title: Davenport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm Charges

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man was sentenced on February 28, 2023, to 106 months in prison for possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and possessing a firearm as a felon. According to court documents, the investigation into Darron Javon Mayo, 25, began when law enforcement found a car with multiple guns in it while clearing a parking lot before a Lil Durk concert in Moline. Law enforcement reviewed surveillance footage and recognized Mayo as one of the people associated with the car. One of the pistols had Mayo’s fingerprint on it. A search warrant was then executed on Mayo’s residence in Davenport. During the search of Mayo’s residence, law enforcement found cocaine, Clonazolam, and more than 700 grams of marijuana. Officers also located a loaded firearm. As part of his plea, Mayo admitted to possessing the marijuana with the intent to distribute it in the Quad Cities area. Furthermore, Mayo admitted to possessing the firearm in furtherance of distributing and protecting his marijuana. Mayo was convicted of a felony in Illinois and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms. Following his prison term, Mayo was ordered to serve five years of supervised release. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated the case.


title: Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Quashane R. Varner Jr., 27, of Akron, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 17, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a 12th Street apartment in Huntington where Varner was residing and found 362 grams of methamphetamine and a Glock, Model 29, 10mm pistol. Varner admitted to possessing the methamphetamine and the firearm and further admitted that he intended to sell the methamphetamine. Varner also admitted that he told investigators on the day of the search that he had previously obtained a 1-pound quantity of methamphetamine, and the amount seized during the search represented what he had not yet sold. Varner further admitted to investigators that he had been selling fentanyl in the Huntington area. Varner is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-72. ###


title: Jury Convicts Man of Fentanyl and Firearms Charges

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: A federal jury convicted an Arizona man after Tulsa police officers found him with more than 8,000 fentanyl pills and multiple stolen firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Hatcher Ramon Day, 27, of Phoenix, Arizona, was convicted Thursday of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute ; possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime ; and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. “Hatcher Day came from Arizona to Oklahoma for the purpose of distributing fentanyl. He further possessed five firearms to help protect his illicit product and profits,” said US Attorney Clint Johnson. “Drugs and guns are never a good combination and too often result in violence and death. These dealers wreak havoc on families and contribute to the economic decline in neighborhoods. My office and our partners at the Tulsa Police Department and ATF are committed to stopping them.” In September 2022, an officer with the Tulsa Police Department’s Human Trafficking and Vice Unit, received a tip about a man who was selling fentanyl pills out of a Tulsa home. A subsequent records check revealed that the residence was a short-term Airbnb rental property. On Sept. 19, 2022, Tulsa police officers executed a search warrant on the home, where Day was present. During the search, they discovered more than 8,000 fentanyl pills weighing 888 grams, five firearms, and numerous rounds of ammunition. Day was a convicted felon and, therefore, prohibited from possessing firearms. Officers discovered four of the five firearms were stolen when they checked the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database. Additionally, officers established that Day was the individual who rented the property through Airbnb. During trial, a witness testified that he and Day came from Arizona to Tulsa for the purpose of distributing fentanyl. He also testified that before the search warrant was executed on the home, he witnessed Day conduct a drug deal, where Day agreed to sell a customer two “boats” of fentanyl. A “boat” is considered one thousand fentanyl pills. The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan E. Michel and Kenneth Elmore prosecuted the case


title: Bookkeeper Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $304,903  From Labor Union

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Denise E. Kovacs (60, Clermont) has pleaded guilty to embezzlement. Kovacs faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Her sentencing is scheduled for June 21, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger. According to court documents, Kovacs was the bookkeeper at Plumbers AFL-CIO Local 803, a labor union that represents plumbers and pipefitters in central Florida. During a nearly five-year period of employment, Kovacs stole $43,777 in cash from union dues and charged $261,126 in expenses on the union’s credit card. To conceal her theft, Kovacs altered internal business records which kept union officials in the dark about her ongoing embezzlement of funds. This case was investigated by the Department of Labor, Office of Labor Management Standards. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta.


title: Central Florida Man Pleads Guilty To Committing Almost $20 Million In Fraud

body_text: Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Nikesh Ajay Patel (38, formerly of Windermere) has pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with 13 counts related to almost $20 million in fraud that he perpetrated while on federal pretrial release. Patel has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and eight counts of money laundering. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison for each count of conspiracy and wire fraud, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for each money laundering count. His sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. According to court documents, Patel, a Central Florida resident, was charged in 2014 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Illinois for a $179 million fraud scheme. He was arrested and released on bond. For the next several years, Patel claimed that he was cooperating with authorities and using his business skills to get funds to repay some of what he owed. In fact, Patel had devised a new scheme that netted him almost $20 million. Patel’s new fraud scheme involved three parts. First, Patel fabricated fraudulent loan documents that falsely represented that a bank in Miami had authorized loans to be made to convert hotels in rural areas into assisted living facilities. Although the bank in Miami exists, it had never made any of the loans. The person who was listed as signing the loans (“Ron Elias”) was a fictitious identity used by Patel to perpetrate his conspiracy and scheme. Second, Patel applied to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to guarantee the fake loans pursuant to its Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program. Third, after the USDA agreed to guarantee the fake loans, Patel sold the guaranteed portion of the fake loans to the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, also known as Farmer Mac. Patel executed the scheme on three occasions, receiving almost $20 million in proceeds. Patel used a portion of the funds from that scheme to pay some of his restitution, but he was saving much of it to flee the United States. Patel’s sentencing in the Northern District of Illinois was set for January 9, 2018. Three days before that, he was arrested at the airport in Kissimmee. Patel had chartered a flight to Ecuador, where he intended to request political asylum and live off the proceeds that he had obtained from his new scheme. Instead, Patel’s bond was revoked and the U.S. Marshals Service transported him to the Northern District of Illinois. On March 6, 2018, Patel was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for his case in the Northern District of Illinois. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta and United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.


title: Huntington Woman Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Courtney Michelle McComas, 35, of Huntington, was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 24,2021, McComas sold approximately 1.63 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in a vehicle at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and Richmond Street in Huntington. McComas admitted to that transaction and also admitted to selling approximately 2 grams of fentanyl to the confidential informant on November 16, 2021, in Huntington. On November 19, 2021, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at an Oney Avenue residence and of a vehicle in Huntington. McComas admitted to possessing the approximately 41 grams of fentanyl found by officers during the searches, and further admitted that she intended to distribute the fentanyl. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-58. ###


title: Firearm Possession Results in Prison Sentence

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who was found in possession of a firearm by Fayette County authorities who were initially assisting in a runaway child investigation was sentenced today to more than two years in federal prison. Rusty Joe Barker, age 39, from Hawkeye, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 7, 2022 guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. At the guilty plea, Barker admitted he possessed a firearm on August 10, 2022, and that he had previously been convicted in 2007 in Chickasaw County, Iowa, of the felony offenses of third-degree kidnapping, and two counts of willful injury-causing serious injury. The firearm was found in Barker’s house. Barker was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Barker was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Barker is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. 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 case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by Fayette County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR-02057. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Merced Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for Manufacturing and Deploying Bombs

