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4 October 2022
Cincinnati man sentenced to 37 months in prison for possessing pistol he converted into fully automatic weapon using 3D-printed partsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 37 months in prison for illegally possessing a pistol that had been converted into an automatic weapon, which he used in self-defense during a shootout outside a restaurant.
“Even if you use the firearm in self-defense, it is illegal to possess an automatic weapon like the one used in this case, and you are breaking the law,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “My office will hold you accountable for these types of firearms and you will spend time in federal prison.”
Gionni Dews, 23, took the loaded, converted firearm to his job at IHOP in Oakley on Nov. 26, 2021.
At some point that evening, Dews got into a physical altercation with a coworker. Dews then walked off the job and waited outside for a friend to pick him up.
About 15 minutes after the initial altercation, an adult male confronted Dews and allegedly started shooting at him, striking Dews in the leg. Dews ran away while shooting back toward the other man, unloading more than 20 rounds in rapid succession. Some of the rounds hit the IHOP.
Dews’s friend arrived in an SUV, and Dews ran to the vehicle. The men then led police on a high-speed chase onto I-71. The driver of the SUV swerved into a guardrail as the SUV exited the expressway, and Dews threw the loaded gun out of the passenger window.
Dews was eventually driven to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he was treated for a bullet wound in his leg.
Dews was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2022 and pleaded guilty in March 2022 to illegally possessing a machine gun.
Sentencing of defendants is determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Cincinnati Interim Police Chief Lt. Col. Teresa A. Theetge announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Assistant United States Attorney Julie D. Garcia is representing the United States in this case.
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Canadian National Sentenced in Connection with Ransomware Attacks Resulting in the Payment of Tens of Millions of Dollars in RansomsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – A Canadian man was sentenced to 20 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $21,500,000 today for his role in NetWalker ransomware attacks. The Court will order restitution at a later date.
According to court documents, Sebastian Vachon-Desjardins, 35, of Gatineau, Quebec, participated in a sophisticated form of ransomware known as NetWalker. NetWalker ransomware has targeted dozens of victims all over the world, including companies, municipalities, hospitals, law enforcement, emergency services, school districts, colleges, and universities. Attacks have specifically targeted the healthcare sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, taking advantage of the global crisis to extort victims.
“The defendant identified and attacked high-value ransomware victims and profited from the chaos caused by encrypting and stealing the victims’ data,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that ransomware actors will face significant consequences for their crimes and exemplifies the Department’s steadfast commitment to pursuing actors who participate in ransomware schemes.”
“The defendant in this case used sophisticated technological means to exploit hundreds of victims in numerous countries at the height of an international health crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “This case is an example of the dedication and tenacious work of our law enforcement partners to bring such criminals to justice, no matter where they reside or operate.”
“This sentencing serves as a reminder to the American public that the FBI is committed to combatting cyber threats with its world-class capabilities and enduring law enforcement partnerships,” said Special Agent in Charge David Walker of the FBI Tampa Field Office. “Our cyber task forces work vigorously to expose the cyber adversaries preying on United States citizens and bring them to justice.”
Vachon-Desjardins was extradited to the United States pursuant to the extradition treaty between the United States and Canada. Pursuant to a request submitted by U.S. authorities, Canadian law enforcement officers arrested Vachon-Desjardins in Gatineau, Quebec, on Jan. 27, 2021, and executed a search warrant at Vachon-Desjardins’s home in Gatineau. During the search, officers discovered and seized $742,840 in Canadian currency and 719 Bitcoin, valued at approximately $21,849,087 at the time of seizure and $14,463,993 as of today.
The FBI Tampa Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Sonia V. Jimenez of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlton C. Gammons and Suzanne Nebesky for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing Vachon-Desjardins’s arrest and extradition. The U.S. Marshals Service transported Vachon-Desjardins from Canada to the United States.
The investigation benefited from law enforcement cooperation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ontario Provincial Police, Gatineau Police Service, and National Cybercrime Coordination Unit.
Canadian National Sentenced in Connection with Ransomware Attacks Resulting in the Payment of Tens of Millions of Dollars in RansomsRead the Press Release
A Canadian man was sentenced to 20 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $21,500,000 today for his role in NetWalker ransomware attacks. The Court will order restitution at a later date.
According to court documents, Sebastian Vachon-Desjardins, 35, of Gatineau, Quebec, participated in a sophisticated form of ransomware known as NetWalker. NetWalker ransomware has targeted dozens of victims all over the world, including companies, municipalities, hospitals, law enforcement, emergency services, school districts, colleges, and universities. Attacks have specifically targeted the healthcare sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, taking advantage of the global crisis to extort victims.
“The defendant identified and attacked high-value ransomware victims and profited from the chaos caused by encrypting and stealing the victims’ data,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that ransomware actors will face significant consequences for their crimes and exemplifies the Department’s steadfast commitment to pursuing actors who participate in ransomware schemes.”
“The defendant in this case used sophisticated technological means to exploit hundreds of victims in numerous countries at the height of an international health crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “This case is an example of the dedication and tenacious work of our law enforcement partners to bring such criminals to justice, no matter where they reside or operate.”
“This sentencing serves as a reminder to the American public that the FBI is committed to combatting cyber threats with its world-class capabilities and enduring law enforcement partnerships,” said Special Agent in Charge David Walker of the FBI Tampa Field Office. “Our cyber task forces work vigorously to expose the cyber adversaries preying on United States citizens and bring them to justice.”
Vachon-Desjardins was extradited to the United States pursuant to the extradition treaty between the United States and Canada. Pursuant to a request submitted by U.S. authorities, Canadian law enforcement officers arrested Vachon-Desjardins in Gatineau, Quebec, on Jan. 27, 2021, and executed a search warrant at Vachon-Desjardins’s home in Gatineau. During the search, officers discovered and seized $742,840 in Canadian currency and 719 Bitcoin, valued at approximately $21,849,087 at the time of seizure and $14,463,993 as of today.
The FBI Tampa Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Sonia V. Jimenez of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlton C. Gammons and Suzanne Nebesky for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing Vachon-Desjardins’s arrest and extradition. The U.S. Marshals Service transported Vachon-Desjardins from Canada to the United States.
The investigation benefited from law enforcement cooperation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ontario Provincial Police, Gatineau Police Service, and National Cybercrime Coordination Unit.
California Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 45 Months in Federal Prison Following an Indiana Traffic Stop Leading to the Seizure of 8.5 Kilos of FentanylRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Felix Becerra-Aguilera, 40, of Stockton, California, was sentenced to 45 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, on September 13, 2021, an Indiana State Police trooper was conducting a patrol on I-70 in Hancock County. The state trooper conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle being driven by Felix Becerra-Aguilera who was identified by his California driver’s license. Becerra-Aguilera gave the state trooper written consent to search his vehicle.
During the search of the vehicle, officers found multiple wrapped packages containing Oxycodone Hydrochloride pills in the hollowed-out seat cushions. Officers also found fentanyl pills and two-kilogram bricks of fentanyl in the seatbacks of the front seats. Approximately eight and a half kilograms of fentanyl were seized from inside the vehicle during the traffic stop. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage. One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people.
Becerra-Aguilera admitted to the state troopers that he was being paid to drive the narcotics to Philadelphia. Officers found $2,000 in U.S. currency inside Becerra-Aguilera’s bag inside the vehicle.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and R. Sean Fitzgerald, acting Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office for Homeland Security Investigations, made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case in conjunction with the Indiana State Police. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. As part of the sentence, Judge Pratt ordered that Beccera-Aguilera be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for two years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela S. Domash who prosecuted this case.
Box Elder Man Indicted for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Box Elder, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Mario Moran, age 19, was indicted in September of 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on October 3, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
In July of 2022, near Sturgis, South Dakota, Moran, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, possessed a Hi-Point, model CF380, .380 AUTO caliber, semi-automatic pistol, which was found after Moran came into contact with law enforcement.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The charge is merely an accusation and Moran is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the ATF and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Moran was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Birmingham Teacher Sentenced to over Four Years in Prison for Transfer of Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Last week, a federal judge sentenced a Birmingham teacher for transferring obscene material to a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Felix A. Rivera-Esparra.
U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced Richard Pope, 57, of Birmingham, to 54 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. As a condition of his supervised release, Pope must register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Pope previously pleaded guilty to three counts of transmission of obscene material to a minor.
According to the plea agreement, Richard Pope was a graphics art teacher and baseball coach at G.W. Carver High School in Birmingham. In March 2020, Pope messaged a minor on Facebook. During the chats, Pope engaged the minor in sexually explicit conversations and sent the minor obscene images.
“This sentence sends a strong message that those who abuse their positions of trust with our children will be prosecuted and punished,” U.S Attorney Escalona said. “My office, along with our law enforcement partners, will work to ensure that our schools are always safe for our children.”
“Pope betrayed the trust granted to him in his position as a teacher and now will pay the consequences for his actions,” SAC Rivera said. “The public can rest assured that the FBI will always be vigilant in pursuing those who choose to prey on our most vulnerable, especially our children. I am proud of the work done by the FBI Birmingham Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force and our partners at ALEA for bringing Pope to justice.”
FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John M. Hundscheid and R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. 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, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Berkeley County man admits to firearms conspiracyRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Shane Tobias, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, has admitted a firearms conspiracy, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Tobias, 29, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy.” Tobias admitted to working with others to illegally purchase, transfer, and sell firearms from June 2020 until December 2020 in Berkeley County and elsewhere.
