title: Jury Convicts Pennsylvania Man for Dealing Fentanyl Analogue that Caused Fatal Overdoses in Oregon

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal jury in Portland found a Pennsylvania man guilty today for distributing a fentanyl analogue on AlphaBay, a former darknet marketplace, that caused the overdoses of three people in Oregon, two of whom died. Henry Konah Koffie, 37, of Darby, Pennsylvania, was found guilty on two counts of distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death, one count of distribution of a controlled substance resulting in serious bodily injury, and five counts of distribution of a controlled substance. “Henry Koffie sold illicit fentanyl analogues on the darknet, exploiting profits while risking the lives of many Americans addicted to dangerous opioids. Today, fentanyl can be purchased for less than a few dollars in many American cities. The mass availability of fentanyl in our country is staggering and represents a profound public safety and health threat,” said Steven T. Mygrant, Chief of the Narcotics and Criminal Enterprises Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. “We in law enforcement will continue doing our part to hold fentanyl dealers like Henry Koffie accountable, but we implore all community members to be vigilant in protecting themselves and their loved ones. If you possess pills not dispensed by a licensed pharmacist, assume they are fake and contain a deadly dose of fentanyl.” “Today’s conviction of Henry Koffie for distributing fentanyl on AlphaBay resulting in the overdoses of three people, two of whom died, serves as a reminder of the grave danger posed by the illegal distribution of synthetic opioids,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Using the darknet does not provide anonymity. HSI special agents are highly skilled in conducting investigations that involve darknet markets, cryptocurrency transactions, and other illicit online activities. HSI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and bring to justice those who contribute to the opioid epidemic that has devastated communities across America.” “The conviction of Henry Koffie was possible due to the excellent relationships between federal and local law enforcement in Portland. The United States Postal Inspection Service values our partnerships with the Portland Police Bureau, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Attorney’s Office which led to the conviction of this purveyor of death on a national scale. Koffie’s reckless lack of regard for the lives of others is reprehensible and ends here. We hope this verdict allows the victims and their families to start the healing process,” said Tony Galetti, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Seattle Division. “To see the senseless loss of life through overdoses caused by dangerous and illegal drugs is heartbreaking for families and our community,” said Assistant Chief Art Nakamura of the Portland Police Bureau (PPB). “We hope this verdict is the first step in healing for the families involved. This is a great example of the impact law enforcement can have when they join efforts to combat illegal drugs that are inflicting harm on our communities. Thank you to the Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit and our partners, including Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, Philadelphia Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, United States Postal Inspection Service, Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, and United States Attorney’s Office who worked together to bring justice to the victims and their families.” According to court documents, in just over a year, three Portland residents overdosed on furanyl fentanyl supplied by Koffie, a darknet narcotics vendor known as DNMKingpin and later Narcoboss on AlphaBay. The first victim was a 19-year-old student at Portland State University who, on May 2, 2016, overdosed 30 minutes after ingesting powdered furanyl fentanyl. Paramedics administered Naloxone and breathing assistance to the student, saving her life. Investigators interviewed the student’s source who said he supplied the student with the powdered furanyl fentanyl he purchased from DNMKingpin on AlphaBay. One year later, on May 6, 2017, Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers responded to a fatal overdose of a 27-year-old in southeast Portland. The victim’s roommates told the officers that the victim had ordered fentanyl from Narcoboss on AlphaBay who had advertised the furanyl fentanyl as “China White.” One roommate further told officers that he and the victim had ordered a gram of fentanyl from Narcoboss for $40 and that it had arrived in a USPS priority mail envelope shipped from Philadelphia. Three weeks later, on May 29, 2017, PPB officers responded to a fatal overdose of another 27-year-old who had resided in northeast Portland. Officers located a small vial of furanyl fentanyl in the victim’s residence as well as a notebook containing information on accessing AlphaBay and a Bitcoin wallet. They further located an envelope in the victim’s trash can with a return address in Philadelphia. Between May 25 and June 21, 2017, investigators conducted five controlled buys of powdered fentanyl from Narcoboss. All five orders were fulfilled from addresses in and around Philadelphia. Around the same time, investigators in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania located and identified Koffie’s fingerprints on packages of furanyl fentanyl resembling those shipped to law enforcement in Portland that were purchased from AlphaBay via Narcoboss. Further investigation revealed that between April 6, 2016, and May 23, 2017, Koffie received 14 packages of furanyl fentanyl totaling approximately seven kilograms from distributors in China and Hong Kong. In May and June of 2017, two additional packages shipped to Koffie containing another half kilogram of furanyl fentanyl were intercepted by United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP). It was later determined that Koffie used an online postage company called Stampnik to purchase more than 5,700 postage labels he used to ship furanyl fentanyl throughout the United States, including the labels affixed to parcels seized in Oregon, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. On July 12, 2017, Koffie was charged by criminal complaint in the District of Oregon with distribution of a controlled substance resulting in serious bodily injury or death. Later, on April 21, 2021, he was charged by superseding indictment with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance resulting in serious bodily injury, distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death, and distribution of a controlled substance. The conspiracy charge was dismissed before trial. Koffie faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $10 million fine and three years’ supervised release. He will be sentenced on May 30, 2023, before United States District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman. Koffie is under federal indictment in two other judicial districts. On August 1, 2017, a federal grand jury in the Western District of Pennsylvania returned an indictment charging Koffie with four counts of distributing a controlled substance. On September 20, 2017, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania returned a two-count indictment charging Koffie with distributing a controlled substance and distributing a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a playground. Both cases are pending. This case was investigated by HSI, USPIS, and PPB with assistance from the FBI, Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force, CBP, Philadelphia Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police. It was prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Parakram Singh, and Andrew T. Ho, Assistant United States Attorneys for the District of Oregon. On July 20, 2017, the Justice Department, in partnership with the FBI, United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), HSI and IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), seized and shut down AlphaBay, which, at the time, was the largest criminal marketplace online. At the time of its seizure, AlphaBay had operated for over two years on the darknet and was used to sell illegal drugs, stolen and fraudulent identification documents and access devices, counterfeit goods, malware and other hacking tools, firearms, and toxic chemicals throughout the world. If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org . Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 8am and 11pm Pacific Time daily.


title: Hawaii Man Indicted for Traveling to Oregon to Sexually Abuse Two Children, Sharing Video Recordings of the Abuse Online

