title: Navajo Man Pleads Guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Brandon Yazzie pleaded guilty to two counts of abusive sexual contact. Yazzie, 28, of Standing Rock, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was remanded into custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. According to the plea agreement and other court records, between December 1, 2020, and January 31, 2021, Yazzie sexually abused the victim, identified in court records as Jane Doe, who was less than 12 years old. Specifically, Yazzie engaged in and caused sexual contact with the victim—by touching her genitalia and breasts directly and through the clothing—and afterward, told her “this never happened” with the intent that his acts would remain secret. Yazzie committed the crimes at his father’s residence in Standing Rock on the Navajo Nation. Yazzie faces any term of years up to life in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Avondale (Arizona) Police Department, Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-115


title: Hollywood Man Arrested on Indictment Alleging He Fraudulently Sought over $65 Million in COVID-19 Employment Tax Credits

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Hollywood man has been arrested and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon on federal charges alleging he sought more than $65 million from the IRS by falsely claiming on tax returns that his nonexistent farming business was entitled to COVID-19-related tax credits. Kevin J. Gregory, 55, who is charged in a federal grand jury indictment with 17 counts of making false claims to the IRS, was arrested Thursday morning by special agents with IRS Criminal Investigation. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact, Congress authorized an employee retention tax credit that a small business could use to reduce the employment tax it owed to the IRS, also known as the “employee retention credit.” To qualify, the business had to have been in operation in 2020 and to have experienced at least a partial suspension of its operations because of a government order related to COVID-19 (for example, an order limiting commerce, group meetings or travel) or a significant decline in profits. The credit was an amount equal to a set percentage of the wages that the business paid to its employees during the relevant time period, subject to a maximum amount. Congress also authorized the IRS to give a credit against employment taxes to reimburse businesses for the wages paid to employees who were on sick or family leave and could not work because of COVID-19. This “paid sick and family leave credit” was equal to the wages the business paid the employees during the sick or family leave, also subject to a maximum amount. According to the indictment that was returned on May 11 and unsealed today, from November 2020 to April 2022, Gregory made false claims to the IRS for the payment of nearly $65.4 million in tax refunds for a purported Beverly Hills-based farming-and-transportation company named Elijah USA Farm Holdings. The IRS issued a portion of the refunds Gregory claimed, and Gregory allegedly used that portion – more than $2.7 million – for personal expenses. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant committed a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, Gregory would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each false claims charge. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Valerie L. Makarewicz and Gregory D. Bernstein of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Arrests Made in “Operation Broken Bonds,” an Investigation into Violent Crime, Drug Trafficking, and Gun Trafficking in the Central Valley Committed by Gang Members and Associates

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Following a multi-agency investigation in Fresno County that focused on crimes of violence, drug sales, and illegal firearms possession, 10 federal defendants were arrested on Thursday for racketeering, drug trafficking, violent crimes, and firearms offenses. U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert, Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni, Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama, Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan, California Department of Justice Special Agent in Charge Rachel Capello, California Highway Patrol (MAGEC) Captain Jon Staricka, and DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark made the announcement. According to the criminal complaint, in July 2021, law enforcement agencies in Fresno County joined together to investigate the ongoing criminal activities committed by gang members for the benefit of the enterprise formed by the coordination of the Nuestra Familia prison gang and the Norteño criminal street gang. The crimes include murder in aid of racketeering, sales of illegal narcotics, illegal sale and distribution of firearms, and witness and victim intimidation. On May 25, 2023, nearly 550 federal, state, and local law enforcement personnel executed 54 search warrants in Parlier, Reedley, Del Rey, Dinuba, and Clovis. 49 firearms, ammunition, firearm magazines, currency, and controlled substances were seized. More than 25 criminal street gang members and associates were arrested and charged with crimes in either federal or state court. The federal defendants and their charges are as follows: Victor Javier Zermeno, 34, of Clovis, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; Matthew Pete Mendez, 32, of Reedley, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of fentanyl, and being a felon in possession of a firearm; Miguel Angel Barragan, 27, of Parlier, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and attempted murder in aid of racketeering, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence (attempted murder in aid of racketeering), being a felon in possession of a firearm, and attempted bribery; Joey Noel Magadan, 20, of Cutler, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and attempted murder in aid of racketeering, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence (attempted murder in aid of racketeering), interference with commerce by robbery, and using, carrying, or brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and aiding and abetting; Jonathan Maldonado, 33, of Parlier, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and attempted murder in aid of racketeering, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence (attempted murder in aid of racketeering), and being a felon in possession of ammunition; Ezequiel Maximino Guzman, 18, of Del Rey, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence (attempted murder in aid of racketeering); Victor Diaz-Aguilar, 30, of Fresno, is charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition; Francisco Diaz-Salinas, 40, of Parlier, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm; Eduardo Amezcua, 32, of Reedley, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine; Michael Neri, 33, of Reedley, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine; Alejandro Hawkins, 24, of Reedley, is charged with distribution of cocaine; Francisco Ferman, 28, of Delano, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; Ivan Hernandez, 25, of Parlier, is charged with interference with commerce by robbery, and using, carrying, or brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and aiding and abetting. This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the California Department of Justice, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio Pataca is prosecuting the case. The maximum potential sentences the defendants face if convicted of the charges range from five years in prison up to life in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: San Antonio Man Found Guilty of Supporting Terrorists

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A federal jury convicted a San Antonio man yesterday for conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Imad Eddin Wadi, 66, conspired to funnel funds to members and affiliates of U.S. designated foreign terrorist organizations, including al-Nusrah Front, a Syrian militant organization aligned with Al Qaeda. As part of the conspiracy Wadi communicated with others to secure a wealthy investor to invest funds to support Wadi’s purchase of a business. A percentage of the investment funds and subsequent profits from the investments were to be used to purchase weapons for foreign militants, including members and affiliates of al-Nusrah Front. Wadi was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to murder and maim in a foreign country; one count of conspiracy to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist groups; and one count of conspiracy to provide material support or resources to terrorists. Wadi faces up to life in prison on the murder and maim charge; up to 20 years in prison on the material support to designated foreign terrorist group charge; and up to 15 years in prison on the material support or resources to terrorists charge. Wadi was taken into federal custody to await sentencing set for August 23, 2023. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and FBI Special Agent in Charge, Oliver E. Rich Jr., made the announcement. The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark T. Roomberg and William R. Harris are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Maryland Resident Sentenced to Over Five Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Transporting Firearms with Obliterated Serial Numbers and Smuggling Firearms to Nigeria

