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28 June 2022
Citizen of Dominican Republic Sentenced to 20 Months for Immigration OffensesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Wascar Javier, age 37, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced today to serve 20 months in prison following his conviction for illegally reentering the United States, and fraud and misuse of a nonimmigrant visa, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Thomas Brophy, Buffalo Field Office Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO); Keith Byrne, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of State - Diplomatic Security Service; and New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen.
Javier was removed from the United States in October 2020 following a felony conviction in New York state court. As part of his previous guilty plea, Javier admitted that sometime after his removal, he unlawfully reentered the United States without permission. On September 30, 2021, a New York State Trooper stopped a car Javier was driving and Javier presented to the Trooper a document that purported to be a passport issued by the Dominican Republic. The passport contained a fraudulent United States nonimmigrant visa and Javier admitted knowing that it was fraudulent.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also sentenced Javier to a three-year term of supervised release to begin after he serves his term of imprisonment.
This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the U.S. Department of State-Diplomatic Security Service, with assistance from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the New York State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sutcliffe.
Career Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – A Fayetteville man was sentenced today to 240 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court documents, in January of 2021, law enforcement officers made contact with Troy Dale Franklin, 39, after he ran a stop sign in a stolen vehicle. The vehicle was searched, and officers located a distribution amount of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. In addition, Franklin was in possession of a loaded pistol, after having been convicted of multiple felony offenses. Franklin was arrested and released on bond the same day. In February and March of 2021, detectives with the Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force (DTF) made a series of controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Franklin in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
After the last purchase, Franklin was arrested by detectives and searched. The search resulted in detectives locating and recovering DTF buy money. A search of Franklin’s vehicle resulted in detectives locating, approximately 269 grams of methamphetamine, a loaded handgun and drug paraphernalia. Franklin was also in possession of $2,093.00 dollars cash, which was seized by detectives. Under Federal law, Franklin is considered a Career Criminal, subject to enhanced penalties.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Camden County Woman Sentenced to Year and a Day in Prison for Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, woman was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison for attempting to bribe a witness to steal a gun from a car that was in the custody of the Camden County Police Department, pending the execution of a search warrant, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Saidah A. Davis, aka “Sacha,” 42, of Woodlynne, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman in Camden federal court to an indictment charging her with witness tampering.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Davis admitted that on April 16, 2021, she and codefendant Anthony D. Parker, aka “Papa Smurf,” 38, of Camden, went to the home of an individual who she knew worked at a Camden tow lot that impounded vehicles that were seized by the Camden County Police Department for criminal investigations. Davis, an acquaintance of a relative of the tow lot employee, explained that Parker had a problem, and she asked the employee if he could help Parker. Parker said that his vehicle had been seized by the police pending a search warrant application, and that there was a gun and cash inside the vehicle. Parker offered the tow lot employee $2,000 to break into the vehicle and remove the gun and cash. The tow lot employee refused the bribe, and Davis took the employee’s phone number and said, “we’ll be in touch.”
Parker was convicted of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon and is scheduled to be sentenced July 12, 2022.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Davis to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay; and officers of the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabriel Rodriguez; with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Harberg of the Criminal Division in Camden.
Camden County Woman Admits Fraudulently Obtaining 30 Loans Meant to Help Small Businesses During COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, resident today admitted conspiring to fraudulently obtain 30 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) totaling more than $3 million, and to laundering the proceeds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Rhonda Thomas, 38, of Sicklerville, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams to an information charging her with one count of bank fraud conspiracy and one count of money laundering.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of hundreds of billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. The CARES Act also authorized the Small Business Administration to provide EIDL of up to $2 million to eligible small businesses that were experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To obtain a PPP or EIDL loan, a qualifying small business was required to apply and provide information on its operations, including the number of employees and expenses. In addition, businesses generally had to provide supporting documentation.
In 2020 and 2021, Thomas submitted at least 10 PPP application and three EIDL applications for companies she controlled. She represented to the lenders that her companies had employees and payroll expenses that they did not have. In fact, many of her companies were nominal businesses with no employees or payroll expenses.
Thomas also conspired with other purported business owners to submit at least 20 fraudulent PPP and EIDL loan applications. She prepared and submitted these loan applications, which falsely stated the number of employees, payroll, and expenses of the businesses.
Thomas forged tax forms and altered bank statements that she submitted to the lenders as part of the loan applications.
Based on Thomas’s misrepresentations, lenders approved approximately 30 PPP and EIDL loans and disbursed more than $3.1 million in federal COVID-19 emergency relief funds meant for distressed small businesses to Thomas and her conspirators. Thomas personally received more than $330,000 from lenders based on the fraudulent loan applications for her companies and received kickbacks of more than $700,000 from other business owners for her role in preparing and submitting fraudulent loan applications.
Thomas used the fraudulently obtained PPP and EIDL loan proceeds to pay for personal expenses. In March 2022, Thomas withdrew approximately $60,000 of the loan proceeds in cash at a credit union in Camden County.
The charge of bank fraud conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million. The count of money laundering is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. As part of her guilty plea, Thomas agreed to make restitution in the full amounts of the PPP and EIDL loans. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 1, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Patricia Tarasca, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Regional Office; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Sharon MacDermott; special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia; special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden and Senior Litigation Counsel Jason M. Richardson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Division in Camden.
Bronx Man Sentenced for His Role in Large-Scale Fentanyl and Heroin Trafficking Ring in SpringfieldRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Bronx, N.Y., man has been sentenced in federal court in Springfield for his role in a large-scale drug conspiracy that trafficked dozens of kilos of heroin and fentanyl into Springfield from New York City and the Dominican Republic every month.
Marvin Ortega, 35, was sentenced on June 23, 2022 by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 30 months in prison and two years of supervised release. In March 2019, Ortega pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin.
“The impact of drug trafficking can be felt by everyone. Mr. Ortega was involved in an organization that funneled heroin and fentanyl into the Springfield area – profiting off of people’s pain,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Drug trafficking activities, specifically those involving fentanyl, pose an immeasurable threat to public safety. The opioid crisis has taken the lives of over two thousand people last year in our Commonwealth. They were mothers, children, fathers, siblings, and loved ones and they are gone. Forever. We cannot allow ourselves to grow numb to this epidemic and become complacent. My office will not look the other way. Narcotics dealers will be identified, prosecuted and held accountable.”
“DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling Drug Trafficking Organizations and individuals like Mr. Ortega who are responsible for distributing lethal drugs like heroin and fentanyl to the citizens of Massachusetts” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Division. “Let this arrest be a warning to those traffickers who distribute this poison in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. DEA’s top priority is combating the opioid epidemic by working with our local, county, state and federal partners to bring to justice anyone who distributes deadly drugs.”
“Opioid-related overdoses and deaths affect our community on a daily basis. The increase of fentanyl on our streets has only increased how deadly these drugs have become. This sentence will hopefully send a message to those individuals looking bring heroin and fentanyl into our city and region that we have a team of law enforcement partners working together to investigate and ultimately convict those responsible. I’d like to thank U.S. Attorney Rollins, her team and our local, regional and federal partners for their work on this investigation,” said Springfield Police Superintendent Cheryl C. Clapprood.
Ortega transported heroin to Springfield and the proceeds from the sale to New York for a drug trafficking organization (DTO) based in Springfield, which was run by Alberto Marte. Marte had direct contact with heroin suppliers in the Dominican Republic and members of his DTO transported between eight and 20 kilograms of heroin, with a street value of approximately $1.6 million and $4 million, respectively, into the Springfield area every month. When law enforcement authorities executed federal search warrants in September 2016, they recovered approximately $140,000 in cash and over six kilograms of heroin.
U.S. Attorney Rollins; DEA SAC Boyle; Superintendent Clapprood; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Hampden County District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni; Chicopee Police Chief Patrick Major; Holyoke Police Chief David Pratt; and West Springfield Police Chief Paul Connor made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neil L. Desroches of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office and Stephen W. Hassink of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Brockton Man Pleads Guilty in Sophisticated Drug Trafficking Conspiracy that Operated Using the Dark WebRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to his role in a highly sophisticated drug trafficking operation that manufactured and distributed a multitude of controlled substances using the Dark Web.
Steven McCall, 26, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, Ketamine and Alprazolam (Xanax). U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for Sept. 28, 2022.
McCall was indicted in June 2019 along with co-conspirators Binh Thanh Le and Allante Pires. Le, who was the ringleader of the drug-trafficking operation, created and operated a vendor site called “EastSideHigh” in marketplaces on the Dark Network, more commonly known as the Dark Web. The Dark Web is any portion of the internet that can only be accessed with specific software, configurations or authorization that anonymize internet traffic. Le used these Dark Web markets to advertise various drugs for sale, including cocaine, MDMA, Ketamine and Xanax. Le ordered and received wholesale quantities of the drugs he and the others were distributing in the mail, principally from foreign sources in Canada and Europe. McCall and Pires then processed and manufactured those controlled substances at an office space Le rented in Stoughton. After receiving the orders and payment via Bitcoin, the men mailed the drugs to customers throughout the United States.
At the time of his arrest, McCall had been manufacturing and packaging controlled substances at the co-conspirators’ stash location in Stoughton and was wearing latex gloves and a respirator.
Over 19 kilograms of MDMA, almost seven kilograms of Ketamine, nearly one kilogram of cocaine, more than 10,000 counterfeit Xanax pills and over $114,000 in cash were seized by authorities during the investigation. Investigators also recovered a computer with the “EastSideHigh” vendor page open, numerous packages containing MDMA and Ketamine, various shipping and packaging materials and a pill press from the office space in Stoughton.
On March 10, 2022, Le was sentenced to eight years in prison and three years of supervised release. Le was also ordered to forfeit more than 59 Bitcoin (currently worth more than $1.2 million), $114,680 in cash, $42,390 representing the proceeds from the sale of a 2018 BMW M3, along with other items including a pill press and currency counter. On June 3, 2022, Pires pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 8, 2022.
The charge of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, Ketamine and Alprazolam (Xanax) provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for the Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Norfolk County District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Special assistance with the investigation was provided by the Homeland Security Investigations in Colorado; Postal Inspectors from around the country; and the Stoughton, Norwood and Brockton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Arnold of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Bridgeport Man Involved in Murder and Arson Scheme Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JASON SCOTT, also known as “Hood,” 39, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a plan to murder an individual and set fire to the Bridgeport business where he worked.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in early morning hours of April 2, 2018, Bridgeport Police patrolling the west side of Bridgeport attempted to stop a car that was operating with unlit taillights. The car fled from police and, during the police pursuit, officers observed several items being thrown from its windows. After the car stopped several blocks away, officers arrested Luis Mercado, who was driving the car, and Dominick Gonzalez, and recovered two loaded handguns and a quantity of marijuana that had been thrown from the car. A search of the car also revealed a black ski mask, a pair of binoculars, and a container of gasoline. The investigation revealed that Mercado, Gonzalez, Scott, Luis Mejias and George Rivera were involved in a plan to murder an individual and set fire to the Wood Avenue Body Shop in Bridgeport where the individual worked.
Scott, Mejias and Rivera were arrested later that morning at a hotel in Milford. A search of a hotel room revealed a loaded Smith and Wesson model M&P 15-22 caliber rifle, a loaded Taurus “Judge” revolver, a loaded Anderson Manufacturing AR 15 multi-caliber rifle, a loaded 12-gauge shotgun, additional ammunition, brass knuckles, binoculars, gloves and a knit mask. Investigators also located a seized packaged heroin, ecstasy pills, marijuana, a digital scale and other items in the room, and ammunition and shotgun shells in the trunk of their car.