Tobias faces up to five years of incarceration and fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
3 October 2022
“Coyote” Arrested in Yolo County for Transportation of Non-Citizens and Refusal to Release Passengers After Demanding More PaymentRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A human smuggler (also known as a “coyote”) was taken into federal custody today on a criminal complaint charging him with unlawful transportation of noncitizens without status in the United States, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Mateo Gomez Gonzalez, 29, of Mexico, was arrested at a gas station near Dunnigan, California, and currently is in federal custody in Sacramento.
According to court documents, on Sept. 28, 2022, a concerned resident of Sacramento called law enforcement to report that his relative and a friend were being held over a payment dispute in a human smuggling operation. Specifically, the driver of a vehicle involved in the transport of Mexican citizens to the United States was threatening to drop the relative and family friend at an unknown stash house rather than to the awaiting family members if additional payment was not made. Acting on the tip, law enforcement met the vehicle at a gas station, discovered four passengers in the vehicle who did not have lawful status in the United States, and arrested the driver, Gomez.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Audrey B. Hemesath and Denise Yasinow are prosecuting the case. The investigation is ongoing.
If convicted, Gomez faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison per individual smuggled. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Youngstown Man Sentenced to More Than 27 Years in Prison for Child Pornography Charges and Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Jason S. Huffman, 50, of Youngstown, Ohio, was sentenced on Tuesday, September 27, 2022, to more than 27 years in prison, or 328 months, and was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Christopher Boyko. The sentence was pronounced after Huffman pleaded guilty to a five-count indictment in April 2022, charging him with transportation of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexual conduct, possession of child pornography and sexual exploitation of children.
According to court documents and courtroom proceedings, from April 2015 to December 2020, Huffman uploaded images of child pornography to a cloud storage account, prompting numerous cyber-tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
According to court records, law enforcement authorities executed a search warrant at Huffman’s residence in February 2021 and, during the search, found images of child pornography on multiple cellphones belonging to Huffman, including images Huffman had created of a minor victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Authorities were later able to determine that Huffman had created the explicit photos of the victim over the course of a two-year period.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik.
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Worcester Man Sentence for Firearm and Ammunition OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced today for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Barry Jumpp, 30, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 46 months in prison and two years of supervised release. On May 11, 2022, Jumpp pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On Jan. 7, 2021, Jumpp was arrested by local authorities in connection with an outstanding warrant from Connecticut. In the pocket of Jumpp’s jacket, law enforcement found a 9 mm firearm loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition. The firearm had been stolen from a Worcester resident in 2016. Jumpp is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Worcester Police Chief Steven Sargent made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun and Kristen Noto of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Woman with prior murder conviction charged federally with gun and drug distribution chargesRead the Press Release
Seattle – A Seattle-area woman, who recently finished serving a 16-year sentence for second degree murder, is charged federally for drug distribution and illegal firearms possession, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Raven Marlyne Hudson was initially arrested on state charges July 12, 2022, in Seattle’s University District, after she rammed a law enforcement vehicle while trying to avoid arrest. A court authorized search of her vehicle revealed a variety of illegal drugs and two firearms – one of them stolen.
Hudson made her initial appearance on the federal charges today. She remains detained pending another hearing on October 5, 2022. Hudson was released from state custody on the murder conviction in January 2022.
According to the criminal complaint, in early 2022, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) agents and Seattle Police Narcotics Detectives began investigating Hudson as a significant drug dealer in the Seattle area. In June, a person working with law enforcement ordered fentanyl pills from Hudson. Following that drug sale, law enforcement surveilled Hudson’s activities, seeing her move around to high-frequency drug trafficking areas. On July 12, 2022, agents and officers blocked Hudson’s car as she parked in Seattle’s University District. Hudson rammed one of the HSI vehicles before ultimately being removed from her car and arrested.
When investigators executed a court-authorized search warrant on Hudson’s car, they recovered more than 600 grams of methamphetamine, more than 118 grams of fentanyl powder, about 6,700 fentanyl pills, plus heroin and cocaine. Two Glock firearms were in the car. One of the Glocks was reported stolen, the other had a 25-round extended capacity magazine. Both guns were loaded with a round chambered.
Hudson cannot legally possess firearms due to prior convictions. In 2006 she was convicted in Kitsap County of Second-Degree Murder and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. In 2004 in Grays Harbor Superior Court, she was convicted of Theft of a Firearm.
The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In this case, because of the drug quantities involved, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute is punishable by a mandatory minimum ten years in prison and up to life in prison. Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime is punishable by a mandatory minimum five-year prison term to run consecutive to any other sentence. Unlawful possession of a firearm is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Seattle Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.
Wolcott Man Who Attempted to Have Sex with A 12 Year-Old Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jacob Ritchie, 37, of Wolcott, NY, pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography following a prior conviction for a child sex abuse offense before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. The charge carries a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 80 years, a lifetime period of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that between November 2021, and February 2022, Ritchie engaged in sexually explicit online communications with an undercover New York State Police Investigator, who Ritchie believed was a 12-year-old female. During these conversations, Ritchie repeatedly asked the child to produce and send to him images of child pornography. He also attempted to persuade the child to meet him for sex. Ritchie also sent images of child pornography in an attempt to groom the child for sexual activity. The images depicted children as young as eight-years-old engaged in sexual activity with adults. Ritchie also made numerous references to possible sexual contact with a minor relative while communicating with the undercover investigator.
In February 2022, investigators executed a search warrant at Ritchie’s residence, where they recovered a cell phone containing dozens of images of child pornography. Some of the images depicted the sexual abuse of children as young as toddlers, and children being subjected to violence. A subsequent search of Ritchie’s social media found that he engaged in multiple online conversations during which he openly discussed sexually abusing children and traded child pornography. Ritchie admitted to sexually abusing multiple children, to include a child as young as five-years-old. He is a level 3 sex offender following child sexual abuse convictions in 2012, 2016, and 2017.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian J. Ratajczak and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 10, 2023, before Judge Siragusa.
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Washington man sentenced to more than eight years in prison for armed meth, fentanyl trafficking in Great Falls area and Rocky Boy’s Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Washington man was sentenced today to eight years and four months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he admitted to illegally possessing a firearm and bringing methamphetamine and fentanyl pills to the Great Falls area and the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation for distribution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Nathaniel Jameco Brown, 45, of Spokane, Washington, pleaded guilty in February to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and to felon in possession of a firearm.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in the fall of 2021, law enforcement in Great Falls learned that Brown was distributing drugs from Great Falls area hotels. In December 2021, law enforcement stopped Brown, who was traveling in a vehicle from Spokane to Great Falls, near Vaughn and found him in possession of 20 fentanyl pills, more than an ounce of meth and a loaded pistol and multiple magazines. Brown described making numerous prior trips to Great Falls and the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation to sell fentanyl pills and significant quantities of meth. Brown estimated bringing a total of 12 ounces of meth and 500 pills to Montana. Brown was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions, including a previous federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan R. Plaut prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Great Falls Police Department, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office, Russell Country Drug Task Force, Montana Highway Patrol and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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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United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina Appoints Environmental Justice CoordinatorRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs has announced the appointment of Assistant United States Attorney Johanna Valenzuela to be the District’s first Environmental Justice Coordinator. Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Ms. Valenzuela is Deputy Chief of the Civil Division, where she litigates civil environmental cases and other enforcement matters.
“Our office is especially committed to protecting South Carolinians who are disproportionately burdened by environmental and health hazards,” said U.S. Attorney Boroughs. “By reporting public health and safety concerns, South Carolina residents can help to ensure firm but fair enforcement of our nation’s environmental and public health laws. These laws allow all our families a better opportunity to live, play, and work.”
The Office welcomes information from the public regarding possible environmental, health, and climate impacts on individuals and communities in the district.
Members of the public may submit information or concerns regarding environmental harms by email, mail, or phone.
Email: johanna.valenzuela@usdoj.gov
Mail: U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of South Carolina
1441 Main Street, Suite 500
Columbia, SC 29201
Attn: Johanna Valenzuela, Environmental Justice Coordinator
Phone: 803-929-3000.
Environmental Justice Brochure
For more information about Environmental Justice and Enforcement for the District of South Carolina, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/environmental-justice-and-enforcement.
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc.
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United States Attorney Will Thompson to Hold Press ConferenceRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson, along with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and other law enforcement officials will hold a press conference at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, October 3, 2022, to announce the final sentencing for the key defendants in a successful drug trafficking organization (DTO) prosecution.
WHERE: Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse, 300 Virginia St. East, Charleston, WV 25301.
WHEN: Monday, October 3, 2022, at 3:30 p.m.
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.
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United States Attorney Martin Estrada Announces Creation of Environmental Justice Coordinator in Nation’s Most Populous Federal Judicial DistrictRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Martin Estrada, the United States Attorney for the Central District of California, announced today the creation of an Environmental Justice Coordinator and the prioritization of Environmental Justice Enforcement under his leadership as top federal prosecutor in the nation’s most populous federal judicial district.
Assistant United States Attorney Amanda M. Bettinelli has been selected to serve as the office’s Environmental Justice Coordinator. In this role, she will focus on protecting the rights of district residents who are disproportionately burdened by environmental and health hazards, including those affected by illegal dumping, soil contamination and child lead exposure.