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment today charging a Hawaii man with sexually abusing two children and sharing video recordings of the abuse with others online. Benjamin Victor Houghton, 27, of Captain Cook, Hawaii, has been charged with three counts of using a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct and two counts of aggravated sexual abuse. According to the indictment, Houghton is accused of sexually abusing two children under the age of 12 on three separate occasions, video recording the abuse, and sharing videos of the abuse online. On two of the three occasions, Houghton is also alleged to have knowingly crossed state lines, into Oregon, for the purpose of abusing the children. On February 24, 2023, Houghton was arrested in the District of Hawaii and made his first appearance in federal court in Honolulu. He was ordered detained pending transfer to the District of Oregon. Using a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct is punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison with a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence. Aggravated sexual abuse is punishable by up to life in federal prison with a 30-year mandatory minimum sentence. This case was investigated jointly by the FBI Portland and Honolulu Field Offices and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Portland. It is being prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon. An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov . The FBI CETF conducts sexual exploitation investigations, many of them undercover, in coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering and assisting victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced  on Federal Firearm and Drug  Trafficking Charges Stemming  from New Orleans Hotel Shootout

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CLARENCE SANTIAGO , of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Greg G. Guidry to 30 years in jail for his participation in a December 28, 2020, shootout at the Jung Hotel on Canal Street, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. SANTIAGO was sentenced to Counts 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the indictment, which charges him with conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (Count 1); using, carrying and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime (Count 2); conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana (Count 3); and illegally maintaining a drug involved premises (Count 4). This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and New Orleans Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr. of the Narcotics Unit and Elizabeth Privitera, Unit Chief of Violent Crime Unit.


title: Bourbonnais, Illinois, Man Charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

component: Department of Justice

body_text: URBANA, Ill. – A grand jury today indicted a Bourbonnais, Illinois, man, Corey M. Simpson, 38, of the 500 block of Thornberry Court, for allegedly possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl on February 14, 2023. Simpson was arrested in Bourbonnais, Illinois on February 14, 2023. If convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon, the maximum statutory penalty for the alleged crime charged is up to 15 years’ imprisonment. The charge also carries up to a three-year term of supervised release and a possible fine of up to $250,000. If convicted of possessing with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, the maximum statutory penalty for the alleged crime is not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years’ imprisonment, a supervised release period of at least four years, and a fine up to $5,000,000. Agencies participating in the investigation include the United States Postal Inspector Service and the Kankakee Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Sullivan is representing the government in the prosecution. Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.


title: Justice Department Sues to Block JetBlue’s Proposed Acquisition of Spirit

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: The Justice Department, together with Attorneys General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the State of New York, and the District of Columbia, filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today to block JetBlue Airways Corporation’s (JetBlue) proposed $3.8 billion acquisition of its largest and fastest-growing ultra-low-cost rival, Spirit Airlines, Inc. (Spirit). JetBlue and Spirit compete fiercely today on hundreds of routes serving millions of travelers. By eliminating that competition and further consolidating the United States airlines industry, the proposed transaction will increase fares and reduce choice on routes across the country, raising costs for the flying public and harming cost-conscious fliers most acutely. The complaint, filed in the District of Massachusetts, alleges that Spirit’s low-cost, no-frills flying option has brought lower fares and more options to routes across the country, making it possible for more Americans – particularly price sensitive consumers who pay their own fares – to travel. JetBlue’s acquisition of Spirit would eliminate the “Spirit Effect,” where Spirit’s presence in a market forces other air carriers, including JetBlue, to lower their fares. The deal also would eliminate half of the ultra-low-cost capacity in the United States. This will lead to higher fares and fewer seats, harming millions of consumers on hundreds of routes. “As our complaint alleges, the merger of JetBlue and Spirit would result in higher fares and fewer choices for tens of millions of travelers, with the greatest impact felt by those who rely on what are known as ultra-low-cost carriers in order to fly,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Companies in every industry should understand by now that this Justice Department will not hesitate to enforce our antitrust laws and protect American consumers.” “Our complaint alleges that JetBlue’s acquisition of Spirit would particularly hurt cost-conscious travelers,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Ultra-low-cost carriers make air travel possible so more Americans can take a much-needed family vacation or celebrate or mourn together with loved ones. We allege that the proposed merger would lead to fewer seats and higher prices for travelers.” “JetBlue’s proposed acquisition of Spirit eliminates a disruptive, low-cost option for millions of Americans. Whether they fly Spirit or not, travelers throughout the United States benefit from an independent Spirit because where Spirit competes, other airlines – including JetBlue – are forced to compete more vigorously by lowering fares, offering greater innovations, and delivering more consumer choice,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Doha Mekki of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. “This transaction occurs against the backdrop of years of airline consolidation in the United States.” The complaint, which seeks to block the acquisition under Section 7 of the Clayton Act, alleges Spirit has been a particularly disruptive force, growing rapidly, introducing innovative products, and allowing customers to choose which services to purchase, all while charging customers very low fares. Spirit has forced larger airlines, particularly the already-low-cost JetBlue, to compete for customers by introducing unbundled, customizable ticket options and lowering their own fares, allowing more Americans to travel. If the acquisition is allowed to proceed, prices would increase on routes where the two airlines currently compete. This is particularly the case on the over 40 direct routes where the two companies’ combined market shares are so high that the deal is presumptively anticompetitive. As further alleged in the complaint, in the last 10 years, Spirit has doubled its network in size and, before this deal, expected to continue expanding at a quick pace. The acquisition stops this future competition before it starts. The acquisition would also make it easier for the remaining airlines to coordinate to charge travelers higher fares or limit capacity. JetBlue has already partnered with American Airlines, the largest airline in the world, through the Northeast Alliance, which the Department sued to block . Now, JetBlue is doubling down on consolidation, seeking to acquire and eliminate its main ultra-low-cost competitor, depriving travelers of yet another choice. If allowed to eliminate the Spirit option, JetBlue would likely increase prices on every route where Spirit flies today. As a result, travelers who previously preferred Spirit’s lower-price, no-frills service would either have to pay more for amenities they do not want, or may no longer be able to afford to travel at all. JetBlue is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Long Island City, New York. In 2022, it flew over 39 million passengers to approximately 107 destinations around the world, earning about $9.1 billion in revenue. Spirit is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Miramar, Florida. In 2022, it flew over 38 million passengers to approximately 92 destinations in the Americas, earning about $5 billion in revenue.


