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23 May 2022
Perryopolis Man Indicted on Charges Involving the Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Perryopolis, PA, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges involving the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The two-count Indictment, returned on May 18, 2022, and unsealed today, named Sean Ryan McKenzie, 37, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, on June 8, 2021, McKenzie attempted to and did use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct. Further, the Indictment alleges that on March 1, 2022, McKenzie knowingly possessed visual depictions, namely, videos and images in computer graphic and digital files, the production of which involved the use of minors, including prepubescent minors who have not attained 12 years of age, engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
For the charge of production of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, the law provides for a sentence of not less than 15 years and up to life imprisonment, a fine of $250,000.00, or both. For the charge of possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, the maximum penalty is a term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations—Pittsburgh and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Owasso Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Applying for Paycheck Protection Program Loans under False PretensesRead the Press Release
An Owasso man who fraudulently applied for Paycheck Protection Program loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was sentenced Monday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Olusola Ojo, 43, to 48 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Eagan also ordered Ojo to pay $150,000 in restitution to Stride Bank.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to pursue justice in cases where fraudsters bilk American taxpayers of funds meant to support vulnerable small business owners and their employees,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Olusola Ojo’s four-year prison sentence should send a message that white collar criminals will be held accountable for their illicit behavior.”
On Nov. 18, 2021, a federal jury found Olusola Ojo, also known as Sam Ojo, 42, guilty of bank fraud conspiracy, two counts of bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
Ojo, along with two coconspirators, created 12 fictitious business entities that would fraudulently apply for Paycheck Protection Program loans under false pretenses such as the number of employees, payroll expenditures, taxes paid during previous months, details of business ownership, and a false representation of their relationship with one another. During this time, Ibanga Etuk, Teosha Etuk, and Ojo submitted multiple applications for the same businesses to more than ten different banks, without disclosing to those banks that they were submitting duplicative applications. They conspired to obtain loans in the total approximate amount of $5,430,585 and actually obtained funding from banks in the total approximate amount of $995,385.
As part of the conspiracy, Ojo knowingly applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan from Frontier State Bank under false pretenses from April 20, 2020, to April 29, 2020,. The defendant lied about the number of people employed during the previous months of purported operations, the payroll expenditures during the previous months, taxes paid during previous months of operation, ownership of the business, and relationships between the parties in a $300,000 loan application submitted for Quicksold Market, Inc.
From May 8, 2020, to May, 11, 2020, Ojo also applied for a $150,000 Paycheck Protection Program loan from Stride Bank submitted under false pretenses for the Inspired Group LLC.
As part of his crimes, Ojo used another individual’s identity on payroll records summitted to the banks when applying for the loans.
Ojo’s two codefendants previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced.
Ibanga Etuk, 42, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a total of four years in federal prison— two years for bank fraud and two years for aggravated identity theft. He was also ordered to pay $168,000 in restitution to Chickasaw Community Bank.
Teosha Etuk, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to one year and a day in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. She was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $150,000 to First Liberty Bank.
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Office of Inspector General; Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General; and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin Harrington, Victor A.S. Régal, and David D. Whipple prosecuted the case.
To learn more about the Justice Department’s COVID response, visit: https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. For further information on the Criminal Division’s enforcement efforts on PPP fraud, including court documents from significant cases, visit the following website: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.
To report a COVID-19-related fraud scheme or suspicious activity, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) by calling the NCDF Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-for
Oregon Marijuana Exporter Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—On May 23, 2022, a former resident of Milwaukie, Oregon was sentenced to federal prison for illegally exporting marijuana grown in Oregon to Georgia for resale and laundering the proceeds.
Dante Baldocchi, 30, currently a resident of Altadena, California, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, between January 2017 and June 2020, Baldocchi purchased marijuana in Oregon and arranged to have it shipped via freight to Georgia where he and others sold it to distributors in the Atlanta area and in North Carolina. Baldocchi and his associates shipped portions of the proceeds from Georgia back to Oregon in vacuum-sealed bags and other portions concealed in buckets of drywall spackle.
On June 9, 2020, a federal search warrant was executed on Baldocchi’s then-residence in Milwaukie. Investigators located more than 330 pounds of marijuana grown in Oregon.
On August 19, 2021, Baldocchi and an associate—Hunter Lacaden, 27, of Portland—were charged by criminal information with conspiring to distribute marijuana and commit money laundering. On October 13, 2021, Baldocchi pleaded guilty to both charges.
On September 21, 2021, Lacaden pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute marijuana. On March 28, 2022, he was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and IRS-Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and Portland Police Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Jarrett prosecuted the case.
Operators of Monroe County Veterinary Clinic Sentenced to Prison for Failure to Remit Payroll TaxesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dr. Karin Breitlauch, age 58, of Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, and Linda Breitlauch, age 64, of Stroudsburg Pennsylvania, were each sentenced on May 20, 2022, to 12 months’ plus one day imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for failure to remit payroll taxes from their veterinary business.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Karin Breitlauch is a veterinarian who owns and operates Creature Comforts Veterinary Service in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania. Linda Breitlauch, her sister, is the comptroller for the business. Between 2013 and 2016, the Breitlauchs withheld federal income taxes from their employees’ paychecks but failed to remit the withholdings to the Internal Revenue Service for tax quarters 2013 through 2016 and failed to pay the employer portion of the payroll taxes. This money included Social Security payments that would benefit their employees. When some employees went to collect their Social Security benefits their earnings while employed at the veterinary clinic were not recorded with the Social Security Administration.
The Breitlauchs were ordered to pay $2,486,495.99 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release following their incarceration. Judge Mannion ordered the Breitlauchs to surrender themselves to the Bureau of Prisons on July 29, 2022, to commence their sentence.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.
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North Port Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Dealing in Firearms Without A LicenseRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Larry Alan Goldman (64, North Port) to one year and a day in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for dealing in firearms without a license. As part of his sentence, Goldman will also pay a fine of $25,000.
According to court documents, between February 2020 and August 2021, undercover agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and a confidential informant purchased approximately 14 firearms from Goldman’s vendor booth at a flea market in North Fort Myers. During this period, Goldman did not have a Federal Firearms License (FFL) authorizing him to lawfully engage in the business of dealing in firearms. In September 2021, ATF agents visited Goldman at his home and served him with a Notice of Unlicensed Firearms Dealing Violation, and Goldman agreed to stop selling firearms.
Following ATF’s meeting with Goldman, undercover ATF agents purchased two additional firearms from Goldman at the flea market in September and October 2021. On October 19, 2021, ATF agents executed a federal search warrant of Goldman’s residence, as well as a truck and trailer Goldman used to facilitate the sale of firearms. Agents seized approximately 29 firearms and approximately $36,828 in cash. A search of multiple sale firearm purchases made by Goldman between January 2020 and September 2021 revealed that Goldman had purchased approximately 313 firearms.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trent Reichling.
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.
Norfolk Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Nicole Peterson, 37, of Norfolk, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Peterson to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, she will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On March 30, 2019, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for a building in Kearney, Nebraska. The building had been converted into makeshift living quarters by co-defendant, Rodney Randolph. Peterson and Josiah Negley were also present in the building. The search by law enforcement resulted in the seizure of 117 grams of methamphetamine. The three defendants admitted to getting pounds of methamphetamine from Colorado to distribute in Kearney.
Co-defendant Rodney Randolph has pled guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on July 29, 2022. Josiah Negley is awaiting trial, which is currently scheduled to begin on May 31, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 262 Months for Conspiring to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that on May 19, 2022 Judge Susie Morgan sentenced ARTHUR JOHNSON, age 45, of New Orleans, Louisiana, to 262 months of imprisonment, five (5) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for conspiring to distribute more than one kilogram or more of a mixture or substance containing heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846.
According to court records, on December 27, 2017, FBI Special Agents from the New Orleans Gang Task Force received information regarding the pending delivery of approximately three kilograms of heroin that JOHNSON was purchasing from his Chicago-based supplier. Later that day, surveillance agents observed meetings between JOHNSON and the man delivering the heroin at a Holiday Inn Hotel in New Orleans. During these meetings, JOHNSON paid approximately $187,000 for the heroin.
The next day, FBI agents searched the home in New Orleans East that JOHNSON shared with co-defendant Annice Falkins. During this search, the agents seized 1.3 kilograms of heroin, over $11,000 in cash, numerous items of jewelry, six cell phones, a money counter, and a kilogram press used to package heroin.