The Central District of California is comprised of approximately 20 million residents in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo.
The Office is creating this position in recognition of President Joseph Biden’s directive in Executive Order 14008, which mandates that “[a]gencies shall make achieving environmental justice part of their missions by developing programs, policies, and activities to address the disproportionately high and adverse human health, environmental, climate-related and other cumulative impacts on disadvantaged communities, as well as the accompanying economic challenges of such impacts.”
“Protecting the environment is critical to the work of this Office and our Environmental Justice Coordinator will support our longstanding commitment to protecting the communities that we serve by investigating and prosecuting environmental violations,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Pollution and other environmental threats all too often disproportionately impact people of color and underserved communities. We will continue to vigorously enforce federal environmental laws and hold polluters accountable.”
The Office maintains a dedicated Environmental Crimes and Community Safety Section and the Environmental Justice Coordinator will play a critical role in the Office’s longstanding commitment to fighting environmental crimes and pollution. The Office will continue to partner and coordinate with the Environmental Protection Agency, law enforcement partners, local communities, and agencies across federal, state, and local governments to better serve the needs of disadvantaged communities and the mission of environmental justice throughout the Central District of California.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation into Fatal Shooting Outside Ambassador’s ResidenceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against two officers from the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division who were involved in the fatal shooting, in April 2022, of Gordon Casey outside an ambassador’s residence in Northwest Washington.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) conducted a comprehensive review of the incident. This included a review of law enforcement and civilian eyewitness accounts, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, the autopsy report, and reports from the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to the evidence, shortly before 8 a.m. on April 20, 2022, U.S. Secret Service officers were dispatched to the residence of the Peruvian Ambassador to the United States, following a report of a burglary in progress. Mr. Casey had been observed by staff of the residence breaking windows and attempting to enter the building. Staff members had attempted to stop Mr. Casey but were unable to do so after he armed himself with a metal pole.
When officers arrived, they gave Mr. Casey multiple commands to drop the metal pole. He refused to comply, and one of the officers deployed a taser. This had no apparent effect. Mr. Casey walked towards the officers and started swinging the pole at them. Two officers discharged their service weapons, striking Mr. Casey twice. Mr. Casey, 19, died at the scene.
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers used excessive force under the circumstances.
Use-of-force investigations generally
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law. To prove such violations, prosecutors must typically be able to prove that the involved officers willfully used more force than was reasonably necessary. Proving “willfulness” is a heavy burden. Prosecutors must not only prove that the force used was excessive, but must also prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officer acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.
U.S. Attorney's Office Encourages Reporting of Environmental CrimesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon joins its partners at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal regulatory agencies in encouraging Oregonians to report all known or suspected environmental crimes.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon enforces federal laws to protect environmental quality, human health, and wildlife throughout the State of Oregon. The office works with its partners throughout the Department of Justice to hold those who violate environmental law accountable, prioritizing cases that will reduce environmental harms to historically underserved, overburdened, and marginalized communities.
The district’s environmental crimes and justice coordinators lead efforts to enforce both criminal and civil environmental laws. Intentionally violating environmental laws—including, but not limited to, the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and hazardous waste laws—is a federal crime and can be punishable by incarceration or monetary fines.
Examples of criminal or civil environmental violations include:
- A landlord who leases a home without disclosing known information about lead-based paint
- A federal contractor who violates a contractual provision mandating the proper disposal of hazardous waste
- Illegal asbestos removals that expose and create health risks for workers and the public
- Illegal handling, transportation, and disposal of hazardous wastes or pesticides
- Oil spills or other incidents that compromise the fishing rights or practices of indigenous or disadvantaged communities
- Air emissions of toxic pollutants resulting from inadequate or nonexistent pollution control
- False statements to the EPA or other regulatory agencies that threaten the integrity of environmental protection programs
If you are in danger, please call 911.
If you or someone you know believe you are the victim of an environmental crime or believe you have witnessed an environmental crime, please contact the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Response Center by calling 1-800-424-8802 or by submitting a tip online at https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations.
In May 2022, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a series of actions to secure environmental justice for all Americans. In addition to launching a new Office of Environmental Justice within the Justice Department, Attorney General Garland also announced a new comprehensive environmental justice enforcement strategy to guide the Justice Department’s work and issued an Interim Final Rule that will restore the use of supplemental environmental projects in appropriate circumstances.
U.S. Attorney Romero Announces a Dozen Social Security Fraud Cases Charged as Part of Targeted Effort to Crack Down on Benefit TheftRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that so far this year, the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has charged no less than a dozen cases involving Social Security fraud, either by Information or Indictment, with nine of those defendants pleading guilty to those charges. The charges are the result of a concerted effort to investigate, prosecute and deter theft of government funds, primarily by way of stealing the Social Security payments of a deceased beneficiary. Altogether, the fraud loss amount in these cases totals nearly $1 million.
Defendants charged and their status are:
- Sloan Carter, 59, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; charged by Information on August 2, 2022, with theft of government funds; pleaded guilty on September 7, 2022;
- Marcus Ecks, 38, of Langhorne, Pennsylvania; charged by Information on June 28, 2022, with theft of government funds; pleaded guilty on September 8, 2022;
- Anthony Percell, 54, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; charged by Indictment on August 9, 2022, with social security fraud, passport fraud, identity theft, and related charges; scheduled for trial early next year;
- Angel Guilbe, Jr., 53, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; charged by Information on August 17, 2022, with theft of government funds; pleaded guilty on September 19, 2022;
- Stephanie Rudnick, 52, of Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania; charged by Information on May 19, 2022, with theft of government funds; pleaded guilty on June 7, 2022;
- Lilian Rogers, 58, of Glenolden, Pennsylvania; charged by Information on March 4, 2022, with theft of government funds; pleaded guilty on April 27, 2022;
- Dana Douglas-Rodriguez, 40, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; charged by Indictment on April 6, 2021, with wire fraud and social security fraud; pleaded guilty to social security fraud on May 3, 2022;
- Paulette Tamburro, 55, of Collingswood Heights, New Jersey; charged by Information on December 15, 2021, with theft of government funds; pleaded guilty on May 4, 2022;
- Michael Smith, 62, of Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania; charged by Information on September 2, 2022, with theft of government funds;
- Aracelis Quinones-Martinez, 52, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania; charged by Information on August 24, 2022, with theft of government funds;
- Ivan Wallace, 60, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; charged by Indictment on September 16, 2021, with wire fraud and social security fraud; pleaded guilty to social security fraud on September 28, 2022;
- Christopher Miller, 59, of Wernersville, Pennsylvania; charged by Information on September 20, 2022, with theft of government funds.
As an initiative to increase federal Social Security fraud prosecutions, the Social Security Administration (SSA) provides DOJ with attorneys who are sworn in and serve as Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSA) in multiple U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country. The SAUSA’s focus is solely to prosecute Social Security fraud. The goal of this initiative is to increase the number of prosecutions for fraud involving Social Security programs.
“Social Security benefits are intended to help Americans who have worked hard and need some extra help making ends meet,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Thieves who take these funds fraudulently are taking advantage of American workers and taxpayers who fund these programs. Thanks to our partnership with SSA, our Office has dedicated prosecutors who are making a difference bringing these fraudsters to justice.”
“Our work to protect Social Security programs and taxpayers’ funds from criminals is one of our highest priorities. We will continue to pursue those who seek to defraud SSA, and we rely heavily on the SAUSAs to prosecute Social Security fraud, which is a federal crime,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and SAUSAs Laura Bradbury and Megan Curran for their efforts in prosecuting these cases and holding these persons accountable for their criminal actions.”
These cases were investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and are being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Bradbury and Megan Curran.
Tulsa Man to Spend 25 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation, Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa man was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court for hiding a camera in a minor victim’s bedroom so he could capture images and video of the child in various stages of undress, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel sentenced Kor Vang, 36, to 25 years in federal prison. Vang previously pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography in Indian Country.
“Kor Vang can no longer victimize this child or any others because he will be spending the next 25 years in federal prison. Upon his release, he will also be monitored for a lifetime by U.S. probation officials,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Agents and Task Force Officers from Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are to be commended for their work in this case and continue to be critical partners in the fight to protect children from predators.”
“Identifying and investigating those who prey on our nation’s children is a top priority for HSI Dallas and our field office in Tulsa,” said HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge, Lester R. Hayes Jr. “This lengthy sentence should serve as a warning that HSI will never relent in our efforts to prosecute those seeking to exploit our most vulnerable population.“
In a January 2022 plea agreement, Vang admitted that from July 2019 to November 2021, he concealed a hidden camera inside a Bluetooth speaker and placed it in an 11-year-old child’s bedroom. He specifically recorded video and took pictures of the victim when she was undressed inside her bedroom and shower using the hidden camera and his cell phone. He further admitted that he gained unauthorized access the victim’s iCloud account and obtained images showing the victim in various stages of undress.
Vang initially triggered a law enforcement investigation after he downloaded child pornography. On Nov. 17, 2021, special agents with Homeland Security Investigations and task force officers and deputies from the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office executed a federal search and seizure warrant on Vang’s home.
Vang waived his Miranda Rights and spoke to an agent at the scene. Vang stated that he had been addicted to child pornography for approximately five years and indicated that child pornography would likely be on his phone. He explained that he also exchanged the illicit depictions with others online.