Each defendant has a criminal history that includes multiple felony convictions. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
On March 28, 2022, Scott pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Mercado, Gonzalez, Mejias and Rivera also pleaded guilty. On June 27, 2022, Mercado and Mejias were each sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment. Gonzalez and Rivera await sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport and Milford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck.
Bothell, Washington, man sentenced to 5 years in prison for dealing drugs hidden in computer hard drivesRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 34-year-old Bothell, Washington, man was sentenced today to five years in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Ryan Kane pled guilty to Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute on March 22, 2022. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said, addressing Kane, “This isn’t about you…. This is about what you did to the community …sending drugs not just into our community, but the world. What you did is decidedly wrong.”
“Mr. Kane was distributing nearly pure and addictive methamphetamine across the world, concealed in computer hard drives,” said U.S. Attorney Brown. “He used the Dark Web to conceal his identity and make dangerous drugs available as far away as Australia and New Zealand.”
Kane first came to the attention of law enforcement because he was mailing packages with methamphetamine hidden inside. Kane used a Dark Web vendor account to take orders for the methamphetamine shipments; he then packaged the drugs and mailed them through the U.S. Postal Service to various locations in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. In April of 2021, he attempted to mail two packages to Australia. However, these packages were intercepted by law enforcement and found to contain over three kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride concealed in computer hard drives.
Meth in hard driveIn asking for a six-year sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Casey Conzatti said, “This recommendation takes into account Mr. Kane’s struggle with addiction, but it also takes into account the large volume of drugs involved.”
When Kane’s residence was searched on June 7, 2021, law enforcement seized a glass jar and 16 additional hollowed out computer hard drives containing over three kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride. Agents found packing materials, a notebook containing shipping labels to Australia and artwork related to Kane’s Dark Web vendor account. Additionally, agents discovered a loaded 9mm handgun on the couch in the apartment.
“Mr. Kane’s conviction and today’s sentence demonstrates how smugglers cannot hide behind the perceived veil of secrecy associated with Dark Web marketplaces,” said Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in the Pacific Northwest. “HSI through its transnational law enforcement footprint will doggedly pursue these cases with our law enforcement partners within the U.S. and abroad.”
“With Mr. Kane’s sentencing today, we show a clear and united front, not only here in the United States but abroad, in the effort to combat the distribution of these dangerous and potentially lethal narcotics,” said Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (U.S.P.I.S.). “We remain steadfast in our mission to remove illegal narcotics from the U.S. Mail and will continue to do so to ensure our communities remain safe. We thank our law enforcement partners for their assistance in bringing Kane to justice.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (U.S.P.I.S.) and the Australian Border Force (ABF).
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey S. Conzatti.
Australian Tech Entrepreneur Sentenced to More Than 8 Years for Multimillion Dollar Consumer Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that EUGENI TSVETNENKO, a/k/a “Zhenya,” a dual citizen of Australia and Russia, was sentenced to 98 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres. TSVETNENKO pled guilty on February 18, 2022, for his role in a consumer fraud scheme to charge mobile phone customers millions of dollars in monthly fees for unsolicited, recurring text messages about topics such as horoscopes, celebrity gossip, and trivia facts, without the customers’ knowledge or consent—a practice referred to as “auto-subscribing.” The portion of the fraudulent scheme that TSVETNENKO and his co-conspirators orchestrated defrauded mobile phone users of approximately $41.3 million and netted TSVETNENKO and his co-conspirators more than $20 million in proceeds. TSVETNENKO personally earned approximately $15.4 million in connection with the scheme, which he repaid prior to sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Eugeni Tsvetnenko and his co-defendants made a fortune by fraudulently charging their customers for text messages they didn’t need or approve, in a practice called ‘auto-subscribing,’ then laundering the proceeds through shell companies. Tsvetnenko is paying a steep price for his mobile scam, as he has already paid back over $15 million in forfeiture, and will now spend 98 months in federal prison.”
According to allegations in the Superseding Indictment against TSVETNENKO, evidence presented at the trial of co-conspirators Darcy Wedd (Wedd) and Fraser Thompson (Thompson), and other public filings:
From at least in or about 2012 through in or about 2013, TSVETNENKO, Wedd, Thompson, and others engaged in a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud consumers by placing unauthorized charges for premium text messaging services on consumers’ cellular phone bills through a practice known as auto-subscribing. TSVETNENKO owned and operated several content provider companies and mobile industry companies in Australia that, among other things, created and sold premium text messaging content to consumers. Wedd operated Mobile Messenger, a U.S. aggregation company in the mobile phone industry that served as a middleman between content providers (such as some of TSVETNENKO’s companies) and mobile phone carriers. Mobile Messenger was responsible for assembling monthly charges incurred by a particular mobile phone customer for premium text-messaging services and placing those charges on that customer’s cellular phone bill.
Beginning in or about early 2012, Wedd, Thompson, who was the Senior Vice President of Strategic Operations for Mobile Messenger, and two other senior executives of Mobile Messenger (CC-3 and CC-4) recruited TSVETNENKO to their auto-subscribing scheme to increase revenues at Mobile Messenger. TSVETNENKO agreed and established two new content providers based in Australia, CF Enterprises and DigiMobi, to auto-subscribe on Mobile Messenger’s aggregation platform. CC-3 furnished lists of phone numbers to TSVETNENKO, along with an auto-subscribing “playbook,” which provided TSVETNENKO with guidance on how to auto-subscribe without being caught. The “playbook” described how to conceal the fraud scheme by making it appear as if the customers had, in fact, elected to purchase the text-messaging services, when in truth they had not.
The consumers who received the unsolicited text messages typically ignored or deleted the messages, often believing them to be spam. Regardless, the consumers were billed for the receipt of the messages, at a rate of $9.99 per month, through charges that typically appeared on the consumers’ cellular telephone bills in an abbreviated and confusing form, such as with nonsensical billing descriptors that often consisted of random letter and numbers. The $9.99 charges recurred each month unless and until consumers noticed the charges and took action to unsubscribe. Even then, consumers’ attempts to dispute the charges and obtain refunds from CF Enterprises or DigiMobi were often unsuccessful. Wedd, to whom CC-3, CC-4, and Thompson all reported, oversaw the scheme at Mobile Messenger.
TSVETNENKO, with the assistance of Wedd, Thompson, CC-3, and CC-4, started auto-subscribing consumers in approximately April of 2012. TSVETNENKO’s auto-subscribing activities, which continued into 2013, victimized hundreds of thousands of mobile phone customers, who were auto-subscribed through Mobile Messenger and charged a total of approximately $41,389,725 for unwanted text messaging services. Wedd, Thompson, CC-3, and CC-4 agreed that TSVETNENKO would keep approximately 70% of the auto-subscribing proceeds generated by CF Enterprises and DigiMobi, and that the remaining 30% of the auto-subscribing proceeds would be divided evenly among Wedd, Thompson, CC-3, and CC-4.
After obtaining proceeds of the fraud scheme, TSVETNENKO worked with other co-conspirators to launder the proceeds. TSVETNENKO and his co-conspirators distributed the proceeds of the fraud scheme among themselves and others involved in the scheme by, among other things, causing funds to be transferred through the bank accounts of a series of shell companies and companies held in the names of third parties. This was done to conceal the nature and source of the payments and TSVETNENKO and his co-conspirators’ participation in the fraud.
* * *
In addition to his prison sentence, TSVETNENKO, 41, of Australia, was ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of approximately $15.4 million dollars, which he has repaid.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In addition, Mr. Williams thanked law enforcement partners in Australia, especially the Australian Attorney-General Department’s International Crime Cooperation Central Authority and the Australian Federal Police, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, for their significant support and assistance with the defendant’s extradition from Australia.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jilan Kamal and Olga I. Zverovich are in charge of the prosecution.
American Ex-Pat Sentenced to 8 Years for Panamanian Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Jeffrey Jedlicki (51, Panama City, Panama) to eight years in federal prison for wire fraud conspiracy. As part of his sentence, the court also ordered Jedlicki to forfeit $700,000 and a South Florida residence worth in excess of $2 million. The court also ordered Jedlicki to pay $3,244,592.00 in restitution to the victims. Jedlicki had pleaded guilty on September 16, 2021.
According to court documents, Jedlicki and his coconspirators operated international boiler rooms in Panama and elsewhere that used high-pressure sales techniques to defraud individuals who invested substantial amounts of money in what they believed were regulated financial products or markets, such as options in commodities and stocks. The majority of the victims that the boiler rooms targeted were located in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
Jedlicki and his co-conspirators then transferred fraud proceeds generated by the boiler rooms through several money laundering rings, and then on to overseas accounts, with the launderers receiving a percentage of the funds they had moved. Jedlicki himself received a 2% referral fee for referring victims’ funds to a money laundering ring. Jedlicki used the funds to perpetuate the conspiracy, and for his own personal enrichment. In total, Jedlicki and his co-conspirators wired or caused to be wired approximately $3,244,592 in victims’ funds to money laundering accounts in furtherance of the wire fraud conspiracy.
“This sentence reflects the serious nature of the offense,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Dumas. “HSI, working closely with Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and our international partners, is committed to stopping transnational criminal organizations that target the elderly with investment fraud schemes.”
“Boiler rooms use high-pressure sales techniques to rope unsuspecting individuals into bogus investment schemes,” said Brian Payne, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Tampa Field Office. “Today, justice was served. Jedlicki will spend nearly a decade in prison, and he has been ordered to repay the victims of his scheme the $3.2 million he stole from them.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.
14 Alleged Traveling Vice Lord Gang Members Indicted on Federal Racketeering ChargesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN –A federal grand jury has indicted fourteen alleged members and associates of the Traveling Vice Lord /Junk Yard Dogs (TVL/JYD), a criminal organization whose members and associates engaged in a racketeering conspiracy involving acts of murder, attempted murder, and drug trafficking.
According to the indictment, the TVL/JYD is a violent criminal street gang that operates throughout the Western District of Tennessee. The TVL is a subset of the Almighty Vice Lord Nation which originated in Chicago, Illinois, and other parts of the United States. The TVL were organized into different positions, including Chief of Streets, Deck Holder, Enforcer, Treasurer and Chief of
Security. Participation in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increases the respect accorded to that member/associate and can result in membership, maintenance, and increased position in the gang, and opens the door to promotion of a leadership position within the gang. Violations of rules and orders may result in the loss of membership, physical punishment in the form of beatings and in some instances, death.This is the culmination of a two-year investigation into the Traveling Vice Lord subset the Junk
Yard Dogs who operated mostly in Fayette County, TN. Between June 2020 and August 2020, the
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
(ATF) investigated five different shootings.The investigation revealed, between June 17, 2020, and August 2020, Tomarcus
Baskerville ordered Martivus Baskerville, Deonte Walker, Toorrence Fitzpatrick, Deandra Rivers and
Trevin Hullom, to conduct five separate shootings against rival gang members, the Gangster
Disciples and the 4 Corner Hustlers with the intent to kill those gang members. As a result of these crimes, nine individuals were shot, and one person died.Named in the indictment are: • Tomarcus BASKERVILLE, 33, a/k/a “TC”, a/k/a “Glove.” Held the rank of “Chief of
Streets”
• Christopher PEELER,30, a/k/a “Lil Chris.” Held the rank of 3UE
• Martivus BASKERVILLE, 28, a/k/a Tavis. Held the rank of “Deck Holder”
• Thomas SMITH, 22, a/k/a “TJ.” Held the rank of 5BE
• Davaius WORRLES, 29, a/k/a, “Mighty”, a/k/a “Mighty Shun.” Held the rank of 5BE
• Curtis BASKERVILLE, 36, a/k/a “CB.” Held the rank of 3BE
• Montaveen TAYLOR,21, a/k/a, "CGE Tay.” Held the rank of
“representative” and functioned as the “first seat.”
