title: Columbia Man Involved in a Shooting Incident Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Eric Grier, 55, of Columbia, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a felony. Evidence presented to the Court showed that on the night of October 10, 2020, the Columbia Police Department (CPD) received a ShotSpotter alert from the Celia Saxon neighborhood. As CPD officers responded to the scene, Grier was fleeing in a white car. Officers tried to initiate a traffic stop, but Grier refused to stop and tried to elude law enforcement officers until he lost control of his car and stopped on a curb. Officers removed Grier from the car and found a discarded handgun near the passenger door. The slide of the gun was locked back, indicating the gun had been fired until the magazine was empty. While Grier was in custody, officers found 10 spent shell casings near the area where they first saw Grier’s vehicle. The shell casings were linked to the gun found near Grier’s car via a NIBIN lead. Officers also executed a search warrant to test Grier’s hands for gunshot residue. Analysts with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) confirmed the spent shell casings recovered by CPD were fired from the gun found near Grier’s car, and Grier had gunshot residue on his hands. Before this incident, Grier had multiple convictions for criminal domestic violence. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Eric Grier to 46 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 was made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin . The case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Aurora Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Conspiracy, Illegal Firearm

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Aurora, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine in Barry County, Mo. Brian E. Hall, 45, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. By pleading guilty today, Hall admitted he participated in the drug-trafficking conspiracy from Nov. 1, 2020, to April 28, 2022. During the investigation, law enforcement officers seized multiple kilograms of methamphetamine from various members of the drug-trafficking organization, including Hall. Hall admitted that he was distributing large amounts of methamphetamine in the southwest Missouri region. Hall also admitted he has traveled to Arizona and Oklahoma numerous times to purchase 20 to 50 pounds of methamphetamine at a time and bring it back to Missouri. A confidential informant assisted in the controlled buy of 413 grams (approximately one pound) of methamphetamine from Hall on June 16, 2021, for $1,400. A confidential informant assisted in the controlled buy of 431.27 grams of methamphetamine from Hall on June 22, 2021, for $3,500. Investigators also interviewed a property owner who was involved in an owner-financed sale of a house and storage units to Hall for $10,000 per month, paid in cash. The property owner was aware that Hall sold methamphetamine and did not have legitimate income to purchase the properties. Hall met the property owner in February and in March 2022 to make the $10,000 payments, which were relinquished to the government. On April 28, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hall’s residence. Officers seized seven pounds of methamphetamine, a stolen Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol that was found underneath Hall’s bed, approximately $57,000 in cash found inside a safe, and drug paraphernalia used for the packaging and sale of methamphetamine. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Hall must forfeit the $57,000 to the government. Hall told investigators he was expecting a large delivery of methamphetamine that evening, and that he planned to give the courier the $57,000. At approximately 10 p.m., a black Toyota Camry arrived at Hall’s residence. The driver and a passenger were immediately arrested, and officers seized approximately 22 pounds (10 kilograms) of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, Hall is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Combined Ozark Multi-jurisdictional Enforcement Team (COMET), the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Barry County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, and the Stone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Bolivar, Mo., Police Department, the Cassville, Mo., Police Department, the Kimberling City, Mo., Police Department, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.


title: Former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti Arrested for Visa Fraud

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti was indicted today for illegally obtaining a Permanent Resident Card (commonly referred to as a Green Card) by means of a false statement, specifically, that he had not ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people. Jean Morose Viliena, 50, was indicted on three counts of visa fraud and will appear in federal court in Boston today later today. “The atrocities alleged here – the extrajudicial torture, murder and attempted murder of multiple people – are hard to comprehend. But the political corruption and violence endured in other parts of the world are very real. Immigrants seeking asylum in the United States are often fleeing war, persecution or natural disaster. That this defendant, a former Mayor in Haiti, is alleged to have personally committed or ordered the maiming, harm, humiliation or death of his adversaries and then blatantly deceived our country to seek refuge here is not only unacceptable, it is a crime. Moments ago, he was arrested and officially charged with visa fraud. We intend to hold him accountable for this crime,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Gaining lawful entry into our country is a privilege, not a right. Our nation offers protection, assistance and asylum to those who are persecuted. People that perpetrate acts of violence and harm in their countries — and then allegedly lie about their conduct to US immigration officials — are not welcome here.” “Today’s indictment recounts horrific violence Viliena is alleged to have committed against the people of Haiti, both through armed groups he directed and by his own hand,” said Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “He’s alleged to have lied about this violent past, evading the consequences of his actions and beginning a life here in Massachusetts. With today’s indictment and arrest, Viliena is finally facing federal criminal charges for his lies.” According to court documents, Viliena was the former mayor of Les Irois, Haiti from December 2006 until at least February 2010. As a candidate and as a Mayor, Viliena was backed by a political machine called Korega, which exerts power throughout the southwestern region of Haiti through armed violence. Viliena personally supervised his mayoral staff and security detail and led an armed group in Les Irois aligned with Korega. Under Viliena’s direct supervision, the Korega militia enforced Viliena’s policies by various means, including by targeting political opponents in Les Irois through armed violence. According to the indictment, as Mayor, Viliena was involved in several instances of violence. The first allegedly occurred in or around July 27, 2007 when a witness spoke at a judicial proceeding in Les Irois on behalf of a neighbor who had been assaulted by Viliena. In reprisal for that testimony, that evening, Viliena allegedly led an armed group to that witness’ home, where Viliena and his associates shot and killed the witness’ younger brother, and then smashed his skull with a large rock before a crowd of bystanders. The second incident allegedly occurred in or around March 2008, when a group of local journalists and activists founded a community radio station. According to court documents, Viliena opposed establishment of the radio station and, on April 8, 2008, mobilized members of his staff and the Korega militia to forcibly shut down the radio station and seize its broadcasting equipment. At that time, Viliena distributed firearms to the Korega militia members, some of whom also carried machetes, picks, and sledgehammers. On the day of the attack on the radio station, Viliena allegedly pistol-whipped an individual with his gun and struck him with his fists. When the individual tried to flee, it is alleged that Viliena ordered one of his associates to shoot and kill him. Shots were fired which hit the individual in the leg. The individual spent several months in various hospitals and his leg was later amputated above his knee. Another individual, also a citizen of Haiti, became a target of Viliena allegedly because of his association with the radio station. It is alleged that on the day of the attack of the radio station, that individual was present and when he tried to flee, he was hit by a bullet in the face. He required months of intensive medical treatment, including two surgeries to extract shotgun pellets from his face, which left him permanently blind in one eye. According to court documents, pieces of shotgun pellets remain in the individual’s scalp and arms. On June 3, 2008, Viliena presented himself at the United States Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince, Haiti where he submitted an Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, Form DS-230, Part II in order to gain entry to the United States. The form specifically requires that each applicant state whether or not they are a member of any class of individuals that are excluded from admission into the United States, including those who have “ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.” It is alleged that Viliena falsely responded that he was not. Viliena thereafter swore to, or affirmed, before a U.S. Consular Officer that the contents of the application were true and signed the application. According to court documents, thereafter, on or about June 4, 2008 and based upon Viliena’s false representations in the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Form DS-230, the U.S. Department of State approved Viliena’s DS-230 application. On or about July 14, 2008 – as the result of the approval of his DS-230 application – Viliena gained entry into the United States and was thereafter granted lawful permanent residence status in the United States. As a further result, Viliena received a Permanent Resident Card. Viliena has continued to possess a Permanent Resident Card and has used such card on numerous occasions to enter the United States. The charge of visa fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. U.S. Attorney Rollins; HSI Acting SAC Krol; Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office; and Malden Police Chief Glenn Cronin made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of Rollins’ National Security Unit and Christina Giffin and Alexandra Skinnion of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Unit Section (HRSP) are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP historian Christopher Hayden. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Unlicensed Gun and Marijuana Dealer Sentenced to 64 Months for Illegal Handling of Over 50 Firearms, Among Other Charges

