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20 September 2024
- Quincy, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Distributing Methamphetamine
Queens Couple Sentenced for $380,000 COVID Unemployment Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – William Taylor, age 33, of Jamaica, New York, was sentenced to serve 36 months’ imprisonment for aggravated identity theft and conspiring with his girlfriend, Patricia Clarke, to commit mail and wire fraud. Clarke, 27, also of Jamaica, was also sentenced to 12 months’ and one day imprisonment for the conspiracy.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region (USDOL-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino; U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division (USPIS) Postal Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward; and New York State Inspector General (NYSIG) Lucy Lang made the announcement.
Taylor and Clarke used stolen identities to fraudulently obtain pandemic unemployment insurance benefits from the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL). They used the names, dates of birth, and social security numbers of at least 20 individuals to submit claims to NYSDOL. Based on those false claims, NYSDOL wired funds directly to accounts controlled by Taylor, Clarke, or both; and NYSDOL directed bank cards to be mailed to the addresses directed by Taylor and Clarke. In total, NYSDOL paid $381,815 on the claims submitted by Taylor and Clarke under the stolen identities.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also ordered both defendants repay $381,815 in restitution to NYSDOL; Taylor to forfeit $315,723 in criminal proceeds; and Clarke to forfeit $66,092 in criminal proceeds. Judge D’Agostino also sentenced both defendants to 2 years’ supervised release.
USDOL-OIG, HSI, USPIS, and NYSIG investigated the case, with assistance from the New York State Department of Labor’s Office of Special Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted the case.
Peshtigo Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on September 20, 2024, Zachary A. Zastawniak (age: 24) of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison by Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach.
According to court records, Zastawniak pled guilty to knowingly persuading a minor to send him a sexually explicit video. In his plea agreement and at the sentencing hearing, Zastawniak acknowledged that he had victimized numerous minors in Oconto County and Northeast Wisconsin by employing coercive techniques to force them to engage in sexual activity. Much of the coercive activity was accomplished using various social media applications.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Griesbach described the case as “horribly aggravated” and stated that Zastawniak repeatedly made “evil decisions” and engaged in “monstrous behavior.” Judge Griesbach also noted the bravery and courage of the victims, many of whom spoke at sentencing, when cooperating with law enforcement and ending the defendant’s criminal acts. Judge Griesbach also described Zastawniak’s prior involvement in similar crimes as “quite frightening.” Ultimately, the judge determined that a sentence of 300 months in federal prison was appropriate. Upon the completion of his federal prison sentence, the defendant will spend 25 years on supervised release. He will also have to register as a sex offender under state and federal law.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigations, the North Fond du Lac Police Department, Oconto Falls Police Department, Oconto Police Department, Oconto County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kingsford, Michigan, Department of Public Safety. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
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(414) 297-1700
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Orleans Parish Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Possession and DistributionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – THEODORE TARDIE (“TARDIE”), age 55, of New Orleans, was sentenced on September 17, 2024, by United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute, methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846, respectively. Specifically, TARDIE was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, TARDIE conspired with others to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine, within the Eastern District of Louisiana and elsewhere, on or about January 22, 2020, and continuing to on or about July 29, 2020.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, and the Kenner Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Lynn E. Schiffman and Nolan D. Paige of the Narcotics Unit.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Enticement of A Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity and Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Theron Charles Lord (36, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and production of child sexual abuse materials. Lord faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison for the production offense and a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for the enticement offense. Lord has also agreed to forfeit the cellphone that was used in the commission of the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Lord and a 15-year-old child victim (CV) met online and began messaging on social media platforms. The messages quickly became sexual in nature and spanned from March until August 2022. In April 2022, Lord drove to meet the CV for the first time and engaged in sexual abuse of the CV. Between April and November 2022, the CV and Lord met in person at least six times and sexual abuse occurred at each meeting. During these meetings, Lord recorded videos of the sexual abuse. Additionally, Lord caused the CV to record and send him specific videos of child sexual abuse material.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Rockledge Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Operators of Lux Living and Big Sur Construction and Chief Accountant Indicted on Wire Fraud Charges Involving Apartment DevelopmentsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two operators of St. Louis area apartment complex construction and development companies, along with their companies’ chief accountant, have been indicted and accused of conspiring to defraud the City of St. Louis Minority Business Enterprise and Women Owned Business Enterprise program to gain millions of dollars’ worth of City tax incentives.
Sidarth “Sid” Chakraverty, Victor Alston and Shijing “Poppy” Cao were indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis September 18 on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 11 counts of wire fraud. The indictment was unsealed Friday morning.
Chakraverty and Alston operate Big Sur Construction LLC, a construction management and development company and LuxLiving LLC, which primarily handled the development, brokerage, daily management, marketing and leasing of apartment complexes built by Big Sur. They also operate the entities which developed the Chelsea multifamily apartment development in the Pershing-DeBaliviere neighborhood of St. Louis, and the SoHo multifamily apartment development* in the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis.
Cao was the chief in-house accountant for all the Big Sur-affiliated companies.
St. Louis’ Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Women Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) programs include participation goals that seek to address historical social and economic disadvantages experienced by women and members of minority groups, and to reduce barriers to participation by those groups in construction projects. Available tax incentives include sales tax exemption on the purchase of construction materials and property tax abatement once the projects are completed. The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) reviews proposals for redevelopment projects in St. Louis and makes recommendations to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen regarding requests for tax incentives. Once incentives are approved, the SLDC enforces compliance with the City’s MBE and WBE participation goals.
The Chelsea Project
For the Chelsea project, which began in 2019 and was completed in 2021, the participation goals set out in the City ordinance granting a 10-year tax abatement were 25% for MBEs and 5% for WBEs. Big Sur was itself certified as a Subcontinent Asian American MBE, so its own reported labor and material supplies made up the majority of MBE participation on Chelsea. A WBE subcontractor was paid about $21,504 for cleaning services it provided on the project, but the indictment says the defendants falsely claimed an additional approximately $272,393 in materials and labor had been supplied by that WBE company. To conceal and carry out the fraud, Big Sur Construction LLC issued sham “joint checks” that were written to the WBE subcontractor and the non-WBE companies which had actually purchased and supplied materials and labor for the project, the indictment says. In emails, Chakraverty, Alston and Cao discussed which non-WBE companies would be willing to accept a joint check to facilitate the scheme, the indictment says. Big Sur submitted false “Utilization Reports” about MBE and WBE participation, which were required by SLDC throughout the construction phase, and a false final lien waiver and other documents claiming that the WBE had been paid $298,897. Big Sur also submitted a false “Good Faith Narrative” claiming that the company had made a good faith effort to meet the WBE participation goal, the indictment says. They did not disclose that of their claimed WBE participation on the Chelsea project, 93% of the total came from falsely attributing $272,393 in materials and labor costs to the WBE subcontractor, the indictment says.
The SoHo Project
The City ordinance approving a 10-year tax abatement for the SoHo project set a 21% participation goal by African American MBEs, an 11% participation goal for WBEs and a 0.5% participation goal for Native American MBEs. The same WBE cleaning company subcontractor that worked on Chelsea was paid approximately $60,780 for its actual labor and materials on SoHo, but defendants falsely attributed approximately $1.15 million in labor and materials supplied by non-WBE companies to that company in its reporting to SLDC, the indictment says. It also says Chakraverty met with the owner of an African American MBE and offered $10,000 to the owner to allow Big Sur to falsely represent that non-MBE work had been performed by that company. The owner refused. But the owner of another African American MBE company agreed to a 5% “markup” fee on an eventual total of $2.17 million in materials and labor supplied by non-MBE companies that were falsely attributed by defendants to that MBE company in reporting to SLDC, the indictment says. That included $1 million in appliances purchased from Home Depot by Big Sur, but falsely attributed to the African American MBE company, it says. Chakraverty met with the owner of a Native American MBE and struck a deal for the owner to receive a 6% markup fee for construction materials and labor supplied by another non-Native American MBE company, the indictment says. False information as to the materials and labor supplied by the non-Native American company, but attributed to the Native American MBE, was submitted to SLDC, the indictment says. The indictment says Big Sur also issued sham joint checks and sham purchase orders on the SoHo project and submitted false reports to the SLDC, similar to defendants’ conduct on the Chelsea project.
After SLDC officials and employees developed suspicions about false reporting by Big Sur, Chakraverty, Alston and Cao repeatedly tried to get the cleaning company WBE to falsely verify the inflated payments in reporting to SLDC, the indictment says. When they failed, they sought another WBE to act as a front company, it says.
The indictment alleges that the fraudulent conduct on the Chelsea project resulted in at least $551,022 in sales tax exemptions and a property tax abatement worth about $1.75 million. Big Sur received more than $1 million in sales tax exemptions for the SoHo project but did not receive the anticipated property tax abatement due to SLDC’s concerns about the legitimacy of their WBE claims, the indictment says. The defendants originally anticipated a tax abatement on the SoHo valued at approximately $7 million.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The wire fraud charges each carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case.
*There are other developments with similar names in the St. Louis area.
redacted_indictment_0.pdfOneida County Pastor Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – James H. Swanson, age 59, of Rome, New York, was sentenced today to three years in federal prison for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office.
As part of his earlier guilty plea, Swanson admitted that between March 25, 2022, and March 28, 2022, he uploaded several videos of child pornography to a cloud storage account under his control. Swanson also admitted that he had engaged in this type of conduct for years but would periodically purge his collection of child pornography before eventually accessing, viewing, and downloading more. According to documents filed in United States District Court, Swanson worked as a pastor for decades and most recently served as the pastor of the Rome Wesleyan Church.
In addition to sentencing Swanson to serve time in federal prison, Chief United States District Judge, Brenda K. Sannes, also imposed a 15-year term of supervised release which Swanson will begin serving after he is released from prison at which time Swanson will also be required to register as a sex offender.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HIS), the New York State Police (NYSP), and the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Ohio Restaurant Owner Convicted of Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
After five days of trial, a federal jury convicted Richard Bhoolai, 65, of Cincinnati, today for failing to pay taxes he withheld from employees’ wages at three restaurants he owned and operated.
According to evidence presented at trial, Bhoolai owned and operated Richie’s Fast Food Restaurants Inc., an S-Corporation used to operate three fried chicken restaurants in the Cincinnati area since 1991. Bhoolai was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the IRS. Bhoolai employed between 22 and 34 employees between at least 2017 and 2018. During that time, he withheld taxes from employees’ wages but did not pay them over to the IRS. Prior to that time, Bhoolai had not paid over such taxes from earlier years and the IRS had assessed a penalty against him for failing to do so. Instead of paying over the taxes, Bhoolai used money from the businesses for his personal benefit, including gambling.
The jury found Bhoolai guilty of eight counts of failing to pay over taxes for four quarters in 2017 and four quarters in 2018. Bhoolai’s sentencing date has not yet been set. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each failure to pay taxes count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole for the Southern District of Ohio presided over the jury trial.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Alexandra K. Fleszar of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ebunoluwa Taiwo for the Southern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
Ochelata Teen Sentenced After 2022 Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Kaleb Joesph Scullawl, 20, for Robbery in Indian Country. Judge Hill ordered Scullawl to 108 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Scullawl broke into a pawn shop in Bartlesville with two other juveniles. They stole several firearms from the store. A few weeks later, Scullawl messaged someone to buy marijuana. During the illegal drug purchase, Scullawl entered the vehicle and drew a firearm. He demanded the victim's money, wallet, and marijuana. Scullawl then forced the victim to drive home, where Scullawl stole marijuana. Prior to exiting the vehicle, Scullawl discharged the stolen firearm into the victim’s vehicle .