title: Maryland Man Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Medicaid in a Scheme Involving Personal Care Services

component: Civil Rights - Disability Rights Section

body_text: WASHINGTON – Joseph Tamjong, 51, of Lanham, Maryland, was sentenced today to 20 months in prison for stealing more than $700,000 from the D.C. Medicaid program. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General for the region that includes Washington, D.C., and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Christopher R. Cooper ordered that Tamjong serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. He also ordered him to pay $733,405 in restitution and $396,155 in a forfeiture money judgment. Tamjong pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud on November 28, 2022. Between December 2014 and February 2022, Tamjong was employed as a Personal Care Aide and/or a Participant-Directed Worker providing personal care services to residents of the District of Columbia who needed assistance performing activities of daily living, such as getting in and out of bed, bathing, dressing, and eating. Tamjong submitted false timesheets that claimed he provided these services to Medicaid beneficiaries when, in fact, he did not. Although he committed a bulk of his criminal conduct when he was in the United States, he brazenly caused Medicaid to be billed for approximately 3,400 hours of services that he purportedly provided when he was traveling outside the country. On 156 separate occasions, he claimed he provided 24 hours of services in a single day. In total, he defrauded Medicaid of $733,405, personally receiving at least $395,155 in fraudulent wages from the scheme. Since December 2018, 12 former personal care aides have been sentenced in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for defrauding the District’s Medicaid program. The government urges the public to provide tips and assistance to stop health care fraud. If you have information about individuals committing health care fraud, please call the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General hotline at 800- HHS‑TIPS (800 447-8477) or the D.C. Office of the Inspector General at 800-724-TIPS (800 274-8477). This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, and the District of Columbia’s Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Michon Tart.


title: Maryland Defense Contractor Convicted for Procurement Fraud after Nine-Day Trial

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Cory Collin Fitzgerald Sanders, age 39, of Hagerstown, Maryland, late yesterday on federal charges of wire fraud, false claims, and making and using a false document in connection with his companies’ performance on federal contracts. The guilty verdict was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, of the National Capital Region of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael D. Butler II of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. According to the evidence presented at the nine-day trial, in June 2014 Sanders formed Sandtech LLC, a Maryland limited liability company whose business was the sale of video teleconference equipment to the Department of Defense and other agencies of the federal government. Sanders was the sole owner, agent, and president of Sandtech. Witnesses testified that Sanders obtained contracts with federal agencies for Sandtech to provide telecommunications equipment and services. Sanders caused Sandtech to fail to perform on contracts with the U.S. Department of Labor and the Department of the Army, which terminated the Sandtech contracts for cause. Sanders then formed Cycorp Technologies in 2016 to provide the same type of telecommunication services as Sandtech. The trial evidence proved that from February 10, 2015 through June 30, 2020, Sanders engaged in a scheme to defraud the government by entering into contracts with federal agencies which required Sandtech or Cycorp Technologies to provide new telecommunications equipment which was still under manufacturers’ warranty. The evidence showed that in his communications with federal agency contracting officers Sanders provided false information about the delivery, source, warranty, and/or condition of the electronic equipment provided by his companies, including misrepresentations that the equipment was new and protected by the manufacturer’s warranty, when Sanders knew that the equipment was not new, or was new but not under warranty, or was procured through unauthorized channels. The evidence also showed that Sanders was not authorized to provide certain IT services to the federal government, although he represented to government officials that he was. Further, Sanders provided contracting officials with false information and false documents about the credentials, certifications, and qualifications of Cycorp Technologies. As proven during trial, Sanders provided fabricated and forged documents falsely certifying Cycorp Technologies’ status as an “authorized partner” of two large national telecommunications equipment manufacturers. If true, the certificates would have authorized Cycorp Technologies to buy directly from those companies’ distributors, provide maintenance to their equipment, or re-sell their new and warrantied products. In addition, Sanders submitted invoices on behalf of Sandtech and Cycorp Technologies so that the government agencies he contracted with would pay for deficient or non-existent performance by electronic deposit into business bank accounts. Sanders faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each of 12 counts of wire fraud; a maximum of five years in federal prison for each of two counts of false claims; and a maximum of five years in federal prison for making and using a false document. Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for Sanders on July 14, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Department of Labor – OIG and the NCIS for their work in the investigation and thanked the Army Criminal Investigation Division, and the Offices of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of State, the U. S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Defense Criminal Investigation Service, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Justice for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joyce K. McDonald and Evelyn Lombardo Cusson, who are prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to fight fraud, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud . # # #


title: Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Making a False Statement During the Acquisition of a Firearm in Plaistow

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – William Heredia, 36, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in federal court today to an indictment charging him with one count of making a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced. According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 23, 2018, Mr. Heredia purchased a Smith & Wesson rifle from a federal firearms licensee in Plaistow, New Hampshire. In completing the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) Form 4473, Mr. Heredia stated that he was the actual transferee of the firearm. In fact, Mr. Heredia, who previously worked as an employee of the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services, was buying the gun for an individual whom Mr. Heredia had met when the individual was in juvenile detention. The individual accompanied Mr. Heredia to the firearms store, and Mr. Heredia transferred the Smith & Wesson rifle to the individual that same day. Heredia is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2023. This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Krasinski and Aaron Gingrande. ###


title: Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 45 Months Imprisonment for Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy

body_text: CONCORD – Carlos Ozuna, 51, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 45 months in federal prison for a drug-distribution conspiracy, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today. According to court documents and statements made in court, Ozuna was part of a drug-distribution conspiracy operating in Lawrence, Massachusetts that distributed fentanyl into New Hampshire. The defendant purchased wholesale quantities of fentanyl from another member of the conspiracy, who, in turn, imported the fentanyl from an international source of supply. The defendant was intercepted as part of a court authorized wiretap investigation arranging drug purchasers from the conspirator who was importing the drugs. The interception revealed that the defendant was purchasing approximately one kilogram of fentanyl for further distribution. “Fentanyl distribution continues to be one of the significant problems plaguing our communities” said U.S. Attorney Young. “As this case demonstrates, we will continue to leverage all available methods of detection available to stop the stream of deadly fentanyl into New Hampshire and to prosecute those involved in this drug trafficking.” This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Aframe, John Kennedy and Heather Cherniske. ###