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Wes Parker McDaniel, 53, of Merced, was sentenced today to 10 years and five months in prison for maliciously destroying property by means of explosive materials and manufacturing bombs, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court records, between Feb. 1, 2021, and June 22, 2021, McDaniel made 12 destructive devices or bombs made with illegal fireworks that he had purchased in Nevada, ammunition, shrapnel, fire starting material, and other items. He deployed six of the bombs at two residences in Merced and one in Lemoore in retaliation against three intended victims. his McDaniel deployed three of the bombs at a residence where he mistakenly thought one victim resided. One of the bombs hit the wall of the house, exploded, and destroyed the fence, which was shared with a neighboring property. Shrapnel emitted from the device created pock marks on the wall of the house, and a propane tank was badly burned. McDaniel placed two bombs near the car of another victim and threw a bomb at the residence of the third victim. Following these incidents, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at McDaniel’s residence where they found six bombs, bomb-making material, a .22‑caliber rifle, and boxes of ammunition. As a convicted felon, McDaniel is prohibited from possessing firearms, including destructive devices, and ammunition. U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba ordered the forfeiture of the destructive devices, rifle, and ammunition and ordered McDaniel to pay $2,180 in restitution to cover the loss of the fence. This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Merced Police Department, the Lemoore Police Department, and the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar 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 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.


title: South Sioux City, Nebraska Man Convicted of Two Kidnappings

body_text: A man who committed two kidnappings, 13 months apart, was convicted by a jury on March 3, 2023, after a five-day trial in federal court in Sioux City. Arjune Ahmed, age 27, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, was convicted of two counts of kidnapping. The verdict was returned Friday afternoon following about two hours of jury deliberations. The evidence at trial showed that on August 21, 2019, Ahmed followed a woman from the Hard Rock Casino on Fourth Street, where he tricked her into getting close to his car. Once she was close, he grabbed her and pulled her into his car. He then sped into Nebraska from Iowa, where he then sexually assaulted her. 13 months later, on October 16, 2020, Ahmed used social media to trick a woman into meeting him for breakfast. Instead of driving her to breakfast, Ahmed drove her from midtown Sioux City, Iowa to Bacon Creek Park where he then sexually assaulted her. Additionally, the jury heard evidence that in 2015 a woman was the victim of a home-invasion and sexual assault. That crime went unsolved for nearly five years until DNA evidence discovered in the investigations of the 2019 and 2020 assaults were linked to Ahmed. United States Attorney Timothy Duax stated that “the investigative team of local, county, and federal investigators did an exceptional job of gathering the evidence in this case. When combined with the courtroom efforts of AUSA Fairchild and his team from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the result was that a very dangerous man, who preyed upon the women of our community was convicted and taken off the streets. I was impressed with courage of the victims who were able to confront their attacker and help prevent him from hurting anyone else.” Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Ahmed remains in custody of the United States Marshal. Ahmed faces a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment for each count. The case was investigated by the Dakota County, Nebraska Sherriff’s Office, the South Sioux City, Nebraska Police Department, the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 21-CR-04087. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Huntington Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug and Gun Crimes

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kilan Nicks, also known as “Low,” 26, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl, and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 6, 2022, Nicks sold approximately 4 grams of fentanyl and 29 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a Roby Road apartment in Huntington. On June 7, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a McVeigh Avenue residence in Huntington while Nicks was present. Nicks admitted to possessing a Taurus 9mm pistol and approximately $3,635 found during the search. Nicks further admitted that the firearm was for his protection and the cash was proceeds from his distribution of drugs. Nicks also admitted to conspiring with other individuals to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area from February 2022 until around June 2022. Nicks traveled to California and Arizona and acquired methamphetamine and fentanyl that he transported back to the Southern District of West Virginia for distribution as part of the conspiracy. Nicks maintained the Roby Road apartment and an 18th Street residence to store and distribute the drugs. Nicks further admitted to selling a total of 37.5 grams of fentanyl and 200 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in the Huntington area over 10 separate transactions during the conspiracy. On June 7, 2022, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at the 18th Street residence and a residence in Chesapeake, Ohio. Nicks admitted to possessing 690.71 grams of fentanyl and a Radical Firearms, M4 5.56mm rifle seized at the 18th Street residence, and to possessing a Masterpiece Arms, Defender 9mm pistol, and a blender containing fentanyl residue seized at the Chesapeake residence. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-118. ###


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts  Man for Weapons Violation

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today, that on March 3, 2023 a federal grand jury indicted LARYAN REED , age 22, with a weapon violation that occurred on February 17, 2023. In Count 1 of the indictment, REED is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). If convicted, REED faces a maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, a period of up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit. reed_laryan_indictment_redacted_sanitized.pdf


title: Rapid City Man Indicted for Illegal Possession of Firearm

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Rapid City, South Dakota, man for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. Edwin Blaine Grass, age 37, was indicted in February of 2023. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on March 3, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 15 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. The charge relates to Grass, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition, knowingly being in possession of a Taurus revolver in Rapid City in January of 2023. The charge is merely an accusation and Grass is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case. Grass was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.


title: Spearfish Woman Indicted for Wire Fraud

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Spearfish, South Dakota, woman on seven counts of Wire Fraud. Janeen Keene, 54 was indicted in January of 2023. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollman on March 3, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. Between May of 2020 and July of 2020, in Spearfish, Keene, along with others, devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits. The charge is merely an accusation and Keene is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson is prosecuting the case. Keene was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.


title: Manderson Man Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Manderson, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on February 27, 2023. John Joseph White Plume, Sr., 51, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. White Plume was indicted for Sexual Abuse of a Minor by a federal grand jury in October of 2021. He pleaded guilty on July 11, 2022. The conviction stems from White Plume engaging in sexual acts with the victim on March 1, 2021, at Manderson. This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case. White Plume was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Beaumont Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Convenience Store Robbery

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today. Jamar Byars, also known as Jamar Limbrick, 21, pleaded guilty on April 25, 2022, to Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and was sentenced to 117 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone. According to court documents, on Oct. 14, 2021, law enforcement officers responded to a call regarding an armed robbery at the Food Basket located on North 4 th Street in Beaumont. An assailant, later identified as Byars, selected an item and brought it to the register. Byars then pulled out a firearm and pointed it at the clerk and demanded money. The clerk hesitated and Byars responded by striking the clerk in the head with the pistol twice. Byars then removed the money from the register and fled the scene. Byars was indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 5, 2022. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James. ###


title: Man Charged with Bank Robbery

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – CLEMENT LEACH , age 52, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was indicted on one count of Bank Robbery in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to the indictment, on Monday, March 2, 2020, LEACH robbed Chase Bank and obtained approximately $920. If convicted, LEACH faces a maximum of twenty years in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release following his release from prison and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crime Task Force and officers of New Orleans Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon M. Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.