Scullawl is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bartlesville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reagan Reininger prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Notorious Mexican Cartel Leader Convicted for International Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez, also known as El Menchito, today of conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine while knowing and intending that they would be imported into the United States, and using, carrying, and brandishing firearms, including destructive devices, in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy, following a two-week jury trial in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between 2007 and 2017, Oseguera-Gonzalez, 34, led an international drug trafficking organization responsible for importing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico into the United States. Oseguera-Gonzalez was the second in command of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), which is based in the State of Jalisco in Mexico. The CJNG is one of the most dangerous drug cartels in Mexico. Oseguera-Gonzalez personally used firearms, destructive devices, murder, and kidnapping to control the drug trafficking organization. Oseguera-Gonzalez also ordered his subordinates to shoot down a Mexican military helicopter so that he could escape capture by Mexican law enforcement.
“El Menchito led the Jalisco Cartel’s efforts to use murder, kidnapping, and torture to build the Cartel into a self-described ‘empire’ by manufacturing fentanyl and flooding the United States with massive quantities of lethal drugs. Today, fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “El Menchito now joins the growing list of high-ranking Cartel leaders that the Justice Department has convicted in an American courtroom. We are grateful to our Mexican law enforcement partners for their extensive cooperation and sacrifice in holding accountable leaders of the Jalisco Cartel.”
“Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez pioneered the manufacturing of fentanyl in Mexico to help build his father’s Jalisco Cartel into one of the world’s most powerful drug syndicates. His crimes caused horrific violence and death in the United States, Mexico, and around the globe,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Today’s guilty verdict demonstrates that our prosecutors and agents, working with our Mexican law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue justice against the leaders of the drug trafficking organizations who destroy lives and poison our communities.”
“As second-in-command of CJNG, Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez used extreme violence to traffic massive amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine into the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His conviction underscores the Criminal Division’s commitment to disrupting and dismantling organizations that manufacture and distribute deadly drugs into our communities. Today’s verdict also sends a powerful message to the cartel leadership: we will work with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to find you and bring you to justice. We are especially grateful to the Mexican authorities for their substantial assistance in this case.”
“Today’s guilty verdict sends a clear message that the DEA will stop at nothing to investigate and dismantle criminal drug networks that threaten the safety and health of the American people,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “As one of the highest-ranking members of the Jalisco Cartel, Oseguera-Gonzalez was responsible for pushing vast quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States while engaging in violence, kidnapping, and bribery to build and protect the Jalisco Cartel. I commend the men and women of the DEA Los Angeles Field Division for their outstanding work on this case.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, from 2012 to 2015, Oseguera-Gonzalez oversaw the manufacture of more than three million pounds of methamphetamine in one area of Mexico. In April 2015, Oseguera-Gonzalez personally directed the distribution of over 55,000 pounds of cocaine. According to trial testimony, in October 2013, Oseguera-Gonzalez made plans to “do it big” with counterfeit oxycontin pills—just before the fentanyl epidemic began in the United States. According to witness testimony, the defendant said in 2015 that he was “building an empire with . . . fentanyl.” Oseguera-Gonzalez was arrested by Mexican authorities on local charges in June 2015. He remained detained in Mexico until his extradition to the United States in February 2020. While in prison in Mexico, Oseguera-Gonzalez continued to control the CJNG, negotiating drug transactions and approving the purchase of firearms and destructive devices, including .50 caliber firearms and 40 mm grenades.
Oseguera-Gonzalez personally used extreme violence to grow and control the cartel. For example, when five men owed Oseguera-Gonzalez money for drugs in the United States, Oseguera-Gonzalez violently killed all five men. On another occasion, the defendant shot one of his drivers in the head a close range. In an intercepted message, Oseguera-Gonzalez also described having 13 people tied up—one of whom he decided to release only after the man agreed to make fentanyl pills for Oseguera-Gonzalez.
Oseguera-Gonzalez also amassed an arsenal of weapons. His hitmen, which he called the Special Forces of the High Command, used the weapons to protect him and help him escape capture by Mexican authorities. For example, on May 1, 2015, the defendant’s hitmen—acting on Oseguera-Gonzalez’s personal orders—shot down a Mexican armed forces helicopter while 18 soldiers and police were on board. At least nine people on board the helicopter died as a result of Oseguera-Gonzalez’s order. Oseguera-Gonzalez’s men used an Iranian-made rocket-propelled grenade and a .50 caliber belt-fed firearm to shoot down the helicopter. Both weapons were painted with “CJNG” and a pixel camouflage pattern unique to Oseguera-Gonzalez’s hitmen.
Less than two months after escaping capture, Oseguera-Gonzalez was arrested in Jalisco, Mexico. When he was surrounded by soldiers and police, he brandished an assault weapon and grenade launcher, demanding to be released because he was a member of the CJNG. The weapon Oseguera-Gonzalez used to threaten police bore the same pixel camouflage pattern and was emblazoned with CJNG and Oseguera-Gonzalez’s nicknames: Menchito, 02, and Jr.
Oseguera-Gonzalez faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 40 years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of life plus 30 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The DEA Los Angeles Field Division investigated the case with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in securing the extradition of Oseguera-Gonzalez and in obtaining important evidence for the trial. The Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations provided significant assistance. The Justice Department thanks Mexican authorities for their assistance in securing the extradition of Oseguera-Gonzalez and in securing evidence and testimony presented in court.
Acting Deputy Chief Kaitlin Sahni and Trial Attorneys Kate Naseef, Jonathan R. Hornok, and Lernik Begian of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Notorio líder de un cártel mexicano declarado culpable de delitos de tráfico internacional de drogas y armas de fuegoRead the Press Release
Un jurado federal hoy declaró culpable a Rubén Oseguera González, también conocido como “El Menchito”, de conspirar para distribuir cinco kilogramos o más de cocaína y 500 gramos o más de metanfetaminas a sabiendas y con la intención de que serían importadas a los Estados Unidos, y por usar, portar y blandir armas de fuego, incluyendo dispositivos destructivos, en apoyo de la conspiración para el tráfico de drogas, tras un juicio con jurado de dos semanas en el Tribunal de Distrito de los EE. UU. para el Distrito de Columbia.
Según los documentos judiciales y las pruebas presentadas en el juicio, entre 2007 y 2017, Oseguera González, de 34 años, dirigió una organización internacional de tráfico de drogas responsable de importar grandes cantidades de metanfetaminas y cocaína de México a Estados Unidos. Oseguera González era el segundo al mando del Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), con sede en el estado de Jalisco, México. El CJNG es uno de los cárteles de la droga más peligrosos de México. Oseguera González utilizaba personalmente armas de fuego, artefactos destructivos, asesinatos y secuestros para controlar la organización de narcotráfico. Oseguera González también ordenó a sus subordinados derribar un helicóptero militar mexicano para poder evitar su captura por las fuerzas del orden mexicanas.
“El Menchito dirigió los esfuerzos del Cártel de Jalisco por utilizar el asesinato, el secuestro y la tortura para convertir el cártel en un autodenominado ‘imperio’ mediante la fabricación de fentanilo y la inundación de Estados Unidos con cantidades masivas de drogas letales. Hoy en día, el fentanilo es la amenaza de drogas más mortífera que jamás se ha enfrentado Estados Unidos”, declaró el fiscal general Merrick B. Garland. “El Menchito se une ahora a la creciente lista de altos dirigentes de cárteles que el Departamento de Justicia ha condenado en un tribunal estadounidense. Estamos agradecidos a nuestros socios mexicanos del orden público por su amplia cooperación y sacrificio para hacer rendir cuentas a los líderes del Cártel de Jalisco”.
“Rubén Oseguera González fue pionero en la fabricación de fentanilo en México para ayudar a construir el Cártel de Jalisco de su padre en uno de los sindicatos de la droga más poderosos del mundo. Sus delitos causaron violencia y muertes terribles en Estados Unidos, México y en todo el mundo”, declaró la vicefiscal general Lisa Monaco. “El veredicto de culpabilidad de hoy demuestra que nuestros fiscales y agentes, en colaboración con nuestros socios mexicanos del orden público, perseguirán implacablemente la justicia contra los líderes de las organizaciones de narcotráfico que destruyen vidas y envenenan nuestras comunidades”.
“Como segundo al mando del CJNG, Rubén Oseguera González utilizó la violencia extrema para traficar cantidades masivas de metanfetaminas y cocaína a los Estados Unidos”, dijo la vicefiscal general adjunta principal Nicole M. Argentieri, jefa de la División Penal del Departamento de Justicia. “Su condena subraya el compromiso de la División Penal de desarticular y desmantelar las organizaciones que fabrican y distribuyen drogas mortales en nuestras comunidades. El veredicto de hoy también envía un poderoso mensaje a los dirigentes de los cárteles: trabajaremos con nuestros socios nacionales e internacionales del orden público para encontrarlos y llevarlos ante la justicia. Estamos especialmente agradecidos a las autoridades mexicanas por su importante ayuda en este caso”.
“El veredicto de culpabilidad de hoy envía un mensaje claro de que la DEA no se detendrá ante nada para investigar y desmantelar las redes criminales de drogas que amenazan la seguridad y la salud del pueblo estadounidense”, dijo la administradora Anne Milgram de la Administración para el Control de Drogas (DEA). “Como uno de los miembros de más alto rango del Cártel de Jalisco, Oseguera González fue responsable de introducir grandes cantidades de cocaína, metanfetaminas y fentanilo en los Estados Unidos, al tiempo que se dedicaba a la violencia, el secuestro y el soborno para construir y proteger el Cártel de Jalisco. Felicito a los hombres y mujeres de la División de Los Ángeles de la DEA por su extraordinario trabajo en este caso”.
Según las pruebas presentadas en el juicio, de 2012 a 2015, Oseguera González supervisó la fabricación de más de tres millones de libras de metanfetaminas en una zona de México. En abril de 2015, Oseguera González dirigió personalmente la distribución de más de 55,000 libras de cocaína. Según el testimonio en el juicio, en octubre de 2013, Oseguera González hizo planes para «hacerla en grande» con pastillas de oxicontina falsificadas - justo antes de que comenzara la epidemia de fentanilo en Estados Unidos. Según el testimonio de testigos, el acusado dijo en 2015 que estaba “construyendo un imperio con... fentanilo”. Oseguera González fue detenido por las autoridades mexicanas por cargos locales en junio de 2015. Permaneció detenido en México hasta su extradición a Estados Unidos en febrero de 2020. Mientras estuvo en prisión en México, Oseguera González continuó controlando el CJNG, negociando transacciones de drogas y aprobando la compra de armas de fuego y dispositivos destructivos, incluidas armas de fuego del calibre .50 y granadas de 40 mm.
Oseguera González personalmente actuaba con violencia extrema para hacer crecer y controlar el cártel. Por ejemplo, Oseguera González mató violentamente a cinco hombres que le debían por drogas vendidas en Estados Unidos. En otra ocasión, el acusado disparó a quemarropa en la cabeza a uno de sus conductores. En un mensaje interceptado, Oseguera González también relató que tenía atadas a 13 personas, una de las cuales decidió liberar sólo después de que el hombre accediera a fabricar pastillas de fentanilo para él.
