10M Fine Following Seizure of 92 lbs. of Methamphetamine and 5 HandgunsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Caswell woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to possession of more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and possession of firearms by an unlawful user of controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
According to court records, on May 5, 2022, Nicole McLaughlin, 41, was in a single-vehicle car accident in Presque Isle. Responding officers from the Presque Isle Police Department discovered methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and a handgun in her vehicle. Agents with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency responded and investigated further. A search of McLaughlin’s residence resulted in the seizure of a large safe containing approximately 92 pounds of methamphetamine, four handguns, including one with an obliterated serial number, and documents bearing her name.
McLaughlin faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life imprisonment and a $10 million fine on the drug charge, and up to 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine on the firearm charge. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case, with assistance from the Presque Isle Police Department and the Maine State Police. U.S. Attorney McElwee thanked the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office for the consultation and coordination it provided.
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Canal Winchester man sentenced to 5 years in prison for romance scam money laundering conspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Canal Winchester man who was found guilty of 35 counts of money laundering crimes following a jury trial in May was sentenced today in federal court to 60 months in prison.
Seth Nyamekye, 40, was also ordered to pay more than $1.3 million in restitution to the victims of the romance fraud.
Nyamekye was convicted for his role in laundering the proceeds of online romance scams.
“This defendant helped fraudsters prey on vulnerable peoples’ desires for love and connection,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Nyamekye conducted financial transactions to conceal that money was generated by fraud and to get the money to co-conspirators in Ghana. He deserves the sentence he received today.”
According to court documents and trial testimony, the perpetrators of the romance scams created several profiles on online dating sites and then contacted men and women throughout the United States and elsewhere. The scammers cultivated a sense of affection and, often, romance, with the victims they met online before requesting money for investment or need-based reasons. The romance scam perpetrators then provided victims with bank account information where the money should be sent. Nyamekye controlled one of these accounts and received more than $1.3 million in romance fraud proceeds from victims. Nyamekye was not charged with defrauding the victims himself, but instead was charged with laundering the proceeds of the romance fraud.
The government proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that Nyamekye laundered the victims’ money on behalf of the conspiracy. The defendant conspired with others from at least June 2016 until February 2018 to commit money laundering in multiple transactions of more than $10,000 with the purpose of concealing the fraudulent nature of the proceeds.
At least eight victims sent their money directly to Nyamekye’s bank account, which was in the name of Gloseth Ventures LLC. For example, one victim was defrauded by a purported member of the military and sent a $170,000 wire transfer to Nyamekye’s bank account. Another victim fell in love with a man he met online who also claimed to be in the military overseas and sent two wire transfers to Nyamekye totaling $73,000. A separate victim believed she was engaged to the man who was scamming her and sent $50,000 to the defendant’s bank account.
After the funds were deposited into Nyamekye’s bank account, Nyamekye took a cut of the victims’ money and then conducted financial transactions to move the funds where the perpetrators of the romance fraud could enjoy the criminal proceeds.
Nyamekye was charged by a criminal complaint in October 2020 and was later indicted in May 2021.
If you believe you are the victim of an online romance scam, you can file a complaint at ic3.gov.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Cincinnati Field Office, announced the verdict. Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and David J. Twombly represented the United States in this case.
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Butte nurse sentenced to prison for stealing opiates from area medical centersRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Butte nurse who admitted to stealing opiates while working at area medical centers was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Shantyl Marie Giacoletto, 30, pleaded guilty in June to unlawfully obtaining controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. Giacoletto was remanded into custody.
The government alleged in court documents that Giacoletto diverted opiates in 2021 while working at medical centers in Anaconda, Butte and Deer Lodge. In June 2021, a Community Hospital of Anaconda manager discovered that Giacoletto, for at least the previous three months, routinely obtained oxycodone from the hospital’s pharmacy but did not administer that drug to the intended patients. A total of 392 oxycodone pills were unaccounted for. When confronted by management, Giacoletto denied diverting drugs, claimed she always administered them to patients and that “nobody scans things.” Other employees discredited Giacoletto’s assertion and indicated it would be “extremely rare” for someone to not record the administration of a drug to a patient. The hospital terminated Giacoletto’s employment.
The government further alleged that Giacoletto began working at Copper Ridge Health and Rehabilitation Center in Butte 11 days later. Copper Ridge subsequently discovered diversions of hydrocodone, and that Giacoletto had worked shifts at Copper Ridge within days of management discerning the diversions.
Another diversion occurred in October 2021 at Continental Care and Rehabilitation Center in Butte, where Giacoletto worked as a traveling nurse. Dozens of hydrocodone and oxycodone tables were unaccounted for and patient log sheets had been manipulated and destroyed in violation of record-keeping policies. Because of the diversion, a patient had to go without oxycodone for several days until a new supply arrived. Management then announced a drug screening, and most nurses provided urine samples, which were all negative for the diverted drugs. Giacoletto did not submit to the drug test and did not return to work at that facility.
A subsequent diversion occurred in November 2021 at The Ivy in Deer Lodge. The Ivy experienced a significant drug diversion while Giacoletto was working there as a nurse. The director then requested urine samples from the staff. All complied and tested negative except for Giacoletto, who refused and left the facility. Giacoletto’s employer then contacted her and instructed her to provide a sample. Giacoletto returned to the facility several hours later and requested a specific bathroom for the drug test. When she provided the sample, it was cold, which yielded an inconclusive result.
When interviewed by a DEA agent, Giacoletto denied diverting drugs and blamed the medication discrepancies on the poor record keeping practices at the facilities.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Anaconda Police Department, Powell County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.
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Box Elder man sentenced to prison for fentanyl trafficking on Rocky Boy’s Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Box Elder man who admitted trafficking fentanyl on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation after fleeing law enforcement in a vehicle in which officers found a firearm and fentanyl pills was sentenced today to one year and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Paul Joseph The Boy, 33, pleaded guilty in July to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on Oct. 6, 2021, The Boy got into a high-speed chase with a Rocky Boy’s police officer. As The Boy fled while driving more than 100 mph, officers saw The Boy in possession of a firearm. The Boy then drove into an embankment and fled. Officers searched the abandoned vehicle and found 74 fentanyl pills, $1,171 in cash and a semi-automatic pistol. The Boy later acknowledged that he led law enforcement on a pursuit because he didn’t want to go to jail and that the pistol and fentanyl belonged to him.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Betley prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Rocky Boy’s Police Department, Chippewa Cree Tribal Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Drug Enforcement Administration.