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Wilson Che Fonguh, age 41, of Bowie, Maryland, yesterday to 63 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for conspiracy, for transporting firearms with obliterated serial numbers, and for smuggling firearms and ammunition from the United States to Nigeria. Judge Bennett also ordered Fonguh to pay a fine of $25,000. Fonguh was convicted of those charges on May 6, 2022, along with co-defendants Eric Fru Nji, age 42, of Fort Washington, Maryland and Wilson Nuyila Tita, age 47, of Owings Mills, Maryland, after a two-week trial. On May 22, 2023, Judge Bennett sentenced co-conspirator Roger Akem, age 52, of Woodbury, Minnesota, to two years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for his role in the smuggling operation. The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) Baltimore Field Division; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (“DCIS”) - Mid-Atlantic Field Office. According to the evidence presented at trial, from at least November 2017 through July 19, 2019, Fonguh and his co-defendants conspired with each other and with others to export firearms, ammunition and other military typed items from the United States to Nigeria. Specifically, the evidence at trial established that Fonguh and his co-conspirators secreted 38 firearms, 28 of which had the obliterated serial numbers in a shipping container that they sent out of the Port of Baltimore in January of 2019. The guns included sniper rifles, SKS assault rifles (some with bayonets), other rifles and several handguns. There were 44 high-capacity magazines, two rifle scopes and over 35,000 rounds of ammunition. As detailed in trial testimony, Fonguh and his co-conspirators contributed funds for the purchase of firearms, ammunition, reloading materials and other equipment for shipping overseas to separatists fighting against the Government of Cameroon. According to their plea agreements, co-defendant Tamufor St. Michael, Roger Akem and others purchased the ammunition, firearms, and other military-type items, both online in in person. The evidence proved that Fonguh and his co-conspirators concealed the firearms, ammunition, rifle scopes, and other items in duffle bags and heavily wrapped packages inside sealed compressor units, placing those items into a shipping container destined for Nigeria. Fonguh and his co-conspirators communicated about their efforts and plans to ship weapons and ammunitions using an on-line encrypted messaging application and code words in order to conceal their activities. Tamufor St. Michael, age 42, of Rosedale, Maryland, Akem, and three co-conspirators pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and were sentenced to between two years and 46 months in federal prison. A ninth co-conspirator also pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the ATF and DCIS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron recognized the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement; the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their contributions to the investigation. U.S. Attorney Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen O. Gavin, who is prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Weapons Offense

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – NEWMAN HOOKER , age 30, of New Orleans, Louisiana was sentenced on May 25, 2023 by U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe to 42 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, on May 30, 2022, New Orleans Police Officers executed a search warrant at HOOKER ’s residence. Officers seized a loaded Glock Model 22 pistol with an extended magazine and a loaded Panzer Arms shotgun belonging to HOOKER. Officers also recovered ammunition for the pistol and shotgun, shotgun drums, and firearms accessories. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys David Berman of the Violent Crimes Unit and Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit handled the prosecution.


title: Pasadena Man Sentenced to Over Four Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Raymond Martin Shamer, III, age 21, of Pasadena, Maryland, late yesterday to 50 months in federal prison, followed by 45 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography. Shamer admitted that he also distributed child pornography. Judge Hollander also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Shamer will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”). The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore. According to his guilty plea, from at least July 7, 2019 through June 24, 2020, Shamer used online accounts to communicate with others about child pornography, to distribute child pornography, and to collect child pornography. Many of the files Shamer collected documented adults sexually abusing of infants and toddlers while they are bound and subjected to other violent conduct. Shamer admitted that he used a secure communication application to upload images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and that he shared links to those images with a group of users with whom he engaged in group chat conversations. On June 24, 2020, a search warrant was executed at Shamer’s residence and investigators seized Shamer’s cell phones and computer. A subsequent forensic examination of the devices revealed a total of more than 1,000 images of child pornography on Shamer’s devices. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who is prosecuting the case. 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/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Chinese National Sentenced to 54 Months in Federal Prison for a $1 Million Fraudulent Gift Card Scheme

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Liang Liang Zeng, age 58, a Chinese national residing in Staten Island, New York, to 54 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud related to a fraudulent gift card scheme resulting in more than $1 million in losses to dozens of victims. Liang Zeng was also ordered to pay restitution of $145,229 and to forfeit $43,633. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (“TIGTA”) Washington Field Division. According to Zeng’s plea agreement, from at least July 2018 through July 2021, Liang Zeng was involved in a scheme to fraudulently obtain gift cards from retail stores, which he and his co-conspirators used to purchase high end electronics, including cell phones, iPads, and laptop computers. For example, a conspirator called victim J.G., a resident of South Carolina, claiming to be a representative of the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). The called informed the victim that she owed taxes to the IRS and would be arrested if the outstanding taxes were not paid. The caller advised J.G. that she could resolve the debt by purchasing gift cards from Target and Walmart and providing the caller with the numbers on the back of each card. J.G. remained on the phone with the caller while she traveled to a Target store where she purchased a gift card in the amount of $2,000 and provided the caller with the number and access code on the back of the card. J.G. later learned that she had been defrauded. As detailed in the plea agreement, transactional records and video footage from Target revealed that less than one hour later, Liang Zeng (“L. Zeng”) and co-defendant Wen Fu Zeng (“W. Zeng”) redeemed the gift card purchased by J.G. at a Target store in Abingdon, Maryland, to purchase Apple products. Transactional records and video footage from other Target stores in the mid-Atlantic region revealed numerous examples of Liang Zeng and Wen Fu Zeng redeeming Target gift cards to purchase high-value Apple products. Investigation revealed that L. Zeng and W. Zeng were working with co-defendants Yong Chen and Bin Tang. A search warrant was executed at their home in Owings Mills, Maryland on March 3, 2020. Law enforcement recovered four boxes containing new high-end electronics, including dozens of iPad tablets and Apple watches that were purchased with proceeds of the fraud scheme. A notebook that served as a ledger for the gift card scheme was found in Chen’s bedroom and contained the dates that gift cards were fraudulently obtained and how they were redeemed, including the names of the people Chen and Tang paid to use the cards. The purchased electronics were intended to be sold to foreign buyers. The notebook also listed the projected profit for each product purchased. Cell phone belonging to Chen and Tang were seized and subsequently searched, revealing messages on a Chinese messaging platform between Chen, Tang and L. Weng discussing the scheme. Two weeks after the execution of the search warrant at Chen and Tang’s home, L. Zeng moved out of his home in Maryland to a residence in Staten Island, New York. Investigators recovered a notebook ledger similar to the one found at Chen’s home and Target store receipts from L. Zeng’s trash in Maryland and New York indicating the purchase of electronics and other items using multiple Target gift cards from stores in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. On July 13, 2021, a search warrant was executed at L. Zeng’s residence. Law enforcement recovered cell phones belonging to L. Zeng, prepaid credit and retail cards, store receipts, brand new Apple products, and over $43,000 in cash, some of which was tied up in Target store bags. A subsequent search of L. Zeng’s phone showed that he used the Chinese messaging platform to discuss the illegal gift card scheme with W. Zang and others. L. Zeng also sent fraudulently obtained gift card numbers to W. Zeng and instructed him to purchase items using the card numbers, which W. Zeng did. W. Zeng then delivered to products to L. Zeng. L. Zeng paid W. Zeng for working as a buyer in the gift card scheme. According to the plea agreement, dozens of victims in many different states were defrauded and the cards purchased by the victims were primarily redeemed in the mid-Atlantic region to illegally purchase approximately $1,061,000 of Target products. Co-defendants Wen Fu Zeng, age 55, of Brooklyn, New York and Yong Chen, age 34, of Owings Mills, Maryland have pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme and are awaiting sentencing. Law enforcement is looking for Bin Tang, age 33, who fled. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the Maryland State Police and TIGTA for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Martin J. Clarke, who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Winooski Man Sentenced for Receiving Firearm While Under Indictment

