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16 May 2022
U.S. Attorney Sandra Hairston Recognizes Law Enforcement Partners for National Police WeekRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, NC - In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston will recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement. This year, the week is officially observed Wednesday, May 11 through Tuesday, May 17, 2022, and events are planned in the district from May 10 to May 19.
“This week, we gather to pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives in service to our country,” said Attorney General Garland. “We remember the courage with which they worked and lived. And we recommit ourselves to the mission to which they dedicated their lives. On behalf of a grateful Justice Department and a grateful nation, I extend my sincerest thanks and gratitude to the entire law enforcement community.”
“The law enforcement partners we have on the local, state, and federal levels in the Middle District of North Carolina are among the best in the nation,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra Hairston. “Every day, these men and women serve their communities with the utmost dignity and respect, often putting themselves in harm’s way for public safety. We thank them for their service this week and honor those who lost their lives in the line of duty while protecting others.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 472 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2021. Of that number, 319 succumbed to COVID-19. Five officers died in 2021 from injuries sustained in the line of duty in the Middle District of North Carolina.
Additionally, according to 2021 statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 73 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2021 were killed as a result of felonious acts, whereas 56 died in accidents. Deaths resulting from felonious acts increased in 2021, rising more than 58 percent from the previous year. In 2021, unprovoked attacks[1] were the cause of 24 deaths significantly outpacing all other line of duty deaths resulting from felony acts and reaching the highest annual total in over 30 years of reporting. Additional LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website for the LEOKA program.
The names of the 619 fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial were read on Friday, May 13, 2022, during a Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C. Those who wish to view the vigil online, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/TheNLEOMF. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website.
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[1] An unprovoked attack is defined as an attack on an officer not prompted by official contact at the time of the incident between the officer and the offender. Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program.
U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. Recognizes Police WeekRead the Press Release
In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. will recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Wednesday, May 11 through Tuesday, May 17, 2022.
“This week, we gather to pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives in service to our country,” said Attorney General Garland. “We remember the courage with which they worked and lived. And we recommit ourselves to the mission to which they dedicated their lives. On behalf of a grateful Justice Department and a grateful nation, I extend my sincerest thanks and gratitude to the entire law enforcement community.”
U.S. Attorney Gathe stated, “Law enforcement officers sacrifice so much for our community to keep us safe from the criminal element. I want to offer my appreciation for their tireless work, and I ask everyone to recognize their contribution to a safe society. Please continue to support law enforcement throughout the year and thank them for their service.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 472 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2021. Of that number, 319 succumbed to COVID-19.
Additionally, according to 2021 statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 73 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2021 were killed as a result of felonious acts, whereas 56 died in accidents. Deaths resulting from felonious acts increased in 2021, rising more than 58 percent from the previous year. In 2021, unprovoked attacks[1] were the cause of 24 deaths significantly outpacing all other line of duty deaths resulting from felony acts and reaching the highest annual total in over 30 years of reporting. Additional LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website for the LEOKA program.
The names of the 619 fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Friday, May 13, 2022, during a Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., starting at 8:00 PM EDT. Those who wish to view the vigil live online, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/TheNLEOMF. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website.
[1] An unprovoked attack is defined as an attack on an officer not prompted by official contact at the time of the incident between the officer and the offender. Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program.
U.s. Attorney Chung Joins Attorney General Garland in Recognizing Police WeekRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH— In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney Cindy Chung will recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement.
“The men and women who protect our communities have not just devoted their lives to public service, they’ve taken an oath to give their lives to guarantee our safety,” stated U.S. Attorney Chung. “We here at the USAO could not do our work without the hard work, collaboration, and sharing of information from our Western Pennsylvania law enforcement partners. Our Chiefs, deputies, troopers, and officers not only react to crime but disrupt and de-escalate tense and potentially violent situations. They also engage with their communities to build positive relationships with the citizens they serve.”
U.S. Attorney Chung today visited the Western Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Officer Memorial on Pittsburgh’s North Shore to place a wreath in honor of those who have sacrificed their lives for their communities. She also presented commendations to officers from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and tactical medics involved in de-escalation efforts. On May 19th, U.S. Attorney Chung will visit the Warren County Sheriff’s Department to honor a Deputy Sheriff for de-escalating a standoff stemming from a domestic violence incident. Later that evening, she will attend the Beaver County Police Memorial Ceremony Candlelight Vigil at sundown. On May 20th in the morning, she will recognize four individuals involved in the investigation and prosecution of a Brownsville man for producing and possessing images of his sexual assault of children.
“This week, we gather to pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives in service to our country,” said Attorney General Garland. “We remember the courage with which they worked and lived. And we recommit ourselves to the mission to which they dedicated their lives. On behalf of a grateful Justice Department and a grateful nation, I extend my sincerest thanks and gratitude to the entire law enforcement community.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 472 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2021. Of that number, 319 succumbed to COVID-19.
Additionally, according to 2021 statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 73 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2021 were killed as a result of felonious acts, whereas 56 died in accidents. Deaths resulting from felonious acts increased in 2021, rising more than 58 percent from the previous year. In 2021, unprovoked attacks[1] were the cause of 24 deaths significantly outpacing all other line of duty deaths resulting from felony acts and reaching the highest annual total in over 30 years of reporting. Additional LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website for the LEOKA program.
The names of the 619 fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial were read on Friday, May 13, 2022, during a Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website.
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[1] An unprovoked attack is defined as an attack on an officer not prompted by official contact at the time of the incident between the officer and the offender. Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program.
Two Years in Federal Prison for Drug User with a Loaded Handgun in Dubuque Cell Phone Store BathroomRead the Press Release
A man who was found under the influence of methamphetamine in a Dubuque cell phone store bathroom with a loaded handgun was sentenced May 12, 2022, to two years in federal prison.
Austin Matthew Oberbroeckling, age 27, from Farley, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 5, 2022 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user.
In a plea agreement, Oberbroeckling admitted that, in August 2019, the Dubuque Police Department received a call of a suspicious individual at a Dubuque cell phone store. A responding officer arrived and found Oberbroeckling inside the bathroom near the sink. A .40 caliber handgun loaded with 14 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber was located on the tank of the toilet. Oberbroeckling had red and watery eyes, poor balance, and seemed to be lethargic and twitching. His Blood Alcohol Content was only .01, but later testing of his urine determined that Oberbroeckling had methamphetamine and biproducts of heroin and fentanyl in his system.
Oberbroeckling also admitted in the plea agreement that in August 2021 he was present at a hotel in Dubuque where drug paraphernalia was seen by hotel staff. When hotel staff told Oberbroeckling that the police would be called, Oberbroeckling and another occupant took some items and left the hotel. Hotel staff, and then police, found two shotguns in the room and various items of drug paraphernalia. Police found Oberbroeckling’s vehicle still parked outside the hotel the next day and obtained a search warrant for it. Inside the vehicle officers found a bag containing a shotgun with a shortened (sawed-off) barrel. Oberbroeckling admitted he possessed the sawed-off shotgun found in his vehicle.
Oberbroeckling was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Oberbroeckling 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.
Oberbroeckling is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21‑CR‑1026‑CJW‑MAR.
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Two New Yorkers plead guilty in scheme to bribe Amazon employees for inside information and platform manipulationRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two significant players in a scheme to bribe Amazon employees and contractors pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to various federal charges, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Joseph Nilsen, 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit violations of the Travel Act and filing a false tax return. Kristen Leccese, 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit violations of the Travel Act. Both are New York residents. Sentencings are scheduled for September 9, 2022, before the Honorable Richard A. Jones.
In all, three of six defendants have now pleaded guilty in a multimillion-dollar scheme to manipulate the Amazon Marketplace.
According to the plea agreements filed in the case, Nilsen, Leccese and their associates conspired to pay bribes to get Amazon employees and contractors to misuse their access to Amazon networks and confidential information. They sought to obtain various unfair competitive advantages for certain merchants on the Amazon Marketplace by, among other things, interfering with Amazon’s ability to monitor the safety and authenticity of goods sold and impairing the accuracy of information posted on the Marketplace. In the two plea agreements, Nilsen and Leccese admit they conspired to pay bribes: to obtain confidential Amazon business information; to get suspended third-party sellers and product listings reinstated on the Marketplace; to circumvent Amazon restrictions and limitations on certain products; to gain access to restricted product categories by misrepresenting the source of goods; to manipulate customer reviews; and to surveil and attack other merchants and product listings.
Nilsen also pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return. In 2018 and 2019 he failed to file tax returns on behalf of his Amazon consulting company, and in 2017 he filed a false tax return significantly underreporting his and his company’s actual taxable revenue. For tax year 2017, he admits the tax loss to the U.S. is $44,178.
Conspiracy to commit violations of the Travel Act is punishable by up to five years in prison. Conspiracy to commit Wire Fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Filing a false tax return is punishable by up to three years in prison.
On February 11, 2022, defendant Rohit Kadimisetty was sentenced to ten months in prison and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine.
Two defendants, Ephraim Rosenberg, of Brooklyn, New York, and Hadis Nuhanovic, of Acworth, Georgia, remain scheduled for trial in October 2022. Defendant Nishad Kunju, of Hyderabad, India, has not been arraigned on the indictment.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), and the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Steven Masada and Nicholas Manheim.
Tucson Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Alien Smuggling Involving Flight from Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Andrew Ryan Lozinski, 30, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 30 months in prison. Lozinski previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens while Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Any Person.
On October 1, 2021, officers from the Nogales Police Department saw five suspected undocumented noncitizens climb into Lozinski’s car. A patrol officer called nearby U.S. Border Patrol agents who attempted to conduct an immigration traffic stop. Instead of stopping, Lozinski led agents on a highspeed chase, reaching speeds close to 100 miles per hour. At one point during the chase, Lozinski told the five passengers to get out, but two became entangled in a seatbelt and were dragged a short distance, resulting in injuries to each of them. Lozinski was eventually apprehended after officers used a spike strip and Lozinski crashed his vehicle into a fence on the side of the road.
Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol and the Nogales Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-2773-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-072_Lozinski# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Three Men Jailed and Fined for Illegally Wading into the Brooks RiverRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – Three men have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment and ordered to pay a total of $9,000 for illegally leaving the Brooks Falls viewing platform and entering a closed area of the Brooks River at Brooks Falls, Katmai National Park by U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble.
David Engelman, 56, of Sandia Park, New Mexico, and Ronald J. Engelman II, 54, and Steven Thomas, 30, both of King Salmon, Alaska, pleaded guilty to leaving the Brooks Falls viewing platform and wading into the Brooks River below Brooks Falls. While in the river, David Engelman was captured on a livestream camera taking selfies of himself in front of feeding brown bears. For their sentence, David Engelman and Ronald Engelman each received a sentence of one week in prison, a fine of $3,000 and one year of probation. Steven Thomas received a sentence of 10 days in prison, a fine of $3,000 and one year of probation. The $9,000 in fines were directed to be paid to the Katmai Conservancy, a non-profit that will administer the funds to the park for law enforcement and other purposes. In addition to these terms, each defendant is prohibited from entering any national park for one year.