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Billings man sentenced to more than seven years in prison for trafficking meth, fentanyl on Fort Peck Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Billings man who admitted trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl pills on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation after he tried to flee law enforcement on a dirt bike and discarded a backpack containing drugs and a loaded handgun was sentenced today to seven years and four months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Dominique Kendall Brown, 29, pleaded guilty in July to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that on Aug. 6, 2021, Fort Peck Law Enforcement officers tried to stop Brown for a traffic infraction on a dirt bike near Wolf Point. Brown sped away, initiating a 10-minute pursuit in which he drove at high speeds on a walking path near pedestrians. During the pursuit, Brown discarded a backpack with a loaded hand gun inside. Brown eventually crashed and his dirt bike started a fire, which law enforcement extinguished. The backpack also contained $1,131 cash, a scale, 109 grams of meth and 146 fentanyl pills.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan R. Plaut prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Montana Highway Patrol, Fort Peck Police Department and Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Beverly Farms Man Indicted for Multi-Million-Dollar Payroll SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Beverly Farms man was charged today in a 13-count indictment in connection with a payroll scheme involving underreporting of overtime hours for his union employees and failing to collect and pay payroll taxes.
Frank Loconte, 61, was indicted on four counts of mail fraud, one count of theft or embezzlement from an employee benefit plan, four counts of making false statements pertaining to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and four counts of willful failure to collect and pay taxes. Loconte will appear in federal court in Boston today at 3:30 p.m.
According to the indictment, from 2009 to 2022, Loconte was the president of NER Construction Management Corporation, a Wilmington-based construction company that employed union workers. Loconte was also the president of the company’s employment management company, NER Management LLC. Loconte was responsible for collective bargaining with multiple unions, including the Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen Local Union No. 3 and various local unions affiliated with the Massachusetts and Northern New England Laborers’ District Council of the Laborers International Union of North America. On behalf of NER, Loconte was bound by collective bargaining agreements with the unions which governed the transfer of worker benefit contributions to employee welfare and pension benefit plans, each of which was subject to ERISA provisions. As a result, NER was required to make periodic contributions to the benefit funds each hour worked by covered employees at rates prescribed and to deduct dues from the pay of each union worker which was also to be forwarded to the benefit funds.
It is alleged that from approximately January 2014 and May 2022, Loconte engaged in a scheme to defraud the union benefit funds and the IRS by paying certain of its union workers for overtime hours worked without reporting these hours to the union benefit funds and without making the required payroll tax withholdings and payments. At times, it is alleged that some NER employees were paid entirely in cash for overtime hours worked and, at other times, the employees were paid by check without the required withholdings. Loconte also allegedly caused NER to file false and fraudulent remittance reports with the benefit funds and the unions which underreported the overtime hours worked by these employees thereby depriving the benefit funds and unions of contributions owed to their members. It is further alleged that Loconte caused NER to file false and fraudulent IRS payroll taxes that underreported the amount of wages paid. Instead of paying employment taxes, Loconte used NER business accounts to pay for personal expenses, including vehicles, personal property taxes, household improvements, and golf memberships, and failed to report these benefits to the IRS, as required by the IRS. As a result, Loconte allegedly defrauded union workers of more than $l million dollars for overtime work covered by the collective bargaining agreements and defrauded the IRS of more than $3 million by not making the required payroll tax and union dues withholdings and payments.
The charges of mail fraud provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of embezzlement from an employee benefit plan, making false statements and willful failure to collect and pay over taxes each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, two years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Carol S. Hamilton, Regional Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office; Jonathan Russo, District Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations; and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of Rollins’ Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ashland Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Second Child Pornography ConvictionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Adam M. Smith, 35, of Ashland, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty and was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 10 years in prison for possessing child pornography. Judge Peterson gave the defendant credit for the approximately one year he has spent in custody already. The term of imprisonment will be followed by 10 years of supervised release.
On August 11, 2020, Smith was released from state custody after serving three years in prison for possessing child pornography. On September 20, 2021, the defendant’s probation officer searched his phone and found a reference to a tablet. Smith’s conditions of probation required him to notify his probation officer of any electronic devices that he possessed, and he failed to disclose the tablet. The probation officer then found a tablet in Smith’s car. Law enforcement officers searched the tablet and found numerous child pornography images and videos.
The charge against Smith was the result of an investigation conducted by the Ashland Police Department and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
Arkansas Mother and Daughter Sentenced to Seven Years Combined in Federal Prison for Bank Fraud, Identity Theft and Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
FORT SMITH – A Fort Smith mother and daughter were sentenced today to a combined sentencing of seven years in federal prison and ordered to pay $53,000.00 in restitution for Bank Fraud, Identity Theft and Theft of Government Funds. Amanda Komp, 39, was sentenced to 4 years in prison while Tammy McCullough, 58, was sentenced to 3 years in prison. The Honorable Judge P.K. Holmes, III presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in Fort Smith.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Komp worked as Housing Manager at Fort Chaffee from approximately 2014 to September 2019. Komp’s duties included processing payments from funds belonging to the United States government held in the Fort Chaffee billeting fund checking account at Regions Bank. The approval process for expenditures from this account required Komp to obtain the signatures of two members of the Fort Chaffee Lodging Advisory Council on purchase requests and checks payable from the billeting fund account.
From on or about December 26, 2017, to on or about September 3, 2019, sixty-eight checks totaling $53,000 were issued and paid from the Fort Chaffee billeting fund account at Regions Bank for furniture moving services claimed to have been provided to Fort Chaffee by Triple M Enterprises, a company owned by Komp’s mother, Tammy McCullough. Several of the checks and purchase orders contained forged signatures and the furniture moving services for which the checks were issued were not provided as claimed in invoices submitted by Triple M Enterprises.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Kenneth Elser and Bryan Achorn prosecuted the case.