Vang further told the agent that he had used a hidden camera to record the victim and gained access to the victim’s iCloud account where he obtained more images of the child.
When agents and officers reviewed the phone at the scene, they located hundreds of videos and images of the victim clothed and unclothed. Vang was arrested at the scene. A later review of Vang’s phone also revealed a video depicting the rape of an infant.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko A. Boulieris and Christopher J. Nassar prosecuted the case.
St. Paul Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Violent Armed Robberies of Twin Cities BusinessesRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man was sentenced to 204 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for his role in two armed robberies of Twin Cities businesses, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on June 16, 2020, Devon Dwayne Reginald Glover, 23, and his co-defendant Marshawn Michael Davison, 21, committed an armed robbery at a restaurant in Bloomington. During the course of the robbery, Glover shot and nearly killed the restaurant owner. Glover then took cash from the register.
One week later, on June 23, 2020, Glover committed a second armed robbery at a liquor store in St. Paul. During the course of the robbery, Glover brandished a gun, physically assaulted an employee, and stole cash from the register.
Glover was sentenced today in U.S. District Court before Judge John R. Tunheim. On May 25, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one crime of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Davison pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and was sentenced on May 24, 2022, to 72 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the FBI, the Bloomington Police Department, and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez prosecuted the case.
South Florida Armed Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Today, a federal district judge sentenced Shelton Andrews, 38, of Highlands County, Florida, to 240 months in federal prison. Earlier this year, Andrews pled guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute 50 or more grams of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
On September 27, 2021, Highlands County Sheriff’s deputies attempted to arrest Andrews on an outstanding warrant in Sebring, Florida. As officers approached, Andrews ran from the scene, throwing to the ground a backpack and loaded Smith & Wesson, Model 37, .38 caliber revolver. The backpack carried 211 grams of methamphetamine. The grip of the loaded gun carried Andrews’ DNA. While Andrews evaded arrest that day, he was taken into police custody a few weeks later, following a high-speed car chase.
Andrews was sentenced as a career offender under the federal sentencing guidelines.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Deanne L. Reuter, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Miami, and Paul Blackman, Sheriff, Highlands County Sheriff's Office, announced the sentence imposed in federal court in Ft. Pierce by U.S. District Judge Donald L. Graham.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-14045.
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Sacramento Man Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Adilson Jose Montiero, 42, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to seven years and 10 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Nov. 19, 2020, agents executed a federal search warrant at Montiero’s residence in Sacramento and found a total of more than 1.5 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, about half a pound of counterfeit Ecstasy pills containing methamphetamine, and smaller amounts of cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, and counterfeit M-30 pills containing fentanyl. Agents also found four handguns, three of which were Glock-style handguns with no serial number known as “ghost” guns.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Being A Felon in Possession of A GunRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Warren L. Tisdale, 53, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to being felon in possession of a firearm, before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who is handling the case, stated that on September 29, 2021, investigators executed a search warrant at Tisdale’s home on Central Park in Rochester. During the search, they recovered a semiautomatic rifle in a closet, as well as drug paraphernalia in the kitchen, including a vacuum sealer, digital scale, vacuum sealer bags and numerous new and unused baggies.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino. Additional assistance was provided by the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Sandra Doorley.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 5, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Geraci.
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Pryor Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing Two MinorsRead the Press Release
A Pryor man was sentenced Monday in federal court for repeatedly sexually abusing two of his children for ten years, starting when they were five. In 2020, when the two victims were adults, they came forward to report the abuse.
U.S. District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford sentenced Keith Duane Parnell, 50, of Pryor, to 35 years in federal prison.
“This 35-year sentence should send a clear message to child sexual predators that law enforcement officials will aggressively pursue offenders, even when victims disclose years after sexual abuse occurs,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I am grateful to the investigative team and federal prosecutors Reagan Reininger and Chantelle Dial for their tenacity when pursuing and bringing Mr. Parnell to justice.”
Judge Crawford called Parnell’s criminal acts “a terrible violation of his duty to care for and protect his children.” He further commended the two victims for their courage when testifying at trial and when sharing their victim impact statements at the hearing.
In March, a federal jury convicted Parnell of three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under 12 in Indian Country and four counts of sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country.
An investigation was initiated by a Pryor Police detective after one of the victims described in detail the abuse both victims endured in a Facebook post in August 2020. The victims were adults at the time of the post.
Parnell will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and Pryor Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reagan V. Reininger and Chantelle D. Dial prosecuted the case.
A first step in helping someone who may be a victim of sexual abuse is to contact local authorities or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.”
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Three Years of Probation for Role in Scheme to Launder Money, Defraud Internet DonorsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia man was sentenced today to 36 months of probation for his role in a GoFundMe scam that gained nationwide attention, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Johnny Bobbitt, 39, previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In November 2017, Katelyn McClure, 32, and Mark D’Amico, 43, both of Bordentown, New Jersey, allegedly created a crowd-source funding page on GoFundMe’s website titled “Paying It Forward.” The campaign solicited donations from the public purportedly for the benefit of Bobbitt, a homeless veteran. McClure and D’Amico posted a story that McClure was driving home from Philadelphia on Interstate 95 and ran out of gas. Bobbitt acted as a “good Samaritan” and rescued McClure by using his last $20 to buy gasoline for her. The website stated that funds were being solicited to get Bobbitt off the streets and provide him with living expenses, setting a goal of $10,000.
In reality, McClure never ran out of gas and Bobbitt never spent his last $20 for her. D’Amico and McClure allegedly conspired to create the false story to obtain money from donors. The story was quickly picked up by local and national media outlets, went viral and raised approximately $400,000 from more than 14,000 donors in less than three weeks.
The donated funds were transferred by D’Amico and McClure from GoFundMe into accounts that they controlled. The majority of the money allegedly was quickly spent by D’Amico and McClure on personal expenses over the next three months, including significant amounts on D’Amico’s gambling, vacations, a BMW automobile, clothing, expensive handbags and other personal items and expenses.
In mid-November of 2017, when the donations had reached approximately $1,500, D’Amico and McClure told Bobbitt about the campaign and the false gas story. In December of 2017, after setting up a bank account for Bobbitt, D’Amico and McClure deposited $25,000 of proceeds of the scheme into Bobbitt’s account.
In addition the probationary term, Judge Hillman ordered Bobbitt to pay $25,000 in restitution. McClure and D’Amico previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme. D’Amico was sentenced in April 2022 to 27 months in prison; McClure was sentenced in July 2022 to one year and one day in prison.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited assistant prosecutors and detectives of the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Scott A. Coffina; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; and officers of the Florence Township Police Department with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney=s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Oregon Man Charged with Sexually Exploiting Minor on Discord, Additional Victims SoughtRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—An Oregon man has been charged with federal child exploitation crimes after he persuaded a child to engage in a sexually explicit video chat with him on Discord, a popular instant messaging social platform.
Jason Kroeskop, 40, of The Dalles, Oregon, has been charged by criminal complaint with enticing and sexually exploiting a child online.
According to court documents, in August 2022, special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Tulsa, Oklahoma were contacted by local law enforcement to request assistance with an investigation involving the online exploitation of a child under 12. Investigators discovered that Kroeskop pretended to be an Oregon teenager to convince the child to engage in sexually explicit acts during a video chat on Discord. He also recorded the video chat without the victim’s knowledge.
Investigators tracked Kroeskop’s Discord account, “Noctis Lucis #7347,” to an internet protocol address registered to his residence in The Dalles. On September 29, 2022, HSI special agents from Portland contacted Kroeskop at his place of employment. Kroeskop agreed to talk with the agents and admitted to having engaged in sexually explicit communications with multiple children online since at least 2021 using Discord, Snapchat, and Omegle. He was later arrested without incident.
On September 30, 2022, Kroeskop made his initial appearance in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Armistead. He was detained pending further court proceedings.
This case was investigated by HSI Portland and The Dalles Police Department with assistance from HSI Tulsa. It is being prosecuted by Mira Chernick, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Anyone who has information about other crimes committed by Kroeskop, or the physical or online exploitation of any children, are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.
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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Non-Payment of Federal Income Tax on Cryptocurrency Earnings Leads to Conviction for South Florida ResidentRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Ethan Thomas Trainor, has pled guilty to attempted tax evasion. Trainor used sophisticated on-line techniques to conceal from the IRS over $1 million in cryptocurrency he earned through illegal dark web transactions.
During a hearing in Ft. Lauderdale before U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith, Trainor admitted that he used cryptocurrency to buy and sell hacked online account logins (usernames and passwords) on dark web marketplaces. The hacked logins were connected to paid movie and music streaming services, pornography websites, educational websites, ride-share service accounts, and other on-line services.
Taxpayers who transact business in cryptocurrency must report their virtual earnings to the IRS and pay federal taxes on that income. From 2014 to 2017, Trainor earned over $1 million in cryptocurrency through dark web transactions and tried to avoid paying taxes on it by using services and techniques designed to conceal that the money was his. For example, Trainor ran his virtual currency transactions through “mixers,” on-line services that pool together (mix) the cryptocurrency transactions of different users, then distribute “clean” cryptocurrency to the users’ virtual wallets. The mixing makes it harder to determine the identity of those dealing in the cryptocurrency.
