title: Three Charged in Multi-Million Dollar Pandemic Assistance Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT - Three Macomb County residents were charged for their alleged roles in a multi-million-dollar Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Joining in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge James A. Tarasca, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar, United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and Julia Dale, Director, Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency. Rita Shaba, 37, of Macomb and Samer Kammo, 43 of Shelby Township were charged in an indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud; wire fraud; bank fraud; false statements in connection with a bank loan; and, aggravated identity theft. Christina Anasi, 33, of Shelby, was charged in a related criminal complaint with the same offenses, as well as money laundering. According to the indictment and complaint, the defendants caused fraudulent PPP applications to be submitted for several business entities. Those applications are alleged to have misrepresented payroll information for the business entities and falsely certified that PPP loan funds would be used for permissible business-related purposes. The defendants are also alleged to have caused fictitious payroll, health insurance, bank, and tax records to be submitted in connection with the PPP loan applications. According to court records, the defendants received over $3 million in fraudulent PPP loan funds. To date, law enforcement has seized and recovered over $2.1 million of those funds. Anasi is also alleged to have engaged in unemployment insurance fraud. The Paycheck Protection Program was created by Congress to provide assistance to businesses harmed by the economic dislocations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. U.S. Attorney Ison stated, “If you stole government funds designed to help other Americans make it through the global pandemic, my office—along with our law enforcement partners—is coming for you.” “These defendants are charged with defrauding American taxpayers and stealing from businesses that were in desperate need of support during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The FBI and are law enforcement partners remain committed to finding people who commit fraud and holding them accountable for their crimes.” “The pandemic took a toll on our communities and local businesses, yet some saw that suffering as an opportunity to steal from their fellow citizens,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “Our agents will continue to investigate instances of PPP fraud and help hold offenders accountable to the people we serve.” “The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency’s Investigations Division has a long, successful record of identifying bad actors who steal money from hard-working Michiganders and Michigan businesses,” said UIA Director Julia Dale. “The close partnership that we have with federal law enforcement ensures fraudsters receive the justice they rightly deserve for violating the integrity of the state’s unemployment insurance program.” The defendants face up to twenty years in prison based on the wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy charges, and they face a maximum of thirty years in prison on the bank fraud and bank fraud conspiracy charges. Each of the defendants face consecutive two-year prison sentences for aggravated identity theft. An indictment and a complaint are both only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Trial cannot be held on felony charges in a complaint. When the investigation is completed, a determination will be made whether to seek a felony indictment on the charges brought in the complaint. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The Unemployment Insurance Agency, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity has also provided valuable assistance. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Yahkind. Related forfeiture matters are being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Michael El-Zein.


title: Eight Arrested in Multi-Million Dollar Pandemic Relief Fraud Scheme

body_text: DETROIT - Eight residents of Michigan and California were charged for their alleged roles in a $6 million fraud scheme targeting multiple pandemic relief programs, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Joining in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge James A. Tarasca of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Detroit Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Irene Lidlow of the Chicago Region of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brady Ipock of the Central Region of the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General. Deangelo Jackson-Portwood, 40, of Livonia; Anton Greenwood, 37, of Detroit; Adartha Tillman, 39, of Eastpointe; Timothy Boyle, 55, of Los Angeles County, California; Tyrone Boyle, 55, of Los Angeles County, California; Christopher Lindsay, 36, of Detroit; Taurean Davis, 41, of Detroit; and Maurice Brown-Portwood, 33, of Van Buren Township, were charged in an indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to the indictment, the defendants caused fraudulent unemployment insurance claims, fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications, and fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications to be submitted for numerous individuals and business entities. Those applications are alleged to have misrepresented applicant information, including the identity of the applicant and eligibility for relief. Many of the applications were submitted in the names of identity theft victims. According to court records, the defendants received over $6 million in fraudulently obtained funds as a result of the scheme. U.S. Attorney Ison stated: “Today’s indictment alleges a massive scheme to defraud taxpayers across a number of pandemic relief programs. The conduct as alleged is brazen and targeted programs designed to help our nation through an unprecedented public health crisis. My Office is fully committed to prosecuting all of those who lined their pockets at the expense of the public.” "An important part of the mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud involving unemployment insurance programs. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate these types of allegations," said Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. "The defendants arrested today include the leaders of this criminal conspiracy that targeted relief programs during the pandemic," said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Detroit Field Office. "The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue this investigation until those who participated in this scheme are brought to justice." “Providing false information to fraudulently gain access to pandemic relief funds is a theft of taxpayer funds,” said SBA OIG’s Central Region Acting Special Agent in Charge Brady Ipock. “OIG remains committed to rooting out bad actors and protecting the integrity of SBA programs. I want to thank the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.” An indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendants face up to twenty years in prison based on the wire fraud conspiracy charge and a consecutive two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charge. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Small Business Administration, and the Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John K. Neal and Alyse Wu


title: Browning felon sentenced to prison for illegal possession of firearm

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Browning man with felony convictions was sentenced today to 35 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing guns, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Kyle Lynn Brown, 49, pleaded guilty in January to prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. In court documents, the government alleged that beginning in 2022, law enforcement began receiving information that Brown was possessing firearms and dealing drugs on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. In May 2022, law enforcement stopped Brown and found him in possession of a .40-caliber handgun. In July 2022, law enforcement stopped Brown again and found him in possession of a small amount of methamphetamine and a loaded handgun. Brown had a prior federal felony drug conviction and was prohibited from possessing firearms. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Betley prosecuted the case. The FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Dominican Republic National Charged With Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Joel Leovaldo Dominguez, age 35, of Dominican Republic, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury with illegal re-entry into the United States by a previously deported alien. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Dominguez was previously removed from the United States on September 19, 2018, through Alexandria, Louisiana, and it is alleged that he reentered the United States without first obtaining legal permission to do so. The indictment also alleges that on May 17, 2023, Dominguez was encountered in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney William A. Behe is prosecuting the case. Based on his prior criminal history, Dominguez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found # # #


title: Former U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer Sentenced To 36 Months’ Imprisonment For Willfully Retaining Top Secret National Defense Information