Oseguera González también acumuló un arsenal de armas. Sus sicarios, a los que llamaba Fuerzas Especiales del Alto Mando, utilizaban las armas para protegerlo y ayudarlo a evadir la captura por las autoridades mexicanas. Por ejemplo, el 1 de mayo de 2015, los sicarios del acusado -actuando bajo las órdenes personales de Oseguera González- derribaron un helicóptero de las fuerzas armadas mexicanas mientras 18 soldados y policías se encontraban a bordo. Al menos nueve personas a bordo del helicóptero murieron a consecuencia de la orden dada por Oseguera González. Para derribar el helicóptero, los hombres de Oseguera González utilizaron una granada propulsada por cohete de fabricación iraní y un arma de fuego de calibre 50 alimentada por cinturón. Ambas armas estaban pintadas con las siglas “CJNG” y un patrón de camuflaje de píxeles exclusivo de los sicarios de Oseguera González.
Menos de dos meses después de escapar de la captura, Oseguera González fue detenido en Jalisco (México). Cuando fue rodeado por soldados y policías, blandió un arma de asalto y un lanzagranadas, exigiendo que lo dejaran en libertad porque era miembro del CJNG. El arma que Oseguera González utilizó para amenazar a la policía tenía el mismo patrón de camuflaje de píxeles y estaba adornada con las siglas del CJNG y los apodos de Oseguera González: Menchito, 02 y Jr.
Oseguera González se enfrenta a una pena mínima obligatoria de 40 años de prisión y a una pena máxima legal de cadena perpetua más 30 años de prisión. La vista para dictar sentencia está prevista para el 10 de enero de 2025. Un juez de tribunal federal de distrito determinará la sentencia tras considerar las directrices para la imposición de penas de EE. UU. y otros factores legales.
La División de Los Ángeles de la DEA investigó el caso con la ayuda del Servicio de Alguaciles de Estados Unidos. La Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales del Departamento de Justicia prestó una ayuda fundamental para conseguir la extradición de Oseguera González y obtener importantes pruebas para el juicio. La Oficina de Operaciones de Aplicación de la Ley de la División Penal prestó una ayuda significativa. El Departamento de Justicia agradece a las autoridades mexicanas su ayuda para conseguir la extradición de Oseguera González y para asegurar las pruebas y testimonios presentados ante el tribunal.
La jefa adjunta en funciones, Kaitlin Sahni, y los fiscales litigantes Kate Naseef, Jonathan R. Hornok y Lernik Begian, de la Unidad de Narcóticos y Drogas Peligrosas de la División Penal, están llevando el caso.
Este esfuerzo forma parte de una operación de las Fuerzas Especiales de Lucha contra la Droga y la Delincuencia Organizada (OCDETF). La OCDETF identifica, desarticula y desmantela las organizaciones delictivas de más alto nivel que amenazan a Estados Unidos, utilizando un enfoque multiinstitucional, dirigido por fiscales e informado por datos de inteligencia. Puede obtenerse más información sobre el programa OCDETF en www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
Nine Individuals Indicted in $28 Million Illegal Opioid Distribution Conspiracy Three Doctors and A Clinic Owner Among Those IndictedRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today charging nine individuals with conspiracy to illegally distribute prescription drugs, announced U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
U.S. Attorney Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto, of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
Charged in the indictment are: Dr. Charles Wasson, 70, Orchard Lake, MI Dr. Maurice Potts, 65, Detroit, MI
Dr. Bruce Kaplan, 83, Commerce Township, MI
Sharlene Dawson (aka Sharlene Crawford), 55, Detroit, MI Desiree King, 41, Sterling Heights, MI
Lanise Gortman, 53, Warren, MI Aaron Thomas, 42, Southfield, MI Valecia Logan, 33, Detroit, MI and Antoine Arnold, 38, Mt. Clemens, MIThe indictment alleges that from June 2021 through September 2024, Sharlene Dawson (aka Sharlene Crawford), owner of P&A Aftercare, located in Southfield, Michigan, hired Drs. Charles Wasson, Maurice Potts, and Bruce Kaplan to issue controlled substance prescriptions for a cadre of “fake” patients, without medical necessity and outside the usual course of professional medical practice, in exchange for cash payments. According to the indictment, the “fake” patients were recruited by Lanise Gortman, Aaron Thomas, Valecia Logan, and Antoine Arnold. These recruiters would fill the prescription at area pharmacies and sell the controlled substances on the street. The indictment further alleges that Desiree King ran the front office at P&A Aftercare and worked closely with the recruiters to facilitate the issuance of the controlled substance prescriptions.
The primary prescription controlled substances illegally prescribed by the doctors named in the indictment included Schedule II controlled substances Oxycodone, Oxycodone-Acetaminophen (Percocet), and Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen (Norco). While most of the unlawful controlled substance prescriptions were paid for in cash, both controlled and non-controlled
“maintenance” medications were billed to health care benefit programs by pharmacies. It is also alleged that billings to the Medicare and Medicaid programs for medically unnecessary prescription drug medications and maintenance medications during this conspiracy exceeded
$20 million.The case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisandra Fernandez-Silber and Regina R. McCullough. The Eastern District of Michigan is one of the twelve districts included in the Opioid Fraud Abuse and Detection Unit, a Department of Justice initiative to combat the opioid epidemic.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Nigerian National Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Afeez Akinloye, age 44, a Nigerian citizen, was sentenced on September 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Akinloye to a total of 30 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Akinloye’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release and is subject to removal from the United States.
In the Fall of 2016, continuing to the summer of 2017, Akinloye participated in a scheme to defraud U.S. based businesses involved in real estate transactions. As a part of the scheme, Akinloye and other individuals gained access to email accounts and account information related to real estate transactions and then posed as the seller in the real estate transaction, requesting wire transfers be sent to locations and accounts that the fraudsters had access to. The accounts Akinloye and the other fraudsters had access to were as a result of other co-conspirators victimizing unwitting mules through romance scams. There were two victims in the District of Nebraska who lost $52,000 as a result of the wire fraud conspiracy. There were a total of eleven victims with losses of $1,850,000 and attempted losses of $4,600,000. Akinloye and the co-conspirators committed the offense from outside the United States, mostly from South Africa. At the request of the United States, South African authorities arrested Akinloye for the purpose of his extradition in September 2022, a court in South Africa found him extraditable in June 2023, and South African authorities extradited him to the United States in December 2023. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, in coordination with the South African Department of Justice, provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Akinloye.
Akinloye’s co-defendants, Saliu Jimoh Akinloye, Ebenezer Gbenga Omoshagba, and Sheriff Opeyemi Olalere, remain at large.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Mexican Man Sentenced for Five Pounds of Pure MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Luis Enrique Sagaste-Rodriguez, age 35, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced September 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, for possessing with intent to distribute almost 5 pounds of pure methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Sagaste-Rodriguez to 121 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On November 2, 2023, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office stopped Sagaste-Rodriguez for a traffic violation. Sagaste-Rodriguez was the sole occupant of the vehicle. During the encounter, Sagaste-Rodriguez was extremely nervous, including shaking and sweating despite the cool temperature. A drug detection K9 was deployed, which indicated to presence of drugs in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle resulted in 2,146 grams of pure meth being seized.
Sagaste-Rodriguez is in the United States illegally and will be deported back to Mexico after serving his sentence.
This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Maryland woman pleads guilty to taking bribes to steer government contractsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland woman who formerly worked as a federal government contracting specialist pled guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services wire fraud.
According to court documents, Kyana C. Washington, 44, worked for a company that contracted with the Government Publishing Office (GPO) to provide support for the Acquisition Services Business Unit. Washington’s title at GPO was senior contract specialist, and her duties included assisting contract officers with acquisition planning and solicitation, source selection, the preparation and issuance of contracts, delivery orders, and the modifications and management of various contractual vehicles.
In August 2021, Washington met an individual identified in court records as Person A at a social gathering. Person A’s business provides consulting services that include finding opportunities for his affiliate companies to secure government contracts. At the social gathering, Washington told Person A that she worked in contracting at GPO, and while she did not have direct approval authority over GPO’s contracts, her supervisor did, and Washington’s supervisor followed Washington’s recommendations.
On Aug. 13, 2021, Washington and Person A met at a restaurant in Maryland. Washington told Person A that she could help him get contracts with GPO, but she wanted to be paid 20% of the value of the contracts she steered to Person A. Person A told Washington that he could not pay her directly, so the two agreed that Person A would pay Washington through Washington’s daughter to disguise the bribe payments. Washington brought her government laptop to the meeting and showed Person A confidential information about then-available GPO contracts on which Person A and his business associates could bid. Washington and Person A identified an IT/cloud services contract (Contract-1) which Washington could plausibly steer to Person A’s affiliated businesses.
In September 2021, as GPO’s fiscal year was coming to a close, Washington provided Person A screenshots of her GPO computer that contained nonpublic information about GPO contracting opportunities. Person A later texted Washington the names of three of the companies he was working with, including a Fairfax County business identified in court documents as “Contractor A.” Washington prepared a memorandum for GPO, dated Sept. 29, 2021, indicating that quotes were received from only three companies (those named by Person A) and recommending that Contract-1 be awarded to Contractor A.
Originally, Contract-1 was valued at approximately $1,000,000, to be paid out over five years, which would have required a higher level of approval. Instead, Washington restructured the contract so that it was valued at just under $200,000, to be paid out in one year, and subject to renewal under the same terms for a total of five years, which required only the approval of Washington’s supervisor, who approved the award to Contractor A based on Washington’s recommendation.
Contractor A agreed to pay Person A a percentage of the profits from the contract, and Person A agreed to pay Washington a percentage of the money that he received. Person A and Washington set up a sham “marketing agreement” between Person A’s company and Washington’s daughter’s company to funnel the bribe payments. From the beginning to the conspiracy until the date the government disrupted the scheme, Washington received a total of $7,098.37 in bribe payments from Person A.
GPO has paid a total of $487,887.50 for work performed on Contract-1. During the conspiracy, Person A received approximately $2,362 per quarter for bringing Contract-1 to Contractor A, or a total of approximately $23,362.
Washington is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 9, 2025, and faces up to five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David E. Geist, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; Stephen Ravas, Acting Inspector General for AmeriCorps; and John Perez, Special Agent in Charge, Headquarters Operations, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-CFPB OIG); and Nathan J. Deahl, Inspector General for the Government Publishing Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine E. Rumbaugh and Heidi B. Gesch are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-186.
Marion County Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice A 13-Year-Old to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Devin Joseph Rivera (24, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Rivera faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, on July 24, 2024, Rivera communicated online within someone whom he believed was a 13-year-old girl. The child, however, was an undercover Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent. Rivera engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the undercover agent and, ultimately, was arrested when he traveled to a pre-determined meeting location in Marion County to engage in sexual activity with the child. Rivera also brought a blanket and a condom with him to that location.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Chiefland Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to 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.
Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years for Attempting to Engage in Sex Acts with A MinorRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell has sentenced Jonathan Howard Kuykendall (39, Tampa), a/k/a “Bright Darkness,” to 10 years and 1 month in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. The court also ordered Kuykendall to forfeit his cellphone, which he used in committing the offense. A federal jury found Kuykendall guilty on June 26, 2024.
