title: Investigation Leads to Conviction of Human Smuggling Organization Leader Involved in Alien Smuggling and Money Laundering

component: USAO - Arizona

number: 2024-026_Cardenas, et al.

body_text: 17 Co-Conspirators Already Convicted and Sentenced TUCSON, Ariz. – Tony Cardenas, 36, of Phoenix, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 48 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Cardenas, the leader of a Phoenix-based human smuggling organization, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Profit and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering on November 17, 2023. Cardenas and 18 co-conspirators were indicted in November 2021 following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Sells and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). In June 2018, HSI – Sells began investigating Cardenas and his human smuggling organization. Throughout the course of this investigation, agents discovered that undocumented noncitizens were being moved from Central America and Mexico to the Tohono O’odham Nation where they were directed to nearby stash houses or picked up and taken to stash houses in the Tucson and Phoenix areas. Using Phoenix as a distribution hub, the human smuggling organization held undocumented noncitizens in Phoenix until final payment was received. Once payments were made, the undocumented noncitizens were driven to their final destinations throughout the United States. A financial investigation conducted by IRS-CI identified numerous co-conspirators who were using their bank accounts and money service businesses to channel over $1 million back to the alien smuggling organization in Arizona. Seventeen co-conspirators with ties to the Cardenas human smuggling organization have been convicted of alien smuggling and/or money laundering. The final co-conspirator is scheduled to be sentenced on March 28, 2024. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . Homeland Security Investigations – Sells and IRS Criminal Investigation – Tucson conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig Russell and Fred Cocio, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-21-02978-TUC-JGZ RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-026_Cardenas, et al. # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news


title: Biloxi Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Prison for Receipt of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Gulfport, Miss. -- A Biloxi man was sentenced to 136 months in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for receipt of child pornography. Andrew Gilbert Landry, 51, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. In addition to Landry’s term of imprisonment, the Court ordered restitution for victims in the amount of $15,000, and imposed an assessment of $3,000 under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018. According to court documents, Landry was identified by law enforcement as an individual utilizing a peer-to-peer file sharing network and knowingly receiving via the internet at least one visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Hard drives and a laptop computer recovered from Landry’s residence contained at least 800 videos and 80 still images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, to include those under 12 years of age. Landry was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2022. He pled guilty on November 2, 2023, to receipt of child pornography. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Cyber Crime Division of the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft  for Theft from Lidl in Northwest

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, Dwayne Bingham, 63, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on December 30, 2023, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced. Bingham is to be arraigned on March 21, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge. According to the government’s evidence, on December 30, 2023, Bingham took a range of merchandise without paying from the Lidl store at 3100 14 th St NW, Washington, D.C. Bingham was quickly located and arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department. Bingham has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted. Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 31 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Jones. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty. ##


title: California Woman Pleads Guilty to Leaving Threatening Anti-Semitic Message

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Melanie Harris, 59 of Riverside, California, pled guilty to knowingly and intentionally transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce. Harris, who has been in custody since July 20, 2023, entered her guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jared M. Strauss on March 4. Harris remains in custody and is scheduled for sentencing on May 23 before U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman in Miami, where she faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. According to the facts admitted at the change of plea, on October 3, 2022, Harris made multiple calls to Victim 1’s cell phone, and left four separate threatening voicemails, with the intent to communicate a true threat and with the knowledge that the communications would be seen as true threats. In one of these four October 3 voicemails, Harris stated in relevant part: “I’ll cut your f------ head off kiker.” The term “kike” has long been used as an anti-Semitic slur aimed at Jews. Neither Victim 1 nor his wife, Victim 2, knew the identity of the person (Harris) calling Victim 1 with these threatening and harassing calls and voicemails. Nor did they know where the calls were coming from because Harris concealed her phone number using the *67 feature. However, all of these calls originated from the Riverside, California area, where Harris lived at the time, and were received by Victim 1’s phone in the Southern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the guilty plea. The FBI's Miami Area Corruption Task Force, which also investigates civil rights violations, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward N. Stamm and Nardia Haye are prosecuting the case, which was indicted by Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry C. Wallace, Jr. 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 23-cr-60050. ###


title: Louisiana Man Sentenced to over Nine Years in Prison  for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – An Amite, Louisiana man was sentenced to 114 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Kendrick Kenyon Davis, 45, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Jackson. According to court documents, in August 2019, Davis conspired with others, including Juan Angel Gonzalez, Jr., 50, of Houston, Texas, and Jimario Juvonca Holmes, 35, of Louisville, Mississippi, to distribute cocaine. During the investigation, agents learned that Davis and Gonzalez negotiated the delivery of kilogram quantities of cocaine, and that Davis had elicited the assistance of Holmes to pick up narcotics from Gonzalez in Houston, Texas, and bring them back to Mississippi for distribution. “This individual and several others conspired to traffic large quantities of cocaine from Texas into Mississippi without concern for the addiction, death and destruction they would leave in their wake,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune. “Thanks to outstanding teamwork between our HSI office in Jackson, Mississippi, and our OCDETF partners, we were able to dismantle this multi-state drug trafficking ring and prevent them from flooding our local communities with these deadly narcotics.” Juan Angel Gonzalez, Jr. previously pled guilty for his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to 9 years in prison. Jimario Juvonca Holmes also pled guilty and is awaiting sentencing. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Eric Delaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in Jackson and Houston, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Kemper County Sheriff’s Office, Neshoba County Sheriff’s Office, Philadelphia Police Department, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, Mississippi National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, and the Beaumont, Texas Police Department. This case is the result of an extensive investigation targeting illegal drug trafficking in Philadelphia, Neshoba County, Mississippi, and surrounding areas. The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.


title: Meridian Man Pleads Guilty to Destruction of an Energy Facility for Shooting at Two Idaho Power Hydroelectric Power Plants