title: Former Florida Highway Patrol Captain Pleads Guilty to Accessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Christopher James Chappell, a 46-year-old former Captain with the Florida Highway Patrol, has pled guilty to accessing child sexual abuse material. As part of his guilty plea, Chappell admitted to watching a video depicting the sexual abuse of a prepubescent minor child while he engaged in sexual acts with another individual. Chappell then sent a photo of his sexual encounter to a third individual in a group chat, which showed the child sexual abuse material playing in the background. U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith will sentence Chappell on May 19, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Maged Behnam of the FBI Miami Field Office announced the conviction. FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lacee Elizabeth Monk is prosecuting the case. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 22-cr-60148. ###


title: FORT WASHAKIE MAN SENTENCED FOR ASSAULT RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL BODILY INJURY TO A PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF 16

body_text: United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo announced today that Chief United States District Court Judge Scott Skavdahl sentenced LESLIE FRANK NOSEEP, III , age 20, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, to six months in prison for assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a person under the age of 16. The sentence includes three years of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $458.96 and a $100 special assessment. On September 10, 2022, Noseep was driving on Old Wind River Highway on the Wind River Indian Reservation while intoxicated. Noseep swerved into the oncoming lane of travel and struck a 14-year-old boy who was riding his skateboard on the side of the road. The boy suffered deep lacerations on his knees and calf. Noseep fled the scene and was later apprehended by law enforcement. This crime was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Kerry Jacobson prosecuted the case. Case No. 22-cr-00100-SWS


title: Court Finds Gross Negligence, Orders Oil Company to Pay United States and State of California $65 Million

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: On March 2, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California entered final judgment against HVI Cat Canyon Inc., formerly known as Greka Oil & Gas Inc., in a civil suit brought jointly by the United States, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Coast Guard, and by the State of California on behalf of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Coast Region. The United States and California filed the suit alleging that HVI Cat Canyon, which previously owned and operated multiple oil and gas production facilities in Santa Barbara County, California, was liable for: 12 oil spills into waters of the United States in violation of the Clean Water Act; 17 oil spills into waters of the state in violation of state law; Reimbursement of the federal and state governments’ costs of cleaning up the oil spills; Natural resource damages under state law for harm to fish, plant, bird, or animal life and habitat; and Numerous violations of federal Oil Pollution Prevention Regulations identified in 16 EPA inspections across 11 facilities. The court’s judgment follows an earlier 65-page opinion dated Feb. 25, in which the court awarded the United States and California the full amount of civil penalties, response costs, and damages that they sought at trial. “We applaud the court’s decision to hold HVI Cat Canyon responsible for the full extent of the harm they caused,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environmental and Natural Resources Division. “This outcome is a prime example of strong federal and state partnership and persistence in pursuing justice against a company that long flouted its compliance obligations.” “This final judgment reflects EPA’s continued commitment to ensuring companies that operate oil and gas production facilities comply with federal clean water laws and prevent unnecessary oil spills,” said Regional Administrator Martha Guzman of EPA Pacific Southwest. “Holding companies responsible for failing to meet their environmental obligations is key to protecting our waterways and surrounding communities.” “The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is committed to protecting our state’s pristine natural resources,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. “Staff from our Office of Spill Prevention and Response work daily to prevent, prepare for and respond to oil spill incidents statewide. The collective efforts of state and federal regulators to hold this company accountable for the significant impacts they have caused is evidence of our dedication to fighting every day for the resources we hold in trust for all Californians.” “HVI Cat Canyon, formerly GREKA, is being held accountable in their long history of multiple violations and on-going non-compliance across many agencies,” said Regional Water Board Chair Jane Gray. “This judgment is a testament to the multi-year efforts of agencies and the legal system’s ability to provide justice for egregious actions perpetrated against the environment.” The court found that the 12 spills into waters of the United States, which occurred from 2005 through 2010, resulted from HVI Cat Canyon’s gross negligence. “Based on the totality of the circumstances, the spills evinced a pattern of reckless disregard for good oilfield industry practices, and a series of negligent acts or omissions by HVI concerning oil spill prevention, and pipeline and facility inspection and maintenance,” the court wrote. In total, the court found that the spills had discharged approximately 26,584 barrels of crude oil and produced water, a briny waste by-product of oil production. The court also ruled that HVI Cat Canyon had committed a total of 60 violations of the federal regulations at 11 facilities for a total of 86,842 days of violation. Ultimately the court held HVI Cat Canyon liable to the United States for $40 million in civil penalties for the spills, $15 million in civil penalties for the violations of federal regulations, and $2.5 million in cleanup costs. The court also held HVI Cat Canyon liable to California for $7.7 million in civil penalties and nearly $200,000 in natural resource damages and cleanup costs. The case is styled United States, et al. v. HVI Cat Canyon, Inc., formerly known as Greka Oil & Gas Inc. , No. 2:11-cv-05097-FMO-SS (C.D. Cal.). The court’s order is available through the court’s website, www.cacd.uscourts.gov.


title: United States and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Announce Settlement with City of Gloucester to Upgrade Sewage Treatment Infrastructure

body_text: The U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have entered into a consent decree with the City of Gloucester, Massachusetts, to resolve violations of the Clean Water Act regarding the city’s water pollution control facility that discharges undertreated effluent into Massachusetts Bay. The settlement requires Gloucester to undertake a construction project to add secondary treatment to its water pollution control facility. Secondary treatment is a combination of physical and biological processes that break down many harmful elements in municipal sewage. The city has operated without secondary controls on its treatment plant under a permit waiver issued most recently in 2001. EPA and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) more recently determined that upgrading the City’s treatment plant to provide secondary treatment was needed to address water pollution in Massachusetts Bay. In response, under the proposed settlement the city agreed to proceed with the upgrades. The cost of the remedial measures is expected to be in excess of $150 million. “The Clean Water Act requires controls to limit the harmful impacts of sewage discharges,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The settlement will ensure significant, long-term investment into the City’s water treatment infrastructure to safeguard the health of Massachusetts Bay.” “Fiercely protecting our environment is a civil and human rights issue. Ensuring that bodies of water are not contaminated with harmful toxins and pollutants remains a vital part of this work. This consent decree requires Gloucester to take significant steps to improve the quality of the water it discharges into Massachusetts Bay,” said U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins for the District of Massachusetts. “The successful implementation of the Consent Decree will ensure a healthier environment for the residents of Gloucester and all of us in the Commonwealth. My office remains committed to fighting for healthier, cleaner and safer communities.” “Sewage can carry harmful pollutants, posing potential harm to human health and aquatic organisms,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “By reducing discharges into Massachusetts Bay, this settlement will result in cleaner, safer water, benefiting both local communities and the environment.” In 2022, EPA issued a new NPDES Permit to the City of Gloucester which included pollution limits that the current treatment plant cannot meet because the plant only provides primary treatment, known as clarification or settling and disinfection. Complying with the proposed consent decree, if entered by the federal court, will help ensure that Gloucester comes into compliance with the Clean Water Act. The City of Gloucester has already provided an aggressive schedule to EPA and MassDEP for design and construction of secondary treatment. The city has proposed to complete design and bidding of the project by the end of 2024, complete construction of secondary treatment by the end of 2027, and achieve compliance with all permit limits by March 30, 2028. Undertreated sewage from the city’s existing water treatment facility results in a variety of harmful discharges into Massachusetts Bay, including disease causing organisms and toxic pollutants. The proposed consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period and court approval after it is published in the Federal Register. It is available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees . The EPA and MassDEP are investigating the case. Assistant Section Chief Henry Friedman of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Enforcement Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Annapurna Balakrishna for the District of Massachusetts and EPA Attorney Jeff Kopf are handling this matter.