According to court documents, Kuykendall was a member of the U.S. Air Force stationed at MacDill Air Force Base. Trial evidence showed that, in June 2022, Kuykendall began messaging someone named “Ms. Glitter” online. Within the first few messages, Ms. Glitter told Kuykendall that she was 14 years old and lived on the base with her single mother. Undeterred by her age, over the next two weeks, Kuykendall groomed Ms. Glitter, gradually introducing sexual topics to her. He began by talking about cuddling with her and kissing her. From there, he began sending her extremely graphic descriptions of various sex acts that he wished to perform with her as well as numerous explicit images of adults.
This continued until June 24, 2022, when Kuykendall, thinking Ms. Glitter’s mom was not home, agreed to come to her house. Kuykendall, thinking he might be in for a set-up, conducted extensive countersurveillance. He arrived at the house long before planned, drove past the house multiple times, lied to Ms. Glitter about where he was, and paced the parking lot looking into cars. Kuykendall then took a handful of male enhancement pills and walked up to the home’s backdoor.
When Kuykendall arrived at Ms. Glitter’s home, he learned that she was actually an undercover federal agent conducting a proactive Internet Crimes Against Children operation. Kuykendall was arrested on scene.
This case was investigated by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Detachment 340 at MacDill Air Force Base, the 6th Security Forces Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base, and Homeland Security Investigations - Tampa. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.
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.
Man Pleads Guilty of Mail Theft Conspiracy and Possession of Stolen MailRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – FREDERIC THOMPSON (“THOMPSON” ), age 24, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on September 19, 2024 to Conspiring to Steal Mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, and Possession of Stolen Mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1708, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the indictment, on January 30, 2022, THOMPSON conspired with others to steal mail from the Lakeview Post Office and United States Postal Service (USPS) mailboxes located on Metairie Road in Jefferson Parish. Another individual acted as the driver and another defendant used a stolen USPS key to steal mail from the two locations, with THOMPSON seated in the back of the vehicle. After a police chase, they were found in possession of approximately 30 pieces of stolen mail.
U.S. District Court Judge Jay C. Zainey set sentencing for December 17, 2024, 2024. For both the conspiracy charge and the unlawful possession of mail charge, THOMPSON faces up to five (5) years of imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is charge of the prosecution.
Madisonville, Kentucky Man Sentenced to over 29 Years in Federal Prison for Producing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Owensboro, KY – A Madisonville, Kentucky, man was sentenced this week to 29 years and 6 months in federal prison for production and possession of child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville made the announcement.
According to court documents, Steven Ray Buchanan, 46, was sentenced to 29 years and 6 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, on four counts of producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. Buchanan possessed over 1,200 images and 4 videos of child pornography. Buchanan also took lascivious videos and pictures of two young girls while they were in his bedroom. Upon his release, Buchanan will be required to register as a sex offender. Buchanan was also ordered to pay $24,000 in restitution.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by HSI Bowling Green, with assistance from the Kentucky State Police, the Madisonville Police Department, and the FBI Owensboro Satellite Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Spencer McKiness prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Los Angeles Man Pleads Guilty to Oil Royalty Wire FraudRead the Press Release
MIDLAND, Texas – A California man pleaded guilty in federal court in Midland to two counts of wire fraud.
According to court documents, Mitchell Vaughn Lee, of Los Angeles, acquired and utilized personal identifying information of a mineral rights owner to access the victim’s royalty account with Diamondback Energy, a Fortune 500 oil and natural gas company headquartered in Midland. Lee’s scheme resulted in diverted royalty payments from bank accounts owned by the victim to the bank account controlled by Lee. On at least two occasions in February 2022, Lee worked to divert approximately $1.5 million dollars from the victim’s oil royalty account to a bank account in Lee’s control.
In February 2022, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Lee’s Los Angeles residence. Among other items, agents recovered a firearm and a direct deposit change form for Diamondback Energy with the victim’s name and unique non-public owner identification number for the victim’s Diamondback Energy oil royalty account.
Lee was initially prosecuted in the Central District of California for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. While awaiting trial, Lee absconded. He was located in late 2023 in Miami, Florida by federal agents, and was sentenced to 60 years imprisonment in the Central District of California for Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
In the Western District of Texas wire fraud case, Lee faces up to 20 years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Lee remains in custody awaiting further proceedings.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Mahoney is prosecuting the case.
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Loan Originator Convicted in $2.6 Million Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago has convicted a loan originator of orchestrating a mortgage fraud scheme that bilked multiple financial institutions out of $2.6 million.
KEVIN SMITH, 52, of Melrose Park, Ill., was found guilty on Sept. 6, 2024, of all five bank fraud counts against him. Each count is punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge John F. Kness set sentencing for Dec. 17, 2024.
Smith was a loan originator for mortgage lending businesses that originated and processed loans for real estate purchases in the Chicago area. Evidence at the two-week trial revealed that Smith engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $2.6 million in federally guaranteed mortgage loans in connection with the purchase of 14 properties in Chicago. Smith recruited buyers at real estate investment seminars held in Chicago-area churches and hotels and caused them to make false representations to lenders about, among other things, the source of their down payments and their intention to occupy the properties as their primary residences. Smith provided or caused others to provide funds to the buyers for use as down payments, knowing that the lenders would be falsely led to believe that the money belonged to the buyers. After a closing and the issuance of the government-insured mortgage loans, Smith made payments to the buyers – describing them as “grants” – and then pocketed payments from the sellers without notifying the lenders.
The conviction was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Machelle L. Jindra, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General in Chicago, and Gregory Billingsley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Central Field Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick D. Young and Misty N. Wright.
“Loan originators and other mortgage professionals are entrusted with protecting the integrity of the government-backed mortgage program,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “Our office will continue to hold accountable any individual who violates that trust to line their own pockets.”
“Smith abused his position of trust as a gatekeeper of FHA-insured mortgage loans and used his real estate knowledge to circumvent the rules to secure his own self-interest,” said HUD-OIG SAC Jindra. “HUD-OIG will continue to work with its prosecutorial and law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue and bring to justice those who seek to profit by abusing HUD’s mortgage insurance and housing programs.”
“This guilty verdict demonstrates the VA Office of Inspector General’s commitment to protecting vulnerable veterans from fraudulent lending practices,” said VA-OIG SAC Billingsley. “The VA-OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this investigation.”
Leader of $4M International Telemarketing Scheme ConvictedRead the Press Release
A federal jury in North Carolina convicted a man today for his role in orchestrating a years-long telemarketing scheme that defrauded victims in the United States from a call center in Costa Rica.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Roger Roger, 40, of Costa Rica, led a fraudulent telemarketing scheme in which co-conspirators, who falsely posed as U.S. government officials, contacted victims in the United States to tell them that that they had won a substantial “sweepstakes” prize. After convincing victims, many of whom were elderly, that they stood to receive a significant financial prize, the co-conspirators told victims that they needed to make a series of up-front payments before collecting their supposed prize, purportedly for items such as taxes, customs duties, and other fees. Co-conspirators used a variety of means to conceal their true identities, including Voice over Internet Protocol technology, which made it appear as though they were calling from Washington, D.C., and other locations in the United States. Roger personally called victims from Costa Rica, using fake names and documents to trick the victims into believing they had won a sweepstakes prize. He also recruited and directed co-conspirators to mislead victims on the phone and to transmit victims’ payments from the United States to Costa Rica. The evidence at trial showed that Roger and his co-conspirators stole over $4 million from victims.
Roger was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, four counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and two counts of international money laundering. The defendant faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison on each of the conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and the wire fraud counts, because the jury found that these counts involved telemarketing that victimized at least 10 people over the age of 55, and 20 years in prison on each of the conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering counts. Sentencing will occur at a later date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Dena J. King for the Western District of North Carolina; Inspector in Charge Tommy Coke of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Atlanta Division; Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Cincinnati Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Robert DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office made the announcement.
The USPIS Atlanta Division, IRS-CI Cincinnati Field Office, and FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case. The La Grande, Oregon Police Department and Union County District Attorney Victim Assistance Office provided valuable assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Costa Rica to secure Roger’s arrest and extradition.
Trial Attorneys Andrew Jaco and Amanda Fretto Lingwood of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud, and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 7 days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
Lawrence man indicted for bank robberyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with robbing a bank in Lawrence, Kansas.
According to court documents, Alfonzo Cole, 41, of Lawrence is charged with one count of bank robbery.
Cole is accused of using force, violence, and intimidation on July 2, 2024, to take U.S. currency from an employee at a Bank of America branch on Ohio Street.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
David Mark Jones, 33, of Shawnee, was indicted on two counts of distribution of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey McCormick is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Last Two Defendants in the Violent Kennedy Street Crew Case Plead Guilty to Narcotics and Firearms CountsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Khali Ahmed Brown, 23, Keion Michael Brown, 21, members of the violent Kennedy Street Crew (KDY), pleaded guilty today to narcotics and firearms charges for their roles in a massive drug trafficking organization that operated open-air markets in Northwest Washington D.C.
Khali Brown, aka “Migo Lee,” of Washington D.C., who many view as the face of KDY, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, fentanyl, and oxycodone. He also pleaded guilty to charges of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and assault with a dangerous weapon for his role in a November 18, 2022, shooting just outside Jackson-Reed High School.
His brother, Keion Michael Brown, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana and oxycodone and a charge of possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell scheduled sentencing on December 12, 2024, for both men.
The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division, ATF Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives - Washington Division, and Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office.
“The prosecution targeted leaders and key members of the KDY street crew--one of the largest, oldest, and most violent street crews in our city,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “With these guilty pleas, every defendant charged in connection with this investigation has now pled guilty to charges that will ensure that they will be removed from, and no longer driving violence in, our community.”
“DEA’s top operational priority is combatting the current fentanyl crisis and the drug-related violence that is devastating the very foundation of our community and family structures,” said Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Washington Division. Today’s guilty plea clearly shows that Mr. Brown, aka “Migo Lee,” and his associations with violent criminal drug trafficking networks like the Kennedy Street Crew showed little respect for the wellbeing of the community. We are taking a strong stance and implementing strict measures to protect every city neighborhood.”
According to court documents, KDY members operated open-air drug markets on an 11-block stretch of Kennedy Street in Northwest Washington, D.C., as well as surrounding streets. Like many drug trafficking organizations (DTOs), KDY armed itself with fire power to facilitate its drug trade and defend its territory from rival crews. During the charged conspiracy, from June 2019 to June 2023, on KDY territory there were five homicides, resulting in the deaths of seven and the wounding of six additional individuals, one assault with intent to kill with three wounded, and 19 assaults with a deadly weapon.
Khali Brown was among the charged defendants who played a key role in smuggling bulk quantities of marijuana from the West Coast to the DMV area, which allowed the crew to sell at significant profits and thereby fuel its operations.
Both defendants maintained stash houses of KDY’s controlled substances and fire power. By way of illustration, on January 26, 2023, law enforcement conducted an interdiction at Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) in anticipation of several KDY members, including Khali Brown, smuggling marijuana back to the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area through BWI via an overnight flight from LAX. During the interdiction, law enforcement seized five of the checked bags containing 39.2 kilograms of marijuana, but Khali Brown and his co-defendant Herman Signou evaded law enforcement with some of their luggage and traveled to a stash house at the 1700 block of D Street NE.