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: BOISE – Randy Scott Vail, 59, of Meridian, pleaded guilty to destruction of an energy facility in Idaho, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. According to court records, on June 8, 2023, and continuing into June 9, 2023, Vail shot at the Hells Canyon Dam hydroelectric power station and the Brownlee Dam hydroelectric power station causing power loss and substantial damage to both. The Hells Canyon Dam and the Brownlee Dam are located on the Snake River along the Idaho-Oregon border and were built and are operated by Idaho Power Company. The dams are essential to electricity production, transmission, and storage in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. Specifically, in the late-night hours of June 8, 2023, Vail arrived on the top of Hells Canyon Dam via motorcycle, loaded a rifle with ammunition and discharged the rifle, shooting at the power substations. As a result, power loss occurred at Hells Canyon Dam. Approximately one hour later, on June 9, 2023, Vail arrived via motorcycle to the Brownlee Dam. Vail again loaded a rifle with ammunition and shot at the dam’s power substations. As a result, large plumes of sparks were visible in the switch yard of the power plant. Approximately 45 minutes after Vail shot the Brownlee Dam power substations, a sheriff deputy encountered Vail on a motorcycle on Highway 71 traveling south towards Cambridge, Idaho. Law enforcement initiated emergency lights and sirens, but Vail failed to yield and increased speed. After approximately three miles, Vail yielded to lights and sirens, and he was taken into custody. During a search and inventory of Vail and the motorcycle, law enforcement located bolt cutters, a guitar case housing two rifles, and live and spent ammunition. Vail also was carrying two yellow compressed air tanks with gasoline with the pressure gauge missing. Damage and loss to the hydroelectric power stations was at least $546,982.46. In addition, the loss in power production at both facilities reduced capacity for Idaho Power, reducing power capacity in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington and thus caused a significant interruption and impairment of the function of the energy facilities. Vail is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5, 2024 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended a host of federal, state, and local partners in both Idaho and Oregon, for their collaborative work on the case. They include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, the Adams County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Meridian Police Department, the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Boise Police Department, and the Baker County Sheriff’s Office and Wallowa County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather S. Patricco and Erin C. Blackadar are prosecuting the case, in collaboration with the Department of Justice’s National Security Division. ###


title: U.S. Attorney’s Eastern Washington COVID-19 Strike Force Announces Indictment of Trio for COVID Relief Fraud, including Two Tri-Cities Residents

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that a federal grand jury has indicted three individuals for fraud in connection with COVID-19 relief funding. The Indictment is the most recent announced by the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Strike Force, which has brought criminal charges against numerous individuals and recovered millions of dollars in fraudulently obtained COVID relief funding. On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act provided a number of programs through which eligible small businesses could request and obtain relief funding intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic for small and local businesses. One such program, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), provided government-backed funding to small businesses which could be forgiven so long as the proceeds were used for payroll and other eligible expenses. Another program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, provided low interest loans that could be deferred until the conclusion of the pandemic to provide “bridge” funding for small businesses to maintain their operations during shutdowns and other economic circumstances caused by the pandemic. The PPP and EIDL programs have provided billions of dollars in aid, the vast majority of which have not been paid back, including hundreds of millions of dollars disbursed within Eastern Washington. The Indictment announced today charges Kelly Jo Driver, of South Carolina, David Kurt Schneider, of Kennewick, Washington, and Leif Gerald Larsen, of Pasco, Washington, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, and false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims. Additionally, David Kurt Schneider is charged with money laundering. The Indictment alleges that the trio fraudulently obtained at least $250,000 in CARES Act funding through the PPP and EIDL programs, and submitted fraudulent applications seeking at least an additional $1,000,000 in CARES Act funding that were ultimately not approved. The indictment alleges that as part of the conspiracy, all three defendants submitted false information to the SBA and participating PPP lenders regarding gross revenues, number of employees, and amount spent on payroll in an attempt to obtain CARES Act funds to which they were not otherwise entitled. The indictment alleges that defendants submitted funding applications in the name of Larsen Firearms, owned by Leif Gerald Larsen, and Solar Mobility LLC, RealNZ Water LLC, and Tempest Tactical Solutions, LLC, all owned by David Kurt Schneider. The Indictment alleges that Kelly Jo Driver created fraudulent payroll and tax forms that were submitted in support of the applications, and that, for her part in the scheme, Kelly Jo Driver received 10% of the funds disbursed by the SBA and participating lenders. “Many struggling, deserving small businesses requested money from COVID-19 relief programs. Because of the overwhelming need, the programs quickly ran out of money and some businesses were not able to obtain the critical funding they needed,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “We created the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force to combat pandemic-related fraud and protect local and small business that provide critical services for our community and support our economy.” In February 2022, U.S. Attorney Waldref and the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) began working with federal law enforcement agencies to create and launch a COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force that would leverage partnerships between different agencies to aggressively investigate and prosecute fraud against COVID-19 relief programs in Eastern Washington. The Strike Force consists of agency representatives from the USAO, Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs OIG, General Services Administration OIG, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) OIG, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Energy OIG, and others. The fraud charges carry sentences of up to 30 years in federal prison as well as restitution for fraudulently-obtained funds. This case was investigated by the Eastern District of Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force and by FBI and SBA OIG. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy J. Kelley and Frieda K. Zimmerman . An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 4:24-CR-6004-SAB


title: Two Men Accused of Kidnapping St. Louis County Toddler

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Two men were indicted by a grand jury Wednesday and accused of kidnapping a toddler in St. Louis County, Missouri last year. Kendal “KD” White, 19, of St. Charles, and Cam’Ron Henderson, 19, of St. Louis, were each indicted on one felony count of kidnapping. The indictment accuses them of kidnapping the child on Aug. 10, 2023. White and Henderson are in custody. A motion seeking to have them held in jail until trial says the incident occurred in north St. Louis County. White and Henderson were searching for someone they believed had stolen firearms from White, and the pair kicked in the door of the child’s mother’s home, the motion says. The target of their search was the child’s father, but he was not there. Rather than leave, White tried to take the child, and pistol-whipped the mother when she resisted, the motion says. They dropped off the child with strangers in St. Louis after seeing an Amber Alert about the incident, the motion says. 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 kidnapping charge carries a potential penalty of at least 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.


title: Investment Firm Owner Charged with Defrauding at Least 30 Victim Investors over Three Decades

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, NJ. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man who owned and operated a purported investment firm was arrested today and charged with engaging in a decades-long scheme to defraud at least 30 victims of more than $5 million, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Vincent Dispoto Jr., 66, of Belmar, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to have his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court: Dispoto owned and operated Giddeon Financial Services, a purported investment services firm, and Liberty Mortgage Services, an alleged mortgage company. Beginning in 1988, Dispoto raised money through these and other entities by falsely claiming to victims, many of whom were elderly, that he would invest their money in low-risk investment products with guaranteed rates of return, including municipal bonds and certificates of deposits. Dispoto also told some victims that he was using their investments to fund loans and mortgages for medical professionals, which would generate long-term returns through interest payments. To perpetuate his fraud, Dispoto mailed victims false and fraudulent financial statements that purported to show significant increases in the value of their investments. In reality, Dispoto did not invest the victims’ money as promised. Instead, he used it to make Ponzi-like payments to other victims, which he falsely claimed to be “returns” on investments. He also misappropriated victim money to fund his gambling and other personal expenses. Dispoto’s scheme collectively resulted in more than $5 million in losses to victims. The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Kozar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. dispoto.complaint.pdf


title: Columbia Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Gun Charges

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Dominic Sinclair Ervin, 38, of Columbia, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. Evidence presented to the court showed that on July 16, 2019, Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) narcotics investigators conducted a controlled purchase of heroin from Ervin. Ervin was stopped a short time later by an RCSD deputy. Ervin’s car was searched, and deputies found approximately 24 grams of heroin and 15 grams of methamphetamine along with a digital scale hidden in Ervin’s car. A loaded .45 cal. pistol was found under the driver’s seat. On May 10, 2022, City of Columbia Police Department (CPD) officers responded to a call of a man threatening people with a gun at an apartment complex near Bailey St., in Columbia. Ervin matched the description of the suspect given to police. When CPD officers encountered Ervin, he fled into an apartment at the complex. Ervin was eventually taken into custody and found in possession of two firearms, one of which had an extended ammunition magazine attached. Ervin was out on bond from a previous arrest at this time. Ervin was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition based on previous state and federal convictions. In 2008, Ervin was convicted of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. In 2009, he was convicted federally of knowingly using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Ervin to 132 months in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. 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 (ATF), the City of Columbia Police Department (CPD) and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD). Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Taylor is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Michigan Man Sentenced to 96 Months for Drug and Gun Crimes in Burlington

