title: Former WVDEP Official Pleads Guilty to Theft of Federal Grant Funds

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jerry D. Elkins, 54, of Danville, West Virginia, pleaded guilty to theft from programs receiving federal funds. Elkins admitted to fraudulently obtaining $94,197.93 of federal abandoned mine land (AML) remediation sub-grant funds while employed by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about April 2017 until on or about August 7, 2019, Elkins assisted an individual, A.K., and his company apply for and obtain an AML sub-grant. Thereafter, Elkins set up a shell limited liability company to receive a portion of the sub-grant award funds and created fraudulent invoices in an attempt to conceal the nature of the payments. The DEP receives grant funding from the United States Department of the Interior Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) for accelerating the remediation of AML sites with economic and community development end uses. Since 2018, West Virginia has received $25 million in AML block grant funds. Numerous private entities apply to receive AML sub-grants, and the process for selecting projects to receive sub-grant awards is competitive. On February 21, 2017, the DEP hired Elkins as a regional planner. Elkins’ duties included reporting to the DEP whether certain project proposals being reviewed for AML sub-grant awards were suitable and appropriate for the reclamation of old mining areas. Prior to joining the DEP, Elkins became acquainted with A.K, who resided outside of West Virginia and controlled various corporate entities. Elkins and A.K. had discussed A.K.’s intent to apply to the DEP for AML grants. In the summer of 2017, A.K. and one of his companies applied for a DEP AML pilot program sub-grant, with a proposal to construct and operate a greenhouse that would produce commercial quantities of vegetables and fruits at a project site near Madison, West Virginia (the Greenhouse Project). Leading up to when A.K. applied for the sub-grant, Elkins agreed to assist A.K. with developing and submitting the Greenhouse Project application. A.K. compensated Elkins for those services. Between on or about April 2017 and January 12, 2018, while Elkins was employed as a DEP regional planner, Elkins assisted A.K. and his company by collecting water samples, providing contacts for public support, offering his opinion and suggestions for improving the sub-grant application, and continuously monitoring the application’s status. Elkins admitted that he also contacted an individual to write the Greenhouse Project grant proposal for A.K., which was outside the scope of Elkins’ duties as a regional planner. Elkins also provided that individual with edits to the grant proposal. Elkins further admitted to enlisting two other local individuals to work with A.K. and serve as officers in one of A.K.’s companies. In November 2017, Elkins submitted a report for A.K.’s project site, which was a prerequisite for A.K. to receive federal funds. In December 2017, Elkins told A.K. that Elkins would approve the proposed project site. Elkins continued to assist A.K. after he was transferred from the regional planner position to construction inspector on January 12, 2018. Elkins’ duties as construction inspector included overseeing the later phases of AML projects, such as construction and earth moving. Elkins admitted that throughout July 2018, he communicated extensively via text messages with A.K. and other individuals associated with the Greenhouse Project about internal DEP deliberations and provided suggestions regarding the sub-grant. Elkins further admitted to pledging to undertake certain actions and make contacts on behalf of A.K. In August and September 2018, Elkins registered a limited liability company, Wanaque, in Delaware and opened a bank account for Wanaque at a bank in Charleston, West Virginia, in order to receive and obscure payments from A.K. Elkins admitted that Wanaque had no other legitimate business purpose besides receiving funds from A.K. and A.K.’s companies. Elkins further admitted that he directed the creation of a third-party pay-bill account through Bill.com, a cloud-based payments platform, that was used to send invoices from Wanaque to companies under A.K.’s control. From about October 19, 2018, through about August 7, 2019, Wanaque received $94,197.93 in electronic fund transfers and checks from A.K. and his companies. Elkins admitted that the $94,197.34 originated from the Greenhouse Project’s sub-grant reimbursements from the DEP and were ultimately diverted to him. Elkins further admitted that he had no right to receive those funds and fraudulently converted them to his own use. Elkins also admitted to taking steps to hide, conceal and cover up his activity and the nature and scope of his dealings with A.K. Those steps included failing to list his interest in Wanaque when he signed the federal OSMRE State Employee Statement of Employment and Financial Interest form on February 20, 2019. Elkins is scheduled to be sentenced on October 12, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Elkins also owes $94,197.93 in restitution. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General- Office of Investigations, the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Holly Wilson is prosecuting the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson made significant contributions to the prosecution. 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-78. ###


title: Four Defendants Involved in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Receive Sentences of Over 68 Years in Federal Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that four defendants who were charged in an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation with conspiring to sell methamphetamine in the Shreveport area have all now been sentenced. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced the defendants as follows: Frederick Cortez Walker , 33, of Shreveport, Louisiana , was sentenced to 292 months (24 years, 4 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Felecia B. Walker , 50, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced to 270 months (22 years, 6 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Mario T. Nash , 42, of Haughton, Louisiana, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Alana M. Taravella , 40, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced to 147 months (12 years, 3 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging all four defendants with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and each of them have pleaded guilty to the charge. Felecia B. Walker and Alana M. Taravella each also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. In addition, five firearms were seized from Taravella and forfeited. According to evidence presented to the court, beginning on or about March 1, 2021, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) begin an investigation into the suspect drug trafficking activities of these defendants. The DEA was able to obtain approval to intercept phone calls on Frederick C. Walker’s phone. Agents intercepted phone calls between Walker, Felecia Walker, and others, in which they discussed the purchase and sale of methamphetamine. Specifically, a call was intercepted by agents on June 14, 2021 wherein the Walkers discussed the shipment of methamphetamine in the mail via UPS. Agents were able to seize the package and discovered approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine. On June 10, 2021, agents intercepted a call wherein Frederick Walker arranged to distribute methamphetamine to an unknown subject. Agents set up surveillance to monitor the transaction and after it was complete, conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle. The driver was identified as Mario Nash. A search of his vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 488.7 gross grams of methamphetamine which was located wrapped in plastic inside the center console of the vehicle. Mario admitted to agents that he had purchased the narcotics from Frederick Walker. On June 22, 2021, a search warrant was obtained for Frederick and Felecia Walker’s residence. At their residence, officers located approximately 1042.2 gross grams of marijuana, 949.4 gross grams of methamphetamine, a Ruger AR-556, an assortment of magazines including extended magazines, ammunition, and digital scales. Felecia Walker admitted to agents during an interview that the methamphetamine would be mailed to her via the mail and then she or Frederick Walker would mail the money for the methamphetamine to the supplier. Felecia Walker would then distribute the narcotics as directed by Frederick Walker. On June 23, 2021, a search warrant was obtained for Taravella’s residence and during the search, agents recovered a Taurus 709 Slim 9mm handgun, a DPMS A-15 firearm, over $8,000 in cash, methamphetamine, packaging materials, and digital scales. In the vehicle parked outside of Taravella’s residence, agents found a Taurus G2C 9mm with extended magazine and ammunition, a Taurus PT738 .380 firearm with magazine and ammunition, a stolen Sig Sauer P365 9mm firearm with magazine and ammunition and 325 gross grams of methamphetamine. Taravella admitted to obtaining methamphetamine from Frederick Walker and distributing it to others. The case was investigated by the DEA, Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office, and Louisiana State Police, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille Gilreath. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . # # #


title: Man accused of shooting three HPD officers to appear in court

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 31-year-old Houston resident is scheduled for his first appearance in federal court on charges of carjacking, discharging a machine gun during a crime of violence, possession of a machine gun and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U. S. Attorney Aldamar Hamdani. Roland Caballero is set to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam S. Sheldon at 3:15 p.m. A federal grand jury returned the indictment Feb. 16, 2022, but he has remained in state custody on related charges. On Jan. 27, 2022, Caballero was allegedly involved in an altercation with his girlfriend which resulted in a 911 call. The criminal complaint alleges authorities allegedly responded, but he fled. They pursued until Caballero ultimately crashed his vehicle, according to the charges. At that time, he allegedly shot and wounded three Houston Police Department (HPD) officers using a pistol modified with a fully automatic switch. Caballero then fled the scene on foot and carjacked a nearby citizen in a vehicle, according to the criminal complaint. Law enforcement located him and a stand-off allegedly ensued. Caballero, again, allegedly discharged a firearm at authorities, after which he ultimately surrendered. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Caballero’s residence and allegedly discovered several firearms, ammunition, machine gun components and 3D printers. If convicted, Caballero faces up to life in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, HPD and the Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Britni Cooper is prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Atlantic County Resident Admits Laundering Proceeds of COVID-19 Small Business Relief Program Fraud

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man admitted laundering the proceeds of fraudulently obtained Paycheck Protection Program loans, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Jeremy Earley, 41, of Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, and Lilburn, Georgia, pleaded guilty on June 1, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In 2020 and 2021, two companies owned by Earley received loans totaling more than $1.3 million from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a federal program that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The loans were approved based on fraudulent applications submitted by conspirator Rhonda Thomas stating that the companies had dozens of employees and monthly payrolls of $145,000 and $382,400, respectively. The applications also contained forged tax forms. In fact, Earley’s businesses had no employees other than himself and paid minimal to no wages. After receiving the PPP loan proceeds, Earley wrote checks totaling nearly $400,000 to Thomas to compensate her for her role in submitting the fraudulent loan applications. The charge of money laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 13, 2023. Rhonda Thomas previously pleaded guilty to bank fraud conspiracy and money laundering and was sentenced to five years in prison. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Patricia Tarasca, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Regional Office; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Sharon MacDermott; special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman and Attorney-In-Charge Jason M. Richardson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden. earley.information.pdf


title: Officers Seize 82 Firearms, Machine Guns, During Arrest of Three Men Charged with Gun Trafficking Conspiracy, Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Law enforcement officers seized 82 firearms, including machine guns, during the arrest of three Kansas City, Mo., metropolitan area men charged with participating in a conspiracy to traffic firearms, including machine guns, and with drug trafficking. Alejandro Zavala, 23, and Cody Bonhomme, 30, both of Kansas City, Mo., and Kaleb Acuna, 22, of Independence, Mo., were charged in a two-count complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Thursday, May 25. That complaint was unsealed and made public following the arrest and initial court appearances of the defendants, who remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing. Zavala is the owner of A&M Auto Sales, a used car dealership at 7001 E. Truman Road in Kansas City, Mo. Law enforcement officers executed search warrants at their residences and arrested Zavala, Bonhomme, and Acuna on Wednesday, May 31. Officers seized approximately 1.5 pounds of cocaine, 82 firearms, four silencers and 34 suspected machine gun conversion devices. The federal criminal complaint charges Zavala, Bonhomme and Acuna with one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms and one count of distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine. According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, a confidential informant told investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that Zavala has several individuals who assist him in an ongoing operation to distribute large amounts of cocaine, firearms, and machine gun conversion devices. The informant told investigators that Zavala maintained several stash houses in the Kansas City area, where he kept firearms and illegal drugs. Bonhomme allegedly lived in one of those houses and sold firearms and drugs from the house. Acuna allegedly lived in another of the houses and sold firearms and drugs from the house. The complaint alleges that, from March 1 to May 31, 2023, Zavala, Bonhomme and Acuna conspired to traffic firearms to another person, knowing the firearms were illegal for that person to possess. Eleven firearms, which were sold to an undercover law enforcement officer or a confidential informant, included an Anderson AM-15 multi-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Polymer80 9mm pistol without a serial number (converted to a machine gun), a Polymer80 pistol without a serial number with an uninstalled machine gun conversion device, four Anderson AM-15 multi-caliber semi-automatic pistols (converted to machine guns), a Glock .40-caliber pistol (converted to a machine gun), a DPMS multi-caliber (converted to a machine gun), and two Polymer80 9mm pistols without serial numbers. The complaint also alleges the trafficking of marijuana and cocaine occurred during the same time period. The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Barnes. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department. Project Safe Neighborhoods This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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: Brooklyn Man Charged with Fraudulently Entering Competitor Laboratory and Destroying and Stealing Equipment

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Brooklyn, New York, man was arraigned on charges he allegedly entered a laboratory business on false pretenses and destroyed and stole that business’ equipment, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Eric Leykin, 32, of Brooklyn, New York, was indicted on May 24, 2023, for committing wire fraud. He was arraigned June 1, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case: Leykin was the chief executive officer of a clinical reference laboratory based in New Jersey. Leykin’s laboratory competed against the victim business, another clinical reference laboratory also based in New Jersey. On June 30, 2022, Leykin bought and activated a prepaid mobile phone and called an employee of the business, claiming to be a technician with a vendor that the business used to service its laboratory equipment. On that false pretense, Leykin arranged with the victim business’ employee to come to the business on the following day, supposedly to service the business’ laboratory equipment. On July 1, 2022, Leykin went to the business, entered the premises fraudulently posing as a vendor technician, and proceeded to destroy a significant amount of the business’ laboratory and computer equipment. Leykin also stole multiple computer hard drives. The wire fraud count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of either $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; the Millburn Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Gilfedder; and the FBI in New York, under the direction of Assistant Director Michael Driscoll, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Trombly of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. leykin.indictment.pdf


title: Ohio Man Found Guilty of Assault on Law Enforcement Charges Connected to Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: WASHINGTON — An Ohio man was found guilty of assaulting law enforcement officers related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, which disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the presidential election. Kenneth Joseph Owen Thomas, 41, of East Liverpool, Ohio, was found guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia of four counts of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers; obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder; and engaging in physical violence on Capitol grounds. U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich scheduled a sentencing hearing for September 6, 2023. Thomas was on the Upper West Terrace at 3:30 p.m. standing in front of a line of police officers who were preventing the rioters from advancing further towards the Capitol. When the crowd surged forward against the police line, Thomas twice charged the line of police officers, striking two Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers with his hands and shoving them. Thomas’ assaults against these two MPD officers were captured on police body worn cameras (BWC) and in many open-source videos from the scene. Then, approximately an hour later in a different part of the Upper West Terrace, Thomas was captured on MPD BWC footage advancing toward a line of law enforcement and pushing against their shields.. At 4:26 p.m., officers began to advance to dispel the crowd of rioters from the steps. Thomas turned toward rioters and ordered them to “hold the line” against advancing officers, repeating this statement fifteen times as he locked arms with the other rioters and pushed against the offices. Then, at 4:28 p.m., again as officers attempted to clear the Upper West Terrace, Thomas rushed to the head of the line of rioters and twice threw himself into an MPD officers while yelling to the rioters “hold the fucking line.” In subsequent interviews, law enforcement officers confirmed the attack and stated Thomas “was one of the first to come in and start hitting [and] pushing officers on the line.” The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama. The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, who identified Thomas as #214 on their seeking information photos, as well as the MPD, with significant assistance provided by the FBI’s Birmingham Field Office. In the first 28 months since Jan. 6, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested on charges related to the Capitol breach, including more than 320 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.