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: Salt Lake City, Utah – A Roosevelt man was sentenced Monday to over five years imprisonment after pleading guilty to illegally purchasing and reselling firearms without a license, and multiple other drug related offenses stemming back to 2021. According to court documents, Phillip Mahe Taufa, 41, engaged in the business of illegally dealing firearms between February 2021 through November 2021 in the District of Utah. In his plea statement, Taufa admitted he purchased over 50 firearms from federally licensed firearm dealers and individual sellers. He resold several of the firearms to individuals in California and Nevada, typically charging double the price. Taufa never possessed the required license to deal firearms. Taufa also made false statements to federally licensed firearm dealers in connection with the acquisition of the firearms. Additionally, on November 9, 2021, agents serving a search warrant at Taufa’s residence recovered 43 firearms, ammunition, over 10 pounds of marijuana, and THC cartridges. Taufa admitted he intended to distribute portions of the marijuana to others and told agents he smoked marijuana multiple times each day. He admitted to purchasing the marijuana from the dark web and received it via the U.S. mail. The court sentenced Taufa to 64 months in a federal prison followed by a term of supervised release of three years and ordered Taufa to pay a special assessment of $600. “As a result of the outstanding work and dedication of our law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office successfully prosecuted a case where guns and drugs were being unlawfully acquired and resold,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah. "These activities adversely impact communities, both in our district and in neighboring districts.” The case was investigated jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), with assistance from the Roosevelt Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Victoria K. McFarland of the District of Utah prosecuted the case. This case was 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.


title: St. Petersburg Man Pleads Guilty To Possessing Ammunition As A Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Dartis Cobb (35, St. Petersburg) has pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. Cobb faces up to 15 years in federal prison. He has agreed to forfeit the ammunition traceable to the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court documents, on August 13, 2022, Cobb was pulled over during a traffic stop. During a search of Cobb’s vehicle, a firearm and ammunition were located. As a previously convicted felon, Cobb is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky. 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.


title: Former Tyngsborough Police Officer Sentenced for Bank Fraud and National Firearms Act Violations

body_text: BOSTON – A former Tyngsborough police officer was sentenced today in federal court in Boston. Daniel Whitman, 39, of Salisbury, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to one year and one day in prison and two years of supervised release. Whitman was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine. In October 2022, Whitman pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud conspiracy; two counts of bank fraud; two counts of making false statements to a bank; one count of possession of an unregistered firearm; one count of conspiracy to violate provisions of the National Firearms Act (NFA); one count of making a firearm in violation of the NFA; and one count of transferring a firearm in violation of the NFA. Whitman was a police officer with the Tyngsborough Police Department and the owner of Hitman Firearms, LLC, a retail gun shop in Tyngsborough. Whitman created Freedom Alley Shooting Sports LLC, which he envisioned as a large indoor shooting range that would serve regional and international customers and offer shooting clinics and other services. Whitman and his co-conspirator, Bin Lu, brought in a Chinese investor who contributed several million dollars to Freedom Alley in exchange for a majority interest in the company. However, in applying for loans from federally insured banks to fund the construction of Freedom Alley, Whitman hid the true source of their initial funding from the banks and filed false documents in connection with their loan applications. In addition, Whitman knowingly made, possessed and transferred firearms that had been modified by the addition of stocks and short barrels, resulting in their classification as short-barreled rifles (SBR) under the NFA. These SBRs were not properly registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by the NFA, nor did Whitman pay the applicable taxes or fulfill other requirements under the NFA. In June 2021, Lu pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 6, 2023. United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jonathan Davidson, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Boston; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The Tyngsborough and Westford Police Departments provided special assistance in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan D. Panich of Rollins’ Criminal Division, Christine J. Wichers of Rollins’ Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit and Eugenia M. Carris, Deputy Chief of Rollins’ Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit, prosecuted the case.


title: Convicted Felon Indicted For Possession Of A Firearm And Ammunition

body_text: Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Jojuan Lindsey (27, St. Petersburg) with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. If convicted, Lindsey faces up to 15 years in federal prison. According to the indictment, on December 27, 2022, Lindsey possessed a Glock model 42 semiautomatic pistol and six rounds of Hornady 38 Auto ammunition. Lindsey has previously been convicted of six felonies, including battery of a law enforcement officer; burglary; fleeing or eluding a law enforcement officer; and three separate convictions for sale or delivery of heroin. As a previously convicted felon, Lindsey is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case 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.


title: Twice-Convicted Embezzler Is Sentenced To Prison For Executing Back-To-Back Fraud Schemes