JOHNSON and Annice Falkins pled guilty on August 24, 2021. Pursuant to his plea agreement, JOHNSON agreed to forfeit a Mercedes Benz car, $11,543.00 in United States currency, a Rolex watch with about 17.45 carats of diamonds, and five pieces of diamond encrusted jewelry. Falkins is scheduled to be sentenced on July 2, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the FBI in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys David Howard Sinkman and Brandon Long are in charge of the prosecution.
Mortgage Loan Officer Charged with Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Evelisse Hernandez (40, Kissimmee) with four counts of bank fraud and four counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, she faces up to 30 years in federal prison on each bank fraud count and a mandatory consecutive 2 years’ imprisonment on the aggravated identity theft counts. The indictment also notifies Hernandez that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $130,000, representing the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
According to the indictment, Hernandez, in her capacity as a licensed mortgage loan officer, created and executed a mortgage fraud scheme targeting the financial institution where she worked. To ensure that otherwise unqualified borrowers were approved for mortgage loans, Hernandez falsified the borrower’s income through completely fabricated or inflated monthly child support payments on mortgage loan applications that she signed and certified to the financial institution’s underwriting department. In furtherance of her scheme, Hernandez created fictitious Final Judgments of Dissolution of Marriage showing the borrowers were entitled to receive non-existent monthly child support payments. Hernandez then used the names of Judges from the Circuit Court of the Ninth District of Florida and forged their signatures on the fabricated Final Judgments of Dissolution of Marriage. Hernandez then created bogus Florida Department of Revenue Statements showing the party purportedly paying monthly child support payments to the borrowers and manufactured phony prepaid debit card statements showing the borrowers purportedly withdrawing the non-existent monthly child support payments. In most cases, the borrowers did not have the children listed or had never been married. Hernandez submitted bogus paperwork to the financial institution to support the false monthly income on the loan applications. Based on Hernandez’s misrepresentations, the financial institution approved and funded the mortgage loans.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
Morris County Man Charged with Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man was arrested today for distributing images and videos depicting child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Igor Michael Terrero, 49, of Succasunna, New Jersey, was charged by complaint with one count of distributing child pornography. Terrero made his initial appearance by videoconference today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond, with home detention and electronic monitoring.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From Aug. 30, 2021, through April 20, 2022, Terrero shared more than 85 media files, including images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
The charge of distribution of child pornography depicting prepubescent children carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina; postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Postal Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, Philadelphia Division; the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll; and the Roxbury Township Police, under the direction of Chief Dean Adone, with the investigation leading to the charge.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. DeSaro of the U.S. Attorney’s Office General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
McKeesport Felon Charged with Violating Federal Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of city/stateMcKeesport, Pennsylvania has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearm laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The one-count Indictment, returned on May 19, named Ramon Howard, age 36, as the sole defendant.
According to Indictment, on or about February 11, 2022, Howard possessed a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of ten years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense(s) and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. The defendant is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Maury County Corrections Officer Charged with Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A federal indictment, unsealed today, charges a Maury County corrections officer with obstructing an investigation into allegations that he sexually abused an inmate in his custody, announced U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee and Assistant Attorney General Kristen M. Clarke of the Civil Rights Division.
James Stewart Thomas, 31, of Columbia, Tenn., a corrections officer with the Maury County Sheriff’s Office, was indicted last week by a federal grand jury on one count of falsification of records. Thomas was arrested at his home earlier today by FBI agents and will appear before a U.S. Magistrate Judge later this afternoon.
According to the indictment, in response to allegations that Thomas had nonconsensual sexual contact with a female inmate in his custody, he wrote an official report in which he falsely claimed that he had reported to two Maury County Jail supervisors that an inmate had made sexual advances toward him while the inmate was in his custody at a hospital. The report also falsely claimed that those two Maury County Jail supervisors both advised him not to write a report about the alleged sexual advances by the inmate, and the report omitted that he had a sexual relationship with the inmate after the inmate’s release from the custody of the Maury County Jail.
If convicted, Thomas faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Klopf and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Maryland man admits to role in drug trafficking and firearms conspiracyRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Marcus Purnell, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Purnell, also known as “Mo,” 34, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Unlawful Use of Communication Facility.” Purnell admitted to using a phone to help distribute Eutylone, also known as “Boot,” in November 2020 in Berkeley County.
Purnell faces up to four years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Harpers Ferry Police Department; and the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C. investigated. The EPDTF consists of the West Virginia State Police, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Ranson Police Department, the Charles Town Police Department, and the Martinsburg Police Department.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Marana Man Sentenced to 57 Months for Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Tyrell Kester, 36, of Marana, Arizona, was sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Kester previously pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.
On April 22, 2021, federal agents and Tucson Police Department officers conducted surveillance on a residential trailer in preparation to execute a search warrant. Kester parked his car near the trailer and when agents announced their presence, Kester threw several items from his pockets onto the ground, including his car keys and $3,587 in cash. Agents searched Kester’s car and found an AR-type rifle magazine loaded with 25 rounds of .223-caliber ammunition and other loose rounds of ammunition in various calibers in the trunk. Kester is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing ammunition.
This investigation was a collaborative effort between federal law enforcement agencies and is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCEDTF) initiative in Southern Arizona that is being led by the Tucson Strike Force.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Culver and David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-1114-TUC-RM (MSA)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-078_Kester# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Man Who Possessed a 3D Printed Glock Switch Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a 3D printed Glock switch designed to convert a handgun into an automatic weapon was sentenced today to two years in federal prison.
Jose Morales-Ramirez, age 20, from Marshalltown, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 20, 2022 guilty plea to illegal possession of a machine gun.
Evidence during the case at trial showed that police responded to Morales-Ramirez’s residence after receiving reports from neighbors regarding possible gun shots. During a search, police located a Glock conversion device designed and intended solely and exclusively for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun. The Glock conversion device, also known as a Glock switch, had been printed on a 3D printer.
Morales-Ramirez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Morales-Ramirez was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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.
Morales-Ramirez was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Tama, Iowa, Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-0056.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Man Who Obtained Infant Pornography on Dark Web Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who sought out and obtained depictions of child pornography, including infants and toddlers, on the dark web was sentenced today to more than seven years in federal prison.
Collin Nissen, age 21, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 14, 2021 guilty plea to one count of receipt of child pornography and three counts of possession of child pornography.
At the guilty plea, Nissen admitted that, between March of 2019 and September of 2020, he received and possessed visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct on two cell phones and an SD card. Evidence at sentencing showed that Nissen took steps in order to conceal his identity online for the purpose of obtaining child pornography. He received and possessed sexually explicit photographs and videos of babies and toddlers. He also possessed sado-masochistic depictions of children. When confronted by law enforcement, he stated that he was trying to help find missing children.
Nissen was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Nissen was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment and fined $400. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Nissen is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Liz Dupuich and investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-cr-1015.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Man Sentenced to 60 months in Prison for Attempting to Use Two Molotov Cocktails on an Occupied National City ResidenceRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Shital H. Thakkar (619) 546-8785
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 23, 2022
SAN DIEGO – Sylvester Andrews Jr. was sentenced in federal court today to 60 months in prison for possessing and ultimately attempting to use incendiary devices known as Molotov cocktails. Andrews attempted to use the Molotov cocktails by throwing them through the window of a National City residence, which was occupied by three juvenile victims who were home alone at the time.
On May 20, 2018, the National City Police and Fire Departments responded to a vehicle fire outside of the victims’ residence. When personnel arrived, they found a vehicle completely engulfed in flames. Fire Investigators ultimately determined that the vehicle fire was set intentionally. A subsequent investigation showed beach towels were doused with liquid, possibly gasoline, and placed on the vehicle prior to the towels being set aflame. The officers also noticed a window at the victims’ residence was broken, and after the car fire was extinguished, they conducted a welfare check. The officers discovered the threejuvenile victims and the Molotov cocktails which had not detonated.
An investigation led by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives revealed that Andrews had a dispute with a parent of the juvenile victims. In the early morning hours of May 20, 2018, Andrews went to the victims’ residence and threw both Molotov cocktails through a bedroom window, neither of which ignited fully.
The ATF Forensic Science Laboratory identified the liquid in both Molotov cocktails as gasoline. The use of surveillance cameras, text messages, DNA evidence, and other evidence revealed Andrews’ involvement.
“This defendant’s actions put three children at great risk because of a grown-up grudge, and the price for that is prison,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “This is a fitting sentence for an offender who used an explosive device to settle a score.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the National City Police Department, National City Fire, and Carlsbad Police Department for their excellent work on this case.
“ATF has the expertise to determine the origin and cause of fires and explosions under the most challenging and complex circumstances due to its highly trained forensic investigators and its nationwide state-of-art laboratories,” said ATF Los Angeles Field Division Special Agent in Charge Monique Villegas. “ATF brings a unique set of resources to fire and explosives investigations, which includes special agent certified fire investigators, certified explosives specialists, and chemists among others. ATF will continue to collaborate with its local partners perfecting charges against individuals whose criminal actions devastate lives and destroy personal property.”