title: Canadian Pastor Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Enticing a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A Canadian pastor was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for using the internet to entice of a 15-year-old girl to engage in illegal sexual activity, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. Ison was joined in the announcement by Angie M. Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, Detroit Field Office. Timothy Milley, 69, of suburban Toronto, Canada, was sentenced by United States District Judge Judith E. Levy. In October 2022, Milley was convicted of the online enticement of a metro-Detroit minor. The investigation revealed that in the spring of 2013, Milley had communicated with the minor over the internet and shared text exchanges with her when she was 15 years old. After months of grooming, Milley traveled to the United States from Canada, and he convinced the minor to meet with him in front of her school in the Detroit area, where he picked her up. He took her to a hotel and had sexual intercourse with her there, before returning her to her school and abandoning her in front of the building. Milley’s crime was discovered years later when the minor victim—now an adult—looked up Milley online and found out that he had been charged and convicted in his native Canada for similar online solicitation of an undercover agent he thought was a minor. Following this discovery, the minor victim in the United States reported the incident to law enforcement agents at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, who investigated and soon arrested Milley for his online solicitation of the minor victim here. “This defendant groomed the vulnerable minor victim and preyed upon her youth and inexperience. Thanks to her bravery in coming forward years later, we were able to arrest him and prevent further victimization of other minors,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “Individuals who prey on children, especially those in positions of public trust, should expect to be held fully accountable for their actions,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie. M. Salazar. “I commend the victim for her courage in coming forward to ensure that Milley is unable to continue to victimize and exploit children.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations of the Department of Homeland Security, and it was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Princ.


title: Texas Man Gets 57 Months in Prison for Drug Transportation Charge

component: Criminal Division

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A U.S. District judge sentenced a man from Texas to 57 months in federal prison after he admitted to transporting a kilogram of cocaine to Illinois. In addition to the prison sentence, Henry Garcia-Blanco, 28, of Irving, Texas, will serve three years of supervised release. “Increased accessibility to illicit drugs creates significant health risks for communities in southern Illinois, and the individuals found responsible for transporting large quantities of dangerous narcotics across our state lines will face time in prison,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “I appreciate the efforts by the DEA to investigate and arrest offenders and help improve public safety.” In late 2021, DEA agents began an investigation after learning significant quantities of cocaine were being transported from Texas, through Illinois, and on to St. Louis, Missouri. On Dec. 10, 2021, a confidential source informed agents a drug courier was stuck in Effingham, Illinois. The courier was identified as Garcia-Blanco, and the agents arranged a ride to facilitate his travel. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of the truck and identified the defendant as a passenger. Upon questioning from law enforcement, a positive alert from a trained narcotics K-9 and a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers located a vacuum-sealed brick of what was later confirmed by laboratory testing to be just over a kilogram of cocaine. Garcia-Blanco admitted that he was transporting the cocaine from Texas. DEA led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. Carraway prosecuted the case.


title: Trafficking of Fentanyl, Heroin and Methamphetamine Results in Sentences Totaling 30+ Years in  Federal Prison for Two Louisiana Men

body_text: LAFAYETTE, La. – Two men involved in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine have been sentenced in the Western District of Louisiana, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Robert Joseph Gant , 57, of Jennings, and Randall Tyler , 38, of Lake Charles as follows: Robert Joseph Gant was sentenced to 210 months (17 years, 6 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Gant pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Randall Tyler was sentenced to 162 months (13 years, 6 months) in prison, followed by5 years of supervised release. Tyler pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The charges in this case stem from an investigation by agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which began in 2018 and continued through 2020, into the drug trafficking activities of Gant and Tyler, along with other co-conspirators. Law enforcement agents conducted surveillance and received approval to intercept wire communications to and from a co-defendant’s telephone. Through their monitoring of calls and messages sent from that telephone, as well as surveillance and other investigative techniques, agents learned that both Gant and Tyler, as well as other co-conspirators, were selling and distributing narcotics in the south Louisiana area. Through their further investigation, law enforcement agents obtained evidence that Gant and Tyler were communicating with other co-conspirators regarding the type and quantity of narcotics that would be delivered to Gant and Tyler after this co-conspirator returned to Louisiana from Mexico. Agents were able to track the shipment of these narcotics and obtained search warrants for Gant’s residence and other stash houses. Upon execution of these search warrants, agents recovered approximately 1,017 grams of fentanyl, 260 grams of heroin and 320 grams of methamphetamine. Tyler and Gant were charged along with 14 others, in this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation named “Inspired Wrath.” The case was investigated by the DEA, FBI, Eunice Police Department, Lafayette Police Department, and Louisiana State Police, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Vermaelen. This effort is part of an ongoing OCDETF operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . # # #


title: Chicago Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Leading Cocaine Conspiracy