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Belmont, N.C. woman, with two prior federal embezzlement convictions, was sentenced to 57 months in prison today for executing back-to-back fraud schemes, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Lisa Buza Hill, a/k/a Lisa Rollins-Hill, 43, will also have to serve three years under court supervision after she is released from prison. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina, and Chief Johnny Jennings, of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to court documents and court proceedings, in October 2012, Hill (at the time Rollins-Hill), was convicted of federal wire fraud for stealing more than $800,000 from her then-employer, a motorcycle company headquartered in Kings Mountain, N.C. At the time, Hill was ordered to serve a five-month probationary term followed by three years of supervised release and to pay $807,506.39 in restitution to the victim company. In July 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed new charges against Hill, for embezzling funds from a Charlotte-based company where Hill worked as a Controller. According to court documents filed in this case, from September 2019 to February 2020, and while still paying restitution for the 2012 embezzlement scheme, Hill misused her access to her employer’s financial system, including her authority to issue company checks, and defrauded the company by fraudulently issuing herself approximately 15 company checks totaling over $22,000. During this time, Hill also made false statements to the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s attempts to collect court-ordered restitution owed by Hill in connection with her 2012 conviction. In June 2021, while Hill’s criminal charges for the fraudulent check scheme were still pending, a federal bill of information was also filed against Hill, charging her with embezzling more than $550,000 from her latest employer, a development company located in Rock Hill, S.C., identified in court documents as R.W. According to court documents, from May 2020 to January 2021, Hill was employed by R.W. as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). In that position, Hill had access to the company’s bank accounts, and her duties included the ability to make payments on behalf of the company. As court documents show, Hill misused her position and access to the company’s financial records to make unauthorized payments to herself, including to make transfers from R.W.’s accounts to pay for Hill’s personal expenses. In total, Hill transferred more than $550,000 in unauthorized funds from R.W. for her personal benefit. As Hill previously admitted in court, she used the embezzled funds to make payments for a BMW vehicle, to pay for a trip to Disney World, to make mortgage payments and to settle misuse of funds allegations from previous employers. According to court filings and statements made during the sentencing hearing, some of the funds embezzled from R.W. were also used to make settlement payments to two additional prior employers. In announcing today’s sentence, U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. emphasized the defendant’s “brazenness in continuing to steal from people while still on bond,” and noted the importance of “specific deterrence.” Hill is in federal custody. She will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. The FBI and CMPD investigated Hill. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny G. Sugar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the cases.


title: Billings man sentenced to more than five years in prison for attempted coercion, enticement of boy for sex in undercover investigation

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: BILLINGS — A Billings man who admitted that he went to a location expecting to meet a boy for sex and was arrested in an undercover investigation was sentenced today to five years and 11 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Kyle Ray Schwindt, 22, pleaded guilty in October 2022 to attempted coercion and enticement. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that on July 14, 2022 law enforcement conducted an undercover operation in Billings in which officers assumed the identity of a fictitious 13-year-old male online. On that day, Schwindt contacted the fictitious profile. During those communications, an undercover officer claimed to be a 13-year-old boy and told Schwindt of being 13 years old. The discussion became increasing sexual in nature and led to plans to meet at a location in Billings. On July 15, 2022, Schwindt was arrested when he arrived at the meeting location and later admitted he traveled to the location to meet a 13-year-old boy for a sexual encounter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno B. Baucus and Bryan T. Dake prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office. This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation. It is implemented through partnerships including the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The ICAC Task Force Program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing their investigative response to technology facilitated crimes against children. XXX


title: Department Of Labor Agent Pleads Guilty To Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a Special Agent with the Department of Labor, Thomas Hartley, age 49, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on March 21, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charge of mail fraud in connection with multiple schemes to commit fraud. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Hartley admitted that he obtained a total of $197,366 through multiple fraud schemes. Between April 2020 and September 2021, Hartley applied for and collected Pennsylvania unemployment compensation benefits by claiming that he was unemployed, when in fact Hartley was employed on full time active duty with the New Jersey National Guard. Further, in applying for unemployment benefits, the defendant failed to disclose that he was on military leave from his full-time federal civilian employment with the United States Department of Labor. Hartley thereby utilized the mail to collect approximately $60,284 in unemployment compensation funds to which he was not entitled. In connection with his guilty plea, Hartley also acknowledged that he fraudulently obtained $23,582 in Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) funds paid by the Department of the Army, $50,000 in “lost wage” benefits paid by USAA insurance, and $63,500 from his Thrift Savings Plan. In August 2022, a grand jury issued a second superseding indictment charging Hartley with multiple fraud schemes. In addition to the scheme to fraudulently obtain Pennsylvania unemployment compensation funds, the second superseding indictment also charged that Hartley, while on leave from his position with the Department of Labor and serving with the New Jersey National Guard, submitted false documents to the Department of the Army and thereby obtained approximately $23,580 in housing allowance funds to which he was not entitled. The second superseding indictment also charged Hartley with fraud in connection with the filing of a lost wage claim with USAA Insurance following an automobile accident. Hartley falsely claimed that he had lost wages, resulting from an automobile accident, when in fact Hartley was suspended without pay from his employment with the Department of Labor as a result of an ongoing criminal investigation. Hartley thereby collected approximately $50,000 in lost wage benefits to which he was not entitled. Finally, the second superseding indictment charged Hartley with fraudulently obtaining funds from his Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) by falsely claiming that he was not married, when in fact he was at all times married. Hartley thereby transferred the funds to himself personally, or to a bank account solely in his name, without the knowledge or consent of his wife. The investigation was conducted by the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Special Investigations, the United States Army, Criminal Investigation Division, and the USAA Insurance Special Investigations Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case. Under federal law, the charge of Mail Fraud carries up to a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. ###


title: Pottsville Man Sentenced To 78 Months In Prison For Cyberstalking

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Aaron Vandaley, age 45, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 21, 2023, to 78 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for cyberstalking. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Vandaley, with the intent to harass and intimidate other persons, engaged in a course of conduct using electronic communication systems and services of interstate commerce to cause substantial emotional distress to six victims. All six victims were former romantic partners of Vandaley or relatives and friends of his former romantic partners. During the course of the conduct, Vandaley repeatedly made false anonymous allegations to law enforcement agencies throughout the country. He falsely accused the victims of committing heinous crimes including murder-for-hire, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, and sexual offenses. Vandaley also sent anonymous electronic messages to the victims threatening to kidnap and murder the minor child of one of the victims. Vandaley also threatened to mail parts of that minor child back to the victim. Vandaley committed these crimes while one of the victims had a protection from abuse order against him. Vandaley has eight previous convictions for indirect criminal contempt for failing to obey court orders of protection. During his detention in Lackawanna County Jail pending his sentencing, Vandaley continued to attempt to contact at least one of his victims by making over 100 phone calls to the victim from jail. As part of the sentence, Vandaley is not to have any further contact with any of the victims in the case. The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), Fort Stewart, Georgia, and the Pottsville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney James Buchanan prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Pittsburgh Man Admits Stealing FBI Agent’s Unmarked Vehicle near the Schenley Park Oval