• Mardarius McNEAL, 24. Held the rank of “representative” and functioned as the
“enforcer”
• Deandra RIVERS, 26, a/k/a “Dre.” Held the rank of “representative” and functioned as “chief of security.”
• Deonte WALKER, 27, a/k/a, “Tez.” Held the rank of “representative” and functioned as the “man of literature.”
• Trevin HULLOM, 29, a/k/a “Scooter.” Held the rank of representative and functioned as the “assistant man of literature.”
• Torrance FITZPATRICK, 27, a/k/a Phat. Held the rank of
“representative”
• Bianca JACKSON, 20. Held the rank of “representative”
• Courtland SPRINGFIELD, 30, a/k/a, “Hot Box.” Held the rank of
“representative.”The RICO conspiracy charge in this case carries a maximum sentence of life. The Murder in Aid of
Racketeering charge in this case carries a sentence of death or life imprisonment. Each of the
Brandishing and Discharging a Firearm during and in Relation to a Crime of Violence carries a penalty of not less than 10 years consecutive to its related Attempted Murder (Violent Crime in
Aid in Racketeering).This case is being investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Neal Oldham and Beth Boswell.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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27 June 2022
Wise County Trio Plead Guilty to Distributing Pills Containing FentanylRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A trio of Southwest Virginia residents who distributed pressed pills containing fentanyl and are linked to teenage overdoses that occurred in Wise County, pled guilty recently in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.
Paul Mason Perkins, 20, of Big Stone Gap, Va., Austin Jeremiah Lane, 22, of Norton, Va., and Cheyenne Cassie Carico, 20, of Norton, Va., all pled guilty in recent weeks to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents, between February 1, 2021, and February 11, 2022, Perkins purchased thousands of pressed pills containing fentanyl online through a source located in California. Perkins ordered 1,000 pills at a time for $3,750 from a California source on the social media platforms Snapchat and Instagram, making purchases every few weeks. He had the pills mailed to his residence in Big Stone Gap. Perkins then distributed the pills to other individuals in Wise County, including multiple sales to co-conspirators Lane and Carico.
On November 24, 2021, Perkins sold Carico and Lane three pressed pills for $30 per pill. Lane and Carico had purchased two of the pills for a 17-year-old female the two knew from school. Lane and Carico distributed the pills to the juvenile by delivering the drugs to her sister’s mailbox. Later that night, the 17-year-old female was hospitalized due to a drug overdose. The juvenile female spent six days on a ventilator as a result of the overdose. Law enforcement recovered half a pressed pill from the scene of the overdose, which tested positive for fentanyl.
Later the same night, on November 24, 2021, another 18-year-old male who had purchased pressed pills containing fentanyl from Perkins, Lane and Carico was hospitalized due to a drug overdose.
On February 10, 2022, a United States Postal Inspector intercepted a package being sent to Perkins’ residence from Costa Mesa, California. The package contained approximately 1,000 pills that tested positive for fentanyl. When law enforcement performed a controlled delivery of the intercepted package at Perkins’ residence the next day, officers found approximately $6,000 cash, a loaded firearm, and 200 pressed pills containing fentanyl.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Charlies J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Atlanta Division made the announcement.
The Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena Busscher is prosecuting the case.
Winchester Man Sentenced to Prison Time for ‘Molly’ DistributionRead the Press Release
HARRISONBURG, Va. – A Winchester, Virginia man, who distributed Eutylone, commonly marketed by drug dealers as “Molly” or “Ecstasy” was sentenced last week to 72 months in federal prison.
Lamont Antoine Parson, 40, pled guilty in November 2021 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute Eutylone and one count of possessing with the intent to distribute Eutylone.
Eutylone emerged on the United States’ illicit drug market in 2014, reports of its abuse have sharply increased since 2018. The Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division reports that Eutylone is being falsely marketed by drug dealers as MDMA (“Ecstasy” or “Molly”) and has been distributed under the street names of “Red Bull” and “Blue Playboy,” among others.
Beginning in January 2020, the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force conducted multiple controlled drug buys from Parson and his uncle, Gregory McKinley Frye. On February 6, 2020, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant at the Winchester, Virginia apartment occupied by Frye and Parson and recovered over three kilograms of Eutylone, a 9mm pistol, and a digital scale.
Frye pled guilty in November 2021 to one count of possessing with the intent to distribute Eutylone and two counts of distribution of Eutylone. He is scheduled to be sentenced later this year.
The Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force (comprised of the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, the Page County Sheriff’s Office, the Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office, the Luray Police Department, the Front Royal Police Department, the Strasburg Police Department, the Winchester Police Department, and the Virginia State Police) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald M. Huber is prosecuting the case.
Wilmington Man Pleads Guilty After FBI Foils Murder-for-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that a Wilmington man pled guilty in federal court today to one count of engaging in interstate murder-for-hire. During the hearing before Chief District Court Judge Colm F. Connolly, Javier A. Rodriguez, 47, admitted that he hired a hitman to kill his ex-wife. Pursuant to his guilty plea, Rodriguez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Sentencing was set for October 25, 2022.
According to statements made in open court, Rodriguez offered an FBI confidential source $10,000 to kill his wife. During a series of meetings with the confidential source in February 2022, Rodriguez discussed different ways to kill his ex-wife and eventually gave the confidential source a $5,000 down payment, with the remaining $5,000 to be paid after his ex-wife was killed. Shortly after handing the money over, Rodriguez told the confidential source, “I got to eliminate this b****, dog.”
U.S. Attorney Weiss commented on the sentence, “The FBI partnered with the Wilmington Police Department and other law enforcement agencies to prevent the murder of an innocent woman, while also ensuring that sufficient evidence was gathered to successfully prosecute this dangerous defendant. Soliciting another person to have a former spouse killed is a particularly heinous crime. My office will continue to work with all our law enforcement partners to protect our community members from violence in all forms.”
“The FBI continues to protect the public from offenders who have such bold indifference for human life,” said Thomas J. Sobocinski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore field office. “This case serves as a notice to those who commit, or conspire to commit, acts of violence in our communities that they will be held responsible.”
The case was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Violent Crime Taskforce, which is a partnership of law enforcement officers from the FBI, Wilmington Police Department, Delaware State Police, Delaware Probation and Parole, and New Castle County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander P. Ibrahim and Christopher L. de Barrena-Sarobe are 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. The case number is 01:22-CR-0045 (CFC).
Washington, D.C. Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for the Kidnapping of a Victim at Maryland Hotel and CasinoRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Darius Lawrence Young, a/k/a “Mup”, age 30, of Washington, D.C., today to 13 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit kidnapping, in connection with the kidnapping of a victim from a Maryland hotel and casino and for possession of firearms and ammunition by a felon.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea and other court documents, on February 3, 2021, Darius Young, co-defendant Anthony Erik Hebron, co-defendant Christopher Young, co-defendant Lamar Perkins, and Co-conspirator 1 worked together to kidnap a victim from a Maryland casino and hotel. As stated in their pleas, Hebron and Co-conspirator 1 met Victim A at the hotel and casino, where they made the false promise that they would get women for Victim A if Victim A accompanied them to Southeast Washington, D.C. At approximately 7:30 a.m., Victim A agreed to travel to Southeast Washington, D.C. in Co-conspirator 1’s car with Hebron.
At 8:13 a.m., co-defendant Christopher Young called Darius Young to report that Hebron and Co-conspirator 1 had “snatched” Victim A. Soon after Co-conspirator 1, Hebron, and Victim A arrived in Southeast D.C., Darius and Christopher Young entered into Co-conspirator 1’s vehicle with Victim A inside. Hebron then pointed a gun at Victim A. At that time, Hebron, Darius and Christopher Young, and Co-conspirator 1 took Victim A’s personal items including Victim A’s wallet, cell phone, hotel room key, and a watch valued at $500.
Hebron, Darius and Christopher Young, and Co-conspirator 1 then demanded the code to Victim A’s hotel safe. When Victim A refused, Hebron struck Victim A in the forehead with the gun. In response, Victim A told the co-conspirators the code to the hotel safe. Hebron then forced Victim A out of the car. Darius and Christopher Young then exited the vehicle with Victim A as Hebron and Co-conspirator 1 drove back to the hotel and casino to burglarize Victim A’s hotel room.
As Hebron and Co-conspirator 1 traveled back to the hotel and casino, Darius and Christopher Young led Victim A at gunpoint to a boiler room inside a Southeast D.C. apartment building. Darius Young then called Perkins and directed him to look out for police or anyone else that might hear or see Darius and Christopher Young with Victim A. Inside the boiler room, Darius and Christopher Young repeatedly assaulted Victim A, threatened his life, demanded Victim A’s PIN number to his ATM card, and demanded information about the items located in his hotel room. Darius and Christopher Young then relayed this information to Hebron and Co-conspirator 1 by phone. Simultaneously, Hebron and Co-conspirator 1 accessed Victim A’s hotel room where they stole Victim A’s property, including a gaming system, $1,500 in casino chips, and approximately $6,000 in cash.
As stated in the plea agreements, after conspiracy members stole Victim A’s hotel items, and left Victim A inside the Southeast D.C. apartment building, law enforcement saw Darius and Christopher Young walking away from the building. Moments later, law enforcement located Victim A, who had sustained several injuries, including a bloody wound on his forehead, a broken nose, and cuts on his mouth and eye.
On March 16, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Darius Young’s residence, locating Young in a bedroom on the second floor of the residence. Young was taken into custody. Officers recovered two loaded .40-caliber pistols—one under the mattress and one in the closet in Young’s bedroom. Law enforcement also recovered a .223-caliber assault-rifle style pistol loaded with 23 rounds of ammunition, located in a backpack in the bedroom. The assault-rifle style pistol did not have any serial number or markings associated with a known manufacturer, indicating that it was a privately made firearm, also known as a “ghost gun.” Outside the bedroom closet officers recovered a loaded 9mm pistol from the pocket of a dark gray jacket and a clear bag containing approximately 10 grams of crack cocaine. Officers also recovered a black digital scale and firearms magazine containing nine rounds of 9mm ammunition from Young’s residence. Young knew that he had previous felony convictions and therefore was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Co-defendants Anthony Erik Hebron, a/k/a “Pain”, age 29; Lamar Jamal Perkins, age 28; and Christopher Allen Young, a/k/a “40,” age 27, all of Washington, D.C pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Hebron is expected to be sentenced to 14 years in federal prison at his sentencing on August 8, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. Christopher Young was sentenced to 126 months in federal prison at his sentencing on May 4, 2022. Perkins was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison at his sentencing on May 23, 2022.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. 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 is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI Washington and the FBI Baltimore Field Offices and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey J. Izant and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Engelking, who prosecuted the case, and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Grossi for her assistance.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Verden Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm and Ammunition Charges Following Domestic Violence Incident Involving Discharge of ShotgunRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Last week, STEPHEN LEE MARTIN, 31, of Verden, Oklahoma, entered a plea of guilty on federal charges of being a felon illegally in possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Verden Police Department (VPD) officers responded to a domestic call at Martin’s residence on March 20, 2022, but he was not there. The affidavit further indicates that, several hours later, VPD encountered Martin and observed blood on his shorts and observed injuries on the face and neck of a female who was present during the encounter. According to the affidavit, earlier that day, Martin had discharged a shotgun near the victim’s head and had forced her into his truck with the use of the shotgun. Martin then held the victim in the truck against her will before he eventually attempted to hide the shotgun and ammunition in a ditch, where law enforcement later found them.
Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition. Public records indicate that Martin had prior felony convictions for Aggravated Attempt to Elude a Police Officer, Malicious Injury and Destruction of Property, and Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance in Oklahoma County District Court in November, 2013.
On June 8, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Martin. Count 1 charged him with being a felon in illegal possession of a firearm, Count 2 charged him with kidnapping, and Count 3 charged him being a felon in possession of ammunition. Last week, Martin entered pleas of guilty to Counts 1 and 3 of the indictment. Sentencing will take place in approximately 90 days. At sentencing, Martin faces on each count a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Martin has been in federal custody since April 11, 2022.
This case is the result of investigations by the Verden Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from District Attorney Jason M. Hicks of the Sixth Prosecutorial District. Special Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Powers is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of "Operation 922," the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. "Operation 922" is the local implementation of the PSN initiative in the Western District of Oklahoma. Specifically, "Operation 922" focuses on domestic violence abusers who are found in possession of firearms or ammunition.
Reference is made to public filings for more information.
United States Seizes Six Websites Providing Illegal Access to Copyrighted MusicRead the Press Release
Note: View the Government of Brazil's announcement here.
The Justice Department announced today the seizure of six websites as part of ongoing efforts by the Department of Justice and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to combat copyright infringement.
According to court records, unsealed today, the United States obtained court authorization to seize six domain names pending forfeiture. Four of those domains – “Corourbanos.com,” “Corourbano.com,” “Pautamp3.com,” and “SIMP3.com” – were registered with a U.S.-based registry, while two domains – “flowactivo.co” and “Mp3Teca.ws” – were registered through a U.S.-based domain registrar. According to court documents, law enforcement identified these six domains as being used to distribute copyrighted material without the authorization of the copyright holders. A law enforcement investigation confirmed that copyright-protected music content was present and available for streaming or downloading on each of these six websites from the Eastern District of Virginia.
The seizure of these six domains by the government will prevent third parties from streaming and downloading copyright-protected content from these sites. Individuals visiting those sites now will see a message indicating that the site has been seized by the federal government, and visitors will be redirected to another site for additional information.
The seizure of the domain names was announced by Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia and Acting Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of HSI Washington, D.C.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers in these matters.
Operation 404.4 is the result of collaborative efforts between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia; the Government of Brazil Ministry of Justice and Public Security Cyber Laboratory; numerous Brazilian State police forces; HSI Washington, D.C.; HSI Attaché Brasilia, Brazil; the Department of Justice’s International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Advisor and Agent in São Paulo, the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT); the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center; the UK Intellectual Property Office; and the City of London Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit.
Two Rutland Men Charged with Straw Purchase of a FirearmRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Jaansher Gondal, who is 20 years old, and Leslie Harold Taylor, Jr., who is 44 years old, were arrested on Friday, June 24, 2022 for their roles in straw purchasing a firearm from a Rutland area firearms dealer. The two Rutland men appeared in federal court today before U.S Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle and were temporarily detained pending detention hearings later this week.
According to documents in the case, on June 22, 2022, Gondal arranged for Taylor to purchase a handgun from a federal firearms dealer. Taylor asserted on an ATF background check form that the Glock handgun was for him when, in fact, it was for Gondal. At the time of the purchase, Gondal was aware he could not legally purchase a handgun because he was under 21 years old and requested Taylor’s assistance in obtaining the handgun in exchange for cash.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office notes that the charges against the defendants are accusations only and that the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, both men face up to 10 years of imprisonment. Any sentence in the case will be advised by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia Cowles is the prosecutor. The Office of the Federal Public Defender represents Gondal and Kevin M. Henry, Esq. represents Taylor.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office credited the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its work in addressing this illicit gun transaction. This case is being 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. Please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn for more information.
Two New York Men Charged for Conspiracy to Distribute 110 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two New York men were charged today with conspiring to distribute approximately 110 kilograms of cocaine as part of an international drug trafficking organization, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Eddie Velez-Pena, 33, of Yonkers, New York, and Robin Medina-Fabian, 38, of the Bronx, New York, are charged by complaint with conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine. The defendants are scheduled to appear by videoconference today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On or June 25, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted surveillance of a tractor-trailer driven by Velez-Pena and believed to contain narcotics for distribution. They observed the tractor-trailer drive through New Jersey and stop for a period of time in Hampton, New Jersey. Velez-Pena drove through New Jersey to the border of Yonkers and the Bronx, New York, where he met with Medina-Fabian. Velez-Pena transferred multiple duffle bags from his tractor-trailer to Medina-Fabian, who then placed them in the SUV.
Law enforcement officers then conducted a stop of Medina-Fabian’s SUV and observed in plain view several duffel bags matching those provided by Velez-Pena. Subsequent to receiving consent to search the SUV from Medina-Fabian, law enforcement recovered several duffle bags containing approximately 110 kilograms of cocaine and drug ledger sheets.
The count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and a $10 million fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, with the investigation leading to the charges.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The New York OCDETF Strike Force is housed at the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA; the New York City Police Department; the New York State Police; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations; the U. S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the U.S. Marshals Service; New York National Guard; U.S. Coast Guard; Port Washington Police Department; and New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny Chung of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two More Plead Guilty to Participating in Beckley-to-Philadelphia Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Pennsylvania man and a West Virginia woman pleaded guilty today to roles in a conspiracy to traffic over 130 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia.
Derrick Woodard, also known as “D,” 26, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty to interstate travel with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license. Stephanie Cohernour, 33, of Fayetteville, pleaded guilty to making false statements in acquisition of firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Woodard admitted to traveling to Beckley with Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh,” and several other co-defendants on October 17, 2020, to obtain firearms with plans to resell them for profit in Philadelphia. Cohernour admitted to straw purchasing firearms in Beckley for Jones, and that through an intermediary Jones provided the money for her to buy the firearms and told her which ones to buy.
Cohernour admitted to buying a Glock Model 19 Gen 5, 9mm pistol and a Glock, Model 19X, 9mm pistol for Jones on April 12, 2021. Cohernour admitted to lying on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 when she certified that she was the buyer of the firearms, knowing she was purchasing the firearms for someone else.
Jones is separately charged in the gun trafficking conspiracy indictment, which alleges that Cohernour and other straw purchasers bought over 130 firearms in or near Beckley during the scheme and delivered them to others in the conspiracy for transfer to Philadelphia. More than 40 of the firearms have been recovered in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent crimes.
Co-defendants Arileah Lacy, also known as “Leah,” and Terri Lawhorn previously pleaded guilty to making false statements in acquisition of firearms. The case remains pending against Jones and four other co-defendants. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Woodard and Cohernour are scheduled to be sentenced on December 2, 2022. Woodard faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Cohernour faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the ATF’s investigative work.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani 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. 5:22-cr-46.
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Two Men Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Participating in Murder and Arson SchemeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS MERCADO, also known as “Pops,” 55, of Bridgeport, and LUIS MEJIAS, also known as “Kermit,” 35, of Waterbury, were each sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for their role in a plan to murder an individual and set fire to the Bridgeport business where he worked.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in early morning hours of April 2, 2018, Bridgeport Police patrolling the west side of Bridgeport attempted to stop a car that was operating with unlit taillights. The car fled from police and, during the police pursuit, officers observed several items being thrown from its windows. After the car stopped several blocks away, officers arrested both Mercado, who was driving the car, and Dominick Gonzalez, and recovered two loaded handguns and a quantity of marijuana that had been thrown from the car. A search of the car also revealed a black ski mask, a pair of binoculars, and a container of gasoline. The investigation revealed that Mercado, Gonzalez, Mejias, George Rivera and Jason Scott were involved in a plan to murder an individual and set fire to the Wood Avenue Body Shop in Bridgeport where the individual worked.
Mejias, Rivera and Scott were arrested later that morning at a hotel in Milford. A search of a hotel room revealed a loaded Smith and Wesson model M&P 15-22 caliber rifle, a loaded Taurus “Judge” revolver, a loaded Anderson Manufacturing AR 15 multi-caliber rifle, a loaded 12-gauge shotgun, additional ammunition, brass knuckles, binoculars, gloves and a knit mask. Investigators also located a seized packaged heroin, ecstasy pills, marijuana, a digital scale and other items in the room, and ammunition and shotgun shells in the trunk of their car.
Each defendant has a criminal history that includes multiple felony convictions. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
On March 25, 2022, Mercado and Mejias each pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Gonzalez, Rivera and Scott pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport and Milford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck.
Two Individuals Convicted in $1.4 Billion Health Care Fraud Scheme Involving Rural Hospitals in Florida, Georgia, and MissouriRead the Press Release
After a 24-day trial, a federal jury in the Middle District of Florida convicted two individuals for their roles in a conspiracy that fraudulently billed approximately $1.4 billion for laboratory testing services in a sophisticated pass-through billing scheme involving rural hospitals.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jorge Perez, 62, and Ricardo Perez, 59, both of Miami, Florida, conspired with each other and others to unlawfully bill for approximately $1.4 billion of laboratory testing services which were medically unnecessary, and that fraudulently used rural hospitals as billing shells to submit claims for services that mostly were performed at outside laboratories. Jorge Perez and Ricardo Perez also committed health care fraud on five specific occasions, and conspired to launder the proceeds of this fraudulent scheme.
“These defendants preyed on and exploited the vulnerable – vulnerable hospitals, vulnerable underserved communities, and vulnerable patients seeking treatment for addiction – to line their own pockets,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We will continue to work tirelessly to hold accountable those who exploit the integrity of the health care industry for profit.”
“The defendants in this case engaged in an elaborate scheme to prey upon distressed medical facilities across multiple states and defraud private insurers,” said U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Roger Handberg. “Today’s verdict clearly demonstrates our vigilance to prosecute those who violate our laws for profit.”
“The defendants in today’s case allegedly conspired to run an elaborate billing scheme which took advantage of vulnerable hospitals and the rural communities that relied on them,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to protecting the health care system and shutting down fraudulent billing shells.”
The evidence showed that the defendants targeted and obtained control of financially distressed rural hospitals through management agreements and purchases. The defendants sought to obtain control of these rural hospitals because of private insurance contracts that provided for higher reimbursement rates for laboratory testing — a common feature of rural hospital contracts designed to ensure that the hospitals can survive and provide rural communities with much needed care. The defendants promised to save these rural hospitals from closure by turning them into laboratory testing sites, but instead billed for fraudulent laboratory testing worth hundreds of millions of dollars in a sophisticated and years-long “pass-though” billing scheme. The scheme made it appear that the rural hospitals themselves did the laboratory testing when, in most cases, it was done by testing laboratories controlled by certain defendants.