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle today sentenced Robert L. Birchum (55, Tampa) to three years in federal prison for unlawfully possessing and retaining classified documents relating to the national defense of the United States. The court also ordered Birchum to pay a fine of $25,000. Birchum pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing and retaining classified documents relating to the national defense of the United States on February. 21, 2023. According to the plea agreement, Birchum previously served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force. During his 29-year career, Birchum served in various positions in intelligence, including those requiring him to work with classified intelligence information for the Joint Special Operations Command, the Special Operations Command, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. While on active duty, Birchum entered into several agreements with the United States regarding the protection and proper handling of classified information. In 2017, however, law enforcement officers discovered that Birchum knowingly removed more than 300 classified files or documents, including more than 30 items marked Top Secret, from authorized locations. Birchum kept these classified materials in his home, his overseas officer’s quarters, and a storage pod in his driveway. None of these locations were authorized for storage of classified national defense information. In particular, the criminal information charges that Birchum possessed two documents on a thumb drive found in his home that contained information relating to the National Security Agency’s capabilities and methods of collection and targets’ vulnerabilities. Both of these documents were classified as Top Secret/SCI, and their unauthorized release could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security of the United States. “The unauthorized removal of highly sensitive documents by the defendant in this case posed great risk to our national security,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. “We are grateful for our law enforcement partners who work diligently to keep our nation safe every day.” “A goal of the FBI’s Counterintelligence program is to protect the secrets of the US Intelligence community. This sentencing illustrates the bureau’s commitment and perseverance in pursuing those individuals who knowingly jeopardize our nation’s security,” said FBI Tampa Special Agent in Charge David Walker. The U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cherie L. Krigsman of the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Evan N. Turgeon of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.


title: Mexican National Charged With Illegal Reentry

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Raul Martinez-Perez, age 48, of Mexico, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury with illegal re-entry into the United States by a previously deported alien. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Martinez-Perez was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in June 1999. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after June 1999 and was found in the United States in Adams County, Pennsylvania after being arrested on state felony charges. This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Miovas, Jr. is prosecuting the case. Based on his prior criminal history, Martinez-Perez faces a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Registered Sex Offender from Beverly Indicted for Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Beverly man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston on a child pornography offense. Robert Miller, 58, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Miller was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint with the same offense on May 3, 2023. According to court documents, this case arose from an investigation of a secure online chat platform often used for, among other things, accessing and exchanging child pornography. Miller was identified as an alleged member of a large-scale group chat trading child pornography on the platform. During a search of Miller’s residence today, approximately 15 electronic devices were seized and allegedly found to contain multiple videos depicting child pornography. In September 2018, Miller was convicted of possession of child pornography in Essex County Superior Court, for which he received a three-year probationary sentence and was required to register as a sex offender in Massachusetts. Due to Miller’s prior conviction, the charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison with a 10 year mandatory minimum period of incarceration, at least 5 years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Beverly Police Chief John G. LeLacheur made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Levy’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Harrisburg Man Charged With Bank Fraud

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Princeton Flagg-Garrett, age 32, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by federal grand jury with committing bank fraud while on federal pretrial release for similar offenses. According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that in 2022, Flagg-Garrett pleaded guilty to committing bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. While he was on pretrial release in that case, Flagg-Garrett is alleged to have obtained employment at Penn State Hershey Medical Center through Allied Universal Security Services by submitting an application that used a false social security number and which omitted Flagg-Garrett’s prior criminal convictions. The indictment alleges that while working at Penn State Hershey, Flagg-Garrett stole more than two dozen checks in the aggregate amount of $167,934.68, which he fraudulently altered to be made payable to himself and third parties who are alleged to have negotiated or attempted to negotiate the checks at banks and credit unions in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. The case was investigated by the Derry Township Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the United States Secret Service -Harrisburg. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian T. Haugsby is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for the charged offense is imprisonment for up to 30 years, up to five years of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Because Flagg-Garrett is alleged to have committed the offenses while under pretrial supervision, he may be subject to additional consecutive penalties if he is convicted. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. ###


title: Illinois Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison

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

body_text: HAMMOND- Levar Tyms, 20 years old, of Country Club Hills, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge James T. Moody after pleading guilty to possessing an unregistered machinegun, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Tyms was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release According to documents in the case, on March 9, 2022, law enforcement attempted to stop a stolen vehicle driven by Tyms in Gary, Indiana. Tyms fled from officers at a high rate of speed and crashed the vehicle. From the vehicle, officers recovered a loaded semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine. The firearm also contained a conversion device known as a “Glock Switch” which converted the semi-automatic firearm to a fully automatic weapon. The machinegun was not registered to Tyms in the National Firearm Registration and Transfer record, making his possession of it illegal. This case is the result of the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force and the Gary Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel L. Mathur and Kevin F. Wolff. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Bangor Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Bangor man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Oliver Terilli , 25, to 60 months of imprisonment followed by four years of supervised release. Terilli pleaded guilty on September 7, 2022. According to court records, in July 2021, Terilli and co-conspirators sold approximately 1,000 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover officer working with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Following the sale, DEA agents arrested Terilli and two co-conspirators on drug trafficking charges. DEA agents also recovered nearly 500 grams of additional methamphetamine that Terilli and a co-conspirator were receiving as part of the transaction. In a series of communications leading up to the methamphetamine sale, Terilli offered to sell firearms along with the methamphetamine to the undercover officer. Terilli identified the firearms as including submachine guns and AK-47s. In July 2021, Terilli was the driver in a one-vehicle accident on I-95 near Clinton. Maine State Police troopers responded and seized multiple firearms from the vehicle, including an AK-47 rifle, two 9 mm pistols, a .380 caliber pistol and a 12-gauge shotgun. Terilli was arrested on state charges of operating under the influence and possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle and was later released on bail. After his release, Terilli reestablished communication with the DEA undercover officer and completed the methamphetamine sale. Co-conspirators Antonio Mazzola and Jeremy Hemingway have pleaded guilty and will be sentenced after the completion of presentence investigation reports by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squad investigated the case, with assistance from the Maine State Police. ###


title: Holly, Michigan Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison After Threatening Bar Patrons with an AR-15-Style Rifle

body_text: DETROIT – A Holly, Michigan man was sentenced to 5 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a weapon after he pointed an AR-15-style rifle at patrons inside the Holly Inn Bar in March 2022, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. Ison was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Joshua Allgeyer, 40, was sentenced by United States District Judge George Caram Steeh after having previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a Springfield Armory Saint AR-15-style rifle. Witnesses told investigators that after Allgeyer left the Holly Inn Bar following a verbal fight inside, he returned with the rifle and pointed it through a side window at patrons inside, causing them to run for cover and fear for their lives. Allgeyer then fled the scene and hid inside his local residence, refusing to exit once officers arrived to arrest him. After a barricade was set up and the SWAT team was called in, Allgeyer eventually exited the residence. Inside, law enforcement recovered the rifle, over 1,000 rounds of ammunition, and seven rifle magazines. Allgeyer had prior convictions for armed robbery and home invasion and had previously served 14 years in prison for these crimes. “This individual posed a great danger to members of our community who were just trying to enjoy an evening at a local bar when he pointed an assault rifle at them. We work continuously to keep dangerous felons off the streets and away from deadly firearms,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “Allgeyer’s reckless disregard for human life has real consequences. The use of an illegal firearm to intimidate people by a previous repeat offender in our community is reprehensible,” said, ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir “The women and men of the ATF are steadfast in their commitment to hold violent felons accountable for criminal misconduct involving illegal firearms.” This case was investigated by the Detroit Field Office of the ATF and by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caitlin Casey and Diane Princ.


title: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Nationwide “Felony Lane Gang” Conspiracy