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Winfield Agee, 36, Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 15 years in prison for conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. Agee pleaded guilty to this charge on January 26, 2023. The government’s investigation revealed that Agee was the undisputed leader of a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for bringing at least 50 kilograms of cocaine from Chicago to Madison between 2014 and 2020. As a result of his lucrative operation, Agee drove high-end cars, lived in posh luxury accommodations, and collected designer clothing, jewelry, shoes, and bags. The investigation showed that beginning in approximately 2014, Agee, who resided in Chicago, began providing cocaine to various people, including several female associates, for redistribution around Madison. One source of information (SOI-1) reported that towards the end of 2014, she began transporting a kilogram of cocaine from Chicago to Madison twice per month for Agee. The arrangement between SOI-1 and the defendant continued for several years until SOI-1 was arrested in May 2018. Another source of information (SOI-2) reported that she started transporting cocaine at Agee’s direction between Chicago and Madison beginning sometime in 2018. According to SOI-2, she was transporting a kilogram of cocaine a week to Madison in 2019 and 2020. SOI-2 recalled that Agee gave her very specific directions on how fast to drive, which lane to drive in, and what to do if she was stopped by the police. According to SOI-2, when she would arrive in Madison with the cocaine, she would wait for Agee to tell her where to deliver it. On November 25, 2020, SOI-2 rented a car and drove to Agee’s home in Chicago to pick up a kilogram of cocaine. Surveillance footage revealed Agee putting a bag in SOI-2’s car outside of his apartment building. SOI-2 was in Chicago for less than 30 minutes. Madison Police officers stopped SOI-2 as she was driving in Madison and a search of her car revealed the kilogram of cocaine. SOI-2 reported that she had picked up the cocaine from Agee after she had collected money from one of his associates in Madison. A third source of information (SOI-3) reported that she resided in the Madison area and beginning sometime in 2018, she would receive large quantities of cocaine from Agee that she would distribute to his associates in Madison. SOI-3 would pick up the cocaine from SOI-2 once it arrived in Madison. All three sources of information described a similar method of operation used by Agee and his associates. Additionally, law enforcement agents were able to corroborate much of the information based on intercepted telephone communications and surveillances. On December 3, 2020, officers executed a search warrant at Agee’s penthouse apartment in Chicago. During the search, officers found $6,041 in cash, key fobs for a Rolls Royce, and designer clothes, jewelry, shoes, and bags. Officers later located two vehicles belonging to the defendant in the parking garage of the apartment — a 2019 Rolls Royce SUV and a 2020 BMW M8. The jewelry seized from Agee included a Patek Phillipe watch, a diamond bracelet, a diamond necklace, and diamond earrings. Based on an appraisal from a jewelry store, the total value of the four pieces of jewelry was $472,718. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson concluded that a significant sentence was warranted because Agee’s organization was responsible for bringing a tremendous amount of cocaine into Wisconsin for a significant period of time. Judge Peterson also noted that Agee’s extraordinary success as a drug trafficker allowed him to become wealthy by exploiting the illnesses of other people. A total of eight individuals have been charged with and pleaded guilty to participating in the cocaine distribution scheme. The charge against Agee is the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Madison Police Department, and the Dane County Narcotics Task Force. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.


title: Jury Convicts Euclid Man on Drug Trafficking and Firearm Charges

body_text: CLEVELAND – Nicholas D. Geer, 26, of Euclid, Ohio, was found guilty on all counts by a jury after a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge J. Philip Calabrese in Cleveland yesterday. Geer was convicted of seven counts of possession with intent to distribute various drugs and two firearms charges. Specifically, Geer was found guilty of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, fluorofentanyl, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base and for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents and evidence presented in court a search warrant was executed at a house Geer was staying at in Cleveland Heights. During the search, agents seized various quantities of drugs and a loaded .40 caliber handgun in the kitchen of the residence. Geer was discovered hiding in a closet in the basement. Law enforcement had previously conducted two controlled drug purchases from Geer, one at that residence. Geer is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm due to previous felony convictions. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Cleveland Heights Police Department, and the Euclid Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Vanessa Healy and Robert Kolansky.


title: Chicago Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Two Retail Store Robberies in Illinois and Indiana

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ROCKFORD — A Chicago man has been sentenced to four years in federal prison in connection with a series of retail store robberies in Illinois and Indiana. In 2016, YASHMINE ODOM and his co-conspirators carried out two violent robberies, using force and pepper spray to coerce store employees while stealing laptops, iPads, smart watches, and cell phones. During the robberies, Odom or his co-conspirators physically assaulted and restrained the employees. On Dec. 10, 2016, Odom and his co-conspirators traveled to the Valparaiso Simply Mac store in Valparaiso, Ind., and forced store employees to the back of the store. Odom stayed in the car as the getaway driver while his co-conspirators carried out approximately $50,000 worth of stolen merchandise. On Dec. 16, 2016, Odom traveled with eight co-conspirators to the Cherry Valley Simply Mac store in Cherry Valley, Ill. Odom and his co-conspirators forced employees to the back of the store, pepper sprayed one of them, and stole two computers. Odom, 38, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy and robbery charges. U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard imposed the four-year sentence Wednesday after a hearing in federal court in Rockford. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.


title: Cleveland Man Sentenced in Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Conspiracy

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: AKRON – Devonn Fair, 31, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced on Thursday, June 1, 2023, to 420 months or 35 years in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, money laundering, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to court documents, Fair was one of the leaders of a large-scale fentanyl trafficking organization that operated on the east side of Cleveland from September of 2019 to February of 2022. The Fair drug trafficking organization distributed fentanyl at several residences throughout the east side of Cleveland which drew customers from as far away as Medina, Wayne, and Lorain Counties. Fair and his organization profited from their crimes and laundered those profits with the purchase of expensive clothing, jewelry, and vehicles. In addition, Fair was prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm due to previous felony convictions. Fair was ordered to forfeit the unlawful proceeds of his crimes which included jewelry, $68,922 in U.S. Currency, and three vehicles. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cartel, Gang, Narcotics, and Laundering Task Force (CGNL), and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CID) with assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio Investigative Unit, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Cleveland Heights Police Department, the Southeast Area Law Enforcement Task Force (SEALE), the ATF, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, the DEA, and the Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Science Laboratory. This case was prosecuted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) national program. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys James Lewis and Joseph Dangelo.


title: Hartford Man Charged with Child Exploitation Offense

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that JONATHAN WILLIAMS, 32, of Hartford, was arrested yesterday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with a child exploitation offense. As alleged in court documents, HSI has been investigating a network of individuals who have been using private groups on an internet chat application to share images and videos of child sexual abuse. The investigation revealed that an account associated with Williams was an active member of one of these groups, and that Williams was convicted in 2015 in North Carolina of sexual exploitation of a minor in the third degree. On June 1, 2023, investigators conducted a court authorized search of Williams’ residence. Williams was arrested after a preliminary review of his laptop revealed videos of child sex abuse. The complaint charges Williams with receipt of child pornography. If convicted of the charge, Williams faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. The penalties in this matter are enhanced based on Williams’ prior conviction in North Carolina. Williams appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and was ordered detained. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by HSI with the assistance of the Connecticut Center for Digital Investigations, the Connecticut State Police, and the Hartford and Westport Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: Billings man admits to distributing child pornography

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: BILLINGS — A Billings man today admitted to distributing child pornography using social media, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Stetson Lee Hubbard, 33, pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography. Hubbard faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 20 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and five years to a lifetime of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Sept. 27. Hubbard was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that in January 2020, law enforcement began an investigation using a social media application and posed as woman from Wisconsin. Law enforcement entered multiple public groups that appeared to be focused on child pornography. While in one such group, a member of the group distributed child pornography. An investigation determined that the address associated with the distribution originated in Billings and ultimately led to Hubbard as the account’s owner. When interviewed, Hubbard acknowledged using the social media application and that he may have distributed child pornography on that application. Law enforcement subsequently found child pornography on Hubbard’s cellular phone. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno B. Baucus is prosecuting the case. The FBI conducted the investigation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . XXX


title: Court Sentences Mobile Man to Ten Years' Imprisonment for Armed Robbery of Dollar Tree Store