Trainor is scheduled to be sentenced in December. He faces up to five years in federal prison.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami; Deanne L. Reuter, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Miami, Robert M. DeWitt, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami; Anthony Salisbury, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami; and Juan A. Vargas, Acting Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami, announced the conviction.
IRS-CI Miami, DEA Miami, FBI Miami, HSI Miami, and USPIS Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monique Botero is prosecuting it.
This case and prosecution were carried out by members of the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. The South Florida HIDTA, established in 1990, is made up of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies who, cooperatively, target the region’s drug-trafficking and money laundering organizations. The South Florida HIDTA is funded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which sponsors a variety of initiatives focused on the nation’s illicit drug trafficking threats.
This prosecution was part of Operation TORnado, which is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and other priority transnational criminal organizations that threaten the citizens of the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach to combat transnational organized crime. The OCDETF program facilitates complex, joint operations by focusing its partner agencies on priority targets, by managing and coordinating multi-agency efforts, and by leveraging intelligence across multiple investigative platforms.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case no. 22-cr-60194.
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New Hampshire Man Charged with Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Isaiah Lafoe, age 24, of Lancaster, New Hampshire, appeared in Albany federal court today on charges that he received 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).
According to the criminal complaint, between September 2020 and March 2021, Lafoe communicated via social media and phone with a girl residing in Troy, New York, and received child pornography images and videos from her.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Lafoe was arrested on September 14, 2022 and made an initial appearance in the District of New Hampshire. Today, he appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart and was detained pending trial.
If convicted, Lafoe faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a term of post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life, and a fine of up to $250,000. 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. Lafoe would also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force. The Child Exploitation Task Force is comprised of FBI Special Agents, and state and local police investigators. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping as 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
Monrovia Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Scheming to Fraudulently Obtain Student Visas for Wealthy Foreign NationalsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Gabriel Valley man was sentenced today to 48 months in federal prison for scheming to help wealthy Chinese nationals unlawfully gain admission into the United States by falsely making them eligible for student visas through a network of fraud, including imposter test takers, essay ghostwriters and fake transcript sellers.
Yi Chen, a.k.a. “Brian Chen,” 35, of Monrovia, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark C. Scarsi, who also ordered him to pay a criminal fine of $400,000 and to forfeit $50,000 of his ill-gotten gains.
After a six-day bench trial that concluded on March 21, Judge Scarsi found Chen guilty of one count of visa fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Chen was acquitted of one count of conspiracy to commit immigration document fraud and 10 counts of visa fraud.
From June 2015 to February 2021, Chen was the CEO and owner of two “educational consulting” companies in Alhambra and Arcadia – Prime U.S. International and MS Education. These companies charged foreign students thousands of dollars for “guaranteed” admission to a college that would lead to the issuance of an F-1 student visa.
To secure admission to a school, the companies prepared application packages that used bogus or altered transcripts, and they hired people to impersonate the prospective student to take standardized tests, such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Chen submitted applications containing these fraudulent supporting materials on behalf of at least one foreign national, which helped the student obtain admission to New York University.
Once a foreign student was admitted to a college, the school issued a “Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status – For Academic and Language Students,” which provided the basis for a student visa application or extension of permission to remain in the United States.
“Under the guise of operating an ‘educational consulting’ company, [Chen] made millions of dollars by faking every aspect of the college admissions process,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum.
Chen, who has been in federal custody since March 2021, received the lion’s share of the profits from the visa fraud scheme. He also controlled seven bank accounts that received more than $15 million in deposits between 2016 and 2020.
Chen and co-defendant Yixin Li, a.k.a. “Eason Li” and “Calvin Wong,” 29, of San Gabriel, are linked to a group of imposter test-takers who were the subject of an earlier indictment that outlined how they used fake Chinese passports to take TOEFL exams on behalf of foreigners seeking college admissions and student visas. All six defendants in that earlier case pleaded guilty and were sentenced to probation. Li was sentenced on February 22 to time served.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service investigated this matter. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Fraud Detection and National Security Section, provided substantial assistance. The Educational Testing Service, which administers the TOEFL exam, provided assistance during the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Julia Hu of the Major Frauds Section and Maria Jhai of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
Medical Sales Representative Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Role in Multimillion-Dollar Health Care Fraud, Wire Fraud, Anti-Kickback Statute, and Travel Act ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A medical sales representative was sentenced today to 168 months in prison for defrauding federal, state, and private health insurance plans out of more than $4.6 million, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced.
Steven Monaco, 40, of Sewell, New Jersey, was convicted in April 2022 of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, eight counts of health care fraud, eight counts of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Travel Act, following a nine-day trial before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler, who imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Monaco was a leader of two related fraud schemes that resulted in millions of dollars of loss to public health insurance plans. In the first scheme, Monaco, as a sales representative for a medical diagnostic laboratory, orchestrated a kickback scheme with a doctor, Daniel Oswari. Monaco arranged for Oswari’s medical assistant to be placed on the payroll of the laboratory while continuing to work as a medical assistant for Oswari’s practice. In exchange, Oswari referred all his lab work to the laboratory for testing between late 2013 and 2016, and Monaco received $36,000 in commissions from the laboratory.
In the second fraud scheme, Monaco and his conspirator, pharmaceutical sales representative Richard Zappala, discovered that certain insurance plans – including New Jersey state and local government plans – paid for very expensive compounded prescription medications between 2014 and 2016. Monaco and Zappala organized a scheme in which they received a percentage of the insurance reimbursement for compounded medication prescriptions that they arranged. Monaco and Zappala approached medical professionals and paid them to sign medically unnecessary prescriptions for the compounded medications. Monaco paid Oswari and his staff to identify and prescribe the compound medications to patients of Oswari’s practice with the requisite insurance plans, as well as other people that Oswari did not medically evaluate. Monaco also arranged for other medical professionals – including Dr. Michael Goldis and his cousin, physician’s assistant Jason Chacker – to sign medically unnecessary prescriptions for members of Monaco’s family and others whom these medical professionals did not examine. Monaco directly compensated Chacker with money and tickets to sporting events, and Zappala paid Goldis cash to sign the medically unnecessary prescriptions for members of Monaco’s family and others. Monaco also directly paid individuals who had coverage under the public insurance plans and agreed to receive prescriptions for the compounded medications. As a result of this scheme, Monaco received approximately $350,000 and caused a loss of over $4.6 million to the insurance plans.
Oswari, Zappala, Goldis and Chacker all have previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Monaco to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $4.69 million in restitution.
Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna credited special agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy L. Tomlins in Newark; and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina O. Hud of the Criminal Division and R. David Walk Jr., Chief of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit.
Martinsburg woman guilty of fentanyl chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Tammy Tarmon, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, has admitted to a fentanyl charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Tarmon, 50, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Fentanyl.” Tarmon admitted to selling fentanyl in January 2021 in Berkeley County.
Tarmon faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Man sentenced to three years and five months in prison for assault in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Tyler Sando was sentenced on Sept. 28 to three years and five months in prison. Sando, 32, of the Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Jemez, pleaded guilty on May 19 to assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country and assaulting, resisting or impeding a federal officer involving physical contact.
On Aug. 11, 2020, on the Pueblo of Jemez, Sando got out of his vehicle, approached a victim and proceeded to strike him about the head and face. Sando then returned to his car and left. As a result of Sando’s assault, the victim suffered a subdural hematoma, needed staples to close a laceration on his head that left a scar, suffered daily headaches, and had blurry vision for a period of time.
On Nov. 16, 2020, Sando sped through a COVID checkpoint entering the Jemez Pueblo and crashed his vehicle. Law enforcement pursued Sando as he attempted to run away, and arrested him inside a residence. After Sando’s arrest, a federal officer attempted to interview him. Sando cursed at the officer and spat in his face.
Upon his release from prison, Sando will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jemez Pueblo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas J. Marshall and Novaline D. Wilson prosecuted the case.
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Man Who Robbed Multiple New Castle County Tobacco Stores Under Federal IndictmentRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment last week charging a Baltimore, Maryland man with three counts of Hobbs Act Robbery.
According to the indictment, Donald Gladden, 56, robbed three tobacco stores in New Castle, Delaware during a 10-day crime spree this summer. The Indictment alleges Gladden committed robberies on May 27, May 31, and June 5, 2022, taking cash and Newport cigarettes during each incident.
Gladden is charged with three counts of Hobbs Act Robbery, one for each store. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, made the announcement. The Delaware State Police Robbery Unit out of Troop 2 in Bear, Delaware is investigating the case with assistance from the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli H. Klein is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Machine Gun in RockfordRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A man has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for illegally possessing a machine gun in Rockford.
THOMAS BROOKS II, 20, of Rockford, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of illegal firearm possession. As a previously convicted felon, he was prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms. Brooks admitted in a plea agreement that while in Rockford on Nov. 1, 2021, he illegally possessed a handgun loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition and a “switch” device that modified the firearm to become fully automatic.
U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard imposed the sentence on Friday after a hearing in federal court in Rockford.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen de Tineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the ATF; and Carla Redd, Chief of the Rockford Police Department. The government was represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora Anderson, a prosecutor with the Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s Office who is working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office under a federal grant to prosecute certain firearm offenses in federal court.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Local man indicted for student financial aid fraudRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 39-year-old Richmond resident has been charged with fraudulently obtaining nearly $600,000 in financial aid funds at several Texas colleges and universities, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer Lowery.
Emmanuel Finnih is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Y. Ho at 2 p.m. today.