Hours later, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence, where officers found Khali Brown, Keion Brown, and co-defendants Tristan Ware, Jovan Williams, and Herman Signou, among other KDY associates. Inside, law enforcement seized ten firearms (including two machine guns), assorted ammunition, 21 kilograms of marijuana, 39.5 grams of fentanyl-laced pills, and oxycodone pills in suitcases consistent with those taken from the airport during the BWI interdiction. Among the firearms recovered was the Glock 17 9mm firearm that Khali Brown and his co-conspirators had used in the November 18, 2022, shooting outside Jackson-Reed High School.
When Khali Brown and two co-defendants were arrested on June 26, 2023, at yet another stash house in the 1300 block of 5th Street NW, inside the residence were approximately 3.5 kilograms of marijuana, $2,710 in cash and five machine guns, and one firearm.
Keion Brown was a wanted fugitive when, on November 17, 2023, officers tracked him and his associates, including Jovan Williams, to a laundry room on the 4700 block of Benning Road NE. Law enforcement arrested Keion Brown, Jovan Williams, and an associate and found four firearms concealed within the laundry room, including Keion Brown’s machine gun.
This investigation was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
It was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, the DEA’s Washington Division, ATF’s Washington Field Division, with assistance from FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the IRS-Criminal Investigation Washington, D.C. Office.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey and Sitara Witanachchi, of the of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by former Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian Lynch.
DEFENDANTS
NAME
AGE
CHARGES
Kenneth Ademola Olugbenga27Pleaded Guilty 9/15/2024, to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or more of Cocaine Base, and a Detectable Amount of Marijuana; and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense.Khali Ahmed Brown, aka “Migo Lee”23Pleaded Guilty 9/20/2024, to Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms or More of Marijuana, Fentanyl, and Oxycodone; Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.Miasiah Jamal Brown, aka “Michael Jamal Crawford”21Sentenced 8/16/2024, to 60 Months for Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense.Keion Michael Brown21Pleaded Guilty 9/20/2024, to Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and Cocaine Base; Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense.Tristan Miles Ware, aka “Greedy”23Pleaded Guilty 7/11/2024 to Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilos of Marijuana and Possession of a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense.Jovan Williams, aka “Chewy”19Pleaded Guilty on 9/5/2024, to Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilos of Marijuana and Armed Carjacking.Herman Eric-Bibmin Signou, aka “Herman Signour”23Sentenced 3/22/2024, to 40 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 100 Kilograms of More of Marijuana.Cameron Xavier Reid26Sentenced 5/31/2024, to Five Years for Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms of More of Marijuana.Aaron DeAndre Mercer, aka “Curby”27Sentenced 9/13/2024, to 120 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, Marijuana, and Cocaine Base.David Penn, aka “Turtle”30Pleaded Guilty 6/27/2024, to Conspiracy to Distribute 40 Grams of Fentanyl and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense.Ronald Lynn Dorsey, aka “Ron G” and “HBGeezy”29Sentenced 9/13/2024, to 30 Months for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.Antonio Reginald Bailey, aka “Boy Boy,” and “Fellow King”22Sentenced 2/8/2024, to 24 Months for Receiving a Firearm While Under Indictment.Anthony Trayon Bailey, aka “Fat Ant,” and “Bizzle”27Sentenced 4/26/2024, to 15 months for Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms or More of Marijuana, 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, and a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Cocaine Base.Angel Enrique Suncar, aka “Coqui”29Pleaded Guilty 6/12/2024, to Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense.Warren Lawrence Fields, III, aka B-Dub26Sentenced 5/16/2024, to 90 Months for Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense and for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.Juwan Demetrius Clark, aka “Juan” and “Squirrel”28Pleaded Guilty 9/17/2024, to Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments.Adebayo Adediji Green30Sentenced 8/16/2024, to 60 Months for Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense.Defendant Cameron Reid is from Falmouth, VA. Green is from Hyattsville, MD. All remaining defendants are from Washington, D.C.
23cr0202
Justice Department Sues Wisconsin Townships to Ensure Accessible VotingRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that is has filed a complaint against the Town of Thornapple, Wisconsin, and the State of Wisconsin for violations of Section 301 of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), which requires polling places to be equipped with at least one voting machine that is accessible to voters with disabilities during federal elections. The department also secured an agreement with the Town of Lawrence, Wisconsin, to resolve its complaint alleging HAVA violations.
“Our democracy works when voters with disabilities have the right to vote on the same terms as any other voter,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “By failing to offer accessible voting systems, Thornapple and Lawrence shirked their responsibilities under the Help America Vote Act to provide equal access to the ballot for all voters. We must ensure that all Wisconsin towns, and indeed all jurisdictions throughout our country, fulfill their duty to guarantee all voters equal access to the ballot. We commend Lawrence for working with the Justice Department to swiftly remedy this violation by taking simple action to ensure that federal elections are accessible to all eligible voters.”
“Ensuring equal voting access to all citizens, including those voters with disabilities, is a priority of this office,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “We’re pleased that the representatives of the Town of Lawrence agreed to remedy the violations of federal law, and we will continue to work to protect and vindicate the voting rights of voters with disabilities in Wisconsin.”
Congress passed HAVA in 2002 in part to make in-person voting more accessible for voters with disabilities. Among other things, Section 301 of HAVA requires that each polling place used for federal elections provide at least one voting system that provides voters with disabilities the same opportunity for access and participation as other voters are provided, including the same opportunity to cast ballots privately and independently.
The complaint alleges that Thornapple and Lawrence violated HAVA by deliberately failing to make accessible voting machines available to voters in certain 2024 federal elections. Specifically, the department alleges that Thornapple violated Section 301 of HAVA by failing to make available at least one accessible voting machine during Wisconsin’s April 2 and Aug. 13 federal primary elections. It also alleges that Lawrence failed to provide an accessible voting machine during the April federal primary election. Both the Thornapple and Lawrence Town Boards voted in 2023 to stop using the accessible voting machines the towns had previously used. Thornapple has neither revisited nor reversed that decision. Lawrence reversed its decision on Sept. 9 as part of its agreement with the department. The complaint alleges that the State of Wisconsin did not ensure that every polling place within the state was accessible to voters with disabilities, as required by federal law.
Under the department’s agreement with Lawrence, which is subject to court approval and was filed in conjunction with the complaint, Lawrence will make an accessible voting machine available at every polling place operated by the town in subsequent federal elections and will train its election and municipal staff on the operation of such equipment. The proposed consent decree resolves claims only against Lawrence; litigation against Thornapple and the state will proceed.
The department also filed a motion for immediate injunctive relief against the Town of Thornapple to remedy the violations of HAVA. Among other things, the department’s motion requests an order requiring Thornapple to ensure that, during the Nov. 5 federal general election, every Thornapple polling place has at least one accessible voting machine.
More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about HAVA and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section. Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.
Jury finds local restaurant owner guilty of tax crimesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal jury has convicted a local fast-food chicken restaurant owner with tax crimes.
The verdict was announced today following a trial that began on Sept. 16 before U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole.
Richard Bhoolai, 65, of Cincinnati, owned and operated Richie’s Fast Food Restaurants, Inc.
According to court documents and trial testimony, Bhoolai failed to pay over payroll taxes to the IRS during 2017 and 2018.
Bhoolai employed between 22 and 34 employees at the time. Bhoolai withheld federal taxes from employees’ paychecks but failed to transmit the funds to the IRS. Instead, Bhoolai spent hundreds of thousands of dollars for his personal benefit, including using business proceeds to engage in more than $1 million of gambling activity.
Bhoolai was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2023 with eight counts of willful failure to pay over employment taxes, a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence, and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Cincinnati Field Office; announced today’s verdict. Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo and Trial Attorney Alexandra Fleszar from the Department of Justice’s Tax Division are representing the United States in this case.
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Illinois Man Sentenced to 264 Months in Federal Prison for Meth Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Carol Stream, Illinois man was sentenced on September 17, 2024, to 264 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to public court documents, in early 2022, Milford Rogers, 33, conspired to distribute methamphetamine with co-conspirators in the Quad Cities area. Rogers received pound quantities of methamphetamine through the mail, including one package containing three pounds of methamphetamine. Rogers distributed multiple kilograms of methamphetamine throughout the Quad Cities.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Rogers will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Adan Garcia-Nava, age 36, of Mexico, entered a guilty plea to an Indictment charging Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien.
The Indictment alleged that Garcia-Nava was found in the United States, having been removed or deported from the country on four prior occasions.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Garcia-Nava will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Richard J. Lorenz and Patrick M. Flanigan represented the United States.
Hollidaysburg Couple Sentenced for Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Health Care Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John H. Johnson and his wife, Paula Z. Johnson, both age 62, of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, were sentenced on September 17, 2024, by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner, for committing fraud. John Johnson received a sentence of 97 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Paula Johnson received a sentence of three years of probation, including six months of home detention with location monitoring, and was ordered to immediately pay $249,301.36 in restitution, fines, and assessments.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, in 2016, John H. Johnson, a physician with specialized training in anesthesiology, entered into an agreement with other individuals to defraud health insurance programs by billing them illegally for expensive tests known as “urine drug tests.” One of the individuals that Johnson conspired with was Rodney L. Yentzer, who pleaded guilty for his role in related offenses in March 2022 and is awaiting sentencing. Johnson and Yentzer carried out this agreement through a couple different groups of pain management practices located throughout central Pennsylvania, known as Lighthouse Medical and Pain Medicine of York (“PMY”). Yentzer, who had no medical training, acquired PMY in 2014 at the suggestion of John H. Johnson, with whom Yentzer was business partners. PMY absorbed Lighthouse Medical in 2017, and PMY closed permanently in November 2019 after law enforcement agents executed search warrants at its various locations.
“Ensuring the integrity of health care programs in this age of rising costs is paramount to our mission,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. “We will continue to work with federal, state, and local partners to hold providers accountable for misconduct that exploits the programs.”
“Healthcare fraud is not a victimless crime. In this case, the defendants caused taxpayers' hard-earned dollars to be diverted from patients who needed care, and instead served their own interests,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special in Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates the FBI and our partners’ commitment to rooting out fraud and pursuing those who conspire to exploit our healthcare systems for financial gain."
In 2016, Lighthouse Medical, under the direction of John H. Johnson, operated a drug testing laboratory on its own premises. This laboratory had the equipment and capabilities to perform urine drug testing (“UDT”) on site. UDT, when used legitimately, is a method for physicians to test their patients for the presence and specific amounts of various substances. A very high percentage of the patients of Lighthouse Medical (and, subsequently, PMY) were prescribed with opioid medications at each monthly visit. UDT could be used, for instance, to test whether such patients were taking their medications as prescribed or taking illegal recreational drugs in addition to their prescribed medications. Urine drug tests were typically reimbursed at a high rate by Medicare and private insurance programs.
In March 2016, Johnson and Yentzer agreed with the new owners of a rural, 25-bed “Critical Access Hospital” located near the border of Florida and Alabama to “sell” Lighthouse Medical’s UDT laboratory services to the hospital; in exchange, the hospital purchased the exclusive right to bill for payment and collect payment from patients and insurance programs. The hospital agreed to pay Lighthouse Medical a kickback of $900 per test.