In imposing the sentences, Magistrate Judge Scoble stated concerns of deterring others, the economic impact of tourism to Katmai National Park if someone had been injured or a bear killed for injuring one of the men. The court also noted the dangerousness of their conduct as well as the impact on those who witnessed the actions of the defendants and had their experiences in the park ruined by their actions. Magistrate Judge Scoble characterized the defendants’ actions as “drunken capering, and a slap in the face to those who were there.”
“The conduct of these three individuals not only endangered other visitors and wildlife officers at Brooks Falls, they also potentially endangered the life of the bears.” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “We are committed to working with Alaska’s National Park Service to ensure everyone who visits our parks can have a safe experience in seeing these magnificent animals in their natural habitat.”
“These individuals behaved carelessly and put themselves at great risk. Brown bears are fierce, territorial predators, especially when concentrated in order to feed on migrating salmon,” said Mark Sturm, superintendent of Katmai National Park and Preserve. “Things could have easily ended very badly.”
Katmai National Park and Preserve in southwestern Alaska protects over four million acres of land and coastal resources including the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes and the Brooks River area which is particularly notable for a rich habitat that supports one of the world’s highest concentrations of salmon and brown bears. The park and preserve also protects 9,000 years of human history integrated on the landscape and offers unique opportunities to explore vast wilderness and immense volcanoes, watch brown bears fish for salmon and trout, and many other activities.
The National Park Service, Katmai National Park and the National Park Service–Investigative Services Branch, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Skrocki prosecuted the case.
Starkville Man plead guilty to a scheme involving more than $6 million in COVID-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
STARKVILLE, Miss. – A Starkville man pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of more than $6 million in COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
According to court documents, Christopher Paul Lick, 47, of Starkville devised a scheme to defraud, and to obtain PPP funds, by filing false and fraudulent loan applications with banks providing loans as part of the Paycheck Protection Program. Lick admitted to overstating the number of employees and payroll expenses of his purported businesses to receive PPP funds. Rather than use the PPP funds for his businesses, Lick admitted to purchasing a home valued at more than $1 million and to using the PPP funds for personal investments in the stock market.
“The amount of PPP fraud and EIDL loan fraud committed in this district and nationwide is staggering,” stated United States Attorney Clay Joyner. “The CARES Act loan programs were intended to help small businesses and families struggling to survive during a difficult pandemic. Unfortunately, far too many individuals like the defendant abused these programs for their own personal benefit. Today’s guilty plea is a significant step in bringing to justice those who abused these programs, but it is only the first step. Our office will continue to prosecute violations of the CARES Act—large or small—in an effort to recover as many stolen taxpayer dollars as possible.”
Lick is scheduled to be sentenced on August 12, 2022, before Senior District Judge Glen Davidson and faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
The FBI’s Oxford Resident Agency is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Levy and AUSA Sam Wright are prosecuting the case.
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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
South Florida “Master” Sentenced to 50 Years after Producing Child Pornography of Boy Under 12Read the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A Lake Worth, Florida man and registered sex offender who produced child pornography with a Colorado woman with whom he shared a dominant-submissive relationship has been sentenced to 50 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. The Colorado woman was sentenced last year to 20 years in prison.
In November 2019, Robert Dunn and Tonya Bagley began chatting on social media and developed a consensual, online “master-slave” relationship. Bagley and Dunn, both in their early forties, agreed that Bagley would photograph herself performing oral sex on a young boy. Bagley, who was in Colorado, did so and sent the child sexual abuse images to Dunn in Lake Worth, Florida through a social media messenger application.
A CyberTip from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children led law enforcement to Dunn’s Lake Worth home on March 10, 2020. There, they found child pornography images on his electronic devices and learned of his relationship with Bagley. Bagley was arrested at her home in Colorado. In addition, the law enforcement investigation led to the rescue of a child.
On December 17, 2021, Dunn plead guilty in this case to conspiring to produce, producing, receiving, and possessing child pornography. Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman handed down Dunn’s 50-year sentence. Previously, Dunn was sentenced to serve six years in Florida state prison in a separate case in which he was charged with soliciting the parent of a child using an online message board.
On December 10, 2020, Bagley pled guilty in West Palm Beach federal court to conspiring to produce child pornography and transmitting information about a minor. On May 19, 2021, U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks sentenced Bagley to 20 years in a federal prison.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami, made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated the matter. Grand County Colorado Sheriff’s Office assisted.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller prosecuted the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney William T. Zloch handled asset forfeiture.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 20-cr-80069 and 20-cr-80085.
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Six men indicted for illegal firearms possession, drugsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Six defendants are among those facing federal charges including drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms after separate indictments by a grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia, while recent actions in U.S. District Court include guilty pleas and criminal sentences related to illegal gun possession.
The indicted cases are being investigated as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally carry guns.
“Our aggressive stance toward those who illegally possess firearms is a key part of our effort to reduce violent crime in the Southern District,” said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Identifying and removing illegally possessed guns from our streets automatically makes our communities safer.”
In the past four years, more than 755 defendants have been federally charged in the Southern District of Georgia for illegal firearms offenses – most often for possessing a firearm after conviction for a previous felony.
Defendants named in federal indictments from the May 2022 term of the U.S. District Court grand jury include:
- Davonta Johnson, 31, of Hinesville, Ga., charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, relating to a prior conviction for domestic violence;
- Melvin Jamarcus Lanier, 42, of Statesboro, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
- Quentin Van Walker, 34, of Dublin, Ga., charged with Distribution of Heroin; Possession of Stolen Firearms; Attempt to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking crime;
- James Wayne Cooper Jr., 37, of Waynesboro, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Jeffrey J. Haynes, 30, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and,
- Johnathan Nathaniel Heyward, 28, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Additional defendants recently have been adjudicated on federal charges that include illegal firearms possession:
- Derek Hayes, 51, of Savannah, was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession of Stolen Firearms. Savannah Police officers arrested Hayes after finding two pistols in his vehicle during an October 2020 traffic stop, and later determined the pistols had been stolen. Hayes has a 20-year history of arrests and convictions for violent crimes.
- Lannie Howard Morris III, 38, of Twin City, Ga., was sentenced to 110 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Morris escaped police after a December 2020 attempted traffic stop and chase, and then was arrested Jan. 26, 2021, by deputies from the Emanual County Sheriff’s Office after another brief chase. Multiple firearms were found in both vehicles after the incidents, along with drugs and other paraphernalia. At the time of his arrest, Morris was on parole from a previous state felony conviction.
- Larry Bennett Jr., 25, of Savannah, was sentenced to 44 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah Police officers arrested Bennett in January 2020 when they found him in possession of two pistols during a traffic stop.
- Asim Simmons Jr., 22, of Savannah, was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah Police officers arrested Simmons in January 2021 after a traffic stop when they found him in possession of a loaded pistol. At the time of his arrest, Simmons was on parole from a prior conviction for robbery.
- Joseph Deon Cuyler, 29, of Wrightsville, Ga., was sentenced to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. The U.S. Marshals Service and Wrightsville Police arrested Cuyler April 15, 2021, on an outstanding felony warrant and found him in possession of a handgun.
- Vesenta Cornelius Watson, 46, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number. Watson sped away from an attempted Richmond County Sheriff’s Office traffic stop in November 2021 and threw a duffel bag from the window of his vehicle. After taking Watson into custody, deputies retrieved the bag and found a pistol and illegal drugs inside.
- Thomas Kevin Robinson, 41, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah Police responding to a shoplifting call in April 2021 chased Robinson in his vehicle and on foot, and found a pistol that he had dropped while running.
- Pernell D. Scott, 33, of Hephzibah, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Scott after an October 2019 traffic stop when he was found in possession of a pistol.
- Akil Shawron Brown, 21, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment. Savannah Police officers charged Brown, who was out on bond pending adjudication of felony charges on the state level, after learning he was in possession of a pistol while being treated at a Savannah hospital.
- Michael Jordan Sharp, 30, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Sharp was on parole from a felony conviction on state charges for sale of methamphetamine when Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies and officers from the Georgia Department of Community Supervision found a pistol while searching his residence.
- Deon McWhorter, 36, of Brunswick, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Brunswick Police officers found McWhorter asleep at the wheel of his vehicle, which was parked in the roadway, in August 2020; while taking McWhorter into custody, offices found a pistol in his pocket.
- Shaquille Green, a/k/a “OC,” a/k/a “Scrill Rip Chop,” 28, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah Police arrested Green in October 2021 after investigating a report of a man brandishing a pistol during a youth football game.
- Timothy Mario Mitchell, 24, of Savannah, was sentenced to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah Police officers arrested Mitchell in August 2020 after a brief chase when a pistol fell from the waistband of Mitchell’s shorts.
- Joe Welcome, 34, of Pooler, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. During a September 2020 traffic stop, Savannah Police officers found two bags belonging to Welcome in a vehicle in which he was a passenger. One bag contained a loaded pistol, while the other held ammunition.
Agencies investigating these cases include the ATF, the FBI, the DEA, the Savannah Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the McDuffie County Sheriff’s Office.
The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by Southern District U.S. Attorney’s Office Assistant U.S. Attorneys, including Jeremiah L. Johnson, John P. Harper III, and Marcela C. Mateo, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Darron J. Hubbard, with firearms forfeitures coordinated through the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office Asset Recovery Unit.
Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense.
For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atf-form-4473.
Six Charged with Trafficking More Than 1,750 Pounds of Cocaine; Investigation Led to Discovery of Cross-Border TunnelRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorneys Lawrence A. Casper (619) 546-6734, Paul Benjamin (619) 546-7579, James Redd (619) 546-9661
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 16, 2022
SAN DIEGO – A federal drug investigation has resulted in the discovery of a sophisticated cross-border tunnel and charges against six people for conspiring to distribute 1,762 pounds of cocaine.
The subterranean passageway, stretching from Tijuana, Mexico to a warehouse in Otay Mesa just east of the Port of Entry, is estimated to be about 1,744 feet long, 61 feet deep and 4-feet in diameter, with reinforced walls, a rail system, electricity and a ventilation system.
The defendants include Mario Jaramillo of Huntington Beach; Adrian Enriquez of Perris, Calif.; Juan Cruz of San Ysidro; and Vanessa Ramirez, Luz de Luna Olmos and Manuel Perez of San Diego. All are charged with cocaine trafficking; Olmos and Ramirez are also charged with methamphetamine and heroin trafficking. In addition to the 1,762 pounds of cocaine, authorities seized 164 pounds of methamphetamine and 3.5 pounds of heroin.
READ the complaintThe tunnel was discovered just after midnight on Friday by U.S. law enforcement officials from Homeland Security Investigations who were conducting surveillance on a National City residence that was previously used as a stash house in a cocaine smuggling event on March 2. That event had resulted in the arrest of one person and the seizure of 28 kilograms of cocaine.