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on March 7, 2024, Quenton Dodson, 36, originally from Ypsilanti, Michigan, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Geoffrey Crawford to a term of 96 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a four-year term of supervised release. Dodson previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as being a felon in possession of firearms. According to court records, after serving almost eight years in a Michigan prison and another year on parole in connection with previously shooting three individuals in a dispute over drugs, Dodson came to Vermont in 2021 to sell methamphetamine and fentanyl. In late 2021 and early 2022, the Burlington Police Department conducted a series of controlled purchases of drugs from Dodson and, in January 2022, obtained warrants to search not only Dodson’s Farrell Street apartment, but also the Ledgewood Circle apartment of a woman suspected of working with Dodson. In Dodson’s Farrell Street apartment police found more than $10,000 in cash (including some of the bills used in one of the controlled buys), about 20 grams of fentanyl, about 65 grams of methamphetamine, about 20 grams of cocaine, and a loaded handgun. In the Ledgewood Circle apartment, police found almost three pounds of methamphetamine (some of which was contained in a plastic bag bearing Dodson’s fingerprint), as well as another loaded handgun. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest observed: “This case demonstrates that Vermont should not be perceived as a friendly destination for those preying on the addictions of others. We are grateful that the Burlington Police Department, in collaboration with the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, as well as the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, were able to intervene in Dodson’s criminal activity before either of the loaded firearms he possessed in connection with his drug dealing were fired.” Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad added: “The Burlington Police Department believes in using a multi-faceted approach to address the scourge of drugs in our community, from treatment and succor for those with substance-use disorder to prosecution and prison for those who peddle poison. I’m proud of our detective team’s work and I’m immensely grateful for our federal partners. This case shows our collective resolve to ensure accountability for traffickers who prey on the suffering of others and harm our community in the process.” The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher. Dodson was represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq. 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 Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Colorado Springs Man Sentenced in Three Colorado Bank Robberies

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Aron Radej, 39, of Colorado Springs, was sentenced to 204 months in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of bank robbery, and one count of a being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to the facts in the plea agreement, Radej was on federal supervised release in April 2023 for a prior conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm when he robbed three banks in Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and Thornton by threatening tellers at each location. Radej was identified by law enforcement and arrested on May 2, 2023, in the passenger seat of a rented minivan. Radej had two loaded firearms in a backpack at his feet at the time of arrest. “This case and sentence demonstrate that we will not stand for repeat criminal offenders in our communities,” said United States Attorney Cole Finegan. “We continue to commend the work of our local, state and federal partners when helping to bring people like this to justice.” "We appreciate the collaborative efforts of the Colorado Springs Police Department, Pueblo Police Department and Thornton Police Department in stopping this repeat offender's violent crime spree," said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. "FBI Denver and our law enforcement partners remain laser-focused on reducing gun violence and ensuring that those who victimize citizens for personal gain are brought to justice." United States District Court Judge Regina M. Rodriguez presided over the sentencing on March 6, 2024. The FBI investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn handled the prosecution. 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. Case Number: 15-CR-00037


title: Justice Department and USDA Enter into Memorandum of Understanding on Civil Enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: The Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and USDA Office of the General Counsel (OGC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Civil Judicial Enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of ENRD, USDA Principal Deputy General Counsel Mary Beth Schultz and USDA-APHIS Administrator Michael Watson made the announcement. The agencies have been closely collaborating on civil judicial enforcement of the AWA for almost four years. This collaboration has resulted in a number of important enforcement actions, including securing the surrender of close to 150 animals from a Michigan animal dealer , some of which are protected under the Endangered Species Act, and an injunction protecting dogs and cats against pervasive mistreatment at a breeder facility. The MOU represents another significant step forward in AWA enforcement, as it outlines new actions the agencies will take to enhance their collaboration. In general, the MOU establishes a framework for notification, consultation and coordination among APHIS, USDA’s General Counsel and ENRD. Building on the agencies’ ongoing relationship, this framework formalizes procedures for regular meetings, coordination on enforcement referrals, information sharing and additional training for employees, among other activities. These procedures will better enable the agencies to prepare for and coordinate on potential civil enforcement actions. USDA and the Justice Department take seriously their common goal of ensuring that animals protected by the AWA are cared for and treated humanely. This MOU demonstrates the agencies’ joint commitment to fulfilling this mission. Final_AWA_MOU_ signed (002).pdf


title: St. Cloud Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of Firearms

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Cloud man has been sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing multiple firearms as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, Roberto Antwan Williams, 39, attempted to rob a man at gunpoint outside an apartment in St. Cloud on July 31, 2020. Williams was apprehended by law enforcement in a vehicle that the victim identified. Law enforcement found a firearm in the vehicle’s glovebox with Williams’ DNA on it. In a separate incident on November 13, 2020, law enforcement was notified that a five-year-old child had been shot in the head and declared dead at a St. Cloud hospital. Williams and his fiancé, the child’s mother, were at the hospital and stated they were shopping when they got a phone call that the child had been injured. Williams claimed that they immediately returned home and took the child to the hospital together. However, law enforcement obtained surveillance video from a neighboring residence that showed the fiancé taking the child to the hospital alone while Williams placed two backpacks in a garbage bin outside of the house. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for his residence and garbage bins. Inside the bins, they discovered the two backpacks which contained a semiautomatic rifle and a purple Taurus model G2C 9mm semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine. The Taurus had the deceased child’s blood on it. Law enforcement also searched Williams’ cell phone and found a picture of the purple Taurus 9mm semiautomatic pistol with the text “my new toy.” On August 29, 2023, Williams was convicted by a federal jury on two counts of possession of firearms as a felon. Because he has multiple prior felony convictions, Williams is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. He was yesterday sentenced in U.S. District Court by U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the St. Cloud Police Department, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Calhoun-Lopez and Mary S. Riverso prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Fresno Man of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. – A federal jury has found Todd Eric Mumma, 60, of Fresno, guilty of actual and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor , U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mumma used hidden digital video recording devices in a residence to create sexually explicit images of a minor. He edited recordings on a computer and then transferred the most sexually explicit images onto a cellphone where the images were stored in a password‑protected application and viewed numerous times. This case is the product of an investigation by the Central Valley Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, specifically Homeland Security Investigations and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa and Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case. Mumma was detained following the verdict. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Mumma faces a minimum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison for the count of sexual exploitation and a fine of up to $250,000 as well as possible forfeiture of property and mandatory restitution to a victim. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. 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 exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Felon for Illegally Possessing a Firearm Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment on February 6, 2024, charging a Louisville man with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. According to the indictment, Eric Nyandwi, 24, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On January 10, 2024, Nyandwi possessed a Sig Sauer, Model P239, .40 caliber pistol, and ammunition. Nyandwi was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On June 7, 2018, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Nyandwi was convicted of robbery in the second degree, complicity to receiving stolen property (firearm), and complicity to tampering with physical evidence. The defendant made his initial court appearance this week before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by the ATF with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erwin Roberts is prosecuting 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. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Federal Indictment Charges Stockton Man with Drug and Gun Offenses