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Randall Taylor, age 37, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pled guilty today to conspiring to commit bank fraud and to aggravated identity theft. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Putnam County Sheriff Kevin J. McConville made the announcement. Taylor admitted that he was involved in a fraud scheme known as “Felony Lane Gang” between 2019 and 2020. Taylor and his co-conspirators traveled across the country breaking into cars, often targeting those parked by women at health and fitness centers, daycares, and parks. Taylor and other members of the conspiracy stole debit cards, credit cards, checkbooks, and photo identifications in these “smash-and-grab” vehicle thefts, and they used these stolen items to commit bank fraud by recruiting women to impersonate the smash-and-grab victims and cash checks in drive-through bank lanes. The recruited check cashers were almost always suffering from an addiction to controlled substances and were provided payment at least partially in drugs. Taylor admitted that the loss amount from the conspiracy that was foreseeable to him is between $40,000 and $95,000. The charges to which Taylor pled guilty carry a minimum term of 2 years in prison and a maximum term of 30 years, a fine of up to $1.25 million, and a supervised release term of up to 5 years. Taylor will be sentenced on October 2, 2023. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Taylor was one of nine men charged in a 13-count indictment for their roles in the scheme. Keyshawn Arnold, age 25, of Schenectady, New York; Gary Grier, age 37, of Fort Lauderdale; Joshua Mallory, age 37, of Fort Lauderdale; Robert Natson, age 36, of Fort Lauderdale; Terrell McDonald, age 32, of Troy, New York; Tyrone Parker, Jr., age 22, of Fort Lauderdale; and Tyrone Parker, age 40, of Fort Lauderdale, previously pled guilty. The ninth co-defendant is Cedric Lynch a/k/a “City,” a/k/a “C,” age 37, of Orlando, Florida. He is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, and is scheduled to stand trial in federal court in Albany on July 10, 2023. The charges in the indictment as to Lynch are merely accusations, who is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. This case is being investigated by the FBI Westchester Resident Agency of the New York Field Office and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in Albany, Miami, and Salt Lake City, and Resident Agencies in Savannah, Georgia, and Portland, Maine, and from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office, and the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office. Additional assistance was provided by numerous law enforcement agencies, including, within New York, the New York State Police; Columbia County Sheriff's Office; Genesee County Sheriff’s Office; Monroe County Sheriff’s Office; Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office; Warren County Sheriff’s Office; and the police departments of the Town of Bethlehem; Glens Falls; Gloversville; Greenburgh; Greece; and Watervliet; and elsewhere, Connecticut State Police; Florida Department of Law Enforcement; Georgia State Patrol; Illinois State Police; Massachusetts State Police; Broward County, FL Sheriff’s Office; Northern York County, PA Regional Police; Southern Chester County, PA Regional Police; Utah County, UT Sheriff's Office; and the police departments of Auburn, MA; Bath, ME; Biddeford, ME; Bozeman, MT; Brunswick, ME; Caernarvon Township, PA; Chester Township, PA; Cinnaminson, NJ; Darien, CT; East Norriton Township, PA; Easthampton, MA; Greenwich, CT; Lower Moreland Township, PA; Manheim Township, PA; Portland, ME; Portsmouth, NH; Saco, ME; Salisbury, MA; Sanford, ME; Scarborough, ME; Somersworth, NH; South Portland, ME; St. George, UT; Syracuse, UT; Tinicum, PA; Towamencin, PA; Tewksbury, MA; Wakefield, MA; Yarmouth, ME; and York, ME. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. McCrobie, Michael F. Perry, and Paul Tuck are prosecuting the case.


title: Navajo Man Charged with Assault, Firearms Offenses

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Tyrell Willie was ordered detained after he appeared at a preliminary and detention hearing before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on a criminal complaint charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and the use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Willie, 37, is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. According to the criminal complaint, on May 28, 2023, in Shiprock, Willie allegedly drove to the home of a woman he had met on Facebook approximately two weeks before. When he arrived, the woman, identified as Jane Doe in court documents, came out of the residence and sat in the passenger side of Willie’s truck. After a short discussion, Willie allegedly became upset for an unknown reason, got out of his truck, walked to the passenger side, opened the door, and tried to throw Jane Doe out of the truck. Doe threatened to scream if Willie did not let her go, which he did not, so Doe screamed. Doe’s son, identified as John Doe in court records, came out of the residence, grabbed Willie, and threw him to the ground. Jane Doe got out of the truck and Willie got back up, got back into the truck, then drove away, hitting Jane Doe’s and her neighbor’s fence in the process. Jane Doe believed that she observed Willie circling the block twice before he left. About thirty minutes later, John Doe thought he heard the truck approaching, so he went outside. While he was outside, Jane Doe saw Willie’s truck pull up slowly with the lights off. Jane Doe heard gunshots and John Doe yelled. When Jane Doe walked outside, John Doe was holding his midsection. Almost immediately, Jane Doe was able to flag down two marked police officers from the Navajo Police Department and told them what had happened. The officers had been responding to multiple calls reporting a truck driving erratically and causing property damage in the area, had heard the gunshots and had seen Willie’s truck drive by them. One officer pursued Willie while the second transported John Doe to the hospital. The pursuing officers located Willie’s truck stalled on the road and initiated a high-risk stop. Willie stepped out of the truck holding a shotgun. After being given commands to drop the gun, Willie slid the shotgun under the truck. The shotgun was loaded with four shells. A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Willie faces a minimum of ten years in prison. FBI Farmington Agency investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. McGinley is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-119


title: Leader Of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced To 23 Years In Federal Prison

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Uriel Fajardo-Albarran (28, Coleman) to 23 years in federal prison. A federal jury previously convicted Fajardo-Albarran of conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and three other drug distribution counts on January 6, 2023. According to evidence presented at trial, between January 2021 and October 2022, Fajardo-Albarran received large amounts of methamphetamine from sources in Mexico, Texas, and Georgia. He then transported the methamphetamine to the Middle District of Florida, where he used lower-level dealers to distribute multiple kilograms of the substance each week for approximately two years. Fajardo-Albarran had organized the drug distribution network after taking over for another supplier who had been convicted and sentenced to federal prison. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Lake City Police Department, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tyrie K. Boyer and Sarah J. Swartzberg.


title: Two Businessmen Plead Guilty To Wire Fraud Conspiracy For Orchestrating Large-Scale Investment Scheme