According to the federal complaint, at about 11:45 a.m., officials observed as Olmos and Ramirez drove away from that National City residence in a silver Nissan Frontier pickup truck to Harbor Freight Tools store in Chula Vista, where they retrieved large cardboard boxes from a dumpster and put them into the pickup truck.
The women then entered the Harbor Freight Tools store and purchased wheeled carts that are typically used to move heavy items, the complaint said. They later returned to the residence in the pickup truck and removed the boxes from the back of the pick-up bed and carried them inside the residence. At about 1:20 p.m., Olmos left the residence and drove to a Walmart store, where she purchased additional cardboard boxes and transported them back to the residence.
At approximately 2:30 p.m., Ramirez drove the pickup away from the residence to a warehouse located at 9986 Via De La Amistad, Unit A, in San Diego. The warehouse is approximately 300 feet north of the U.S.-Mexico border fence.
Ramirez drove the pickup into the bay of the warehouse and the roll-up door was shut immediately after. At approximately 4:40 p.m., the warehouse door opened. Ramirez exited the warehouse in the pickup and drove back to the residence with law enforcement conducting surveillance.
In the hours that followed, law enforcement officials saw five other cars come and go from either the residence, the warehouse or both. Those vehicles were ultimately stopped by law enforcement, drugs were seized from the vehicles and the residence, and defendants associated with the cars and or residence were arrested.
Upon searching the warehouse, agents uncovered the sophisticated cross-border tunnel exit point carved out of the cement floor.
“There is no more light at the end of this narco-tunnel,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “We will take down every subterranean smuggling route we find to keep illicit drugs from reaching our streets and destroying our families and communities.”
Grossman thanked the prosecution team, HSI San Diego Costa Pacifico Money Laundering Task Force, and its partners from the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Customs and Border Protection for their excellent work on this case. “This tunnel was discovered because of the patience and tenacity of federal agents who are passionate about protecting their communities from the scourge of drug addiction and related violence.”
“The San Diego law enforcement community has multiple investigative task forces that highly prioritize tunnel detection- exemplified by this tunnel discovery by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego led Costa Pacifico Money Laundering Task Force,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “The San Diego law enforcement community throughout the years has consistently shown its ability to detect and remediate tunnels while bringing those responsible to justice.”
There have been 90 subterranean passages discovered in the Southern District of California since 1993. Of those, 27 were considered sophisticated. The last tunnel discovered in the Southern District of California was in March 2020.
The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon by U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill Burkhardt.
The discovery of the tunnel resulted from an ongoing investigation by members of the San Diego Costa Pacifico Money Laundering Task Force, which include Homeland Security Investigations, San Diego Sheriff’s Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Customs and Border
Protection and the United States Attorney’s Office.DEFENDANTS Case Number 22mj01680
Mario Jaramillo 55 Huntington Beach
Adrian Enriquez 31 Perris
Manuel Perez 49 San Diego
Juan Cruz 48 San Ysidro
Vanessa Ramirez 31 San Diego
Luz de Luna Olmos 43 San Diego
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Count 1: Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine (all six defendants) – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841 and 846;
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and maximum of life in prison and $1 million fine
Count 2: Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine (Olmos and Ramirez) – Title 21 U.S.C. Sections 841 and 846;
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and maximum of life in prison and $1 million fine
Count 3: Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin (Luz de Luna Olmos & Vanessa Ramirez) – Title 21 U.S.C. Sections 841 and 846;
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and maximum of life in prison and $1 million fine
AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
San Diego Sheriff’s Department
United States Border Patrol
*The charges and allegations contained in a complaint or indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Sioux Falls Man Found Guilty of Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in the Death of Two Victims and a Drug Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Jeffrey Darnell Moore, age 53, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was found guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (heroin) and two counts of Distribution of a Controlled Substance (fentanyl) Resulting in Death, as a result of a federal jury trial in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on May 13, 2022.
Each charge of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison and/or a $1 million fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, per charge.
The charge of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or a $1 million fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Moore was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 20, 2020.
On or about November 2, 2018, in the District of South Dakota, Jeffery Darnell Moore, did knowingly and intentionally distribute fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and the distribution of said fentanyl resulted in the death of Victim #1.
On or about June 15, 2019, in the District of South Dakota, Jeffery Darnell Moore, did knowingly and intentionally distribute fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and the distribution of said fentanyl resulted in the death of Victim #2.
Beginning on a date unknown and continuing until on or about July 20, 2020, in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere, Jeffery Darnell Moore, did knowingly and intentionally combine, conspire, confederate, and agree together, with others known and unknown, to knowingly and intentionally distribute heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance.
Moore was also charged with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, but was found not guilty of that charge.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and sentencing will take place August 1, 2022. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Shreveport Man Found with Stolen Firearm is Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Lovoriss Montray Powell, 39, of Shreveport, was sentenced to 72 months (6 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
On May 9, 2020, a trooper with the Louisiana State Police stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation and Powell was identified as the driver and sole occupant. The trooper asked for permission to search the vehicle and Powell gave consent. During the search, the trooper found a loaded 9mm firearm under the driver’s seat. Powell was arrested and later admitted that he had put the firearm under the seat and knew that because he had prior felony convictions, he was prohibited from having a firearm. An investigation by agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) determined that the firearm was stolen. Powell’s prior felony convictions are for simple burglary (2000), accessory after the fact armed robbery (2001), illegal use of a weapon (2002), and domestic abuse battery (2010).
“This defendant has multiple felony convictions and chose to illegally possess a stolen firearm,” stated U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “Given the epidemic concerning the illegal possession of firearms in the Shreveport area, I want it to be clear that the United States Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute those who violate federal firearm laws and will seek sentences of imprisonment.”
This case was investigated by the ATF and Louisiana State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille Gilreath.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Shasta County-Based “Joined Inc.” CEO Pleads Guilty in Retirement Fund Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Maurice “Buddy” Shoe, 59, formerly of Palo Cedro, pleaded guilty today to one count of embezzlement from his employees’ retirement funds, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Shoe was the CEO of Joined Inc., a now defunct corporation based in Shasta County that provided student recruiting and retention services to Christian colleges and universities throughout the United States. The company provided a 401(k) retirement benefit plan for its employees. From February through November 2015, Shoe embezzled approximately $124,902.03 from the employee retirement benefit fund, protected under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), by withholding funds from employees’ paychecks for 401(k) contributions, but failing to forward those contributions to the 401(k) plan.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration, San Francisco Regional Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey Hemesath is prosecuting the case.
Shoe is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 8, 2022, by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb. Shoe faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Río Piedras Man Charged and Arrested for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – United States Magistrate Judge Marshal D. Morgan authorized a criminal complaint against 33 year-old Gilberto E. Raffols-Cuevas, a.k.a. “Tito”, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, with production of child exploitation material, coercion and enticement of a minor, possession of child pornography, and distribution of child pornography, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The arrest follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to court documents, from April 1 to April 28, 2022, Gilberto E. Raffols-Cuevas knowingly persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a female minor to engage in sexual activity. The man was arrested at his residence without incident.
The criminal complaint alleges that Raffols-Cuevas was having sexually explicit conversations with a 10-year-old female and that Raffols-Cuevas requested naked pictures from her. The victim sent pictures to the defendant and Raffols-Cuevas demanded more pictures and more sexually explicit. When the female minor did not comply, Raffols-Cuevas threatened that he would upload her images to his Instagram accounts and that he would share them with an unimaginable amount of people. The defendant also sent pictures of his penis to the female minor. Since the female minor did not comply with the defendant’s request, he sent pornographic material to another female minor.
Raffols-Cuevas had his initial hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Morgan on May 13. He was transferred to the Guaynabo Metropolitan Detention Center awaiting the outcome of his case.
If convicted, Raffols-Cuevas faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years up to 30 years in prison for the production of child exploitation material, and a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life, followed by a supervised release term up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant United States Attorney Daynelle M. Álvarez-Lora, of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit, is in charge of the prosecution of this case.
HSI is the principal investigative arm of DHS and a vital U.S. asset in combatting transnational crimes and threats. One of HSI’s top priorities is to protect the public from crimes of victimization, and HSI’s child exploitation investigations program is a central component of this mission. HSI is recognized as a global leader in this investigative discipline, and is committed to utilizing its vast authorities, international footprint and strong government and non-government partnerships to identify and rescue child victims, identify and apprehend offenders, prevent transnational child sexual abuse and help make the internet a safer place for children.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from online sexual abuse, visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardians.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Rosebud Man Charged with Escape from CustodyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rosebud, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Escape from Custody.
Marlow Poor Thunder, age 27, was indicted on May 10, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on May 12, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to five years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $250,000 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The indictment alleges that on March 29, 2022, following a furlough to attend a medical appointment, Poor Thunder failed to report to the Winner City Jail as ordered by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno.
The charge is merely an accusation and Poor Thunder is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem is prosecuting the case.
Poor Thunder was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Renton, Washington, resident sentenced to 16+ years in prison for murder in Olympic National ForestRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 25-year-old Renton, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 200 months in prison for second degree murder for the brutal beating death of a 21-year-old woman, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. The victim, a resident of California, had traveled to the Seattle area to meet up with Alejandro J. Aguilera Rojas. The two traveled to the Sequim, Washington, area on February 10, 2020. The murder occurred in the Olympic National Forest.
In his sentencing remarks U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle described the brutal nature of the crime and the wide-reaching devastation felt by the victim’s family. Speaking to Aguilera Rojas, Judge Settle noted: “if you take a life in the manner you took here, there will be significant consequences.”
“This cruel and coldhearted attack robbed a family of a young and vibrant daughter, sister and niece,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “Law enforcement, prosecutors, and our specially-trained crime victim advocates have worked diligently to get justice for the family of this young woman.”
According to records in the case, Aguilera Rojas was having a relationship with the victim–a relationship hidden from his wife and family. The victim had traveled to the Seattle area to visit Aguilera Rojas. The victim’s friends and family members reached out to Aguilera Rojas, who gave them conflicting information about the victim’s whereabouts. A friend of the victim reported her missing to law enforcement when she did not contact them after February 10, 2020. The victim’s body was found off a logging road in Olympic National Forest on February 14, 2020. There were signs she had been beaten and stabbed. A broken and bloody tequila bottle and knives were located near where the victim’s body was discovered. There was no identification on the body.
Law enforcement reviewed surveillance video at a Sequim convenience store and determined a woman and a man, later identified as Aguilera Rojas, had visited the store. Law enforcement was able to determine that Aguilera Rojas’ cell phone and the victim’s phone had been in the area of the murder on February 10 and 11 and that both phones had then travelled back to the area of Aguilera Rojas’ residence, after the victim had been killed and left in the Olympic National Forest.
The autopsy of the victim by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the manner of death as a homicide and the cause of death by multiple blunt and sharp force injuries.
Aguilera Rojas was interviewed by law enforcement on February 19, 2020. He made a number of different statements about his relationship with the victim and what had happened. Aguilera Rojas was booked into Clallam County Corrections where he remained until being taken into federal custody. Because the murder occurred on federal land in the Olympic National Forest, the case was prosecuted in federal court.