The evidence further showed that much of the laboratory testing billed through these rural hospitals involved urine drug testing for vulnerable addiction treatment patients, often obtained through kickbacks paid to recruiters and providers, frequently at sober homes or substance abuse treatment facilities. The tests billed by the defendants were often not medically necessary. After private insurance companies began to question the defendants’ billings, they would move on to another rural hospital, leaving the rural hospitals they took over in the same or worse financial status as before. Three of the four rural hospitals closed shortly after the defendants moved on to a different rural hospital. The defendants also conspired to launder the proceeds of their scheme through a series of large financial transfers.
Jorge Perez and Ricardo Perez were convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, five counts of health care fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering of proceeds greater than $10,000. The defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years for each of the health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy counts, and 10 years for each substantive health care fraud count. A federal district court judge will determine the sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The rural hospitals involved in this case were: Campbellton-Graceville Hospital (CGH), a 25-bed rural hospital located in Graceville, Florida; Regional General Hospital of Williston, a 40-bed facility located in Williston, Florida; Chestatee Regional Hospital, a 49-bed rural hospital located in Dahlonega, Georgia; and Putnam County Memorial Hospital, a 25-bed rural hospital located in Unionville, Missouri.
The FBI’s Jacksonville Field Office; Office of Personnel Management, Office of Inspector General (OPM-OIG); Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG); and the Amtrak Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tysen Duva for the Middle District of Florida and Senior Litigation Counsel Jim Hayes and Trial Attorney Gary Winters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
Two Individuals Convicted in $1.4 Billion Health Care Fraud Scheme Involving Rural Hospitals in Florida, Georgia, and MissouriRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL - After a 24-day trial, a federal jury in the Middle District of Florida convicted two individuals for their roles in a conspiracy that fraudulently billed approximately $1.4 billion for laboratory testing services in a sophisticated pass-through billing scheme involving rural hospitals.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jorge Perez, 62, and Ricardo Perez, 59, both of Miami, Florida, conspired with each other and others to unlawfully bill for approximately $1.4 billion of laboratory testing services which were medically unnecessary, and that fraudulently used rural hospitals as billing shells to submit claims for services that mostly were performed at outside laboratories. Jorge Perez and Ricardo Perez also committed health care fraud on five specific occasions, and conspired to launder the proceeds of this fraudulent scheme.
“These defendants preyed on and exploited the vulnerable – vulnerable hospitals, vulnerable underserved communities, and vulnerable patients seeking treatment for addiction – to line their own pockets,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We will continue to work tirelessly to hold accountable those who exploit the integrity of the health care industry for profit.”
“The defendants in this case engaged in an elaborate scheme to prey upon distressed medical facilities across multiple states and defraud private insurers,” said U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Roger Handberg. “Today’s verdict clearly demonstrates our vigilance to prosecute those who violate our laws for profit.”
“The defendants in today’s case allegedly conspired to run an elaborate billing scheme which took advantage of vulnerable hospitals and the rural communities that relied on them,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to protecting the health care system and shutting down fraudulent billing shells.”
The evidence showed that the defendants targeted and obtained control of financially distressed rural hospitals through management agreements and purchases. The defendants sought to obtain control of these rural hospitals because of private insurance contracts that provided for higher reimbursement rates for laboratory testing — a common feature of rural hospital contracts designed to ensure that the hospitals can survive and provide rural communities with much needed care. The defendants promised to save these rural hospitals from closure by turning them into laboratory testing sites, but instead billed for fraudulent laboratory testing worth hundreds of millions of dollars in a sophisticated and years-long “pass-though” billing scheme. The scheme made it appear that the rural hospitals themselves did the laboratory testing when, in most cases, it was done by testing laboratories controlled by certain defendants.
The evidence further showed that much of the laboratory testing billed through these rural hospitals involved urine drug testing for vulnerable addiction treatment patients, often obtained through kickbacks paid to recruiters and providers, frequently at sober homes or substance abuse treatment facilities. The tests billed by the defendants were often not medically necessary. After private insurance companies began to question the defendants’ billings, they would move on to another rural hospital, leaving the rural hospitals they took over in the same or worse financial status as before. Three of the four rural hospitals closed shortly after the defendants moved on to a different rural hospital. The defendants also conspired to launder the proceeds of their scheme through a series of large financial transfers.
Jorge Perez and Ricardo Perez were convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, five counts of health care fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering of proceeds greater than $10,000. The defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years for each of the health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy counts, and 10 years for each substantive health care fraud count. A federal district court judge will determine the sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The rural hospitals involved in this case were: Campbellton-Graceville Hospital (CGH), a 25-bed rural hospital located in Graceville, Florida; Regional General Hospital of Williston, a 40-bed facility located in Williston, Florida; Chestatee Regional Hospital, a 49-bed rural hospital located in Dahlonega, Georgia; and Putnam County Memorial Hospital, a 25-bed rural hospital located in Unionville, Missouri.
The FBI’s Jacksonville Field Office; Office of Personnel Management, Office of Inspector General (OPM-OIG); Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG); and the Amtrak Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tysen Duva for the Middle District of Florida and Senior Litigation Counsel Jim Hayes and Trial Attorney Gary Winters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
Two Indiana Men Charged in Federal Court with Trafficking Guns from Indianapolis to ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Two Indiana men have been charged with federal firearm violations for allegedly trafficking ten guns, including four semiautomatic rifles and two “ghost guns,” from Indianapolis to Chicago last week.
DEVANTE T. BROWN, 27, and COREY SARTIN, 19, both of Indianapolis, Ind., are charged with conspiracy and willfully dealing firearms without a license. Brown is also charged with illegally possessing firearms as a previously convicted felon. Brown and Sartin were arrested Friday. They are scheduled to make initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Chicago today at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Young B. Kim.
The charges and arrests were 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 Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Dolton, Ill., Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jasmina Vajzovic and Paige Nutini.
According to a federal criminal complaint, Brown and Sartin on June 24, 2022, illegally sold ten firearms, including four semiautomatic handguns, four semiautomatic rifles, and two privately made “ghost guns.” A firearm is considered a “ghost gun” when it contains no identifiable serial number and was manufactured from parts collected from various sources. The transaction occurred in the Chicago suburb of Calumet City, Ill., the complaint states. Unbeknownst to Brown and Sartin, the individuals to whom they allegedly sold the firearms were undercover law enforcement officers. In a text message to one of the undercover officers prior to the deal, Brown allegedly stated, “Trust me we gone keep you with all the artillery. I come across guns all day long. We gone do good business together.”
In addition to the ten firearms allegedly trafficked from Indiana, the complaint also accuses Sartin and Brown of selling four other firearms to an undercover officer on May 31, 2022, in a retail store parking lot in the Pullman neighborhood of Chicago. Sartin also allegedly sold a firearm to an undercover officer on April 9, 2022, in the Chicago suburb of Lynwood, Ill., the charges allege.
Disrupting illegal firearms trafficking is a centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s cross-jurisdictional strike force aimed at reducing gun violence. As part of the Chicago firearms trafficking strike force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with ATF, CPD, and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Illinois and across the country to help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is also a focus 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.
The public is reminded that a complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The illegal possession charge is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison, while the unlawful dealing and conspiracy charges each carry a maximum sentence of five years. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Twelve Charged with Operating an Open Drug Market Inside A Bronx Apartment Building and Carrying FirearmsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) announced the unsealing of a Superseding Indictment charging ZUKEILA PLAZA, a/k/a “Keila,” MAURICE SINCLAIR, a/k/a “Skino,” a/k/a “Ski,” LAWRENCE GREEN, a/k/a “Lzz,” a/k/a “LJ,” LOUIS LAWRENCE, a/k/a “Adam,” a/k/a “Anthony,” a/k/a “A,” DEION JOHNSON, a/k/a “Billz,” a/k/a “Black,” NATHAN SMITH, a/k/a “Youngin,” a/k/a “600,” a/k/a “Six,” ESTIBEN OLIVA, a/k/a “Mula,” JOHN GRAVES, a/k/a “Nephew,” ALI DOBY, a/k/a “Lee Drilly,” a/k/a “Fifty,” GODDES EARL, a/k/a “Asia,” JAVON HOSKINS, a/k/a “Jason,” a/k/a “Twin,” and JOHN HENDRICKS, a/k/a “Tyson,” a/k/a “Fred,” in connection with their distributing narcotics from the lobby and apartments of a residential building in the Bronx. Certain of the defendants were also charged with carrying firearms in connection with the drug operation.
PLAZA, LAWRENCE, JOHNSON, and GRAVES were taken into custody on Friday, June 24, 2022 and were presented before United States Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang. EARL, HOSKINS, and SMITH were previously presented after being earlier taken into custody; GREEN and DOBY are in state correctional facilities and will be presented at a later date, and SINCLAIR, OLIVA, and HENDRICKS presently remain at large. The case is assigned to United States District Judge Vernon S. Broderick.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged these charges, for more than three years, the defendants in this case took over the lobby and multiple apartments of an apartment building in the Bronx, turning that building into an open market for drugs and denying its many residences, including families with children, safe access to their homes. To be clear: armed drug traffickers will face consequences for their actions, whether they are operating on the streets or inside the homes of this City.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III said: “These arrests have brought much needed relief to residents of an apartment building in the Fordham Manor neighborhood of the Bronx. As alleged, for years, this drug trafficking organization manufactured, sold, and packaged dangerous drugs putting neighboring families and residents in harm’s way. I applaud our law enforcement partners on their collaboration and resolve to make our city safer and healthier.”
NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “This investigation shows that the NYPD and its law enforcement partners are relentless in identifying, arresting, and prosecuting those who allegedly peddle drugs or carry and use illegal guns on the streets of New York City. We vow to keep fighting this criminality, to ensure safer communities for all the people we serve. I want to thank the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the New York Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and all of our investigators for their hard work in this important case.”
As alleged in the Superseding Indictment and based on statements made in Manhattan federal court[1]:
ZUKEILA PLAZA, a/k/a “Keila” (40), MAURICE SINCLAIR, a/k/a “Skino,” a/k/a “Ski” (26), LAWRENCE GREEN, a/k/a “Lzz,” a/k/a “LJ” (28), LOUIS LAWRENCE, a/k/a “Adam,” a/k/a “Anthony,” a/k/a “A” (32), DEION JOHNSON, a/k/a “Billz,” a/k/a “Black” (25), NATHAN SMITH, a/k/a “Youngin,” a/k/a “600,” a/k/a “Six” (24), ESTIBEN OLIVA, a/k/a “Mula” (28), JOHN GRAVES, a/k/a “Nephew” (35), ALI DOBY, a/k/a “Lee Drilly,” a/k/a “Fifty” (20), GODDES EARL, a/k/a “Asia” (49); JAVON HOSKINS, a/k/a “Jason,” a/k/a “Twin” (41), and JOHN HENDRICKS, a/k/a “Tyson,” a/k/a “Fred” (56), all of New York City, are charged with being members of a drug trafficking organization (the “DTO”) that distributed drugs, including crack cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin, in the Bronx, including from inside 2685 Valentine Avenue, from March 2019 through June 2022. PLAZA, SINCLAIR, GREEN, LAWRENCE, JOHNSON, SMITH, EARL, and HOSKINS are also charged with using and carrying firearms in connection with the charged drug trafficking conspiracy and aiding and abetting the same.
Manufacturing kilograms of crack cocaine on site inside 2685 Valentine Avenue and working in shifts during the day and the night on a day-to-day basis for over three years, the members of the DTO operated freely inside that building, creating an open market for drugs in the building, which they distributed to a large base of customers who bought drugs there. The drug market the defendants operated often prevented residents of the building, which included families with children, from safely entering the lobby of the apartment building in which they lived.