title: Former Benton County Coach and Youth Pastor Sentenced to 45 Years for Exploiting Children

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Joshua Henley, 34, formerly of Benton County, has been sentenced to 45 years in federal prison for producing sexually explicit images of a minor, transporting, and possessing child exploitation material, and transporting a minor interstate with the intent to engage in sexual activity. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today. According to the information presented in court, from 2017 until April 2021, Henley was the pastor at Holladay Church of Christ and coached the girls’ basketball team at Holladay Elementary. In April 2021, Henley left Benton County to become the youth pastor at a church in Indiana. In June 2021, Henley returned to Benton County and transported a teen to Indiana under the guise that she was to assist at his new parish. Instead, Henley sexually assaulted the teen. Henley was arrested as he was driving her back to Tennessee. At the time of Henley’s arrest, he had a cell phone which contained sexually explicit images and videos of two other Tennessee teenagers with which he had contact through SnapChat and FaceTime. The teens each disclosed that Henley also engaged in sexual activity with them. Henley has worked with young people in other states including Oklahoma and Texas. United States District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Henley to 540 months in federal prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Benton County Sheriff’s Department, the Evansville Police Department and TBI’s Technical Service Unit. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Debra Ireland and Lauren Delery, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case. ### For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.


title: Man Sentenced in El Paso for Trafficking Cocaine, Fentanyl into U.S.

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – A U.S. citizen living in Mexico was sentenced Thursday to 51 months in prison for conspiracy to import a controlled substance. According to court documents, Eduardo Aletse Herrera, 20, of Cuidad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico attempted to enter the U.S. at the Ysleta Port of Entry on July 28, 2022. During a vehicle inspection, Customs and Border Protection Officers discovered nine bundles hidden throughout the car. Five of the bundles tested positive for 5.84 kilograms of cocaine, while the remaining four bundles tested positive for 4.46 kilograms of fentanyl. Herrera pleaded guilty to one count in the eight-count indictment Nov. 30, 2022. “The defendant in this case attempted to smuggle a very large amount of lethal narcotics into our country,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “We can thank our partner agents at the border for detecting the drugs and thwarting Herrera’s efforts.” “This sentence sends a warning to drug smugglers that HSI special agents along with our law enforcement and judicial partners will work tirelessly to bring to justice those who supply our communities with fentanyl and other deadly drugs, contributing to an already-devastating national opioid epidemic.” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of the Homeland Security Investigations El Paso Division. HSI and CBP investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Susanna Martinez prosecuted the case. ###


title: MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy and Murder

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Maryland man was sentenced today to life in prison for racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, and conspiring to destroy evidence connected to his participation in La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13). According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jose Domingo Ordonez-Zometa, aka Felon, 33, of Landover Hills, was a member of MS-13, a transnational criminal enterprise and one of the largest street gangs in the United States that is composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador and other central American countries. Ordonez-Zometa and his co-conspirators – Jose Rafael Ortega-Ayala and Jose Henry Hernandez-Garcia – were members and associates of the Los Ghettos Criminales Salvatruchas (LGCS or Ghettos) clique of MS-13. Ordonez-Zometa was the leader of the LGCS clique. Between August 2018 and April 2019, Ordonez-Zometa and his co-conspirators participated in the MS-13 criminal enterprise by engaging in acts of violence, including murder, the destruction of evidence, and witness tampering, among other crimes. Ordonez-Zometa and his fellow gang members committed these crimes to increase MS-13’s power in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, including Maryland and Virginia. As part of the conspiracy, MS-13 members were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang, using any means necessary to force respect, including acts of intimidation and violence. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increases the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to promotion to a leadership position. On March 8, 2019, Ordonez-Zometa called a meeting of the LGCS clique at his house to discuss clique matters, including recent contacts that another LGCS clique member (Victim 1) had with the police. Ordonez-Zometa, his co-conspirators, Victim 1, and other MS-13 members participated in the meeting, during which Ordonez-Zometa questioned Victim 1 about his/her cooperation with police. During the questioning, Ordonez-Zometa, his co-conspirators, and at least one other MS-13 member assaulted Victim 1 based on their incorrect suspicions that Victim 1 was cooperating with law enforcement. They also assaulted another MS-13 member who attempted to defend Victim 1. The assault culminated with Ordonez-Zometa ordering that Victim 1 be killed. His co-conspirators and other MS-13 members then stabbed and murdered Victim 1 in Ordonez-Zometa’s basement. After the murder, Ordonez-Zometa ordered his co-conspirators and other LGCS clique members to conceal and destroy evidence of the murder. Ortega-Ayala and other MS-13 members transported the body of the victim to a secluded location in Stafford County, Virginia. They set the victim’s body on fire and then destroyed and concealed evidence of the murder from the vehicle used to transport the victim. Meanwhile, Ordonez-Zometa, Hernandez-Garcia, and another MS-13 member stayed at the crime scene and attempted to remove, destroy, and conceal evidence of the murder, including Victim 1’s blood. In December 2022, Ordonez-Zometa, Ortega-Ayala, and Hernandez-Garcia were convicted at trial of racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering conspiracies, committing murder in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to destroy and conceal evidence. Ortega-Ayala and Hernandez-Garcia also face a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Their sentencing dates have not yet been set. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement. The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Fairfax County Police Department investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Office. Trial Attorneys Jared Engelking and Matthew Hoff of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morgan for the District of Maryland 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: District Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Armed Carjacking and Robbery in Northeast Washington