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment Thursday against Alexander Rey Diaz, 51, of Stockton, charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms, possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on Feb. 21, 2024, enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Diaz’s residence. In his bedroom, officers found more than 300 grams of methamphetamine, 150 grams of fentanyl, 170 grams of cocaine, and four loaded firearms. Diaz is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior criminal convictions. This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Stockton Police Department, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Diaz faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $5 million 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. 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 .


title: Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Chicago-Area Return Preparer

component: Tax Division

body_text: The Justice Department filed a complaint today seeking to bar a Chicago-area tax return preparer from owning or operating a tax return preparation business and preparing tax returns for others. The civil complaint against Sir-Michael Davenport and his Illinois-based business, My Unity Financial & Tax Preparation LLC, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The complaint alleges that Davenport knowingly took unreasonable or incorrect positions on returns he prepared that resulted in understatements of the tax his customers owed and overstatements of the refunds to which they were entitled to receive. In particular, the complaint alleges that Davenport prepared returns that claimed deductions for purported business losses on Form 1040 Schedule C that he knew were false. The complaint also alleges that Davenport conceals his identity from the IRS by operating as a “ghost preparer,” meaning he does not sign his clients’ tax returns, nor does he identify himself as the paid preparer by reporting his Preparer Tax Identification Number – or PTIN – on the returns he prepares for paying clients despite being legally required to do so. Not signing a return, or “ghost preparation,” is often a red flag that a preparer is attempting to avoid detection by the IRS. The government further alleges that Davenport began preparing tax returns as early as 2018 and filed hundreds of tax returns in 2021 and 2022, with anywhere from 69% to 81% of the returns he prepared in those years reporting average business losses of between $26,507 to $31,879. By repeatedly understating his customers’ tax liabilities, the complaint alleges that the United States has been harmed by Davenport’s conduct resulting in the significant loss in tax revenue of an estimated $715,407 for tax year 2021 alone. Deputy Assistant General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS warns taxpayers to avoid "ghost preparers" and lists other improper acts that tax preparers engage in to take advantage of their unsuspecting customers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer. In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department website . An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page . If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details . Davenport Complaint Filed Version 3.8.2024.pdf


title: Federal Jury Convicts Two Methamphetamine Traffickers

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A federal jury in Asheville has convicted Keith Ryan Noles, 42, and Tina Jane Hill, 46, both of Marble, N.C., of trafficking methamphetamine and firearms offenses, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Sheriff Dustin D. Smith of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, in February 2021, more than eight pounds of methamphetamine was intercepted by law enforcement in Texas. Trial evidence established that law enforcement learned the methamphetamine was intended for Hill and Noles in North Carolina from their source of supply. The jury heard testimony that, between 2020 and 2021, their source of supply or his representative made multiple trips to North Carolina to deliver packages of methamphetamine to Hill and Noles, and to pick up cash payments. According to trial evidence, after the methamphetamine was intercepted in Texas, law enforcement planned a delivery of the methamphetamine to Hill and Noles as originally planned. Law enforcement arrested Noles soon after he arrived to assist with the delivery of the methamphetamine to his and Hill’s residence in Marble, North Carolina. Law enforcement subsequently arrested Hill at the residence. The jury found Noles and Hill guilty of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Noles was also convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Sentencing hearings for Noles and Hill have not been set. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended HSI and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case and thanked the Andrews Police Department and the Graham County Sheriff’s Office for their invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Annabelle Chambers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville are prosecuting the case. Ms. Chambers is a state prosecutor with the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Chambers is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA position helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of federal court cases that impact the counties within the 43rd Prosecutorial District.


title: District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft  for Stealing Multiple Packages

body_text: WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, Demetrius Hamm, 55, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on three counts of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on January 30, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced. Hamm has been arraigned and has another hearing before a Superior Court judge on March 19, 2024. According to the government’s evidence, on January 30, 2024, Hamm took packages off of a porch in Northwest Washington, DC. Hamm was quickly located and arrested by members of the Metropolitan Police Department. Hamm has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted. Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 31 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Yee Yee Myint. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.


title: United States Seizes $1.4 Million in Cryptocurrency Linked to Alleged Tech Support Scam

component: Criminal - Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section

body_text: CHICAGO — Through a court-authorized seizure warrant, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago has seized approximately $1.4 million of Tether (USDT), a cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar. The funds, which are suspected fraud proceeds, will be returned to victims of the fraud scheme. The seizure marks one of the first times the United States has recovered USDT from an unhosted virtual currency wallet. The seizure was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven J. Dollear. The U.S. Attorney’s Office acknowledged Tether for its assistance in effectuating the transfer of these assets. The alleged fraud scheme, which remains under investigation, was initiated by a computer popup that indicated a victim’s computer had been compromised. The popup directed the victim to contact Microsoft or Apple, depending on the victim’s operating system, at a certain telephone number. Once on the phone, the perpetrators, posing as tech support employees, informed the victim that the victim’s bank account had also been compromised. The perpetrator then transferred the call to others posing as employees of the fraud department of the victim’s bank. The perpetrators convinced the victims to convert money from traditional bank accounts into cryptocurrency to keep it “safe” from hackers. The funds were then transferred into unhosted virtual currency wallets controlled by the perpetrators. The scheme has impacted victims, mostly elderly, throughout the United States. In its most recent Internet Crime Report , the FBI estimated that tech support scams caused losses in excess of $924 million in 2023. Application and Affidavit for Seizure Warrant Funds on Deposit with Tether


title: Hagerstown Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for a Series of Carjackings