SMITH is also charged with illegally possessing a gun as a felon on February 17, 2022 in the Bronx.
* * *
A set of charts containing the names, charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants is set forth below. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA and NYPD and thanked the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance in this case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Peter J. Davis, Michael R. Herman, and Thomas John Wright are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Troy Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a Stolen Firearm and Fentanyl-Laced PillsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Alex R. Mahoney Wilks, age 22, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to illegally possessing a stolen pistol as a convicted felon, as well to possessing fentanyl-laced pills with the intent to distribute them.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his plea, Mahoney Wilks admitted that on February 4, 2022, as he attempted to leave a residence in Watervliet, New York, he knowingly possessed in his vehicle a stolen pistol and a quantity of fentanyl-laced pills that he intended to sell. Cash totaling $11,333 and two digital scales were also recovered from the vehicle. A prior felony burglary conviction prevented Mahoney Wilks from legally possessing the firearm in New York.
Mahoney Wilks faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years when he is sentenced on October 27, 2022, by United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes.
A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Watervliet Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Tompkins County Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Remanu Phillips, age 31, of Ithaca New York, pled guilty today before Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen.
Phillips, who remains detained pending his sentencing scheduled for November 9, 2022, faces at least 15 years and up to 60 years imprisonment on the charges, and a fine of up to $250,000. The Court must also impose a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life, and Phillips will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of this conviction. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
As part of his guilty plea, Phillips admitted that on two separate days in June of 2019 he produced sexually explicit videos of himself sexually abusing a child. Phillips further admitted that he later transferred the two videos from his cellular telephone to a desktop computer, where they were later recovered by law enforcement.
Phillips’ case was investigated by the FBI Syracuse Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), with assistance from the Tompkins County Sheriff’s office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney's’ offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal 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.
Three Men Convicted of St. Petersburg Double Murder on Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance DayRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Kermon Williams, a/k/a “The General” (42, St. Petersburg), James Higgs, Jr., a/k/a “Hammer” (40, St. Petersburg), and Jhaphre Higgs, a/k/a “Pre” (35, St. Petersburg) guilty of the murders of Roger Lee Ford, Jr. and Tywan Jeremiah Armstrong, which occurred in St. Petersburg on January 21, 2019, on Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance Day. Each faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 20 years, and up to life, in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for September 27, 2022, before the Honorable Charlene E. Honeywell.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Williams asked Jhaphre and James Higgs, Jr. to kill Armstrong, who Williams saw as a threat to his drug business. Williams paid Jhaphre and James Higgs, Jr. with cash and drugs and gave them an AR-15 rifle to murder Armstrong. Shortly after they were asked to murder the victim, Jhaphre and James Higgs, Jr. shot and attempted to kill Armstrong with an AR-15 on September 22, 2018, on a street in St. Petersburg, but Armstrong survived. Testimony established that after this shooting, Williams told people that Armstrong would have died if the gun hadn’t jammed. Williams then directed Jhaphre and James Higgs, Jr. to make the murder as public as possible to send a message on the street.
On January 21, 2019, on Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance Day, Jhaphre and James Higgs, Jr. shot and killed Tywan Armstrong in his car, also killing passenger Roger Ford, and injuring a third passenger victim with an AR-15 rifle and a .40 caliber pistol. As directed by Williams, the shooting took place in front of a large crowd of people gathered at a St. Petersburg gas station. Testimony from the medical examiner at trial established that Armstrong was shot 28 times and Ford was shot 11 times. Despite heroic efforts on the part of officers from the St. Petersburg Police Department and members of St. Petersburg Fire Rescue, both victims died from their injuries. Forensic specialists from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office processed the crime scene and recovered multiple shell casings used in the murders.
The jury also convicted Williams, Jhaphre Higgs, and James Higgs, Jr. of conspiracy to commit murder for hire, drug conspiracy, and using a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime causing the death of Roger Ford and Tywan Armstrong. Jhaphre and James Higgs, Jr. were also convicted of being felons in possession of ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department and was investigated and prosecuted by former Assistant United States Attorney Natalie Hirt Adams. The trial was conducted by Assistant United States Attorneys Craig R. Gestring and Charlie D. Connally.
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.
Statement from United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins on the Motion to Dismiss in United States v. BaptisteRead the Press Release
“Today’s dismissal of the criminal charges against Joseph Baptiste and Roger Boncy is the result of recently discovered contemporaneous communications about calls recorded on December 19, 2015 between defendant Boncy and an undercover FBI agent. These communications were never disclosed to the prosecutors on the case prior to the evening of June 23, 2022. Moreover, the FBI does not have the original recordings it made of the December 19, 2015 calls.
These defendants were first tried and convicted in 2019. The trial judge vacated their convictions pursuant to Rule 33 for ineffective assistance of counsel. The First Circuit affirmed the granting of a new trial. In preparation for that retrial, and in response to requests from defense counsel, the FBI gave the recently discovered materials to the prosecutors late last week and we promptly produced them to defense counsel the next day.
As the government, our charging decisions deeply impact people’s lives. We have an obligation to provide all discoverable evidence in our possession to the defense. That is a core principle of the criminal legal system. After a careful review of this entire matter, we dismiss these charges in the interest of justice.”
South Florida Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A federal district judge sitting in Ft. Pierce, Florida sentenced Zachary S. Spiegel, 38, of Jensen Beach, to 120 months in prison after a jury found Spiegel guilty of attempted on-line enticement of a minor.
For several weeks in January of this year, Spiegel communicated online and by text message with someone whom he believed was a 14-year-old girl named Shayla. In reality, “Shayla” was a fictional persona created by a 16-year-old boy who was trying to identify child predators in the area. On January 9, Spiegel attempted to persuade Shayla to meet him in the parking lot of a Fort Pierce shopping plaza for sex in his car. Spiegel sent Shayla graphic descriptions of the sex acts he would perform on her, as well as photos of his erect penis. They agreed on a time and place to meet, but Spiegel did not make it. Spiegel later explained to Shayla that while on his way to their rendezvous, law enforcement officers pulled him over for speeding and he decided to return home. After this incident, the 16-year-old boy contacted law enforcement.
Spiegel kept communicating with a person he believed was the 14-year-old Shayla. As he had done before, Spiegel made sexually explicit comments, sent several more photos of his face and penis, and talked about meeting Shayla in person.
A law enforcement investigation led officers to Spiegel. They executed a search warrant at his Jensen Beach home on January 20, where they found him in possession of the cellular phone he had used to communicate with “Shayla.”
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Anthony Salisbury, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, announced the sentence that U.S. District Court Judge Paul C. Huck handed down on June 22.
HSI Miami, HSI Fort Pierce, and the Fort Pierce Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey Bergstrom and Justin Hoover are prosecuting it.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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-14017.
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South Carolina man sentenced to 30 years in prison for sex trafficking and drug crimes in MontanaRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Charleston, South Carolina, man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for his conviction in a large sex trafficking and drug investigation that involved more than a dozen women and girls who were forced by threats and violence into prostitution in Montana and taken to other states, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Louis Gregory Venning, also known as “December,” 42, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, sex trafficking of a minor, transportation of a person with intent to engage in prostitution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. Restitution, which is mandatory, will be determined at a later hearing.
“Venning targeted young women and girls, including a minor, to force them into his interstate prostitution network,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. “He gave those victims drugs and some income, while at the same time he coerced, cajoled and forced them into a life of commercial sex, traveling from town to town and state to state to set up the business for a few days at a time, all to enrich himself. Those victims were emotionally and physically abused, not only by Venning, but also by his customers. Today’s sentence is an example of the hard work my office is doing to address this problem in Montana and to protect and seek justice for these victims."
“Venning preyed on vulnerable women and girls, taking away their voice and their dignity through manipulation and violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennis Rice, of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI shares in an unwavering commitment to aggressively investigate and help eliminate this form of modern-day slavery and seek assistance and justice for victims.”
In courts documents and in statements in court, the government alleged that from 2012 to 2020, Venning sex trafficked women and girls, identified as Jane Does, and distributed cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine. Venning coerced, threatened and controlled more than a dozen victims to engage in commercial sex for his profit. Venning used the internet and social media to meet and recruit victims, some of whom were homeless and using drugs, into working for him. He further controlled his victims by providing them drugs and by threatening and physically abusing them. Venning forced the victims to engage in commercial sex for him in Billings and other Montana communities. Venning also took some of victims from Montana to work in other states, including Wyoming, Missouri and Georgia.
The government further alleged that in 2019, Venning met Jane Doe 9 in a Missoula motel after responding to one of Jane Doe 9’s own ads for commercial sex. Venning discussed how she would work for him and ultimately she did. Venning became abusive toward Jane Doe 9, including physically assaulting her. In August 2018 in Billings, Venning coerced a minor girl, identified as Jane Doe 8, who was under the age of 18, to engage in commercial sex. In 2012, Venning transported another victim, identified as Jane Doe 5, from Montana to Georgia and Missouri to engage in prostitution.
In addition, Jane Does 3 and 4 told law enforcement that while working for Venning in commercial sex, he gave them cocaine. Social media posts collected during the investigation show Venning bragging about and sending pictures of cocaine to various individuals.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno B. Baucus and Bryan T. Dake prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Billings Police Department.
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Smuggling narcotics to three cities lands traffickers in prisonRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 47-year-old Cuban national has been sent to federal prison following his conviction of conspiring to distribute large quantities of marijuana and cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Juan Suarez-Pupo pleaded guilty March 29.
Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo ordered Suarez-Pupo to serve 144 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described Suarez-Pupo as a leader within the drug trafficking organization and that he oversaw smuggling operations in both Texas and Florida. He also had connections to sources of supply in Mexico and the Dominican Republic. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Suarez-Pupo’s extensive involvement in drug trafficking and his previous conviction for alien smuggling for which he had served 37 months in prison. Judge Marmolejo stated that Suarez-Pupo had placed himself in this situation by his own choices.
In April 2019, authorities initiated an investigation on a drug trafficking organization operating in Laredo. They seized 615 kilograms of marijuana and approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine. They also seized $26,000 in drug proceeds.
The marijuana had an estimated street value of approximately $400,000, while the cocaine is valued at $250,000.
Co-defendant and Laredo resident Charlie Gonzalez, 36, was previously sentenced to 135 months for his role in the conspiracy to smuggle narcotics to Houston, Dallas and Louisville, Kentucky. Judge Garcia Marmolejo found that, like Suarez-Pupo, Gonzalez was a leader within the drug trafficking organization and that he had significant involvement. The court also considered Gonzalez’s 27 prior arrests, which included 11 assaults, six gun charges, two money laundering offenses and a murder. Judge Marmolejo additionally imposed a sentencing enhancement against Gonzalez for threatening the life of the federal agent who arrested him.
Additional co-conspirators Ildefonso Martinez Jr., 40, Laredo, and Jesus Antonio Trevino-Cabrera, 43, Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, were also previously sentenced for their involvement. They received prison terms of 36 and 26 months, respectively.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation dubbed Operation The World is Yours.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the OCDETF operation with the assistance of Border Patrol and Laredo Police Department. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day prosecuted the case.
Sioux City Man to Federal Prison for Distributing MethRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced to over 10 years in federal prison on June 24, 2022, in federal court in Sioux City.