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON - Devin Gatewood, also known as James J. Williams, 23, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to five years in prison on felony charges stemming from an armed carjacking and robbery in the Trinidad area of Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department. Gatewood pleaded guilty on November 3, 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of robbery, one count of carrying a dangerous weapon, and one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle. He was sentenced by the Honorable Jason Park. Following his prison term, Gatewood will be placed on three years of supervised release. At the time of the offense, Gatewood was on probation for an April 2022 misdemeanor firearms conviction in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Heidi M. Pasichow revoked Gatewood’s probation in that case and has scheduled a sentencing hearing for March 13, 2023. According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of August 28, 2022, Gatewood and an unidentified accomplice approached the victim, who was sitting in his parked vehicle in the 1100 block of Queen Street NE. The victim felt uneasy and got out of his car to make small talk with the men. Gatewood produced what appeared to be a 9mm handgun and communicated to the victim that he was being robbed. The victim laid down on the ground, while Gatewood and the accomplice took his iPhone, Apple Watch, car keys, and cash. Gatewood drove away in the victim’s vehicle, and the accomplice left in a separate vehicle. The victim called the Metropolitan Police Department. MPD officers located the victim’s vehicle within minutes and followed the vehicle until it came to an abrupt stop. Gatewood jumped out of the vehicle’s driver’s seat and began to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended. No firearm was recovered. Gatewood has remained in custody since his arrest. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Crystal L. Waddy. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Defendant Sentenced To 17 Years For Murder-For-Hire Scheme And Related Shooting In Poughkeepsie

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and William V. Grady, the Dutchess County District Attorney, announced that JUSTTIN KENYOTTA HAYWOOD was sentenced to 17 years in prison for his participation in a murder-for-hire scheme and related shooting in Poughkeepsie in 2020 in which HAYWOOD, having been offered $5,000 to kill another individual, wrongly identified, pursued, and shot at a 17-year-old boy who had been playing basketball in a park with two friends in Poughkeepsie. HAYWOOD previously pled guilty to murder for hire and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition before United States District Judge Nelson S. Román, who imposed the sentence. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Justtin Haywood’s sentence shows that senseless acts of violence will be met with severe consequences. Haywood agreed to murder another individual and then shot at an innocent 17-year-old boy, who had been playing basketball with friends in a park. For this crime, Haywood will spend 17 years in federal prison.” FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “As this sentence demonstrates, there is no place in our community for anyone willing to commit murder. Criminal behavior like Haywood's is a dangerous bane to society and often results in innocent people being placed in harm's way. The FBI's Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force and our partners in law enforcement work tirelessly to make those who have complete disregard for humanity face the consequences of their actions.” Dutchess County Chief Assistant District Attorney Matthew Weishaupt said: “We commend the joint effort by all the agencies involved in bringing Mr. Haywood to justice for this horrific shooting and targeting of an innocent young man. Let the message be clear: we will use all available resources to bring violent criminals to justice and ensure the safety of our community. We have an outstanding working relationship with our federal partners and will continue to work together to combat this senseless violence.” According to the Complaint and the Information filed against the defendant, other documents filed in federal court, and statements made in public court proceedings: In late December 2019 and early January 2020, Haywood traveled from Colorado to North Carolina and then ultimately up to Poughkeepsie, New York, and met with a co-conspirator (“CC-1”) who offered him $5,000 to kill another male individual. Haywood agreed to do so, and on January 15, 2020, wrongly believing to have found his intended target, approached three teenagers playing basketball in King Street Park in Poughkeepsie and attempted to shoot one of them, a 17-year-old boy, ultimately chasing them in his car as they fled on foot and firing multiple shots from inside of his car. Fortunately, no one was hit. * * * In addition to his prison sentence, HAYWOOD, 40, of Aurora, Colorado, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI, the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department, the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, and the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office. The FBI’s Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department, the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, and the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office conducted a joint investigation of the 2020 shooting and murder-for-hire scheme. This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Sullivan is in charge of the prosecution.


title: MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison For a Racketeering Conspiracy, Including a Murder in Maryland

component: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis today sentenced Jose Domingo Ordonez-Zometa, a/k/a “Felon,” age 33, of Landover Hills, Maryland, to life in federal prison for racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering conspiracies, for committing murder in aid of racketeering, and for conspiracy to destroy and conceal evidence connected to his participation in La Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational criminal enterprise also known as MS-13. Ordonez-Zometa was convicted on December 16, 2022, after a two-week trial, along with co-defendants Jose Rafael Ortega-Ayala, a/k/a Impaciente,” age 30, of Greenbelt, Maryland; and Jose Henry Hernandez-Garcia, a/k/a “Paciente,” age 29, of Annandale, Virginia. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations, Baltimore Office; Stafford County Sheriff David P. Decatur; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief Kevin Davis of the Fairfax County Police Department. MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador and other central American countries. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, operate throughout the United States, including in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Ordonez-Zometa and his co-defendants were members and associates of the Los Ghettos Criminales Salvatruchas (“LGCS” or “Ghettos”) clique of MS-13. The evidence at trial established that between August 2018 and April 2019, Ordonez-Zometa and his co-defendants participated in the MS-13 criminal enterprise by engaging in acts of violence, including murder, the destruction of evidence, and witness tampering, among other crimes. The criminal acts were committed by gang members to increase MS-13’s power in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including Maryland and Virginia. As part of the conspiracy, members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons, using any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increases the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to promotion to a leadership position. As detailed during the trial, Ordonez-Zometa was the leader of the LGCS clique. Ordonez-Zometa called a meeting of the LGCS clique at his house on March 8, 2019, to discuss clique matters, including recent contacts that an LGCS clique member (Victim 1) had with the police. Ordonez-Zometa, Victim 1, the co-defendants, and other MS-13 members participated in the meeting, during which Ordonez-Zometa questioned Victim 1 about his/her cooperation with police. During the questioning, Ordonez-Zometa, his co-defendants and at least one other MS-13 member assaulted Victim 1, based on their incorrect suspicions that Victim 1 was cooperating with law enforcement. They also assaulted another MS-13 member who attempted to defend Victim 1. The assault culminated with Ordonez-Zometa, as LGCS clique leader, ordering that Victim 1 be killed. Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia and other MS-13 members then stabbed and murdered Victim 1 in Ordonez-Zometa’s basement. According to trial testimony, after the murder, Ordonez-Zometa ordered Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia, and other LGCS clique members and co-conspirators, to conceal and destroy evidence of the murder. Ortega-Ayala and other MS-13 members transported the body of the victim to a secluded location in Stafford County, Virginia, and set the victim’s body on fire, then destroyed and concealed evidence of the murder from the vehicle used to transport the victim. Meanwhile, Ordonez-Zometa, Hernandez-Garcia, and another MS-13 member stayed at the crime scene and attempted to remove, destroy, and conceal evidence of the murder, including the blood of Victim 1. Ortega-Ayala and Hernandez-Garcia also face a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Their sentencing dates have not been set. 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. commended the FBI, HSI, the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Fairfax County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for its assistance. Mr. Barron and Mr. Polite thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morgan and Trial Attorneys Jared Engelking and Matthew Hoff of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Organized Crime and Gang Section, who are prosecuting this case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Maine Man Sentenced to 18 Months Imprisonment for Bank Fraud