A federal grand jury returned the seven-count indictment Sept. 28. He was taken into custody Sept. 30.
Beginning in or about 2017 through to present, Finnih allegedly aided and abetted or was aided and abetted by others in submitting false applications for financial aid. The charges allege he unlawfully obtained financial aid funds for over 30 alleged students at eight colleges and universities in Texas.
Finnih used the personal identifiers of other individuals to prepare, submit and sign false and fraudulent financial aid applications and master promissory notes in their names, according to the indictment. Finnih allegedly utilized mailing addresses, telephone numbers and email accounts he controlled to ensure that the Department of Education and colleges would send any communications directly to him. The indictment alleges he then obtained the financial aid refunds via electronic transfer, check and prepaid debit cards sent either to mailing addresses or bank accounts he had designated.
The charges further allege that Finnih aided and abetted or was aided and abetted by others in the aggravated identity theft of two alleged students. According to the indictment, he or others were also fraudulently in possession of identity documents - temporary driver permits or identification cards - with the intent to unlawfully use or transfer those documents.
Federal financial aid funds are intended to be used for educational purposes. However, the charges allege Finnih received the funds for his personal benefit.
The actual loss to the United States is alleged to be over $595,000.
The indictment includes one count each of theft of government funds, student financial aid fraud and unlawful use or transfer of identity documents along with four counts of aggravated identity theft.
If convicted of theft of government funds, Finnih faces up to 10 years in federal prison, while the student financial aid fraud and unlawful use or transfer identity documents each carry a possible five-year prison term. In addition, each of the aggravated identity theft counts carries a sentence of two years which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
The Department of Education - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with assistance from the Lone Star College Police Department and U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shirin Hakimzadeh and Charles J. Escher are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Laurel Man Pleads Guilty to Falsification of an Annual Financial Report Filed by a Labor UnionRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss.- A Laurel man pled guilty to falsification of an annual financial report filed by a labor union, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Supervisory Investigator Tara Thibodaux of the U. S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards, in New Orleans.
According to court documents, on February 8, 2018, Benton Ryals, Jr. a/k/a B. J. Ryals, 70, while holding the position of financial secretary with the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 1437, in Laurel, Mississippi, failed to disclose a material fact in an annual financial report required to be filed by the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 1437, with the Secretary of Labor. Specifically, Ryals knowingly failed to disclose in form LM-3, for the union’s fiscal year for January 1, 2017, through December 31, 2017, disbursements he received for personal use. Ryals used debit cards and checks written from the branch’s checking account for his own personal bill payments.
Ryals will be sentenced on January 24, 2023, at 1:30 p.m., in Hattiesburg. He faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $10,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the U. S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.
Landmark U.S.-UK Data Access Agreement Enters into ForceRead the Press Release
The Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Access to Electronic Data for the Purpose of Countering Serious Crime (“Data Access Agreement” or “Agreement”) entered into force today. The Agreement is authorized by the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD) Act, a law enacted by Congress in 2018, and will be the first agreement of its kind, allowing each country’s investigators to gain better access to vital data to combat serious crime in a way that is consistent with privacy and civil liberties standards.
Under the Data Access Agreement, service providers in one country may respond to qualifying, lawful orders for electronic data issued by the other country, without fear of running afoul of restrictions on cross-border disclosures. The Data Access Agreement fosters more timely and efficient access to electronic data required in fast-moving investigations through the use of orders covered by the Agreement. This will greatly enhance the ability of the United States and the United Kingdom to prevent, detect, investigate, and prosecute serious crime, including terrorism, transnational organized crime, and child exploitation, among others.
The Data Access Agreement sets out numerous requirements that must be met for U.S. or UK authorities to invoke the Agreement. For example, orders submitted by U.S. authorities must not target persons located in the UK and must relate to a serious crime. Similarly, orders submitted by UK authorities must not target U.S. persons or persons located in the United States and must relate to a serious crime. U.S. and UK authorities must also abide by agreed requirements, limitations and conditions when obtaining and using data obtained under the Data Access Agreement.
The United States and the United Kingdom have selected Designated Authorities responsible for implementation of the Data Access Agreement for each country. For the United States, the Designated Authority is the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), and for the United Kingdom it is the Investigatory Powers Unit of the UK Home Office.
Among its various functions as U.S. Designated Authority, OIA has created a CLOUD team to review and certify orders that comply with the Agreement on behalf of federal, state, local, and territorial authorities located in the United States, transmit certified orders directly to UK service providers, and arrange for the return of responsive data to the requesting authorities.
For more information on the CLOUD Act, the Data Access Agreement and OIA, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/cloudact and https://www.justice.gov/criminal-oia.
Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Robert T. Scott, 29, of Bowling Green, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to transferring a firearm to an out-of-state resident, before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who is handling the case, stated that between May 8 and September 29, 2021 Scott purchased two firearms in Bowling Green, Kentucky and transferred them to individuals residing in Rochester. The firearms were recovered during the execution of search warrants on September 29, 2021, at residences on A Place and 127 Pennsylvania Avenue in Rochester.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 5, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. before Judge Geraci.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Samuel Manriquez, 37, of Cross Lanes, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 17, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Charleston residence where Manriquez was hiding to evade arrest. Manriquez refused to surrender, and after several hours was removed from a crawl space beneath the residence’s basement floor. Officers found two bags of fentanyl totaling approximately 6.3 grams and $1,620 in Manriquez’s left pants pocket. Manriquez admitted that he intended to distribute some of the fentanyl found on his person.
On January 8, 2021, law enforcement officers responded to a 911 hang-up call at Manriquez’s residence. Manriquez admitted that he struck a female guest in the side of her head with his fist during an argument and then left the residence before officers arrived. The officers executed a search warrant at Manriquez’s residence and found a Walther HK MP5 .22-caliber rifle, a Ruger .22-caliber pistol, parts to a Hi-Point .45-caliber pistol, $4,680 and drug paraphernalia including a scale and aluminum foil with a white powder residue.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Manriquez was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his felony convictions for distribution of U-47700, an opioid, and distribution of U-47700 and furanyl fentanyl in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on November 1, 2019.
Manriquez is scheduled to be sentenced on January 5, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie White is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-176.
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Justice Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and State of Ohio Reach Natural Resource Damages Settlement with Dover Chemical CorporationRead the Press Release
Dover Chemical Corporation has agreed to implement and fund natural resource restoration and protection projects to resolve alleged state and federal natural resource damages (NRD) associated with the Dover Chemical Corporation Superfund Site and the surrounding NRD assessment area in Dover, Ohio. The proposed consent decree, lodged today by the Justice Department on behalf of the Department of Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, together with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, the state of Ohio and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA), is related to a 2017 complaint. That action resulted in a 2018 decree that implemented the final Superfund remedial work at the Site and expressly reserved the right of Ohio and the United States to pursue compensation for natural resource damages.
The proposed decree addresses natural resource damages, with Dover Chemical Corporation agreeing to implement projects that will restore and protect 28.5 acres of wetlands in Stark County and protect 195 acres of riparian habitat in Tuscarawas, Jefferson, Columbiana, and/or Belmont counties. Dover Chemical Corporation will also pay $880,000 to the State of Ohio to fund projects near the Site to protect, restore, or enhance state ground water resources. Finally, Dover Chemical Corporation will pay for costs incurred by Ohio and the United States to assess injuries to natural resources associated with the Site, including approximately $648,000 for state assessment costs and $745,000 for federal assessment costs.
“Today’s consent decree is a milestone in our efforts to protect and restore our valuable natural resources in Dover, Ohio, and the surrounding area,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to vigorously pursue natural resource damage claims in cooperation with our state partners.”
“Ohio takes threats to our environment and natural resources seriously,” said Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. “This consent decree is good for the environment and good for the people of Tuscarawas County.”
“We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service worked in coordination with the State of Ohio to reach this settlement that will help restore fish and wildlife resources affected by release of contaminants,” said Service Deputy Midwest Regional Director Charles Traxler. “We are pleased to be part of the effort to restore a part of Ohio's natural heritage.”
“This consent decree is a positive step forward and the projects that Dover Chemical has committed to under the decree will result in improvements to stream habitats and waterways in the area,” said Ohio EPA Director Laurie A. Stevenson.
Dover Chemical Corporation has operated a chemical plant in Dover, Ohio, from 1951 to the present, producing chemicals that include alkyl phenols, chlorinated paraffin, and organophosphites. The United States’ 2017 complaint in this matter alleged that operations at the plant have resulted in decades of releases of hazardous substances to the Site. Ohio EPA and the Fish and Wildlife Service are joint trustees for the biological and surface water resources impacted by contamination at the site, while Ohio EPA is the trustee for the ground water resource.
The trustees began an NRD assessment in 2009 that evaluated natural resource injuries to land surrounding the Dover Chemical Corporation plant and ground water impacted by an underground plume of contamination that extends to the south of the plant. The assessment identified injury to the surface water (including sediments), biological resources (including supporting habitats), and ground water resources in the assessment area caused by hazardous substances.
The proposed decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, resolves the United States’ and Ohio’s NRD allegations under Section 107 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. The settlement is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. It will be available for viewing at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
The Fish and Wildlife Service and the Ohio EPA are seeking concurrent public comment on the Draft Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment (Draft RP/EA). The Draft RP/EA informs the public about the proposed NRD restoration and protection projects included in the negotiated settlement. The trustees invite the public to view and comment on the Draft RP/EA from Oct. 3, 2022 to Nov. 2, 2022 at https://fws.gov/project/dover-chemical-corp-nrdar-sugar-creek-ohio.