As a Critical Access Hospital under federal law, the hospital received very favorable payment from Medicare and private insurance programs, including, for example, for UDT. Thus, even while paying a $900 kickback per test to Lighthouse Medical, the hospital was still able to collect and keep a significant amount of money over and above that amount. The owners of the hospital also used other laboratories like Lighthouse Medical in a similar pass-through manner. As a result, the hospital was able to bill for a number of laboratory tests that far exceeded what would normally be associated with a small facility of its kind, and Lighthouse Medical was paid far more than what it would have typically received for UDT from Medicare and other insurers. For instance, on July 12, 2016, the hospital paid Lighthouse Medical $816,300 for 907 urine drug tests. Approximately one week later, the hospital paid Lighthouse Medical $628,200 for nearly 700 tests.
In total, the owners of the hospital billed others, including private insurers, approximately $1.4 billion for various laboratory testing services that were not medically necessary. The majority of this amount was due to UDT. Lighthouse Medical received $2,341,775 in kickback payments over a four-month time period, with 85% of this amount going to John H. Johnson and the remaining amount going to Rodney L. Yentzer.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, John H. Johnson will also be required to pay over $2.3 million in restitution to defrauded health insurance companies. The restitution order against John H. Johnson is expected to be finalized within the next sixty days.
In addition to pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, John H. Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. His wife, Paula Z. Johnson, who is also a physician from Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to the same offense. Together, John H. Johnson and Paula Z. Johnson conspired to evade payments to the U.S. Government that John H. Johnson was required to make for a prior criminal conviction.
In July 2015, John H. Johnson was indicted for various tax offenses in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. In September 2016, John H. Johnson was charged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud in connection with a separate health care fraud scheme. In early 2017, John H. Johnson knew that he was likely going to prison for these offenses, so he approached Rodney L. Yentzer and got Yentzer to agree to place Paula Z. Johnson, who had not practiced medicine in years, on the PMY payroll.
In June 2017, John H. Johnson was sentenced to an 84-month term of imprisonment for the various offenses with which he had been charged. He was also ordered to repay to the U.S. Government over $3 million restitution payments for fraudulent health care billing and unpaid taxes.
Even following his imprisonment, Johnson and Yentzer remained in close contact through phone and in-person visits, with Johnson providing direction to Yentzer. During conversations, Johnson and Yentzer sometimes used coded language to describe sensitive subjects, including the term “toy” to refer to money and the term “toy box” to refer to bank accounts.
John H. Johnson knew that PMY continued to be highly profitable, in large part owing to its UDT billing. Specifically, PMY billed every patient for two urine drug tests at each visit: one test a presumptive “screen” for the presence of certain substances and the second a definitive test for specific levels of 22 different substances. This testing protocol had been put in place by John H. Johnson when he ran Lighthouse Medical, and he instructed Yentzer to do the same at PMY. Yentzer followed this direction.
From mid-2017 until late 2019, PMY submitted bills just to Medicare for around $10 million in UDT, with well over $4 million being paid out. John H. Johnson, Paula Z. Johnson, and Rodney L. Yentzer devised various other ways to funnel money to the Johnsons so that they could benefit from this wealth without the money being captured for John H. Johnson’s restitution payments. Among other things, Yentzer purchased a car for the Johnsons’ son and leased an Audi Q5 for Paula Z. Johnson, at her request. Yentzer also made $28,000 in contributions to their children’s 529 college savings accounts, paid over $40,000 in legal bills for “asset and estate planning,” made over $40,000 in payments toward personal loans, and covered other large bills, all with the knowledge of both John H. Johnson and Paula Z. Johnson. On a number of occasions, Paula Z. Johnson requested these payments directly from Yentzer or his assistant.
PMY shut down abruptly in November 2019 after search warrants were executed because it was no longer able to retain medical providers to see patients. In January 2020, in a recorded prison call, Yentzer stated to John H. Johnson, that “if there’s anything left, I will make sure Paula gets, uh, a piece.” He added that “whatever’s left” after satisfying certain creditors he would “divvy up.” Yentzer made this statement despite the fact that Paula Z. Johnson had been formally terminated by PMY in November 2019.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Control Division, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma prosecuted the case.
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Hammond Man Guilty of Federal Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on September 19, 2024, TYSHON COLEMAN (“COLEMAN”), age 28, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i). For this charge, COLEMAN faces a minimum sentence of 5 years of imprisonment up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a period of supervised release of up to 5 years. COLEMAN also pled guilty to Possession of Machine Guns, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(o)(1) and 924(a)(2). COLEMAN faces a maximum term of imprisonment for which he faces up to 10 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. For each charge, COLEMAN also faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. The sentence imposed for the possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking charge runs consecutively to the sentence imposed for machine gun possession.
According to court records, the Ponchatoula Police Department officers observed COLEMAN sitting in the passenger seat of his car at the Walmart Supercenter located in Ponchatoula, LA. Officers later observed and recovered a Glock-style firearm, in plain view, between the center console and the passenger seat. The firearm was a Glock Model 17, nine-millimeter pistol with an extended magazine and machine gun conversion device. This device converts a semi-automatic firearm into a fully operational machine gun with a single pull of the trigger. The officers also recovered two backpacks, one of which contained a Glock Model 17, nine -millimeter pistol, also affixed with a machine gun conversion device. Each of the backpacks contained various controlled substances including marijuana, fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine hydrochloride.
Chief United States District Judge, Nannette Jolivette Brown, will sentence COLEMAN on December 19, 2024.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our nrighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principals: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occuring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measures the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Ponchatoula Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Public Integrity Unit.
Goodyear, Arizona, Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine in Central IllinoisRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Goodyear, Arizona, man, Christopher Harris, 44, was sentenced on September 19, 2024, to 180 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in central Illinois.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless, the government presented evidence that in January 2017 Harris recruited two women in Quincy, Illinois, to serve as drug couriers. In exchange, Harris agreed to pay them $5,000. As part of the agreement, the two women drove to Arizona and picked up controlled substances from Harris. They then planned to drive the drugs back to Quincy, where Harris would retrieve the drugs from them after flying from Arizona to Illinois. Ultimately, Harris provided them with eleven pounds of methamphetamine and one pound of cocaine. The pair, however, were arrested while still in Arizona.
Judge Lawless found that Harris served as the leader of the conspiracy, and that Harris was a career offender based upon his criminal history, which included three prior felony drug convictions.
The statutory penalties for distributing methamphetamine are up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the West Central Illinois Task Force; Illinois State Police; Quincy Police Department; Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Apache County, Arizona, Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution.
Gadsden County Tax Preparer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEEE, FLORIDA – Cedrick Campbell, 49, of Quincy, Florida, was sentenced to a term of 24 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to eleven counts of aiding in preparing false tax returns and ordered to pay $378,041 in restitution. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“The United States relies on the honest payment of taxes to defend our country and maintain its operations,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “With the assistance of our dedicated partners at the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, we are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who steal from hard-working American taxpayers – whether by traditional evasion or the filing of fraudulent claims to further their criminal schemes.”
Between 2018 and 2022, Campbell, ran an unofficial tax preparation business from his home in Quincy, Florida, where he prepared and filed false tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service. Campbell falsely represented the taxpayers’ deductions, credits, and the refund due.
“A tax preparer who fraudulently inflates your refund isn’t doing you any favors,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. “Instead, it exposes clients to penalties and interest to be paid and dealt with for years to come. An honest preparer will be transparent and willing to explain everything that you’re entitled to. Unscrupulous preparers, like Mr. Campbell, should know that they will be investigated and face serious consequences.”
This conviction was the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Gary Milligan prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Fort Dodge Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed firearms was sentenced on September 20, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.
Matthew Knowles, 38, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty on May 3, 2024, to possessing a .380 ACP pistol, and a .410-gauge shotgun on November 10, 2022, in Fort Dodge, Iowa. As part of an investigation of stolen property, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Knowles’ residence. There, officers recovered thousands of dollars of stolen tools, the two firearms, and controlled substances. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Knowles was a user of methamphetamine, marijuana, and was a felon when he possessed the firearms. As a felon and drug user, Knowles was prohibited from possessing firearms.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Knowles was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment and must serve a two year term of supervised release after the term of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Knowles remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Iowa DCI Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-3039.
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Former emergency physician pleads guilty to possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former medical director at an Ohio health care system pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to possessing child pornography.
Garrett Norvell, 44, of Westerville, was charged by a bill of information and appeared in federal court this morning to enter his guilty plea.
According to court documents, in June 2020, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted an international investigation targeting offenders who used dark web sites and forums dedicated to the sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
HSI Boston and the FBI obtained information from Norvell’s IP address that showed that, in April 2019, Norvell had an account username and password for a website that offered child pornography of girls 4 to 14 years old.
At the time of the investigation, Norvell served as the medical director of OhioHealth in Ashland, Ohio. He previously worked as an emergency medicine physician at OhioHealth.
In February 2022, agents with HSI and the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force executed a search warrant on Norvell’s person at the Emergency Care Center at OhioHealth in Ashland and seized his phone, laptop, tablet and a thumb drive. Less than a week later, Norvell was removed from all OhioHealth services and facilities and a State Medical Board of Ohio investigation was initiated. In March 2022, Norvell permanently surrendered his license to practice medicine in Ohio.
Forensic analysis of Norvell’s electronics revealed at least 18 files of child pornography, including “Pre-Teen Hard Core” content.
Norvell admitted had an addiction to child pornography and had been watching child pornography since he was approximately 21 years old. He said in interviews that the youngest victim he had viewed in a pornographic setting was an infant.
Norvell pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography of prepubescent minors, a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Congress sets the maximum statutory sentences, and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Angie Salazar, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Detroit; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Cincinnati; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin; Stephanie Loucka, Executive Director of the Ohio State Medical Board; and other members of the Franklin County ICAC Task Force announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski and Senior Litigation Counsel Heather A. Hill are representing the United States in this case.
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Former Registered Sex Offender in Fresno Indicted for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment Thursday against Darren Keith Sever, 55, of Fresno, charging him with receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between April 4, 2024, and June 4, 2024, Sever received at least one visual depiction of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Sever has a prior conviction that required him to register as a sex offender up until April 17, 2024.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Central Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Sever faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 40 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, and up to a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Former Postal Carrier Sentenced for Mail Theft and FraudRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On September 20, 2024, a federal district judge sentenced 44-year-old James Glover, a former postal carrier and resident of Montgomery, Alabama, to 24 months in prison for his involvement in a fraudulent mail theft and bank fraud scheme, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. Following his prison sentence, Glover will be on supervised release for three years. There is no parole in the federal system. In addition to the two year prison sentence, the judge ordered Glover pay a fine of $2,000 and restitution in the amount of $66,135.09.
According to court records and evidence presented during Glover’s trial, during September and October of 2022, Glover stole checks and documents containing financial information from the mail while performing his duties as a mail carrier. Glover and others would alter the stolen checks or use them to create fraudulent checks. The checks would then be deposited into bank accounts. Previously, 24-year-old Keldric Ortez Jones, also from Montgomery, was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud for his role in the scheme. Jones received a 46-month sentence on March 11, 2024.
“Each day, millions of citizens and businesses count on the postal system to deliver important documents, letters, and payments,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson. “Mail theft not only disrupts the delivery of the mail itself, but it can also lead to identity theft and financial fraud. The U.S. Attorney’s Office encourages everyone to remain vigilant and report missing mail or any unusual financial activity right away.”