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Edward Lamson, 23, previously of Winooski, Vermont, was sentenced today following his guilty plea to receiving a firearm while under indictment for numerous state felony offenses. Lamson was found in possession of the firearm in May 2022, after he was involved in a single-vehicle accident in South Burlington, Vermont. Lamson was facing eight state felony charges, including multiple burglaries, and numerous simple assault charges at the time of his arrest. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford sentenced Lamson to time served (after serving approximately 9 months in prison), to be followed by a 3 year period of supervised release. In imposing the sentence, the Court noted not only the seriousness of Lamson’s offense, but also his history of mental health issues. The U.S. Attorney recognized the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for their work on the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eugenia Cowles and Michael Drescher represented the government. Michael J. Straub, Esq. represented Mr. Lamson. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn .


title: Two Allentown Residents Charged in Stolen Identity Refund Fraud (SIRF) Scheme, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft Conspiracy

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Jose Baez and Jessenia Cordero, a married couple, both of Allentown, PA, were charged by way of complaint with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to certain claims, conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to commit mail fraud, all stemming from Baez and Cordero filing fraudulent tax returns and PUA applications with stolen identities. The complaint alleges that Baez and Cordero used stolen identities to file at least 316 fraudulent federal tax returns and 168 fraudulent PUA applications. Baez and Cordero filed the false returns with designated tax preparer identification numbers registered under their name. According to the complaint, Baez and Cordero used the corporate alter ego, JB Multiservices, a company owned by Baez, and of which Cordero was an employee, to file the fraudulent returns. The false returns were filed using an IP address registered to Baez at the business's location. Additionally, according to the complaint, at least 674 false returns were filed by the IP address registered to that location by Baez, Cordero, Person 1, and Person 2. As outlined in the complaint, per Internal Revenue Service (IRS) records, the 316 false returns filed by Baez and Cordero requested at least $1.8 million dollars in fraudulent tax refunds. As also alleged in the complaint, the IP address registered to Baez at his and Cordero's home was used to file 168 fraudulent PUA applications. After the fraudulent applications were filed, the respective state workforce agency responsible for administering the PUA benefits dispersed funds on the fraudulent PUA applications by mailing PUA debit cards to addresses in Allentown and elsewhere. Over $1.4 million dollars in PUA benefits were withdrawn at ATMs on the cards. PUA debit cards were also issued under Baez and Cordero's names and mailed to an Allentown address. The PUA debit cards issued under the names of Baez and Cordero were often used at ATMs immediately before or after PUA debit cards were issued on other applications filed with stolen identities. As alleged in the complaint, during a July 6, 2022 search warrant, that was executed pursuant to a federal search warrant issued in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania of Baez and Cordero's home, federal agents recovered lists of identities and documents that were used to file the fraudulent tax returns and PUA applications. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Allentown Resident Agency, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy M. Lanni and Mary A. Futcher. An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Persons with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form


title: Chalmette Pharmacist Sentenced  to 72 Months in Federal Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KEITH WILKINSON , a pharmacist who owned and operated Wilkinson Family Pharmacy located in St. Bernard Parish, was sentenced on May 24, 2023 to serve 72 months in custody for his role in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and money laundering. According to the bill of information, beginning prior to 2014 and continuing until the filing of the bill of information on September 14, 2018, WILKINSON and others conspired to dispense, outside the scope of his professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, quantities of controlled substances. WILKINSON also committed money laundering using criminally derived proceeds. At his sentencing on Wednesday May 24, 2023, WILKINSON was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee. This prosecution was part of an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kathryn McHugh of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: Kansas Man Admits to Creating Child Porn

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 262 months in prison for creating pornographic images of children. In February 2023, Marquis Williams, 31, of Shawnee pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. According to court documents in May 2021, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sent information to the Shawnee Police Department about possible child pornography or solicitations over the Internet. The Shawnee Police Department is a partner in the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC). The tip stated 230 child pornography images had been uploaded into a Dropbox account. An investigation led to Marquis Williams, and with a search warrant for his residence, officers retrieved a cell phone that included 550 images of suspected child pornography. Some of the images were of Williams molesting two children under the age of 12. Williams admitted to investigators that the Dropbox account was his and admitted to the sexual assaulting the children. “The United States Secret Service is proud of the effective partnerships it maintains with the Shawnee Police Department, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the United States Attorney’s Office, whose tireless efforts were instrumental in seeing justice served in this case,” said Kansas City Field Office Special Agent in Charge Brandon Bridgeforth. “We can think of no greater outcome than this sentence in protecting our children from predators such as Marquis Williams.” The Shawnee Police Department, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra prosecuted the case. ###


title: Two Portland Area Drug Traffickers Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—On May 25, 2023, two Portland area drug traffickers were sentenced to more than ten years in federal prison for their roles in a Mexican drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine in and around Portland and elsewhere. Rodrigo Diaz-Lopez, 53, of Gresham, Oregon, and Jonathan Avila-Suarez, 31, of Portland, were sentenced to 135 and 120 months in federal prison, respectively. Both men must also complete five-year terms of supervised release following the completion of their prison sentences. According to court documents, Diaz-Lopez and Avila-Suarez were part of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) led by two brothers based in Nayarit, Mexico. Diaz-Lopez, who has three prior felony drug trafficking convictions and has been repeatedly removed from the United States following those convictions, served as a sub-distributor in the DTO responsible for receiving illegal narcotics from couriers and other distributors and brokering local sales. Avila-Suarez was a sub-distributor and stash house operator. In early February 2021, as part of a long-term investigation into the DTO’s operations, special agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) obtained information that Avila-Suarez had arranged for the delivery of 400 grams of heroin to a Portland hotel room. Agents observed the delivery and seized the heroin from Avila-Suarez’s customer. The next day, agents executed a federal search warrant on Avila-Suarez’s Portland apartment. They located and seized large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl packaged for distribution and two firearms. Around the same time, agents identified Diaz-Lopez and arranged for a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from him. On March 12, 2021, they executed a federal search warrant on Diaz-Lopez’s Gresham residence and seized several kilograms each of methamphetamine, heroin, and counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. Agents also located and seized $30,000 in cash, an assault rifle, and a handgun. On February 21, 2021, Avila-Suarez was charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, using communications facilities in the commission of drug trafficking offenses, and maintaining drug involved premises. On March 15, 2021, Diaz-Lopez was charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances. Both men were later indicted on related charges. On January 25, 2023, Avila-Suarez pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. One month later, on February 21, 2023, Diaz-Lopez pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute heroin. These cases were investigated by DEA. They were prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. These prosecutions were the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the U.S. by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to More than 27 Years in Prison on Drug and Gun Charges