Arkansas Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Larry Arthur King, 39, of Texarkana, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 12 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 19, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop along U.S. Route 119 in South Charleston of a vehicle in which King was a passenger. King admitted to possessing approximately 690 grams of methamphetamine found in his backpack, and that he intended to distribute that methamphetamine. Later that day, officers executed a search warrant at the Charleston hotel room where King was staying. King admitted to possessing approximately 446 grams of methamphetamine, more than 160 grams of fentanyl, a quantity of cocaine, and two pistols found during the search.
King has a long criminal history among four states that includes 17 criminal convictions. Five of those prior convictions were for felony offenses, including controlled substances crimes and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-121.
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Allen Park Man Convicted of Fentanyl/Heroin Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
DETROIT - An Allen Park man was convicted today by a federal jury in Port Huron on charges of possessing fentanyl and heroin with the intent to distribute them, maintaining a drug premises, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a previously convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Joining Ison in the announcement was Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Found guilty was Robert Cortez Burrell, 52. The five-day trial was conducted before United States District Judge Robert H. Cleland. The jury deliberated less than an hour before returning their verdicts. Brown faces at least ten years in prison, up to life, when he is sentenced, likely early next year.
According to the evidence presented at trial, DEA agents began investigating Burrell in the fall of 2020. During their investigation, they learned he was storing and manufacturing drugs using two houses in Lincoln Park and his personal residence in Allen Park, as well as distributing fentanyl and heroin in Michigan and Ohio. On December 10, 2020, DEA agents executed warrants at the three houses, resulting in the discovery of more than 800 grams of fentanyl; over 300 grams of heroin (some of which was a fentanyl/heroin mix); cutting and narcotics packaging materials; a Sterling semi-automatic pistol; 15 rounds of .25 Auto ammunition; a half-kilo press with heroin residue; a grinder with fentanyl residue; another grinder with heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl residue; and approximately $15,000 in cash.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid, and two milligrams is typically considered a potentially lethal dose. So, Burrell had, conservatively, about 400,000 lethal doses of the drug. According to the CDC, in the twelve-month period ending December 2020, more than 92,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses. Products - Vital Statistics Rapid Release - Provisional Drug Overdose Data (cdc.gov). 75% of U.S. drug overdose deaths in 2020 involved an opioid.
“Our office will vigorously pursue opioid traffickers who inject poisons like fentanyl and heroin into our community and we will do all we can to stop them from continuing to destroy the lives of our friends, neighbors, and loved ones who suffer from substance addiction” said Ison.
This investigation was led by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration assigned to the Detroit Field Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jihan Williams and John O’Brien.
20-Year-Old Man Sentenced to 40-Years of Imprisonment for Armed Robberies, Carjackings, and Four MurdersRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – On October 12, 2022, U.S. District Senior Judge Francisco A. Besosa sentenced Nycole Amaury Rosario-Sánchez to 40 years in prison for committing three robberies and two carjackings during which four victims were murdered.
“This defendant, who senselessly killed victims just to rob them, has today been brought to justice through the imposition of a significant sentence,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We will continue to work with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to ensure that those who threaten our communities with acts of violence face the consequences of their actions.”
When he pled guilty on May 27, 2022, Rosario-Sánchez admitted that on January 4, 2018, he robbed Pizzería de Fernan in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, and wounded an employee and a client. Defendant Rosario-Sánchez also recognized that on January 11, 2018, during the robbery of the food business El Invader on Highway #1 in San Juan, PR, he shot and killed an employee. His plea included the confession to his participation in the January 13, 2018 carjacking of an all-terrain motorcycle at a Puma station in Santurce where he shot the driver, who died from the injuries.
The criminal conduct for which he was sentenced also included the January 14, 2018, robbery of a food business called Tripletas Mixtas Ruiz in Cidra, PR, during which several employees were shot and where one employee died. On that same day, the defendant and others carjacked a 2010 Toyota Tacoma and shot the driver, who also died from the gunshot wounds. Rosario-Sánchez was a minor when he committed these heinous crimes, and he was aided and abetted by others. However, in accordance with Department of Justice procedures, he was prosecuted as an adult.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Gottfried prosecuted the case. The FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau conducted the investigation and supported the prosecution.
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12 October 2022
Zuni man charged with murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Brian Wallace made an initial appearance in federal court on Oct. 11 on a criminal complaint charging him with murder in Indian Country. Wallace, 44, of Zuni, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for Oct. 13.
According to the complaint, Wallace allegedly killed a victim, identified as John Doe, and buried him at a residence on the Zuni Pueblo on an unknown date. The victim was an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Wallace faces up to life in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the FBI Phoenix Field Office and Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
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Woodville Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and CocaineRead the Press Release
Natchez, Miss. – Two Woodville men were sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine in Wilkinson County, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Warren Jerome Goss, Jr. a/k/a “Jay,” 25, was sentenced today to 70 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
Michael Jackson a/k/a “Bear,” 45, was sentenced on May 3, 2022, to 108 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Both men were sentenced in U.S. District Court in Natchez, Mississippi.
According to court documents, an investigation into a drug distribution operation revealed Goss and Jackson conspired to and did distribute methamphetamine and cocaine hydrochloride in Woodville. Between October, 2019, and June, 2020, undercover ATF agents conducted multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine and cocaine hydrochloride from Goss and Jackson.
Goss and Jackson were indicted by a federal grand jury on January 26, 2021. Both defendants subsequently pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway.
Wilmington Felon Receives Six Years in Prison for Gun OffenseRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Wilmington man was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for illegal firearm possession. On June 24, 2022, Quemar Deshawn Wooten, age 35, pleaded guilty to the Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, in February of 2021, members of the Wilmington Police Department received several complaints regarding narcotics sales and people with firearms on the porch of a residence on Meares Street. Officers conducted surveillance on the residence over several days and it was apparent that drug transactions were being conducted. On February 27, 2021, officers approached the residence and made contact with Michael Hines, Quemar Wooten, and another individual on the front porch. During their investigation, officers located a stolen firearm in Wooten’s waistband and another firearm underneath a sweatshirt belonging to Hines.