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Carlos Guardado-Eagle, age 22, of Hagerstown, Maryland, on March 5 to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a series of armed carjackings and an attempted carjacking. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Baltimore Field Office; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad; Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Kevin Davis of the Fairfax County, Virginia Police Department; Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy. According to his guilty plea, between May 15, 2022 and June 1, 2022, Guardado-Eagle and a co-conspirator carjacked four victims at gunpoint. On June 6, Guardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator attempted a fifth carjacking, but the victim would not surrender the keys to the vehicle and Guardado-Eagle and the co-conspirator fled without obtaining the vehicle. On each occasion, Guardado-Eagle and the co-conspirator wore masks to conceal their identities and took BMWs. In three of the carjackings, after obtaining the keys to the BMW, Guardado-Eagle and the co-conspirator split up, with one driving the BMW and the other driving another vehicle. Specifically, on May 15, 2022, Guardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator rear-ended a 2014 BMW in District Height’s Maryland. When the driver got out of the car to inspect the damage, Guardado-Eagle and the co-conspirator got out of their car, pointed guns at the victim, demanded the victim’s keys and directed the victim to run across the street. Guardado-Eagle and the co-conspirator then fled with one driving the BMW and the other driving the vehicle they used in the collision. In addition, on May 19, 2022, Gardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator conducted an armed carjacking from a victim in Severn, Maryland; on May 26, 2022, Guardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator committed an armed carjacking in Silver Spring, Maryland, as that victim was stopped at a traffic light; and on June 1, 2022, Guardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator committed an armed carjacking in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Finally, on June 6, 2022, Guardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator attempted an armed carjacking in a parking garage in Baltimore. In the June attempted carjacking, Guardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator confronted their potential victim and when the victim refused to provide their car keys and attempted to flee, Guardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator assaulted this victim. The victim refused to surrender their keys and Guardado-Eagle and his co-conspirator fled in another vehicle. The law enforcement investigation led to Guardado-Eagle’s arrest later in June, 2022. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and 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. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Fairfax, Virginia Police Department, the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas F. Potter, who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization Based in Lewis County, Tennessee, Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: NASHVILLE – Michael Sowell, 39, of Hohenwald, Tennessee, was sentenced yesterday to 22 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. In May 2023, Sowell pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute various drugs, including heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine; distribution of methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine; and possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. The convictions stem from Sowell’s involvement in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for distributing substantial quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine throughout middle Tennessee between 2017 and 2020. Sowell imported heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine from California and distributed those drugs to other individuals, many of whom were also charged as part of this case. Sowell admitted that he was aware that the charged conspiracy involved at least two kilograms of heroin, at least six kilograms of cocaine, and over 33 pounds of methamphetamine. As part of the resolution of this case, Sowell forfeited firearms and ammunition recovered from his house during the execution of a search warrant in 2019, as well as a money judgment in the amount of $200,000, which represents proceeds he obtained from his illegal drug trafficking activity. The other individuals charged in the Superseding Indictment with Michael Sowell have all pled guilty. Frank Sparkman, 42, of Hohenwald, Tennessee, was sentenced in October 2023 to 15 years in prison; Antonio Sowell, 39, of Hohenwald, Tennessee, was sentenced in January 2024 to 15 years in prison. Charles Lowe-Kelley, 32, of Columbia, Tennessee, was sentenced in February 2024 to 15 years in prison. Antonio Laster, 33, of Nashville, Tennessee, was sentenced in August 2023 to 10 years in prison. Tanasha Vaughn, 24, of Hohenwald, Tennessee, and Darron Weakley, 37, of Nashville, Tennessee, are awaiting sentencing. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Columbia Police Department; the Hohenwald Police Department; the Spring Hill Police Department; and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Levine and Nani M. Gilkerson prosecuted the case. # # # # #


title: Juan Orlando Hernandez, Former President Of Honduras, Convicted In Manhattan Federal Court Of Conspiring To Import Cocaine Into The United States And Related Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Merrick B. Garland, the Attorney General of the United States; and Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today that a jury returned a guilty verdict against JUAN ORLANDO HERNANDEZ, a/k/a “JOH,” on all three counts in the Indictment, which included cocaine-importation and weapons offenses. U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel presided over the trial. HERNANDEZ is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26, 2024. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Juan Orlando Hernandez had every opportunity to be a force for good in his native Honduras. Instead, he chose to abuse his office and country for his own personal gain and partnered with some of the largest and most violent drug trafficking organizations in the world to transport tons of cocaine to the United States. It is my sincere hope that this conviction sends a message to all corrupt politicians who would consider a similar path: choose differently. My Office will stop at nothing to investigate and prosecute those responsible for sending poison to this community, no matter their status or political power.” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “Juan Orlando Hernandez abused his position as President of Honduras to operate the country as a narco-state where violent drug traffickers were allowed to operate with virtual impunity, and the people of Honduras and the United States were forced to suffer the consequences. As today’s conviction demonstrates, the Justice Department is disrupting the entire ecosystem of drug trafficking networks that harm the American people, no matter how far or how high we must go.” DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “When the leader of Honduras and the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel work hand-in-hand to send deadly drugs into American communities, both deserve to be held accountable in the United States. This case should send a clear message that no one is above the law or beyond our reach.” As reflected in the Indictment and the evidence presented at trial: From at least in or about 2004, up to and including in or about 2022, HERNANDEZ, the former two-term president of Honduras and former president of the Honduran National Congress, was at the center of one of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies in the world. HERNANDEZ abused his position and authority in Honduras to facilitate the importation of tons of cocaine into the United States. In exchange, HERNANDEZ received millions of dollars in drug money from some of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking organizations in Honduras, Mexico, and elsewhere, and used those bribes to fuel his rise in Honduran politics. Throughout his time in office, HERNANDEZ publicly promoted legislation and the efforts he purported to undertake in support of anti-narcotics measures in Honduras. At the same time, he protected and enriched the drug traffickers in his inner circle and those who provided him with cocaine-fueled bribes that allowed him to obtain and stay in power in Honduras. For example, HERNANDEZ selectively upheld extraditions by using his executive power to support extraditions to the United States of certain drug traffickers who threatened his grip on power and promising drug traffickers who paid him and followed his instructions that they would remain in Honduras. In addition, HERNANDEZ and his co-conspirators abused Honduran institutions, including the Honduran National Police and Honduran Army, to protect and grow their conspiracy. Among other things, members of the conspiracy used heavily armed Honduran National Police officers to protect their cocaine loads as they transited through Honduras. Members of the conspiracy also turned to violence and murder to protect and grow their drug trafficking enterprise, attacking and murdering rival traffickers and those who threatened their grip on the Honduran cocaine trade. Several of HERNANDEZ’s co-conspirators have already been convicted and sentenced in connection with this investigation. Among others, HERNANDEZ’s brother, Juan Antonio Hernandez Alvarado, a/k/a “Tony Hernandez,” was convicted after trial in October 2019 and sentenced to life in prison, and Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez, a violent cocaine trafficker who met with HERNANDEZ on multiple occasions to discuss their drug trafficking partnership, was convicted after trial in March 2021, and sentenced to life in prison. More recently, Juan Carlos Bonilla Valladares, a/k/a “El Tigre,” the former chief of the Honduran National Police, pled guilty to his participation in the cocaine importation conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, 2024, and Mauricio Hernandez Pineda, a former member of the Honduran National Police and HERNANDEZ’s cousin, pled guilty to his participation in the cocaine importation conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2, 2024. In total, HERNANDEZ and his co-conspirators trafficked more than 400 tons of U.S.-bound cocaine through Honduras during HERNANDEZ’s tenure in the Honduran government. * * * HERNANDEZ, 55, of Honduras, was convicted of three counts: (i) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; (ii) using and carrying machineguns and destructive devices during, and possessing machineguns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a mandatory consecutive prison term of 30 years; and (iii) conspiring to use and carry machineguns and destructive devices during, and possessing machineguns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) New York Strike Force, and Tegucigalpa Country Office, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Mr. Williams additionally thanked the Government of Honduras for its assistance extraditing HERNANDEZ to the United States. The OCDETF New York Strike Force provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the New York Strike Force is to target, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, reduce the illegal drug supply in the United States, and bring criminals to justice. This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig, David J. Robles, Elinor L. Tarlow, and Kyle A. Wirshba are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Kayla A. Collins and Trial Attorneys Andrea Broach and Jessica Fender of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.


title: Juan Orlando Hernández, Former President of Honduras, Convicted in Manhattan Federal Court of Conspiring to Import Cocaine into the United States and Related Firearms Offenses

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: A federal jury convicted Juan Orlando Hernández, also known as JOH, 55, of Honduras, on all three counts in the indictment, which included cocaine-importation and weapons offenses. Hernández is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26. “Juan Orlando Hernández abused his position as President of Honduras to operate the country as a narco-state where violent drug traffickers were allowed to operate with virtual impunity, and the people of Honduras and the United States were forced to suffer the consequences,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As today’s conviction demonstrates, the Justice Department is disrupting the entire ecosystem of drug trafficking networks that harm the American people, no matter how far or how high we must go.” “When the leader of Honduras and the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel work hand-in-hand to send deadly drugs into American communities, both deserve to be held accountable in the United States,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “This case should send a clear message that no one is above the law or beyond our reach.” “Juan Orlando Hernández had every opportunity to be a force for good in his native Honduras. Instead, he chose to abuse his office and country for his own personal gain and partnered with some of the largest and most violent drug trafficking organizations in the world to transport tons of cocaine to the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “It is my sincere hope that this conviction sends a message to all corrupt politicians who would consider a similar path: choose differently. My office will stop at nothing to investigate and prosecute those responsible for sending poison to this community, no matter their status or political power.” According to court documents, from at least in or about 2004, up to and including in or about 2022, Hernández, the former two-term president of Honduras and former president of the Honduran National Congress, was at the center of one of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies in the world. Hernández abused his position and authority in Honduras to facilitate the importation of tons of cocaine into the United States. In exchange, Hernández received millions of dollars in drug money from some of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking organizations in Honduras, Mexico, and elsewhere, and used those bribes to fuel his rise in Honduran politics. Throughout his time in office, Hernández publicly promoted legislation and the efforts he purported to undertake in support of anti-narcotics measures in Honduras. At the same time, he protected and enriched the drug traffickers in his inner circle and those who provided him with cocaine-fueled bribes that allowed him to obtain and stay in power in Honduras. For example, Hernández selectively upheld extraditions by using his executive power to support extraditions to the United States of certain drug traffickers who threatened his grip on power, and promising drug traffickers who paid him and followed his instructions that they would remain in Honduras. In addition, Hernández and his co-conspirators abused Honduran institutions, including the Honduran National Police and Honduran Army, to protect and grow their conspiracy. Among other things, members of the conspiracy used heavily armed Honduran National Police officers to protect their cocaine loads as they transited through Honduras. Members of the conspiracy also turned to violence and murder to protect and grow their drug trafficking enterprise, attacking and murdering rival traffickers and those who threatened their grip on the Honduran cocaine trade. Several of Hernández’s co-conspirators have already been convicted and sentenced in connection with this investigation. Among others, Hernández’s brother, Juan Antonio Hernández Alvarado, also known as Tony Hernández, was convicted after trial in October 2019 and sentenced to life in prison, and Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez, a violent cocaine trafficker who met with Hernández on multiple occasions to discuss their drug trafficking partnership, was convicted after trial in March 2021, and sentenced to life in prison. More recently, Juan Carlos Bonilla Valladares, also known as El Tigre, the former chief of the Honduran National Police, pleaded guilty to his participation in the cocaine importation conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, and Mauricio Hernández Pineda, a former member of the Honduran National Police and Hernández’s cousin, pleaded guilty to his participation in the cocaine importation conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2. In total, Hernández and his co-conspirators trafficked over more than 400 tons of U.S.-bound cocaine through Honduras during Hernández’s tenure in the Honduran government. Hernández was convicted of three counts: (i) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; (ii) using and carrying machineguns and destructive devices during, and possessing machineguns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a mandatory consecutive prison term of 30 years; and (iii) conspiring to use and carry machineguns and destructive devices during, and possessing machineguns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. The DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) New York Strike Force, and Tegucigalpa Country Office are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing his arrest and extradition. The Justice Department thanked the Government of Honduras for extraditing Hernández to the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig, David J. Robles, Elinor L. Tarlow, and Kyle A. Wirshba for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Kayla A. Collins and Trial Attorneys Andrea Broach and Jessica Fender of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.


title: California man sentenced for multimillion-dollar fraud and money laundering schemes