Justice Department Secures Agreement to Protect Access to Reproductive Health ServicesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced an agreement today with defendant Daniel Courney to resolve a federal lawsuit filed against Courney for his alleged violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. The FACE Act protects the right to access and provide reproductive health services, including abortion.
The FACE Act prohibits anyone from using force, threats of force or physical obstruction against any person seeking or providing reproductive health services. The complaint filed against Courney alleges that he violated the FACE Act on two occasions in October 2021. In both instances, according to the complaint, Courney used physical force against a patient escort at a health clinic in Englewood, New Jersey, to attempt to prevent the volunteer from assisting individuals seeking the clinic’s services.
The proposed consent decree, which still must be approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, orders Courney to stay away from the clinic permanently, prohibits future FACE Act violations and requires Courney to pay a monetary penalty.
“Reproductive health care providers must be free to carry out their work free from interference or intimidation,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to enforcing federal law to protect providers and all people seeking access to reproductive health care across our nation.”
“Access to reproductive healthcare is a fundamental right,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “Individuals must be able to access facilities like the Englewood clinic to make decisions about their own bodies, health and futures, in consultation with health care providers. Those providers are entitled to offer services free from the threat of violence against them. Our office remains committed to the enforcement of the FACE Act throughout the District of New Jersey to protect these important rights. We encourage anyone with information about potential FACE Act violations to contact our office.”
The Justice Department is committed to the protection of reproductive rights and recently announced the formation of its Reproductive Rights Task Force to protect those rights nationwide.
Anyone in imminent danger should call 911 or local police. Contact your local FBI field office by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (or 1-800-225-5324) or via tips.fbi.gov.
Anyone in the District of New Jersey may report potential FACE Act violations or other threats to reproductive freedom by calling the Civil Rights Hotline, 855-281-3339, or by submitting an online complaint here.
Senior Civil Rights Counsel R. Joseph Gribko of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Millenky for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case.
Justice Department Secures Agreement to Protect Access to Reproductive Health ServicesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The Justice Department announced an agreement today with a former Bergen County, New Jersey, man to resolve a federal lawsuit for his alleged violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. The FACE Act protects the right to access and provide reproductive health services, including abortion.
The FACE Act prohibits anyone from using force, threats of force or physical obstruction against any person seeking or providing reproductive health services. The complaint filed against Daniel Courney, 38, formerly of Bergenfield, New Jersey, alleges that he violated the FACE Act on two occasions in October 2021. In both instances, according to the complaint, Courney used physical force against a patient escort at a health clinic in Englewood, New Jersey, to attempt to prevent the volunteer from assisting individuals seeking the clinic’s services.
The proposed consent decree, which still must be approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, orders Courney to stay away from the clinic permanently, prohibits future FACE Act violations and requires Courney to pay a monetary penalty.
“Access to reproductive healthcare is a fundamental right,” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey said. “Individuals must be able to access facilities like the Englewood clinic to make decisions about their own bodies, health and futures, in consultation with health care providers. Those providers are entitled to offer services free from the threat of violence against them. Our office remains committed to the enforcement of the FACE Act throughout the District of New Jersey to protect these important rights. We encourage anyone with information about potential FACE Act violations to contact our office.”
“Reproductive health care providers must be free to carry out their work free from interference or intimidation,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said. “The Justice Department is committed to enforcing federal law to protect providers and all people seeking access to reproductive health care across our nation.”
The Justice Department is committed to the protection of reproductive rights and recently announced the formation of its Reproductive Rights Task Force to protect those rights nationwide.
Anyone in imminent danger should call 911 or local police. Contact your local FBI field office by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (or 1-800-225-5324) or via tips.fbi.gov.
Anyone in the District of New Jersey may report potential FACE Act violations or other threats to reproductive freedom by calling the Civil Rights Hotline, 855-281-3339, or by submitting an online complaint here.
Senior Civil Rights Counsel R. Joseph Gribko and Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Millenky of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Justice Department Resolves Disability Discrimination Lawsuit Against Housing Authority of New Orleans PropertiesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced that the Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) and seven private developers have agreed to pay $250,000 to settle claims that they violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to design and construct eight multifamily residential properties and associated places of public accommodation so that they are accessible to persons with disabilities. As part of the settlement, the defendants also agreed to make extensive retrofits to remove accessibility barriers at the properties.
The settlement, which must be approved by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, requires the defendants to pay all costs related to the retrofits, provide $200,000 for a settlement fund to compensate individuals harmed by the inaccessible housing, and pay a civil penalty of $50,000 to the federal government.
“Under federal law, people with disabilities must have the same access to housing as other people,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These eight properties house thousands of residents, many of whom live with a disability. This settlement will ensure that residents with disabilities will have an equal opportunity to live safely in and enjoy their homes.”
“All citizens deserve safe, affordable and accessible housing,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “The successful resolution of this matter helps meet the needs of our vulnerable, disabled and elderly residents.”
The properties at issue are Bienville Basin, Columbia Parc, Faubourg Lafitte, Fischer Senior Village, Guste III, Harmony Oaks, Marrero Commons and River Garden. Seven of these properties were developed as part of HANO’s post-Hurricane Katrina redevelopment of its public housing projects.
The accessibility barriers alleged to exist at the properties include, among other violations, steps and excessive slopes leading to unit entry doors or building entrances from sidewalks and other public areas; common areas and amenities that are not usable by persons with disabilities, such as mailboxes mounted too high for persons using wheelchairs to reach; insufficiently wide openings at interior doors that make them inaccessible for many persons with mobility impairments; inadequate interior space to maneuver a wheelchair; and inaccessible parking.
Individuals who believe they or someone they know may have had difficulties by inaccessible features at any of the above properties should contact the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov or leave a message at 1-800-896-7743 ext. 996.
The Justice Department, through the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Civil Rights Division, enforces the FHA, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. Among other protections, the FHA requires that all multifamily housing constructed after March 13, 1991, have basic physical accessibility features, including, among other things, accessible routes without steps to all single-story, ground-floor units and to all units in a building served by an elevator. The ADA protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination in public accommodations, including the rental offices and associated restrooms and parking at issue in this case.
More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.usdoj.gov/crt. Individuals may report housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, emailing fairhousing@usdoj.gov, or submitting a report online. Individuals also may report discrimination by contacting the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777, or by filing a complaint online.
Justice Department Resolves Disability Discrimination Lawsuit Against Housing Authority of New Orleans PropertiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today that the Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) and seven private developers have agreed to pay $250,000 to settle claims that they violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to design and construct eight multifamily residential properties and associated places of public accommodation so that they are accessible to persons with disabilities. As part of the settlement, the defendants also agreed to make extensive retrofits to remove accessibility barriers at the properties.
The settlement, which must be approved by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, requires the defendants to pay all costs related to the retrofits, provide $200,000 fora settlement fund to compensate individuals harmed by the inaccessible housing, and pay a civil penalty of $50,000 to the federal government.
“Under federal law, people with disabilities must have the same access to housing as other people,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These eight properties house thousands of residents, many of whom live with a disability. This settlement will ensure that residents with disabilities will have an equal opportunity to live safely in and enjoy their homes.”
“All citizens deserve safe, affordable, and accessible housing,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “The successful resolution of this matter helps meet the needs of our vulnerable, disabled, and elderly residents.”
The properties at issue are Bienville Basin, Columbia Parc, Faubourg Lafitte, Fischer Senior Village, Guste III, Harmony Oaks, Marrero Commons and River Garden. Seven of these properties were developed as part of HANO’s post-Hurricane Katrina redevelopment of its public housing projects.
The accessibility barriers alleged to exist at the properties include, among other violations, steps and excessive slopes leading to unit entry doors or building entrances from sidewalks and other public areas; common areas and amenities that are not usable by persons with disabilities, such as mailboxes mounted too high for persons using wheelchairs to reach; insufficiently wide openings at interior doors that make them inaccessible for many persons with mobility impairments; inadequate interior space to maneuver a wheelchair; and inaccessible parking.
Individuals who believe they or someone they know may have had difficulties by inaccessible features at any of the above properties should contact the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov or leave a message at 1-800-896-7743 Ext. 996.
The Justice Department, through the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Civil Rights Division, enforces the FHA, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and familial status. Among other protections, the FHA requires that all multifamily housing constructed after March 13, 1991, have basic physical accessibility features, including, among other things, accessible routes without steps to all single-story, ground-floor units and to all units in a building served by an elevator. The ADA protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination in public accommodations, including the rental offices and associated restrooms and parking at issue in this case.
More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.usdoj.gov/crt. Individuals may report housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, emailing fairhousing@usdoj.gov, or submitting a report online. Individuals also may report discrimination by contacting the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777, or by filing a complaint online.
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Justice Department Finds Minnesota Department of Corrections Violates Rights of Incarcerated Individuals with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
On Sept. 30, 2022, the Justice Department found that the Minnesota Department of Corrections (MNDOC) violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by denying incarcerated individuals with disabilities enrolled in its General Educational Development (GED) program opportunities to apply for and receive needed modifications on the GED exam. The MNDOC offers GED preparation courses and practice tests and administers the GED exam inside all of its adult prison facilities. The letter of findings asks the MNDOC to work with the department to resolve the civil rights violations identified during its investigation.