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Marlin Hershey, 53, and Dana Bradley, 53, both of Cornelius, North Carolina, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler and pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy for orchestrating a large-scale investment scheme, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall and Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed court documents and the plea hearings, from approximately 2009 to 2021, Hershey and Bradley conspired to defraud numerous victims who invested in two unregistered securities offerings promoted by the defendants, Performance Retire on Rentals, LLC (Performance Retire), and Distressed Lending Fund (DLF). As the defendants admitted in court today, both projects eventually failed causing significant losses to investors. As reflected in court documents, to induce investors to invest their money, Hershey and Bradley provided victims with investment materials for the two securities offerings that contained false and misleading statements and did not disclose material information. For example, Hershey and Bradley failed to disclose that they received commission-like payments based on the amount of investments they sold. In fact, the defendants often provided investors with offering materials that represented the opposite – that nobody would be paid a commission in connection with the investments. Contrary to their statements, the defendants received payments that were typically 10% of an investor’s initial investment and often received an additional payment when an investor extended an investment. In this manner, Hershey and Bradley received hundreds of thousands of dollars in undisclosed payments from the sale of securities. Filed documents also show that, in addition to these payments, the defendants received regular undisclosed “management” fees from Performance Retire and DLF. According to court records, Hershey and Bradley also failed to disclose to investors other material information, including negative information about the defendants’ backgrounds and the financial woes faced by some of the entities for which they were soliciting investments. To the contrary, because the defendants often solicited the same group of investors to invest in the various projects, the defendants took steps to conceal such financial difficulties by making undisclosed loans to various entities so that the entities could, in turn, make their required interest payments to investors. Hershey and Bradley also solicited new investors and used the new investors’ money to repay the loans and to make Ponzi-style payments to previous investors. In addition, the defendants sent to investors periodic performance reports that failed to disclose material information about the status and health of their investments. In 2019, investors learned for the first time that the projects in which they had invested were in financial distress and could no longer meet their significant obligations to investors. After entering their guilty pleas the defendants were released on bond. The wire fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has not been set. In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney King thanked the Securities Division of the North Carolina Secretary of State and the FBI for leading the joint investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Ryan and Taylor Stout, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, are prosecuting the case.


title: Ware County man sentenced to federal prison for methamphetamine distribution

body_text: BRUNSWICK, GA: A Ware County man has been sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine. Jarvis Godwin , 39, of Homerville, Ga., was sentenced to 188 months in prison after pleading guilty to Distribution of Methamphetamine, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Godwin to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “Methamphetamine and other highly addictive illegal drugs deliver devastation to communities, no matter how rural or populous,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “The Ware County area will be much safer with this meth merchant behind bars.” As described in court documents and testimony, investigators from the Ware County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration initiated an investigation of Godwin’s drug trafficking activity in 2020 and documented multiple instances of Godwin selling large quantities of methamphetamine. The investigation culminated in Godwin’s indictment and arrest in September 2022. Godwin pled guilty to one count of methamphetamine distribution in December of 2022 and was scheduled for sentencing in April of 2023. Godwin’s sentencing was delayed after investigators recovered evidence of Godwin’s continued involvement in the illicit drug trade. While in custody pending sentencing, Godwin engaged other individuals, through the use of jail communication facilities, in a conspiracy to import distributable quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana. The investigation resulted in the successful recovery of the illegal drugs before they could be further distributed. Godwin has a long history of criminal convictions for drug offenses. “Driven by greed, the defendant’s trafficking of methamphetamine on multiple occasions was a significant threat to the quality of life,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “As a result, he will have to deal with the consequences with significant time behind bars.” “The sentencing of Jarvis Godwin for methamphetamine distribution underscores our commitment to combating the devastating impact of illegal drugs on our communities. Godwin's repeated convictions for drug offenses demonstrate his disregard for the well-being of our communities, but this outcome will contribute to a safer Ware County area,” said Mike Register, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “We commend the collaborative efforts of the Ware County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and our own investigators for their dedication in bringing Godwin to justice.” The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Ware County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson and Marcela C. Mateo.


title: Drug Dealer Sentenced to 70 Months for Attempted Drug Sale at Arizona Mills Mall

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Steve Lugo Leon, 24, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 70 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Leon pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 40 Grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl. Leon’s co-defendant, Rafael Ivan Valenzuela Chairez, 20, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced on the same day by Judge Snow to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Chairez pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine. During the investigation, DEA agents determined that, on September 15, 2021, Leon arranged to sell fentanyl pills and methamphetamine at the Arizona Mills mall in Tempe, Arizona. Gila River Police Department officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop in the mall parking lot, but Leon, the driver of a Ford F-150, attempted to flee the scene. He collided with a third-party vehicle, causing it to turn on its side. Chairez, the front-seat passenger, attempted to flee on foot and was apprehended by officers. Leon continued to drive until he crashed the truck into a light pole. Agents located 12.83 kilograms of methamphetamine and 946 grams of fentanyl pills in the truck bed. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation in this case with assistance from the Gila River Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00362-PHX-GMS RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-081_LEON # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Jacksonville Brothers Plead Guilty To Federal Child Sexual Exploitation Charges

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Joshua Thomas Brown (28, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to possessing photos and videos depicting the sexual abuse of minors, including prepubescent children. At sentencing, Brown faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Joshua Brown’s brother, Jonathan William Brown (25, Jacksonville), pleaded guilty on March 16, 2023, to downloading and receiving photos and videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children. His sentencing hearing is set for June 26, 2023. Jonathan Brown faces a mandatory minimum term of 5 years, up to 20 years, in prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Both men have been detained since their arrests. According to court documents, in January 2022, an electronic service provider (ESP) documented several incidents involving uploads of child sexual abuse material from a particular online account with the username “Jonathan Brown” and other identifiers traceable to the same name. These uploads had occurred from July 2021 through and December 23, 2021. These ESP reports were forwarded to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office for investigation. This investigation revealed that at least one contraband file had been uploaded to the internet from Jonathan Brown’s residence in Jacksonville. On July 8, 2022, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), together with officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, executed a federal search warrant at Jonathan Brown’s residence, who was at the residence. During the execution of this warrant, agents seized several electronic devices, including computers, cellular telephones, and storage media. During an interview with law enforcement, Jonathan Brown stated that he used his desktop computer to download child sexual abuse materials, had started engaging in this conduct “a long time ago,” and since then has been in a cycle of seeking such materials on the internet, downloading it, and then deleting it. Forensic analysis of Brown’s electronic devices revealed hundreds of files of child sexual abuse materials, including a photo depicting a prepubescent child being sexually abused that Jonathan Brown downloaded from the internet on March 21, 2022. Jonathan Brown’s brother, Joshua Brown, lived at the same residence and was present during the search on July 8, 2022. During an interview with law enforcement, Joshua Brown admitted that a particular cellular telephone that was seized belonged to him and was used only by him. Forensic analysis of this phone revealed that it contained hundreds of files of child sexual abuse material, including a photo depicting a prepubescent child being sexually abused. In total, Joshua Brown knowingly possessed more than 2,100 videos and more than 600 photos depicting children being sexually abused that were recovered from three cellular phones, a gaming computer, an external hard disk drive, and an online file-sharing account. These cases were investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). They are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly S. Karase and D. Rodney Brown. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Lexington Couple Sentenced for Participating in a Darknet Marketplace Drug Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. — Benjamin Norman Joseph Flanigan, 27, and Haleigh Breanne Flanigan, 27, of Lexington, were sentenced to federal prison on Thursday, by U.S. District Judge Karen K. Caldwell. Benjamin Flanigan pled guilty to drug distribution and conspiracy to commit drug distribution and was sentenced to 18 months. Haleigh Flanigan also pled guilty to was conspiracy to commit drug distribution and conspiracy to commit money laundering and was sentenced to 48 months. According to both Flanigans’ plea agreements, they admitted to participating in a darknet market drug trafficking organization, operating under the moniker PartyCrew. The darknet is an overlay of the internet that is only accessible through certain software, configurations, or authorization. Access to the darknet is designed to anonymize the user, and it is mostly used for illicit purposes. Marketplaces on the darknet are used to buy and sell illicit goods and services. The PartyCrew darknet marketplace posting advertised the sale of multiple controlled substances in exchange for cryptocurrencies such as Monero and Bitcoin. For their part, the Flanigans fulfilled orders for controlled substances, by packaging and mailing them through the U.S. mail to customers across the United States. Haleigh Flanigan received payment for her services in cryptocurrencies, which she further attempted to conceal through the use of cryptocurrency anonymizing tools. The prosecution included a third member of the conspiracy, Joshua Cook, who has pled guilty to the same offenses as Haleigh Flanigan and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 25, 2023. It also amounted to a total dismantling of the PartyCrew drug trafficking organization. Benjamin and Haleigh Flanigan pled guilty in February of 2023. Under federal law, the Defendants must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences; and upon their release from prison, they will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge for the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Cincinnati, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Dieruf and Emily Greenfield. – END –