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 45-year-old Nigerian national has been ordered to federal prison for his participation in two separate schemes to defraud victim homeowners and a corporation and launder the proceeds of those frauds. Joseph Modile pleaded guilty Feb. 27, 2023, to charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft filed in the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) and charges of money laundering and wire fraud filed in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) and subsequently transferred to the EDNY. U.S. District Judge Diane Gujarati has now ordered Modile to serve 145 months in prison. As part of the sentence, Modile was also ordered to pay more than $1.5 million each in restitution and forfeiture. “Although Modile took part in a complicated scheme, involving a cadre of runners and a series of fake documents and bank accounts, his goal was simple - steal from unsuspecting victims,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the SDTX. “While his crimes stretched to all parts, from Brooklyn to Houston, thanks to the work of two U.S. Attorney’s Offices, Modile will spend several years in one place, a prison cell, no longer able to help fellow criminals prey on the innocent.” “Modile checked all the boxes for a sophisticated fraud–stealing, deception, money laundering and identity theft. Today’s sentence checks the box for an appropriate penalty for his crimes of greed from Brooklyn to Texas,” stated U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the EDNY. “I commend the prosecutors from my Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the SDTX and the special agents for their outstanding work unraveling Modile’s scheme.” “Today’s sentencing is a positive step toward justice for Joseph Modile’s victims – homeowners, business owners and the everyday email users alike who were defrauded of over $15 million as a result of his sophisticated schemes. The defendant spearheaded at least three fraud schemes across the country and over the course of several years. His tactics, while sophisticated, were no match for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York’s El Dorado Task Force Cyber investigators,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan. “I commend HSI New York, the New York City Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the EDNY and SDTX, as well as FBI Houston, for a job well done.” “FBI Houston, along with our domestic and international law enforcement partners, led an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation on numerous prolific organized crime figures. Modile, for years, was an orchestrator of multi-million-dollar fraud schemes who stole from countless victims around the world,” stated FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Douglas Williams. “Dismantling large-scale criminal enterprises is what the FBI does, and Modile’s sentence should send a message to greedy criminals like him still out there, it’s just a matter of time before we get you too.” In the SDTX case, from November 2017 until May 2018, Modile knowingly devised a scheme to defraud victims. Modile used his cellular phone to communicate with others about financial transactions for the purpose of executing his scheme. Modile directed an individual already convicted in Houston to withdraw cash from their bank account and provide it to others. Modile also directed the individual in Houston to lie to their financial institution regarding the reason for withdrawing money from their account. In February 2018, Modile orchestrated and directed a substantial amount of money into an account of the individual in Houston. The money derived from wire fraud, and Modile was aware the money came from unlawful activity. In the case filed in the EDNY, from January 2014 and September 2018, Modile and others defrauded victims, businesses and financial institutions in the United States through a sophisticated home equity line of credit (HELOC) scheme involving a series of bank account takeovers. During this time, Modile and others also laundered proceeds from the bank account takeovers. In furtherance of the HELOC fraud scheme, Modile and others acquired personal identifying information (PII) of the actual holders of the targeted bank accounts at the financial institutions. The co-conspirators then used the PII to impersonate the actual holders of the targeted bank accounts, thereby gaining control of the accounts. In some cases, members of the conspiracy recruited “runners,” who impersonated the actual account holders inside bank branches using forged and fraudulent identification documents created at Modile’s direction. In most instances, the stolen funds were first deposited into fraudulent bank accounts co-conspirators set up and controlledin the names of the actual victims from whom the money had been stolen. In other cases, the bank accounts into which the stolen funds were first deposited were in the names of sham corporations, which were opened using false and fraudulent identification. In total, Modile and others stole at least $5 million as part of the HELOC fraud scheme. In May 2018, Modile and others engaged in a separate business email compromise scheme using fraudulent emails and telephone calls to steal approximately $10.2 million from a victim company. The co-conspirators used a fraudulent email address to impersonate a contractor of an entity located in St. Paul, Minnesota, and directed representatives of that entity to deposit the funds in an account members of the conspiracy controlled. Modile and others then laundered those stolen funds through bank accounts that co-conspirators controlled. FBI and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. This effort is part of an OCDETF operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Rodolfo Ramirez prosecuted the case along with EDNY AUSA David Pitluck.


title: California Man Sentenced to 145 Months in Prison for Multi-Million Dollar Fraud and Money Laundering Schemes

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Joseph Modile, a Nigerian national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Diane Gujarati to 145 months in prison for his participation in two separate schemes to defraud victim homeowners and a corporation and launder the proceeds of those frauds. In February 2023, Modile pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft that were filed in the Eastern District of New York, and to charges of money laundering and wire fraud that were filed in the Southern District of Texas and subsequently transferred to the Eastern District of New York. As part of the sentence, Modile was also ordered to pay more than $1.5 million in restitution and more than $1.5 million in forfeiture. Modile pleaded guilty to both charging documents in February 2023. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Alamdar S. Hamdani, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, Erin Keegan, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), and Douglas Williams, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Houston Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence. “Modile checked all the boxes for a sophisticated fraud–stealing, deception, money laundering and identity theft. Today’s sentence checks the box for an appropriate penalty for his crimes of greed from Brooklyn to Texas,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “I commend the prosecutors from my Office, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and the Special Agents for their outstanding work unraveling Modile’s scheme.” Mr. Peace also expressed his thanks to the New York City Police Department which conducted this investigation as part of an enterprise Priority Transnational Organized Crime (PTOC) of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the FBI’s Boston Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, New York County District Attorney’s Office, the Houston Police Department, and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for their substantial assistance. “While Modile took part in a complicated scheme, involving a cadre of runners and a series of fake documents and bank accounts, his goal was simple - steal from unsuspecting victims,” stated United States Attorney Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas. “Although his crimes stretched to all parts, from Brooklyn to Houston, thanks to the work of two U.S. Attorney’s Offices, Modile will spend several years in one place, a prison cell, no longer able to help fellow criminals prey on the innocent.” “Today’s sentencing is a positive step toward justice for Joseph Modile’s victims – homeowners, business owners, and the everyday email users alike who were defrauded of over $15 million as a result of his sophisticated schemes. The defendant spearheaded at least three fraud schemes across the country and over the course of several years. His tactics, while sophisticated, were no match for HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force Cyber investigators,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Keegan. “I commend HSI New York, the New York City Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of New York and the Southern District of Texas, as well as FBI Houston, for a job well done.” “FBI Houston, along with our domestic and international law enforcement partners, led an OCDETF investigation on numerous prolific organized crime figures. Modile, for years, was an orchestrator of multi-million-dollar fraud schemes who stole from countless victims around the world,” stated FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Williams. “Dismantling largescale criminal enterprises is what the FBI does and Modile’s sentence should send a message to greedy criminals like him still out there, it’s just a matter of time before we get you too.” In a scheme that was charged in the Eastern District of New York, from January 2014 and September 2018, Modile and others defrauded victims, businesses, and financial institutions in the United States through a sophisticated home equity line of credit (HELOC) scheme involving a series of bank account takeovers. During this time, Modile and others also laundered proceeds from the bank account takeovers. In furtherance of the HELOC fraud scheme, Modile and others acquired personal identifying information (PII) of the actual holders of the targeted bank accounts at the financial institutions. The co-conspirators then used the PII to impersonate the actual holders of the targeted bank accounts, thereby gaining control of the accounts. In some cases, members of the conspiracy recruited “runners,” who impersonated the actual account holders inside bank branches using forged and fraudulent identification documents created at the direction of Modile. In most instances, the stolen funds were first deposited into fraudulent bank accounts set up and controlled by co-conspirators in the names of the actual victims from whom the money had been stolen. In other cases, the bank accounts into which the stolen funds were first deposited were in the names of sham corporations, which were opened using false and fraudulent identification. In total, Modile and others stole at least $5 million as part of the HELOC fraud scheme. In a related scheme charged in the Eastern District of New York, in May 2018, Modile and others engaged in a separate Business Email Compromise scheme, using fraudulent emails and telephone calls to steal approximately $10.2 million from a victim company. The coconspirators used a fraudulent email address to impersonate a contractor of an entity located in St. Paul, Minnesota, and directed representatives of that entity to deposit the funds in an account controlled by members of the conspiracy. Modile and others then laundered those stolen funds through bank accounts controlled by members of the conspiracy. Finally, as set forth in the information filed in the Southern District of Texas, from November 2017 until May 2018, Modile knowingly devised a scheme to defraud victims. Modile used his cellular phone to communicate with others about financial transactions for the purpose of executing his scheme. Modile directed an individual already convicted in Houston, Texas to withdraw cash from their bank account and provide it to others. Modile also directed the individual in Houston to lie to their financial institution regarding the reason for withdrawing money from their account. In February 2018, Modile orchestrated and directed a substantial amount of money into an account of the individual in Houston. The money derived from wire fraud and Modile was aware the money came from unlawful activity. This effort is part of an OCDETF operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney David Pitluck is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist William Daniels, along with Assistant United States Attorney Rodolfo Ramirez of the Southern District of Texas. The Defendant: JOSEPH MODILE Age: 45 Los Angeles, California E.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 21-CR-108 and 23-CR-50 (DG)


title: Bridgeport Man Admits Role in Scheme that Defrauded Social Security Administration