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

body_text: ANNISTON, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a New York resident on drug and gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson. U.S. District Court Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Jerrelle Quintez Gladden , 39, of Brooklyn, New York, to 330 months in prison. In September 2022, a federal jury convicted Gladden of possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime, and felon in possession of a firearm. “This sentencing signifies our unwavering commitment to combat the threat of illegal drugs and firearms,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we strive for safer streets, and through our collective efforts, we will work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.” “The ATF commends the collaborative efforts that our brave men and women in law enforcement make on a daily basis,” SAC Watson said. “Criminals do not take a break, and neither will we. The ATF pledges to continue to work with our state, local, and federal partners to keep the communities safe from narcotic dealers and illegal gun possessors.” According to evidence presented at trial, in January 2020, law enforcement officers executed a state search warrant on a residence in Anniston. Police officers searched the house and found Gladden, a convicted felon, in a bedroom where officers also found digital scales with white crystal-like residue, small plastic baggies consistent with distribution, Gladden’s personal items, and 2 baggies of methamphetamine. Behind the door in the bedroom next to Gladden’s room, officers found a folded chair that contained a clear baggie of methamphetamine, a brown paper bag of U.S. currency, and two loaded firearms: a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol, and a Taurus .380 caliber pistol. The Sig Sauer was reported stolen 8 days prior to finding it during the execution of the search warrant. ATF investigated the case along with the 7 th Judicial Major Crimes Unit and the Anniston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittney Plyler and Kristy Peoples prosecuted the case.


title: Illegal Agents Of The PRC Government Charged For PRC-Directed Bribery Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Merrick B. Garland, the Attorney General of the United States, Lisa O. Monaco, the Deputy Attorney General, Matthew G. Olsen, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security, Christopher A. Wray, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Paul Abbate, the Deputy Director of the FBI, Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the Los Angeles Field Office of the FBI, and J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (“TIGTA”), announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging JOHN CHEN, a/k/a “Chen Jun,” a U.S. citizen and former citizen of the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”), and LIN FENG, a PRC citizen, with acting and conspiring to act in the United States as unregistered agents of the PRC Government, conspiring to bribe and bribing a public official, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The charges in the Complaint arise from CHEN and FENG’s alleged participation in a PRC Government-directed scheme targeting U.S.-based practitioners of Falun Gong — a spiritual practice banned in the PRC. CHEN and FENG were arrested today in the Central District of California and will make an initial appearance later today before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Pedro V. Castillo. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “John Chen and Lin Feng allegedly waged a campaign at the behest of the Government of the People’s Republic of China to influence a U.S. Government official in order to further the PRC Government’s repression of practitioners of Falun Gong. Efforts to manipulate and use the arms of the U.S. Government to carry out the PRC Government’s autocratic aims are as shocking as they are insidious. My Office will work vigorously to protect against malign foreign influences.” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “The Chinese government has yet again attempted, and failed, to target critics of the PRC here in the United States. We allege the defendants in this case attempted to bribe someone they thought was an IRS agent in order to further the Chinese government’s campaign of transnational repression in the United States. But the individual they attempted to bribe was in fact an undercover law enforcement agent, and both defendants were arrested this morning. The Justice Department will continue to investigate, disrupt, and prosecute efforts by the PRC government to silence its critics and extend the reaches of its regime onto U.S. soil. We will never stop working to defend the rights to which every person in the United States is entitled.” Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said: “The Department of Justice continues to expose the Chines government’s brazen attempts to perpetrate transnational repression, this time through attempted bribery. As highlighted by today’s arrests and charges of conspiracy, bribery, and money laundering, we will not tolerate efforts by the PRC or any foreign government to intimidate, harass, or undermine the rights and freedoms enjoyed by all who live in the United States.” Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen said: “The Department of Justice continues to expose the Chinese government’s brazen attempts to perpetuate transnational repression, this time through attempted bribery. As highlighted by today’s arrests and charges of conspiracy, bribery, and money laundering, we will not tolerate efforts by the PRC or any foreign government to intimidate, harass, or undermine the rights and freedoms enjoyed by all who live in the United States.” FBI Director Christopher A. Wray said: “China’s government has once again shown its disregard for the rule of law and international norms. The FBI will not tolerate CCP repression – its efforts to threaten, harass, and intimidate people – here in the United States. We will continue to confront the Chinese government’s efforts to violate our laws and repress the rights and freedoms of people in our country.” FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate said: "No other nation poses as severe a threat to the democratic values of the United States as the government of the People's Republic of China. The FBI will not stand by as the PRC attempts to weaponize our institutions and programs and attack the rights of those on U.S. soil. Any attempt to repress or harass individuals runs directly counter to the ideals our nation was founded upon, and it simply will not be tolerated. The FBI and our partners remain committed to confronting the illegal conduct of the PRC government that threatens our national security and freedom." FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “We allege Chen and Feng, acting on behalf of the Chinese government, attempted to execute a scheme to manipulate a United States government official to repress individuals opposed to the People’s Republic of China. This appears to be another example of the Chinese government’s willingness to disregard the laws and freedoms of the United States as they attempt to harm anyone with views they oppose. The FBI will continue to be resolute in protecting people from repressive actions.” FBI Los Angeles Assistant Director in Charge Donald Alway said: “The alleged activity is antithetical to fundamental American values, and those who practice transnational oppression on behalf of the Chinese government must be held accountable. The FBI will continue to invest resources to protect the rights of Americans and those who come to live, work, and study in the United States.” TIGTA Inspector General J. Russell George said: “The attempt to undermine the integrity of our tax administration system is disturbing. The individuals who thought they could do so have learned a hard lesson. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration is committed to protecting the Nation’s tax system. I want to thank our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts.” According to the allegations contained in the Complaint unsealed today in White Plains federal court: [1] From at least approximately January 2023 to May 2023, CHEN and FENG worked inside the United States at the direction of the PRC Government, including an identified PRC Government official (“PRC Official-1”), to further the PRC Government’s campaign to repress and harass Falun Gong practitioners. The PRC Government has designated the Falun Gong as one of the “Five Poisons,” or one of the top five threats to its rule. In China, Falun Gong adherents face a range of repressive and punitive measures from the PRC Government, including imprisonment. As part of the PRC Government’s campaign against the Falun Gong, CHEN and FENG allegedly engaged in a PRC Government-directed scheme to manipulate the Internal Revenue Service’s (“IRS”) Whistleblower Program in an effort to strip the tax-exempt status of an entity run and maintained by Falun Gong practitioners (“Entity-1”). After CHEN filed a defective whistleblower complaint with the IRS (the “Chen Whistleblower Complaint”), CHEN and FENG paid $5,000 in cash bribes, and promised to pay substantially more, to a purported IRS agent who was in fact an undercover officer (“Agent-1”) in exchange for Agent-1’s assistance in advancing the complaint. Neither CHEN nor FENG notified the Attorney General that they were acting as agents of the PRC Government in the United States. In the course of the scheme, CHEN, on a recorded call, explicitly noted that the purpose of paying these bribes, which were directed and funded by the PRC Government, was to carry out the PRC Government’s aim of “toppl[ing] . . . the Falun Gong.” During a call intercepted pursuant to a judicially authorized wiretap, CHEN and FENG discussed receiving “direction” on the bribery scheme from PRC Official-1, deleting instructions received from PRC Official-1 in order to evade detection, and “alert[ing]” and “sound[ing] the alarm” to PRC Official-1 if CHEN and FENG’s meetings to bribe Agent-1 did not go as planned. CHEN and FENG also discussed that PRC Official-1 was the PRC Government official “in charge” of the bribery scheme targeting the Falun Gong. As part of this scheme, CHEN and FENG allegedly met with Agent-1 in Newburgh, New York, on May 14, 2023. During the meeting, CHEN gave Agent-1 a $1,000 cash bribe as an initial, partial bribe payment. CHEN further offered to pay Agent-1 a total of $50,000 for opening an audit of Entity-1, as well as 60% of any whistleblower award from the IRS if the Chen Whistleblower Complaint were successful. On May 18, 2023, FENG paid Agent-1 a $4,000 cash bribe at John F. Kennedy International Airport as an additional partial bribe payment in furtherance of the scheme. * * * CHEN, 70, of the PRC and Los Angeles, California, and FENG, 43, a PRC citizen and resident of Los Angeles, California, are each charged with one count of conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General and to bribe a public official, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of acting as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; one count of bribing a public official, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; and one count of conspiring to commit international money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York and Los Angeles Field Offices and Counterintelligence Division and TIGTA. Mr. Williams thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California for their assistance. The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division and National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shiva H. Logarajah, Qais Ghafary, Michael D. Lockard, and Kathryn Wheelock are in charge of the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Christina Clark of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. The charges in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. u.s._v._chen_and_feng_complaint.pdf