DEFENDANT Case Number 20-cr-02942-AJB
Sylvester Andrews Jr. Age: 39 Spring Valley, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Malicious Damage to Buildings or Real Property Affecting Interstate, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 844(i);
Possession of an Unregistered Destructive Device, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d).
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count
AGENCY
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
National City Police Department
National City Fire Department
Carlsbad Police Department
*This case is the result of the ongoing efforts of the Violent Crime and Human Trafficking (VCHT) Section. Formed in 2019, the VCHT is tasked with leading collaborations between federal and local law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of cases involving violent crimes, firearms and gang cases; sex trafficking and child exploitation; civil rights, and labor trafficking. The VCHT Section oversees the Southern District of California Coordinators for Project Safe Neighborhoods, Human Trafficking, and Project Safe Childhood. The VCHT Section also provides federal prosecutors to the downtown San Diego Violent Crimes Task Force-Gang Group, the North County Gang Task Force, and the East County Gang Task Force.
Man Sentenced to 55 Months in Prison for Illegal Sale of FirearmsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The Honorable Daniel Domínguez of the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico sentenced defendant Carlos Osorio-Pérez to a near-statutory-maximum sentence of 55 months of prison and three years of supervised release. Osorio-Pérez pled guilty to a conspiracy to engage in the unlicensed business of dealing in firearms in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 371 and 922(a)(1)(A).
Osorio-Pérez was the leader of an organization active for years in the Miami and Tampa Field Division areas of responsibility. As part of his plea, he acknowledged that he purchased almost 100 guns in Florida and sent them via the U.S. mail to co-conspirators in Puerto Rico for sale. Osorio-Pérez further acknowledged that he knew that the buyers of several of the guns would use them unlawfully. Intended recipients of the guns included drug-trafficking organizations in Puerto Rico. In WhatsApp conversations, Osorio-Pérez recommended that an unlicensed firearm seller in Puerto Rico talk directly to the “street bosses” and “top dogs.”
On December 14 and 15, 2020, Osorio-Pérez caused to be mailed from Florida to Puerto Rico for illegal sales the following firearms: four (4) Glock pistols; a Zastava AK-47 type pistol; a Mini AK-47 type pistol; and four (4) lower receivers for AR-15 type pistols.
Osorio-Pérez was charged with four other members of the conspiracy. Co-defendant Luz Damariz Pérez-Velázquez was already sentenced to 36 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Her roles in the conspiracy included sending money to Florida for the purchase of firearms, receiving the firearms in Puerto Rico through the U.S. mail, and delivering the guns to co-conspirators in order to sell them in Puerto Rico for profit without a license. Members of the conspiracy would use Western Union and Walmart to transfer the proceeds of firearm sales from Puerto Rico to Florida.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Christopher Robinson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Miami Field Division, made the announcement.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jeanette Collazo, Carlos Cardona, and Jonathan Gottfried prosecuted the case.
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Man Pleads Guilty to Making Threats Against Dr. Anthony Fauci and Other Federal and State Health OfficialsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Thomas Patrick Connally, Jr., age 56, most recently of Snowshoe, West Virginia, pleaded guilty today to making threats against a federal official, specifically for sending emails threatening harm to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the current Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Connally further admitted threatening Dr. Francis Collins, the former Director of the NIH, Dr. Rachel Levine, currently the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as a Massachusetts public health official and a religious leader.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge George Adams, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services.
According to Connally’s plea agreement, from December 28, 2020 to July 25, 2021, Connally used an anonymous email account from a provider of secure, encrypted email services based in Switzerland, to send a series of emails to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the current Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (“NIAID”) and the Chief Medical Advisor to President of the United States, threatening to harm and/or kill Dr. Fauci and members of his family. One of the emails threatened that Dr. Fauci and his family would be “dragged into the street, beaten to death, and set on fire.” On April 24, 2021 alone, Connally sent seven threatening emails starting at 10:05 p.m.
As detailed in Connally’s plea agreement, also on April 24, 2021, beginning at 9:34 p.m., Connally sent Dr. Francis Collins, the then-Director of the NIH, a series of four emails threatening Dr. Collins and his family with physical assault and death if Dr. Collins did not stop speaking about the need for “mandatory” COVID-19 vaccinations.
As stated in his plea agreement, Connally admitted that he sent the threats to Drs. Fauci and Collins with the intent to intimidate or interfere with the performance of their official duties and with the intent to retaliate against Dr. Fauci and Dr. Collins for performing their official duties, including discussing COVID-19 and its testing and prevention.
Connally also admitted sending emails threatening harm to three other individuals. Specifically, on November 24, 2020, Connally sent a series of six threatening emails to Dr. Rachel Levine, then Secretary of Health for the State of Pennsylvania, at Dr. Levine’s email account at the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The subject lines and body of the emails threatened Dr. Levine with physical violence and death. Similarly, on August 31, 2020, Connally sent an email threatening physical violence and death for a public health official in Massachusetts. Finally, on April 21, 2021, Connally sent a series of four threatening emails to four individuals who work for a religious institution in Newark, New Jersey. The four emails threatened physical violence and death to a religious leader at the institution.
Investigation revealed that the anonymous encrypted email account was associated with Connally. On July 27, 2021, law enforcement executed search warrants at Connally’s rental residence in Snowshoe, West Virginia, as well as on his vehicle seizing five Apple laptops and two cellular telephones belonging to Connally.
Connally faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for threats against a federal official. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has scheduled sentencing for August 4, 2022 at 11:30 a.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the HHS OIG for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rajeev R. Raghavan and Jessica C. Collins, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Man Charged with Threatening and Cyberstalking CongressmanRead the Press Release
A man known for showing up uninvited to political events and attempting to get close to politicians was charged this week for cyberstalking and making multiple threatening statements regarding U.S. Representative Kevin Hern and his family. Hern represents Oklahoma’s first congressional district.
Keith Charles Eisenberger, 39, of Bartlesville, was charged by Criminal Complaint with threatening to assault, kidnap, or murder a United States official; threatening to assault, kidnap, or murder an immediate family member of a United States official, and cyberstalking. The Complaint was unsealed after Eisenberger made an initial appearance late Friday in U.S. District Court.
The Complaint alleges that starting in November 2018 when Representative Hern took office, Eisenberger allegedly began making concerning statements about Hern that became increasingly more violent over time. He did so during visits and phone calls to the congressman’s offices in Washington, DC, and Tulsa and on social media.
Multiple alleged incidents are highlighted in the Complaint to include:
In January 2019, Eisenberger appeared in the Washington, DC offices, yelling and demanding to see Hern. He later allegedly told U.S. Capitol Police special agents that he was angry with the Hern because Eisenberger believed he was elected illegally. He stated that he believed the congressman had been appointed to the seat without Eisenberger being considered for it. He then stated that he’d flown to Washington, DC, on a one-way ticket and would not be returning until the Congressman resigned.
In a social media post dated Nov. 9, 2020, Eisenberger again voiced his anger about the election and further suggested that the congressman and the state of Oklahoma deserved to be “federally executed” and that if that was not feasible then the resignation, death or expulsion of Hern was acceptable.
In a lengthy October 2021 social media video post, he allegedly touted that he was going to assault the congressman, whether it be at a debate, a conference, or elsewhere.
Investigators further allege that in a May 11, 2022, social media post, Eisenberger stated that he hoped to kidnap Hern and his wife. He further wished harm would come to the congressman’s family.
The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar is prosecuting the case.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
This matter will proceed in U.S. District Court in Tulsa, where the Complaint is currently pending. A Complaint is a temporary charge alleging a violation of law. For the case to proceed to trial, the United States must present the charge to a federal Grand Jury within 30 days. Once a Grand Jury returns an Indictment, a defendant has a right to a jury trial at which the United States would have the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Local man admits to illegally selling firearmsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 38-year-old Houston resident has pleaded guilty to unlawfully dealing firearms without a license, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Qusay Waleed Taha admitted to purchasing more than 100 firearms between July 11, 2018, and Aug. 19, 2019, in order to resell for profit. Taha also admitted he repeatedly bought firearms though licensed dealers and sold them to local individuals at gun shows.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. will impose sentencing Aug. 11. At that time, Taha faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Taha has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Schammel and Heather Winter are prosecuting the case.
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.
Lehigh Acres Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Danzavieran Durand Thurman. (35, Lehigh Acres) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The Court also ordered Thurman to forfeit the firearm used in the offense.
According to court documents, on October 16, 2020, deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) responded to a hotel in Fort Myers after locating a car in the hotel’s parking lot that had been used in an armed home invasion. Law enforcement had identified Thurman as one of the suspects involved in the armed home invasion. Deputies obtained a search warrant to search the hotel room Thurman was occupying. During a search of the hotel room, LSCO deputies discovered a loaded firearm hidden in a mattress box spring frame. Subsequent forensic analysis of the firearm linked it to Thurman. As a previously convicted felon, Thurman is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trent Reichling.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Kentucky Woman Sentenced to Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Traffic Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Analogues in Toledo AreaRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler announced that Rebecca Gilliam, 34, of Grayson, Kentucky, was sentenced on Thursday, May 19, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey J. Helmick to five and a half years in prison after Gilliam pleaded guilty to her role in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and acetyl fentanyl in the Toledo area.
According to court documents, in February 2021, Gilliam and co-defendants Roger Burnett, Ian Collier and Sonya Mayo were arrested following an investigation into narcotics trafficking in Toledo. Authorities arrested the group following a traffic stop in which the defendants admitted to possession of narcotics, including over 180 grams of methamphetamine and over 140 grams of acetyl fentanyl.
Defendant Sonya Mayo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on March 8, 2022. Mayo is scheduled to be sentenced on July 18, 2022.
The matters against Defendants Roger Burnett and Ian Collier remain ongoing. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Northwest Ohio Interdiction Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Melching.
Kansas Man Sentenced for Counterfeit Currency and Fictitious Treasury ChecksRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Deantra Lamar Watson, 42, of Wichita, Kansas, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon to a sentence of time served for Transportation of Fictitious Obligations of the United States, Possession of Counterfeit Currency, and Possession of a Document-Making Implement or Authentication Feature. Watson has been in custody for approximately 9 months. There is no parole in the federal system. Upon his release, Watson will serve a 5-year term of Supervised Release.
On September 2, 2021, Watson was stopped by deputies in Richardson County, Nebraska. Watson was arrested on state charges and a search was conducted of his vehicle. During the search, officers found $3,434.00 in counterfeit United States currency. Officers also found $4,800 in fictitious United States Treasury checks that were purported Covid Economic Impact Payments. Officers found fictitious driver’s licenses with defendant’s picture, but other individuals’ information. Also in Watson’s possession was a book bag which contained blank white plastic cards with mag strips and chips. Law enforcement also found printed images purporting to be Kansas Driver’s licenses that were printed on paper with an adhesive backing as well as paper images of licenses that could be placed on a white plastic card to create an identification. A printer used to make identification cards on white plastic cards was also found.
“Today’s sentence is a reminder that the United States Secret Service is committed to aggressively investigating and pursuing those who commit financial crimes against citizens of our communities,” said Brandon C. Bridgeforth, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service Kansas City Field Office. “The success in this case demonstrates the investigative capabilities of the Secret Service and the collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners. The Secret Service will continue to work with all our counterparts to effectively identify those victimizing our communities and bring them to justice while protecting the financial infrastructure of the United States.”
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Richard County Sheriff’s Office, and the Omaha Police Department.
KC Man Shot by Police Officer Sentenced for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who was shot by an Independence, Mo., police officer as he attempted to strike the officer with his truck before leading officers on a high-speed chase, was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Isaiah Fulson-Dewberry, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to seven years and six months in federal prison without parole.
On June 29, 2020, Fulson-Dewberry pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Two Independence police officers were dispatched to Pepperwood Apartments on Sept. 1, 2019, on reported prowlers. The officers arrived at the apartment complex in separate vehicles and approached from opposite directions. Fulson-Dewberry, driving a 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche (later determined to be stolen), pulled out of a parking space and began driving through the parking lot. When the first officer’s marked patrol vehicle approached, Fulson-Dewberry put the truck in reverse and went back into the parking area, driving up onto the curb into the grass. The truck then drove forward and deliberately rammed the front end of the officer’s vehicle. Two passengers – a white female and a black male – ran from the truck and were never located. The truck backed up again and slammed into a parked truck, pushing it into another parked vehicle, and then rammed into the front of the officer’s vehicle a second time.
The truck backed up again, clipping the front end of the second officer’s patrol vehicle, and then went forward again, hitting the front of the patrol vehicle and pushing it. The officer was outside of his vehicle and Fulson-Dewberry swerved the truck at him. The officer, fearing for his life, fired 10 rounds from his duty weapon into the driver’s side of the truck.
Fulson-Dewbery fled from the apartment complex and a pursuit was initiated. The truck made it onto westbound 39th Street. The truck drove on the shoulder of the road, passing vehicles at a high rate of speed and running red lights at busy intersections. The truck also entered into oncoming traffic, nearly striking two different eastbound vehicles head on. The truck proceeded onto southbound Lee’s Summit Road and attempted to get onto the ramp to westbound I-70, but was traveling too fast and spun out into the ditch just onto the ramp to westbound I-70 from Lee’s Summit Road.
Fulson-Dewberry got out of the driver’s side of the truck and threw a loaded Walther .22-caliber handgun into the grassy area near the truck. Fulson-Dewberry had a gunshot wound that passed through his left calf and entered his right calf, where the bullet lodged. He was taken into custody without further incident and transported for medical treatment.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Fulson-Dewberry has prior felony convictions for possession of methamphetamine, burglary of a motor vehicle, identity theft, fleeing from law enforcement, and two prior felony convictions for theft.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Marquez. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
KC Man Involved in Shoot-out Pleads Guilty to Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who was involved in a shoot-out at a local gas station pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a firearm.
Tirrell M. Thompson, 31, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
By pleading guilty today, Thompson admitted that he was involved in a shoot-out at a gas station near 45th and The Paseo on May 6, 2020. A federal marshal witnessed the shooting, in which Thompson pulled a Taurus .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun from his waistband, ducked behind his car, and shot back at another individual who was shooting at him. The marshal also saw Thompson flee from the gas station in a silver vehicle.
A police helicopter identified the fleeing car, which slowed down as Thompson tossed the handgun out of the car near 58th Terrace and Swope Parkway. Police officers arrested Thompson and found the handgun, which had blood on it, in the area where Thompson had tossed it.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Thompson has two prior felony convictions for resisting arrest and a prior felony conviction for unlawful use of a weapon.
Under federal statutes, Thompson is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Justice Department Announces Updated Guidance on Improving Law Enforcement Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence by Identifying and Preventing Gender BiasRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced guidance to help law enforcement agencies (LEAs) recognize, mitigate and prevent gender bias and other biases from compromising the response to, and investigation of, sexual assault, domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence.
“At the Department of Justice, we know that investigating cases involving sexual assault and domestic violence is challenging – it demands thorough investigations and a careful effort to avoid unintentionally worsening the victimization for survivors of these crimes,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “This guidance provides best practices that — when implemented into all levels of policy, training and supervision — help law enforcement provide services free from discrimination on the basis of gender, and therefore handle these cases more effectively.”
The department is committed to reducing violent crime, building strong communities, and ending gender-based violence. The 2022 guidance builds on the first principle of the department’s comprehensive strategy to reduce violent crime by building trust through meaningful law enforcement engagement with, and accountability to, the communities they serve, including survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.
“When gender bias impacts policing — from ignoring reports of sexual assault, mishandling sexual misconduct investigations or the failure to discipline officers who commit domestic violence — law enforcement’s legitimacy erodes, and survivors’ trust in police is diminished,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Our dedication to combatting gender bias in policing is about promoting accountability, and fostering greater trust in investigations of gender-based violence.”
“The guidance announced today reaffirms our commitment to expanding access to justice for all survivors, who deserve respect, compassion and self-determination,” said Office on Violence Against Women Acting Director Allison Randall. “Eliminating gender bias in policing is a key piece in ending gender-based violence, and can have a real, immediate impact on the safety of survivors, their loved ones and, indeed, their entire communities.”
The guidance reflects input from a wide array of stakeholders, including law enforcement leaders, victim advocates, and civil rights advocates, and builds on previous guidance the department issued in 2015. The original 2015 guidance served two key purposes. First, it examined how gender bias can undermine the response of LEAs to sexual assault and domestic violence. Second, it provided a set of eight basic principles that – if integrated into LEAs’ policies, trainings and practices – help ensure that gender bias, either intentionally or unintentionally, does not undermine efforts to keep victims safe and hold offenders accountable. The 2022 revisions to the guidance maintain and build on this framework.
Based on input from stakeholders, the 2022 guidance more thoroughly addresses the need for trauma-informed law enforcement responses to sexual and domestic violence; provides additional examples of how LEAs can incorporate the guidance principles into their policies and practices; discusses the ways that gender bias can intersect with other forms of bias to disproportionately affect survivors from marginalized communities, including but not limited to communities of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+) survivors, immigrant survivors and individuals with limited English proficiency; and expands the discussion of the need to address and prevent officer-committed domestic violence and sexual misconduct to hold offenders accountable and enhance community trust.
In conjunction with the revised guidance, the department’s OVW is launching a new webpage, which hosts a comprehensive, annotated list of resources designed to assist LEAs working to implement the guidance and its core principles. Most of these resources have been developed since 2015 and reflect the work of national law enforcement organizations and other DOJ-funded technical assistance providers.
Improving Law Enforcement Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence by Identifying and Preventing Gender Bias
Investigation by Tucson Strike Force Leads to Indictment of 13 Members of Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced the unsealing of a 30-count indictment against 13 individuals for charges related to the distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin. On May 4, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned the indictment against the following individuals:
- Jasiel Soloman Corral-Cinco, 32, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.
- Eduardo Martinez-Torres, 38, of Tucson, Arizona.
- Carlos Edgardo Rincones Vega, 25, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.
- Hector Manuel Cruz, 37, of Tucson, Arizona.
- Angel Ariel-Zubia, 31, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.
- Melecio Hernan Garcia, 32, of Rio Rico, Arizona.
- Alejandro Reyes Altamirano, 29, of Tucson, Arizona.
- Ruben Sebastian Felix-Escamilla, 24, of Sonora, Mexico.
- Jesus Castenada, 22, of Tucson, Arizona.
- Jose Flores, 32, of Rio Rico, Arizona.
- Alejandro Linares, 35, of Rio Rico, Arizona.
- Eduardo Linares, 36, of Rio Rico, Arizona.
- Alejandro Melendez, 43, of Phoenix, Arizona.
The indictment alleges that the 13 individuals were members of a Mexican-based drug trafficking organization that was involved in the delivery of large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, counterfeit M-30 oxycontin pills laced with fentanyl, and heroin. The investigation leading to their indictment involved a series of drug transactions in Arizona as well as seizures of drugs at Ports of Entry.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Possess with the intent to Distribute the quantities of drugs alleged in the Indictment carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a $10,000,000.00 fine.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation was a collaborative effort between federal, state, and local investigators and is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) initiative in Southern Arizona that is being led by the Tucson Strike Force.
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the Arizona Department of Public Safety led the investigation, with significant contributions from Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshal Service, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, the Marana Police Department, and the South Tucson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney and Lead Strike Force Attorney David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 22-00980-TUC-RM (LCK)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-079_Corral-Cinco, et al.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.INTERPOL Washington Assists the Republic of Panama to Enhance its Border Security CapabilitiesRead the Press Release
The Project Terminus team in Panama.INTERPOL Washington—INTERPOL Washington, the U.S. National Central Bureau (USNCB)—recently partnered with the U.S. Department of State to increase The Republic of Panama’s capacity to screen the illicit international travel of transnational criminals and terrorists. Under the U.S. State Department-funded Project TERMINUS, the Panamanian Government implemented an automated system for uploading its stolen and lost travel documents into INTERPOL’s Stolen and Lost Travel Documents (SLTD) database. This database serves as a searchable repository containing more than 120 million records accessible to law enforcement and border security authorities in all 195 INTERPOL member countries.
The Domestic SLTD Database (DSD) solution enabled Panama to quickly and easily establish a robust and feature-rich authoritative national database of stolen and lost travel documents to be managed by Autoridad de Pasaportes de Panama and the National Central Bureau (NCB) in Panama City. The SLTD Uploader software solution automates the submission and management of Panama's stolen and lost travel document records in the global INTERPOL SLTD searchable database. This data management and automation solution was made possible by computer hardware and custom software developed, provided, and installed by the USNCB’s Border Security Division. This accomplishment is the culmination of more than three months of active collaboration between the USNCB, the U.S State Department, INTERPOL, and The Republic of Panama.
“Project TERMINUS is providing significant improvements in border security screening capacity for INTERPOL member countries around the world, including in our own hemisphere. Our partnership with the Department of State pays dividends every day as we continue to provide the advanced border security tools necessary to detect and deter transnational criminals. Border security is a collective responsibility among nations, and the USNCB is pleased to be a leader in those efforts,” said USNCB Director Michael A. Hughes.
The Panamanian project is the latest in a series of successful SLTD access improvement projects under the Project TERMINUS initiative, each building on prior lessons learned. In addition to The Republic of Panama, Partner Nations currently receiving assistance under Project TERMINUS include The Maldives, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Established in 2015, Project TERMINUS is a partnership between the USNCB’s Border Security Division and the U.S Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism. The mission of Project TERMINUS is to extend INTERPOL's I-24/7 secure, global police-to-police communications system in high-risk areas and select host nations globally.
INTERPOL’s SLTD database is a critical tool for combatting terrorism by preventing Foreign Terrorist Fighter (FTF) movements by identifying and interdicting FTFs and other transnational criminals using stolen, lost, or revoked documents such as passports, visas, and identity documents. By ensuring that law enforcement officers have access to INTERPOL’s I-24/7 system, front-line authorities can search and cross-check traveler data in a matter of seconds and share sensitive or urgent police information with their counterparts around the globe in real-time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
A component of the U.S. Department of Justice, INTERPOL Washington, the U.S. National Central Bureau (USNCB), is the designated United States representative to INTERPOL on behalf of the Attorney General. It serves as the national point of contact and coordination for all INTERPOL matters, coordinating international investigative efforts among member countries and the more than 18,000 local, state, federal, and tribal law enforcement agencies.
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 24, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Norway Avenue address of Roy Bills, 56. Officers found multiple firearms in the basement: a Diamondback 5.56mm AR-15 rifle; a Savage AXIS XP .308-caliber Winchester bolt-action rifle; a Derya Arms, model VR-80, 12-gauge shotgun; a GSG .22-caliber pistol; and a Beretta 96 .40-caliber pistol. Officers also located ammunition with the firearms. Bills admitted to possessing the firearms and ammunition.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Bills was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his November, 7, 2016 felony conviction in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia for conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
Bills is scheduled to be sentenced on August 29, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe 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. 3:21-cr-60.
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Hilton Man Going to Prison for Illegal Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Stephen Reed Pattison, 33, of Hilton, NY, who was convicted of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, was sentenced to serve 96 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey, who handled the case, stated that in December 2016, Pattison was convicted of Domestic Assault in the Second Degree in Boone County, Missouri, and was legally prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. On October 30, 2020, Pattison was taken into custody on a parole absconder warrant from Missouri. In November 2020, law enforcement officers conducted a search of the Church Road residence that Pattison shared with his girlfriend and recovered two firearms, 25 rounds of ammunition, a black tactical vest with an expandable baton and knife, various items of white supremacist and Nazi paraphernalia.
As part of his guilty plea, Pattison admitted that he attempted to obstruct justice by telling his girlfriend to lie to the police and testify falsely that the firearms recovered did not belong to him. Pattison also attempted to obtain false affidavits from the individuals who gave him the firearms and ammunition. Pattison wanted the individuals to state that they gave the firearms to his girlfriend after he was taken into custody.
As detailed in a complaint against Pattison, he is a supporter of white supremacist ideology who frequently expressed racial animus and disdain for activist and political groups, such as Black Lives Matter and Antifa, and aggressively and sometimes violently expressed his disagreement with local protests in Rochester over the deaths of George Floyd and Daniel Prude.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Joint Terrorism Task Force of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.
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Former Starksboro Resident Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on May 23, 2022, Isaac Liberty-Hanlon, 43, formerly of Starksboro, Vermont, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William K. Sessions III to a time-served period of imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release for possessing a firearm in 2020 after having been previously convicted of a felony offense. Liberty-Hanlon is presently residing in Hartwell, Georgia.
According to court records and proceedings, on July 24, 2020, troopers with the Vermont State Police searched Liberty-Hanlon’s home in Starksboro pursuant to a search warrant. They located and seized a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver from Liberty-Hanlon’s room, and he acknowledged possessing the firearm. Liberty-Hanlon was determined to be a felon, having been convicted in 2009 of aggravated assault in Addison County, Vermont.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the efforts of the Vermont State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives in the investigation and prosecution of Liberty-Hanlon.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Lasher prosecuted the case for the United States. Liberty-Hanlon was represented by Robert Behrens, Esq.
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. https://www.justice.gov/psn
Former Postal Worker Sentenced for Defrauding Department of Labor of $732,000 in Disability PaymentsRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced George Utley (56, Oklahoma City) to 30 months in federal prison for receiving stolen government property, specifically, Department of Labor (DOL) Disability Benefit Payments. Utley was also ordered to make full restitution to the DOL and to forfeit $732,459.46, representing the value of the stolen funds. Utley had pleaded guilty on February 14, 2022.
According to the plea agreement, Utley is a former mail handler for the United States Postal Service (USPS). In January 2009, Utley falsely claimed a job-related back injury to receive workers’ compensation disability benefits through the Department of Labor – Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (DOL-OWCP). The monthly payments ranged from approximately $2,600 (2011), to upwards of $3,300 (2019). These payments were the product of theft because Utley failed to truthfully report his prior accidents/injuries, his other sources of income and employment, and any improvements to his purported injury.
An investigation by the USPS – Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) revealed that Utley had falsely testified in a 2011 DOL deposition that he never had suffered a previous back injury or been in an automobile accident. Despite Utley’s allegations of tremendous, debilitating back pain, he only had received $14 worth of prescription pain medication during the 10-year benefit period. Utley also failed to report his other sources of income and employment—he had incorporated and operated a rubbish removal business for many years and had received monthly government housing assistance payments of $1,412 as the landlord for a property in Pennsylvania. Recorded video surveillance captured Utley doing yard work at his Florida home, repeatedly lifting and carrying heavy items, working on a race car, and hitching a flatbed car carrier, box trailer, and fifth-wheel RV to his truck. A search of Utley’s email account and Facebook postings revealed photographs of Utley’s vacations (Key West and the Grand Canyon) and extensive physical activity (weightlifting, bicycling, deep-sea fishing, etc.). Utley’s fraudulent activity resulted in him receiving $732,459.46 in disability benefit payments to which he was not entitled.
“Taking taxpayer dollars to which you are not entitled is theft—period,” said HSI Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “Our agents at HSI Orlando, working alongside the USPS OIG, are committed to finding those who aim to abuse programs meant to lend a helping hand and bring them to justice.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
Former Mont Vernon Attorney Sentenced to 48 Months for Engaging in Multi-Million Dollar Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD –Joseph A. Foistner, 68, of Mont Vernon, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for his involvement in a fraud and money laundering scheme, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
Following a two-week trial in December of 2021, U.S. District Judge Paul Barbadoro found Foistner guilty of four counts of bank fraud, as well as charges of wire fraud, money laundering, and making misrepresentations during bankruptcy proceedings.
According to exhibits and witness testimony during the trial, Foistner used fraudulent means to apply for over $8 million in loans from five different financial institutions, laundered money, and made material misrepresentations during bankruptcy proceedings between 2015 and 2018. Foistner, at the time of the scheme, was a licensed attorney in Massachusetts who did not have any paying clients and earned no income through his law firm. In order to obtain millions of dollars in loans from multiple financial institutions, Foistner provided banks with misleading documents that suggested that he was operating a lucrative law firm. For example, he claimed that he was a “seasoned attorney” with international clients and that his firm earned over a million dollars in annual income. In fact, all the firm’s purported income was based upon bogus, unpaid invoices the firm submitted to entities that the defendant controlled, including bankrupt entities.
The defendant also made other false statements to obtain bank loans, including lying about whether he was involved as a party in any lawsuits and denying that he had an interest in other companies. He also falsely represented that he had a salary by mischaracterizing loan proceeds as a salary. In one of the bank fraud schemes, the defendant submitted false information to obtain a loan by claiming that his wife was earning over $200,000 per year as a paralegal. The loans made to Foistner were backed by either the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Small Business Administration.
The evidence further showed that Foistner committed several crimes during Chapter 7 bankruptcy court proceedings in 2017 and 2018. He made false representations by denying that he held or controlled property owned by others when he actually controlled funds that were held in the name of a business. He also made false statements under oath by lying about what happened to the proceeds of one of the fraudulent loans and lying about not knowing the location of a piece of real estate that had been purchased in part with funds he borrowed and had subsequently funneled into bank accounts not in his name.
After his conviction, Foistner was disbarred by order of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in January 2022.
The financial institutions affected by Foistner’s scheme were Merrimack Valley Credit Union, North American Savings Bank, Celtic Bank, Newtek, and St. Mary’s Bank. A further hearing will be held to determine the restitution amounts owed by Foistner.
In addition to his prison sentence, Foistner was ordered to forfeit his interest in a residential property in Mont Vernon that was purchased with proceeds from his fraud scheme.
“As the evidence at trial established, Foistner used brazen fraud schemes to obtain millions of dollars and undermined the integrity of bankruptcy proceedings by making repeated misrepresentations,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “His illegal conduct was even more disturbing because he was a licensed attorney – an officer of the court. This substantial prison sentence finally holds Foistner accountable for his serious crimes and sends a deterrent message to potential white-collar criminals that they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and, upon conviction, will face serious prison sentences for their crimes. I am grateful for the dedicated efforts of our law enforcement partners who worked so hard to ensure that justice was done in this case.”
“Joseph Foistner stole millions of dollars from entities he thought would never notice. In doing so, he took advantage of programs that were designed to help veterans and small businesses, and today, he was held accountable for his disgraceful conduct,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI is committed to working with our partners in unraveling fraudulent schemes like this one to ensure those behind them are brought to justice.”
“OIG is committed to bring fraudsters to justice who seek to use falsified information to exploit vital economic programs,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “OIG continues to root out fraud and protect the integrity of SBA’s programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”
“The defendant fraudulently exploited VA’s loan guaranty program meant to help service members, veterans, and eligible surviving spouses become homeowners,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “The sentence today reflects the VA OIG’s commitment to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who defraud VA programs.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Office of Inspector General of the Small Business Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles L. Rombeau and Seth R. Aframe and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Kinsella, Assistant U.S. Attorneys John S. Davis and Kasey Weiland previously worked on this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Rabuck is assisting with the forfeiture aspects of this case.
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Former Federal Agent Found Guilty of Enticing a Minor and Engaging in Sex Tourism in the PhilippinesRead the Press Release
East St. Louis, Ill. – A Cahokia, Illinois, man was found guilty as charged last week for Enticement of a Minor, Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct, and
Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct in a Foreign Place. Sentencing is set for August 24, 2022, in front of the Honorable Judge Stephen P. McGlynn.According to evidence presented during trial, Joseph Albert Fuchs, III, an American citizen, met a
14-year-old girl while visiting the Philippines. Fuchs then engaged in sexual conversations with the minor using Facebook. During those conversations, Fuchs discussed ways to evade detection of her age when he would return to the Philippines to engage in sexual acts with her at a hotel. Fuchs then returned to the Philippines in March of 2019 and engaged in sexual acts with the 14- year-old minor. During this time, Fuchs was a special agent for the United States Postal Service Office of
Inspector General (USPSOIG). USPSOIG provided their full cooperation into the investigation. Investigation further revealed that Fuchs sent nearly $1,000.00 to the minor over a year long period.“Today’s guilty verdict should serve as a warning to those in positions of power or trust that if you engage in this behavior and seek to harm the innocent, you will be held accountable and brought to justice,” said HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Angie Salazar.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted the investigation, with assistance from the HSI
Attaché Manila, the Philippine National Police, and the Cahokia Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ali Burns and Laura Reppert.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and
Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”Former CEO of NYC Non-Profit Sentenced to Prison for Honest Services FraudRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that VICTOR RIVERA was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for conspiring to commit honest services fraud. RIVERA, who used to lead Bronx Parent Housing Network (“BPHN”), a non-profit organization that operated soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and affordable-housing facilities in New York City, schemed to enrich himself through bribes and kickbacks from BPHN’s contractors. RIVERA was sentenced by United States District Judge Sidney H. Stein.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Victor Rivera abused his position of authority at a non-profit established to help the most vulnerable in order to line his own pockets. For this egregious violation of trust, he is now sentenced to prison.”
According to allegations in the Information, other court filings, and statements made in court:
RIVERA was the President and Chief Executive Officer of BPHN, which annually spent millions of dollars in public funds on real estate, security, cleaning, construction, and food expenses, among other costs related to the housing and social services BPHN provided. From at least in or about 2013 until in or about 2020, RIVERA engaged in a scheme to enrich himself and his relatives by soliciting and accepting bribes and kickbacks from contractors doing work related to or for BPHN. The scheme yielded RIVERA hundreds of thousands of dollars in illicit gains.
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In addition to his prison sentence, RIVERA, 62, of Stony Point, New York, was sentenced to two years of supervised release. RIVERA was also ordered to forfeit $1,249,158.93, and to pay BPHN $902,269.23 in restitution.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the New York Department of Investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked the Internal Revenue Service for its assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys David Abramowicz and Tara La Morte are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Art Dealer Sentenced to 7 Years for $86 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that INIGO PHILBRICK, an art dealer specializing in post-war and contemporary fine art with galleries in London, United Kingdom, and Miami, Florida, was sentenced today to 84 months in prison in connection with a multi-year scheme to defraud various individuals and entities in order to finance his art business. U.S. District Judge Sydney H. Stein imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Inigo Philbrick grew his purportedly successful art business by collateralizing and reselling fractional shares in high dollar contemporary art. Unfortunately, his success was built on brazen lies, including concealed ownership interests, fake documents, and even an invented art collector. When the house of cards fell apart, Philbrick fled for a remote island in the Pacific, leaving many of his victims without recourse. For his extensive fraud, Philbrick is now sentenced to a substantial prison term.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint, Indictment, and statements made in court:
From approximately 2016 through 2019, to finance his art business, PHILBRICK engaged in a scheme to defraud multiple individuals and entities in the art market located in the New York metropolitan area and abroad. PHILBRICK made material misrepresentations and omissions to art collectors, investors, and lenders to access valuable art and obtain sales proceeds, funding, and loans (the “Fraud Scheme”). PHILBRICK knowingly misrepresented the ownership of certain artworks, for example, by selling a total of more than 100 percent ownership in an artwork to multiple individuals and entities without their knowledge; and by selling artworks and/or using artworks as collateral on loans without the knowledge of co-owners, and without disclosing the ownership interests of third parties to buyers and lenders. PHILBRICK furnished fraudulent contracts and records to investors to artificially inflate the artworks’ value and conceal his scheme, including a contract that listed a stolen identity as the seller.
Over the years, PHILBRICK obtained over $86 million in loans and sale proceeds in connection with the Fraud Scheme. Artworks about which PHILBRICK made these fraudulent misrepresentations in furtherance of the Fraud Scheme include, among others, a 1982 painting by the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat titled “Humidity,” a 2010 untitled painting by the artist Christopher Wool, and an untitled 2012 painting by the artist Rudolf Stingel depicting the artist Pablo Picasso.
By in or about the fall of 2019, PHILBRICK’s Fraud Scheme began to come to light as various investors and lenders learned about the fraudulent records PHILBRICK had provided and the material misrepresentations and omissions he had made. By in or about mid-October, a lender officially notified PHILBRICK that he was in default of approximately a $14 million loan, and by November 2019, various investors had filed civil lawsuits in multiple jurisdictions regarding PHILBRICK’s Fraud Scheme in connection with various artworks. At around the same time, PHILBRICK’s art galleries in Miami and London closed, and PHILBRICK stopped responding to legal process. PHILBRICK fled the United States shortly before public reporting began about the lawsuits. A fugitive, PHILBRICK resided in Vanuatu from approximately October 2019 until he was arrested there on June 11, 2020, in connection with this case.
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In addition to the prison term, PHILBRICK, 34, a U.S. citizen previously residing in London, United Kingdom, was sentenced to two years of supervised release. PHILBRICK was further ordered to pay a forfeiture of $86,672,790.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Art Crime Team.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica K. Feinstein and Cecilia E. Vogel are in charge of the prosecution.
Ford County Sex Offender Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Child Pornography CrimesRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Ford County man, Richard Cruse, 37, of the 200 block of North Center Street, in Melvin, Ill., has been sentenced to 324 months (27 years) to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for distribution and possession of child pornography.
In March 2021, a federal grand jury charged Cruse with two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography for crimes he committed in November 2019 and September 2020. Cruse was initially arrested by Ford County authorities and charged with two counts of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child and Indecent Solicitation of a Child. Cruse was transferred to the custody of the U.S. Marshals service after the federal indictment, where he has remained. He pleaded guilty in January 2022 to the three-count indictment.
Senior U.S. District Judge Michael Mihm found that the Cruse engaged in pattern of sexual abuse and exploitation of a minor. In imposing the 27-year imprisonment sentence, Judge Mihm noted that the harm done to victims for some criminal offenses is “temporary,” but contrasted that with Cruse’s conduct remarking, “it is clear from all that we’ve heard in this case that is not true. The harm is permanent.” Judge Mihm also ordered $9,000 in restitution to three separate victims from the child pornography files Cruse trafficked.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ford County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation with the cooperation of Ford County State’s Attorney Andrew Killian. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly Peirson and represented the government in this prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Florida Man Charged with Operating a “Grandparent Scam” in the Pittsburgh AreaRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Florida has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The two-count Indictment, returned on May 19, named Adrian Orozco Perez, 25, currently detained at the Walton County Jail in Monroe, GA, as the sole defendant.
According to Indictment, in February 2022, the defendant traveled to the Pittsburgh area to execute a scheme to defraud targeting elderly victims. To execute the scheme, members of the conspiracy called the victims, posed as an attorney, and falsely represented that one of the victim’s relatives, typically a grandchild, had been incarcerated and needed money for bail and legal fees. The defendant then posed as a courier or bail bondsman, visited the victims at their homes, and collected the fraudulently obtained money. Perez engaged in similar conduct in Georgia and Tennessee.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania State Police, and Walton County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Fort Washakie Man Pleads Guilty to Assault by StrangulationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that DENVER LEE JOHN, SR., 43, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming pleaded guilty to assault by strangulation at a change of plea hearing on May 9, 2022, before United States District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal. Sentencing has been set for July 28, 2022.
If convicted, John faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment; three years of supervised release; up to a $250,000 fine and a $100 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Wind River Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson is prosecuting the case.
Case No. 21-00008-NDF
Ethete Man Sentenced for Assault by StrangulationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that CALVIN ANDERSON WHITE, 32, of Ethete, Wyoming was sentenced for assault by strangulation at a sentencing hearing on May 10, 2022, before Chief United States District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl. White was sentenced to 16 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $2,699.70 in restitution and a $100 special assessment.
The prosecution stemmed from a domestic violence incident that occurred at a residence on the Wind River Indian Reservation. “These types of assaults cannot be tolerated,” said United States Attorney Bob Murray. “It affects every fiber of the community when violent assaults happen. People need to feel safe and free from violence regardless of where they are or what they are doing. Our office will continue to prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent of the law.”
This crime was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy W. Gist is prosecuting the case.
Case No. 21-cr-00123-SWS
District Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Killing Man in Northeast Washington and Stabbing Inmate at JailRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tavon Davis, 27, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for fatally beating a man in June 2017 and, in a separate offense, stabbing an inmate in the neck at the District of Columbia Jail, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Davis pleaded guilty in July 2021, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of voluntary manslaughter while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a sentence of 9 ½ to 14 years. The Honorable Marisa Demeo accepted the plea and, on May 20, 2022, sentenced the defendant accordingly. Following his prison term, Davis will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of June 28, 2017, Davis killed the victim, Michael Vest, on the porch of a residence in the 1300 block of Trinidad Avenue NE, using a wooden object to strike him in the head multiple times. Police were called at approximately 8 a.m., and Mr. Vest, 29, was discovered slumped in a chair. He was pronounced dead a short time later. An autopsy determined that he died from blunt force trauma.
Davis was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department on June 30, 2017. He was held at the D.C. Jail while awaiting trial. On July 3, 2020, according to the government’s evidence, he stabbed another inmate in the neck using a homemade knife. The victim attempted to shield himself with his hands, and, as a result, his arms also were injured.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the matter from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark, Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin, and Paralegal Specialist Lashone Samuels. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Santiago and Prava Palacharla, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Correctional Officer Sentenced for Attempting to Smuggle Drugs into Fort Myers FacilityRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Leslie Spencer (49, Port Charlotte) to 30 months in federal prison for attempting to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances. Spencer had pleaded guilty on September 21, 2021.
According to court records, Spencer worked as a correctional officer at the Charlotte Correctional Institution’s offsite work camp located in Fort Myers. The FBI learned that Spencer was accepting payments from prisoners in exchange for smuggling contraband into the prison, including drugs and cellphones.
In March 2021, Spencer agreed to smuggle three ounces of methamphetamine, three ounces of MDMA, and two cellphones into the prison for an inmate working as an FBI confidential source. Spencer told the confidential source to make sure the items were packaged in a way that they could be discreetly brought into the prison. Spencer also told the source of additional steps that he would take to avoid security measures implemented at the prison to prevent employees from smuggling in contraband.
After the deal had been agreed to, Spencer met with an undercover FBI special agent posing as a supplier of drugs. The two met in the parking lot of a Fort Myers retail store, where the undercover agent provided Spencer with sham methamphetamine and MDMA, cellphones, and payment for the smuggling operation. Upon leaving the retail store, Spencer was arrested by federal agents.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.
Chittenden County Man Charged with Threatening State Officials and Members of Legal CommunityRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Josh Puma, 35, formerly of Chittenden County, was arraigned today in Burlington before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle on three counts of transmitting threats in interstate commerce to injure the person of another. Puma pleaded not guilty to the charges and Magistrate Judge Doyle ordered Puma detained pending trial.
According to court documents and proceedings, the instant charges involve allegations that Puma called a Vermont Department of Corrections reporting line and threatened to kill a state court judge, a defense attorney, and a state prosecutor and to sexually assault that same prosecutor. The calls were recorded, and Puma specifically stated that when he is released from jail, he will use violence and kill and maim those state officials, in addition to harming and killing other members of the legal community. Puma was recently ordered hospitalized by the state court due to mental health considerations.
If convicted of these offenses, Puma faces a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment on each count alleged in the Indictment. Any actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charges in the Indictment are merely accusations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Vermont State Police.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy Fuller. Josh Puma is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
UPDATE
The second paragraph of this press release was updated to reflect the allegations in the public record.
Chinle Man Sentenced to Prison for Assault and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Bo Channon Davis, 35, of Chinle, Arizona, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to 63 months in prison, with credit for six months he spent in tribal custody for this offense. He will also be placed on supervised release for three years after his prison term is complete. Davis previously pleaded guilty to one count of Assault on a Federal Officer with a Dangerous Weapon, one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
On July 28, 2018, Davis, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, threatened two Navajo Police Department officers with a rifle. Davis is prohibited from possessing a firearm because he is a convicted felon. The offenses occurred on the Navajo Nation in Chinle, Arizona.
The Navajo Nation Police Department and the FBI conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Cassell, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-8234-PHX-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-080_Davis# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Charleston Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with a thwarted Fourth of July 2021 murder scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, James Edward Bennett III, 31, was one of four men who armed themselves at a Rand residence on July 4, 2021, and drove to Charleston’s West Side where they intended to shoot another man. Alerted to the plot, police in marked cruisers converged on the area. The four men abandoned their vehicle in a Lee Street parking lot due to the increased police presence. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the vehicle and recovered four loaded firearms. Bennett admitted to possessing two of the firearms: a Taurus, Model G2C, 9mm pistol; and a Spike’s Tactical, Model SL15, .223-caliber pistol.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Bennett is prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions for: first-degree robbery on July 13, 2010; voluntary manslaughter on July 17, 2017; and unlawful wounding on August 21, 2019, all in Kanawha County Circuit Court.
Two of the three other men have admitted to roles in the Fourth of July 2021 incident. Brian Dangelo Terry, 37, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and to count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Treydan Leon Burks, 32, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Both men face sentencing on June 30, 2022. The fourth man, Douglas Johnathan Wesley, 33, of Charleston, is scheduled for trial on May 24, 2022.
The drug offenses arise from Burks’ and Terry’s participation in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Kanawha County. Of the 17 defendants charged in the DTO conspiracy, 11 others have also pleaded guilty: Ramon David Alston, Jonathan Gregory Bush, Kaitlyn Brooke Combs, Kelly Cordle, Denise Marie Cottrill, Shane Kelly Fulkerson, Brittany Frances Gilbert, Angie Lane Harbour, Scott Edward Hudson, Jason Robert Oxley, and Michael Antonio Smith. Timothy Wayne Dodd was convicted on March 24, 2022, following a two-day jury trial. In addition to Wesley, Leo Antoine Smith, 38, of Cross Lanes, also faces trial on May 24, 2022.
“The collaborative approach of our law enforcement partners allowed for a quick response that averted a real potential for bloodshed,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) for their excellent investigative work in this case.”
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks prosecuted the case.
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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-172, 2:21-cr-00171, and 2:21-cr-00211.
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Central Falls Men Sentenced for Roles in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Two men from Central Falls who played integral roles in a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) that shipped dozens of kilos of cocaine into Rhode Island through the U.S. Postal Service were sentenced today to federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
George Mojica, 42, and Angel Delgado, 25, were sentenced to serve seven years and five years respectively. The two men previously admitted to the court that they retrieved numerous packages delivered to residences around Rhode Island, each containing a kilo or more of cocaine. United States Postal Inspection Service agents determined that sender and recipient names on the packages were not associated with the delivery addresses listed on the packages.
According to court documents, numerous packages were intercepted by U.S Postal Service Inspectors and DEA and found to each contain significant quantities of cocaine. Based on the packages seized; the known size and weights of many of the parcels not intercepted; and positive K9 alerts on packaging materials discarded by DTO members, the DTO is believed to have shipped and/or attempted to ship approximately 51 kilos of cocaine to Rhode Island between January 2018 and December 2019.
Mojica pled guilty on December 7, 2021, to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine; and possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 84 months in federal prison to be followed by 4 years of federal supervised release.
Delgado pleaded guilty on January 7, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge McElroy to 60 months of incarceration to be followed by 5 years of federal supervised release.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton.
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Carjacking Suspects Facing Federal Charges After Multi-Agency PursuitRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Three Nashville, Tennessee, men and a Nashville woman are facing federal charges following a multi-agency pursuit that began in Nashville and ended in Clarksville, Tenn., announced U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Javon Kelly, 20, Juan Rodriguez, 19, I’yendale Byrd, 18, and Armesia Newsom, 18, were charged Friday in a criminal complaint with carjacking and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to the criminal complaint, on May 11, 2022, Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) TITANS Unit detectives were conducting surveillance in the area of the Cumberland Pointe Apartments, after receiving information from the FBI of a planned shooting, which was to be carried out by a member of the Vice Lords Gang. Detectives observed Kelly and Rodriguez, who were armed with handguns, enter a vehicle driven by Newsom and also occupied by Byrd. Detectives continued surveillance of the car as it travelled in a reckless manner on Buena Vista Pike.
A MNPD detective attempted to stop the car, but it fled into Montgomery County and struck a light pole in Clarksville, after which the suspects fled on foot. While being pursued by Clarksville Police officers, the suspects approached a Chevrolet Silverado truck, pointed their guns at the driver and ordered him from the truck. The suspects then entered the truck and fled again, before crashing in Clarksville and being apprehended. At the time of the arrest, five firearms were recovered from the suspects.
If convicted, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years, and up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Wildasin commended the cooperative effort of all agencies in the apprehension of these defendants, including the FBI; the MNPD TITANS Team and Aviation Unit; the Tennessee Highway Patrol Aviation Unit; and the Clarksville Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Brantley is prosecuting the case.
The charges are merely accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Cody Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that PHILLIP AARON DOBBINS, 44, of Cody, Wyoming pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Dobbins appeared for a change of plea hearing before United States District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on May 9, 2022. Sentencing is set for July 28, 2022.
Dobbins faces a maximum sentence of 5 to 40 years’ imprisonment, four years to life of supervised release, up to $5 million in fines and a $100 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, the Cody Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Forwood is prosecuting the case.
Case No. 21-cr-84-NDF
Casper Man Sentenced to 45 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that DANIEL HENDRICKS, age 33, of Casper, Wyoming was sentenced on four counts of production of child pornography. Hendricks appeared for a sentencing hearing before Chief United States Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on May 10, 2022. Hendricks was sentenced to a total of 540 months’ imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $500 pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018, and a $400 special assessment.
Daniel Hendricks came to the attention of law enforcement when Facebook reported that he was sharing child pornography on its platform. The Wyoming Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force acted swiftly to execute search warrants on Hendricks’ home and devices. Forensic analysis revealed he had been sexually abusing an infant victim for the purpose of creating and distributing videos and photographs of that conduct.
“I am extremely proud of the collaborative effort between local, state and federal agencies in this case,” said United States Attorney Bob Murray. “The exploitation of children is reprehensible, and the highly skilled and dedicated special agents who investigate child exploitation crimes help us ensure that we can identify and arrest perpetrators while protecting our most vulnerable population, our children."
This crime was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Christyne M. Martens prosecuted the case.
Case No. 21-cr-00133-SWS
21 May 2022
Latham Man Charged with Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Scott Weinbloom, age 47, of Latham, New York, was ordered detained yesterday on a charge of possessing child pornography.
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).
According to the complaint, Weinbloom possessed images and videos of child pornography on an encrypted thumb drive located at his residence on May 18, 2022.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Weinbloom had a detention hearing yesterday before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and was ordered detained pending trial. If convicted of possessing child pornography, Weinbloom faces up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes investigators from the New York State Police and Colonie Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Segovia.
This case is being prosecuted 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.