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – On June 1, 2023, United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Carlos Dominick Balams of Mobile to 120 months’ imprisonment for robbery and brandishing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence.


title: Maryland Man Sentenced to Over Five Years in Federal Prison for COVID-19 Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Schemes

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Olaolu Alabi, age 40, of Owings Mills, Maryland, to 66 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after Alabi pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft, in relation to multiple financial fraud schemes. Judge Gallagher also ordered Alabi to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $500,000 and will determine the amount of restitution at a later date. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HIS”) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Karen L. Brown Cleveland of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service (“DSS”), Washington Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Troy Springer, of the National Capital Region of the U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”); and Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division. According to his plea agreement, from June 2019 until August 5, 2020, Alabi conspired with multiple individuals to defraud victim businesses, individuals and financial institutions through business email compromise schemes and/or COVID-19 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act unemployment insurance (“UI”)fraud schemes to obtain more than $1.5 million. From March 2020 to August 2020, Alabi and his co-conspirators used and trafficked in unauthorized access devices and in that scheme alone, they obtained more than $400,000 in UI and other COVID-19 related benefits that were loaded onto debit cards. Alabi admitted that he personally obtained at least $500,000 from his participation in these fraud schemes, which he used for his personal benefit, including a trip to Hawaii for himself and two friends. As detailed in the plea agreement, Alabi used the personal identifying information (“PII”) of individuals without their knowledge or permission to fraudulently obtain identity documents and obtain UI benefits. For example, Alabi obtained a driver’s license in the name of one victim and obtained fraudulent UI benefits in the names of two other victims. Alabi also used at least two aliases, obtaining fake passports and backup documentation for each of his aliases. Alabi used the fraudulent documents to open bank accounts in the names of identity theft victims and in his aliases, which were used to deposit proceeds of the fraud schemes. In addition, Alabi created limited liability companies (“LLCs”) which were used in the fraud schemes to hide the conspirators’ identities and frustrate the efforts of financial institutions and law enforcement. Alabi admitted using an encrypted text messaging application to communicate with his co-conspirators, including Idowu Raji, about the timing of victim fund deposits into accounts Alabi controlled, withdrawing the fraud proceeds from the bank accounts receiving the funds, and using debit cards loaded with UI funds. Alabi also had in-person conversations with co-conspirator Raji. Further, on September 30, 2019, Alabi deposited a $44,180.55 check, made payable to one of the LLCs he’d established, into a bank account opened in the name of that company. The check was part of more than $300,000 that had been obtained from a victim business, Victim T. As part of a business email compromise (“BEC”) scheme, Victim T sent the money to accounts controlled by Alabi’s co-conspirators, thinking that it was paying its actual debts. A cashier’s check for $44,173.50, also part of the $300,000 obtained from Victim T, was deposited into another bank account controlled by Alabi. In another instance, fraudulent emails from Alabi’s co-conspirators about paying an invoice caused Victim LSI, a company in Ohio, to send or transfer more than $500,000 to accounts controlled by Alabi and the co-conspirators. Alabi also admitted that in April 2020 a separate victim, a community college lost $293,565, based on fraudulent emails purporting to be from one of its vendors. The emails advised that the vendor was no longer accepting checks for payment and provided wiring instructions. The emails came from the vendor point of contact’s real email address after the conspirators gained access to the account. The victim community college wired the funds into a bank account controlled by the conspirators, who then transferred the funds to other accounts and purchased cashier’s checks. Eventually, the vendor reached out to the victim community college about the overdue amount and the community college then realized it had been defrauded, causing a significant hardship for the community college. On August 5, 2020, federal agents executed a search warrant at Alabi’s residence and seized and searched his cell phone. Conversations in the messaging app included exchanges related to fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. For example, as detailed in messages, on June 30, 2020, Alabi travelled to Raji’s residence and picked up debit cards containing unemployment insurance benefits obtained using the personal identifying information of real persons. Alabi then went to a U.S. Post Office where he used the debit cards from Raji to purchase a total of 19 separate $1,000 money orders. On May 20, 2022, co-conspirator Idowu Raji, age 41, of Baltimore County, Maryland, was sentenced to 94 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit access device fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The Court also ordered Raji to pay $1,793,472 in restitution. The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of three strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, DSS, DOL-OIG, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Gruber, who prosecuted the case. He also recognized the assistance of the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md . # # #


title: Drug Traffickers Involved in Fatal Eastern Avenue Gunfight Sentenced

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – A pair of Roanoke men involved in a fatal shooting at an Eastern Avenue drug house in the City of Roanoke were sentenced yesterday in federal court for their roles in the shootings and related drug trafficking activities. Aaron Lee Woods, 28, was sentenced yesterday to more than 20 years in federal prison. Chad Matthew Custer, 23, was also sentenced yesterday to 16 years’ incarceration. Both men previously pleaded guilty to one count each of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 100 kilograms or more of marijuana as well as one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. A third man, Darion Mantez Harvey was sentenced to 26 years in federal prison in May 2022 for related conduct. According to court documents, in October 2018, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating a drug trafficking organization involving Woods, Custer, and Harvey. During the course of the investigation, authorities learned that Woods, Harvey, Custer, and other co-conspirators used Woods’ apartment on Eastern Avenue as the primary site for their large-scale distribution of marijuana in the Roanoke Valley from late 2017 through approximately August 2019. Witnesses told police that customers would stream in and out of the apartment at all hours of the day and night buying marijuana from the defendants, who kept their loaded firearms in plain view. In the early evening hours of July 10, 2018, a car containing five individuals arrived at the Eastern Avenue apartment where a gun battle broke out with Harvey, Woods, and Custer on one side and the newly-arrived individuals on the other. While four of the individuals fled on foot, a fifth individual was in a vehicle driving away from the scene when a bullet struck him in the back of the head and killed him. Investigators recovered multiple firearms used by Woods, Harvey, and Custer during the shootout, including high-powered, military-style rifles with laser sights as well as multiple handguns and ammunition. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Special Agent in Charge Craig B. Kailimai of the Washington Division and Roanoke Police Chief Sam Roman made the announcement today. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the City of Roanoke Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charlene R. Day, and Matthew M. Miller prosecuted the case for the United States. 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: Jacksonville, Alabama Woman Sentenced to More Than 4 Years for Fraud Scheme and Aggravated Identity Theft

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A 46-year-old Jacksonville woman was sentenced this week to 51 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. According to court documents, Rebecca Russell conspired with her sister, Roseanna Taylor, to commit fraud using stolen identities. Taylor worked for a medical professional staffing company based in Mobile from about May 2017 through January 2019. By virtue of Taylor’s employment, she obtained personal pedigree information, including means of identification of certain medical professionals. Russell obtained these stolen identities from Taylor and made various consumer lending transactions through mid-2020. As part of the scheme, Russell used fake identification documents containing her photo along with victims’ personal information to obtain fraudulent loans for cash, at least one automobile, and other items of monetary value. Russell was ordered to pay restitution to the victims of the fraud scheme in the amount of $127,663.26 and to serve a supervised release term of three years following her term of imprisonment. Earlier this year, Taylor was sentenced earlier this year to 81 months for her role in the scheme and ordered to pay restitution. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The United States Secret Service and Mobile Police Department the investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Bishop Ravenel and Justin D. Kopf prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Illinois Man Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison

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

body_text: FORT WAYNE –Justin Davis, 65 years old, of Maywood, IL, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after his plea of guilty to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Davis was sentenced to 108 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to documents in this case, in July 2021, Davis was observed driving well over the posted speed limit. Indiana State Police conducted a traffic stop and located a container with a white granular substance that Davis was attempting to hide. When confronted, Davis admitted the substance was crack cocaine. Additional narcotics and items related to drug dealing were also recovered, in addition to a loaded handgun. Davis admitted to previously dealing drugs while armed for his protection. Due to multiple prior felony convictions, Davis is prohibited from possessing the firearm in this case. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Indiana State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brent A. Ecenbarger. 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: Portsmouth Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Machine Gun

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man pleaded guilty today to possessing a machine gun. According to court documents, Trashawn Newsome, 21, was in possession of a machine gun on October 6, 2022. That day, Chesapeake Police officers were investigating a vehicle reported stolen in the vicinity of Camelot Boulevard. Newsome was observed speaking with the occupants of the stolen vehicle. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle and ordered Newsome and another individual to the ground. The stolen vehicle fled the scene and Newsome walked back to his vehicle and put an item into the car through the driver’s side door before getting onto the ground. Officers observed a firearm magazine on the ground inches away from Newsome as he was being detained. A narcotics K9 conducted an open-air sniff around his vehicle and alerted to the front driver’s side door. Officers recovered from the vehicle approximately 120 grams marijuana; a scale; plastic baggies; and a Glock 22, Gen 4 semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine and an attached component that converted the handgun into a fully automatic gun. Newsome is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Cheney is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-36.


title: Salvadoran Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Salvadoran man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Jose Rodriguez, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 15 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Rodriguez will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On March 28, 2023, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Rodriguez was deported from the United States in April 2018 after serving a three-to-five-year prison sentence for a child rape conviction out of Suffolk County. Sometime after his April 2018 removal, Rodriguez illegally reentered the United States. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of Levy’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Truro Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Selling at Least 23 Firearms on Cape Cod

body_text: BOSTON – A Truro man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to illegally selling firearms. James McNulty, 61, pleaded guilty to one count of dealing in firearms without a license. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Sept. 11, 2023. McNulty was arrested in February 2022. Between around January 2021 to April 2021, McNulty offered for sale and sold at least 23 firearms that did not belong to him. McNulty personally sold the firearms to other individuals from his residence in Truro in exchange for cash. McNulty does not possess a license to import, manufacture, or deal firearms. The charge of dealing in firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $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. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Truro and Provincetown Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Dell’Anno and David G. Tobin of Levy’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.


title: A Native of Iraq and Citizen of the Netherlands Was Sentenced to 5 Years In Federal Prison for Possessing Firearms and Ammunition Unlawfully

body_text: DETROIT – A native of Iraq and citizen of the Netherlands, who has prior criminal arrests for Assault and Battery, Domestic Violence, Drug Possession, Malicious Destruction of Property, and Larceny, was sentenced this week to 5 years in federal prison for being an unlawful alien in possession of firearms and ammunition, announced United State Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Ison was joined in the announcement by Chief Patrol Agent Robert Danley, United States Border Patrol, Detroit Sector. Sentenced was Vires Al-Hakiem, age 43. Al-Hakiem was sentenced in federal court in Detroit on May 31 before United States District Judge Laurie Michelson. According to court records, in June 2021, Al-Hakiem sent a text message containing a video to his then spouse threatening her with a gun. A subsequent search of Al-Hakiem’s bedroom found six firearms, 34 handgun magazines (7 of which were high capacity), 53 long-gun magazines (4 with extended capacity for ammunition) and over 2,600 rounds of ammunition. Al-Hakiem has prior criminal arrests for Assault and Battery, Domestic Violence, Drug Possession, Malicious Destruction of Property, and Larceny. In January 2023, Al-Hakiem pleaded guilty in federal court to being an unlawful alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Al-Hakiem will be deported to the Netherlands when his sentence is finished. “Our office is dedicated to enforcing our immigration laws. This defendant who already had a lengthy criminal history was both illegally present in the United States and illegally possessed a large number of guns and ammunition. “Today’s sentence makes our community safer,” stated U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. “Protecting our Nation’s borders goes beyond patrolling an imaginary line on the ground or water, as this case clearly shows. The United States Border Patrol is dedicated to protecting all our communities from dangerous people such as this, and I’m proud of our Detroit Sector agents and their task force partners for the great work that made this conviction possible,” said Chief Patrol Agent Danley. This case was investigated by agents of the Border Patrol with the assistance of the FBI Macomb County Gang and Violent crime task force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Susan Fairchild.


title: Lynn Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing Social Security Benefits

body_text: BOSTON – A Lynn woman has pleaded guilty to stealing over $50,000 in Social Security benefits. Teresa M. Carrington, 65, pleaded guilty on May 31, 2023 to one count of theft of public funds. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Aug. 29, 2023. Carrington was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2022. Carrington’s mother died in May 2016. From June 2016 through January 2020, Carrington stole at least $50,210 in Social Security Administration Retirement Insurance benefits that were paid to her deceased mother. Carrington also wrote multiple checks on her deceased mother’s bank account and each check was made payable to Carrington who forged her mother’s signature. The misdemeanor charge of theft of public funds provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison, one year of supervised release, five years of probation, and a fine of $100,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Sharon MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Levy’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Salem Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute Over Four Kilograms of Fentanyl Pills

body_text: BOSTON – A Salem man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for conspiring to distribute large amounts of fentanyl. Jose Esmerlin Diaz, 38, of Salem, was sentenced on May 23, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 52 months in prison and two years of supervised release. In April 2021, Diaz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. In January 2020, Diaz was arrested and charged with co-defendant Manuel E. Tejeda. On Jan. 17, 2020, Diaz delivered an estimated 13,770 fentanyl pills (weighing approximately 1.6 kilograms) disguised as 30mg Percocet pills to a cooperating source at a price of $6 per pill. Is it alleged that shortly thereafter, Tejeda and another man arrived in the vicinity of the drug transaction to deliver additional pills, and were found in possession of an estimated 29,742 fentanyl pills (weighing approximately three kilograms). Those additional pills were consistent in appearance with the pills delivered by Diaz and packaged in a similar manner. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Peabody Police Chief Thomas M. Griffin; and Andover Police Chief Patrick Keefe made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Dell’Anno, Craig Estes and Kunal Pasricha of Levy’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Informational: Federal Court arraignments

body_text: The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty: Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on June 2 was: Robert Terrance Williams, III, 45, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Williams faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Williams was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-152. Appearing on May 31 was: Nathaniel George Castro, 26, of Hardin, on charges of aggravated sexual abuse. If convicted of the most serious crime, Castro faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Castro was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-43. Appearing on May 18 was: Tyler Brady Miller, 37, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Miller faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Miller was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-63. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl . XXX


title: Utah County Woman Pleads Guilty to Committing $5M in Securities Fraud from Investors