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of theft of government property, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Lashawn Norwood, 57, of the City’s Middle Hill neighborhood, pleaded guilty to theft of government property before Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on Sept. 28, 2021, an unmarked 2021 Ford Explorer owned by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and containing firearms assigned to a special agent, was stolen as it was parked near the Schenley Park Oval. The vehicle was recovered a short time later in the Hill District section of the City of Pittsburgh, where it was discovered that one of the special agent’s service weapons had been stolen from the vehicle. The recovered Ford Explorer was forensically processed by the FBI. Analysis of processed DNA evidence recovered from the Ford Explorer revealed that Norwood’s DNA was detected on both the driver’s side exterior door handle and the steering wheel. During an interview with the FBI, Norwood denied stealing the vehicle and denied ever being inside of the vehicle. The stolen FBI service weapon was ultimately recovered by the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police on Nov. 12, 2021, after it was discovered in a post office box by a mail carrier in the Allegheny West section of the City of Pittsburgh. Chief Judge Hornak has not yet scheduled a sentencing date. The law provides for a maximum total sentence 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Norwood remains detained pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Ball is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.


title: Jury Finds Defendant Guilty in Staged Armored Truck Robbery of $1.9 Million

body_text: CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA —Terry Tyrone Pollard, 27, of Cedartown, Georgia, was convicted following a jury trial in federal court for conspiracy to commit bank larceny and bank larceny. The convictions arose from a January 2021 incident during which Pollard and his four codefendants staged an armed robbery of a Garda armored cash transport truck carrying $1.9 million in North Charleston, South Carolina. Pollard’s codefendants—Quantavius Murphy, 22, Anthony Burge, 24, and Thomas Calhoun, 21, all of Cedartown, Georgia, and James Sewell, 27, of North Charleston—all previously pleaded guilty to the charges. Evidence presented by the Government at trial established that in early January 2021, Sewell, a Garda armored truck driver, recruited Pollard and the other codefendants to stage his robbery. After formulating the plan over Snapchat, Pollard, Murphy, Burge, and Calhoun traveled from Cedartown to Sewell’s apartment in North Charleston on January 15, 2021. Later that day, they drove around North Charleston looking for the best location to stage the theft. On January 16, 2021, Sewell parked his truck full of money outside an ATM in North Charleston. Pollard and the other codefendants approached Sewell and pretended to restrain him at gunpoint. They then loaded $1.9 million in cash into black trash bags and immediately fled back to Cedartown. Investigators were able to determine the codefendants’ cell phone numbers and obtain cell site location data from service providers. The cell site location data confirmed the codefendants’ path of travel from Cedartown in the early morning hours of January 15, their location in the vicinity of Sewell’s apartment the day before the theft, and their joint path of travel back to Cedartown following the theft on January 16. Evidence presented to the jury revealed that several hours after the bank larceny, Calhoun posted a Snapchat video of Pollard holding a large stack of stolen cash in front of his face. The jury deliberated for eight minutes before returning a guilty verdict against Pollard on both counts of the indictment. “Prosecuting violent crime is one of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s top priority,” said United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “We appreciate the work of the FBI, North Charleston Police Department, and Cedartown Police Department in this case and their commitment to holding these defendants accountable.” “The FBI is committed to thoroughly investigating violent crime, to include armored car robberies, and pursuing all who perpetrate those offenses,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia field office, Paul “Reid” Davis. “This conviction sends a strong message that our office, along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will not waver in the pursuit of justice.” Representatives from the North Charleston Police Department stated that they are pleased that a jury held Pollard responsible for traveling from out of state to commit a serious crime in North Charleston and are thankful for the assistance from and collaboration with the USAO and the FBI. United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks presided over the trial and will sentence Pollard and his codefendants after receiving and reviewing pre-sentence reports prepared by the United States Probation Office. Pollard faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, and a fine of $500,000 in addition to restitution for money stolen during the incident. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the North Charleston Police Department, and the Cedartown Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Lietzow, Emily Limehouse, and Allessandra Stewart prosecuted the case. ###


title: FCI Schuylkill Inmate Charged With Possessing Contraband

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Devontay Douglas, age 25, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institute Schuylkill, was indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally possessing contraband. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on February 8, 2023, Douglas was found in possession of a 6-inch piece of metal sharpened to a point with a cloth handle, commonly referred to as a “shank.” This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant United States Attorney Brian J. Gallagher is prosecuting the case. Douglas faces a maximum penalty of 5 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Xavion Lawrence, age 22, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institute Schuylkill, was indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally possessing contraband. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on November 13, 2022, Lawrence was found in possession of a piece of plexiglass sharpened to a point with a cloth handle, commonly referred to as a “shank.” This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant United States Attorney Brian J. Gallagher is prosecuting the case. Lawrence faces a maximum penalty of 5 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Schuylkill County Man Charged With Drug Trafficking And Firearm Offenses

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that William Quintana, age 50, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking and firearm offenses. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Quintana with possessing with the intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana and possessing two pistols in furtherance of trafficking methamphetamine. The indictment further charges Quintana with possessing three firearms, including an assault rifle while knowing that he had previously been convicted of a felony. The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Pottsville Police Department, and the Schuylkill County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James M. Buchanan 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. The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge David Denton of Homeland Security Investigations According to court documents, Deonta Miller, 36, conspired with two other individuals to obtain automobile loans through fraudulent means. Miller used a false name, social security number, driver’s license, and utility bill, to obtain a loan for a car. It is contrary to federal law to use false information to obtain a bank loan. Miller is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Madison Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham is prosecuting the case.


title: Man Charged Following Seizure of Over One Million Suspected Fentanyl Pills

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Juan Alfonso Torres-Rodriguez, 27, of Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint on March 9, 2023, with one count of Possessing Suspected Fentanyl Pills for Distribution. The complaint alleges that, on the evening of March 8, 2023, law enforcement officers observed Torres-Rodriguez participating in a suspected drug transaction. Subsequent searches of Torres-Rodriguez’s residence and vehicle led to the seizure of more than one million pills (approximately 108 kilograms of pills), suspected of containing fentanyl. The complaint further alleges that Torres-Rodriguez intended to distribute more than one million fentanyl pills. A conviction for Possessing 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl for Distribution carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison with a maximum penalty of life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and five years up to a lifetime of supervised release. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force Group. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: MJ-23-09152-ESW RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-041_Torres-Rodriguez # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Clayton Woman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding North Carolina Medicaid