title: Odessa Man Sentenced to Over 21 Years in Prison for Meth Trafficking and Firearm Charges

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: MIDLAND, Texas – An Odessa man was sentenced today to 235 months in prison for meth trafficking and firearm charges. According to court documents, Odessa Police Department detectives surveilled Brandon Mendoza, 35, on Nov. 30, 2022, as he conducted multiple narcotics transactions. Detectives performed a traffic stop on Mendoza and recovered both methamphetamine and a semi-automatic firearm from Mendoza’s truck. Detectives later searched Mendoza’s apartment where they recovered additional methamphetamine, multiple baggies, and scales. In total, detectives recovered four firearms. Mendoza was on federal supervised release for a 2021 firearm charge when he was arrested by the Odessa Police Department in November 2022. As a result, Mendoza was also sentenced consecutively to 24 months for violating his supervised release. In total, Mendoza will serve over 21 years in federal prison. “This defendant demonstrated an inability to comply with the terms of his federal supervised release and continued selling methamphetamine,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “The substantial sentence ordered in this case is reflective of the dangers drug traffickers pose to innocent members of the community, especially when firearms are involved. I appreciate the efforts of our local law enforcement partners, helping us bring yet another trafficker to justice.” The Odessa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Mahoney prosecuted the case. ###


title: KC Man Sentenced to 30 Years for $10 Million Conspiracy to Distribute 1,000 Kilos of Meth

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a nearly $10 million conspiracy to distribute almost 1,000 kilograms of methamphetamine. Joshua A. Brown, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Wednesday, May 31, to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Brown to forfeit to the government $31,108, which represents his proceeds from illegal drug trafficking. On June 27, 2022, Brown pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Sept. 1, 2018, to Nov. 5, 2019. According to court documents, Brown was responsible for the distribution of nearly 3.8 kilograms of methamphetamine during the conspiracy. Brown has also been charged with the murder of a victim identified in court documents as “T.D.” in the District Court of Leavenworth County, Kansas, and that case is currently pending. The body of the victim, who suffered a single gunshot wound to the back of the head, was discovered on March 12, 2019. Brown was arrested on March 26, 2019, after he paid $5,000 to purchase methamphetamine from a co-defendant through an intermediate, who was a confidential law enforcement source. Kansas City, Mo., police officers then arrested Brown in the parking lot of the apartment building where he received the methamphetamine. Brown, who was driving a stolen Volkswagen Jetta, had a loaded Smith and Wesson .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun in his waistband when he was taken into custody. A .45-caliber shell casing recovered at the scene where T. D.’s body was found had been fired through the Smith and Wesson .45-caliber pistol, which had been reported as stolen. Officers searched the Jetta and found a red backpack that contained an Iver Johnson Arms .32-caliber revolver, an Arminus Titan Tiger.38-caliber revolver, and an Iver Johnson Arms .45-caliber revolver, all of which had been reported as stolen. The backpack also contained a blue Nike bag with approximately 735.7 grams of pure methamphetamine and 23.7 grams of marijuana. Brown told investigators he purchased whole kilograms of methamphetamine every few days. Brown admitted he sold methamphetamine by the ounce and made $150 profit on each ounce sold. Brown also told investigators he acquired the stolen firearms through trades for methamphetamine. According to court documents, Brown was under a criminal justice sentence for possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest by fleeing – creating a substantial risk of serious injury or death, and unlawful use of a weapon in the Circuit Court of Platte County, Mo., and possession of drug contraband in prison in the District Court of Ellsworth County, Kan., when he committed this federal offense. Brown has nine prior felony convictions for possession of stolen property, aggravated battery, criminal use of weapons, distribution of certain hallucinogens, possession of drug contraband in prison, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest by fleeing – creating a substantial risk of serious injury or death, and unlawful use of a weapon. Brown also has been convicted of 20 misdemeanor and/or ordinance offenses. Brown is the final defendant among 18 defendants who have been sentenced in two separate indictments that resulted from this investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the FBI, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force. Project Safe Neighborhoods The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: Marathon County Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking & Illegal Gun Possession

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Lawrence E. Lavergne, 41, Wausau, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 9 years in federal prison for distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as a felon. The prison term will be followed by 8 years of supervised release. Lavergne pleaded guilty to these charges on February 14, 2023. On February 21, 2022, Lavergne sold 24 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in a hotel room in Rothschild. Later that day, Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force officers executed a search warrant at the same hotel room. When officers announced themselves at the door, Lavergne leapt out of the second story hotel room window. He was taken into custody and had over $7,000 in cash on him, including $500 in prerecorded buy money from the drug deal earlier that day. A total of 233 grams of methamphetamine were located in the hotel room along with drug trafficking paraphernalia. The day after Lavergne’s arrest, a woman contacted law enforcement to report that there were two firearms at her house in Antigo, Wisconsin that she believed belonged to Lavergne. Officers responded and located a Hi-Point 9mm handgun, a Masterpiece Arms 9mm handgun, two loaded magazines, and a container with 9mm ammunition. Lavergne’s DNA was found on both handguns. Lavergne was legally prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition based on multiple prior felony convictions. The firearms charge was filed in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, then transferred to the Western District when the defendant pleaded guilty. At the time of these events, Lavergne was on state extended supervision in three separate cases, including a case involving drug trafficking and a case involving possessing a firearm as a felon. Lavergne’s supervision has since been revoked in those cases and he has been re-confined in state prison with an anticipated release date of July 16, 2023. Judge Conley ordered that Lavergne’s 9-year federal sentence start today and run concurrently with the remainder of his state sentences. At sentencing, Judge Conley told Lavergne that nothing seemed to have changed since his last federal sentence (a 2011 federal conviction for distribution of crack cocaine) and his conduct now seemed to be worse given the inclusion of firearms. Judge Conley noted Lavergne had four state felony convictions since his prior federal offense. The charges against Lavergne were the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI's Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Marathon County Sheriff's Office, Portage County Sheriff's Office, Everest Metro Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson, Corey C. Stephan, and Daniel R. Humble (Eastern District of Wisconsin) prosecuted this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Father and Son Tobacco Company Owners Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Evade Federal Excise Taxes on Dominican Cigars