William Thompson, 62, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on February 8, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Thompson was previously convicted of possession of methamphetamine and unlawful user/felon in possession of a firearm in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, in 2000. Thompson was also convicted of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance as a habitual offender in the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County in 2011.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that between 2019 and June 8, 2021, Thompson and others who worked at the Madonna Rose Café participated in the distribution of approximately 10 pounds methamphetamine. On four separate occasions between April and May 2021, Thompson distributed methamphetamine out of the Café to individuals cooperating with law enforcement. In June 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the Café building and seized approximately one pound methamphetamine from Thompson. Thompson agreed to plead guilty to his conspiracy, but arrived for his first scheduled change of plea hearing under the influence of methamphetamine.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Thompson was sentenced to 126 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of five years of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Thompson remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-4066.
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Schenectady County Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Keith Mussenden, age 38, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to the sexual exploitation of a minor. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his guilty plea, Mussenden admitted that between June 2019 and February 2020, he exchanged messages through multiple social media applications with the victim, a then-14-year-old girl who resided outside the State of New York. Through these messages, Mussenden persuaded, induced, and enticed the victim to take sexually explicit images of herself and send them to him over the Internet. Within the same timeframe, Mussenden also sent the victim pictures of his penis in the hopes of obtaining sexually explicit images of the victim in return. Mussenden further engaged in livestreamed video chats with the victim during which he requested that the victim perform sexual acts while he also engaged in sexual acts.
Mussenden, who remains detained pending his sentencing scheduled for October 26, 2022, faces at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. The Court will also impose a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life, and Mussenden will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of this conviction. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the Rotterdam Police Department and the New York State Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel L. Williams and Dustin C. Segovia 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.
Salisbury Woman Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting an Infant in Her CareRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salisbury woman pleaded guilty on June 24, 2022 in federal court in Boston to the sexual exploitation of an infant.
Desiree Daigle, 26, pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting a child before U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV who scheduled sentencing for Oct. 24, 2022. Daigle was arrested and charged in November 2018.
“Ms. Daigle grossly exploited and sexually victimized an infant, took a video of her abuse which she shared with others. Her conduct tears at the hearts of all parents. This kind of case drives my office’s mission to do all that it can to prosecute individuals like Ms. Daigle, who prey on innocent and defenseless children,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to use every tool in our arsenal to investigate and prosecute those who exploit our most vulnerable and bring justice to victims.”
“What Desiree Daigle has admitted to today is enough to make anyone’s stomach turn. There are few situations more urgent than when a child is physically at risk. People like her, who sexually exploit children, do serious lasting harm, and to engage in the manufacturing and trading of child sexual abuse material only perpetuates the abuse,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI is committed to finding such predators, locking them up, and ensuring the children they have victimized are safe.”
In November 2018, Daigle was identified in online chats exchanging various child pornography files with another individual. Some of the images depicted an infant in Daigle’s care, apparently taken in Daigle’s home. During the chats, Daigle discussed plans for the other individual to meet the child in person so that they could sexually abuse the child together.
The charge of sexual exploitation of children provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Rollins and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Amesbury, North Andover, Salisbury, Arlington, Billerica, Methuen, and Haverhill Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Chief of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Real Estate Developer Found Guilty of Fraud, Bribery and Obstruction Charges for Paying $500,000 in Cash to City OfficialsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A real estate developer and one of his companies were found guilty by a jury today of federal criminal charges for providing $500,000 in cash to then-Los Angeles City Councilman José Huizar and his special assistant in exchange for their help in resolving a labor organization’s appeal of their downtown Los Angeles development project.
Dae Yong Lee, a.k.a. “David Lee,” 57, of Bel Air, and 940 Hill LLC, a Lee-controlled company, each were found guilty of three felonies: one count of honest services wire fraud, one count of bribery, and one count of falsification of records in federal investigations.
According to evidence presented at his nine-day trial, Lee, a commercial real estate developer, was the majority owner of 940 Hill LLC and was planning on building a mixed-use development located at 940 South Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles. The development was to include 14,000 square feet of commercial space and more than 200 residential units.
In August 2016, after a labor organization filed an appeal that prevented the 940 Hill project from progressing through the city’s approval process, Lee called Justin Jangwoo Kim, a Huizar fundraiser, to request Huizar’s help in dealing with the appeal. At the time, Huizar was the chairman of the city’s Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee, a body that oversaw many of the city’s most significant commercial and residential projects.
In September 2016, George Esparza, then Huizar’s special assistant, informed Kim that Huizar would not help the 940 Hill project for free and would require a financial benefit. In 2017, after several months of bribe negotiations, Lee provided cash totaling $500,000 to Kim to deliver to Huizar and Esparza, including in a liquor box.
Two years after paying the bribe, Lee and 940 Hill LLC impeded a federal criminal investigation by altering accounting and tax records to falsely categorize the $500,000 bribe as a legitimate business expenditure for resolving the labor organization appeal.
United States District Judge John F. Walter scheduled a September 19 sentencing hearing, at which time Lee will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the honest services wire fraud count, 20 years for the obstruction count, and 10 years for the bribery count. Defendant 940 Hill LLC will face a statutory maximum fine of $1.5 million or twice the gross gain or gross loss from the offense.
Kim pleaded guilty in June 2020 to a federal bribery offense. Esparza pleaded guilty in July 2020 to one count of racketeering conspiracy. Both men are cooperating with the investigation and are scheduled to be sentenced in September.
The next scheduled trial in this case is against Shen Zhen New World I LLC, an entity owned by real estate developer Wei Huang – another defendant in the case. Both defendants are charged with bribing Huizar related to another downtown Los Angeles development project and are scheduled to go to trial on October 18. Huang remains a fugitive.
Huizar and former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan are scheduled to go to trial February 21, 2023, on federal charges alleging they conspired to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Huizar allegedly agreed to accept at least $1.5 million in illicit financial benefits and faces dozens of additional federal criminal charges.
Assistant United States Attorney Mack E. Jenkins, Chief of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, and Assistant United States Attorneys Veronica Dragalin and Cassie Palmer, also of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, are prosecuting this case.
Any member of the public who has information related to this or any other public corruption matter in the City of Los Angeles is encouraged to send information to the FBI’s tip line at tips.fbi.gov or to contact the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565.
Raleigh Bank Robber Sentenced to 92 Months’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. –Kijuan Haassan Sharp was sentenced today in federal court to 92 months’ imprisonment for his conviction for bank robbery. Additionally, he was ordered to pay $160,600.00 in restitution.
Sharp pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery on January 14, 2022.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on August 5, 2019, Kijuan Sharp entered a SunTrust Bank in Raleigh. Sharp told an employee he was there to open a bank account. Sharp, who was carrying a plastic grocery bag, was escorted to the employee’s office, where Sharp placed the bag on her desk. The employee observed what she thought was a bomb inside the bag. Sharp then gave the employee a handwritten note stating that “there is a bomb in the bag, I have a surveillance van and if police are alerted the bomb will go off, place as much money as you can in the bag.” The employee went to the bank vault and gave $160,000 to Sharp. Sharp fled the bank and got away. It was later determined that the bomb was a hoax. The FBI and Raleigh Police Dept. received a tip that Sharp was the bank robber. Sharp also began posting himself holding stacks of money and wearing similar clothes as the bank robber on social media. Several days after the robbery, Sharp purchased a new car. Agents obtained a search warrant for Sharp’s residence and found receipts for $50,000 in recently purchased jewelry, men’s designer clothes with price tags still on them, and the components that Sharp used to make the hoax explosive device.
Daniel P. Bubar, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Raleigh Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane J. Jackson prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-cr-00384-FL-1.
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Providence Man Sentenced in Fraudulent Checks, Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Providence man who led a counterfeit check scheme that defrauded banks of tens of thousands of dollars has been sentenced to five years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Terrance Richardson, 30, pleaded guilty on March 24, 2022, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and twelve counts of bank fraud.
At the time of his guilty plea, Richardson admitted that beginning in as early as April 2020, he conspired with others to create and deposit counterfeit checks drawn on the accounts of actual businesses. The counterfeit checks were typically deposited into the accounts of individuals who agreed to participate in the conspiracy in exchange for a cash payment. Many of those individuals were solicited through Facebook.
In many instances, soon after the counterfeit checks were deposited, the proceeds were quicky withdrawn from ATMs before banks could determine that the checks were fraudulent. Banks deemed some of the checks to be fraudulent prior to any money being withdrawn.
At sentencing on Friday, U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., sentenced Richardson to sixty months in federal prison to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. Ricardson was ordered to pay restitution to banks totaling $83,296.51, representing the actual loss to banks as a result of his criminal conduct.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ly T. Chin.
The matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, with the assistance of the FBI, United States Secret Service, Rhode Island State Police, and the Providence and Bethel CT, Police Departments.
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Prison guard charged with accepting bribes to allow inmate to receive smuggled itemsRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: A federal prison guard faces the possibility of substantial time as an inmate after being charged with multiple counts of accepting bribes to allow smuggled material into a prison.
Tiffany Fletcher, 35, of McRae, Ga., a corrections officer and counselor at the privately operated McRae Correctional Facility, is charged with five counts of bribery, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charge carries a statutory penalty of up to 15 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and up to three years of supervised release after completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The safety and integrity of federal corrections facilities demands that the staff of these facilities maintain the highest ethical and legal standards,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “We continue to partner with investigative agencies to combat the flow of contraband material into these facilities.”
McRae Correctional Facility, in Telfair County, is operated by the private corrections company CoreCivic and houses male inmates under contract with the federal Bureau of Prisons. As described in the indictment, Fletcher is accused of accepting five cash bribes totaling $4,390 from June to December 2019, and in return acted “in violation of her official duties as a correctional officer” by failing to “report or investigate prohibited objects being brought into McCrae Correctional Facility.”
“Fletcher is accused of accepting bribes in exchange for turning a blind eye to contraband being brought into the prison,” said James F. Boyersmith, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Miami Field Office. “Correctional Officers who engage in bribery undermine the safety and integrity of federal prisons.”
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless
The case is being investigated by the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcela C. Mateo.
Preston County man sentenced for role in drug distribution operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – David Gamble, of Masontown, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 70 months of incarceration for his role in methamphetamine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin drug distribution operation, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Gamble, age 58, pleaded guilty in February 2022 to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Gamble admitted to working with another to distribute methamphetamine in April 2020 in Monongalia County.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zelda E. Wesley and Sarah E. Wagner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The FBI's Northern West Virginia Drug Task Force in partnership with the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The Task Forces have members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; Monongalia County Sheriff's Office; the Preston County Sheriff’s Office; Mineral County Sheriff’s Office; and the Morgantown, WVU, Granville and Star City Police Departments. The investigation was also assisted by the following law enforcement partners: the Monongalia County Prosecutor’s Office, the FBI in Houston, Texas; the Houston Police Department's Multi Agency Gang Initiative; the United States Postal Inspection Service in Houston; and, the FBI and DEA in Los Angeles, California.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Related case here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/25-people-indicted-drug-trafficking-operation-spanned-several-states
Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to 31 Years for Violating Federal Drug and Gun LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 31 years and eight months in prison on his conviction for federal drug and firearms laws, specifically conspiracy to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on James Perrin, age 44.
According to information presented during the jury trial of Perrin and co-defendant Price Montgomery in 2018, Perrin and Montgomery operated a heroin distribution network out of Montgomery’s residence in the Mt. Washington section of Pittsburgh during 2013 and 2014. In June of 2014, investigators seized approximately three kilos of heroin and 16 firearms from Perrin and Montgomery during searches of a vehicle occupied by Perrin and Montgomery and Montgomery’s residence.
Assistant United States Attorneys Heidi M. Grogan and Shaun E. Sweeney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Western Pennsylvania Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the IRS - Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Perrin.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced the Dustin M. Frank, 40, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for possession of child pornography. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Frank to 36 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Frank will being a five-year term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender. Chief Judge Rossiter also ordered Frank to pay $6,000 in restitution.
In August of 2019, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force received information from a third party that child pornography was found on a computer the third party had previously loaned to Frank. On November 22, 2019, the FBI executed a federal search warrant of Frank’s Omaha residence and seized numerous digital devices. A search of those digital devices located 128 unique images of minors under the age of 12 years old engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Some of the images showed toddlers and infants being sexually abused.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 414 Months for Kidnapping, Sexual Assault, and Possession of ContrabandRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky.— A Portsmouth, Ohio man, Charles Glorioso, 53, was sentenced to a total of 414 months on Monday, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning for kidnapping, sexual assault, and possession of contraband.
According to the testimony at his trial, on July 10, 2020, and the early hours of July 11, 2020, Glorioso and Nathan Welch kidnapped a woman at knifepoint. The victim was driving the two in her vehicle, from Portsmouth, into Greenup County, Kentucky. There, the victim testified, both men physically and sexually assaulted her, until she was allowed to leave, when she traveled back across the river on foot. The incident was reported to police and she was transported to the hospital, for treatment of multiple injuries sustained during the assault. Later, where the assault took place in Greenup County, officers located the victim’s abandoned vehicle, her belt, shoe, as well as the knife used during the kidnapping and assault, all in or near her vehicle.
In addition to that conviction, Glorioso had pleaded guilty previously to two counts of possession of contraband while incarcerated.
Glorioso was convicted in March 2022. Welch was convicted for his role in December 2021. Welch was sentenced in March 2022, to 384 months and three years of supervised release.
Under federal law, Glorioso must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Office; Col. Phillip Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Chief Debby Brewer, Portsmouth Police Department, jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by FBI, KSP, the Portsmouth Police Department, and the Ohio Bureau of Investigation. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco Villalobos and Zachary Dembo.
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Norwich Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMES BAKER, 36, of Norwich, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 3, 2021, Norwich Police stopped Baker for a motor vehicle violation and subsequently found a loaded, .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol under the driver’s seat of the vehicle, and more than 600 bags of fentanyl on his person.
Baker’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for assault, burglary, weapon and drug offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for September 27, at which time Baker faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
Baker has been detained since February 3, 2021.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Norwich Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program.
PSN, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts, 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.
Northern Nevada Man Sentenced for Assaulting A Passenger and Interfering with Flight Crew Onboard an Aircraft En Route to Las VegasRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A Gardnerville, Nev., resident was sentenced Friday by Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du to five years of probation, six months of home confinement, and restitution in the amount of $49,079, for assault and interference with crew members during a flight from Seattle to Las Vegas.
Daniel A. Parkhurst (41) pleaded guilty on February 22, 2022 to one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants, and one count of simple assault in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States.
According to court documents, on October 31, 2019, Parkhurst touched a female passenger’s inner thigh without consent. Parkhurst started to punch the female passenger multiple times after she smacked his hand away. Flight attendants and other passengers intervened to stop Parkhurst from punching the female passenger. As a result of Parkhurst’s behavior, the flight was forced to land in Reno where Parkhurst was removed from the plane and arrested.
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Reno-Tahoe International Airport Police Department, and the Office of the Nevada Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randolph J. St. Clair and Penelope Brady prosecuted the case.
If you think you are a victim of sexual assault aboard an aircraft, report the incident to your flight crew and to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or contact your local FBI office.
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Normandy, Franklin, and Loudon “Nfl” Gang Member Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Participate in a Racketeering EnterpriseRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Juawan Davis, age 25, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise. Following his guilty plea, U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Davis to 13 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Secretary Robert Green of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, from 2017 to April 2019, Davis participated in the Normandy, Franklin, and Loudon “NFL” drug trafficking enterprise (DTO) and self-identified as an NFL member. The term “NFL” stands for Normandy, Franklin, and Loudon, which are three adjacent streets that run through the Edmondson Village in Baltimore. Members of NFL have social and familial ties to the Edmondson Village neighborhood in southwest Baltimore. Members of the NFL distributed large quantities of heroin, cocaine base, and fentanyl to drug users and drug redistributors from Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. In furtherance of the enterprise, NFL members shared narcotics supplies and distributed narcotics on a daily basis, including heroin mixed with fentanyl. Drug customers believed they were purchasing heroin, but in reality, the NFL DTO often altered the heroin with fentanyl or sold fentanyl to customers without any heroin.
As detailed in his plea agreement, law enforcement intercepted communications identified Davis as a participant in the NFL’s drug trafficking activities. Specifically, Davis obtained heroin and fentanyl in distribution quantities from other NFL members, which he then sold to customers on a regular basis. Davis agrees that it was reasonably foreseeable to him that he and other NFL members distributed over one kilogram of heroin during his participation in the DTO.
Additionally, Davis intimidated, threatened, and publicly shamed individuals who the enterprise thought to be cooperating with law enforcement. For example, on January 11, 2018, Davis posted a photo of a former NFL drug distributor on social media, in which Davis identified the former distributor as a “rat” or a person who cooperated with law enforcement. Similarly, on January 31, 2018, Davis posted discovery information from a state prosecution which identified a witness in the case. Davis made this post to assist an NFL member who was pending trial in that case. The witness later refused to testify in state court and the case was dismissed against the NFL member.
Further, on December 20, 2018, agreed to provide an associate with one of his handguns after the associate requested the firearm. In the process of retrieving the firearm, Davis traveled to his Baltimore home and shared a live stream video of himself brandishing a pistol. Shortly after retrieving the pistol from his home, the law enforcement stopped Davis at a nearby gas station where agents searched his car and recovered 40 grams of a heroin fentanyl mix and a pistol loaded with ammunition.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, DEA, ATF, DPSCS, the Montgomery Police Department, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter J. Martinez, John W. Sippel, and James Wallner, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile.
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New York City Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Shakespeare Cruz, age 48, of New York City, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine in the Northern District of New York, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, and New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen.
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Cruz admitted that he distributed multiple kilograms of heroin and cocaine from 2014 through January 2019. Cruz further admitted that he and his co-conspirators arranged for the drugs to be transported from New York City to Lewis County, New York, where the drugs were then re-distributed to others.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also sentenced Cruz to a 5-year term of supervised release to begin after Cruz serves his term of imprisonment and ordered Cruz to pay a forfeiture judgment in the amount of $200,000, representing the proceeds of his drug trafficking offense.
This case was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), the New York State Police, the United States Marshals Service, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and the Lewis County District Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicolas Commandeur, Adrian LaRochelle, and Andrew Beaty.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms and Drug Distribution ConvictionsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on June 23, 2022, QUENTRELL BERTHOLOTTE, age 29 of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced by the Honorable District Court Judge Barry W. Ashe. BERTHOLOTTE previously pleaded guilty as charged to a four-count indictment. He was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2) in Counts 1 and 2; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B) in Count 3; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i) in Count 4.
BERTHOLOTTE was sentenced to a total of ten (10) years imprisonment and four (4) years of supervised release. He was sentenced to 46 months for Counts 1 and 2, and 60 months for Count 3, all to run concurrently. As to Count 4, he was sentenced to 60 months to run consecutive to all other sentences. He is also required to pay a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee for each count.
According to court documents, BERTHOLOTTE came under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) in December of 2020. On January 14, 2020, he was seen on video surveillance wielding a 5.56 caliber “ghost gun,” which does not have a serial number. During a search of his girlfriend’s apartment on April 22, 2021, investigators found over forty (40) grams of fentanyl, the “ghost gun,” a Glock 27 semi-automatic handgun, and over $30,000.00 in U.S. currency. BERTHOLOTTE was previously convicted of a drug trafficking offense in Orleans Parish.
This case is being 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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles D. Strauss.
New Mexico Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristopher N. Houghton receives 2021 DOJ Criminal Division Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished ServiceRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On June 22, Assistant United States Attorney Kristopher N. Houghton was selected as a recipient of a 2021 Criminal Division Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service. Houghton was selected for this award to recognize his superior performance through exceptional leadership over the Department of Justice’s extraditions and operations program in Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since February of 2020, Houghton has been on special detail as Deputy Judicial Attaché and now Judicial Attaché for the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section of the Department of Justice.
In 2021, Houghton and Deputy Judicial Attaché Jamie Mickelson hired, trained and led a team of local staff in Bogotá, Colombia, and worked closely with the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs jointly completing 190 extraditions and submitting over 200 provisional arrest requests to the Government of Colombia. Houghton’s work resulted in the arrest and extradition of Dairo Úsuga David (alias “Otoniel”), whom Colombia’s President likened to Pablo Escobar, as well as the extradition of four individuals identified by the Attorney General as Consolidated Priority Organization Targets, the development of countless narco-terrorism cases and bilateral public corruption cases, and the arrest for extradition of a group responsible for drugging, kidnapping and robbing U.S. special forces soldiers. Additionally, Mr. Houghton served as principal counsel to the U.S. Ambassador on all bilateral law enforcement matters, including during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am proud of Mr. Houghton’s work towards maintaining the Department’s most effective bilateral criminal justice relationship in the Western Hemisphere,” said United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. “It is an honor to lead this talented team of attorneys, and Mr. Houghton’s exemplary service represents the standard of excellence our dedicated staff works every day to achieve. Mr. Houghton’s contributions have ensured that justice is never beyond our reach.”
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New Britain Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ARMANDO GONZALEZ, 40, of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in July 2019, the DEA’s Hartford Task Force began investigating a Mexican-based drug trafficking organization that was distributing fentanyl and heroin in Connecticut. The investigation revealed that Gonzalez and other members of the organization received kilogram-quantities of narcotics, primarily fentanyl, from a source in Mexico, and then distributed the drug to street-level distributors. Members of the organization delivered cash generated from the sale of narcotics to a money broker in Brooklyn, New York, who assisted in laundering the narcotics proceeds before they were transferred to leaders of the drug trafficking organization. Between August and October 2019, investigators seized more than $200,000 in cash from members of the drug trafficking organization.
Gonzalez and his associate, David Cintron, used several locations to store, process and package fentanyl for street stale, including office space on Pratt Street in Hartford, an apartment in the Asylum Hill neighborhood in Hartford, and an apartment in New Britain. On December 18, 2019, Cintron was arrested on state charges shortly after he drove from the Pratt Street location and was found in possession of approximately 4,860 wax paper sleeves of fentanyl, 90 grams of unpackaged fentanyl, and other items used to process and package narcotics.
Gonzalez, Cintron and three associates were arrested on federal charges on April 28, 2020. On that date, investigators searched the New Britain apartment and seized numerous bags of suspected fentanyl, items used to process and package narcotics, a 9mm firearm, 9mm ammunition, and cash. Cintron was located in the bathroom of his Manchester residence, flushing suspected fentanyl in the toilet.
On June 3, 2020, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Gonzalez, Cintron and eight others with narcotics distribution and money laundering offenses. On March 28, 2022, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Gonzalez has been detained since his arrest.
Gonzales’s criminal history includes a state assault conviction, stemming from an incident where he stabbed a two victims at a nightclub, and federal conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Cintron pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. Agencies assisting the investigation include the DEA New York Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Strike Force and the New York Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.