Hines pleaded guilty to firearms charges on August 12, 2022 and is awaiting sentencing.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Wilmington Police Department’s Gun Crime Task Force, the Wilmington Police Department, and the New Hanover Sheriff’s Department investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William Van Trigt prosecuted the case. Van Trigt is a prosecutor with the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal violent crimes and other criminal matters. This has been made possible by a grant funded by New Hanover County.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders 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.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-cr-00055-FL.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office and Department of Justice Announce Results in Continued Efforts to Protect Older Adults from Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and the U.S. Department of Justice, announced the results of its efforts over the past year to protect older adults from financial fraud and exploitation. During the past year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Department, and their law enforcement partners tackled matters that ranged from mass-marketing scams that impacted thousands of victims to bad actors scamming their neighbors. Substantial efforts were also made over the last year to return money to fraud victims.
“We will continue to prioritize prosecution of fraudsters who prey upon the finances of older adults,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “These despicable scams often exploit the trust and love of our seniors and deprive them of their hard-earned savings and security. We will work to hold those who commit these crimes accountable and to return ill-gotten gains to victims of fraud.”
“We are intensifying our efforts nationwide to protect older adults, including by disrupting, dismantling and prosecuting foreign-based fraud schemes that target American seniors,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This expansion of our efforts builds on the Justice Department’s existing work to hold accountable those who steal funds from older adults, including by returning those funds to the victims where possible.”
During the period from September 2021 to September 2022, Department personnel and its law enforcement partners pursued approximately 260 cases involving more than 600 defendants, both bringing new cases and advancing those previously charged.
Over the past year, the Department pursued numerous cases against the perpetrators of “grandparent scams,” otherwise known as “person-in-need scams.” These scams typically begin when a fraudster, often based overseas, contacts an older adult and poses as a grandchild or other family member, or someone calling on behalf of a family member. Call recipients are told that their family member is in jeopardy and is urgently in need of money. At the recent sentencing one of eight perpetrators of a grandparent scam indicted under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, a federal judge described such scams “heartbreakingly evil.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice are working with government partners and others to raise awareness about these schemes.
For example, in 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana prosecuted Edwin Agbi, of Indiana, for defrauding senior victims as part of a broad, international scheme. Agbi worked with an international group of scammers to create fake profiles on OurTime, an online dating service designed for adults over 50. The scammers were able to deceive several senior victims, making them believe that they were in genuine romantic relationships with the fake personas. Eventually, the scammers asked the victims for money, explaining that they needed funds for various reasons, including taxes and travel expenses. The victims sometimes sent the requested money. Agbi received money from the victims and passed it along to his co-conspirators.
Agbi was charged with various federal fraud and money laundering offenses. On March 2, 2022, he was found guilty following a three-day federal jury trial. On August 25, 2022, he was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay $95,500 in restitution to his victims. Agbi was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Miller and MaryAnn T. Mindrum.
Also in 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana prosecuted five people who organized a nation-wide “Grandparent Scam.” From at least April 2020 and continuing through January 2021, Jasaun Pope, Darlens Renard, Princess Elizer, Jennifer Glemeau, and Kareem Brown exploited the elderly and their relationships with their relatives for personal financial gain. This sophisticated criminal network, through extortion and fraud, induced elderly Americans across the United States to pay tens of thousands of dollars to help their grandchild or other close family relative in a “Grandparent Scam.”
Unidentified members of the conspiracy made scam telephone calls to elderly victims in Indiana and nationwide claiming that their grandchild or other relative had an urgent legal or medical problem and needed money immediately. The caller, who often claimed to be an attorney, police officer, or other authority figure, told the victims to send an overnight delivery of cash to help the purported relative in need—typically between $5,000 and $15,000—to a delivery address used by the conspiracy. Once they received the money, the conspirators divided the criminal proceeds amongst themselves.
All five members of the conspiracy have signed agreements to plead guilty for their roles in the offense. On August 23, 2022, Jasaun Pope was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay $554,574.02 in restitution to the victims. The four other members of the conspiracy are awaiting sentencing. This fraud conspiracy is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys MaryAnn T. Mindrum and Nicholas J. Linder.
The Department of Justice also highlighted its successes in returning money to victims and efforts to combat grandparent scams. In the past year, the Department has notified over 550,000 people that they may be eligible for remission payments. Notifications were made to consumers whose information was sold by one of three data companies prosecuted by the Department and were later victims of “sweepstakes” or “astrology” solicitations that falsely promised prizes or individualized services in return for a fee. More than 160,000 of those victims cashed checks totaling $62 million, and thousands more are eligible to receive checks. Also notified were consumers who paid fraudsters perpetrating person-in-need scams and job scams via Western Union. In the past year, the Department has identified and contacted over 300,000 consumers who may be eligible for remission. Since March of 2020 more than 148,000 victims have received more than $366 million because of a 2017 criminal resolution with Western Union for the company’s willful failure to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program and its aiding and abetting of wire fraud.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana has also been committed to taking assets from criminals and returning them to victims. Thus far in 2022, the office’s Asset Recovery Unit has divested criminals of $732,609 worth of assets that are the fruits of their crimes. The office has collected $2,631.606 in criminal debts, including restitution owed to victims and fines owed to the court, and $1,950,427 in civil debts recovered for victims of crime and the United States.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcements efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professional who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting or connect them with agencies, and provide resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. English, Spanish and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov.
Some of the cases that comprise today’s announcement are charges, which are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina Observes Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - U.S. Attorney Dena J. King joins the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), community organizations, and law enforcement partners in observing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM).
Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship, used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. According to OVW, domestic violence can happen to anyone regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, religion, sex, or gender identity. Domestic violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and educational levels and occurs in both opposite-sex and same-sex relationships. It can also happen to intimate partners who are married, living together, dating or share a child.
Speaking this morning in Asheville at Helpmate’s Inc.’s annual domestic violence awareness event, U.S. Attorney King addressed an audience of more than 300 service providers and victim advocates, business leaders, community members, and law enforcement partners about the pervasiveness of domestic violence, and expressed her gratitude to the individuals and organizations that offer services, critical care, and protection to victims and survivors of domestic abuse.
“We have a shared responsibility to combat all forms of domestic violence and use all the tools at our disposal to ensure that victims and survivors have a viable path to safety and justice,” said U.S. Attorney King. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to holding accountable domestic violence offenders who violate federal firearms laws, and enhancing victims’ and survivors’ access to justice by providing much-needed federal resources to organizations that work with individuals and families who have experienced domestic abuse.”