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Two tobacco company owners from the Dominican Republic have been sentenced to prison for their participation in a fraudulent scheme to avoid the payment of millions of dollars in excise taxes on imported tobacco products. Remberto Antormachy Estrella Jimenez, 38, and Remberto Andres Estrella Gomez, 64, both of Santiago, were the managing members of Dominican Tobacco Products, LLC—a Florida company that imported tobacco products, including large cigars and cigarillos, from the Dominican Republic through Miami. Dominican Tobacco Products, LLC was authorized by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to import tobacco products. Previously, Estrella Jimenez admitted that he partnered with his co-defendant father, Estrella Gomez, and a California tobacco distributor named Akrum Alrahib to fraudulently lower their costs by underreporting the Federal Tobacco Excise Tax that was due and owing on cigars their companies manufactured and imported into the United States. Over the course of several years, the conspirators consistently evaded taxes by concealing the price Alrahib actually paid for the cigars. Alrahib sent Estrella Jimenez and Estrella Gomez’s companies over $5.6 million in exchange for Dominican cigars, according to the indictment. Estrella Jimenez and Estrella Gomez each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. Estrella Jimenez was sentenced today to a term of imprisonment of eight months. His father, Estrella Gomez, was previously sentenced to a 14-month prison term. In addition to a term of imprisonment, both Estrella Jimenez and Estrella Gomez were ordered to serve an additional term of supervised release and jointly paid more than $1.98 million in restitution. The sentences were handed down by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola in Miami. Alrahib, Estrella Jimenez’s co-conspirator, was charged in a separate case (19-cr-20165). He pleaded guilty, was sentenced to five years in prison, and was ordered to pay $7,207,970.66 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith in Fort Lauderdale. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Administrator Carrie May for Field Operations, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the IRS - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, made the announcement. TTB, IRS-CI, and HSI Miami investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Browne prosecuted it. 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-20006. ###


title: Austin Man Pleads Guilty in Deadly Fentanyl Overdose Case

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – An Austin man pleaded guilty in a federal court in Austin on Tuesday to distribution of fentanyl causing death. According to court documents, David Lee Jr., 46, was identified as a supplier of counterfeit oxycodone tablets and other counterfeit prescription pills in the investigation of the overdose death of an 18-year-old Coupland male. As part of the investigation, a Williamson County Sheriff’s Office investigator purchased eight oxycodone tablets from Lee. A laboratory analysis determined the tablets contained fentanyl, tramadol and florofentanyl. Lee himself initiated a subsequent sale of 1,000 oxycodone tablets to the investigator. The lab analysis from that controlled-buy revealed the tablets contained fentanyl. Other controlled-buys were made from one of Lee’s co-conspirators, Virginia Zepeda. Lee faces a penalty of 20 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Administration Houston Division made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Williamson County Sheriff’s Office and Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Marshall is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Texas Man Who Embezzled Nearly $10 Million From Employer Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – A Horizon City man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison and ordered to pay $9.8 million in restitution for wire fraud. According to court documents, Ricardo Robles, 41, was employed in a position in which he was responsible for purchasing goods from suppliers. His employer would then resell the goods for profit. Robles created numerous sham companies beginning in 2010 and used those sham companies to purchase goods and inflate the prices along with his co-conspirators. On his employer’s behalf, Robles would then purchase from his sham companies and divert portions of those payments to his personal bank accounts. “This case demonstrates the commitment of our prosecutors and our partners at the FBI to deliver justice to those who rob and defraud their own communities,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “These schemes have a devastating impact on businesses, as well as the employees and others who depend on those businesses for their livelihood.” “The defendant violated the trust placed in him by his employer through the multi-year theft of company funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey of the FBI El Paso Field Office. “Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that those who engage in these types of fraudulent schemes will be held accountable. In this effort, one of our most important partners is the public, and we encourage citizens to continue to report corrupt activity to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or call us at (915) 832-5000.” The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Mangels prosecuted the case. ###


title: Farnhamville, Iowa, Man Sentenced to Over 5 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Marcus Urelius, 36, from Farnhamville, Iowa, was sentenced May 15, 2023, to 63 months in federal prison for Possession of Child Pornography. At the hearing, evidence established that between April 2021, and January 2022, Urelius used an Internet-based, peer-to-peer (P2P) network known as “Freenet” to knowingly receive visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Urelius was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 63 months’ imprisonment. He was also fined a total of $20,000 and, given his substantial net worth, ordered to pay $9,500 for the costs of his court-appointed counsel. Urelius was also ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to the victims. Urelius must also serve a 5-year term of supervised released following the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” The case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-3017. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Garner Woman Pleads Guilty to Meth and Heroin Charges

body_text: A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and heroin pled guilty June 1, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City. Brook Paulsen, 40, from Garner, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. At the plea hearing, Paulsen admitted that during the course of the conspiracy, October 2020 through December 2021, she and others participated in the distribution of more than 2.4 kilograms of methamphetamine and over one pound of heroin. Paulsen and a co-defendant admitted they would receive packages of drugs through FedEx and DHL from a source in Mexico to addresses in Minnesota and Iowa for further distribution in Iowa. Other evidence presented showed that on April 28, 2021, she and a co-defendant distributed methamphetamine to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Paulsen was taken into custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Paulsen faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, Wright County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and the Rochester Minnesota Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-3024. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Former KC Bank Manager Indicted for Facilitating Covid Fraud Scheme, Unemployment Benefits Fraud Scheme

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A former bank branch manager in Kansas City, Mo., has been indicted by a federal grand jury for accepting Kansas City Chiefs playoffs tickets and a new Chevrolet Tahoe in exchange for facilitating a $12.4 million Covid fraud scheme by a Jefferson City, Mo., business owner, as well as a separate fraud scheme to receive unemployment benefits. Anthony Omar Brockman, 48, who currently resides in Bennington, Nebraska, was charged in an eight-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo., on Tuesday, May 30. That indictment was unsealed and made public today following Brockman’s arrest. Brockman was the branch manager of the Truman Hospital location of US Bank in Kansas City, Mo., until the COVID-19 pandemic caused the bank branch to close. Brockman was reassigned to US Bank’s Paycheck Protection Program project from April 12 through July 19, 2020. Brockman was then returned to his role as on-site manager at the Truman Hospital bank branch until May 22, 2021. On March 27, 2020, The CARES Act established several new temporary programs and provided for the expansion of others to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these programs, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments. The indictment alleges that Brockman assisted and facilitated fraudulent PPP loan applications for Tod Ray Keilholz, the owner of TRK Construction, LLC, TRK Valpo, LLC, TL Builders, LLC, and Project Design, LLC, in Jefferson City. Keilholz has been charged in a separate indictment for his role in a more than $27.1 million bank fraud scheme that included more than $12.4 million in PPP loans for his businesses. According to that separate indictment, Keilholz received a total of $12,430,932 in PPP loans for his four businesses. In each of those loan applications, the indictment says, Keilholz failed to disclose his ownership in the other three businesses, and made materially false and fraudulent claims in the loan applications and supporting documentation. Keilholz allegedly inflated the income of those businesses and claimed payrolls for employees who did not exist or no longer worked for him. Brockman is charged with two counts of receiving gifts in exchange for assisting Keilholz in procuring those loans. On Nov. 4, 2020, Keilholz allegedly used PPP loan proceeds to pay for a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe that he gave to Brockman. On Jan. 18, 2021, Keilholz allegedly used PPP loan proceeds to purchase tickets to the Jan. 24, 2021, AFC Championship Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills. These gifts, the indictment says, were intended to influence and reward Brockman in connection with Keilholz’s applications for PPP loans and Keilholz’s applications for the forgiveness of PPP loans. The indictment also charges Brockman with one count of money laundering. Brockman allegedly signed an affidavit gifting the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe to Rich Girl, Rich Boy Prep, Inc., a charity of which his wife was the Chief Executive Officer. On May 25, 2021, Brockman transferred the title to the Tahoe to Rich Girl, Rich Boy Prep but continued to drive the Tahoe until he sold it in July 2022. The indictment charges Brockman with five counts of wire fraud related to a scheme to receive $11,040 in unemployment benefits from March 27, 2020, to Nov. 4, 2021, while he was employed by US Bank. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau-Office of Inspector General, the Small Business Administration-Office of Inspector General, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)-Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and IRS-Criminal Investigation.


title: Vallejo Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Money from U.S. Postal Service Truck

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Former U.S. Postal Service employee Edison Small, 42, of Vallejo, pleaded guilty today to theft of government property, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on May 24, 2022, Small climbed inside a trailer that a USPS truck was towing in Vallejo while the truck was stopped at a red light. The trailer is used to transport money and mail. Once inside, Small grabbed a bag and hid it under his shirt. When the truck drove down the street, Small hopped out of the trailer. The bag contained $17,460 in cash, $1,300 in money orders, and $504 in checks. During a search of Small’s apartment, $15,240 was found. This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg is prosecuting the case. Small is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on Sept. 7, 2023. Small faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Marion County Woman Sentenced To More Than 16 Years In Prison For Drug Conspiracy And Firearm Possession

body_text: Ocala, FL – U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Nishera Remon Johnson (42, Silver Springs Shores) to 16 years and 8 months years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute narcotics (including methamphetamine and cocaine) and possessing a firearm as an armed career criminal. Johnson had been indicted on September 2, 2020. She was previously found guilty by a federal jury on June 29, 2022. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on November 26, 2019, pursuant to a search warrant, law enforcement officers searched a vehicle belonging to Johnson and found nearly two pounds of methamphetamine. During the execution of a search warrant of a co-conspirator’s cellphone, agents found evidence of a marijuana grow operation at Johnson’s residence. When that home was searched pursuant to a search warrant on December 16, 2019, agents located numerous firearms and ammunition and nearly half a kilogram of powder cocaine. Agents also located the marijuana grow operation in a shed behind the home. Johnson had been living at the home together with her co-conspirator and her minor child. As a convicted felon, Johnson is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. Furthermore, Johnson’s extensive criminal record—including multiple convictions for the sale and distribution of cocaine—qualified her for a sentencing enhancement as an Armed Career Criminal on the firearm offense. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Ocala Police Department, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Defendant Charged In Connection With Narcotics Manufacturing And Distribution Center

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino III, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and Ivan J. Arvelo, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced today the filing of a Complaint in Manhattan federal court charging JUAN EFREN PAULINO with conspiracy to distribute narcotics and distribution of narcotics. PAULINO was arrested last night in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. Today, PAULINO was presented before United States Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker and detained. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Last night’s seizure not only removed substantial quantities of deadly narcotics from the streets, but it also hit drug dealers in their pockets and potentially saved the lives of countless New Yorkers suffering from addiction. Thanks to the work of our law enforcement officers, another alleged narcotics trafficker’s operation has been disrupted.” DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III said: “This pill mill was a ticking time bomb for New Yorkers. With the amount of fentanyl seized, potentially countless lethal doses were taken off the streets. This multi-million-dollar seizure was in a prime location for distribution as the operation was being pumped out of the basement of an apartment building near major thoroughfares. I applaud the hard work and resolve of the agents and officers who worked on this investigation.” As alleged in the Complaint filed today in Manhattan federal court: [1] On or about May 31, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search of the basement of a residential building located in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. During the course of that search, they encountered PAULINO and large quantities of illegal narcotics as well as manufacturing and distribution equipment used to press illegal narcotics into pill form. In particular, law enforcement officers encountered three commercial-grade pill presses, one commercial mixer, approximately 200,000 pills, and blocks, baggies, and buckets of powder. The following is a photograph of the various substances seized: Although lab testing is pending for the pills and powders discovered during the search, preliminary spectrometry tests reveal that the powders have tested positive for, among other things, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. In post-arrest statements, PAULINO stated that he was in the basement of the building to obtain a sample of cocaine to give to someone. Additionally, a preliminary review of PAULINO’s cellphone, seized upon his arrest, reveals numerous photographs of what appear to be narcotics, including many of the same types of narcotics found during the search. * * * PAULINO, 52, of New York, New York, is charged in Count One with conspiracy to distribute narcotics and in Count Two with narcotics distribution. Both Count One and Count Two carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The statutory minimum and maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the El Dorado Task Force, which is comprised of law enforcement officers from the DEA, HSI, and the New York City Police Department, in connection with this investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maggie Lynaugh is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. u.s._v._paulino_complaint.pdf


title: Dealer of Fake Oxycodone Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Death

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – A Cedar Park man was sentenced in a federal court in Austin last Friday to 20 years in prison for distribution of fentanyl causing death. According to court documents, Jean Claude Meama-Kajue, 29, sold counterfeit Oxycodone containing fentanyl to a male subject in December 2020, coordinating the transaction over a social media app. Emergency Medical Service personnel found the victim unresponsive in his vehicle on Dec. 13, 2020. An autopsy revealed the cause of death to be fentanyl toxicity. Investigators discovered records from a mobile banking app established a pattern of cash transactions between the two men, including a transaction the morning of the victim’s death. As part of the investigation, an undercover officer made four separate Oxycodone controlled-buys from Meama-Kajue between February and April 2021. Laboratory analyses determined the tablets purchased in the investigation contained fentanyl. “Fentanyl continues to be a considerable threat to our communities, ending the lives of our neighbors, friends and loved ones who, in many cases, aren’t even aware they’re taking the drug” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “Thank you to our law enforcement partners for their work on this investigation, and I assure you we will continue to seek justice for fentanyl victims as long as this persists.” “Jean Claude Meama-Kajue’s greed ended an unsuspecting victim’s life and took them away from their family and loved ones,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the DEA Houston Division. “We hope this hefty sentence sends a strong message to anyone treating human lives as dollar bills. We will come after anyone supplying poison to innocent lives and bring them to justice. While we know this prison sentence doesn’t bring the victim back to their family, we hope it provides some closure.” The DEA and Pflugerville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Marshall prosecuted the case. ###


title: Former Chief Financial Officer Of San Francisco Seafood Company Indicted In Alleged $2+ Million Embezzlement Scheme

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO - A federal grand jury has indicted Antonietta Nguyen charging her with five counts of wire fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to embezzle millions of dollars from her former employer, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. According to the indictment filed May 31, 2023, and unsealed earlier today, Nguyen, 55, of Brisbane, is alleged to have stolen approximately $2.7 million from ABS Seafood, a private seafood wholesaler and importer based in San Francisco. Nguyen, a minority shareholder in the company, served as its Chief Financial Officer. In that role, Nguyen allegedly used corporate funds to pay for personal expenses that she charged to credit cards, including her own personal credit cards and a corporate card issued on behalf of the company. The indictment describes some of the illegal purchases Nguyen allegedly made; they include luxury items from such brands as Louis Vuitton, Hermes Las Vegas and Paris, Goyard, Chanel, and Neiman Marcus. In addition, the indictment alleges Nguyen used company funds to pay her state property taxes, college tuition fees for a relative, and personal travel expenses. Further, to conceal her actions, Nguyen also allegedly falsified the company’s accounting records. The indictment charges Nguyen with five counts of wire fraud and aiding and abetting wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution, for each count of wire fraud. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Nguyen was arrested this morning at her home in Brisbane and made her initial federal court appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim. Magistrate Judge Kim ordered Nguyen released on a $250,000 bond. Nguyen’s next federal court appearance is scheduled for July 21, 2023, for a status hearing before the Honorable Susan Illston, U.S. District Judge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sailaja M. Paidipaty is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Megan Pagaduan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. dkt._1_-_indictment.pdf


title: Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison for Enticing Girl To Produce Sexually Explicit Photos

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for enticing a 14-year-old girl to produce sexually explicit photos of herself and a younger sibling. BRANDON T. HANAHAN, 26, of Bridgeview, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal child pornography charges. U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang imposed the sentence Wednesday after a hearing in federal court in Chicago. Hanahan admitted in a plea agreement that in 2016 he communicated on Instagram with the 14-year-old girl and enticed her to take sexually explicit photos of herself and send them to him. Over the next several months, Hanahan repeatedly instructed and enticed the girl, who lived in California, to send him explicit photographs. Hanahan also repeatedly asked the girl to send him sexually explicit photos of the girl’s younger sister, who was less than ten years old at the time. The 14-year-old girl complied with Hanahan’s requests and sent him numerous photographs of herself and the sibling via Instagram private messaging. Law enforcement searched Hanahan’s residence and discovered more than 200 images of child pornography on his electronic devices. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago. Valuable assistance was provided by the Orange County, Calif., Child Exploitation Task Force and the Santa Ana, Calif., Police Department. The government was represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Malgorzata Tracz Kozaka. If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.


title: Stockton Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Selling Methamphetamine through Facebook

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Eliyen Alejandro Alarcon-Flores, 31, of Stockton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to nine years in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Alarcon-Flores was a methamphetamine trafficker based in Stockton who sold up to 30 pounds of methamphetamine at a time. In 2021, an undercover officer arranged to purchase methamphetamine from a Facebook account that Alarcon-Flores had set up under a fake name. After law enforcement had identified Alarcon-Flores’s distribution network, officers arrested Alarcon-Flores and searched his house. During the search, officers seized 13 pounds of methamphetamine. This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force (METRO), the Stockton Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee prosecuted the case. On June 9, 2022, co-defendant Juan Jose Valenzuela-Bustamante was sentenced to 10 years in prison.


title: Mexican National Living in Sacramento Indicted on Fentanyl Charges

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment today against Luis Enrique Vasquez-Lopez, 45, a Mexican national living in Sacramento, charging him with distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, from December 2022 to April 2023, Vasquez-Lopez sold a confidential source at least 40 grams of fentanyl on four occasions. During the investigation, agents identified two privately owned rural properties that Vasquez-Lopez was utilizing to store his drugs. On May 22, 2023, Vasquez-Lopez was arrested and found to be in possession of a kilogram of fentanyl, heroin, and a firearm. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alstyn Bennett is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Vasquez-Lopez faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Korean National Sentenced to 2 Years and 9 months in Prison for “Bust Out” Bank Fraud Scheme in Sacramento Area and Elsewhere

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Hee Soung Oh, 47, a Korean national residing in Southern California, was sentenced today to two years and nine months in prison for bank fraud and bank fraud conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between January 2017 and September 2017, Oh participated in a nationwide check kiting “bust out” scheme in order to obtain cash from banks. The scheme’s participants obtained a real Republic of Korea passport that was altered to bear a new photograph and name, which they used to open bank accounts with a small amount of cash. The accounts were dormant until a time the participants believed the bank would allow the account holder to deposit a check and make withdrawals before the check actually cleared. At that time, the participants wrote checks from a different bank account with non-sufficient funds, deposited those checks into the dormant account, and then withdrew cash from the dormant account before the checks cleared. The participants would access funds by purchasing a money order and then depositing the money order into yet another bank account associated with the scheme. The bust-out scheme resulted in an actual loss of $273,800 to the banks, and a total intended loss of $466,318 based on additional, unsuccessful bust-out attempts. This case was the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey B. Hemesath prosecuted the case. Korean nationals Jong Eun Lee, 48, and Kyung Min Kong, 55, were previously sentenced: Lee to 22 months in prison and Kong to seven years and nine months in prison. Charges are pending against Ki Jang and Bon Soke Hong, who were indicted on Oct. 21, 2021. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Los Angeles County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Conspiracy with Yuba County Man

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pedro Luis Millan, aka Peter Millan, 37, of Montebello, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to sexually exploit a child, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in May 2021, Millan conspired with Brent Hooton, 50, of Marysville, to produce an image of a child under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Hooton produced the image and then sent it to Millan and other users over the Kik messaging app. Millan received that image, as well as additional pornographic images of the same child victim, from Hooton over the Kik app. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case. Millan is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 7, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta. Millan faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. On May 30, 2023, Hooton pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a child and distribution of child pornography and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 12, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.