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD - Sean Crockett, 41, of Lebanon, Maine, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for bank fraud, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today. According to court documents and statements made in court, Crockett used other people’s identities to open merchant accounts and used those accounts to process fraudulent credit card payments. Merchant accounts are bank accounts for businesses that allow them to accept payments by debit or credit card. To execute the scheme, Crockett used altered bank and incorporation records, false tax documents, and other persons’ identities to apply for and open merchant bank accounts for companies Crockett controlled. Crockett paid some of these persons to use their identities to open these accounts. Others did not know Crockett and never gave permission to him to open the merchant accounts. Crockett then used stolen credit card information to process fraudulent transactions. Crockett withdrew the funds soon after they were deposited. Later the credit card holders disputed the transactions, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars of “chargebacks” to those merchant accounts. Normally, when chargebacks occur the funds are withdrawn from the merchant account. In this case, however, because Crockett had already withdrawn the funds, the bank was forced to pay the chargebacks. Because of this, the bank routinely closed Crockett’s merchant accounts. To continue the scheme, Crockett opened new merchant accounts using other peoples’ identities. In addition to his prison sentence, Crockett was ordered to pay $145,289.01 in restitution and will be under three years of supervised release following the completion of his sentence. “Financial crimes cause serious harm to victims and deprive them of their hard-earned money,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “Through this deceitful scheme, the defendant defrauded his victims and prevented financial institutions from clawing back his ill-gotten gains. To stop this type of criminal activity, we work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute fraudsters and other white-collar criminals.” “Today Sean Crockett learned his fate for orchestrating a sophisticated fraud scheme using other people’s identities to open accounts to evade detection so he could then commit more fraud, harming his victims and forcing them to incur hundreds of thousands of dollars in unnecessary losses,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “What he did is inexcusable, and the FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to tackle these types of financial crimes and bring their perpetrators to justice.” This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen. ###


title: Two Men Indicted for Series of Holiday Carjackings and Kidnappings

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging Adrian Pegues, 19, and Malik Malone, 18, both of Memphis, with multiple charges arising from a series of violent events that occurred in late December 2022 in Memphis and Germantown. The indictment includes charges of kidnapping, bank robbery, carjacking, and the use of a firearm during a crime of violence. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the charges today. According to U.S. Attorney Ritz, the charges and other information presented in court, it is alleged that that on December 20, 2022, Pegues and Malone carjacked and kidnapped two individuals separately, forced one of the individuals to withdraw money from an ATM, and attempted to do the same with the other. It is also alleged that, ten days later, on December 30, 2022, the two men attempted to kidnap a person in Germantown with the intent to commit another robbery. That kidnapping was unsuccessful. Both men have been arrested and are in federal custody and awaiting arraignment on the superseding indictment. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Germantown Police Department. Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is an accusation and only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Assistant United States Attorney Greg Wagner is handling the prosecution of this matter for the government. ### For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.


title: Four Gangster Disciples Leaders Convicted of Racketeering Conspiracy and Murder

body_text: A federal jury convicted four leaders of the Gangster Disciples today for their participation in a years-long interstate racketeering conspiracy involving drug trafficking, witness tampering, and multiple murders. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the four defendants were members of the Gangster Disciples, a gang with a decades-long history of lawlessness and violence. The Gangster Disciples have a presence throughout the United States, including in state and federal prisons. The gang employs a structured hierarchy, with leadership positions such as national “Board Members” and state “Governors.” As part of their efforts to maintain control of the gang, the defendants murdered two other members who opposed their regime. On May 18, 2018, Warren Griffin, aka GG, aka Big Head, 53, of Glenwood, Illinois, drove to the south side of Chicago with fellow Gangster Disciples Board Member Anthony Dobbins to murder a former powerful Board Member (Victim-1), because he opposed their status as Board Members in the gang. Griffin lured Victim-1, and Dobbins came up behind Victim-1 and shot him three times in the back and once in the face. On April 28, 2018, Sean Clemon, aka Pops, 52, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and Dominique Maxwell, aka D-Mac, aka Monster, 30, also of Cape Girardeau, on orders from Frank Smith, aka Little Frank, aka Red Beard, 49, of Naperville, Illinois, fatally shot another victim (Victim-2) and injured two other men in Bridgeton, Missouri. The shooting was part of a leadership dispute in which Board Members Smith and Griffin sought to remove another Gangster Disciple member from his position as Governor of Missouri. Smith texted “Mike Tyson Punch Out” to Maxwell prior the shooting, which was an order to commit “extreme violence,” including murder. Both Clemon and Maxwell were promoted to leadership positions within the gang for committing this murder. The defendants’ other acts of violence included a nightclub stabbing in East St. Louis, Illinois, and a nonfatal shooting in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Gangster Disciples members also engaged in various acts of drug trafficking, including a scheme to smuggle the synthetic drug “K2” into Missouri state prisons. All four defendants were convicted of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act conspiracy and murder in aid of racketeering, and face a mandatory sentence of life in prison. The sentencing dates have not yet been set. Smith, Maxwell, and Clemon were also convicted of racketeering conspiracy, as well as firearms offenses related to the murder of Victim-2. Griffin was also convicted of racketeering conspiracy, as well as firearms offenses related to the murder of Victim-1. Dobbins pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy on Jan. 17. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe for the Southern District of Illinois made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Cape Girardeau Field Office; Federal Bureau of Prisons; FBI; DEA; Missouri Department of Corrections; Illinois State Police; Chicago Police Department; Bridgeton Police Department; Cape Girardeau Police Department; Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis; and O’Fallon (IL) Police Department investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Jeremy Franker, Alexander Gottfried, and Christopher Usher of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Summers for the Southern District of Illinois provided substantial assistance.


component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A federal jury convicted four leaders of the Gangster Disciples today for their participation in a years-long interstate racketeering conspiracy involving drug trafficking, witness tampering, and multiple murders. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the four defendants were members of the Gangster Disciples, a gang with a decades-long history of lawlessness and violence. The Gangster Disciples have a presence throughout the United States, including in state and federal prisons. The gang employs a structured hierarchy, with leadership positions such as national “Board Members” and state “Governors.” As part of their efforts to maintain control of the gang, the defendants murdered two other members who opposed their regime. On May 18, 2018, Warren Griffin, aka GG, aka Big Head, 53, of Glenwood, Illinois, drove to the south side of Chicago with fellow Gangster Disciples Board Member Anthony Dobbins to murder a former powerful Board Member (Victim-1), because he opposed their status as Board Members in the gang. Griffin lured Victim-1, and Dobbins came up behind Victim-1 and shot him three times in the back and once in the face. On April 28, 2018, Sean Clemon, aka Pops, 52, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and Dominique Maxwell, aka D-Mac, aka Monster, 30, also of Cape Girardeau, on orders from Frank Smith, aka Little Frank, aka Red Beard, 49, of Naperville, Illinois, fatally shot another victim (Victim-2) and injured two other men in Bridgeton, Missouri. The shooting was part of a leadership dispute in which Board Members Smith and Griffin sought to remove another Gangster Disciple member from his position as Governor of Missouri. Smith texted “Mike Tyson Punch Out” to Maxwell prior the shooting, which was an order to commit “extreme violence,” including murder. Both Clemon and Maxwell were promoted to leadership positions within the gang for committing this murder. The defendants’ other acts of violence included a nightclub stabbing in East St. Louis, Illinois, and a nonfatal shooting in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Gangster Disciples members also engaged in various acts of drug trafficking, including a scheme to smuggle the synthetic drug “K2” into Missouri state prisons. All four defendants were convicted of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act conspiracy and murder in aid of racketeering, and face a mandatory sentence of life in prison. The sentencing dates have not yet been set. Smith, Maxwell, and Clemon were also convicted of racketeering conspiracy, as well as firearms offenses related to the murder of Victim-2. Griffin was also convicted of racketeering conspiracy, as well as firearms offenses related to the murder of Victim-1. Dobbins pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy on Jan. 17. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe for the Southern District of Illinois made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Cape Girardeau Field Office; Federal Bureau of Prisons; FBI; DEA; Missouri Department of Corrections; Illinois State Police; Chicago Police Department; Bridgeton Police Department; Cape Girardeau Police Department; Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis; and O’Fallon (IL) Police Department investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Jeremy Franker, Alexander Gottfried, and Christopher Usher of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Summers for the Southern District of Illinois provided substantial assistance.


title: New York Drug Supplier Convicted After Federal Trial for Supplying Fentanyl to a Prince George’s County Drug Dealer

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury today convicted Valfonso Dewitt, a/k/a “Valentino” and “Val,” age 72, of Bronx, New York, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and on two counts for using his cellular telephone to facilitate illegal drug distribution. The jury acquitted Dewitt on three counts of using his cellular telephone to facilitate illegal drug distribution. The guilty verdict was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department. According to the evidence presented at his four-day trial, from January 2019 through at least September 2019, Dewitt conspired with co-defendant James Isaac Gaston, Gaston’s wife Jacqueline Shelton Gaston, and others to distribute fentanyl. The evidence proved that in September 2019, Dewitt distributed nearly half a kilogram of pure fentanyl—enough to kill almost 250,000 people—to James Gaston just outside Memphis, Tennessee. Approximately 14 hours later, law enforcement seized the fentanyl during a traffic stop on Gaston’s car shortly after Gaston drove over the I-495 bridge from Virginia into Prince George’s County, Maryland. James Isaac Gaston, age 74, and Jacqueline Shelton Gaston, age 52, both of Lanham, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug distribution conspiracy and are scheduled to be sentenced on May 8, 2023 and June 23, 2023, respectively. Dewitt faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for the drug conspiracy and a maximum sentence of four years in federal prison for each count of using his cellular phone to facilitate a drug felony. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has not yet scheduled a sentencing date for Dewitt. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, the FBI, and the Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Prince George’s County Police Department and the Maryland State Police for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey J. Izant and Geonard F. Butler II, who are 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 and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Valdosta Resident with Prior Aggravated Assault, Robbery Convictions Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: ALBANY, Ga. – A Valdosta, Georgia, resident with a prior felony conviction for aggravated assault and robbery by intimidation was sentenced to prison after officers took him into custody in illegal possession of a loaded firearm during a domestic violence call. Sammie Eubanks, 28, was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison to run concurrently to any sentenced imposed by the Superior Court of Lanier County, Georgia, for probation violation to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on March 3 after he previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm. “Armed felons with violent criminal backgrounds who illegally possess guns will face federal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I want to thank the Valdosta Police Department and FBI for helping us hold repeat felons caught illegally possessing firearms accountable at the federal level.” “Eubanks, with a prior felony conviction for aggravated assault and robbery by intimidation, clearly did not learn from his past mistakes and continued to intimidate people in our community,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is proud to work with our local law enforcement partners in helping to convict these repeat offenders at the federal level, where they face stiffer penalties and no opportunity for parole.” According to information relayed in court, on Aug. 31, 2019, Valdosta Police Department officers responded to a report of domestic violence on North Sawgrass Circle. The officers located Eubanks, who was at first uncooperative. Eubanks then told officers he did not assault his girlfriend, but that they had an argument. Eubanks attempted to flee, and he removed a firearm he was carrying and threw it on the ground. Eubanks was restrained and officers recovered the loaded .22 caliber pistol. Eubanks was previously convicted of felony robbery by intimidation and aggravated assault in the Superior Court of Lanier County, Georgia, on Dec. 12, 2012. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The case was investigated by FBI and the Valdosta Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch prosecuted the case.


title: United Bank Senior Vice President Pleads Guilty To Embezzlement And Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS , MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that John Figg, 56, of Grand Rapids Michigan pleaded guilty to federal charges which stem from the discovery of his embezzlement of over $870,000 from United Bank between 2014 and 2021. “Hardworking citizens are entitled to know that when they entrust their money to a bank, it will remain there safe and secure,” said U.S. Attorney Totten . “This prosecution serves as a reminder to bank officials that we will not tolerate any violation of the trust we put in our banks.” According to court documents, Figg used his access to bank records to obtain funds in a variety of ways. First, he identified customer accounts held by depositors that did not scrutinize their accounts and used his access to them to remove funds for his own use. Second, he obtained phony loans in customer names and used the loan proceeds for his own use. Third, he funneled fees normally collected by the bank in connection with loan closing costs to his own use. This resulted in losses of approximately $870,000. Figg generated taxable income from this activity between 2016 and 2020. However, he concealed this income from his tax preparer when that person prepared his tax returns. As a result, each year Figg underreported his taxable income knowing that it was subject to taxation and with the intent to avoid payment of those taxes. “Mr. Figg betrayed the trust placed in him by his employer and the public, who have every right to expect bank employees to be honest and law abiding,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “This type of illegal conduct can undermine the financial health of banks and credit unions. As a result, the FBI and IRS will continue our work to hold corrupt insiders fully accountable for their crimes.” “John Figg abused a position of trust as an officer at a federally insured bank when he stole money from unsuspecting victims. He then concealed these funds and used them for his own personal gain,” said Charles Miller, Acting Special Agent in Charge Detroit Field Office, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation . “The IRS is committed to working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate individuals who engage in financial fraud and tax evasion and make them accountable for their crimes.” Figg pleaded guilty to two federal crimes today. The first is embezzlement by a bank employee in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 656. This carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. The second crime is tax evasion in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7201, which carries a maximum prison term of five years in prison. Sentencing will occur at a date to be determined by U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. Prosecution of the case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Timothy VerHey. ###


title: Ashburn Woman Convicted of $2.5 Million Pandemic Fraud

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted an Ashburn woman today on charges of conspiracy, bank fraud, and money laundering. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Rose-Marie Nsahlai, 47, and her husband fraudulently obtained two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. The PPP was a program instituted by the U.S. Congress to help businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic continue to pay salaries or wages to their employees. Nsahlai carried out the scheme in connection with two of her husband’s businesses by creating fraudulent payroll documentation for each business, and then submitting that documentation in support of the PPP loan applications. The fraudulent documentation represented that her husband’s businesses had dozens of employees with over $17 million of annual payroll in 2019, when in fact they had few, if any, employees. In total, Nsahlai and her husband fraudulently obtained approximately $2,501,753 in loan proceeds, and they then spent those funds on items unrelated to any legitimate PPP-related expense. Those items included the down-payment on a 7,000-square-foot home in Leesburg. Nsahlai’s husband pleaded guilty to this scheme in 2021. Nsahlai faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison when sentenced on July 19. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kareem Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); Michael Serra, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); and Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge for the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan M. Harvey and David A. Peters are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-234.