“The vast majority of U.S. Postal Service employees are honest, hardworking individuals who would never violate the public trust in this manner,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. “But for those who do, our special agents, along with our law enforcement partners, will aggressively investigate these federal crimes to protect the sanctity of the U.S. Mail. This sentencing is a testament to the dedication of the investigative and legal teams and should send a strong message to any employee who thinks of conspiring with others to commit check fraud.”
“The Postal Inspection Service will never abide by employees who abuse the trust given to them by the American public,” said Scott Fix, US Postal Inspector-in-Charge of the Houston Division. “May James Glover’s sentencing serve as a deterrent to other employees who may be contemplating engaging in illegal activity with the US Mail.”
The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated this case, with assistance from the Alabama Attorney General’s Office and the Millbrook Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys J. Patrick Lamb and Tara Ratz prosecuted the case.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Assault with a Deadly WeaponRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On September 16, a tribal member pleaded guilty in federal court to assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to bodily harm, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to court records, on April 26, Sutanga Rex Cypress, 42, was arguing with the victim when Cypress brandished a firearm. Cypress then pointed the gun at the victim and shot the victim in the abdomen. The victim was airlifted to the hospital due to the severity of the injuries sustained by the gunshot.
Sentencing is set for December 9, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra. Cypress faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years for one count and up to 10 years in federal prison for each of the remaining counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other mitigating, aggravating and statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, and Chief Roland Pandolfi of the Miccosukee Police Department made the announcement.
FBI Safe Trails, Miami and Miccosukee Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Latoya C. Brown and Vanessa E. Bonhomme are prosecuting the case.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20195-JB.
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Five Defendants Sentenced for Participating in an Interstate Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Five men from South Texas were indicted in Jackson, Tennessee for their role in trafficking multiple kilograms of methamphetamine. On September 13, 2024, the Honorable S. Thomas Anderson sentenced the final defendant in the Western District of Tennessee.
According to information presented in court, in August 2019, FBI-Jackson, Tennessee, working with FBI-McAllen, Texas, learned of a drug trafficking organization operating in South Texas. Investigators determined that brothers Pablo Talavera, 64, and Elias Talavera, 52, were trafficking kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and other narcotics across the United States.
In January 2022, in a covert operation, agents seized nine kilograms of methamphetamine from an 18-wheeler in Jackson shipped by Pablo Talavera and others to Tennessee. In March 2022, agents seized another 10.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in Camden, Tennessee sent by this organization. Investigators determined that Pablo and Elias Talavera obtained methamphetamine from cartels in Mexico and coordinated the shipments of the controlled substances. Luis Sorcia, 32, Jose Cordova, 32, and Guillermo Castro, 51, assisted in transporting the narcotics and attempted to avoid detection by law enforcement.
Each of the following co-conspirators pled guilty to charges brought against them and were sentenced by the Honorable S. Thomas Anderson, United States District Judge:
- Pablo Talavera, of Michoacan, Mexico: 275 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
- Elias Talavera, of Reynosa, Mexico: 150 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
- Luis Sorcia, of Edinburg, Texas: 120 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
- Jose Cordova, of Reynosa, Mexico: 72 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
- Guillermo Castro, of Brownsville, Texas: 60 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
This investigation was conducted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jackson, Tennessee and McAllen, Texas. Assisting in the investigation were the Drug Enforcement Administration Laboratories in Nashville, Tennessee and Dallas, Texas, the Selmer Police Department, the Bolivar Police Department, the Jackson Police Department, the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office, the McNairy County Sheriff’s Office, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, and the 24th Judicial District Drug Task Force.
Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory D. Allen and Hillary L. Parham, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Federal jury convicts Browning man of distributing fentanyl that resulted in death of man on Blackfeet Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A federal jury on Thursday found a Browning man guilty of distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a man in his home on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
After a three-day trial that began on Sept. 17, the jury found the defendant, Douglas Darren Malatare, 59, guilty of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl as charged in an indictment. Malatare faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years to life in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release on the distribution charge and a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release on the possession charge.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court set sentencing for Jan. 22, 2025. Malatare was detained pending further proceedings.
“Fentanyl is our nation’s deadliest illicit drug threat, as it is devastating families and communities. And we are fiercely determined to hold accountable those who are responsible for such devastation, especially when one’s drug trafficking results in another’s death. Malatare poisoned the Blackfeet reservation and made thousands of dollars doing it, including costing the victim his life. I applaud the jury for holding Malatare accountable and am relieved Malatare will no longer be poisoning the streets of Browning and the surrounding area,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on Nov. 19, 2022, the mother of the victim, John Doe, with whom she shared a residence, found him deceased in his bathroom. Doe was 49 years old when he died, and his body showed no obvious signs of cause of death. Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and the Glacier County coroner investigated. In Doe’s bedroom, law enforcement found blue powder and a straw on top of a dresser. Doe’s mother reported that Doe had been at the residence the evening before. That evening, Doe’s friend, Malatare, had visited with Doe outside the residence. Doe and his mother then had dinner, during which she noticed Doe had a hard time staying awake. Doe’s mother found him unresponsive in the bathroom. Forensic testing and an autopsy conducted on Doe’s body showed that he had fentanyl in his blood and urine. Ibuprofen and hydrocodone also were detected in his body. A medical examiner concluded that Doe had died of acute fentanyl intoxication.
The government further alleged that a law enforcement search of Doe’s cell phone found a text exchange between Doe and Malatare the evening Doe overdosed. The exchange included:
Malatare to Doe: “Catch up with you lil bit bro, you looking.”
Doe to Malatare: “Yeah, I’ll be home. Just got off work. I can only afford half if you can stop by.”
An investigation determined that beginning in at least September 2022, an individual named “Doug,” and later identified as Malatare, was bringing fentanyl from Washington to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and that Malatare made several quick trips back and forth to Washington between September and December 2022. On Dec. 17, 2022, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services stopped Malatare for speeding and used a K-9 to conduct a sniff search on the car. The K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics. Law enforcement seized the car and obtained a search warrant. Officers searched a fanny pack before allowing Malatare to possess it and found a bag of blue and white pills that they suspected contained fentanyl. In a search of the vehicle, officers found a quantity of multi-colored fentanyl pills in the back seat behind a middle armrest. They also recovered a digital scale and multiple rolls of U.S. currency. An analysis determined both the multi-colored pills and blue and white pills contained fentanyl. In total, the Drug Enforcement Administration lab found more than 600 fentanyl pills. A witness told law enforcement that Malatare was bragging that he purchased the pills for $2 per pill in Washington and sold them for $50 to $60 per pill in Montana. The pills seized from Malatare had an estimated street value of more than $30,000.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office, DEA, and FBI conducted the investigation.
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Farmington Hills Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Stealing Cars from SilverdomeRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Farmington Hills man was sentence to 8 years in prison for conspiring to steal Volkswagen and Audi vehicles from a lot in Pontiac yesterday, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. The charges stem from an investigation initiated by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Auto Theft Unit.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Sheriff Michael Bouchard of Oakland County.
In April, after a 13-day trial, a jury convicted Romane Porter, 47, of conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles and transportation of stolen vehicles. The evidence presented during trial showed that for approximately six months in 2017, Porter and co-defendant Daniel Onorati conspired with each other and others to steal approximately 61 recalled Volkswagen and Audi cars that were parked at the site of the former Pontiac Silverdome.
“This defendant orchestrated a large-scale conspiracy to brazenly steal recalled vehicles and sell them across state lines,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “This sentence reflects the seriousness with which we address fraud, and the work done to achieve the result in this case further demonstrates the strong collaboration and coordination between our local and federal law enforcement partners.”
In addition to the 97-month sentence, U.S. District Judge Denise Page Hood ordered Porter to pay
$683,080 in restitution and to serve three years of supervised release upon release from prison.
"The sentencing of Romane Porter sends a stark reminder that those individuals who conspire to commit fraud and theft, will face the highest penalties under the law,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The joint investigative work of the FBI's Detroit Fraud & Financial Crimes Task Force, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Auto Theft unit, and the diligent prosecution from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Michigan, disrupted an elaborate theft scheme orchestrated by this bad actor. The FBI in Michigan will continue to investigate and arrest individuals who engage in criminal acts.”
“I am grateful for the partnership between our Auto Theft Unit, the FBI, and the US Attorney’s Office who brought this organized auto theft activity to a close,” said Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard. “These individuals were bold in their behavior in stealing such a large volume of vehicles from a well-known location. These criminals deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Auto Theft Unit. The team was also assisted by the Special Investigations Section, Office of Investigative Services of the Michigan Department of State, as well as the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office and the Kentucky State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Trevor Broad and Louis Meizlish
Eight sentenced in Laredo drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Multiple people have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Hector Flores, 53, Aaron Elezar Pachuca, 30, Lauro Alberto Garcia, 31, Matthew Aaron Arce, 31, Javier Hernandez-Barajas, 71, Vincent Castro, 35, Jose Moises Cruz, 39, all of Laredo; and Ernesto Diaz-Velazquez, 41, Forney, had all previously pleaded guilty.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana has now ordered Flores to serve a total of 171 months in federal prison. Castro and Pachuca both received 120-month terms of imprisonment, while Hernandez-Barajas, Cruz, Diaz-Velazquez, Garcia and Arce received 135, 130, 63, 70 and 70 months, respectively. Arce must serve three years of supervised release while the other seven were ordered to serve five-year terms.
At the hearings held Sept. 19 and 20, the court heard additional evidence including information about the organization’s drug importation and smuggling operation.
The investigation revealed Flores and other organization leaders sourced drugs from a Mexican supplier. They brought the drugs to a stash house in Laredo that Flores owned, then separated and re-packaged the drugs and distributed them to various couriers in order to move the drugs into the interior of the United States.
Authorities seized over 14 kilograms of meth, 12 kilograms of heroin, 10 kilograms of cocaine, seven kilograms of fentanyl and $8,000 in drug proceeds throughout the investigation.
Additionally, the United States ordered the forfeiture of the stash house used to traffic the narcotics.
Arce and Garcia were allowed to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future, while the remaining six have been and will remain in custody.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Border Patrol; Customs and Border Protection Air & Marine Operations; Homeland Security Investigations; Texas Department of Public Safety; Webb County District Attorney’s Office; sheriff’s offices in Webb and Zapata Counties; police departments in Laredo, Texas A&M International University and United Independent School District; Webb County Precinct 4 Constables Office and Ohio State Highway Patrol.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony J. Evans prosecuted the case.
District Felon Convicted by a Federal Jury of Unlawful Possession of a Loaded Firearm with .40 Caliber AmmunitionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ezra Griffith, 34, a previously convicted felon, was convicted yesterday by a federal jury of unlawful possession of a loaded firearm with .40 Caliber ammunition which is a felony offense. U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta scheduled sentencing for January 16, 2025.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to the evidence presented to the jury, on November 15, 2023, after sundown about 8:40 p.m., members of the MPD’s Fifth District Crime Suppression Team entered the parking lot of the Rosedale Recreation Center in Northeast Washington, D.C. and observed a small group of people congregating inside the fenced-in playground next to the recreation center building. The park was closed, so the officers went to make contact with the group. In fact, there is a sign next to the playground’s only entrance noting that it is open from dawn to dusk.