“The ADA gives people with disabilities, including people in correctional facilities, the right to equal access to educational opportunities, like GED programs,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division remains committed to enforcing the ADA and ensuring that all people with disabilities can learn and be tested not on their disabilities, but on their knowledge and skills.”
After receiving complaints and conducting its investigation, the department found that the MNDOC discriminate against individuals with disabilities in multiple ways, including by: (1) failing to notify them about reasonable modifications for GED courses, practice tests and exams; (2) failing to give them reasonable modifications, such as extended time and breaks, in GED courses and on practice tests, and (3) preventing them from applying for GED exam accommodations. Without reasonable modifications, many incarcerated individuals with disabilities repeatedly failed their practice tests or official exams, were denied access to other prison programs, and were released from incarceration without a GED. To fix these issues, the department’s letter asks the MNDOC to take corrective actions, including changing policies and procedures, putting an ADA coordinator in place, training staff and reporting to the department.
Under Title II of the ADA, the department provided the MNDOC with written notice of the supporting facts for these findings and the remedial measures necessary to address them. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit http://www.justice.gov/crt. ADA complaints may be filed online at http://www.ada.gov/complaint.
Jefferson County Felon Sentenced for Federal Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced for a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Robert Lee Anderson, 46, pleaded guilty on June 6, 2022, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
According to information presented in court, on March 21, 2022, law enforcement officers noticed a vehicle they knew to be stolen parked in a lane of traffic with its lights off near French Road in Beaumont. Officers observed Anderson walking away from the vehicle and instructed him to stop. Instead, Anderson fled through a neighboring yard, throwing a firearm on the roof of a residence. Anderson was apprehended and the firearm was recovered. Further investigation revealed Anderson was a convicted felon and prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. Anderson was indicted on federal firearms violations on April 20, 2022.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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.
This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.
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Inmates and Family Members Indicted for Role in Nationwide Phone Scam Targeting Home DepotRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury last week indicted eight individuals for their roles in a prison-based phone scam that targeted retailers throughout the country, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis.
A twelve-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Ricardo Poole Sr., aka “Raoul,” 48, of Bessemer, Kortney Jovan Simon, 43, of Harvest, Otis Lee Bowers, aka “Big O,” 44, of Bessemer, Terry Ray Bradshaw, aka “Skitzo,” 39, of Remlap, Rennita Renee Perry, 28, of Bessemer, Kiara Reshell Anderson, 30, of Bessemer, Ricardo Poole, Jr., 25, of Birmingham, and Rhonda Thompson Poole, 47, of Bessemer with wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy, as well as substantive wire fraud counts. Poole Sr., Simon, and Bradshaw are also charged with aggravated identity theft; and Poole Sr., Bowers, Perry, and Anderson are charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
According to the indictment, from September 2020 through May 2022, the defendants tricked retailers into activating gift cards under fraudulent pretenses and then used those fraudulently obtained gift cards to purchase merchandise and make other expenditures. The indictment alleges that, while incarcerated at Donaldson, Bradshaw called Home Depot stores throughout the country and used spoofing technology and social engineering techniques to pose as Home Depot executives so that he could trick employees into activating gift cards. Poole Sr, Simon, and Bowers then purchased products using those gift cards, which were received by co-conspirators and converted to cash. The indictment also alleges that from September 2020 through August 2022, Poole Sr., Bowers, Perry, and Anderson engaged in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, specifically mixtures and substances containing detectable amounts of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, marijuana, and synthetic cathinones.
The charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison.
The U.S. Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward J. Canter and John M. Hundscheid are prosecuting the case. The Alabama Department of Corrections Law Enforcement Services Division provided assistance in the investigation.
An indictment contains only charges. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty.
Hot Springs Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
HOT SPRINGS – A Hot Springs man was sentenced today to 84 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in Hot Springs.
According to court documents, in July of 2019, detectives with the 18th East Judicial Drug Task Force received information that Lee Kelly Cargile, age 36, was trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine in Garland County. Later that month, detectives were able to conduct multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Cargile.
The methamphetamine was tested by the Drug Enforcement Administration laboratory and confirmed to be pure methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The 18th East Judicial District Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations Little Rock, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the 18th East Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s Office investigated the case investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Achorn and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Trent Daniels prosecuted the case.
Georgia man who laundered millions from romance scams, Business Email Compromises, and other online fraud receives 25-year sentenceRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Elvis Eghosa Ogiekpolor has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering after being convicted at trial. Ogiekpolor opened and directed others to open at least 50 fraudulent business bank accounts that received over $9.5 million dollars from various online frauds, including romance frauds and business email compromise scams (“BECs”). He then laundered the fraud proceeds using other accounts, including dozens of accounts overseas.
“Ogiekpolor and his co-conspirators were part of a broader international network of online fraudsters and money launderers who wreaked havoc and devastation on unsuspecting individuals and businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “This case demonstrates our office’s unrelenting commitment to hold accountable those who prey on the vulnerabilities of victims and seek to exploit our nation’s banking system.”
“There is no way we can make the victims of Ogiekpolor and this network whole again, but we hope this sentence will at least give them solace that people are being held accountable,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI makes it a top priority to investigate these cyber-crimes and the greedy criminals behind them.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Beginning in at least October 2018 and continuing until August 2020, Ogiekpolor directed at least eight so-called “money mules” – including six who testified against him at trial – to open more than 50 fraudulent business bank accounts in Georgia in the names of a dozen sham companies. The sham companies did not occupy physical premises, earn legitimate income, or pay wages to employees. Ogiekpolor instructed the money mules to open multiple accounts at once and, if one bank closed an account for suspected fraud or other suspicious activity, to simply open additional fraudulent accounts at different banks. Ogiekpolor then provided the accounts to other co-conspirators to receive the proceeds from multiple romance frauds, BEC scams, and other frauds impacting dozens of victims in the U.S. and elsewhere, as well as multiple businesses.
Romance scams are a type of online fraud in which victims are targeted by individuals posing as potential paramours. The fraudsters create fake online dating profiles (often with photographs of attractive men or women) and use these fake personas to express strong romantic interest in the victims to entice them into sending money under false pretenses. Romance scams frequently target vulnerable individuals who possess significant financial assets, such as retired widows or widowers. In Ogiekpolor’s case, unsuspecting victims would typically wire funds directly into one of his fraudulent accounts, or mail checks or cash to Ogiekpolor’s money mules in Georgia. Once the fraud proceeds posted to his accounts, Ogiekpolor laundered the funds, including wiring hundreds of thousands of dollars to overseas accounts, and withdrawing substantial amounts in cash and cashier’s checks.
Multiple romance fraud victims, mainly women, testified at trial. The victims recounted how they met male strangers online and were soon convinced they were in a romantic relationship with the men, even though the victims were in communication with the individuals for months without meeting in person. Often these men claimed they wanted to start a life with the victims and were eager to live with them as soon as some kind of issue was resolved. For example, one romance fraud victim was convinced to wire $32,000 to one of the accounts Ogiekpolor controlled because her “boyfriend” (one of the men online) claimed a part of his oil rig needed to be replaced but that his bank account was frozen. This victim borrowed against her retirement and savings to provide the funds, which ultimately required her to refinance her home to pay back the loan. Another victim testified that she was convinced to send nearly $70,000 because the man she met on eHarmony claimed to need money to promptly make payment on several invoices due to a frozen bank account. The 13 romance fraud victims who testified at trial represented just a small number of such victims who were defrauded into sending money to Ogiekpolor’s accounts.
BEC scams also commonly involve an employee of a company who has been fooled into responding to email messages that appear to be, but are not, legitimate (“spoof emails”). At trial, the jury heard from several businesses – representing just a small sample of the total number of companies defrauded – who had been victimized by spoof emails. In each case, the victim-business believed it was making a payment, often several hundreds of thousands of dollars, to a long-standing vendor only to subsequently learn that they had been tricked into sending the money to an account controlled by Ogiekpolor and thereby defrauded.
In addition to Ogiekpolor, several of his co-conspirators have been convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with this case, including:
- Vere Whyte, 35, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, who pleaded guilty on November 15, 2021;
- Kutina Crawford, 49, of Lithonia, Georgia, who pleaded guilty on May 2, 2022;
- Ebony Parks, 28, of Jonesboro, Georgia, who pleaded guilty on May 11, 2022;
- Tiffany Gaines, 42, of Conyers, Georgia, who pleaded guilty on May 16, 2022; and
- Tamara Gaines, 48, of Conyers, Georgia, who pleaded guilty on July 11, 2022.
Elvis Eghosa Ogiekpolor, 46, of Norcross, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Ray, II, to 25 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. The Court will schedule a hearing for a later date at which time it will determine the amount of restitution that Ogiekpolor owes. He was charged by a federal grand jury in February 2022 with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and 15 counts of substantive money laundering. A federal jury convicted him of these charges on May 31, 2022, following an eight-day trial.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is part of the Department of Justice Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Force focuses on investigating and prosecuting defendants associated with foreign-based fraud schemes that disproportionately affect American seniors. These include romance scams, phone scams, mass-mailing fraud schemes, and tech-support fraud schemes. For further information on these scams, see https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/senior-scam-alert.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex R. Sistla and Radka T. Nations prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.