title: Human Smuggler Involved in Hwy 90 Rollover Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – A Perryton man was sentenced today in Federal court in Del Rio to 41 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury or placing lives in jeopardy. According to court documents, Caleb Hernandez, 21, led a U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agent and Kinney County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) deputies on a high-speed chase on Highway 90 near Brackettville, allowing multiple suspected undocumented individuals out of the vehicle at various locations. At one point during the pursuit, Hernandez drove into opposite lanes of traffic and onto the shoulder. He eventually lost control of the vehicle, rolling over and landing upside down. Hernandez and four undocumented noncitizens were removed from the vehicle. Hernandez has remained in custody since March 13, 2021. He pleaded guilty on July 19, 2021. In addition to his prison term, Hernandez was ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration. He was also ordered to pay a $3,000 fine. “This defendant put untold lives at risk by evading law enforcement the way he did,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “Offenders who illegally smuggle undocumented individuals into the U.S. and across this district must never doubt that they will be caught, and that our justice system will see that they are prosecuted.” “Human smugglers have no respect for human life, as demonstrated by this defendant,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of the Western District of Texas. “Those responsible for illegally moving people into and through our country place their personal profit above everything else. They are driven by greed with little regard for the health and well-being of their passengers. HSI is committed to investigating smugglers and holding them accountable for their actions.” HSI, USBP and the KCSO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rex Beasley prosecuted the case. ###


title: Dental office employees charged with COVID unemployment fraud

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA – Two people from the same Morgantown dental office have been indicted for fraudulently collecting nearly $30,000 in COVID-related unemployment benefits. Amanda J. Kincell, 42, of Fairview, West Virginia, and Casey Fike, 39, of Morgantown, were charged today by a federal grand jury with multiple counts of wire fraud. According to the indictments, Kincell and Fike filed for unemployment in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the DeVito Dental office to temporarily close. In May 2020, Kincell and Fike returned to a regular work schedule at Devito but continued to request and receive unemployment benefits. Kincell is accused of improperly accepting more than forty payments totaling $18,350. Fike is alleged to have accepted more than twenty improper payments totaling $10,388. Kincell faces eleven counts of wire fraud while Fike faces six counts. Each count carries a penalty of up to twenty years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine the sentence after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. WorkForce West Virginia investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Conklin is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. “We continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to methodically review every instance where COVID fraud is suspected, whether it’s related to unemployment benefits, paycheck protection loans, or economic injury disaster loans,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “I appreciate the tips provided by the public and encourage their continued submission.” Anyone aware of COVID fraud should report it via email to wvfraud@fbi.gov , by telephone to 304-234-0100, or via regular mail to the U.S. Attorney, P.O. Box 591, Wheeling, WV 26003, Attn: COVID Fraud Unit. An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: District Man Found Guilty of Charges for Shooting a Man in Northeast Washington

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Stefen Farmer, 52, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of the February 2021 shooting of a man on a sidewalk in Northeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department. The verdict was returned today. The Honorable Anthony Epstein scheduled sentencing for June 9, 2023. Farmer, 52, was found guilty following a two-week trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of aggravated assault while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with significant bodily injury, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a license, and lesser included firearms offenses. According to the government’s evidence, on February 25, 2021, the Defendant was sitting in the driver’s seat of a small black SUV parked on the 4400 block of Gault Place, around 6 pm. The victim, a longtime friend of the Defendant’s, walked up to the Defendant’s window and started a conversation. The Defendant repeatedly asked the victim for $2 and the victim said no. The Defendant, upset at the victim’s response, retrieved a gun, stepped out of the car, and shot at the victim from pointblank range three times, as the victim was walking away. Two bullets hit the victim while he was trying to escape the gunfire and he sustained injuries to his hand and leg. The Defendant only stopped shooting because a mutual friend of both men pushed the Defendant back while he was firing the gun. Three days after the shooting, Defendant sent the victim a Facebook message apologizing “for the inconvenience.” This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alec Levy and Omeed Assefi of the Major Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Kern, Paralegal Specialist Antoinette Sakamsa, and Litigation Technology Specialist Lief Hickling.


title: Baltimore Felon Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm in a School Zone and for a Drug Conspiracy

component: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander today sentenced Gregory Santos, age 49, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 102 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for illegal possession of a firearm in a school zone and for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department. According to his guilty plea, on September 17, 2019, Santos was driving in the area of 5 th Street and East Patapsco Avenue. Baltimore Police officers saw Santos roll through a stop sign. When Santos saw the officers, he slammed on his brakes, ending up in the middle of the intersection. Santos then sped through a school zone, failed to stop at a second stop sign, and almost collided with another vehicle as he drove onto the 300 block of Pontiac Avenue, a posted school zone near the Maree Garnett Farring Elementary School. Officers attempted to perform a traffic stop, but Santos did not stop. Santos eventually threw a firearm out of his window in the 3600 block of 5 th Street. Officers recovered a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, which had disassembled after hitting the ground, and 11 9mm cartridges of ammunition. Investigators were able to reassemble the handgun and fire it. Santos admitted he possessed the loaded firearm while he was driving in the school zone. Santos was arrested on a state warrant for illegal possession of a firearm on October 20, 2019. While Santos was incarcerated, he instructed his girlfriend to get narcotics that were in their home and sell them. A search warrant was executed at the residence on November 22, 2019, and law enforcement recovered more than 1,000 grams of powder cocaine and approximately 771.28 grams of fentanyl, as well as items used to mix and package narcotics for sale. Santos admitted that he was conspiring with others to distribute narcotics. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Keelan Diana and Assistant U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Fuchs, who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Former Massachusetts Resident Admits to Methamphetamine Trafficking in Rhode Island

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A former Pepperell, MA, man arrested during an FBI Safe Streets Task Force drug trafficking investigation that led to the seizure of more than 461 grams of pure crystal methamphetamine pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence today to conspiracy and drug trafficking charges, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. According to information presented to the court, Peter Walkovich, 38, was arrested on May 22, 2022, shortly after he drove away from a Cranston residence in a vehicle that was found to contain three backpacks and various other packaging materials that held a total of 461.23 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine. The residence was under surveillance by FBI Safe Streets Task Force agents at the time. Also seized was a total of $21,711 in cash. Walkovich pleaded guilty as charged by way of indictment to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and to a charge of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Walkovich is scheduled to be sentenced on June 15, 2023. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A co-defendant in this matter, Charles Bersch, 38, of Providence, RI, is awaiting trial on similar charges. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr. United States Attorney Cunha thanks the Cranston and Central Falls Police Departments and the DEA for their assistance in the investigation of this matter. The FBI Safe Streets Task Force consists of agents and law enforcement officers from the FBI, Rhode Island State Police, the Providence, Cranston, Woonsocket, Pawtucket, West Warwick, and Central Falls Police Departments, and the U.S. Marshals Service. ###


title: MPD Sergeant Charged with Federal Civil Rights Violation  and Second-Degree Murder