title: Informational: Federal Court arraignments

component: USAO - Montana

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 Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on May 25 was: Kellen Kantrell Norman, 19, of Polson, on charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, distribution of cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of an unregistered firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Norman faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and four years of supervised release on the drug possession crime and a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the crime of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Norman was released pending further proceedings. The Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-27. Appearing on May 22 was: Darcel Portra Saunders, 65, of Bozeman, on charges of bank fraud, wire fraud and false statement to lending institution. If convicted of the most serious crime, Saunders faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine and five years of supervised release. Saunders was released pending further proceedings. The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-2. Appearing in Great Falls before Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris and pleading not guilty on May 25 was: Matthew Martin Brockie, 41, of Harlem, on charges of abusive sexual contact of a child. If convicted of the most serious crime, Brockie faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Brockie was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-19. Appearing on May 23 before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston was: Carlos Mauricio Manrique-Frias, 27, of Mexico, on charges of transportation of child pornography, possession of child pornography and illegal entry into the United States. If convicted of the most serious crime, Manrique-Frias faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Manrique-Frias was detained pending further proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-50. Nicole Lynn Hicks, 36, a transient, on charges of robbery, assault with intent to commit a felony and intimidation. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hicks faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Hicks was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-25. Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on May 25 was: Patrick Lee Tellez, 49, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Tellez faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Tellez was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-65. Jarod Vahre Millar, 39, of Billings, on charges of possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Millar faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Millar was detained pending further proceedings. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-62. Jeremy Ray Fisher, 36, of Billings, and James Kendall Wiles, 41, a transient, on charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Wiles also is charged with prohibited person in possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Fisher and Wiles faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine and five years of supervised release on the bank fraud crime and a mandatory minimum two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, on the aggravated identity theft crime. Fisher and Wiles were detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-60. Nicholas Steven Capella, 38, of Laurel, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Capella faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Capella was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-59. Deana Louann Thomas, 41, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Thomas faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Thomas was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Montana Probation and Parole investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-51. Appearing on May 24 was: Benjamin Carl Tedlund, 31, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a stolen firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Tedlund faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Tedlund was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-50. Gregory Shawn Sanchez, 58, of Lame Deer, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth and distribution of meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Sanchez faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Sanchez was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-117. 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: Sexual Predator Sentenced To More Than 16 Years In Federal Prison For Receipt Of Child Sex Abuse Images

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Dennis William Sheffield, Jr. (52, Keystone Heights) to 16 years and 3 months in federal prison for receipt of child sex abuse materials. Sheffield was also ordered to serve a life term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. In addition, he was ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution to victims of his offenses. Sheffield had pleaded guilty on December 16, 2022. According to the plea agreement, in February 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began investigating Sheffield in response to a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The CyberTip indicated that child sex abuse material had been uploaded to a search engine. An IP address for the individual who had uploaded the materials was traced to Sheffield and law enforcement learned that Sheffield was listed as a predator on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Sexual Offenders and Predators registry because of two convictions (1996) of attempted sexual battery on a child under 12 years old. On March 3, 2022, based on the CyberTip and identification of Sheffield as the subject, law enforcement obtained a federal search warrant for Sheffield’s residence. The following day, authorities executed the search warrant and encountered Sheffield, who was holding a phone in his hand. A preliminary examination of the cellphone revealed multiple files of child sex abuse materials on the phone. Sheffield admitted to having a problem and that he liked looking at child sex abuse images, which he admitted to having viewed as recently as a couple of days earlier. Sheffield also admitted to saving some of the images on his phone. “This sexual predator has already served prison time for sexually exploiting children; he clearly did not learn his lesson,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “Thanks to the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, Clay County Sheriff's Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, this predator will spend a significant amount of time behind bars, again.” This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington. It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Chicago Bank Robber Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison

body_text: CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for robbing a downtown Chicago bank. REGINALD DEBERRY and a co-defendant, IESHA BATCHELOR, robbed a Fifth Third Bank branch in Chicago’s Loop neighborhood on Nov. 22, 2019. Deberry served as a lookout near the bank's entrance while Batchelor approached the teller, and, drawing on coaching from Deberry about what to say, said, “I want all the money… no one will get hurt.” After receiving cash, Deberry and Batchelor fled from the area and divided the proceeds. At the time of the robbery, Deberry was serving a term of court-supervised release for two prior federal bank robbery convictions. Deberry, 60, of Chicago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of bank robbery. U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis imposed the sentence Tuesday after a hearing in federal court in Chicago. Batchelor, 31, of Chicago, also pleaded guilty to a bank robbery charge. She was sentenced in March to a year in prison. The sentences were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Fred Waller, Interim Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. “The defendant has shown himself to be a recalcitrant outlier who has engaged in a remarkably consistent pattern of violent offenses throughout his adult life,” Assistant U.S. Attorney David Green argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.