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Sharon MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, Boston – New York Field Division, announced that TROVOY DIXON, 31, of Bridgeport, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today to an offense stemming from his role in a scheme to defraud the Social Security Administration. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2021, unidentified fraudsters engaged in a scheme to defraud the Social Security Administration (SSA) using stolen identities. The fraudsters would contact the SSA posing as legitimate Social Security recipients, often presenting the SSA with confidential personal information, like Social Security numbers and dates of birth, to validate their purported identities. They would then instruct the SSA to change the legitimate SSA recipients’ existing bank account deposit information so that monthly SSA payments would be deposited into bank accounts controlled by scheme participants. In approximately August 2021, Dixon was contacted by phone by a scheme participant using a Jamaican based telephone number and was asked if he wished to make money through moving money. Dixon agreed, and was instructed to open bank accounts that he would control. After monies generated from the scheme were deposited into Dixon’s online bank accounts, he would withdraw cash from the accounts and use commercial money transfer services to wire a portion of the cash to designated bank accounts in either Jamaica or Mexico. Dixon admitted that he consciously avoided learning the monies were illegally obtained, although in time he knew them to be, and ultimately kept close to half of the monies for his personal use. Between August 2021 and July 2023, more than $300,000 was deposited into bank accounts Dixon controlled. When accounts were closed due to suspicious fraudulent withdrawal activity, Dixon opened additional accounts to continue his illegal activity. Dixon pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He has agreed to make restitution of $161,000. Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for June 30. Dixon is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing. This investigation is being conducted by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.


title: Colombian National Extradited from Colombia to the United States to Face Charges of Murder Conspiracy and Attempted Murder of U.S. Army Soldiers

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On March 7, Ciro Alfonso Gutierrez Ballesteros, 32, made his initial appearance in federal court in Miami. Gutierrez Ballesteros was extradited from Colombia to the United States to face federal charges lodged against him in a federal indictment returned in 2022 by a Miami federal grand jury. Gutierrez Ballesteros was indicted for charges that include conspiring to murder members of the United States Uniformed Services and attempted murder of members of the United States Uniformed Services. According to the indictment, Gutierrez Ballesteros, in concert with other co-conspirators, planned a bombing attack against U.S. Army soldiers present at the Colombian 30 th Army Brigade Base in Cucuta, Colombia. Co-conspirator Andres Fernando Medina Rodriguez used his status as a medically discharged Colombian Army Officer to gain access to the base where he conducted surveillance. As part of the surveillance, Medina Rodriguez took photographs and video of the areas where the U.S. Army soldiers were primarily located. Gutierrez Ballesteros instructed Medina Rodriguez to find and purchase a vehicle suitable for conducting a vehicle borne improvised explosive device (“VBIED”) attack at the base. Medina Rodriguez purchased a white SUV and Medina Rodriguez and Gutierrez Ballesteros then drove the vehicle to Venezuela where it was outfitted with the explosives. On June 15, 2021, Medina Rodriguez drove the vehicle with the VBIED to the 30 th Army Brigade Base in Cucuta, Colombia, where he parked it in front of the location where U.S. and Colombian military personnel were located. Gutierrez Ballesteros, riding a motorcycle, followed Medina Rodriguez to the Colombian military base. Medina Rodriguez pulled the detonation pin on the explosive and left the area on foot before fleeing on the motorcycle driven by Gutierrez Ballesteros. As a result of the detonated VBIED, three U.S. Army soldiers were injured. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI’s Miami Field Office announced the extradition of Gutierrez Ballesteros. The FBI investigated the case. The FBI was assisted by the FBI Legal Attaché in Bogotá, the Fiscalía General de la Nación Colombia , and the National Police of Colombia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy A. Hummel, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy R. Camacho, and the Justice Department’s National Security Division Trial Attorneys David C. Smith and Michael Dittoe are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá worked with Colombian authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Gutierrez Ballesteros. An indictment contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. 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 22-cr-20054. ###


title: District Man Sentenced to 32 Months in Prison for Felony Second-Degree Theft for Stealing Multiple Packages after Multiple Prior Theft Convictions

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Daniel Greene, 42, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 32 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for two counts of felony second degree theft. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). On January 5, 2024, Greene pleaded guilty to both counts. At today’s sentencing, Superior Court Judge Erik Christian sentenced Greene to 16 months in prison for each count, to run consecutively. According to the government’s evidence, on September 16, 2023, the defendant went up to residences in Northeast Washington, D.C. and stole packages that been delivered to residents’ front doors. Greene was indicted on October 12, 2023, on two counts of felony second degree theft. Greene had nine prior theft convictions, in the District of Columbia, and was therefore subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Skopicki, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Court Sentences Texas Man to 87 Months Imprisonment in Multi-Defendant  Interstate Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – On March 6, 2024, United States District Court Judge, Callie V. S. Grande sentenced Daniel Castillo-Garcia to 87 months imprisonment for his role in a multi-defendant interstate drug trafficking conspiracy. Documents filed with the Court established that Castillo-Garcia was involved with five other persons to transport and distribute methamphetamine from Texas to Mobile County, Alabama. Castillo-Garcia served as a drug courier in the organization who on numerous occasions transported methamphetamine from Texas to Lafayette, Louisiana and Mobile County for the organization. On December 7, 2020, the Mobile Police Department Narcotics Unit conducted a traffic stop on a 2007 Black Suburban bearing a Texas license plate and being driven by Castillo-Garcia. Following the stop, investigative team members conducted a search of the vehicle and seized approximately 491 grams of crystal methamphetamine. The seizure occurred after a recorded phone call was made from a confidential informant to another member of the conspiracy ordering a pound of methamphetamine and the dealer stating he would send his courier to Mobile to deliver the methamphetamine. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mobile Police Department, Narcotics Unit, the Harrison and Hancock County, Mississippi, Sherriff’s Offices and the Galveston County Texas Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.