body_text: Defendant Appeared in Federal Court Today WASHINGTON – A federal indictment was unsealed today charging MPD Sergeant Enis Jevric, 41, with a federal civil rights violation and second-degree murder. The charges stem from Jevric’s August 25, 2021, fatal shooting of An’Twan Gilmore, 27, in Northeast Washington, D.C. Jevric appeared this afternoon before the Honorable Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. As alleged in count one of indictment, the defendant, while acting under the color of law, willfully deprived Gilmore, 27, of his right to be free from the use of excessive force. Specifically, the defendant used his MPD-issued firearm to shoot and kill Gilmore. Count two charges Gilmore with violating federal law by using a firearm to commit second-degree murder. Finally, count three charges the defendant with murder in the second-degree, in violation of D.C. Code. The alleged offenses carry a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. “We thoroughly investigate every incident where one of our fellow citizens dies during an interaction with law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, in announcing the indictment. “We have found that most officers use force only when necessary. In these investigations, we follow the evidence and the law. In the overwhelming majority of these cases, criminal charges would not be appropriate. But when an officer willfully disregards the safety of a citizen he is sworn to protect, he violates the trust placed in him by virtue of his badge. Today’s indictment reinforces that we will hold officers who commit civil rights violations accountable.” “Law enforcement officers take an oath to serve and protect our communities, and should be held to the highest standards,” said David Sundberg, Assistant Director in Charge the FBI Washington Field Office. “This investigation demonstrates the FBI’s unyielding commitment to pursuing justice for those whose fundamental rights have been breached.” This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Resolves Disability Discrimination Investigation of Bark Bark Wag Dog Rescue

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT –The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan resolved its investigation of Bark Bark Wag, a local dog rescue organization based in Livonia, Michigan. The complainant alleged that her adoption application was denied based on stereotypes concerning her use of a wheelchair, leaving her feeling “dehumanized.” The settlement agreement between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Bark Bark Wag requires the dog rescue to fully comply with the non-discrimination requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The ADA protects the rights of all individuals, regardless of disability, to fully and equally enjoy the benefits and services offered by places of public accommodation, which includes dog rescues. The settlement agreement emphasizes the organization’s commitment to ADA compliance going forward and requires Bark Bark Wag to adopt ADA policies to ensure that the adoption process does not improperly screen out or scrutinize individuals who have disabilities. Under the terms of the settlement, Bark Bark Wag must train its volunteers on ADA policies and practices and report any future complaints from individuals who have disabilities to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Bark Bark Wag must also provide a copy of its non-discrimination policy to all current and future rescue organizations with which it is affiliated. “All too often, discrimination comes in the form of implicit bias, stereotypes, or assumptions. Here, an individual was judged not by her actual ability to safely care for the pets she hoped to adopt, but by her perceived inability to do so,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “My office will continue to enforce the civil rights of our all of our citizens, including those who have disabilities.” The investigation was led by AUSA Michael El-Zein of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, a member of the Civil Rights Unit. The full and fair enforcement of the ADA is a priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. The Civil Rights Unit was established in 2010 with the mission of prioritizing federal civil rights enforcement. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, including a copy of the agreement, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmi/programs/civil-rights . Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination or have experienced a civil rights violation can submit a complaint with the U.S. Attorney’s Office by email at usamie.civilrights@usdoj.gov or by phone at (313) 226-9151. Complaints can also be submitted to the Civil Rights Division through its complaint portal .


title: Statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the Attack on Four American Citizens in Matamoros, Mexico

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department today issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the attack on four American citizens in Matamoros, Mexico: “Last Friday, four Americans were attacked in Matamoros, Mexico. In the wake of the attack, the FBI immediately contacted our Mexican law enforcement and security partners in an effort to locate the victims. “The FBI has confirmed that two of the Americans were killed and another injured. The two surviving Americans are now receiving medical treatment in the United States. “I want to offer my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims of this heinous attack. The Justice Department will be relentless in pursuing justice on their behalf. “We will do everything in our power to identify, find, and hold accountable the individuals responsible for this attack on American citizens.”


title: Maryland MS-13 Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Participating in a Racketeering Conspiracy, Including Two Murders

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – Franklyn Edgardo Sanchez, a/k/a “Freddy,” “Magic,” “Miclo,” and “Delinquente,” age 26, of Adelphi, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to his participation in a racketeering conspiracy, including two murders, related to his activities as part of the MS-13 gang. The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department. According to court documents, La Mara Salvatrucha gang, also known as “MS-13,” is an international criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, with members operating in the State of Maryland, including Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Frederick County, and throughout the United States. In Maryland and elsewhere, MS-13 members are organized in “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region. MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence, both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang and against rival gangs. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increases the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to promotion to a leadership position. As detailed in the plea agreement, from at least August 2018 through July 2021, Sanchez was a member and associate of Weedams Locos Salvatrucha, (WLS) an MS-13 clique operating primarily in Adelphi, Maryland. On February 23, 2020, at the direction of an MS-13 leader, Sanchez and a co-defendant MS-13 member, shot and killed Victim 1, a former WLS member, in retaliation for the victim’s suspected cooperation with law enforcement. According to the plea agreement, Victim 1 sat for interviews with local police following a robbery he committed with a fellow WLS member. Victim 1’s co-defendant pleaded guilty prior to Victim 1’s murder. In the weeks prior to the murder, Victim 1 had been in touch with WLS members over social media, text messages and voice calls. Records show that WLS members told Victim 1 that if he met with gang members to make amends, his cooperation would be forgiven. Victim 1 was instructed to wait on the side of a road at a location in or near Adelphi, Maryland, on February 23, 2020. A junior WLS member drove Sanchez and f Sanchez’s co-defendant to the location, where they picked up Victim 1. They drove to a location in or near Hyattsville, Maryland. Sanchez, his co-defendant, and Victim 1 got out of the car and walked into a wooded area, where Sanchez and the co-defendant shot Victim 1. Victim 1 died from his gunshot wounds. As a result of his participation in the murder, Sanchez was promoted within the hierarchy of MS-13. On August 8, 2020, WLS members, including Sanchez, were gathered at a park in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Sanchez and several of the WLS members agreed to the murder of Victim 4, who was suspected of cooperating with law enforcement and to whom Sanchez owed a debt. After driving to a nearby wooded area, a WLS leader called Victim 4 and told him to come to the wooded area to participate in a disciplinary beating of Sanchez. In reality, as Sanchez knew, the gang intended to murder Victim 4. Sanchez was armed with a revolver, and a second revolver was given to another MS-13 member to participate in the murder. When Victim 4 arrived, Sanchez and the other MS-13 member each fired multiple shots at Victim 4, causing Victim 4 to fall to the ground. Sanchez then pistol-whipped Victim 4 and stabbed him with a knife. WLS members dragged Victim 4’s body to a stream and left it there. As he was leaving the woods, Sanchez noticed he was bleeding and became concerned that his DNA was left on the body. To prevent the discovery of DNA or other evidence and to hinder the investigation and prosecution of Victim 4’s murder, other WLS members were called and ordered to bring shovels to the wooded area, where they dug a hole and buried Victim 4’s body. Victim 4’s body was later recovered with a bullet wound to the head. Sanchez also participated in money laundering by transferring gang funds to MS-13 members and associates in El Salvador. Sanchez knew the money he transferred was the proceeds of the gang’s extortion activities The government and the defendant have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea, Sanchez will be sentenced to 28 years in federal prison. Sanchez will also be required to pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, including any funeral costs incurred by Victim 1 and Victim 4’s estates. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has scheduled sentencing for May 19, 2023. Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. United States Attorney Barron and Assistant Attorney General Polite commended the FBI, HSI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Montgomery County Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo, and Trial Attorneys Brendan Woods and Christopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Illinois Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Trafficking Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Martell Mitchum, 36, Chicago, Illinois was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 5 years in federal prison for possessing over 50 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Mitchum pleaded guilty to this charge on November 22, 2022. On June 30, 2020, a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper located a vehicle that had crashed in a construction zone on Interstate 39/90 in Madison, Wisconsin. Mitchum was identified as the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. A trooper searched the vehicle after smelling marijuana coming from Mitchum and from inside the vehicle. The trooper found a loaded Glock 43X handgun, a bag of methamphetamine, and multiple baggies of marijuana in a safe on the front passenger seat; a loaded magazine on the steering column; body armor on the front passenger floorboard; and additional bags of methamphetamine and marijuana, digital scales, and three cases of 9mm ammunition were located elsewhere in the car. In total, 106 grams of methamphetamine and almost 5 pounds of marijuana were seized. Subsequent laboratory testing determined that Mitchum had marijuana in his system at the time of his arrest. At sentencing, Judge Conley highlighted the dangerous nature of Mitchum’s conduct, which involved possessing a loaded firearm, body armor, and a large quantity of drugs all while driving under the influence of marijuana. The charge against Mitchum was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin State Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.