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: Salt Lake City, Utah – A Utah woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to securities fraud and admitted she devised a scheme intended to defraud investors and obtain money and property, under false pretenses, to benefit her company, ProSky Inc. According to court documents, Crystal A. Huang, 41, of Lehi, admitted she knowingly offered investments in her company, ProSky Inc., by providing false promises to potential investors. From February 2015 through February 2020, in the District of Utah and elsewhere, Huang would lull investor victims into a false sense of security about their investments by claiming her company, ProSky Inc., had millions in recurring revenue, when in fact it did not. She further supported her false claims by providing investors with falsified balance sheets, profit and loss statements, bank account statements and customer lists. During her scheme to defraud, Huang obtained approximately $5.025 million from approximately 13 investors and communicated via email, telephone and through an online database. In one transaction, Huang caused a wire transfer of $750,000 to ProSky Inc. via interstate commerce. Huang is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.1 before U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City, Utah. U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Provo Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark E. Woolf of the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.


title: Franklin Man Arrested and Charged With Threatening to Kill a U.S. Senator

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Franklin man has been charged in connection with threatening to kill a United States Senator, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Brian Landry, 66, was charged with threatening to assault, kidnap or murder a United States official in connection with the official’s performance of official duties. Landry will make an initial appearance in federal court today in Concord at 2:30pm. According to the charging documents, Landry called a district field office of a United States Senator and left a voicemail on May 17, 2023, stating: “Hey stupid. I’m a veteran sniper. And unless you change your ways, I got my scope pointed in your direction and I’m coming to get you. You’re a dead man walking, you piece of f***ing sh**.” Investigators identified the phone call as coming from a number associated with Landry. When they interviewed Landry, he admitted to having called the Senator’s office but did not initially recall exactly what he said in the voicemail. The charge provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a fine 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. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Capitol Police led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire State Police, and the Franklin and the Manchester Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case. 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: Navajo Man Sentenced to Over 15 Years for Second Degree Murder

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Adren Yazzie, 39, of Blue Gap, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 15.5 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Yazzie pleaded guilty to second degree murder. In June 2022, Yazzie struck the victim in the head multiple times with a shovel, killing him. Both Yazzie and the victim are members of the Navajo Nation. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Kiyoko Patterson, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-22-8078-PCT-GMS RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-082_Yazzie # # # 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: California Man Sentenced to 132 months for Distribution of Methamphetamine

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Jason Smith, 48, of Victorville, California, was today by Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard to a term of 132 months’ imprisonment following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. After he completes his prison sentence, Smith will also serve five years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. On June 3, 2022, Smith was stopped for a traffic violation on Interstate 80 in York County, Nebraska by a Nebraska State Patrolman. The trooper became suspicious of Smith’s behavior and travel plans. A York County Deputy showed up with his drug detection dog which alerted and indicated to the odor of narcotics. During a probable cause search of the rental car, officers found approximately two pounds of methamphetamine packaged in two separate one-pound bags in the trunk. The trooper estimated the street value of the methamphetamine to be around $8,730. In the center console, officers found a methamphetamine pipe and a pill bottle with Smith’s name on the label, and which contained about four grams of methamphetamine. In the trunk, in addition to the drugs, officers found a suitcase with clothes and documents addressed to Smith. The methamphetamine was sent to the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Lab for testing where a forensic scientist confirmed the presence of methamphetamine in both one-pound packages from the trunk as well and in the pill bottle found in the center console. Purity testing on one of the one-pound packages showed a methamphetamine concentration of 100% and resulted in at least 444.24 grams actual methamphetamine. The total weight of all methamphetamines in the car was approximately 886.5 grams. At the time of his arrest, Smith was serving a term of supervised release as a result of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine conviction out of Wisconsin from 2002. This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol, the York County Sheriff’s Office, and the Trident Drug Task Force, which is made up of officers from the Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff, Hastings Police Department, Adams County Sheriff, Kearney Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriff, Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


body_text: Georgia Woman Sentenced to 25 Years for Sex Trafficking Minors BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge this week sentenced a Georgia woman for sex trafficking of minors, announced United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples. U.S. District Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced Marlette Laishell Smith aka “Lala,” 29, of Rome, Georgia, to 300 months in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release. On March 23, 2023, Smith pleaded guilty to two counts of Sex Trafficking of a Minor and two counts of Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity. According to court documents, Smith recruited two minor females (15 and 16 years of age) into prostitution for her own financial gain. The minor victims were stranded in Memphis, Tennessee, and were trying to get back home to California. Smith met them on a stairwell at the Motel 6 in Memphis – the minor victims were hungry, had no money, no place to stay, no mode of transportation, only the clothes on their back, and an uncharged cell phone. Smith told them that she would help them get back home if they would go with her to Alabama and make $200 each. Smith drove the minors to Georgia then to Alabama where she sexually trafficked them. “The commercial sexual exploitation of children causes long-lasting harms to child victims and the entire community,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “The fight to prevent and disrupt exploitation would be impossible without the support of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. We are especially grateful for the work of FBI Birmingham in apprehending the defendant in this case.” “This sentence sends a strong message to those who prey on minors and abuse their trust. The victims, who found themselves in a vulnerable state entrusted this person for assistance in returning home. The FBI is dedicated to ensuring the safety and security of the victims and reuniting them with their families,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples. “I am proud of the diligent work of FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, the Homewood Police Department, and other law enforcement partners who assisted in bringing this individual to justice.” The FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTTF) investigated the case along with the Homewood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Leann White and Darius Greene prosecuted the case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Alda Man Sentenced for Attempted Production of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Michael Melgaard, 54, of Alda, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, by Senior United States Senior District Judge John M. Gerrard for two counts of attempted production of child pornography. Melgaard was sentenced to 240 months in prison and will also serve 10 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Melgaard was additionally ordered to pay $6,000 which will contribute to funds established for victims of these types of crimes. This case began in January of 2022, during a separate investigation involving Melgaard. As a result of this investigation, several search warrants were received and executed for Melgaard’s home and electronic devices. Melgaard’s devices were downloaded and forensically analyzed. Approximately 14 images that met the federal definition of child pornography were located. During the investigation, Melgaard agreed to be interviewed multiple times. He admitted that he had been taking nude photographs of several minors aged 4-11. These photographs would happen while the minor victims would change their clothes, showered, or while they were asleep. He indicated that he would keep the images for a short period of time before deleting them. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. This case was investigated by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, the Grand Island Police Department, and the Department of Homeland Security.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Richfield Man for Fentanyl Conspiracy