Aguilera Rojas pleaded guilty to second degree murder in December 2021.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, with significant assistance from the Washington State Patrol.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca S. Cohen and Ye-Ting Woo.
Previously Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A registered sex offender convicted in Rhode Island state court in 1999 on charges of first and second degree child molestation and sentenced to fifteen years to serve in state prison, was sentenced today to ten years in federal prison, following his conviction in federal court in October 2019 on a charge of possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
In January 2019, Peter R. Medeiros, 59, of Pawtucket, while on state probation, was found by the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) to have downloaded 268 image files of child pornography depicting prepubescent minors, some as young as infants, and images depicting sadistic/ masochistic/ violent sexually explicit conduct.
The ICAC Task Force was alerted to Mr. Medeiros’ online activities by virtue of a Cybertip Report sent by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Medeiros was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to 120 months in federal prison to be followed by lifetime federal supervised release. The court ordered Medeiros to pay $3,000 restitution to each victim depicted in the images he possessed that requested compensation.
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Pittsburgh Drug Felon Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court on Friday to 37 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction for charges of violating a federal firearms law, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Timothy Robinson age 26, formerly of the Brighton Heights section of the City of Pittsburgh.
According to the information presented to the court, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police officers observed a picture on social media that depicted Robinson holding a firearm with an extended magazine. Officers recognized the decoration of the hotel room where the photo was taken and proceeded to that hotel. They seized a stolen firearm equipped with an extended magazine during a search of the hotel room, and Robinson admitted that the firearm was his. Robinson is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony drug conviction.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Robinson.
Philadelphia Man Indicted for Armed Carjacking of Food Delivery DriverRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Arnell Moore, 18, of Philadelphia, PA was charged by Indictment with carjacking and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in the City of Philadelphia earlier this year.
Court documents allege that on the night of March 18, 2022, the defendant and at least two accomplices called in a food delivery order to an abandoned residential property in Northeast Philadelphia, and then carjacked the unsuspecting delivery driver at gunpoint when he arrived. The police recovered the stolen vehicle a few days later, and a subsequent search of Moore’s bedroom led to the recovery of the phone used to make the delivery order as well as a loaded semi-automatic firearm, which is alleged to have been used during the carjacking.
“The charges announced today against this defendant exemplify the type of rapid results we have promised to deliver through the Carjacking Task Force and the ‘All Hands On Deck’ initiative,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “As alleged, Moore and his accomplices set up an innocent delivery driver and stole his vehicle, which he relies on for his livelihood. Enough is enough – if you commit a serious violent crime like an armed carjacking in our city, you can expect the feds to show up on your doorstep.”
“ATF is standing true to our decree by holding violent offenders accountable,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Our mission is to combat violent firearm crimes, and this is exactly the type of case our task force is set out to investigate. If you commit a carjacking, you will be investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department, the ATF, FBI and our local, state, and federal partners.”
The swift action to investigate and federally charge these defendants is the result of the newly formed Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force, which is comprised of members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violent Crime Unit; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Philadelphia Police Department. The goal of the task force is to stem the wave of armed carjackings and violent crimes through investigative and enforcement techniques meant to identify and refer for federal prosecution all who terrorize innocent victims through commission of these offenses within Philadelphia and surrounding areas.
If convicted on all charges, the defendant faces a mandatory seven years in prison with a maximum possible sentence of life.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew T. Newcomer.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Orthotic Brace Suppliers Convicted in $6.5 Million Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Dallas, Texas, convicted the owners and operators of four orthotic brace suppliers in Texas and Arkansas today for a $6.5 million illegal kickback scheme, including violations of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bruce Stroud, 40, Bobbi Stroud, 39, husband and wife and residents of Prosper, Texas, and Kenric Griffin, 52, of Frisco, Texas, jointly owned and operated four orthotic brace suppliers: New Horizons Durable Medical Equipment, Striffin Medical Supply, 4B Ortho Supply, and Grace Professional DME.
The evidence showed that between January 2017 and April 2019, the Strouds and Griffin, through their companies, caused approximately $12.5 million to be billed in claims to Medicare for unnecessary braces based on brace orders received in exchange for illegal kickbacks. Medicare paid the defendants approximately $6.5 million for those claims. The defendants concealed the scheme by entering into numerous sham agreements with purported marketing companies that characterized the illegal payments for doctors’ orders as “marketing” expenses.
The Strouds and Griffin were convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to offer and pay illegal health care kickbacks, and seven violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute. The defendants are all scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 7. Each defendant faces a total of up to 55 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham for the Northern District of Texas; Special Agent in Charge Miranda Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Dallas Region; Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno of the FBI’s Dallas Field Office; and Major William Marlowe of the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) made the announcement.
The HHS-OIG, FBI, and MFCU investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Carlos A. López and Darren C. Halverson of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 24 federal districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $19 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Oklahoma City Hospital Pays over $1.1 Million to Settle Allegations of Submitting False Claims to MedicareRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Heart Hospital South, LLC ("OHHS"), has paid $1,151,770.50 to settle civil claims stemming from allegations it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to Medicare, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.
OHHS is an Oklahoma limited liability company that owns and operates the Oklahoma Heart Hospital South, which is an acute care hospital located in Oklahoma City. Following an internal review and audit, OHHS discovered irregularities regarding its billing of certain services, and proactively contacted the United States to self-disclose the issues. Thereafter, the United States investigated the disclosures and issues raised by OHHS. Throughout the investigation, and to its credit, OHHS cooperated with the United States Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General in the investigation.
The voluntary disclosure and investigation revealed that from June 1, 2013, through May 31, 2019, OHHS submitted claims to Medicare for Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation ("ICR") services provided to Medicare beneficiaries. Before billing Medicare for these services, OHHS was required to have a physician complete and sign an individualized treatment plan ("ITP") for the patient. If the patient was going to receive ICR for longer than 30 days, a physician must complete and sign updates to the ITP every 30 days thereafter. The United States alleges that claims for ICR services submitted by OHHS to Medicare for payment violated the False Claims Act because a physician did not complete and/or sign ITPs and/or ITP updates for certain Medicare beneficiaries.
To resolve the claims, OHHS agreed to pay $1,151,770.50 to the United States. In reaching this settlement, OHHS did not admit liability, and the government did not make any concessions about the legitimacy of the claims. The agreement allows the parties to avoid the delay, expense, inconvenience, and uncertainty involved in litigating the case.
This case was investigated by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald R. Gallegos and Scott Maule prosecuted the case.
North Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA —Deontrae Clyde Smalls, 37, of North Charleston, has pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and no contest to possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
Evidence presented to the Court revealed that Smalls was stopped by Charleston County Sheriff’s Office deputies after running a red light. Smalls was the sole occupant of the vehicle, and deputies immediately smelled marijuana when they approached the driver’s side window. After searching the vehicle, deputies found a loaded .40 caliber handgun and marijuana, packaged in 26 small bags, inside the dashboard of the vehicle. Smalls also had more than $1,000 in cash in his pocket at the time of arrest. Smalls is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a prior drug distribution conviction for which he served five years. During the stop, Smalls told deputies he knew he was not supposed to possess a gun.
Smalls faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks accepted the plea and will sentence Smalls after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Charleston County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Orville is prosecuting the case.
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New York Doctor Admits Buying and Selling Oncology Medication for ProfitRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New York doctor today admitted using his medical license – and allowing others to use his medical license – to purchase prescription oncology medications under false pretenses for the purpose of selling them for profit, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Jon Paul Dadaian, 53, of New York, a board-certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an information charging him with unlawfully selling prescription cancer medication, which had been previously purchased using his medical license and under the representation that such medication was to be used to treat his patients.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
While operating his medical practice in Elmwood, New Jersey, Dadaian befriended two individuals who owned and operated two businesses that were wholesale distributors of prescription drugs. At the request of these individuals, and in return for approximately $130,500 in payments, Dadaian used his medical license – and allowed others to use it – to purchase expensive prescription drugs, primarily, cold-chain biologic infusion medications that typically are used to treat cancers, macular degeneration, and autoimmune diseases. By recruiting and using Dadaian and his medical license to purchase the drugs, the two individuals were able to obtain prescription drugs from the pharmaceutical manufacturers’ authorized distributors that they would not otherwise have been permitted to purchase. They were then able to sell them at a profit through their two businesses. By using Dadaian and his medical license to purchase their prescription drugs, these two individuals also obtained discounted community physician pricing for the prescription drugs with respect to some of the drug purchases. The discounted community physician pricing was based upon specialized discounts that the pharmaceutical manufacturers only offered to treating physicians and others similarly situated. The two individuals and their businesses would not have been qualified to receive this favorable pricing if they had attempted to purchase the prescription drugs directly from the pharmaceutical manufacturers.
In purchasing the drugs, Dadaian and the two individuals made numerous false and misleading representations to the pharmaceutical manufacturers and authorized distributors, including that Dadaian purchased the drugs to use to treat his patients, and that the drugs would not be resold or redistributed. In actuality, none of the drugs were administered to Dadaian’s patients, but were ultimately sold to customers of the two businesses for a profit. The scheme ran from June 2012 through April 2018, during which tens of millions in prescription drugs were purchased in Dadaian’s name and using his medical license.
The sale of prescription drugs purchased by a healthcare entity is punishable by a maximum of three years in prison and a $10,000 fine. In his plea agreement, Dadaian also agreed to make restitution for the full amount of any loss resulting from his offense. Sentencing for Dadaian is scheduled for Sept. 20, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations New York Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian G. McClune; and special agents of U.S. Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diana Vondra Carrig and Sara Aliya Aliabadi of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
New Acting First Assistant U.S. Attorney Named for the Middle District of GeorgiaRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary has named Shanelle Booker as the Acting First Assistant U.S. Attorney and Criminal Division Chief for the Middle District of Georgia, making her the first woman to serve as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney and the first Black woman to hold both positions for the District.
Acting First Assistant U.S. Attorney Booker will supervise the Criminal, Civil and Administrative Divisions. In addition, she will serve as the Criminal Chief, replacing long-time Criminal Chief and federal prosecutor Michael Solis, who has accepted a position with the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) within the Department of Justice.
“Acting First Assistant U.S. Attorney Booker is a selfless and dedicated prosecutor, who has demonstrated great leadership and judgement throughout her career seeking justice on behalf of all people. It is my honor to name her to this new role within the Office, where she will undoubtedly continue her legacy of seeking equal justice under the law for our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I also want to thank Michael Solis for 33 years of outstanding service to the Middle District of Georgia and wish him well on this new phase with the Department of Justice.”
Acting First Assistant U.S. Attorney Booker has served as a federal prosecutor with the Middle District of Georgia since 2015. During her tenure, she has prosecuted high-profile violent crime, child exploitation, sex trafficking, public corruption and fraud cases. She was promoted to Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division in 2020, and she also serves as the Office’s liaison for the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Task Force, a team that coordinates and enhances efforts to pursue criminal offenders who target and attempt to victimize senior citizens. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia, she clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Brian S. Miller with the Eastern District of Arkansas and was the Managing Attorney and Assistant Public Defender with the Brunswick Judicial Circuit Defender’s Office in Brunswick, Georgia.