title: Inmate Sentenced To Five Months In Prison For Possessing Prohibited Objects

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dewey Sims, age 34, an inmate at FCI-Schuylkill, was sentenced on March 3, 2023, to five months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for possessing prohibited objects. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Sims previously pleaded guilty to possessing quantities of oxycodone hydrochloride, a Schedule II controlled substance, and suboxone, a Schedule III controlled substance. Both items are prohibited objects for federal inmates. The sentence will run consecutive to the sentence Sims is currently serving. The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Assistant United States Attorney James Buchanan prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Former Penn Hill Man Charged with Child Sexual Exploitation Charges

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH – A former resident of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity, Production of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, and Distribution of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The seven-count Superseding Indictment, returned on March 7, 2023, named Kaung Myat Kyaw, age 23, as the sole defendant. According to the Superseding Indictment, during various periods between August 9, 2020 and September 2021, Kyaw enticed and coerced five minor victims, using the Internet and a cellular telephone service, to engage in sexual activity for which he could be charged with a criminal offense. Additionally, Kyaw is charged from the end of April 2021 through September 2021, with producing and attempting to produce material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, and then on September 22, 2021, with distributing the material to another individual in Texas. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years in prison and up to life, a fine of $1,500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Kyaw was arrested on November 18, 2021, by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was detained pending trial. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Fairfax County, Virginia Police Department, the Wright County, Minnesota Sheriff’s Office, and other local police departments conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment in this case. A superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 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.justice.gov/psc .


title: Emsworth Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Attempted Enticement of a Minor for Sex

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Emsworth, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervision on his conviction of Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Thomas Kastory, 32. According to information presented at the change of plea hearing and in the criminal complaint and indictment, from on or about April 12, 2022, and continuing thereafter until on or about May 29, 2022, Kastory used a facility and means of interstate commerce, specifically the Internet and a cellular telephone network, to knowingly attempt to persuade, induce, entice or coerce an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years to engage in sexual activity. Specifically, after chatting with an undercover agent posing as a 14-year-old child for more than a month over his cell phone and the internet in an effort to entice the purported child to have sex, Thomas Kastory boarded a bus on May 29, 2022, to travel to meet the child where he expected to return to the child’s residence to engage in unlawful sexual activity. Kastory, believing that the child’s parent was out of town and that the child would be alone, brought condoms, lubricant, and a sex toy with him for his anticipated sexual encounter with the child. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin J. Risacher prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the criminal conviction in this case.


title: Former Pain Management Doctor Sentenced for Health Care Fraud

body_text: PITTSBURGH - A former physician was sentenced in federal court today following his conviction for health care fraud, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy sentenced John Keun Sang Lee, age 80, to five years of probation. Lee also was ordered to pay restitution totaling $417,960.51 to Medicare and Medicaid, as well as a fine of $50,000. Lee already had forfeited his Drug Enforcement Administration number and Pennsylvania state license to practice medicine prior to the sentencing hearing. According to information presented to the court, between in and around May 2016 to in and around October 2020, Lee, a physician who owned a pain management practice, Jefferson Pain and Rehabilitation Center, knowingly and willfully submitted claims for steroid injections to Medicare and Medicaid that were neither reasonable nor medically necessary. According to former patients and employees, Lee required patients to submit to steroid injections, even when patients reported that the injections were not helping but rather causing them more pain and other injuries. Lee also instructed employees to withhold patient medication if patients objected to the injections. In order to justify billing insurance companies for the medically unnecessary injections, Lee directed staff to use templates indicating that patients received 80% relief from prior pain injections. Assistant United States Attorney Karen Gal-Or prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. The investigation leading to the filing of charges in this case was conducted by the Western Pennsylvania Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit (OFADU). The Western Pennsylvania OFADU, led by federal prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, combines the expertise and resources of federal and state law enforcement to address the role played by unethical medical professionals in the opioid epidemic. The agencies which comprise the Western Pennsylvania OFADU include: Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General – Bureau of Narcotic Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Attorney’s Office – Criminal Division, Civil Division and Asset Forfeiture Unit, Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General, Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations, U.S. Office of Personnel Management – Office of Inspector General and the Pennsylvania Bureau of Licensing.


title: Birmingham Attorney Sentenced to More than Eight Years in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: Birmingham, Ala. – A federal judge sentenced a Birmingham attorney today for possession of child pornography announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples. U.S. District Court Judge Annemarie Axon sentenced Chase Tristian Espy, 36, of Vestavia, to 97 months in prison followed by 20 years supervised release. Espy pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in October 2022. Espy was also ordered to pay additional special assessments of $15,000.00 pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act and $5,000.00 pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. Assessments collected under these statutes are used to fund and enhance victim services. Espy was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal. "No one is above the law, and today's sentence sends a message to anyone who preys on innocent children. We will use every tool available to us to investigate and prosecute those who target children for abuse," U.S. Attorney Escalona said. "I commend the hard work and commitment of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to bring this defendant to justice." In October 2022, Espy pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography arising out of events that occurred from March 2021 to August 2021. Court documents reveal that the investigation was initiated when Espy engaged in online chats with an undercover law enforcement officer whom Espy believed was a 15-year-old girl. Upon being arrested, Espy’s cell phone was seized, and a search warrant was obtained. From this search, approximately 69 videos and four images of child sexual abuse material were found. The FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTTF), the Homewood Police Department, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) participated in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Leann White and Jonathan Cross are prosecuted the case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: ST. THOMAS MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE 87 KILOGRAMS OF COCAINE

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

body_text: ST. THOMAS, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Yefri Martinez Herrera, 30, of St. Thomas, pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller to conspiracy to possess cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, in January 2022, Martinez Herrera brokered 200-kilogram cocaine deal with individuals later revealed to be a confidential source and an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agent. On February 2, 2022, Martinez Herrera agreed to sell the undercover agent 86 kilograms of cocaine, as part of that 200-kilogram deal. Federal agents later executed a search warrant on Martinez Herrera’s home in Frenchtown where 87 kilograms of cocaine and a Glock pistol were seized. Martinez Herrera was taken into custody after agent found him hiding inside a bedroom closet. This case is being investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigation Air Marine Operations, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Postal Inspection Service, Puerto Rico Police Department and Virgin Islands Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith Edwards.


title: Federal Inmate Who Trafficked Cocaine While Incarcerated Sentenced to 5 More Years

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that REINALDO COLON OLIVERAS, also known as “Chucho,” 38, formerly of Kissimmee, Florida, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 78 months of imprisonment, followed by eight years of supervised release for arranging cocaine shipments to Connecticut while incarcerated in federal custody. According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force of a drug trafficking network led by Landdy Rodriguez of Waterbury. In the summer of 2021, investigators intercepted phone calls during which Colon, while incarcerated in a federal prison in Atlanta and using a smuggled cell phone, arranged the shipment of cocaine to both Rodriguez and Thomas Marra of Ansonia. Rodriguez and Marra further distributed the drug to a networks of associates. In 2015, Colon was sentenced in the District of Puerto Rico to 168 months of imprisonment for narcotics conspiracy, firearm possession and money laundering offenses related to his role as an enforcer for a drug trafficking organization that operated in Puerto Rico and Florida. Judge Hall ordered 60 months of the 78-month sentence to run consecutively to Colon’s prior sentence, which was scheduled to conclude in 2027. On November 2, 2021, a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Colon, Rodriguez, Marra and others with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Colon pleaded guilty to the charge on December 1, 2022. Rodriguez and Marra have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police and the Waterbury Police Department. The Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Danbury, Milford, Norwalk, Stamford and Stratford Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth L. Gresham, John T. Pierpont, Jr., and Brendan J. Keefe through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Wilmington Gang Member Gets More than Nine Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Felon

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – Tyzheem Nixon, 27, of Wilmington, was sentenced on Friday to 114 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Nixon is a validated member of the Bloods street gang. He pled guilty to the charge on September 15, 2022. “We are working closely with our law enforcement partners at every level to put violent criminals behind bars,” said Michael Easley. “If you are a felon in possession of a firearm, we will bring federal charges that carry significant penalties.” “Disrupting drug trafficking networks has a significant impact on reducing violent gun crime”, said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “Through collaborative efforts, we are stopping the gang members and drug traffickers responsible for violent crime in our communities.” “Mr. Nixon is a career criminal and validated gang member with a very violent history,” said District Attorney Ben David. “Removing him from our community for the next decade is exactly why we invest in this partnership.” According to court documents and other information presented in court, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office received information in late November of 2020, that Nixon was among those involved in a shooting in the Wilmington area. At the time, Nixon was on post supervision release and was believed to have removed his ankle monitor. On December 17, 2020, the United States Marshal’s Service (USMS) Fugitive Task Force received information regarding Nixon’s location. The USMS and sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop on a car in which Nixon was a passenger. During a search of the car, law enforcement found a loaded handgun with a large capacity magazine. Nixon has prior felony convictions for discharging a weapon into an occupied property and assault with a deadly weapon (2014). Nixon was on post supervision release for these charges at the time he committed this federal offense. Nixon is also facing charges for felonious possession of a weapon by a prisoner after allegedly possessing a handmade shank while being held at the New Hanover County Detention Center. This is part of operation “Golfer” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Offices investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-CR-00104-D. ###


title: Houma Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act, the Federal Gun Control Act, and Assaulting a Federal Officer

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSHUA BOGEN , age 31, a resident of Houma, Louisiana, pled guilty on March 1, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the commission of a drug trafficking offense, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii), felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1), and assaulting a federal officer, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(b), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, on October 18, 2021, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents received information that BOGEN, a convicted felon, would be transporting approximately two pounds of crystal methamphetamine from Houma, Louisiana to a residence on Pauger Street in New Orleans to conduct a drug deal. Upon arriving at the Pauger Street residence, BOGEN got out of his vehicle carrying a large bag containing 1009.9 grams of pure methamphetamine and a Glock Model 26 Gen 4, nine-millimeter semi-automatic handgun with a round in the chamber. DEA agents then turned on their surveillance unit’s flashing blue lights and began to exit the vehicle. Immediately after an agent opened their door, BOGEN brandished his handgun and pointed it directly at one of the agents. Agents took cover at the rear of the vehicle and one shot was fired in BOGEN’s direction. BOGEN , who was not wounded, immediately threw the handgun and the large bag of methamphetamine over the fence adjacent to the driveway of the residence and surrendered. For possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, BOGEN faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. For brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the commission of a drug trafficking offense, BOGEN faces a statutory minimum sentence of seven years of imprisonment, up to life, to run consecutive with any other sentence, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release. For being a felon in possession of a firearm, BOGEN faces up to ten years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years supervised release. For assaulting a federal officer, BOGEN faces up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years supervised release. For each of the four counts, BOGEN faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Laplace Man Sentenced for Violating the Federal  Controlled Substances Act

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LENDELL WALLACE , age 39, a resident of LaPlace, Louisiana, was sentenced on March 2, 2023, to 12 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier, after pleading guilty to a two-count indictment which charged him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute tramadol and possession with intent to distribute tramadol, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(E), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, 800 dosage units of tramadol were seized from WALLACE’s residence pursuant to a search warrant. The investigation revealed that on multiple occasions WALLACE had tramadol mailed to his home from Singapore. He then distributed and conspired with others to distribute the tramadol. This case was investigated by St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, and United States Customs and Border Protection. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Violating the Federal Gun Control Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – PAUL THOMAS , age 34, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on March 2, 2023 by United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of the Federal Gun Control Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. THOMAS had previously admitted to possessing a Glock pistol with an extended magazine and an AR-15 style rifle with double drum magazines at an auto-body shop he operated on Clark Street in New Orleans. New Orleans Police Department officers had conducted a search of the shop during a murder investigation. The officers found a .357 handgun, four rifles, a shotgun, four Glock .40 caliber handguns, several magazines, three digital scales, and various cell phones. Judge Fallon sentenced THOMAS to 49 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by three years of supervised release after his term of imprisonment. Judge Fallon also ordered THOMAS to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 and ordered that the guns he had possessed be forfeited to the United States. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced  on Carjacking and Weapons Charges

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that defendant, RICHARD JONES, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on February 28, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Greg G. Guidry to a total term of 180 months. As to Counts 1, 3, and 6 of the indictment pending against him, the Court sentenced JONES to 120 months of imprisonment, to be served concurrently with each other. As to Count 2, JONES was sentenced to a term of 60 months, to be served consecutively to the terms imposed for Counts 1, 3, and 6. Additionally, upon release from imprisonment, Judge Guidry ordered that JONES be placed on supervised release for a term of 5 years, consisting of 3 years as to each of Counts 1, 3, and 6 and 5 years as to Count 2, such terms to run concurrently. Finally, JONES was ordered to pay a total $400 mandatory special assessment fee for Counts 1, 2, 3, and 6 of the six-count indictment. Count One charged JONES with carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1). Count Two charged JONES with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, that is, a carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A). Count Three charged JONES with burglary of a federal firearms licensee, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(u). Finally, Count Six charged JONES with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g) and 924(a)(2). JONES pled guilty to a carjacking which occurred on April 16, 2020, in New Orleans, LA. after admitting that he and a co-defendant, while armed with a firearm, took the vehicle from the victim. Additionally, on April 17, 2020, deputies with St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at C&S Gun Parlor in Covington, LA, a federal firearm licensee, and discovered that a truck had rammed the front entrance. Surveillance video footage revealed that a pick-up truck had driven through the entrance of the business. Thereafter, three individuals were seen, exiting the vehicle and throwing forty-five weapons that they had stolen from the store into the bed of the truck. JONES was identified as one of these participants. Eventually, JONES was arrested in New Orleans and found to be in illegal possession of a firearm. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the New Orleans Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Department, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Four Members of Conspiracy that Trafficked Methamphetamine from California into Evansville Sentenced to a Total of 50 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: EVANSVILLE- Seroy A. Mobley, 38, of Evansville, Indiana, was sentenced to 200 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and illegally possessing a firearm. He was the leader of the methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, and the last of its four members to be sentenced. According to court documents, between January and June of 2018, Seroy Mobley, Carl Kirkland, Seneca Binder, and Eric Wilkerson conspired to deal methamphetamine in Southern Indiana and Northern Kentucky. Mobley was the leader of the conspiracy, obtaining large amounts of methamphetamine from his source of supply, Kirkland. Kirkland shipped the meth from California to Evansville via U.S. mail. Mobley then distributed the narcotics to Binder and Wilkerson, who were mid-level distributors in the Evansville and Whitestown, Kentucky communities. During the execution of a search warrant at Mobley’s Evansville residence, Evansville Police Department officers located a .38 caliber revolver, two digital scales, and 384 grams of meth in an infant’s room. Mobley is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his previous state conviction for cocaine possession and federal conviction for armed drug trafficking. Mobley was released from federal prison for his prior conviction on June 25, 2015, and was still on federal supervised release when he was arrested for his role in the January 2018 conspiracy. In total, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Evansville Police Department seized 25 pounds of methamphetamine and a .38 caliber revolver involved in the conspiracy. As of today, all four defendants have been sentenced as follows: Defendant Offenses Sentence Seroy Mobley, 38, of Evansville, IN Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine Illegally possessing a firearm 16.6 years’ imprisonment 5 years supervised release 3 years’ license revocation Carl Kirkland, 57, of Antioch, California Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine 10 years’ imprisonment 5 years supervised release Seneca Binder, 41, of Evansville, IN Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine 10 years’ imprisonment 5 years supervised release Eric Wilkerson, 41, of Whitestown, Kentucky Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine 15 years’ imprisonment 5 years supervised release Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement. “The methamphetamine ravaging our families and neighborhoods doesn’t come from nowhere,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Drug traffickers like those convicted in this case bring this poison from thousands of miles away and pump it onto our streets. We will continue to work with our partners at the DEA and Evansville Police Department to dismantle these meth trafficking conspiracies and hold them accountable.” The DEA investigated this case with valuable assistance provided by the Evansville Police Department. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young. Judge U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lauren M. Wheatley, who prosecuted this case. Previous release here . ###


title: Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Conspiracy

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Larry Wayne Legg, 55, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Legg admitted to obtaining quantities of methamphetamine from co-defendant Justin Allen Bowen over several months prior to December 5, 2022. Legg further admitted to selling the methamphetamine with co-defendant Kimberly Dawn Legg out of their Lotus Drive residence in Charleston. Larry Wayne Legg would typically weigh the methamphetamine for individual sales and Kimberly Dawn Legg would handle the money. The two shared a cell phone to arrange obtaining additional quantities of methamphetamine from Bowen. On December 5, 2022, law enforcement officers searched the Lotus Drive residence and found approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine. Larry Wayne Legg admitted to receiving the methamphetamine from Bowen and further admitted that he intended to sell the methamphetamine with Kimberly Dawn Legg. Larry Wayne Legg is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. Bowen pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on February 23, 2023. Bowen and Larry Wayne Legg were indicted along with Kimberly Dawn Legg, Jasper Wemh, Richard Allen Bowen, McKenzie Bowen, Nicholas Bradford Confere, and Stanley Aaron Burkes. The remaining defendants are scheduled for trial on April 25, 2023. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the Charleston Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy B. Wolfe and Nowles Heinrich are prosecuting the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-4. ###