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury found a Richfield man guilty of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. Following a two-day trial before Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz, Marquice Shaquan Morris, 26, was convicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. According to evidence presented at trial, from spring 2022 to October 2022, Morris and his coconspirator Brandon Pierre Johnson, 34, of Chicago, conspired to distribute approximately 83,000 fentanyl pills, weighing about 18 pounds, or 8.3 kilograms. In late September 2022, Morris and Johnson agreed to fly from Minnesota to Arizona to pick up the fentanyl, then Johnson would bring the drugs back to Minnesota on a bus, to give them back to Morris. In return, Morris agreed to pay Johnson $1,500. On September 30, 2022, Morris and Johnson flew from Minnesota to Arizona and obtained the fentanyl pills from Morris’s source. Morris then flew home, while Johnson boarded a Greyhound bus to St. Paul. Johnson carried the pills along with a loaded 9 mm handgun onto the bus, in a duffle bag. When Johnson’s bus stopped in Amarillo, Texas, law enforcement officers found and seized the fentanyl pills and the gun. Officers arrested Johnson. On March 17, 2023, Johnson pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court before Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on August 7, 2023. Morris is scheduled to be sentenced on October 12, 2023. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Amarillo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew D. Forbes, Harry M. Jacobs, and Thomas M. Hollenhorst tried the case.


title: Inmate Pleads Guilty to Possessing Weapon at FCI Beckley

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Quordell Tarver, 24, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Beckley, pleaded guilty today to possession of a weapon by an inmate of a federal prison. According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 22, 2022, an FCI Beckley staff member conducted a visual search of Tarver and found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” in Tarver’s underwear. The shank was a piece of metal, approximately 5 inches long, sharpened to a point at one end and with a piece of white shoelace wrapped around the base as a handle. Tarver is scheduled to be sentenced on September 22, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-62. ###


title: Norfolk Woman Sentenced for Methamphetamine Conspiracy

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Karina Rae Dieter, 51, of Norfolk, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for her participation in a methamphetamine conspiracy. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Dieter to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, Dieter will begin a four-year term of supervised release. In May 2020, the Holt County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol, and United States Postal Inspection Service began investigating a methamphetamine drug trafficking organization based out of the Norfolk area. As part of the investigation, it was determined that Katherine Tacheira was sending packages from California to recipients in Norfolk. Dieter was found to have received 198 grams of methamphetamine from the packages. When she was arrested on the federal warrant, Dieter was in possession of 93 grams of pure methamphetamine. In addition to Dieter, Dallas Rhinehart, and Lindsey Rokahr were also found to have received packages of methamphetamine from Tacheira. Tacheira was sentenced on May 17, 2023, to 120 months’ imprisonment. Rhinehart was sentenced on March 13, 2023, to 130 months’ imprisonment. Rokahr has entered a guilty plea to the conspiracy and is set for sentencing on August 4, 2023.


title: Raleigh County Man Sentenced to More than 24 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation Crime

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – James Edward Cook, 43, of Arnett, was sentenced today to 24 years and four months in prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor. Cook must also register as a sex offender. According to court documents and statements made in court, in December 2021, Cook began communicating with an individual on Facebook he believed to be a 9-year-old girl living in Beckley. Cook admitted that he discussed sexually explicit topics with the minor female, offered to teach her about sex, and encouraged her to take pictures of herself masturbating. Cook further admitted that he explained to the minor female that he wanted to be her first sexual partner and described his intentions in explicit detail using graphic language. Cook promised gifts to the minor female, including a cell phone. Cook spoke to the minor female twice by telephone. Cook admitted to instructing her to prepare for their sexual intercourse, explaining that it might hurt and telling her to wash her genitals in advance. Cook further admitted that he told the minor female he would make a video of them having sexual intercourse for the first time, and discussed getting the minor female pregnant in the future. On December 28, 2021, Cook arranged to meet the minor female outside a Raleigh County school. Cook admitted that he coached the minor female on what to tell the driver who would pick her up. Cook obtained a ride from a friend to pick up the minor female at the school. When Cook arrived at the location that evening, he was arrested by law enforcement. A forensic analysis of Cook’s cell phone and Facebook account revealed multiple conversations in which Cook discussed sexual activities with minor children, including Cook boasting that he had previously engaged in sexual intercourse with children as young as 12. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) West Virginia Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force, the West Virginia Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the West Virginia State Police. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-43. ###


title: California Man Sentenced to 78 Months for Conspiring to Distribute Pharmaceutical Drugs

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Nicolas A. Decosta, 27, of California, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiring to distribute pharmaceutical controlled substances. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Decosta to imprisonment for 78 months. Upon release from prison, Decosta will be required to complete a 3-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. In the fall of 2019 investigators accessed an online dark net marketplace called “Empire Market” where they observed vendor “norco_king” advertising the sale of pharmaceutical controlled substances such as Oxycodone and Hydrocodone. Over the course of the investigation, investigators made a series of controlled buys of pharmaceutical controlled substances from norco_king on the dark net using an undercover identity. Norco_king accepted payment via Bitcoin and later Monero, both cryptocurrencies. The parcels containing the drugs were mailed from California to an undercover address in Omaha. Investigators reviewed surveillance video from the originating post offices in the vicinity of Desert Hot Springs, California, and identified Decosta’s codefendant, Jamal Holdman, as a suspect. On June 21, 2021, investigators served a warrant to search Holdman’s residence in Desert Hot Springs. Upon searching the residence, investigators seized approximately 21,000 pills including a significant number of pharmaceutical controlled substances in Holdman’s bedroom including opioids Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Morphine Sulfate, Hydromorphone, Tapentadol, Methadone, and Tramadol, several amphetamines including Lisdexamfetamine (commercially known as Vyvanse), and several benzodiazepines such as Lorazepam and Alprazolam. In addition, investigators seized 420 pressed “M30” pills, as well as postal service priority mailboxes and pre-paid labels for orders to include one that was addressed to be shipped to Nebraska. Although the color and markings on the “M30” tablets indicated they contained Oxycodone, they were later confirmed through laboratory testing to contain Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. Holdman told investigators that he packaged and shipped the controlled substances and named Nicolas Decosta as the supplier of the drugs and dark net site vendor. Investigators corroborated this information and arrested Decosta. Holdman was sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 68 months on April 12, 2023. This case was investigated by the United State Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration.


title: Raleigh County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – James Pratt, 31, of Beckley, was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 25, 2021, Pratt was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement officers in Beckley. Officers found a Browning, model Hi-Power, 9mm pistol and $5,385 in the vehicle during the traffic stop. Pratt admitted to possessing the firearm and the money. Pratt further admitted that he possessed the firearm in connection with his drug trafficking activities, which included receiving four or five ounces of heroin and fentanyl per day that he subsequently distributed. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Pratt knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions in Raleigh County Circuit Court for first-degree robbery on August 5, 2010, and child abuse resulting in injury on July 29, 2013. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Negar M. Kordestani and Andrew D. Isabell 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. 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. 5:22-cr-106. ###