title: Four Individuals Arrested for Investment Fraud Scheme Targeting Hawaii Residents

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – Today, Defendants HAITEM TAYLOR ABID DHAENE, age 19, LATIFA ZANKI DHAENE, age 47, TIM DHAENE, age 37, and SOFYANE ABID DHAENE, age 22, were arraigned in federal court on charges contained in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on February 23, 2023. The four defendants were arrested in Waikiki over the weekend by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). They all pled not guilty today, and trial was set for May 8, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi. SOFYANE DHAENE was ordered released on conditions, and the three others are scheduled for detention hearings on March 7 and 8. According to the indictment, the four individuals are charged with wire fraud involving allegations they engaged in a fraudulent investment scheme by which they obtained more than $300,000. The indictment alleges that in January 2022, the family of four arrived in Los Angeles, California, on Belgian passports and moved to Hawaii in or about September 2022. The indictment further alleges that, between October 2022 and February 2023, they solicited multiple persons in Hawaii to invest money, based on false promises that the money would be placed in high return investment contracts supposedly guaranteed by a mainland wealth management firm and its partner. HAITEM DHAENE represented he was a partner in the mainland firm, when, according to the indictment, he was not a partner, and the wealth management firm did not know about his claimed association or the purported investment contracts. Among other things, the indictment alleges the defendants falsely claimed to have formed a private equity investment group; that they provided an investment contract promising a return of 315% per annum; and that the contract bore the name and forged signature of a mainland wealth advisor. As a result of these promises, various individuals gave the four defendants approximately $309,000, including $294,000 withdrawn from an individual’s 401k retirement account. According to U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors, these charges are the product of close collaboration between federal and state law enforcement authorities. Specifically, the investigation was conducted jointly by the FBI and the Special Investigation and Prosecution Division (SIPD) of the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General. “Our office is committed to investigating and prosecuting those who commit a wide variety of frauds in Hawaii,” stated U.S. Attorney Connors. “Here, we are pleased to work closely with SIPD, and believe this partnership substantially increases law enforcement’s ability to protect our community.” “The Department of the Attorney General’s Special Investigation and Prosecution Division was created to give Hawaii a valuable tool to combat white-collar crime and human trafficking,” said Anne Lopez, Attorney General of the State of Hawaii. “This collaboration between SIPD, the United States Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and other law-enforcement partners will bring justice to Hawaii residents.” "This alleged fraud is an unconscionable display of greed and manipulation," said Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill. "The FBI is committed to bringing to justice those who perpetrate these outrageous scams." Each defendant is charged with three counts of wire fraud, and each count carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison as well as a fine of up to $1 million. An indictment is merely an accusation, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. This case is being investigated by the FBI in partnership with SIPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Nolan and Deputy Attorney General Lauren M. Nakamura, who also serves as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.


title: Two Individuals Indicted for Violent Robberies, Kidnapping an Uber Driver

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man and woman have been indicted for violent Hobbs Act robberies, one of which involved the kidnapping of an Uber driver on Christmas Day, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on December 25, 2022, Antwon Demondray Townsend-Davis, 23, and Kevena Takhyra Terry-Ford, 20, used force, violence, and fear of injury to carry out a Hobbs Act robbery by stealing a Nissan Rogue from an Uber driver who was using the vehicle for commercial business purposes. The two defendants also kidnapped the Uber driver for the purpose of accessing the victim’s ATM account. On December 28, 2022, the defendants used force, violence, and fear of injury to carry out a Hobbs Act robbery at a Speedway gas station in Minneapolis. Townsend-Davis and Terry-Ford are each charged with two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of kidnapping. Both defendants made their initial appearances today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Anoka Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruth S. Shnider is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Recidivist Mail Thief Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Jackson man was sentenced to three years in prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft relating to his repeated theft of mail and use of stolen debit and credit cards. According to court documents, Cary Letorle Wright, 44, was arrested on July 21, 2022, after law enforcement in Jackson located his fingerprints on several pieces of stolen mail found in an abandoned zip-pouch that had been recovered near a roadway and turned in by a citizen. The deputies who arrested Wright found a large pile of stolen mail in his car. Wright voluntarily turned over additional stolen mail and a stack of stolen debit and credit cards. The stolen mail traced to more than 80 residents of Clarke County and Waynesboro, Mississippi. In an interview with police, Wright admitted that he stole the mail to obtain debit and credit cards, which he activated and used at several local businesses. In connection with his guilty plea, Wright admitted that he defrauded banks and used his victims’ stolen means of identification to further his frauds, in violation of federal law. Wright was on federal conditions of supervised release at the time he committed this offense. He previously had been convicted of a federal mail theft offense in South Carolina in 2016, for which he served a prison sentence. United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered Wright to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment, will receive mental health evaluation and treatment, and will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Wright to pay $694.95 in victim restitution and $200 in special assessments. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The United States Postal Inspection Service, the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jackson Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Wilmer Man Sentenced to Ten Years Imprisonment for Possessing Firearms as a Previously Convicted Felon

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Reginald McGhee, of Wilmer, was sentenced on March 3, 2023 to ten years imprisonment for being a felon in possession of firearms. The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Kristi K. DuBose. McGhee previously had pled guilty to the charge. Documents filed with the court in connection with his guilty plea established that on October 9, 2019, McGhee was stopped by a Mobile County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Deputy for a traffic violation. At the time of the stop McGhee had methamphetamine in his pocket. The Deputy also later found a loaded .38 caliber revolver and a loaded 12- gauge shotgun in the vehicle, as well as $728 in cash and digital scales used for weighing drugs. An investigation by the MCSO Narcotics Office also linked McGhee to three loaded weapons seized from his residence less than three months earlier, which comprised a loaded Hi-Point 9mm rifle, a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol, and a loaded Taurus 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number. McGhee had been previously convicted of felonies including Robbery 1st Degree and Receiving Stolen Property 2nd Degree, making his possession of any firearm or ammunition a crime under federal law. This case was investigated by the MCSO and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.