A resident of Macon, Georgia, Acting First Assistant U.S. Attorney Booker is active in the community with a special focus on volunteering with young people, including mentoring juvenile girls committed to the Macon Regional Youth Detention Center through the Girl Squad Mentoring Program and working with Just the Beginning Foundation to inspire law careers among underrepresented students. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and is a board member of the Central Georgia Empowerment Fund, a philanthropic fund that seeks to build capacity and financial sustainability of non-profit organizations that serve the African American community and address the most pressing needs facing African Americans in the Central Georgia region.
Acting First Assistant U.S. Attorney Booker is an adjunct professor at Mercer University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, where she has taught criminal justice classes since 2020.
Acting First Assistant U.S. Attorney Booker received her Bachelor of Science, Magna Cum Laude, from Hampton University and her Juris Doctor from Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago, Illinois.
Mitchell Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Mitchell, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on May 12, 2022, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Mason Means, age 23, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Means was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 21, 2021, and pleaded guilty on December 3, 2021. The charge stems from Means, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, illegally possessing a Cobra, model CA-380, .380 caliber, semi-automatic pistol, which was found after Means came into contact with law enforcement in March 2021 in Pine Ridge.
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.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Means was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking, Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on June 10, 2021, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department observed several individuals engaging in what appeared to be hand-to-hand drug deals. When officers approached the group, Albert Walter Bratton, 26, attempted to flee on foot, but officers were able to apprehend him. After Bratton was taken into custody, officers recovered a Glock model 43, 9 mm semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine, which Bratton had removed from his waistband. Officers later recovered two baggies that Bratton possessed containing a total of approximately 10 grams of crack cocaine, divided into several smaller baggies for distribution.
Bratton pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz to one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. A sentencing date has not been set.
This case is the result of an investigation led by the Minneapolis Police Department, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Jacobs is prosecuting the case.
Mexican Springs man pleads guilty to manslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Quinten Smith, 22, of Mexican Springs, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty today in federal court to voluntary manslaughter in Indian Country. Smith will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Smith on Oct. 19, 2021. According to the plea agreement and other court records, on Sept. 24, 2021, Smith and other family members went to the home of the victim, identified as John Doe, to confront him for allegedly assaulting Smith’s mother. When they arrived at the home, a physical altercation ensued. During the fight, Smith stabbed the victim multiple times in the back with a pocketknife. Smith and the others fled the home immediately.
John Doe, who was also an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was found deceased in his home later that day. The killing occurred on the Navajo Nation.
Smith faces up to 15 years in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Navajo Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
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Methamphetamine death sends Great Falls drug trafficker to prison for 12 yearsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls woman who admitted to distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl to an individual, who then died of a drug overdose, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Brandie Rae Fulbright, 40, pleaded guilty in January to distribution of controlled substances resulting in death.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Judge Morris also ordered $815 restitution.
In court documents, the government alleged that on Aug. 23, 2020, Great Falls police officers were dispatched to a camper trailer where they found a man, identified as John Doe, deceased on a bed. Co-defendant Kent Fox was on the scene. Fox was friends with John Doe, had last seen him two days earlier and had gone to check on him.
The government further alleged that Fulbright, with Fox’s assistance, conducted a drug deal with John Doe two days earlier. As part of the deal, John Doe traded a stolen AR-15 semiautomatic rifle for meth and fentanyl from Fulbright. Fulbright then gave the rifle to Fox, and Fox returned Doe to his camper. A short time later, John Doe died from an overdose of meth and fentanyl that Fulbright had provided. Fox previously was sentenced to 14 years in prison for his conviction in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Great Falls Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Meth trafficking sends Shelby man to prison for five yearsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Shelby man who admitted to distributing large amounts of methamphetamine in the Shelby and Cutbank areas was sentenced today to five years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Joseph John Lequin, 65, pleaded guilty in February to possession with intent to distribute meth.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Lequin distributed a large amount of meth in rural Montana while on felony state probation. In January 2021, probation officers and drug investigators went to Lequin’s residence for a probation check and found him in a motor home on the property. A search of the motor home recovered multiple bags of meth. In March 2021, an individual was arrested with meth that the individual reported he had purchased from Lequin. Two subsequent probation searches of Lequin’s residence resulted in the recovery of meth. Lequin was arrested in December 2021 after a large bag of meth, determined to contain approximately 118 grams of meth, was found in his bedroom during the third probation search. Lequin admitted the meth was his and that he had planned to sell it.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan R. Plaut prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Members of Darrin Southall Drug Organization Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL –Two members of Darrin Southall’s drug trafficking organization were sentenced in federal court on May 13, 2022, making a total of six defendants sentenced thus far. Joining Southall, Eric Alonzo Windham, Terrance Santez Malik Watkins and Willie Demarcus Oliver were Shamartess Monique Whitsett, 26, and Randale Demorris Hinton, 40, both of Mobile. Whitsett and Hinton entered guilty pleas to the charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine in September of 2021.
According to court documents, Southall ran a continuing criminal enterprise involving the distribution of massive amounts of controlled substances in the Mobile, Alabama, area, and the laundering of drug proceeds through bank accounts and nominees. Court documents identified Whitsett as a courier recruited by Southall to handle and transport drug money in exchange for deliveries of cocaine and heroin. Hinton, Southall’s cousin, was a large-scale cocaine distributor who also manufactured and distributed crack cocaine. According to evidence adduced at Hinton’s sentencing hearing, Hinton also carried firearms to defend members of the organization and the drugs and drug proceeds generated through drug sales.
United States District Court Judge Kristi Dubose imposed a sentence of 135 months imprisonment in Hinton’s case. The judge imposed a sentence of 15 months in Whitsett’s case, citing her lesser role in the offense and the relatively short time frame of her participation in the massive conspircy. The judge further ordered that each defendant would also serve five years on supervised release following their imprisonment. As conditions of their supervision, each defendant will also undergo testing and treatment for drug and/or alcohol abuse, and they will be subject to a search of their persons and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that each defendant pay $100 in special assessments. Each defendant’s interest in a long list of seized property was ordered forfeited to the United States.
The case was investigated by the Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Saraland Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.Maryland Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Abuse and Traveling into the District of Columbia to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a MinorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Maryland man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and first-degree child sexual abuse of a minor, with aggravating circumstances.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division.
Christopher Ham, 48, of Largo, Maryland, pleaded guilty in December 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Trevor N. McFadden. Following his prison term, Ham will be placed on five years of supervised release. He also must pay $100,000 in restitution to the victim and register as a sex offender for life.
According to the government's evidence, Ham was identified during a law enforcement investigation into the sexual abuse of an eight-year-old girl. Ham entered into a relationship with a woman who resided in the District of Columbia, and who had access to the little girl. In October of 2019, he traveled from Maryland into the District of Columbia, where he took advantage of this relationship to sexually abuse the child.
Ham was arrested on April 6, 2021, and he has remained in custody.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. The FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department provided valuable assistance in the investigation.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Special Agent in Charge Jacobs commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Youth Investigations Division. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Bond and Amy E. Larson, who prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Traveling to Sexually Abuse MinorsRead the Press Release
A Florida man was sentenced today to life in prison for traveling from Florida to Vietnam to engage in sex acts with numerous Vietnamese minors he had met and communicated with over the internet.
Christopher Edwin Day, 52, of Saint Petersburg, pleaded guilty to two counts of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and two counts of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor into illegal sexual activity in February 2020. According to documents filed with the court and statements made in connection with Day’s plea and sentencing, on two separate occasions in 2015 and 2016, Day traveled from Florida to Vietnam to engage in sex acts with minor Vietnamese boys. According to court documents, Day flew back and forth to Vietnam under the guise that he was an English teacher, and some boys were lured to Day with promises of money and gifts while others were introduced to Day as their English teacher.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida, and Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Dumas of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa made the announcement.
The case was investigated by HSI agents in Tampa and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Trial Attorney Kyle P. Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Candace Garcia Rich for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org.
Leader of multi-state identity fraud ring sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: The leader of an elaborate multi-state fraud and identity theft ring has been sentenced to federal prison.
Kenson Hunte, 39, of Canton, Ga., was sentenced to 34 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Use Five or More False Identification Documents, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Hunte to pay restitution of $104,347.16, and to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Hunte led his codefendants into a theft and fraud scheme for no purposes other than to enrich themselves at the expense of innocent victims,” said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Prison time and the payment of substantial restitution will help hold him accountable for his crimes.”
Three codefendants – Sheryl Henderson, 39, of Norcross, Ga.; Colby Hart, 27, of Vidalia, Ga.; and Monique Laing, 23, of Atlanta – previously entered guilty pleas for their involvement in the scheme and have been sentenced.
With Hunte and the other two as passengers, Henderson was driving on State Road 27 in Glynn County on March 6, 2019, when a Georgia State Patrol trooper pulled her over for speeding. During a subsequent search, troopers found 44 fake driver’s licenses and identification cards appearing to have been issued in various states, with all of the cards using the personal information of other individuals.
Evidence presented in court showed that beginning in or about January 2019 through May 2019 in Jefferson County, in the Northern District of Alabama, Hunte and a co-conspirator used the fraudulently created identification cards to purchase cell phones and network contracts through a third-party retailer in a Wal-Mart store in Homewood, Ala. Hunte paid only a percentage of the cost up front for the phones and contracts, fraudulently purchasing approximately 127 phones.
The conspirator received employee commissions from the retailer and kickbacks from Hunte, while Hunte profited from the black market sale of the fraudulently obtained phones. The total loss amount from the conspiracy is $104,347.16 – the amount Hunte is ordered to repay.
“This sentence is the result of the determination and hard work of federal, state, and local investigators who aggressively pursue identity theft,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will continue to work hard to pursue any individual who greedily puts innocent people at financial risk for their own personal gain.”
The cases were investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Georgia State Patrol, with assistance from the Brunswick Police Department and the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Bearden and Northern District of Alabama Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin B. Mark.
Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft and Social Security OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to misusing a Social Security number to fraudulently obtain a Massachusetts ID and driver’s license as well as MassHealth benefits.
Manuel Alejandro Pujols Diaz, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Sept. 21, 2022. Pujols was indicted in September 2021.
Pujols used the name and Social Security number of another individual to submit fraudulent applications to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles in July 2016, August 2016 and September 2016. As a result, Pujols obtained a Massachusetts ID and driver’s license under the victim’s identity as well as MassHealth benefits.
The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison, which must run consecutive to any other sentence of incarceration imposed, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for the Homeland Security Investigations’ New England Field Office; and Joe Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, made the announcement today. The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security’s Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized field investigative group comprised of personnel from various local, state, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris, Deputy Chief of Rollins’ Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit, is prosecuting the case.