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – Lakia Lateefah Washington, 39, who fraudulently claimed to provide counseling services to fake patients, including an unborn child, pled guilty to defrauding North Carolina Medicaid. Washington faces up to 10 years in prison and a potential fine. “This defendant stole money from a taxpayer-funded program intended to help individuals and families cover essential healthcare,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “My office will continue to investigate and prosecute these cases of fraud.” According to the information and evidence summarized in court, Washington was a licensed mental health counselor registered with North Carolina Medicaid (“Medicaid”) since 2015. Through her business, L.W. Therapeutics & Consulting, LLC, Washington began fraudulently billing Medicaid as early as January 2018. Washington received names, dates of birth and/or Medicaid beneficiary numbers of Medicaid beneficiaries for which she paid a small finder’s fee. Washington would then use that beneficiary data to fraudulently submit claims to Medicaid for services never rendered. In egregious examples, Washington fraudulently billed Medicaid for over 24 one-hour mental health appointments in a single day; and billed Medicaid for in-person services rendered in disparate locations in Eastern North Carolina within close temporal proximity. In another instance, Washington submitted claims for services rendered to an unborn beneficiary still in utero at the time of the purported service being rendered. In total, Washington’s actions led to the disbursement of over $800,000 by Medicaid from 2018 to 2020. “This person defrauded Medicaid of money that should have gone to people’s health care,” said North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein. “My office will continue to hold people responsible when they cheat taxpayers.” “Those who fraudulently bill Medicaid for services never actually provided threaten the integrity of this important safety net program, which is designed to provide medically necessary services to some of the most vulnerable individuals in our country,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, our agency continues to thoroughly investigate such fraud schemes and hold scammers accountable for their actions.” The Center for Medicaid Services, within the federal Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for overseeing the Medicaid program in North Carolina, which has been administered by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services since 1978. Medicaid providers are assigned a National Provider Identifier, which they use to submit claims for reimbursement for services rendered to Medicaid beneficiaries. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the plea. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, is leading the investigation with the assistance North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka is prosecuting the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:23-cr-00065-BO.


title: St. Louis Man Admits Robbing Escort at Gunpoint

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri on Wednesday admitted robbing and assaulting an escort at gunpoint in 2021. Antwan R. Johnson, 24, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge John A. Ross to an armed robbery charge and a charge of possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Johnson admitted using Megapersonals.com to arrange a meeting with an escort in the 4200 block of Cote Brilliante Avenue in St. Louis on August 17, 2021. While in the escort’s car, Johnson pulled a gun from his waistband and robbed her of her purse, which contained two cell phones and cash. He then struck her in the head with the gun, threatened her life and fired two shots at her vehicle as it drove away, striking the vehicle once, his plea agreement says. Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced June 27. He faces a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison for the gun charge, consecutive to the robbery charge, which carries a possible penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Both sides have agreed to recommend a 10-year sentence. The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.


title: Former Rochester Pawn Shop Owner Going To Prison For Selling Stolen Goods

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Devin Tribunella, 39, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of transportation of stolen goods in interstate commerce, was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. Tribunella was also ordered to forfeit a 2008 Lamborghini, a 2014 Mercedes Benz, a 2014 Rolls Royce, a 2015 Porsche, the contents of three bank accounts totaling $155,182.87, and a $1,600,000 money judgment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who handled the case, stated that Tribunella owned and operated Royal Crown Pawn & Jewelry on Dewey Avenue in Rochester. Tribunella and an employee purchased stolen goods and merchandise from individuals, commonly referred to as “boosters,” who shoplifted the goods and merchandise from Rochester area retail stores. Tribunella routinely advised the boosters what type of merchandise to steal from the retail stores, such as Lowes, Home Depot, Target, and Walmart, and then paid the boosters a fraction of the true retail value for the goods. Tribunella listed the stolen goods for sale on eBay, advertising the goods as “New” or “New-In-Box” and priced below retail value. Between January 2017, and November 2019, Tribunella sold and shipped (or caused to be shipped) approximately $3,248,426 worth of those stolen goods to buyers located outside of New York State. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Office; the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith; the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; and the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood. Additional assistance was provided by the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. # # # #


title: Meridian Man Sentenced to Over Six Years in Prison for  Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

component: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Meridian, Mississippi man was sentenced to 77 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Kurt H. Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). According to court documents, Billy Ray Craven, 55, was found in possession of a firearm in his vehicle by officers of the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office on August 6, 2019 during a traffic stop. Craven was stopped in connection with a narcotics investigation. Craven was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 23, 2020 and he pled guilty on August 10, 2022 to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime .


title: Georgia Man Who Supplied Bridgeport Gang Members with Firearms Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Prison

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that STEPHFAN SANDERSON, also known as “Birdy” and “Beans, 25, of Covington, Georgia, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 92 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking firearms into Connecticut. According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. From at least 2017 until his arrest on November 12, 2020, Sanderson, who formerly resided in Bridgeport, procured at least 25 firearms in Georgia and Alabama and distributed them to individuals he had reason to know would commit felonies with those firearms, including members of the “Greene Homes Boyz” (“GHB/Hotz”) and Original North End (“O.N.E.”) street gangs in Bridgeport. Some of the firearms Sanderson trafficked contained switches that converted the guns to fully automatic machine guns. On October 4, 2018, Undrea Kirkland, also known as “Spooda,” used one of the machine guns Sanderson supplied to fire 32 shots at rival gang members in the vicinity of the Greene Homes Housing Complex in Bridgeport. Although one of the intended targets received minor injuries, most of the shots missed and traveled into a nearby residence. A man in the kitchen of the residence was struck in the back by one of the bullets. Another firearm that Sanderson trafficked was recovered in May 2022 and has been linked to two separate shootings and one homicide. Sanderson has been detained since his arrest. On November 15, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of crossing state lines with the intent to engage in the unlicensed dealing of firearms. Kirkland, who admitted his involvement in several gang-related shootings, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity. On April 22, 2022, he was sentenced to 210 months of imprisonment. This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Stratford and Naugatuck Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Stephanie T. Levick and Karen L. Peck. This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Drug Trafficking Investigation Yields Largest Methamphetamine Bust in West Virginia History

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson announced today that a major drug trafficking investigation has resulted in the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history, of well over 200 pounds. A federal grand jury has returned three indictments charging 30 individuals for their roles in the drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl in Charleston. Another 24 individuals are charged in state criminal complaints. During the course of “Operation Smoke and Mirrors,” law enforcement obtained more than 50 search warrants in support of the eight-month-long investigation, with several executed within the last 48 hours including this morning. Law enforcement also seized 28 pounds of cocaine, 20 pounds of fentanyl, 18 firearms and $747,000 in cash. “The takedown of this drug trafficking organization stopped a record amount of methamphetamine, as well as other dangerous drugs, from reaching our communities and causing harm,” United State Attorney Thompson said. “This investigation demonstrates that we will use all of our resources, including new and innovative investigative techniques, against those who target our communities with this poison. Our law enforcement partners worked tirelessly to dismantle this organization and obtain these indictments, and I commend their outstanding work and dedication.” “These arrests are an outstanding example of what federal and local law enforcement can accomplish when we work together to target the individuals who threaten the safety and stability of our neighborhoods,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. “A large amount of illegal and dangerous drugs were stopped from going into our local neighborhood during the course of this investigation. The arrests today dismantled a drug trafficking network that has wreaked havoc in the Charleston area for far too long. For anyone looking to fill the void left by those arrested, I want you to know we are not going anywhere, and the FBI and our law enforcement partners are here to find, arrest and bring to justice those who terrorize our community with violence and drugs.” The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. Charged in a three-count federal indictment are: Antonio Lamar Jeffries, 34, and Michael Allen Roberts, Jr., 40, both of St. Albans; Karl Lamont Funderburk, 37, of Hurricane, Mark Leslie Lively, 56, of Kenna; Scott Jeremy Savage, 46, of Nitro; Ryan Keith Kincaid, 46, of South Charleston; Todd Tyler Snead, 57, of Waynesboro, Virginia; and Tres Avery Davis, 34, Telisa Rene McCauley, 31, Deayria Eyshay Willis, 24, John Paul Loudermilk, 60, Timothy Allen Loudermilk, 63, Keith Royal Goode-Harper, 31, Nicole Leigh Fierbaugh, 44, Latesha Lashae Nappier, 29, Jeremy Rayshad Walker, 34, Charles Norman Pannell, 43, and Les Van Bumpus, 34, all of Charleston. The indictment charges 14 of the defendants with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from November 2022 to March 2023 at or near Charleston. The indictment attributes 500 grams or more of methamphetamine to Jeffries, Davis, McCauly, Roberts and Snead and 50 grams or more to Funderburk. The indictment charges six of the defendants with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and six of the defendants with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, all from December 2022 to March 2023 at or near Charleston. Charged in a separate, one-count federal indictment are: Alexandria Jasmine Estep, 21, and Robert Dewayne Miller, 35, both of Charleston; and Perry Johnson, Jr., 29, and Dashounieque Lashay Wright, 26, both of Detroit, Michigan. The indictment charges all four defendants with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from October 2022 to January 2023 at or near Charleston. The federal grand jury previously indicted eight individuals as part of Operation Smoke and Mirrors: Jasper Wemh, 38, Justin Allen Bowen, 40, Richard Allen Bowen, 62, Kimberly Dawn Legg, 49, Larry Wayne Legg, 55, and Stanley Aaron Burkes, 62, all of Charleston; McKenzie Bowen, also known as McKenzie Myers, 24, of Belle; and Nicholas Bradford Confere, 35, of Mammoth. Justin Allen Bowen pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on February 23, 2023. Larry Wayne Legg pleaded guilty on March 6, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The remaining defendants are scheduled for trial on April 25, 2023. Note: An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31 (Jeffries et al.), 2:23-cr-33 (Estep et al.), and 2:23-cr-4 (Wemh et al.). ###


title: Downey Tax Preparation Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Helping to Prepare Almost 400 False Income Tax Returns with Inflated Refunds

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – An Orange County man pleaded guilty today to knowingly preparing nearly 400 fraudulent federal income tax returns that caused a loss of more than $750,000 to the IRS by inflating his clients’ tax refunds without their knowledge and then pocketing the difference between the clients’ true refunds and the inflated ones. Raudel Sandoval, 48, of Placentia, pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns. According to his plea agreement, Sandoval is a licensed tax preparer and owns RSE Sandoval España Inc., a Downey-based tax preparation company. Sandoval willfully prepared hundreds of false federal and state income tax returns for clients for the tax years 2015 through 2018. On these returns, he claimed false or inflated amounts of the child tax credit, business losses, short-term capital losses and other items to which the taxpayer clients were not entitled. Sandoval falsified the tax returns with deductions and credits that his clients did not incur or had not informed him about. He also inflated the amounts of deductions and credits that his clients were entitled to claim. When he finished preparing a tax return, Sandoval gave his clients copies of their returns that were true and correct, but falsely told them that he would file their true-and-correct copies with the IRS on their behalf. Then, Sandoval inflated his clients’ returns with false and fraudulent deductions and credits and filed these false tax returns with the IRS. The false returns showed a larger refund than on the true-and-correct copies Sandoval had given to his clients. Sandoval then directed the inflated refunds to himself. He did so by changing the bank account and routing numbers on the filed returns to a bank account he controlled. Sandoval controlled more than 100 bank accounts with several different banks and opened many of the accounts in his clients’ names. But he was the accounts’ only authorized signor. Several of the Sandoval-owned bank accounts had the name “Federal Tax Refund Processing.” Sandoval directed the IRS to send the inflated refunds through a third-party refund processor to be deposited into an account he controlled. Other times, he caused the IRS to mail a check of the inflated refund to his business address. He then would deposit the check into one of his accounts. After receiving the inflated refund, Sandoval transferred a portion of it – the amount his clients were expecting to receive based on the true-and-correct tax return copies – to one of his “Federal Tax Refund Processing” accounts. Sandoval then transferred that money to his clients’ bank accounts, causing them to believe their refunds were from a legitimate government source. Sandoval kept the difference between the true refund and the inflated refund. For the tax years 2015 through 2018, Sandoval willfully understated his clients’ tax liabilities and caused a loss of $758,550 to the IRS, caused by the filing of at least 389 fraudulent income tax returns. United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett scheduled a September 6 sentencing hearing, at which time Sandoval will face a statutory maximum sentence of three years in federal prison for each count. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Valerie L. Makarewicz of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case. As the 2023 tax season continues, taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS offers tips on how to accurately file returns and how to choose a tax return preparer , as well as steps taxpayers can take to get a jumpstart on filing . Taxpayers seeking assistance can access the IRS’s free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also has programs offering free basic return preparation for qualifying seniors and individuals with low to moderate income . In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $72,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronical federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free.


title: New Hampshire Man Sentenced for Possessing Fentanyl Intended for Distribution

body_text: BOSTON – A Manchester, N.H., man was sentenced in federal court in Boston for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute. Michael Warner, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 77 months in prison and four years of supervised release. On Dec. 19, 2022, Warner pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. In August 2020, Warner was observed leaving a known drug source location in Lawrence. Once on the highway, law enforcement stopped Warner, who admitted to buying 70 grams of fentanyl, an amount consistent with narcotics distribution. Additionally, Warner committed this offense while on parole following a state robbery conviction. United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: New York Alleged Fraudster Arrested and Charged for a $47,000 Bank Scheme Involving Six Utah Bank Locations and Victims

body_text: Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal grand jury in Utah returned an indictment charging a New York man with bank fraud and aggravated identity fraud throughout the District of Utah. According to court documents, Clemente Castracucco, 61, of the Bronx, New York, planned and executed a scheme to defraud Bank of Utah, First Utah Bank, First Community Bank, and Zions Bank of at least of $47,000 between November 9, 2022, and December 16, 2022. The purpose of the scheme was to defraud financial institutions by depositing counterfeit checks into accounts at the victims’ banks, then proceed to fraudulently withdraw funds from the bank accounts using account information and identification that was not Castracucco’s. On one occasion, according to the complaint and law enforcement affidavit, Castracucco entered a First Utah Bank branch in Salt Lake City and deposited a $4,500 fraudulent check, which was drawn on the account of two individuals and made payable to a Utah business. Castracucco then withdrew $7,500 from the First Utah Bank account and presented a fraudulent United States passport card purporting to be a signer on the business account and forged the signature on the check. The signer, a Utah resident, was unaware of the transaction and did not authorize it. Castracucco was arrested by the Saratoga Police Department after officers responded to a call at a Zions Bank branch to report a male attempting to cash a check not made out him. He later self-identified as Castracucco. Castracucco is charged with six counts of bank fraud and six counts of aggravated identity fraud. The defendant is scheduled for his initial court appearance on the indictment March 23, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City, Utah. U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated jointly by the United States Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) and numerous local police departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Jamie Z. Thomas, of the District of Utah prosecuted the case.


title: Former Federal Prison Warden Sentenced To More Than Five Years In Prison For Sexual Abuse Of Three Female Inmates

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND – Former prison warden Ray J. Garcia was sentenced today to 70 months in prison following his convictions for sexually abusive conduct against three female victims who were serving prison sentences and for making false statements to government agents. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, U.S. District Judge, who presided over the trial that resulted in the convictions. Garcia, 55, of Merced, Calif., was convicted of the charges in December of 2022. The evidence at trial demonstrated Garcia was employed as an associate warden and later as the warden of the Federal Correctional Institute in Dublin, Calif. (FCI Dublin), an all-female low security federal correctional institution. All three of Garcia’s victims were incarcerated and serving their prison sentences at FCI Dublin under the custodial, supervisory and disciplinary authority of Garcia when the crimes occurred. “The defendant in this case abused his authority as a warden and violated his oath to protect those in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The sentence he received today is another step forward in our ongoing efforts to root out sexual misconduct within the BOP. This prosecution should serve as both warning and reassurance that the Department of Justice will not waver in holding accountable BOP employees and executives who abuse their authority — whether they be a guard, chaplain or warden — and in pursuing justice for their victims.” “The evidence in this case paints a disturbing picture of a former warden who abused the trust placed in him, as well as authority granted to him, all while thinking he could get away with his crimes by lying to investigators and intimidating his victims,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that prison walls present no impediment to justice. The Department of Justice will hold accountable any prison official who violates their duty to protect those in federal custody.” “Rather than ensuring that female inmates at the Dublin prison were safe and secure, Garcia used his position as warden to sexually abuse three inmates over multiple years, intimidated inmates and lied to cover up his crimes, and created a heinous culture that failed to protect female inmates from widespread sexual abuse and violence at the hands of other Dublin employees,” said Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz. “Today’s 70-month sentence holds Garcia accountable for his disgraceful actions and sends a clear message to every BOP employee about the serious consequences of engaging in such conduct. The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General will continue to aggressively investigate this type of egregious criminal conduct and we will do everything within our authority to bring perpetrators to justice.” “Corrections officials are sworn to protect people and preserve civil rights - the extreme opposite of this defendant's heinous actions,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “Garcia assaulted and harmed those in his care and custody, attempted to intimidate them into silence, and then lied in an effort to cover up his crimes. The FBI is grateful to the brave women who came forward to report these vile offenses, and we hope today’s sentence is one more step towards justice and healing.” “Garcia will now spend the next 70 months in federal prison for his abhorrent misconduct,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge of the San Francisco Field Office Robert Tripp. “Corrections officials who abuse their position are not above the law they have sworn to uphold. The FBI and our partners will continue to vigorously enforce our civil rights laws and hold prison officials who break the law accountable.” The trial evidence established that Garcia abused inmates from December 2019 until July 2021. Garcia’s sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact against Victim 1 began in December 2019 and extended through March 2020, the abuse of Victim 2 occurred January to July 2021, and the abuse of Victim 3 occurred during the period of March to September 2020. The jury convicted Garcia of three counts sexual abuse and one count of sexually abusive contact as to Victim 1, two counts of abusive sexual contact as to Victim 2, and one count of abusive sexual contact as to Victim 3. The government’s sentencing memorandum described how Garcia also sought to deter his victims from coming forward. For example, Garcia told his victims he was friends with the person in charge of investigating sexual abuse of inmates, boasted that he could “never be fired,” and warned them that he worked for “Washington, D.C.” Garcia also instructed a victim to “get rid of any evidence” and reported falsely to another victim that a different inmate was sent back to FCI Dublin after pictures of a correctional officer were found on her phone. According to the government’s memorandum, Garcia created and perpetuated a culture of abuse. The government also pointed out that four other correctional officers at FCI Dublin have been charged with sexually abusing inmates while Garcia was associate warden or warden. The trial evidence also demonstrated Garcia made false statements to federal investigators. On July 22, 2021, Garcia was interviewed and told investigators he never asked inmates to be undressed for him and that he had never touched an inmate inappropriately. Trial evidence showed that Garcia had already asked multiple inmates to undress for him and had also touched Victim 1, Victim 2 and Victim 3 in a sexual manner. Garcia was initially charged with sexual abuse of an inmate on Sept. 24, 2021. A federal grand jury issued a superseding indictment on Aug. 23, 2022, charging Garcia with three counts of sexual abuse and four counts of abusive sexual contact against three female inmates. The superseding indictment also charged Garcia with one count of making false statements to a government agency during the investigation of the criminal acts. On Dec. 8, 2022, a jury convicted Garcia of all counts. In addition to the prison term, Judge Gonzalez Rogers ordered Garcia to pay $15,000 and to serve 15 years’ supervised release which begin after the prison term. Judge Gonzalez Rogers ordered Garcia to report to surrender on or before May 19, 2023, to begin serving his prison term. DOJ-OIG and the FBI are investigating the case, with the cooperation of the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly Priedeman and Andrew Paulson for the Northern District of California, with the assistance of Madeline Wachs, Leeya Kekona and Sara Slattery are prosecuting the case.