title: Dallas Resident Sentenced For Possession With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Charles Joseph Raz, age 42, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced to 200 months in prison for Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The charges arose from investigations by the Latimer County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On May 9, 2023, Charles Joseph Raz pleaded guilty to Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. During the plea hearing, Raz admitted that on November 27, 2021, he was stopped by a Latimer County Sheriff’s Deputy for speeding on State Highway 2. When the deputy initiated the stop, Raz turned off the highway, dropping a gun and methamphetamine out the vehicle. A search of the vehicle turned up baggies, digital scales, a fully loaded .45 magazine, and additional methamphetamine. A canvas of the nearby ditch revealed a loaded .45 semi-automatic pistol, and a baggie with over 1,500 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine. “The 200-month sentence imposed by the Court demonstrates that trafficking in illegal drugs and possessing firearms will not be tolerated and will result in significant punishment,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Raz will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States at sentencing.


title: Federal judge convicts Billings felon of illegal possession of firearm

body_text: MISSOULA — A federal judge today convicted a Billings felon of illegally possessing a firearm after a bench trial, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen found Gregory Richard Boyd, 40, guilty of prohibited person in possession of firearm. The trial lasted two days. Boyd faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. The court set sentencing for Sept. 27. Boyd was detained pending further proceedings. “Boyd possessed a 9mm pistol despite having been previously convicted of a felony and knowing he was banned from having guns or ammunition. Firearms in the hands of felons are a threat to community safety, and we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute violent offenders. I want to thank Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian C. Lowney and Timothy A. Tatarka, along with and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department, for their work on this case,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. The government alleged in court documents that on April 10, 2019, Billings police officers served a search warrant on Boyd’s residence. Officers permitted Boyd to leave the residence, and he left in a Chevy Blazer. During the search, officers found a 9mm pistol under clothing in a bedroom. The gun’s magazine contained 10 9mm bullets. Two days later, law enforcement learned Boyd had not shown up for work since the search and eventually learned that he had fled to California. On April 17, 2019, law enforcement learned that Boyd’s Chevy Blazer, along with another of his vehicles, was at an autobody shop. The shop owner told law enforcement that Boyd had asked if he could leave the vehicles on his property. Officers searched the Blazer and found a box of 9mm ammunition. The box was missing 10 rounds, and the ammunition was the same brand as the bullets found in the pistol seized from Boyd’s residence. An analysis of the pistol found that Boyd’s DNA was likely on the gun. Boyd was convicted of a federal felony in July 2007. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian C. Lowney and Timothy A. Tatarka prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. 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. XXX


title: Woodville Woman Faces up to 5 Years, $250K Fine for Social Security Fraud, Health Care Fraud and Theft of Public Money

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Woodville woman pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Bangor to Social Security fraud, health care fraud and theft of public money. According to court records, from about January 2005 through March 2021, Rella Austin-Kimball , 51, concealed the presence of her husband in her household and her receipt of alimony payments following divorce from the Social Security Administration (SSA) to maintain her eligibility to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. SSI benefits are paid to people with limited income who are blind, disabled or elderly. Austin-Kimball also concealed her husband’s presence from the Maine Department of Health & Human Services (ME/DHHS) from about January 2005 to July 2017, during which time she received MaineCare and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Her concealment of her husband’s presence in her household also allowed her then-minor child to receive SSI benefits from about November 2006 through January 2015 and MaineCare and SNAP benefits through February 2013. In multiple benefit eligibility reviews, Austin-Kimball falsely represented to the SSA and ME/DHHS that she and her husband had separated in January 2005 and had lived separately since that time. Following her divorce, she failed to disclose her receipt of alimony payments during eligibility reviews. She failed to disclose these events despite knowing that she was required to and that they would affect her eligibility to receive benefits for herself and on behalf of her son. Austin-Kimball faces up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release on the Social Security fraud and health care fraud charges. She faces up to 1 year in prison, a fine of up to $100,000, and up to one year of supervised release on the theft of public money charge. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and ME/DHHS’s Fraud Investigation & Recovery Unit investigated the case. ###


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced  on Federal Weapons Charges

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – QUENDRICK BAILEY , age 27, a resident of New Orleans, LA, was sentenced on May 25, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Barbier to 30 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee in connection with a one-count indictment pending against him, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. BAILEY was indicted for possessing a firearm on June 12, 2022, as a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). BAILEY was involved in a shooting that took place on June 12, 2022. After the shooting, BAILEY drove to a local Winn-Dixie where he crashed and subsequently left his vehicle. He then entered the Winn-Dixie, discarded his gun in a box full of bouncy balls meant for children and fled the scene. Later, police were able to arrest BAILEY for being a felon in possession of a firearm. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit .


title: Four Mexican Nationals Sentenced for Cocaine Trafficking and Firearm Offenses

body_text: MIDLAND –Michael Robledo Guillen, 48, was sentenced today to 97 months in prison for cocaine trafficking and a firearm offense. She was the last of four Mexican nationals arrested by Odessa Police officers in December 2022 to be sentenced. According to court documents, in December 2022, Guillen of Monterrey, Mexico; Ricardo Perez Flores, 37, of Veracruz, Mexico; Faustino Alvarez Mendoza, 22, of Michoacan, Mexico; and Ricardo Aguilar Villarreal, 37, of Monterrey, Mexico conspired to deliver one kilogram of cocaine from Dallas, Texas to Odessa, Texas. After Odessa Police Department officers stopped the truck the four defendants were in they recovered one kilogram of cocaine from the truck’s center console along with a stolen firearm. Officers recovered an additional loaded firearm from Mendoza’s waistband. Earlier this month, Mendoza, Villarreal, and Flores were also each sentenced to 97 months in federal prison for both cocaine trafficking and firearm offenses. “I would like to thank our law enforcement partners for disrupting the operations of these cocaine traffickers,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza. “These traffickers posed a clear threat to public safety as they were armed with loaded guns while transporting a significant amount of cocaine across the state of Texas.” The Odessa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Mahoney prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Former chief scientist for GTRI pleads guilty to conspiring to defraud Georgia Tech and the CIA