Justice Department Files Complaint and Proposed Consent Decree to Ensure Safety of Abbott Laboratories’ Infant FormulaRead the Press Release
The United States has filed a complaint and a proposed consent decree that, if entered by a federal court in the Western District of Michigan, would allow Abbott Laboratories (Abbott) to resume manufacturing powdered infant formula at its Sturgis, Michigan, facility but also would require the company to take specific measures designed to increase safety and ensure compliance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Good Manufacturing Practice Requirements.
“The actions we are announcing today will help to safely increase the supply of baby formula for families,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will vigorously enforce the laws ensuring the safety of our food and other essential consumer products, and we will work alongside our partners across government to help make sure those products are available to the American people.”
In a complaint filed May 16, the United States alleged that Abbott, Division Vice-President of Quality Assurance Lori J. Randall, Sturgis Director of Quality Keenan S. Gale, and Sturgis Site Director TJ Hathaway manufactured powdered infant formula under conditions and using practices that failed to comply with regulations designed to ensure the quality and safety of infant formula, including protection against the risk of contamination from bacteria such as Cronobacter sakazakii. The Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria can live in dry foods, such as powdered infant formulas, and can cause deadly sepsis or meningitis in infants. The complaint further alleged that FDA testing of environmental samples taken in February detected Cronobacter sakazakii in the defendants’ manufacturing facility.
Abbott has agreed to resolve the complaint in a proposed consent decree of permanent injunction. Under the proposed consent decree, which must still be reviewed and entered by a federal court, Abbott must retain outside expert assistance to bring its facility into compliance with the FDCA and good manufacturing practice regulations. Among other things, the expert will assist Abbott, under FDA supervision, in the development of plans designed to reduce and control the risk of bacterial contamination, and will periodically evaluate Abbott’s compliance with the FDCA, regulations, and the consent decree. The proposed consent decree also follows a thorough FDA inspection of the Sturgis facility and ongoing efforts by Abbott to address observations made during that inspection. The proposed consent decree sets out what Abbott must do to resume safely manufacturing infant formula at the Sturgis facility, which will help to mitigate the shortage of infant formula while also protecting public health.
“Federal laws regarding the safe manufacture of food, particularly food for infants, must be rigorously enforced,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The proposed consent decree underscores the Department’s commitment to protecting our most vulnerable citizens while also ensuring access to an essential product.”
“Parents who feed their babies formula must have confidence these products are safe,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten for the Western District of Michigan. “This proposed consent decree aims to protect one of our most vulnerable populations. My office is fully committed to supporting FDA and working with its partners at the Consumer Protection Branch to ensure manufacturers in our district comply with FDA’s safety regulations.”
“Today’s action means that Abbott Nutrition has agreed to address certain issues that the agency identified at their infant formula production facility in Michigan,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. “The public should rest assured that the agency will do everything possible to continue ensuring that infant and other specialty formulas produced by the company meet the FDA’s safety and quality standards, which American consumers have come to expect and deserve. We recognize the hardships that parents and caregivers have faced in obtaining infant formula and the FDA is focused on boosting the availability of the country’s supply of these products, including new steps regarding importation. We are also taking a look at the supply of infant formulas developed by manufacturers across the country and around the world to determine if a reallocation of their distribution can be made to help get the right product to the right place, at the right time.”
This proposed consent decree is part of the Department’s broader work to address the current infant formula shortage. As part of these efforts, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta sent a letter to state attorneys general today, urging them to use their state-law authorities to ensure that vulnerable families are not taken advantage of during this time, and encouraging them to contact the Department with any evidence of collusive price fixing, bid rigging, or market allocation. The Associate Attorney General’s letter can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/asg/page/file/1506016/download.
This matter is being handled by Senior Litigation Counsels Donald R. Lorenzen and Christina Parascandola of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Hull for the Western District of Michigan, with the assistance of Senior Counsel Claudia Zuckerman of the FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi.
Justice Department Files Complaint and Proposed Consent Decree to Ensure Safety of Abbott Laboratories’ Infant FormulaRead the Press Release
Note: View a copy of the complaint here. View a copy of the consent decree here
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN— The United States has filed a complaint and a proposed consent decree that, if entered by a federal court in the Western District of Michigan, would allow Abbott Laboratories (Abbott) to resume manufacturing powdered infant formula at its Sturgis, Michigan, facility but also would require the company to take specific measures designed to increase safety and ensure compliance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Good Manufacturing Practice Requirements.
“The actions we are announcing today will help to safely increase the supply of baby formula for families,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will vigorously enforce the laws ensuring the safety of our food and other essential consumer products, and we will work alongside our partners across government to help make sure those products are available to the American people.”
In a complaint filed May 16, the United States alleged that Abbott, Division Vice-President of Quality Assurance Lori J. Randall, Sturgis Director of Quality Keenan S. Gale, and Sturgis Site Director TJ Hathaway manufactured powdered infant formula under conditions and using practices that failed to comply with regulations designed to ensure the quality and safety of infant formula, including protection against the risk of contamination from bacteria such as Cronobacter sakazakii. The Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria can live in dry foods, such as powdered infant formulas, and can cause deadly sepsis or meningitis in infants. The complaint further alleged that FDA testing of environmental samples taken in February detected Cronobacter sakazakii in the defendants’ manufacturing facility.
Abbott has agreed to resolve the complaint in a proposed consent decree of permanent injunction. Under the proposed consent decree, which must still be reviewed and entered by a federal court, Abbott must retain outside expert assistance to bring its facility into compliance with the FDCA and good manufacturing practice regulations. Among other things, the expert will assist Abbott, under FDA supervision, in the development of plans designed to reduce and control the risk of bacterial contamination, and will periodically evaluate Abbott’s compliance with the FDCA, regulations, and the consent decree. The proposed consent decree also follows a thorough FDA inspection of the Sturgis facility and ongoing efforts by Abbott to address observations made during that inspection. The proposed consent decree sets out what Abbott must do to resume safely manufacturing infant formula at the Sturgis facility, which will help to mitigate the shortage of infant formula while also protecting public health.
“Federal laws regarding the safe manufacture of food, particularly food for infants, must be rigorously enforced,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The proposed consent decree underscores the Department’s commitment to protecting our most vulnerable citizens while also ensuring access to an essential product.”
“Parents who feed their babies formula must have confidence these products are safe,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten for the Western District of Michigan. “This proposed consent decree aims to protect one of our most vulnerable populations. My office is fully committed to supporting FDA and working with its partners at the Consumer Protection Branch to ensure manufacturers in our district comply with FDA’s safety regulations.”
“Today’s action means that Abbott Nutrition has agreed to address certain issues that the agency identified at their infant formula production facility in Michigan,” said FDA Commissioner Robert
M. Califf, M.D. “The public should rest assured that the agency will do everything possible to continue ensuring that infant and other specialty formulas produced by the company meet the FDA’s safety and quality standards, which American consumers have come to expect and deserve. We recognize the hardships that parents and caregivers have faced in obtaining infant formula and the FDA is focused on boosting the availability of the country’s supply of these products, including new steps regarding importation. We are also taking a look at the supply of infant formulas developed by manufacturers across the country and around the world to determine if a reallocation of their distribution can be made to help get the right product to the right place, at the right time.”
This proposed consent decree is part of the Department’s broader work to address the current infant formula shortage. As part of these efforts, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta sent a letter to state attorneys general today, urging them to use their state-law authorities to ensure that vulnerable families are not taken advantage of during this time, and encouraging them to contact the Department with any evidence of collusive price fixing, bid rigging, or market allocation. The Associate Attorney General’s letter can be found here:
/media/1222801/dl?inline.
This matter is being handled by Senior Litigation Counsels Donald R. Lorenzen and Christina Parascandola of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Hull for the Western District of Michigan, with the assistance of Senior Counsel Claudia Zuckerman of the FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi.
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Iowa City Man Sentenced to over Three Years in Federal Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A felon who possessed a firearm was sentenced May 13, 2022, to 37 months in federal prison.
Joshua Brown, age 49, of Iowa City received the sentence after a November 22, 2021 guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. At the plea hearing, Brown admitted that, on July 18, 2020, he knowingly possessed a pistol after having been convicted of two crimes punishable by more than one year of imprisonment. In a plea agreement, Brown admitted that the pistol was stolen and that its serial numbers were obliterated. Brown admitted he had prior convictions for unauthorized possession of an offensive weapon in Johnson County in 1995 and possession of a firearm by a felon in Cedar County in 1996.
Brown was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Brown was sentenced to 37 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.
Brown was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 21-14.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Prison for Role in Multi-State Drug RingRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced today to 12 years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed large amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in the Huntington area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Christopher Leon Vest, also known as “Nick,” 34, admitted that he participated in the conspiracy from the summer of 2020 to July 2021. Vest frequently obtained quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine to distribute to various customers in the Huntington area. Vest provided the drugs to customers on consignment and was aware his customers intended to redistribute the drugs. Vest also admitted that he operated two residences in Huntington as locations to receive deliveries and to distribute the drugs.
On July 29, 2021, Vest was arrested after an indictment was returned charging multiple individuals in the investigation and a search warrant was executed at his residence on that date. Law enforcement officers seized a number of items including four firearms and over $86,000 in United States currency. Vest admitted that he possessed the firearms and that the money constituted proceeds from drug sales. Search warrants were also executed at another residence operated by Vest. During that search, law enforcement officers seized over a kilogram of cocaine, 800 grams of fentanyl, and 450 grams of methamphetamine that Vest intended to distribute and two additional firearms.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force. The Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force consists of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office, the Hurricane Police Department and the Marshall University Police Department with support from the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus, Ohio also assisted in the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
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-109.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to 26 Years in Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced today to 26 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for attempted production of child pornography. Nicholas Wilds, 38, must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wilds admitted that he engaged in distributing child pornography using online chat rooms. Wilds messaged with a user of Kik, an online messaging application, and the two discussed sexually abusing young children. Wilds encouraged the other Kik user to take sexually explicit photographs of a child in the user’s care, providing graphic details with his requests. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant and found that Wilds possessed several hundred images of child pornography on his personal cell phone.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie White prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-5.
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Hotel Owner, Two Hotel Companies Sentenced for Sex and Drug Trafficking in Monroe CountyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON: The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Nazim Hassam, age 70, of Bartonsville, Pennsylvania, on May 13, 2022 to 60 months in prison and a $150,000 fine for drug trafficking offenses.
Judge Mannion also sentenced Om Sri Sai, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation, to five years of Probation for sex and drug trafficking violations and ordered the company to forfeit $2 million to the government. Judge Mannion also sentenced the Pocono Plaza Inn, formerly known as the Quality Inn, located in Stroudsburg, to five years of Probation and a $50,000 fine for maintaining a drug-related premises.
Hassam and the two hotel companies, along with co-defendant Faizal Bhimani, were convicted of sex trafficking and drug trafficking charges after a two-week jury trial in Scranton, Pennsylvania in October 2020.
According to United States John C. Gurganus, Om Sri Sai, Inc., a company that owned and operated a Howard Johnson hotel located at 1779 N. 9th St., Bartonsville, and Faizal Bhimani, the general manager of that hotel, were both convicted of Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, and Coercion and Aiding and Abetting the same, and Sex Trafficking Conspiracy, as well as Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Managing a Drug-Related Premises. The jury also found the Pocono Plaza Inn guilty of Managing a Drug-Related Premises, and Nazim Hassam, part-owner and Vice President of Om Sri Sai and managing shareholder of both hotels, guilty of Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and two counts of Managing a Drug-Related Premises.
The jury further found that all property owned by Om Sri Sai, Inc. was property that facilitated the company’s sex trafficking and drug trafficking crimes and was therefore subject to criminal forfeiture. The company reached an agreement with the government to pay over a cash forfeiture in the amount of $2 million as a substitute asset in lieu of the company’s property.
Bhimani was previously sentenced to 180 months in prison. Judge Mannion also ordered Om Sri Sai, Inc. to pay restitution totaling $277,630 to two sex trafficking victims. Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, restitution to victims is mandatory. The restitution in this case represents the value to the defendant and coconspirators of commercial sex services rendered, costs of future trauma counseling, medical expenses, and other costs incurred as a result of the trafficking.
These convictions marked the culmination of a six-year, joint investigation into sex trafficking, drug trafficking, and violent crime in Monroe County by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). This case began in 2014 with an FBI investigation into the Black P Stone gang, a set of the Bloods that was responsible for gun violence and drug trafficking in Monroe County at the time. Local agencies, including the Stroud Area Regional Police Department and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, joined the effort early on, and eventually expanded beyond the P Stones to uncover more widespread sex and drug trafficking in Monroe County.
The evidence at trial, presented through more than 35 witnesses and over 150 exhibits, established that the Howard Johnson Hotel in Bartonsville was a safe haven for criminal activity between 2011 and 2019. Bhimani, as manager of the Howard Johnson, made rooms available for sex traffickers and drug dealers, and at times took payment for the hotel directly from the proceeds of criminal activity. Hassam, Bhimani, and others placed criminal actors in the rear, first-floor hallway of the Howard Johnson to shield their activities from view from the street and from non-criminal guests. Evidence showed that Hassam accepted direct payment at times from drug traffickers and at times did not enter those individuals into the hotel’s computer records. Testimony established that Hassam was notified by employees of criminal activity, but instructed them not to call police. Police officers testified that Hassam’s hotels were considered high-crime areas and that they responded to at least six overdoses at the two hotels, at least one of which resulted in death.
Bhimani also traded discounted and free rooms for sex, which sex traffickers would direct their victims to provide. Dozens of women were compelled by multiple traffickers, sometimes called pimps, to engage in commercial sex in the hotel either by physical force, threats, false promises, or coercion, including through blackmail and drug addiction. Women who were addicted to heroin, crack, or other controlled substances were provided with just enough drugs to keep them working, and pimps used their addictions and the threat of withdrawal to control them. Several admitted sex traffickers testified at the trial, explaining how they used these various methods to compel women to sell sex and turn over all of the proceeds. Multiple survivors also testified that they were required to follow the traffickers’ rules, were forced to rely entirely on the traffickers for food, clothing, even hygiene products, and they were often punished for violations with violence, including sexual assault.
Bhimani was closely associated with several of these traffickers, the evidence showed, and knew of the methods used to compel the victims to have sex for money. Other employees at the hotel knew as well, and the evidence showed that at least two other employees engaged in sex with victims, including Hassam. Bhimani also warned sex traffickers and drug dealers when law enforcement were present at the hotel, including during the manhunt for Eric Frein in 2014. Several admitted sex traffickers and drug dealers testified to successfully evading detection by police thanks to warnings from Bhimani. The hotel allowed known criminals to check in under assumed names or even street names, and Bhimani and Hassam both took steps to obstruct police efforts to locate suspects.
The Court found that Hassam knew about the criminal activity at his hotels, directed employees not to turn drug dealers and drug users away, and actively allowed criminal actors to rent rooms at the hotels so he could make money. The Court also concluded that Hassam testified falsely at trial and enhanced his sentencing guidelines accordingly for Obstruction of Justice.
In all, forty defendants have been convicted federally as a result of this investigation, many of whom trafficked women and drugs in the Bartonsville Howard Johnson and the Pocono Plaza Inn. Other defendants have been charged and convicted in state courts. The investigation has resulted in the dismantlement of the P Stones as well as a second gang, the Brick City Brims, and the disruption of two more, the Blood Stone Villains and the Bloodhound Brims. Investigators have seized multiple kilograms of heroin and cocaine, as well as quantities of fentanyl, cocaine base (“crack”), methamphetamine, marijuana, and MDMA (“molly”), and took at least 10 illegal firearms off the streets.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Stroud Area Regional Police Department, the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, and the Pennsylvania State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean A. Camoni and Jenny Roberts.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Harrison County man admits to traveling overseas for underage sexRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Douglas Owen Law, of Spelter, West Virginia, is facing up to 30 years in prison for traveling to the Philippines to have sex with a minor, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Law, 60, pleaded guilty to one count of “Sex Tourism.” Law admitted to traveling to the Philippines to engage in sexual contact with a child. During the plea hearing, an agent testified that Law made at least 10 trips to the Philippines from 2014 to 2019. During a May 2019 trip, Law was introduced to a 14-year-old girl with whom he engaged in sexual intercourse in a hotel room. Law corresponded extensively with her via social media from his home in West Virginia. He would send money in exchange for sexually explicit video and pictures.
Law faces up to 30 years of incarceration and fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Hardy County man sentenced for role in drug trafficking operationRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Kenneth Allan Evans, of Moorefield, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 50 months of incarceration for his role in a drug distribution operation, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Evans, 49, pleaded guilty in March 2021 to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Evans admitted to having more than five grams of methamphetamine, also known as “crystal meth” or “ice,” in August 2018 in Hardy County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Moorefield Police Department investigated. The task force consists of the FBI, the West Virginia State Police, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser Police Department.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Find the related case here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/hardy-county-man-appears-drug-charges
Hacker and Ransomware Designer Charged for Use and Sale of Ransomware, and Profit Sharing Arrangements with CybercriminalsRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, charging Moises Luis Zagala Gonzalez (Zagala), also known as “Nosophoros,” “Aesculapius” and “Nebuchadnezzar,” a citizen of France and Venezuela who resides in Venezuela, with attempted computer intrusions and conspiracy to commit computer intrusions. The charges stem from Zagala’s use and sale of ransomware, as well as his extensive support of, and profit sharing arrangements with, the cybercriminals who used his ransomware programs.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges.
“As alleged, the multi-tasking doctor treated patients, created and named his cyber tool after death, profited from a global ransomware ecosystem in which he sold the tools for conducting ransomware attacks, trained the attackers about how to extort victims, and then boasted about successful attacks, including by malicious actors associated with the government of Iran,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Combating ransomware is a top priority of the Department of Justice and of this Office. If you profit from ransomware, we will find you and disrupt your malicious operations.”
"We allege Zagala not only created and sold ransomware products to hackers, but also trained them in their use. Our actions today will prevent Zagala from further victimizing users. However, many other malicious criminals are searching for businesses and organizations that haven't taken steps to protect their systems - which is an incredibly vital step in stopping the next ransomware attack," stated Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
As charged in the criminal complaint, Zagala, a 55-year-old cardiologist who resides in Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela, has designed multiple ransomware tools—malicious software that cybercriminals use to extort money from companies, nonprofits and other institutions, by encrypting those files and then demanding a ransom for the decryption keys. Zagala sold or rented out his software to hackers who used it to attack computer networks.
One of Zagala’s early products, a ransomware tool called “Jigsaw v. 2,” had, in Zagala’s description, a “Doomsday” counter that kept track of how many times the user had attempted to eradicate the ransomware. Zagala wrote: “If the user kills the ransomware too many times, then its clear he won’t pay so better erase the whole hard drive.”
Beginning in late 2019, Zagala began advertising a new tool online—a “Private Ransomware Builder” he called “Thanos.” The name of the software appears to be a reference to a fictional cartoon villain named Thanos, who is responsible for destroying half of all life in the universe, as well as a reference to the figure “Thanatos” from Greek mythology, who is associated with death. The Thanos software allowed its users to create their own unique ransomware software, which they could then use or rent for use by other cybercriminals. The user interface for the Thanos software is shown below:[1]
The screenshot shows, on the right-hand side, an area for “Recovery Information,” in which the user can create a customized ransom note. Other options include a “data stealer” that specifies the types of files that the ransomware program should steal from the victim computer, an “anti-VM” option to defeat the testing environments used by security researchers, and an option, as advertised, to make the ransomware program “self-delete.”
Rather than simply sell the Thanos software, Zagala allowed individuals to pay for it in two ways. First, a criminal could buy a “license” to use the software for a certain period of time. The Thanos software was designed to make periodic contact with a server in Charlotte, North Carolina that Zagala controlled for the purpose of confirming that the user had an active license.[2] Alternatively, a Thanos customer could join what Zagala called an “affiliate program,” in which he provided a user access to the Thanos builder in exchange for a share of the profits from Ransomware attacks. Zagala received payment both in fiat currency and cryptocurrency, including Monero and Bitcoin.
Zagala advertised the Thanos software on various online forums frequented by cybercriminals, using screennames that referred to Greek mythology. His two preferred nicknames were “Aesculapius,” referring to the ancient Greek god of medicine, and “Nosophoros,” meaning “disease-bearing” in Greek. In public advertisements for the program, Zagala bragged that ransomware made using Thanos was nearly undetectable by antivirus programs, and that “once encryption is done,” the ransomware would “delete itself,” making detection and recovery “almost impossible” for the victim.
In private chats with customers, Zagala explained to them how to deploy his ransomware products—how to design a ransom note, steal passwords from victim computers, and set a Bitcoin address for ransom payments. As Zagala explained to one customer, discussing Jigsaw: “Victim 1 pays at the given btc [Bitcoin] address and decrypts his files.” Zagala also noted that “there is a punishment… [i]f user reboots. For every rerun it will punish you with 1000 files deleted.” After Zagala explained all the features of the software, the customer replied: “Sir, I really need to say this . . . You are the best developer ever.” Zagala responded: “Thank you that is nice to hear[.] Im very flattered and proud.” Zagala had only one request: “If you have time and its not too much trouble to you please describe your experience with me” in an online review.
On or about May 1, 2020, a confidential human source of the FBI (CHS-1) discussed joining Zagala’s “affiliate program.” Zagala responded: “Not for now. Don’t have spots.” But Zagala offered to license the software to CHS-1 for $500 a month with “basic options,” or $800 with “full options.”
On or about October 7, 2020, CHS-1 asked Zagala how to establish an affiliate program of his own using Thanos. Zagala responded with a short tutorial on how to set up a ransomware crew. He explained that CHS-1 should find people “versed…in LAN hacking” and supply them with a version of the Thanos ransomware that was programmed to expire after a given period of time.[3] Zagala said that he personally had “a maximum of between 10-20” affiliates at a given time, and “sometimes only 5.” He added that hackers approached him for his software after they had gained access to a victim network: “they come with access to [b]ig LAN, I check and then I accept[.] they lock several big networks and we wait…If you lock networks without tape or cloud (backups)[,] almost all pay[.]”
Zagala further explained that, sometimes, a victim network turned out to have an unexpected backup: “so no point in locking because they have backups, so in that case we only exfiltrate data,” referring to stealing victim information. Zagala further added that he had an associate who “knows how to corrupt tapes,” meaning backups, and how to “disable[] AV,” meaning antivirus software. Finally, Zagala offered to give CHS-1 an additional two weeks free after CHS-1’s one-month license expired, explaining “because 1 month is too little for this business…sometimes you need to work a lot to get good profit.”
Zagala’s customers favorably reviewed his products. One individual posted a message praising Thanos in July 2020, writing “i bought the ransomware from nosophoros and it is very powerful,” and claiming that he had used Zagala’s ransomware to infect a network of approximately 3000 computers. And, in December 2020, another user wrote a post in Russian: “We have been working with this product for over a month now, we have a good profit! Best support I’ve met.” Zagala has publicly discussed his knowledge that his clients used his software to commit ransomware attacks, including by linking to a news story about an Iranian state-sponsored hacking group’s use of Thanos to attack Israeli companies.
In or around November 2021, Zagala began using a third screenname – “Nebuchadnezzar.” In chats with a second confidential source of the FBI (CHS-2), Zagala stated that he had switched aliases to preserve “OPSEC… operational security” because “malware analysts are all over me.”
On or about May 3, 2022, law enforcement agents conducted a voluntary interview of a relative of Zagala who resides in Florida and whose PayPal account was used by Zagala to receive illicit proceeds. The individual confirmed that Zagala resides in Venezuela and had taught himself computer programming. The individual also showed agents contact information for Zagala in his phone that matched the registered email for malicious infrastructure associated with the Thanos malware.
If convicted, the defendant faces up to five years’ imprisonment for attempted computer intrusion, and five years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit computer intrusions.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys David K. Kessler and Alexander F. Mindlin are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
MOISES LUIS ZAGALA GONZALEZ
Age: 55
Ciudad Bolivar, VenezuelaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-M-276
[1] On September 14, 2020, an FBI agent surreptitiously purchased a license for Thanos from Zagala, and downloaded the software.
[2] This server has been taken offline.
[3] “LAN” stands for “local area network” and refers to a computer network that interconnects computers within a limited area such as an office building.
Gang Member Sentenced to More Than 8 Years for Drug Trafficking, Role in Bridgeport Courthouse ShootingRead the Press Release
DESTINE CALDERON, 27, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 97 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in a Bridgeport gang, and his role in a gang-related shooting that occurred in front of a state courthouse in Bridgeport in January 2020.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Acting Police Chief Rebeca Garcia; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Calderon has been a member of the “Greene Homes Boyz” (“GHB/Hotz”), a gang based in the Charles F. Greene Homes Housing Complex in Bridgeport’s North End, whose members and associates distributed heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana and Percocet pills; committed numerous acts of violence against rival gang members and other individuals, and celebrated their criminal conduct on social media websites such as Facebook and YouTube. GHB/Hotz members and associates also committed acts of intimidation and made threats to deter potential witnesses to their crimes and to protect gang members and associates from detection and prosecution by law enforcement authorities. From approximately 2017 until August 2020, GHB/Hotz members were aligned with members of the “Original North End” (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport, against rival groups in Bridgeport, including the East End, East Side and PT Barnum gangs, as well as 150, which is a geographic gang based on the West Side of Bridgeport.
On October 1, 2020, Calderon pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity and admitted that he participated in gang-related drug trafficking, and that he was aware of the planning and was present in a vehicle when GHB/Hotz and O.N.E. members attempted to kill members and associates of the East End gang in a brazen afternoon shooting in front of a Bridgeport courthouse on January 27, 2020. At 12:11 p.m. on that date, Bridgeport Police responded to the area of 172 Golden Hill Street in Bridgeport after a Shot Spotter activation detected approximately 20 shots being fired in front of the state courthouse located there. Upon arrival, investigators discovered that four victims had been shot while sitting inside a black Chevrolet Impala. One victim was shot in the side of his chest and was left paralyzed and a second victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his back, shoulder and wrist. The victims’ vehicle had approximately 23 entry bullet holes in the driver’s side and windshield area.
Calderon also appears in YouTube videos and in social media posts promoting the gang.
Calderon has been detained since August 6, 2020.
This investigation is being conducted by ATF, the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Stratford and Naugatuck Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Stephanie T. Levick and Karen L. Peck.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
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.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Former school aid sentenced to federal prison for child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 43-year-old McAllen resident has been ordered to federal prison for receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Ramiro Vasquez pleaded guilty March 3, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane imposed a 121-month term of imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the amount of child pornography Vasquez had downloaded. The court also ordered him to pay $3,000 in restitution to each of the 20 identified victims. Judge Crane further noted Vasquez’s employment as an instructional assistant for a McAllen Independent School District elementary school. Vasquez must also serve eight years on supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Vasquez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
In January 2020, authorities began an investigation into child sexual abuse material sharing on the internet. This led them to Vasquez and his address in McAllen.
Law enforcement executed a search at his residence and seized multiple electronic and digital devices. During this time, they noted one of the devices was currently in the process of downloading child sexual abuse material. Forensic analysis resulted in the discovery of 8,601 unique images and 1,366 videos of child sexual abuse material.
Vasquez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations – Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Mitchell is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Former O.C. Physician Assistant Sentenced to Nearly 4 Years in Prison for Issuing and Selling Opioid Prescriptions to Known Drug DealersRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A former physician assistant at a Fountain Valley medical clinic was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison for conspiring to issue and sell prescriptions for oxycodone, a highly addictive opioid painkiller, without a medical purpose, to drug dealers, knowing the drugs would be sold on the street.
Raif Wadie Iskander, 56, formerly of Ladera Ranch, but who now resides in Ennis, Montana, was sentenced by United States District Judge James V. Selna.
Iskander pleaded guilty in November 2020 to one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone.
From 2018 to April 2019, Iskander, who was a licensed physician assistant in California, wrote prescriptions for purported “patients” he had never met or examined. Iskander provided to drug dealers multiple paper prescriptions that he had signed, but with the patient names left blank, to be filled in by drug dealers later.
In exchange for cash, Iskander wrote fraudulent oxycodone prescriptions for co-defendants Johnny Gilbert Alvarez, 42, a.k.a. “M.J.,” of Santa Ana, who sold the prescribed drugs on the street as well as to an undercover officer.
Iskander knew that the oxycodone filled from the prescriptions would be sold to drug customers who were not using the oxycodone for legitimate medical purposes and whom he had never met or examined.
Alvarez pleaded guilty in November 2021 to one count of distribution of methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Costa Mesa Police Department, and the California Department of Health Care Services investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Rosalind Wang of the Santa Ana Branch Office prosecuted this case.
Former Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Emergency Dispatcher Pleads Guilty to Producing Photos and A Video of Himself Sexually Abusing Two Young ChildrenRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced that Scott Matthew Yotka (47, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to two counts of producing photos and a video depicting himself while he sexually abused two young children. Yotka faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, and up to 60 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. Yotka was arrested on September 17, 2021, and has been detained since that time. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to court documents, on September 15, 2021, Yotka, using the name “Scottnjax44,” engaged in online private conversation using a particular social media application (app) with an undercover FBI task force officer in Washington, D.C. Yotka discussed his ongoing sexual exploitation of children in graphic detail, stated that he had access to two young children, and further that he enjoyed molesting them. Yotka sent the undercover officer several photos and a video depicting two prepubescent children being sexually abused by Yotka. The FBI traced this online messaging activity to Yotka’s residence and determined that the same “Scottnjax44” user account was also accessed from the offices of the City of Jacksonville located in the Ed Ball Building in downtown Jacksonville. FBI agents coordinated with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) and confirmed that Yotka was employed by JSO as a Police Emergency Communications Officer. On September 16, 2021, the FBI obtained a federal search warrant for Yotka’s residence.
During the early morning of September 17, 2021, the FBI, assisted by JSO, executed the search warrant and made contact with Yotka. During an interview, Yotka confirmed that he was the administrator of a chat room on the social media app for individuals interested in “incest fetishes, little kid things, [and] animal things.” Yotka admitted sending pornographic pictures of young children to another app user. He also admitted taking photos of these children as he molested them and used a particular object to sexually abuse them. Yotka stated “I know what I did” and “I’m not proud of what I did.” An FBI forensic examiner was able to recover from Yotka’s cellphone seven photos and a video depicting Yotka sexually abusing these two children.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville and Washington, D.C. and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This is another case 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.
Florida Man Sentenced to Prison for Traveling to Sexually Abuse MinorsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – A Florida man was sentenced today to life in prison for traveling from Florida to Vietnam to engage in sex acts with numerous Vietnamese minors he had met and communicated with over the internet.
Christopher Edwin Day, 52, of Saint Petersburg, pleaded guilty to two counts of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and two counts of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor into illegal sexual activity in February 2020. According to documents filed with the court and statements made in connection with Day’s plea and sentencing, on two separate occasions in 2015 and 2016, Day traveled from Florida to Vietnam to engage in sex acts with minor Vietnamese boys. According to court documents, Day flew back and forth to Vietnam under the guise that he was an English teacher, and some boys were lured to Day with promises of money and gifts while others were introduced to Day as their English teacher.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida, and Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Dumas of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa made the announcement.
The case was investigated by HSI agents in Tampa and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Trial Attorney Kyle P. Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Candace Garcia Rich for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.
“The laws of the United States will still catch up to child predators who even travel to foreign countries to sexually abuse minor children,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Dumas. “Thanks to HSI’s international investigative authorities and strong partnerships, both at HSI Tampa and HSI Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, this sexual predator was stopped from harming more children and his victim will have the justice they deserve.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org.
Felon Sentenced to over Seven Years in Federal Prison for Selling Firearms and Assaulting a Police OfficerRead the Press Release
A man who sold three firearms to a confidential informant and assaulted a police officer was sentenced today to more than seven years in federal prison.
Joshua Ray Hunley, age 36, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 27, 2021 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Information from a plea agreement showed that, in September 2020, Hunley, a convicted felon, sold two rifles and a shotgun to a confidential informant, who Hunley knew to be a felon and a methamphetamine user. About four months later, police officers saw Hunley outside a residence in Waterloo at approximately 11:30 p.m. As an officer was speaking with Hunley, the officer saw a small revolver on the ground by Hunley’s feet. The officer moved to detain Hunley, who tried to flee. During an ensuing struggle, Hunley hit the officer multiple times in the face and head before the officer managed to take Hunley into custody. Officers found $422 in cash, methamphetamine, marijuana, and ammunition on Hunley’s person.
Hunley was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Hunley was sentenced to 87 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.
Hunley 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 Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and the Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-2025.
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