title: City of Holyoke Settlement Will Address Pollution in Connecticut River

body_text: BOSTON – The City of Holyoke has entered into a proposed consent decree with federal and state environmental enforcement authorities agreeing to resolve violations of the Clean Water Act and Massachusetts state law to reduce future sewage discharges into the Connecticut River from the City’s sewer collection and stormwater systems. The consent decree, filed today in federal court, is the result of an enforcement action brought by the Department of Justice, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, on behalf of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). As stated in the settlement document, Holyoke discharges pollutants from combined sewer overflow (CSO) into the Connecticut River in violation of its federal and state wastewater discharge permits. In full cooperation with federal and state environmental agencies, the City has taken steps in recent years to address these discharges, including finalizing a CSO long term control plan and eliminating the Jackson Street CSO. The consent decree will require the City to undertake further sewer separation work that will eliminate or reduce additional CSO discharges. The City will also conduct sampling of its storm sewer discharges, work to remove illicit connections, and take other actions to reduce pollution from stormwater runoff. The consent decree also includes a $50,000 penalty for past permit violations as a result of CSO discharges. In 2019, at the request of the Department of Justice and the Massachusetts Attorney General, the court entered a partial consent decree whereby Holyoke agreed to develop a long-term plan for reducing sewer discharges. The consent decree filed today represents the parties’ proposed final agreement to reduce sewer discharges and would supersede the prior decree. “Fiercely protecting our environment is a civil and human rights issue and ensuring that every community has clean water is a vital part of that work. This consent decree better protects the residents of Holyoke and every single community that lives along and enjoys the Connecticut River,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “We will continue to require with the full force of the federal government that every community is healthy and safe.” “Today’s settlement will significantly reduce pollution in the Connecticut River and improve water quality for the Holyoke community,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Justice Department will continue pursuing environmental justice in communities burdened by pollution in rivers and streams to support the health and safety of all communities.” “This settlement is good news for Holyoke citizens, and for the health and enjoyment of the Connecticut River and downstream communities. As Holyoke includes historically disadvantaged communities, this settlement is especially important for ensuring that all citizens can enjoy a clean and healthy environment,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “EPA is committed to continuing to work with the city to ensure that residents who live along the Connecticut River have clean and safe water. The timing of this is fortunate, as funding assistance available in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law may help defray costs borne by local ratepayers.” Holyoke owns and operates a sewer collection system that services approximately 70% of the City, two-thirds of which carries both sewage and stormwater. Most of the time, the combined system transports all wastewater to the facility for treatment. However, during periods of heavy rain the wastewater volume can exceed the capacity of the sewer system or the treatment facility and the excess wastewater will discharge to the Connecticut River without treatment. CSO discharges contain raw sewage and are a major water pollution concern. The proposed consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court. Once it is published in the Federal Register, a copy of the consent decree will be available on the Justice Department website at https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees . U.S. Attorney Rollins; AAG Kim; EPA Regional Administrator Cash; Massachusetts Attorney General Campbell; and MassDEP Acting Commissioner Gary Moran made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. LaMacchia of Rollins’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit, Assistant Attorney General I. Andrew Goldberg of Campbell’s Environmental Protection Division, Tonia Bandrowicz of EPA and Henry Friedman of the Environmental Enforcement Section of the Department of Justice handled the matter.


title: Ocean County Man Admits Online Enticement of Minor, Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey, man today admitted possessing and distributing images of child sexual abuse and inducing a minor to send him sexually explicit images and engage in sexually explicit conduct over an online messaging service, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Kevin Van Pelt, 33, of Lakehurst, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner to an information charging him with one count each of online enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual conduct, distribution of child pornography, and possession of prepubescent child pornography. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From August 2018 to October 2018, Van Pelt used multiple online messaging services to communicate with a minor victim, including repeatedly requesting that the minor send him sexually explicit images. Van Pelt also distributed images and videos of child sexual abuse over several online social media applications between December 2017 and March 2019. Van Pelt possessed images and videos of prepubescent child sexual abuse on his cellular phone when he was arrested by local authorities on May 1, 2019. The charge of online enticement carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of prepubescent child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for July 20, 2023. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; and members of the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Christine Hoffman, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian D. Brater of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton. vanpelt.information.pdf


title: Grand Jury - March 2023

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 16 unsealed Indictments charging 16 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. * Angelica Agena , age 40, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about June 29, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, not less than four years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Victor Hugo Cansino Monzon , age 29, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Cansino Monzon with illegal reentry after deportation on or about March 6, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Cansino Monzon with resisting, opposing, impeding and interfering with an officer on or about March 6, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 1 year imprisonment, a $100,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Estefan Bernardino Chavez , age 29, of Norfolk, Nebraska, is charged with production of child pornography beginning on or about January 31, 2023 and continuing to on or about February 28, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and not more than 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, not less than a five-year and up to life term of supervised release, and $55,100 in special assessments. * Luis Duran, a/k/a Luis Duran-Salcedo , age 20, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with assault of a dating partner by strangulation or suffocation on the Winnebago Indian Reservation on or about March 16, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Matthew McCann , age 35, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges McCann with distribution of child pornography with a prior conviction on or about January 7, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and not more than 40 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, not less than a five-year and up to life term of supervised release, and $40,100 in special assessments. Count II charges McCann with possession of child pornography with a prior conviction on or about January 7, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and not more than 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, not less than a five-year and up to life term of supervised release, and $22,100 in special assessments. * Fernando Montoya-Amezcua , age 46, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about March 14, 2023. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. There is also an allegation to forfeit United States currency and property seized on or about March 14, 2023. * Carmen Perez Catu a/k/a Jess Manuel Calvillo , age 39, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about May 9, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Edgar Ignacio Salas Zarate , age 30, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about December 7, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Tobin R. Schaneman , age 45, is charged as a felon in possession of a firearm on or about March 25, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Adan Silva-Valencia , age 43, is charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien after a felony conviction beginning on or about September 11, 2022 and continuing to on or about March 7, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Juan Carlos Tapia-Torres , age 43, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about March 14, 2023. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, not less than five years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * David Valdez Ramirez , age 35, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Valdez Ramirez with illegal reentry after a felony conviction on or about March 6, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Valdez Ramirez with resisting, opposing, impeding and interfering with an officer on or about March 6, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 1 year imprisonment, a $100,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Nicolas Vicente Lares , age 25, is charged with illegal reentry after being removed as an alien on or about March 1, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Steven Owen Watson , age 46, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (mix) on or about September 26, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, not less than four years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Cameron Woods , age 44, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) with prior drug felony on or about April 16, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, not less than ten years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. * Domingo Zetino Hernandez , age 20, of Norfolk, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Zetino Hernandez with false representation of a social security number with intent to deceive on or about December 5, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is a 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Zetino Hernandez with use of false immigration documents not lawfully issued on or December 5, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is a 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.