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - James G. Maloney, who served as the Chief Scientist for the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), has pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud Georgia Tech and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Maloney’s conspirators, James J. Acree and James D. Fraley, III, pleaded guilty to the same charge in 2016. “These defendants violated the trust placed in them by Georgia Tech and the CIA in allowing their judgment to be clouded by greed,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “The seven-year delay in resolving Maloney’s case resulted from Maloney’s ploy to evade criminal liability by threatening to reveal classified information during the course of his trial in a failed attempt to force the government to dismiss the case. But as Maloney discovered, the government will not be bullied or threatened by a criminal defendant.” “Maloney’s guilty plea should send a clear message to anyone seeking to abuse their positions for personal gain, the FBI will find you and hold you accountable”, said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Thanks to our extraordinary partnership with Georgia Tech, even with Maloney’s defense tactics he was unable to avoid the consequences of his crimes. He will now be sentenced with his coconspirators, closing out this lengthy case.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: From early 2007 through late 2013, Maloney, Acree, and Fraley engaged in a scheme to defraud Georgia Tech and the CIA. They are experts in electromagnetic analysis and measurements and were assigned to GTRI’s Advanced Concepts Laboratory (ACL), where they worked on projects funded by the United States Department of Defense, various intelligence agencies, and private industry. PCard Fraud As part of his duties and responsibilities at GTRI, Fraley had access to a Georgia Tech credit card known as a “PCard.” Fraley was supposed to use his PCard only to purchase materials and supplies for official Georgia Tech business. Neither Fraley nor anyone else was allowed to charge personal expenses on a PCard. Maloney, Acree, and Fraley falsely led GTRI to believe that all of their PCard charges were for official business. In fact, Maloney, Acree, and Fraley charged approximately $200,000 in personal expenses on Fraley’s PCard, including, two four-wheelers and a trailer, two Sony 52-inch flat-screen televisions, Apple computers, iPads, OtterBox protective cases, iPods, Kindle E-readers, Leica and Nikon digital cameras, video cameras, a mini micro pinhole video camcorder pen, a night vision monocular, two pairs of binoculars, Bose headphones, a 3D printer, sports watches with heart-rate monitors, sunglasses, materials used to perform private consulting contracts, computer monitors and solar panels for a private hunting club, a personal video network for home use, and an uninterruptible power supply for a tennis ball machine. Maloney and Fraley also used Fraley’s PCard to pay for remodeling and maintenance expenses related to six rental properties they owned together in the name of a Georgia corporation called J’s Services, Inc. Some of the fraudulent PCard charges and some of the remodeling and maintenance expenses for Maloney and Fraley’s rental properties were charged to a classified GTRI contract that was funded by the CIA. Fraudulent Consulting Activity In February 2007, Maloney and Acree were reprimanded by GTRI for engaging in outside consulting activity that violated Georgia Tech’s conflict-of-interest policy. Maloney and Acree sent a letter to their supervisor at GTRI, acknowledging that they had used facilities and equipment owned by Georgia Tech for their personal gain and benefit and promising that they would never do it again. But Maloney and Acree continued to engage in outside consulting activity that harmed Georgia Tech, and they were soon joined by Fraley. Tec-Masters Inc. From December 2007 through March 2013, while they were employed full-time by Georgia Tech, Maloney, Acree, and Fraley received approximately $500,000 from Picatinny Arsenal, SRA International, and the U.S. Air Force. They obtained those consulting contracts by using Acree’s former employer, Tec-Masters, Inc., as a billing pass-through. Tec-Masters, a defense contractor located in Huntsville, Alabama, performed no labor on any of the projects but merely facilitated the transfer of money from the customers to Maloney, Acree, and Fraley. Maloney, Acree, and Fraley falsely led those customers to believe that the work would be done by GTRI. They fostered this false impression by using their official GTRI telephone numbers and GTRI email addresses in their communications with customers. In addition, they met with customers at GTRI’s headquarters on the Georgia Tech campus and gave customers tours of GTRI’s labs and other facilities. Maloney called this “hiding in plain sight.” Spectra Research, Inc. From December 2010 through July 2013, Maloney and Fraley also moonlighted as consultants for Spectra Research, Inc., a defense contractor located in Dayton, Ohio. Spectra paid J’s Services $196,000 for this work. Maloney and Fraley directed Georgia Tech employees under their supervision at GTRI to help perform this consulting work for Spectra. Maloney and Fraley also directed those Georgia Tech employees to bill time for Spectra work to a classified CIA contract, even though that contract had nothing to do with Spectra. In competing and billing for, and performing, their outside consulting work, Maloney, Acree, and Fraley violated Georgia Tech’s conflict-of-interest policy and code of business conduct; diverted customers and revenue away from Georgia Tech for their personal gain and benefit; and used Georgia Tech facilities and equipment for their personal gain and benefit. Cover-up During a routine audit in early 2013, Georgia Tech discovered problematic charges on Fraley’s PCard and scheduled a meeting with him. Maloney suggested to Acree and Fraley that they meet to “get our story straight.” Fraley, fearing that Maloney would seek to shift all the blame to him, recorded the cover-up meetings and provided those recordings to the FBI. In their cover-up meetings, Maloney asked Acree and Fraley to help him “weave a story around” a fictitious set of facts designed to mislead Georgia Tech auditors. Maloney also suggested that they try to force Georgia Tech to shut down the audit by telling the auditors that the items charged to Fraley’s PCard were purchased for use on a classified CIA contract, and that the auditors did not need to know further details. That false narrative foreshadowed Maloney’s planned defense in the criminal case. James G. Maloney, 57, of Marietta, Georgia, pleaded guilty on May 22, 2023, to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Sentencing for all three defendants will be scheduled at a later date, before Senior U.S. District Judge Richard W. Story. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Russell Phillips and Stephen H. McClain, and Trial Attorney Emma D. Ellenrieder of the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Two Clayton County men sentenced to prison after discharging machinegun at federal agents