As officers approached the fenced-in playground, Griffith immediately sat down on a concrete partition and moved his hands near the front of his waistband, appearing to adjust an object in his lap. Subsequently, Griffith got up and sprinted along the inside fence line of the playground. Officers briefly lost sight of Griffith before stopping him moments later inside the playground area.
Officers canvassed Griffith’s flight path and recovered a Glock 27 .40 caliber semiautomatic firearm loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition. Griffith has two prior felony convictions in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, for carrying a pistol without a license and for attempted robbery.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the investigators from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the outstanding efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office including Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole, Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Robinson, Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Teesha Tobias, Litigation Technology Specialist Charles Bruce, and Litigation Technology Supervisor Leif Hickling.
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Defendants Sentenced for Global Darknet ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A citizen of Nigeria, who was extradited from the United Kingdom, was sentenced in federal court yesterday for his involvement in a conspiracy to sell stolen financial information on the darknet from tens of thousands of victims from around the world.
Simon Kaura was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to five years in federal prison without parole. At sentencing, the court found that Kaura’s crimes resulted in an intended loss of $6,338,500.
On May 22, 2024, Kaura pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and one count of access device fraud. According to court documents, Kaura admitted to being part of a sophisticated, global conspiracy to obtain and sell stolen financial information on darknet markets — including a market he helped create and administer with his co-conspirators. Kaura operated under the online monikers “apples,” “applepiecards,” “cartman,” and “dpharoah.”
Kaura and his co-conspirators operated as prominent “carding” (stolen financial information) vendors, sometimes under the moniker brand “ggmccloud” and “ggmccloud1,” on multiple darknet markets. Each market allowed users to buy and sell stolen and fraudulent financial information. The markets operated much like conventional e-commerce websites, except that the goods sold on the markets were primarily criminal in nature. Each market required users to transact in digital currencies, such as Bitcoin. These sites enabled users to distribute illegal contraband to buyers throughout the world to perpetrate fraud.
Kaura and his co-conspirators obtained large quantities of stolen financial information and passed it along to other co-conspirators to check, organize, and sell on numerous darknet markets. Kaura and his co-conspirators possessed card information belonging to victims from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Kaura and his co-conspirators were responsible for conducting tens of thousands of illegal transactions on darknet markets from Feb. 22, 2016, to Oct. 1, 2019.
During the conspiracy, Kaura and his co-conspirators also created, launched, and administered their own darknet market, Skynet. From April 2016 to October 2019, the co-conspirators’ market offered stolen financial information and other contraband for sale. The market also hosted a messaging forum and private messaging service, allowing cybercriminals from around the world to meet and communicate freely about their crimes.
Co-defendant Taylor Ross Staats, 41, of Texas was sentenced on Jan. 25, 2024, to 18 months in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud. Staats’s main role in the conspiracy was to determine, prior to being advertised for sale, whether the stolen payment cards were still active and capable of use. If so, he organized the card information, and it was posted for sale on the darknet. Staats operated under the online moniker “f9ac4”.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice continue to seek forfeiture of more than $4.5 million in criminal proceeds resulting from the co-conspirators crimes.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of the United Kingdom to secure the arrest and extradition of Kaura.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Heberle, Matthew Blackwood, and John Constance of the Western District of Missouri and Trial Attorneys Michael Christin and Louisa Becker from the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice. It was investigated by the FBI.
Davenport Man Indicted for Armed Carjacking and Possessing Ammunition as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Armoni Moody (23, Davenport) with carjacking, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. If convicted on all counts, Moody faces a minimum mandatory penalty of seven years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Moody that the United States intends to forfeit a SCCY firearm and assorted rounds of ammunition, which are alleged to have been used in the commission of the offense.
According to the indictment, on June 12, 2024, Moody used a firearm to commit a carjacking during which he took a vehicle from the victim with the intent to cause death and serious bodily harm. Prior to the offense, Moody had previously been convicted of robbery with a weapon on May 13, 2021. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Covington Man Indicted for Felon in Possession of Firearms, Silencers, and MachinegunsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOE LYNN BEATTIE (“BEATTIE”), age 52, of Covington, Louisiana, was charged on September 20, 2024 in a three (3) count indictment. Count One charged him with being a Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). Count Two charged him with possession of silencers not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 5841, and Count Three charged him with possession of machineguns, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o).
If convicted, BEATTIE faces up to fifteen (15) years imprisonment for Count One, and up to ten (10) years of imprisonment for Counts Two and Three. He also faces up to three (3) years of supervised release following imprisonment and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee as to all counts. As to Counts One and Three, he faces a fine of up to $250,000 and, as to Count Two, he faces a fine of up to a $100,000.
United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Couple Pleads Guilty to Theft from Isleta Pueblo BusinessRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A husband and wife have pleaded guilty to federal charges for working together to steal over $10,000 from a local business on the Isleta Pueblo.
According to the plea agreements, on February 4, 2023, Eva Mae Hernandez and Frank Joe Hernandez drove to Chical Haystack, a general store located within the Isleta Pueblo. Eva acted as a lookout while Frank entered a restricted area of the store and stole $7,275.50 in cash and a check for $3,134.80 from the store’s safe. The couple was in the store for approximately five minutes before fleeing with the stolen funds.
At sentencing, each faces up to five years in prison. They must also make restitution to Chical Haystack for the money they worked together to steal. Upon their release from prison, Eva and Frank will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.
The Isleta Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the Belen Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Jones and Brittany DuChaussee are prosecuting these cases.
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Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, to 8 years (96 months) in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to public court documents, Marshon Lamarr Johanson, 30, shot his dog after it reportedly bit him. In August 2024, Council Bluffs Animal Control went to Johanson’s house to check on the welfare of the dog. Johanson was uncooperative. The Council Bluffs Police Department returned a few days later with a search warrant. The dog was found dead in the basement. A Ruger handgun and loaded magazine were found in the bedroom of the residence. Johanson was convicted of animal torture in the Iowa District Court for Pottawattamie County and sentenced to a 75-day suspended prison term.
In 2015, Johanson was convicted of burglary and aggravated robbery in Texas, and, in 2022, Johanson was convicted of two felony assault charges in the Nebraska District Court for Douglas County. As a result, Johanson is prohibited from possessing firearms.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Johanson will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by Council Bluffs Animal Control, the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Columbia Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Tron Martelle Harrison, 40, of Columbia, was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Harrison was stopped by the Columbia Police Department (CPD) for a traffic infraction on Oct. 27, 2023. While speaking to the officer, Harrison ate two multi-colored pills that were sitting on the center console. When the officer asked if he just consumed MDMA, Harrison nodded in agreement before spitting out one of them. Instead of complying with the officer’s order to turn the car off, Harrison put it in gear and sped away. CPD officers chased Harrison’s vehicle for more than nine miles at speeds exceeding 100mph before Harrison finally stopped after almost flipping his vehicle. During the chase, an officer saw Harrison throw an object from his vehicle and notified other officers of the location. Officers eventually recovered a 9mm pistol from the exact location where the officer saw it being thrown.
Harrison is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to prior felony convictions. In 2011, Harrison was convicted of criminal conspiracy related to an armed robbery. In 2012, Harrison was convicted of misprision of a felony related to a murder. Most recently, Harrison was convicted of the same federal firearm offense in 2016.
United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Tron Martelle Harrison to 63 months' imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This sentence came after the Government made a motion for an upward variance based on the extremely reckless nature of the chase and the number of firearm-related offenses Harrison has been convicted of in recent years. Judge Currie granted this motion in part, which allowed her to sentence Harrison above the sentencing guidelines applicable to his case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sanford is prosecuting the case.
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California Man Indicted for Transportation and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging William Kameron Ellis Taylor (29, Chula Vista, California) with transportation of child sex abuse materials, possession of child sexual abuse materials, and failure to register as a sex offender. If convicted on all counts, Ellis Taylor faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison.
According to the indictment and court documents, Ellis Taylor was stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol at Cape Canaveral after returning from an international cruise to The Bahamas. Agents discovered that Ellis Taylor had a cellphone and an SD card which contained videos and images of child sexual abuse materials. Ellis Taylor was previously convicted of possession of child sexual abuse material in 2017 in the Southern District of California, and he therefore has certain sex offender registration requirements under federal law. He failed to inform his registering agency of his plans to leave the country as required by that law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, and the United States Marshal Services. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.
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.
Butte woman sentenced to 15 years in prison for role in large meth, fentanyl trafficking ringRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Butte woman convicted by a federal jury of trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl as part of a large drug ring that had a base Whitehall was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Janet Dean White, 57, was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances in a jury trial in April.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
“White was among eight Montanans and Californians who were convicted in a conspiracy that brought at least 13 pounds of methamphetamine and thousands of fentanyl pills to the Butte and Helena areas. We will not rest until every drug trafficker is brought to justice, and I’m confident those defendants will end up residing in the same place as White - federal prison,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
In court documents, the government alleged that from June 2022 until about January 2023 in Butte and Helena, White and seven other co-defendants conspired to traffic meth and fentanyl. In June 2022, the Utah Highway Patrol stopped an individual traveling in a vehicle carrying 3.5 pounds of meth and 6,000 pills containing fentanyl and learned that the individual was transporting the drugs to Butte for distribution by “Esco,” who was co-defendant Juan Felipe Vidrio Fuentes, of Anaheim, California. Law enforcement further learned that Fuentes was staying at Whitehall residence along with at least one co-defendant, James Andrew Stringari, of Whitehall, and that Fuentes was supplying both fentanyl and meth throughout the Butte area from the Whitehall residence. In addition, law enforcement corroborated information about meth and fentanyl trafficking that implicated Fuentes, Stringari, White and another co-defendant.
Fuentes and Stringari also were convicted of conspiracy and possession charges during the April trial. Fuentes was sentenced recently to 30 years in prison, while Stringari is pending sentencing.
The government further alleged that in October 2022, law enforcement stopped a vehicle leaving the Whitehall residence. White was a passenger, and law enforcement found one pound of meth in her purse. In November 2022, law enforcement again stopped White in a vehicle and located three quarters of a pound of meth and more than 100 pills containing fentanyl. White also possessed several cell phones, which contained messages indicative of her drug distribution.
During the investigation, law enforcement intercepted packages containing thousands of pills that were mailed from California to the Whitehall address and to a Butte address. Law enforcement also learned that Fuentes had relocated to a house in Helena.
Law enforcement conducted coordinated stops and raids of the Helena and Butte addresses. In the Butte residence, law enforcement located approximately six pounds of meth, 208 grams of fentanyl, $15,000 cash and seven firearms. In the Helena residence, law enforcement located approximately seven pounds of meth and 68 grams of fentanyl.
Co-defendants Martin Topete Garcia and his brother, Johnathan Topete, both of Mira Loma, California, pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing. Co-defendant Trevor Allen Handy, of Butte, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years and six months in prison. Co-defendant Anthony Wayne Johnson II, of Santa Ana, California, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in prison, and co-defendant Agatha Noriz Carranza, of Whitehall, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years in prison.
Law enforcement conducted coordinated stops and raids of the Helena and Butte addresses. In the Butte residence, law enforcement located approximately six pounds of meth, 208 grams of fentanyl, $15,000 cash and seven firearms. In the Helena residence, law enforcement located approximately seven pounds of meth and 68 grams of fentanyl.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Southwest Montana Drug Task Force, Montana Highway Patrol, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri River Drug Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Utah Highway Patrol and Utah State Bureau of Investigations conducted the investigation.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
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