Today, U.S. Attorney King also announced the allocation of more than $2.8 million in federal grants to Safe Alliance, Inc. and Safelight, Inc., two non-profit organizations in the Western District of North Carolina. The federal grants will be used to fund existing projects and new initiatives developed to prevent domestic violence and to support victims and survivors who have experienced domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and sexual assault.
“The deployment of much-needed resources through federal grants is critical in our mission to support community organizations that combat domestic violence and assist victims, survivors, and their families as they recover and rebuild their lives,” said U.S. Attorney King. “The grant awards will be used to improve access to legal services, expand economic support for survivors in underserved communities, and provide training and technical assistance for professionals who work with survivors every day.”
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies, and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
IF YOU ARE IN IMMEDIATE DANGER, CALL 911
You can also find local help here or by calling the national hotline:
National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
1-800-787-3224 (TTY)
Advocates are available 24/7
National Center for Victims of Crime
1-855-4-VICTIM (1-855-484-2846)
Two More Defendants from New Orleans Plead Guilty in Staged Automobile Collision SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that HERBERT ALLEN (“ALLEN”), age 37, and DION RIDLEY (“RIDLEY”), age 23, agreed to plead guilty to count one (1) of their indictment, charging Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. In pleading guilty, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years’ imprisonment; a term of supervised release of up to three (3) years; and a fine up to $250,000.00, or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person under Title 18, United States Code, Section 3571, as well as a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. Today’s guilty plea brings the total number of defendants convicted in Operation Sideswipe to 41.
As part of their plea, the defendants admitted to conspiring to commit mail fraud in connection with a staged automobile collision. In the scheme, ALLEN falsely claimed that he was the driver of a car that was struck by a tractor-trailer on June 28, 2017. RIDLEY, a passenger in the car, falsely claimed that ALLEN was driving the car when they were struck by a tractor-trailer. In fact, the government’s evidence showed that the defendants conspired with Damien Labeaud (“Labeaud”), Roderick Hickman (“Hickman”), and others to intentionally collide ALLEN’s 2007 Chevrolet Impala with a tractor-trailer in the area of Tchoupitoulas Street and Calliope Street in New Orleans. Both defendants lied in civil depositions, falsely claiming that ALLEN was driving the car that collided with the tractor-trailer, when in fact Hickman was driving the car and intentionally hit the tractor-trailer. Both defendants hoped that, through their false statements, they would secure lucrative monetary settlements from the owner, driver, and insurer of the tractor-trailer.
Sentencing is set for both defendants on February 15, 2023, before United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Long; Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit; Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria M. Carboni; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera.
Tucson Man Sentenced to 33 Months for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On September 27, 2022, Eric Christopher Segundo-Antone, 22, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 33 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Segundo-Antone previously pleaded guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor.
Sometime between June 1, 2018, and December 31, 2018, Segundo-Antone, an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, engaged in a sexual act with the victim, who was 14 years old at the time. The offense occurred on the Tohono O’odham Indian Reservation in the village of Topawa.
The Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department and the FBI conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances M. Kreamer Hope, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00796-TUC-JCH-BGM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-175_Segundo-Antone
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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.Three More Face Charges in Teen’s Fentanyl Overdose Death in Jefferson CountyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Three more people have been indicted in connection with the fatal fentanyl overdose of a 19-year-old in Jefferson County, Missouri, including those accused of supplying the man who gave drugs to the victim.
William Edward Martin, 22, of St. Louis County, appeared in court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to five felonies: conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl with a resulting death, distribution of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The death resulting charge carries a potential penalty of 20 years to life in prison, and the fentanyl conspiracy charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Martin was originally charged by complaint in July. Steven “Lemon” Littler, 33, Jacqueline Williamson, 33, and Tanisha Payne, 22, were added in an October 5 indictment.
Williamson also pleaded not guilty Tuesday. Littler pleaded not guilty October 6. Payne is expected to turn herself in Thursday.
“Hard work by federal and local investigators resulted in charges not only against the person who provided a fatal dose of fentanyl to the victim, but those higher up in the chain of supply,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming. “These charges won’t bring this young girl back, but will provide some accountability for a heinous crime and hopefully serve as a warning to those who sell this potentially fatal drug.”
Littler and Williamson also face the death resulting and conspiracy charges. Williamson also faces charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Payne was indicted on the conspiracy charge and a charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Charging documents say Martin sold fentanyl to the teen in a Walgreens parking lot in Arnold on June 23. Surveillance video shows the woman getting into a BMW with Martin. Martin then dragged the teen out of the BMW and put her in the backseat of her vehicle, where she was found dead the next morning.
Motions seeking to have Littler and Williamson held in jail until trial say they supplied Martin with fentanyl on multiple occasions, including the fentanyl that killed the teen. Their distribution of fentanyl “presents a lethal threat to those purchasing drugs,” a motion says. Williamson had a firearm on July 11, when law enforcement arrived at her home, and was using drugs, a motion says. Drugs were also being prepared for sale in her home, the motion says.
Both were also caught after their arrest with more suspected fentanyl hidden on their person, according to court documents and statements. Williamson failed to tell deputy U.S. Marshals after her arrest about the drugs, which were found at the federal courthouse. Suspected narcotics were found on Littler prior to his entry into jail.
"Overdose deaths are the tragic consequence of someone's greed and lack of regard for human life," said Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Davis, head of DEA’s St. Louis Division. "With drug overdose deaths at historic highs, DEA will work relentlessly to destroy the criminal networks pouring dangerous drugs into our communities, so that they can longer cause harm to families."
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Arnold Police Department, The U.S. Marshals Service and the St. Louis County Police Department.
Taunton Man Detained in Rhode Island on Federal Enticement, Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Taunton, MA, man has been ordered detained in federal custody on charges that he allegedly traveled to Rhode Island to engage in illicit sexual contact with a minor, and that he received and possessed child pornography, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
It is alleged in court documents that Paul Fredericks, 36, after engaging in more than two weeks of online conversations with a person he believed to be the father of nearly a nine-year-old girl, arranged to meet with the father and, later, with then his prepubescent daughter with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity. The person Fredericks was communicating with was, in fact, a Rhode Island State Police Detective assigned to the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Fredericks and the “father” of the young girl agreed to meet in a Providence parking lot on October 5. At that meeting, Fredericks allegedly discussed with the “father” ways he could prepare his daughter for sex, and suggested that they meet five days later to engage in sexual activity. Prior to the conclusion of the that meeting, Fredericks was arrested by members of the ICAC Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations. Fredericks was found to be carrying a condom and lubricant in a vest pocket.
A brief forensic audit of Fredericks cell phone at the time of his arrest allegedly revealed evidence that Fredericks had received and stored images of child pornography on his phone.
Fredericks is charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with attempted enticement of a minor; interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct; receipt of child pornography; and possession of child pornography. He was ordered to remain in federal custody following a preliminary and detention hearing in U.S. District Court in Providence on Tuesday.
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 Attorney John P. McAdams.
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St. Paul Felon Indicted for Federal Firearm ViolationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal grand jury returned an indictment against a St. Paul man for possession of a firearm as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents on July 23, 2021, Ember Shawndale White, 22, was found in possession of a Beretta APX 9x19mm pistol. Because White has multiple prior felony convictions in Ramsey, Hennepin, and Dakota Counties, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
White is charged with one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. He made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court today, before Magistrate Judge Becky R. Thorson.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert 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.
Sells Man Sentenced to 110 Months for RobberyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Glenn Frank, 33, of Sells, Arizona, was sentenced on October 5, 2022, by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 110 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Frank previously pleaded guilty to Robbery.
On August 20, 2018, Frank, an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, assaulted a taxicab driver by striking him repeatedly in the head with a firearm and then robbed him. The offense occurred on the Tohono O’odham Indian Reservation in the village of San Xavier.
The Tohono O’odham Police Department and the FBI conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances M. Kreamer Hope, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-1904-TUC-RM-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-176_Frank
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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.San Antonio Pair Plead Guilty to SIM Swap SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and computer fraud for a scheme utilizing Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) swapping. SIM Swapping is an increasingly common method of fraud in which a victim’s cell phone carrier is compromised to re-assign a phone number from one SIM card to another. This allows bad actors to intercept phone and text communications and use them to compromise the phone owner’s other accounts.
According to court documents, Andrew Percy Trujillo, 22, along with his co-defendant Zena Elisa Dounson, 34, of San Antonio, devised a scheme to SIM swap mobile customers’ phones at a local AT&T store. Dounson was employed at the store and allowed Trujillo to add himself as an authorized user to multiple victims’ AT&T accounts where Trujillo then ported a victim’s SIM card credentials to his own devices’ SIM cards. This caused calls and texts to the victims’ phone numbers to be sent to devices controlled by Trujillo rather than the rightful owners. Co-conspirators were able to access the victims’ various cryptocurrency accounts and transfer out at least $250,000 worth of cryptocurrency.
Trujillo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse as well as wire fraud. Dounson previously pleaded guilty to the same offense on September 27, 2022. The co-defendants are currently set for sentencing on January 5, 2023. Both defendants face up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and FBI Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Chung and Michael Galdo are prosecuting the case.
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Salem County Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Salem County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for possession of images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Rickie Wayne Patton, 43, of Pennsville, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an information charging him with one count of possession of child pornography. Judge Bumb imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Feb. 10, 2020, a task force officer with the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force identified an IP Address that was sharing suspected child sexual abuse materials over a peer-to-peer file sharing network. From Feb. 10, 2020, to March 15, 2020, the officer downloaded several video files containing images of child sexual abuse from a computer at the same IP Address, which was then traced to Patton’s residence. Law enforcement officer executed a search warrant on May 19, 2020, and found laptop computers and digital storage media belonging to Patton. Forensic examination later confirmed those devices contained images of child sexual abuse. Patton admitted to possessing those devices and knowing they contained child sexual abuse materials during his guilty plea.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Patton to 10 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the FBI, Philadelphia Division, South Jersey Resident Agency - Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Pennsville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Patrick Spillman, and the Salem County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Kristin J. Telsey, for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew B. Johns of the Criminal Division in Camden.
Sacaton Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Abusive Sexual Contact with a MinorRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On September 29, 2022, Ronald Lee Juan, Jr., 27, of Sacaton, Arizona, an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Community, was sentenced by United States District Judge John J. Tuchi to 204 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Between September 22, 2017, and September 21, 2018, Juan engaged in sexual contact with the victim on multiple occasions. Juan pleaded guilty on June 9, 2022, to Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gila River Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raynette Logan, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00885-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-177_Juan# # #
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.Retired St. Louis Priest Admits Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS –A retired St. Louis priest pleaded guilty to federal charges Wednesday and admitted possessing thousands of images containing child pornography.
James T. Beighlie, 72, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography in front of U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp. In his plea agreement, Beighlie admitted that on May 17, 2021, while he was working at the Congregation of the Mission in St. Louis, colleagues found compromising images of Beighlie on a church printer.
The church launched an internal investigation that included a review of four desktop computer towers, a laptop and a smartphone used by Beighlie. When a private IT support company found what appeared to be videos of minors engaging in sex acts, an attorney for the church contacted the FBI.
About 6,000 images of child sexual abuse material were found on one computer, including about 3,000 images containing child pornography and 2,992 images of child erotica, Beighlie’s plea says. There were also two PowerPoint presentations created by Beighlie that linked to thousands of the images. Another computer had 236 images and 40 videos containing child sexual abuse material.
Beighlie is scheduled to be sentenced January 10.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lang 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who 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.
Pushmataha County Resident Sentenced to 140 Months in Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that David Leroy Earls, age 36, of Tuskahoma, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 140 months imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release for three counts of Sexual Abuse in Indian Country. Each count is ordered to run concurrently. The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The defendant was previously convicted by a federal jury. At the trial, the evidence proved Earls sexually abused the victim, who could not legally consent to sexual activity.
In addition to the 140 months of incarceration within the Bureau of Prisons, Earls must register as a sex offender upon his release from prison, he cannot live with or be alone with a minor without prior approval, he must submit to a sex offender or mental health treatment program as recommended, including polygraphs to make sure he is in compliance, and he must submit to a search of his person, home, or computer.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant in this case is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Pushmataha County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“The defendant exploited and sexually assaulted the victim whom he knew to be mentally and emotionally challenged,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Earls’ callous acts warrant the punishment imposed by the Court.”
“David Earls’ crimes were predatory and there is no question the sentencing is just,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “The FBI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to investigate the most egregious crimes in Indian Country and provide justice for the victims.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Earls will report to a United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Sarah McAmis represented the United States.
Pittsburgh Man Charged with Attempted Coercion of a Minor for SexRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, PA, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal child exploitation laws United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Thomas A. Yocum, Jr., 34, of the City’s Summer Hill neighborhood, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from on or about Sept. 13, 2022, until on or about Sept. 18, 2022, Thomas A. Yocum, Jr. is alleged to have used cellular telephone networks and the internet to knowingly attempt to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce an individual who had not attained the age of 18, to engage in unlawful sexual activity.
The law provides for a minimum total sentence of 10 years in prison, up to a term of life, a fine of $250,000 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert C. Schupansky is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this 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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pinellas Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Cocaine at Local Gentleman’s ClubRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Leon Erick Williams (41, St. Petersburg) has pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing cocaine. Williams faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on February 7, 2022, Williams sold cocaine to undercover police officers at a Gentleman’s Club in Pinellas Park. The following day, Williams coordinated another cocaine deal with undercover officers via text message. On February 10, 2022, Williams sold an additional quantity of cocaine to the undercover officers in the Gentleman’s Club’s restroom.
This case was investigated by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.
Pinedale woman pleads guilty to manslaughter and assault for fatal crashRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Betrina Grey pleaded guilty on Oct. 11 to involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. Grey, 31, of Pinedale, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on Oct. 14, 2017, Grey was driving while intoxicated when she lost control of her vehicle on State Road 118 near the Fort Wingate Army Depot turnoff on the Navajo Nation. As the vehicle rolled, two passengers, identified as John Doe 1 and John Doe 2, were ejected from the vehicle. John Doe 1 died on the scene, while John Doe 2 suffered a significant brain injury and was airlifted to a hospital for emergency care. Both victims were enrolled members of the Navajo Nation.
In her plea agreement, Grey acknowledged that her blood alcohol content, measured after the incident, was .16. Grey faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico State Police and McKinley County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
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Paw Paw Man Pleads Guilty to Arson, Admits Setting Fire at Kalamazoo Planned ParenthoodRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced today that Joshua Brereton of Paw Paw, Michigan pled guilty to one count of arson, admitting to United States Magistrate Judge Ray Kent that he maliciously set fire to the Planned Parenthood clinic in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
“This fire was a senseless act of political violence,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. He continued: “In our democracy, resorting to violence is never an acceptable means to address policy disputes. Moreover, Brereton’s actions could have injured innocent citizens and first responders. Today’s guilty plea is an important step to ensure the safety of our community.”
“Arson is a heinous act of violence, and has a severe impact on the community,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, “Combined resources and expertise through our state and local partnerships allowed for a quick resolve of this violent act.”
As part of his guilty plea, Brereton admitted that, on July 31, 2022, he went to Walmart in Paw Paw, where he purchased Citronella tiki torch fuel, a Duraflame fire starter log, a utility lighter, and a black baseball hat. Then, dressed in a camouflage jacket, the black hat, and hiking shoes, Brereton admitted breaching Planned Parenthood’s security fence and setting fires near the front entrance of the building as well as at the southwest corner of the building. Finally, he admitted igniting the Duraflame starter log and throwing it onto the roof of the building to start a third fire before he fled the scene.
Brereton’s plea agreement provided the court with insight into the crime’s motivation. In the agreement, Brereton admitted posting a video – entitled “The Line Between Good and Evil” – to his YouTube channel. In it, he referred to abortion as genocide. Brereton admitted posting similar anti-abortion articles and items on his Facebook page.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 6, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. before United States District Judge Paul L. Maloney. At sentencing, Brereton faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, with a maximum possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and will be ordered to pay restitution to the victim of his crime. The plea agreement estimates the amount of restitution Brereton will be ordered to pay to be in excess of $20,000 in addition to all other penalties.
Brereton’s guilty plea followed a joint investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Carowan.
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Oswego County Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Marcus Lombardo, age 38, of Hannibal, NY, pled guilty today to possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his guilty plea, Lombardo admitted that on February 18, 2021, during a visit at his home from his United States Probation Officer, Lombardo possessed at least 180 image and video files of child pornography on an SD card found inside a cell phone that he was prohibited from possessing under the conditions of his supervised release.
Lombardo was on federal supervision following a 2012 federal conviction for receipt and possession of child pornography and commission of a felony offense while on pretrial release. He was sentenced to a one-year term of imprisonment in 2019 for violating the conditions of his release on a prior occasion and was sentenced to 16-month term in 2021 for the violation that occurred on February 18, 2021.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 9, 2023, before United States District Judge David N. Hurd. Lombardo faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of between 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the United States Probation Office and the FBI Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sutcliffe as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Steve E. Eggiman, 62, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for transportation of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Eggiman to 78 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Eggiman will begin a five-year term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Buescher ordered Eggiman to pay $9,000 in restitution and a $5,000 JVTA special assessment.
On November 23, 2020, Yahoo! Inc., an Electronic Service Provider, identified at least one image of child pornography that was transported through Yahoo! email servers. Yahoo! captured the Internet Protocol (IP) address that was used by the account user to transport the child pornography. Law enforcement obtained information related to the IP address, which ultimately identified Eggiman as the subscriber and that he resided in Omaha.
Members of the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force executed a federal search warrant of Eggiman’s residence. The FBI seized Eggiman’s digital devices. Eggiman gave a voluntary statement to law enforcement during which he admitted to transporting and possessing child pornography. A forensic review of Eggiman’s digital devices found 71 images and 3 videos of child pornography.
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.
This case was investigated by the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Offense that Caused OverdosesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Darnell L. Polite, 43, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Polite to 180 months’ imprisonment. Following his release, Polite will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On April 8, 2021, Omaha Police Officers responded to an apartment in Omaha for a drug overdose. On arrival, officers observed three parties in the living room unresponsive and being treated by Omaha Fire Department Medics. Omaha Fire Department was able to administer Narcan to two of the victims who then became conscious. A third victim was taken to the hospital and revived.
The victims identified Polite’s apartment as where they bought the illegal drugs. A state of Nebraska court authorized search warrant was obtained. During the search, officers located 3.38 pounds of marijuana, 10.23 ounces of methamphetamine, 23 grams of suspected fentanyl, and a Sig Sauer 9mm handgun later verified to have been stolen out of Carter Lake. Also, in the apartment was $2,300, multiple clear baggies, and digital scales.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Ohio Man Admits to Making a Bomb and Driving it to Carroll County, Maryland with the Intent to Kill His Romantic RivalRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Clayton Alexander McCoy, age 32, of Chesterland, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to transporting explosives with intent to injure and to possession of an unregistered firearm/explosive device, in connection with an explosion at a home in Carroll County, Maryland. A resident of the home was the boyfriend of a woman in whom McCoy had a romantic interest.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci; Carroll County Sheriff James T. DeWees; and Carroll County State’s Attorney Allan Culver.
According to his guilty plea, McCoy built an explosive bomb in his home in Ohio, then drove the bomb to Victim 1’s home in Carroll County, Maryland, intending to kill the victim. McCoy knew the victim and a woman, who was Victim 1’s girlfriend, for a number of years through a live action role-playing battle game/social club. In October 2020 McCoy expressed romantic feelings for the woman, who informed McCoy that she was in a relationship with Victim 1 and did not share McCoy’s romantic feelings.
Following his rejection by Victim 1’s girlfriend, McCoy devised a plan to build and deliver a bomb to Victim 1’s house with the intent to kill Victim 1 in order to remove him as a romantic rival. McCoy researched the materials and plans for making the victim operated pipe bomb. McCoy traveled to multiple stores and purchased a variety of substances to make explosive powder, as well as other components to manufacture the bomb. To avoid detection by law enforcement, McCoy purchased single items from multiple stores and paid for the materials in cash. McCoy made shrapnel for the inside of the bomb by using an angle grinder saw to cut scrap metal into small, triangular pieces. McCoy inserted the homemade shrapnel and bb’s, into the metal pipe, to increase the deadliness of the pipe bomb when it exploded. McCoy placed the homemade bomb into a white gift box, tied a red ribbon around the box, and armed the firing mechanism so that the bomb would explode when the gift box was opened. Additionally, McCoy placed the gift box containing the bomb into a larger cardboard box with a shipping label that had no return address. Prior to delivering the bomb, McCoy made a prototype and tested the bomb in his yard to ensure that it would detonate.
On October 30, 2020, McCoy placed the homemade bomb in the back of a pickup truck and drove approximately seven hours from Ohio to Victim 1’s residence. McCoy placed the bomb on Victim 1’s front porch just prior to 8:30 a.m., where Victim 1’s grandfather saw the package and brought the package inside the home. Victim 1’s grandfather put the package on the kitchen counter, where it remained until Victim 1’s return. At approximately 5:30 p.m., Victim 1 returned home and saw the cardboard box that was addressed to him. He opened the cardboard box and observed a smaller white box with a red ribbon inside. The victim texted his girlfriend to ask her if she had sent him a present, then took both boxes into his bedroom to open his “gift” in private. As the victim opened the gift box, the bomb detonated. Victim 1 heard a whistling or hissing sound followed by an explosion. The victim was struck in the front of his body by shrapnel and sustained injuries to his chest, legs, and front of his body. He was transported to the hospital where he was treated for injuries caused by the shrapnel and explosion.
The victim was released from the hospital on November 17, 2020. Victim 1 had to use a walker for two weeks following the explosion and underwent multiple surgeries to remove shrapnel from his body, and another surgery on his hand. Multiple pieces of shrapnel remain inside Victim 1’s body. The explosion at Victim 1’s residence caused an estimated $46,690 of damage to the dwelling and contents. The house was uninhabitable until March 2021 and Victim 1 and his grandparents were forced to move out of their home and to live elsewhere while the house was under repairs. The insurance company suffered a loss of $70,061.26 as a direct result of the explosion.
On March 10, 2021, investigators executed a search warrant at McCoy’s residence in Chesterland, Ohio and seized items McCoy used to create the bomb, including the explosive powder. McCoy initially admitted knowing Victim 1 but denied knowing where Victim 1 resided in October 2020. McCoy claimed to have heard about the bombing of Victim 1 through mutual friends but denied having any role in the bombing. During the interview, McCoy named another individual from the role-playing group who McCoy claimed did not like Victim 1. After law enforcement showed McCoy maps of his movements on the day of the bombing that documented McCoy’s travel from Ohio to Victim 1’s residence and then back to Ohio, McCoy admitted that he made and delivered the bomb.
McCoy faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for transporting explosives with intent to injure and a maximum of 10 years in prison for possession of an unregistered firearm/explosive device. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has not yet scheduled sentencing.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department, and the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Nigerian National Found Guilty of Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A federal jury today convicted Blessing Adeleke, 31, of Nigeria, of one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and 16 counts of bank fraud for his role in a conspiracy to obtain stolen financial information, make fraudulent and unauthorized purchases of retail goods and gift cards and steal funds from victim bank accounts in Northern Ohio and elsewhere.
Between January 2014 through October 2016, Adeleke served as an administrator for an online marketplace, Shad0w.info, where compromised data, such as credit numbers and personally identifiable information (PII), were sold.
As part of the conspiracy, Adeleke and others obtained stolen credit card information and purchased items, such as retail goods and gift cards for themselves. Adeleke shared this stolen credit card information with others, including co-defendant Kylie Ann Harlow.
Court documents state that Adeleke and Harlow shipped retail goods purchased with the stolen financial information to Harlow and others and, in some instances, returned the goods and gift cards to retail stores to obtain cash. Adeleke and Harlow eventually forwarded the fraudulently obtained goods, gift cards and cash to other members of the conspiracy for their personal enrichment.
Adeleke gained access to at least one bank account belonging to a victim in Pepper Pike, Ohio, from which he sent 16 fraudulent checks.
Kylie Ann Harlow previously pleaded guilty to her role in the scheme and was sentenced in June 2021.
Adeleke is scheduled to be sentenced on January 18, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Cleveland FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian S. Deckert and Daniel J. Riedl .
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support and assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Ghana. The U.S. Department of Justice thanks its Ghanian partners, specifically the Ministry of Interior and the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, for supporting this extradition. The FBI Legal Attaché in Accra and the U.S. Marshals Service also provided significant support and assistance to Adeleke’s extradition.