body_text: ATLANTA - Anthony Maseda and Erik Arreola-Torres have been sentenced for their roles in a scheme to convert semi-automatic firearms into machineguns and sell the fully automatic firearms out of a Clayton County, Georgia, residence. Arreola-Torres fired at federal special agents and local law enforcement officers using a fully automatic machinegun when the investigators arrived at the home to execute a search warrant. “Maseda and Arreola-Torres jeopardized the lives of multiple law enforcement officers and community residents during an investigation by law enforcement officers of the defendants’ machinegun trafficking scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “This office and its law enforcement partners will identify, target, and prosecute those individuals who threaten the safety of our communities by creating and selling automatic firearms. We commend the work of our dedicated agency partners in this case and are grateful no one was injured during this violent incident.” “Because of the combined efforts of ATF and its law enforcement partners, criminal elements have been surgically removed from the community of Clayton County and placed where they belong: into the criminal justice system to be processed and prosecuted for illegal gun activity,” said Alisha Jones, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Atlanta Field Division. “This investigation re-affirms the importance of our agency’s collaboration with our federal partners. The arrests resulting from this joint investigation with the ATF surely saved lives in Clayton County and likely in the metropolitan region. The Clayton County Police Department will continue to partner with our Federal and State law enforcement agencies to reduce violent crimes in our community,” said Clayton County Police Chief Kevin Roberts. According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: From January through March of 2022, Anthony Maseda and Erik Arreola-Torres conducted a firearm and machinegun trafficking operation out of a home in Jonesboro, Georgia. Maseda, a previously convicted felon, and leader of the operation, illegally imported auto sear devices, also known as “switches”, from China. Possessing an auto sear is a felony offense under federal law, even when the device is not installed in a firearm. Using auto sears, Maseda converted numerous firearms into fully automatic machineguns and then advertised the sale of machineguns, auto sears, and semi-automatic firearms on his public Instagram page. Federal special agents obtained a warrant to search the Jonesboro residence after Maseda and Arreola-Torres sold a machinegun, a semi-automatic firearm, and multiple switches to an undercover informant at the home. On the morning of March 3, 2022, special agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Clayton County Police Department, executed the search warrant at the Jonesboro house. As law enforcement officers stood outside the home, Arreola-Torres picked up a machinegun and fired towards agents and officers from inside the residence, unloading dozens of rounds in the investigators’ direction. Fortunately, no one was hit or injured. After securing the scene and taking Maseda and Arreola-Torres into custody, agents located within the residence six fully automatic machineguns, four additional auto sears, five additional firearms, numerous firearm parts and magazines, ammunition, bullet proof body armor, and distribution quantities of marijuana and digital scales. One of the firearms had an obliterated serial number. Erik Arreola-Torres, 20, of Jonesboro, Georgia, was sentenced on May 7, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg to ten years and one month in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun and conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license on October 17, 2022. Anthony Maseda, 21, of Jonesboro, Georgia, was also sentenced by Judge Grimberg to nine years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun on October 13, 2022. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Clayton County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annalise K. Peters prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Grand Jury Indicts Cheektowaga Man On Charges Of Production And Possession Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Dustin Coffelt, 33, of Cheektowaga, NY, with production and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, in July 2022, the Depew Police Department received a report that Coffelt sexually abused a 13-year-old girl (minor victim). Subsequent investigation determined that the alleged abuse may have been ongoing for several years and included communication over various social media applications and text messaging. On July 29, 2022, investigators seized Coffelt’s cell phone. Numerous sexually explicit images of the minor victim, which constitute child pornography, were recovered from the phone. Coffelt was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and is being detained. The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Depew Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jerome Miller, the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Gould, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Hilton Man Arrested For Possession Of Child Pornography

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Isolino S. Presutti, 36, of Hilton, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of child pornography. the charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on March 2, 2023, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office received a report that Presutti possessed child pornography on a desktop computer. Subsequently, investigators executed search warrants on five digital devices belonging to Presutti. They recovered 4,668 and 27 videos of child pornography. Some of the images included prepubescent minor and depictions of violence against children. Presutti made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson and was released on conditions. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Paroled Murderer Pleads Guilty To Production Of Child Pornography

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Israel Rivera-Reyes, 48, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to production of child pornography. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that between August 2021 and February 2022, Rivera-Reyes had sexual intercourse with a Minor Victim on an almost daily basis, knowing that the victim was a minor. During this time, Rivera-Reyes produced multiple videos of himself engaging in sexual intercourse with the Minor Victim. At the time of his arrest, Rivera-Reyes was on parole for a March 1995 conviction of Murder 2nd Degree. The plea is a result of an investigation by the Irondequoit Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Peters, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. Additional assistance was provided by the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. Sentencing is scheduled for October 2, 2023, before Judge Wolford. # # # #


title: Rochester Man Who Fled Police Going To Prison On Gun Conviction

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Joshua Massey, 32, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who handled the case, stated that Massey was previously convicted of multiple felonies in 2012 and 2013 and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition. On July 30, 2022, as Rochester Police officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle Massey was driving, Massey crashed the vehicle at the corner of Perkins Avenue and Norran Drive. Massey then exited the vehicle and fled on foot but was apprehended after a foot chase. Officers saw, in plain view on the driver’s side floorboard of the vehicle, a loaded 9mm pistol. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John Devito. # # # #


title: Steuben County Man Pleads Guilty To Possession Of Child Pornography

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that John Buckley, 59, of Wayland, NY, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that between August and December 2021, Buckley used his cellphone to take sexually explicit photos of a minor female. On August 30, 2022, the FBI executed a federal search warrant on the cellphone and recovered 31 images containing child pornography, including images of the minor female. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that between August and December 2021, Buckley used his cellphone to take sexually explicit photos of a minor female. On August 30, 2022, the FBI executed a federal search warrant on the cellphone and recovered 31 images containing child pornography, including images of the minor female. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. Additional assistance was provided by the FBI Chicago Field Office and the Joliet, Illinois Police Department. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date before Judge Wolford. # # # #


title: Rochester Woman Sentenced For Assaulting Two People On An Airplane

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Cynthia McKnight, 24, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of simple assault in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, was sentenced to time served and three years’ probation by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John D. Fabian and Charles M. Kruly, who handled the case, stated that on April 19, 2022, McKnight was a passenger on an American Airlines flight from the Buffalo Niagara International Airport to Chicago O’Hare International Airport. After the aircraft’s doors were closed, and while the aircraft was preparing to depart, McKnight made her way to the front of the aircraft and engaged in a verbal altercation with one passenger, then spat on another passenger. As a result, the aircraft was required to return to the gate. McKnight then attempted to exit the aircraft as it was in motion on the ground, pushing a flight attendant in the process who had attempted to prevent her from opening an aircraft door. McKnight was able to open an aircraft door, which deployed the aircraft’s emergency slide, and exited the aircraft. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia and the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police, under the direction of Chief Brian Patterson. # # # #


title: Buffalo Man Involved In Fatal Crash Arrested On Gun Charge

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Marlon Servance, 22, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas T. Cooper, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on May 23, 2023, Victims 1 and 2 were driving in a vehicle in the vicinity of Jefferson and Best in Buffalo. While Victim 1 was driving, Victim 2 observed Servance driving a dark colored SUV and firing gunshots in her direction. Victim 1’s vehicle subsequently crashed in the vicinity of Main Street and Utica Avenue, while she was fleeing from Servance. As it crashed, Victim 1’s vehicle struck Victim 3, causing her death. Servance fled the scene but was taken into custody by Buffalo Police a short time after at an East Ferry Street apartment. Investigators searched the apartment and recovered a black, semi-automatic Smith and Wesson firearm with an obliterated serial number. During a search of Servance’s vehicle, investigators recovered numerous fired cartridge casings. Servance made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and is being held pending a detention hearing on May 30, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #