title: Texas Man Sentenced to Prison for Wire Fraud Conspiracy

body_text: A Texas man was sentenced today to 65 months in prison for wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. According to court documents, Ryan Shern, 34, of Kyle, participated in a conspiracy to use stolen identity theft information to seek fraudulent tax refunds from the IRS in the names of unsuspecting taxpayers. From 2016 through 2019, to facilitate access to the payments, Shern allowed co-conspirators to direct such refunds to his and his wife’s personal bank accounts and to prepaid debit cards he purchased and controlled. Shern used a portion of the tax refunds to purchase money orders and luxury goods for himself. On at least one occasion, Shern used a copy of a false tax return filed using stolen identifying information to persuade the bank that it should release to his account a fraudulent refund totaling more than $250,000. Shern also wired, or directed his wife to wire, funds to co-conspirator bank accounts. In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel ordered Shern to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $726,165 in restitution to the United States. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Mitchell T. Galloway, Robert A. Kemins and Mary Frances Richardson of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.


title: Dothan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax Evasion, Mail Fraud, and Drug Charges

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Alabama – Today, Kenneth Cherden Glasgow, also known as “Kenneth Sharpton Glasgow,” 57, from Dothan, Alabama, pleaded guilty to tax evasion, mail fraud, and drug conspiracy charges, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart. According to the plea agreement and other court documents, Glasgow founded the Ordinary Peoples Society and the Prodigal Child Project, both 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations. Glasgow solicited donations for these two organizations from other nonprofits and foundations, representing that he would use those donations for charitable purposes. Instead, as Glasgow admitted in his plea agreement, during the 2018 calendar year alone, he withdrew $407,450.00 in cash from the bank accounts of one of his nonprofit organizations and used the money for his own benefit. Because he used the money for personal expenses, he was legally required to report the funds as income on his tax return. However, Glasgow failed to even file a return for that year. Glasgow also attempted to conceal this activity by causing his tax preparer to complete inaccurate IRS 990 forms for Glasgow’s nonprofit organizations that vastly understated the income of the organizations and omitted the financial benefits Glasgow received from them. In his plea agreement, Glasgow specifically acknowledged committing this fraudulent conduct during the 2018 tax year. He also agreed to pay the IRS $376,720.00 in restitution for tax years 2016 through 2019. During today’s plea hearing, Glasgow also admitted to mailing documents containing false statements to the Social Security Administration (SSA) so that he could continue receiving SSA disability benefits and related health benefits under the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Glasgow made written statements on various SSA forms describing his physical abilities and daily activities as being very limited, despite reporting on IRS 990 forms for his nonprofits that he worked 50 to 60 hours per week. In some SSA forms, Glasgow claimed that, due to physical limitations, he had difficulty driving and had to ride with someone. These statements were not true. In his plea agreement, Glasgow admitted that he leased a vehicle using funds from one of his nonprofits and listed himself as the sole authorized driver. In addition, between February 5, 2015, and August 11, 2020, Glasgow received traffic citations relating to approximately 27 different traffic stops, all of which indicated that Glasgow was the driver. Glasgow also pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute. According to the plea agreement, the drug conspiracy started with others at an unknown date and continued through August 2020. Glasgow was indicted for the drug conspiracy charge in October 2021. The additional charges of tax evasion and mail fraud were recently filed on February 13, 2023. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled in the coming months. At that hearing, Glasgow will face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, along with substantial fines and restitution. “Mr. Glasgow caused immeasurable harm,” stated United States Attorney Stewart. “Through his drug dealing, he released dangerous, addictive substances to the streets of his own community. By failing to pay his taxes and then fraudulently obtaining government benefits, he took from every American taxpayer. I am grateful to each agency involved in this investigation. Their combined effort ensures that the Dothan community is safer and that public funds will be put to the public’s benefit—instead of being put into Mr. Glasgow’s pocket.” “Kenneth Glasgow's actions not only endangered the community, but defrauded the American taxpayers,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge for the FBI. “His guilty plea should help to dissuade others from following this same path." “The guilty plea today serves as a notice to those who believe committing crimes comes with no consequences, it is only a matter of time before they are held accountable,” said James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS-Criminal Investigation is committed to bringing justice to those who try to avoid their federal income tax responsibilities.” "Defrauding federal health care programs not only wastes valuable taxpayer dollars, but it also diverts resources meant to pay for medically necessary care for eligible enrollees," said Tamala E. Miles, Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). "HHS-OIG is proud to work with our law enforcement partners to hold fraudsters who exploit these programs accountable." “For several years, Mr. Glasgow managed his non-profit organizations while pretending he had a qualifying disability with the Social Security Administration; he concocted this scheme to receive SSA benefits that he was not entitled to receive,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for SSA. “His guilty plea holds him accountable for theft and demonstrates that my office will continue to work to protect SSA benefits and taxpayer funds. I thank our law enforcement partners for their outstanding work in this investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s office for prosecuting this case.” This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS - Criminal Investigation, the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Dothan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan A. Kirkpatrick, Stephen K. Moulton, and Brandon W. Bates are prosecuting the case.


title: Bank And Identity Fraud Conspiracy Members Sentenced To Federal Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced today the sentences of New York and Connecticut residents for their involvement in a bank and identity fraud conspiracy. The charged defendants worked together and with others to use stolen identities of actual Regions Bank customers to steal over $125,000 from branches in northwest Florida, southern Alabama, Iowa, and Missouri in December 2019. Nicole Maguire was sentenced to 3 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft charges. Desmond Brannon, also known as Desmond Scott, was sentenced to 4 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud charges. Brannon was on supervised release for a prior federal bank fraud conspiracy conviction at the time he committed these offenses and is also awaiting violation proceedings in the Southern District of New York. Steven Mussington was sentenced to 1 year and 1 day in prison following a two-day jury trial convicting him of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud charges. Another co-defendant, Chelsie Worthen, of Arkansas, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft charges and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. Alleged co-conspirators Darrell Wells and Georgia Ward, both New York residents, are being prosecuted in the Southern District of New York in a separate but related indictment. Ward pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and was sentenced to time served and an additional nine months of home confinement. Wells is awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from Regions Bank Corporate Security Fraud Investigators, the Lynn Haven Police Department, the Cedar Falls (Iowa) Police Department, the Monticello (Iowa) Police Department, and the Jefferson City (Missouri) Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes prosecuted the Northern District of Florida cases. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: West Warwick Man Sentenced in Unemployment Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A West Warwick man who admitted to a federal judge that he participated in a conspiracy to use the stolen identities of others to gain COVID related unemployment insurance benefits was sentenced today to three years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha. Richard Allen, 57, previously admitted to the court that he and other members of the conspiracy used stolen personal identifying information of other individuals, to file for COVID-related unemployment benefits in multiple states, including Ohio, Massachusetts, Arizona, and Texas. In the fraudulent applications, co-conspirators listed addresses associated with Allen to which benefit payments by check or debit card were mailed. According to information presented to the court, Allen communicated with co-conspirators to activate fraudulently obtained benefit debit cards; withdrew funds from the debit cards; and sent a portion of the funds to co-conspirators, including via Bitcoin transactions. Additionally, Allen admitted that he failed to report a change of income to the Social Security Administration (SSA), and specifically stated on SSA documents that “I do not receive any other type of income,” thus fraudulently continuing to collect Supplemental Security Income payments from the SSA he began receiving in June 2018. Allen, detained in federal custody, pleaded guilty on June 29, 2022, to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, five counts of aggravated identity theft, and two counts of theft of government money. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to 36 months of incarceration to be followed by 3 years of federal supervised release, and pay restitution in the amount of $152,054. This case, as well as other instances of criminal activity related to fraudulent applications for pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits are being investigated jointly by the FBI, the Rhode Island State Police, and the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General. Cases are jointly reviewed, charged, and prosecuted by a team of prosecutors that include Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise M. Barton, Stacey P. Veroni, and G. Michael Seaman, and Rhode Island Assistant Attorney General John M. Moreira, chief of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Public Integrity Unit. United States Attorney Cunha and Attorney General Neronha thank the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General for their assistance in the investigation of this matter. Rhode Islanders who believe their personal identification has been stolen and used to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits are urged to contact the Rhode Island State Police at financialcrimes@risp.gov or the FBI Providence office at (401) 272-8310. On May 17, 2021, the United States Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID- 19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . ###


title: Two Individuals Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Federal Prison for Tax Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Sandra Denise Curl of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Percy Leroy Jacobs of Prince Frederick, Maryland late yesterday to 30 months each in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to defraud the United States, helping file false tax returns, and theft of government funds. Judge Hazel also ordered the defendants to each pay $959,044 in restitution. On March 21, 2022, a federal jury convicted the defendants after trial. The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office. According to evidence presented at trial, between 2013 and 2016, Curl and Jacobs filed tax returns on behalf of multiple fraudulent trusts they owned, seeking refunds to which they were not entitled. Curl and Jacobs also filed false individual tax returns in their own names, claiming fictitious tax withholdings in order to generate refunds. In total, the defendants attempted to defraud the IRS of more than $2.2 million. U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division commended IRS-Criminal Investigation for its work in the case. U.S. Attorney Barron and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morgan and Trial Attorneys Jeffrey McLellan and George Meggali of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach # # #


title: Federal Witness Sentenced to Federal Prison for Soliciting a Bribe From a Defendant

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel today sentenced Jolen Michael Ghorbani, a/k/a “Jay,” age 28, formerly of Fairfax, Virginia, to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for bribery of a witness related to a federal criminal trial in which Ghorbani was a witness. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department. According to his plea agreement, on February 3, 2021, Ghorbani was the victim of a kidnapping, assault, and robbery committed by Tray David Sherman and Sherman’s co-conspirators. During the kidnapping, Ghorbani was transported from Maryland to Washington, D.C. where Sherman and his co-conspirators assaulted and robbed Ghorbani. Sherman was indicted and arrested on March 31, 2021, for conspiracy to commit kidnapping. On April 15, 2022, Ghorbani was served with a subpoena requiring his testimony at Sherman’s trial, which was initially scheduled to begin on July 11, 2022. As detailed in the statement of facts, beginning on June 5, 2022, Ghorbani used a social media account to send a series of threatening and intimidating direct messages to Sherman, including a message where Ghorbani sent his telephone number to Sherman and said “[C]all me If you want to finesse trial.” Approximately three weeks before the scheduled start of Sherman’s trial, Ghorbani sent another series of messages to Sherman through his social media account, this time soliciting a payment of $5,000 from Sherman in exchange for Ghorbani’s agreement to testify falsely or to refuse to testify at all at Sherman’s trial. Ghorbani shared the messages he sent to Sherman with another individual, bragging that he (Ghorbani) was “[d]ancing with the devil,” and referring to Sherman, stating, “I’m auctioning off his freedom.” On January 20, 2023, Tray Sherman, age 28, of Washington, D.C., the final member of the five-defendant kidnapping conspiracy, was sentenced to 126 months’ imprisonment. Sherman and his coconspirators pleaded guilty to luring Ghorbani from a casino in Maryland to a building in Southeast Washington, D.C., where they threatened Ghorbani’s life, took his personal items, and held him hostage at gunpoint while Sherman and another co-conspirator returned to the casino to steal items from the victim’s hotel room. The other four defendants all pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and were sentenced to between 10 and 14 years in federal prison. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI Washington Field Office and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the FBI Miami Field Office for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey J. Izant who prosecuted the case and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah B. Grossi for her assistance. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – James Meeks-Little, 29, of West Bloomfield, Michigan, was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 24, 2021, Meeks-Little was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement officers in Beckley. Meeks-Little was the subject of an arrest warrant at the time of the traffic stop. Officers found 247.9 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl hidden behind the glove box, and a Springfield, model XD, 9mm semi-automatic handgun. Meeks-Little admitted to possessing the fentanyl mixture and further admitted that he intended to distribute it. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the West Virginia State Police, and the Beckley Police Department. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess and former Assistant United States Attorney Nick Miller prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-129. ###


title: Straw Purchaser Sentenced for Role in Beckley-to-Philadelphia Firearms Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Maurice Johnson, 36, of Mount Hope, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a conspiracy to traffic more than 140 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to court documents and statements made in court, Johnson participated in a conspiracy led by Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh,” that trafficked in firearms purchased in the Southern District of West Virginia from around June 2020 to around July 2021. Johnson was among several straw purchasers enlisted to buy the firearms, with Jones or an intermediary telling Johnson what firearms to purchase and providing the money to buy them. Johnson bought a HS Produkt, Model XDS MOD (Springfield Armory), 9mm pistol and a Ruger, Security-9, 9mm pistol, for Jones in Mount Hope on December 29, 2020. Johnson admitted that he falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 that he was the buyer of the firearms when he knew he was purchasing them for Jones and his trafficking conspiracy. Johnson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to travel interstate with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license and making false statements in acquisition of firearms. Johnson is among 18 defendants who pleaded guilty in connection with firearms trafficking. Of the over 140 firearms trafficked in the conspiracy, approximately 45 have been recovered at crime scenes primarily in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses. One of the firearms Johnson purchased was recovered at a crime scene in Philadelphia. After five days of trial, a federal jury found Jones, 37, of Philadelphia, guilty on December 16, 2022, of conspiracy to travel interstate with the intent to deal in firearms without a license, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and interstate travel with the intent to deal in firearms without a license. Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 35 years in prison. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Negar M. Kordestani and Steve Loew prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-46. ###


title: Montana Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation Crimes

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Gary Lee Hodges, 72, of Bigfork, Montana was sentenced today to 27 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for two counts of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. Hodges must also register as a sex offender. According to court documents and statements made in court, Hodges contacted a woman in Beckley, West Virginia, on a social networking website dedicated to individuals interested in sexual fetishes. Hodges learned that the woman had two daughters, ages 11 and 13. Hodges expressed interest in coming to West Virginia to establish a household with the woman and children, where he would engage in sexual activity with both minor females. Specifically, Hodges stated that he planned to engage in sexual intercourse and oral sex on a regular basis with both minor females. During the next month, Hodges continued to make plans to travel to West Virginia to meet the woman and her daughters. To encourage the children to engage in sexual activity with him, Hodges sent them lingerie and other gifts and booked a trip to take them to Washington, D.C., to visit the zoo. Hodges reserved a hotel room in Beckley to meet the woman and the girls. Hodges flew to Charleston on January 14, 2022, where he was arrested. The court found that Hodges planned to use the two children as “sex slaves” and called his criminal conduct “abominable.” United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald and third-year law student intern Ryan Vick prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-33. ###


title: Man Sentenced for Shooting Farmville Auto Dealership Owner during Armed Robbery

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A New York man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for committing an armed robbery in Farmville, during which he shot the victim in the leg. According to court documents, on July 16, 2020, Herbert Young III, 54, committed an armed robbery of the Farmville auto dealership, Auto Connection. During the robbery, Young physically restrained the victim-owner’s hands using an electrical extension cord and a phone charging cord. When a customer entered the store, the victim attempted to free himself and flee. Before the victim could do so, Young shot at him and struck the calf area of the victim’s right leg. Young then stole a 2000 BMW, which belonged to the Auto Connection and fled the scene. In addition to the 2000 BMW, Young took the victim’s cell phone as well as other property that belonged to the Auto Connection. DNA evidence obtained from the extension cord later tied Young to the armed robbery. Prior to his conviction in this case, Young had been previously convicted of three separate armed robberies and an aggravated assault where he shot the victim. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth R. Simon, Jr. and Michael R. Gill prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-77.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of Firearms and Ammunition

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – An Isle of Wight man was sentenced today to 81 months in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. According to court documents, on June 27, 2018, Ronald Devon Matthews, 36, was convicted of carrying a firearm without a license, a felony, in Pennsylvania. On Dec. 7, 2021, Matthews was arrested after law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence in Carrsville. During the search, deputies discovered a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun and ammunition under a sofa in the den of the residence. Law enforcement also discovered two 9mm pistols, magazines, ammunition, and a bulletproof vest in a gun safe in Matthews’ bedroom. From jail, Matthews made phone calls instructing an accomplice to clean out his storage unit in Franklin. The following day, deputies executed a search warrant on Matthews’ storage unit and discovered four rifles, four pistols, one shotgun, over 2,000 rounds of ammunition, 2.2 kilograms of marijuana, and a digital scale bearing methamphetamine residue. Two of the firearms were affixed with devices subsequently determined to be illegal “firearm silencers” or “firearm mufflers” by the ATF Firearms Technology Branch. Matthews was sentenced to 81 months in prison with 3 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to forfeit 14 firearms and over 2,000 rounds of ammunition. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Darrell Logwood, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police; and Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Significant assistance was provided by the Isle of Wight Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-110.


title: Greenbrier County Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Justin Charles Baker, 35, of Smoot, pleaded guilty today to failure to provide information related to interstate travel as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). According to court documents and statements made in court, Baker was required to comply with the provisions of SORNA because of his conviction for sexual battery in North Carolina on July 19, 2021. Baker traveled from Covington, Virginia, to the area of Smoot, West Virginia, where he resided and worked from August 2022 until November 29, 2022, and failed to register as a sex offender in West Virginia in violation of the requirements of SORNA. Baker is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS). United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is prosecuting the case. SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-226. ###


title: Laconia Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy and Firearm Charges

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD, N.H. –United States Attorney Jane E. Young announces that Dylan Miles, 29, previously of Laconia, was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment today following his sentencing for participating in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy and for his unlawful possession of firearms. According to court documents and statements made in court, the defendant and others were involved in a conspiracy to ship methamphetamine from Arizona to New Hampshire. In May of 2019, Drug Enforcement Administration agents were alerted to suspicious parcels sent from co-defendants Heather Dubeau and Gary Sewell in Arizona to two different addresses in New Hampshire. Investigators obtained a warrant to open the packages and found that one contained over 336 grams of methamphetamine and the other contained over 665 grams of methamphetamine. The methamphetamine was intended for further distribution. Investigators learned that the package containing 665 grams of methamphetamine was intended for Miles. Law enforcement searched Miles’s home pursuant to a warrant and seized drug distribution paraphernalia and multiple firearms. Miles was legally prohibited from possessing firearms by virtue of a prior felony conviction. All of Miles’s co-defendants previously pleaded guilty. Andrew Hutchins pleaded guilty on May 5, 2022, and was sentenced on August 30, 2022 to time served and 3 years supervised release. Sewell pleaded guilty on May 5, 2022, and was sentenced on February 7, 2023 to 72 months in prison. Dubeau pleaded guilty on May 4, 2022, and was sentenced on February 16, 2023 to 40 months in prison. Chad Rombow pleaded guilty on January 26, 2022 and was sentenced on February 21, 2023 to 72 months in prison. Eli Margolis pleaded guilty on May 27, 2022, and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 6, 2023. After completion of his prison sentence, Miles will be under four years of supervised release. After the sentencing, USA Young said “Mr. Miles was another conspirator in a scheme to obtain methamphetamine from Arizona for distribution into our communities. In addition to his drug trafficking, he unlawfully possessed firearms as he was a convicted felon. As evidenced from the sentences imposed in this investigation, such brazen criminal conduct will vigorously be prosecuted so that dangerous criminals like the defendant will be removed from our communities for significant periods of time.” “As methamphetamine seizures are on the rise, DEA stands committed to keeping this highly addictive drug out of New Hampshire,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Drugs and guns are a deadly combination. Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Miles accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those who attempt to bring this poison to the Granite State. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts in New Hampshire.” This matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anna Krasinski. ###


title: Sanctions Evasion and Money Laundering Charges Unsealed Against Specially Designated Global Terrorist Mohammad Bazzi and Talal Chahine

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: A three-count indictment was unsealed today in United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York charging Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi, a Lebanese and Belgian citizen, and Talal Chahine, a Lebanese citizen, with conspiracy to conduct and cause United States persons to conduct unlawful transactions with a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, attempt to conduct and cause United States persons to conduct unlawful transactions with a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and money laundering conspiracy. The indictment was returned under seal by a federal grand jury sitting in Brooklyn, New York on January 27, 2023, and relates to Bazzi and Chahine’s alleged activities in the United States, as directed from Lebanon. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Daniel J. Kafafian, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New Jersey Division (DEA), announced the charges. “As alleged, Mohammad Bazzi thought that he could secretly move hundreds of thousands of dollars from the United States to Lebanon without detection by law enforcement. Today’s arrest proves that Bazzi was wrong,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Our office is committed to ensuring that sanctions imposed by the U.S. government are respected and that terrorism financiers are starved of funds.” “The defendants in this case attempted to provide continued financial assistance to Hizballah, a foreign terrorist organization responsible for death and destruction,” stated DEA Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Kafafian. “The men and women of DEA are committed to working with our law enforcement and foreign counterparts to disrupt and dismantle the operations of these organizations and those who choose to support them financially.” In May 2018, the United States Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Bazzi as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for assisting in, sponsoring, and providing financial, material, and technological support and financial services to Hizballah, a foreign terrorist organization that, since the 1980s, engaged in numerous terrorist activities, including attacks against American military members, government employees, and civilians abroad. According to the OFAC designation, Bazzi is a key Hizballah financier who has provided millions of dollars to Hizballah over the years, generated from his business activities in Belgium, Lebanon, Iraq and throughout West Africa. As a result of the designation, Bazzi’s interest in any property in the United States was blocked, and all U.S. persons were generally prohibited from transacting business with, or for the benefit of, Bazzi. As alleged, following Bazzi’s designation, Bazzi and Chahine conspired to force or induce an individual located in the United States (U.S. Person) to liquidate their interests in certain real estate assets located in Michigan and covertly transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds of the liquidation out of the United States to Bazzi and Chahine in Lebanon without the requisite OFAC licenses, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). During recorded communications, Bazzi and Chahine proposed numerous methods to conceal from OFAC and law enforcement officials that Bazzi was both the source and destination of the proceeds of the sale and to create the false appearance that the U.S. Person was conducting legitimate arms-length transactions unrelated to Bazzi and Chahine. For example, Bazzi and Chahine proposed that the funds be transferred through: a third party in China as part of a fictitious purchase of restaurant equipment from a Chinese manufacturer; a third party in Lebanon as part of a fictitious real estate purchase; Chahine’s family members in Kuwait as part of fictitious intra-family loans; and as part of a fictitious franchising agreement as payment for the rights to operate a Lebanese-based restaurant chain throughout the United States. Bazzi was arrested by Romanian law enforcement authorities upon his arrival in Bucharest today. The United States intends to seek Bazzi’s extradition to the Eastern District of New York to face the charges in the indictment. Each count in the indictment is punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment. The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Francisco J. Navarro, Jonathan P. Lax, Nomi D. Berenson, and Robert M. Pollack, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Assistant United States Attorney Claire Kedeshian of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs is assisting with the extradition in this case. The Defendants : MOHAMMAD BAZZI Age: 58 Lebanon and Belgium TALAL CHAHINE Age: 78 Lebanon E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-041 (DLI)


title: Queens Man Arrested For Defrauding Former Employer Of $4.4 Million In Fake Invoice Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the arrest of BHASKARRAY BAROT for engaging in a years-long scheme to defraud his former employer out of approximately $4.4 million. BAROT was arrested this morning in Queens, New York, on a criminal Complaint and was presented before a magistrate judge in the Southern District of New York. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, over the course of years, Barot created fraudulent invoices and processed them for payment at the Manhattan-based company where he used to work as a procurement manager. Barot designed the invoices to closely resemble the invoices that the company received from real vendors and other entities owed payment from the company. But the fraudulent invoices differed in a crucial way: they directed payment into Barot’s pocket. Today’s arrest demonstrates that this Office will seek justice for companies that fall victim to corporate theft.” FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: "As the charges today allege, Barot operated a years-long deception, scamming his employer out of millions of dollars through bogus invoices. Duplicitous schemes like this bring undue harm to the greater financial community. The FBI will continue to investigate complex financial crimes and hold the transgressors accountable in the criminal justice system." According to the allegations contained in the Complaint, which was unsealed today in Manhattan federal court: [1] From at least in or about July 2018, up to and including at least August 2022, BAROT engaged in a scheme to defraud his former employer (the “Company”) of approximately $4.4 million through fake invoices designed to resemble those received from legitimate vendors of the Company. BAROT used his position as a procurement manager at the Company to process the fraudulent invoices for payment. When doing so, he often affixed the fake invoices to email messages that he, in some cases, sent in the names of employees of the Company’s real vendors so that it would appear as though the real vendors were seeking payment on the fake invoices. The fake invoices, however, stated that payment should be made to entities with names that often differed slightly from those of the real vendor companies. BAROT then incorporated companies and opened bank accounts in the names of some of the entities listed for payment on the fake invoices so that he could collect the payments that the Company made on the fake invoices. BAROT repeated these fraudulent tactics with more than a dozen fictitious entities and caused payment to be made by the Company on approximately 40 fake invoices, totaling approximately $4.4 million. * * * BAROT, 32, of Queens, New York, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey W. Coyle is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Colorado Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Money Laundering Conspiracy

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: Denver – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jason Lee Henderson, age 36, formerly of Wray, Colorado, has been sentenced to 28 months in prison for conspiring to commit money laundering. Henderson was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay $400,858.07 in restitution. The court also imposed a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $399,452. According to the plea agreement, from March 2020, until October 2020, Henderson was part of a conspiracy to launder funds obtained from a government official impersonation scheme. Victims in the United States were contacted by telephone and coerced into believing they were under investigation by “Agents” of federal law enforcement agencies (the FBI, SSA, DHS, Treasury, or U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration). It was further part of the conspiracy that the conspirators told these victims that their identities had been connected to a criminal incident, that their imminent arrest and/or deportation from the United States had been ordered by law enforcement, and that the only way to avoid arrest and or deportation was to pay the “Government” large sums of money, as instructed. The victims were instructed to withdraw cash from their bank accounts and mail the cash to various addresses, which turned out to be Walgreens stores in northeastern Colorado. Henderson was paid to use fake identification cards to pick up victims’ packages of cash mailed to the Walgreens stores in Colorado. The government has identified 57 victims who in total have lost over $7.5 million through this scheme. Of that $7.5 million, $1.6 million in cash was mailed to Colorado. Video surveillance from these stores and text messages from the defendant’s phone tied him to specific fake identification cards used to pick up the packages. United States District Court Judge Raymond P. Moore sentenced Henderson on February 23, 2023. This investigation is being conducted jointly with investigators from the Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), United States Postal Inspection Service, Department of Homeland Security-OIG, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Sterling, Colorado Police Department. The District Attorney for the 13th Judicial District has also provided assistance. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Martha A. Paluch and Laura B. Hurd. Case number: 22-cr-202


title: Morrison Man Indicted for Covid Fraud

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Richard Rejan Nieto, age 37, formerly of Morrison, has been indicted on three counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering for taking money that he received as a result of fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications he submitted. In late March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was enacted, and extended emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans suffering economic harm from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act expanded existing Small Business Administration programs, including the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program, and established new temporary programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). According to the indictment, from April of 2020, through April of 2021, the defendant allegedly devised and participated in a scheme to defraud the United States and a lender. The defendant unjustly enriched himself by obtaining $913,551.88 in PPP loans. He obtained the loans by inflating payroll costs, making false statements and certifications, and submitting fake tax returns. Having unjustly obtained PPP loans, he then applied for loan forgiveness for the full amount of the PPP loans. He obtained forgiveness of $176,956.09 through false representations and by submitting fake payroll checks. He allegedly laundered money through large money transfers between bank and investment accounts, including a $40,000 transfer to a cryptocurrency account in January 2021, to purchase Bitcoin. The United States has previously executed seizures of fraud proceeds from the defendant’s E*Trade investment account and from two cryptocurrency trading accounts. The charges contained in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Craig Fansler and Martha Paluch are handling the prosecution. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . Case number: 22-cr-00262


title: New Orleans Man Indicted for Gun and Drug Offenses

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – EMANUEL ROSS , age 24, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged today, in a three-count indictment for violations of the Federal Gun Control and Federal Drug Control Acts. ROSS is charged in Count 1 with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); in Count 2 with possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c); and in Count 3 with possession of a machinegun, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(o). Count 2 of the indictment alleges that ROSS possessed 10 different guns in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. As to Count 1, ROSS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release. For Count 2, ROSS faces a consecutive term of imprisonment of not less than 5 years up to life imprisonment to be served consecutive to any other term imposed, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 5 years of supervised release. For Count 3, ROSS faces up to a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years , up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. Finally, ROSS must pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 for each count. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Miller of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Norman Man Sentenced to Serve More Than 11 Years In Federal Prison for Transportation of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, BRADLEY KEITH COLLINS , 44, of Norman, Oklahoma, was sentenced to serve 135 months in federal prison for transportation of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester. In July 2021, Homeland Security Investigations received a Cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Collins uploaded 66 picture images of child pornography to his Google Photos account. On September 7, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a three-count Indictment against Collins, alleging transportation, possession, and accessing of child pornography. On October 28, 2022, Collins pled guilty to transportation of child pornography. Yesterday, U.S. District Judge David L. Russell sentenced Collins to serve 135 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, upon release from prison. In announcing the sentence, Judge Russell noted the circumstances of the offense and Collins’ history and characteristics, including that he had sexual contact with a foster child several years ago. At sentencing, Judge Russell remanded Collins into federal custody. He will be required to register as a sex offender upon release from federal prison. This case is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Hale prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Reference is made to court filings for further information.


title: Statement of U.S. Attorney Damian Williams On The Convictions Of Mohamed Tahlil Mohamed And Abdi Yusuf Hassan

body_text: "For 977 days, Michael Scott Moore, an American journalist, was held hostage in Somalia by pirates. Today, a unanimous jury found two key players in Moore's years-long captivity guilty on all counts: Mohamed Tahlil Mohamed and Abdi Yusuf Hassan. Tahlil, a Somali Army officer, left his post to take command of the pirates holding Moore captive and obtained the machineguns and grenade launchers used to threaten and hold Moore. Hassan, the Minister of Interior and Security for the province in Somalia where Moore was held hostage, abused his government position and led the pirates' efforts to extort a massive ransom from Moore's mother. Today's guilty verdicts show that neither time nor distance can weaken our resolve to hold those who dare to take Americans hostage overseas fully accountable for their crimes, and to see justice done for the victims of such brutal and brazen attacks against Americans."


title: Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Arkansas, Western

body_text: FAYETTEVILLE – A Springdale man was sentenced today to 212 months in prison without the possibility of parole followed by 25 years of supervised release on two counts of Receipt of Child Pornography. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville. According to court documents, in July 2016, the defendant, Richard Blane Gamblin , age 28, was convicted in the Western District of Arkansas, Fayetteville Division, of Receiving Child Pornography via the Internet. He was sentenced to 72 months imprisonment, followed by 10 years supervised release. On October 6, 2021, Gamblin was released from federal prison and began his 10-year term of Court ordered supervised release in the Western District of Arkansas. On December 7, 2021, U.S. Probation officers did a compliance check on Gamblin’s Springdale residence and discovered he was in possession of a cellular phone. That phone was later turned over to the Department of Homeland Security, who forensically determined that it contained images of Child Sexual Abuse Material. Gamblin was subsequent indicted via Grand Jury on new charges of Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography. On or about August 11. 2022, Gamblin pleaded guilty to two (2) separate counts of Receipt of Child Pornography. U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations Fayetteville, and the Northwest Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Roberts prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Seven Defendants Charged In Rochester Illegal Sports Gambling Business

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: CONTACT: Barbara Burns PHONE: (716) 843-5817 FAX #: (716) 551-3051 ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that seven individuals were charged by criminal complaint for their roles in an illegal gambling business headquartered in Rochester, NY. Named in the complaint are: • Louis P. Ferrari II is charged with conspiracy, transmission of wagering information, operation of an illegal gambling business, and money laundering. • Dominic Sprague is charged with conspiracy, transmission of wagering information, and operation of an illegal gambling business. • Anthony Amato, Joseph Lombardo, Jeffrey Boscarino, and James Civiletti are charged with transmission of wagering information and conspiracy. • Tomasso Sessa is charged with operation of an illegal gambling business and conspiracy. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, the defendants conspired to operate illegal poker games at 565 Blossom Road and an illegal sports betting operation through the website sport700.com. Defendants Ferrari and Sprague co-owned and operated the illegal poker games at 565 Blossom Road, and Ferrari operated the illegal sports betting book through sport700.com, managing individual bettors and overseeing sub-agents, including Sprague, who had their own books of individual bettors. In addition, Ferrari owns and operates Ferrari Excavating on Steel Street in Rochester, where he collected cash payment of gambling losses from players and then laundered the illegal proceeds through the Ferrari Excavating business. Sprague also owned and operated a pawn shop on Stone Road in Greece, NY, where he collected cash payments of gambling losses from bettors and paid gambling winnings to bettors. Defendant Amato administrated sport700.com and assisted Ferrari and others in creating accounts, usernames, and passwords, and managing individual bettors and overseeing sub-agents who had their own books of individual bettors on sport700.com. Defendant Sessa managed the day-to-day operations of the illegal gambling operation at 565 Blossom Road. Defendants Lombardo and Boscarino were sub-agents under Ferrari through sport700.com. Defendant Civiletti was an employee of Sprague’s pawn shop, collecting payments of gambling losses from people on behalf of Ferrari and Sprague. During the course of the investigation, investigators intercepted a series of calls and text messages between targets of the investigation, sub-agents and individual bettors discussing the placement of bets, collection of winnings, and payment of losses. The investigation revealed that Ferrari generated $1,241,172 in winnings, while Amato generated winnings totaling $8,945,629. On April 17, 2021, as investigators arrived to execute a search warrant at 565 Blossom Road, they interrupted an ongoing illegal card game, which sent individuals fleeing. An unknown number of individuals successfully fled, eight were temporarily detained. Investigators seized multiple items such documents, which included gambling ledgers and timestamped website printouts of online gambling player account activities. That same day, they also seized the cell phones of Ferrari and Sprague, which both contained evidence of sports bookmaking. Also previously charged in a separate complaint in connection with this case is former New York State Trooper Thomas Loewke. The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian Ratajczak, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, and Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith. Additional assistance was provided by the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Honduran National Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHRISTIAN PENA-OCHOA , age 29, a citizen of Honduras, was charged on February 24, 2023, in a one-count indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). According to the indictment, PENA-OCHOA reentered the United States after he was previously removed on September 7, 2018. If convicted, PENA-OCHOA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Eleventh Defendant from Cedar Rapids Ice Methamphetamine Wiretap Case Found Guilty After Trial

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who was intercepted in a wiretap conspiring to distribute large quantities of ice methamphetamine was convicted by a jury today after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Elmer Mims, age 68, from Cedar Rapids, was convicted of one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. The verdict was returned this afternoon following about four hours of jury deliberations. The evidence at trial showed that the Cedar Rapids Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted a wiretap investigation in late 2021 and early 2022 targeting a group of individuals who were shipping large quantities of ice methamphetamine from Los Angeles, California, to Cedar Rapids. The DEA intercepted calls over phones used by David Belton (a/k/a “Blood”) and Derek Mims (a/k/a “D Mo”) in which they orchestrated the shipment of loads of thirty to sixty pounds of ice methamphetamine. Elmer Mims was intercepted in a call in early December 2021 discussing a prior occasion during which Elmer Mims had obtained 14 pounds of ice methamphetamine for $26,000. During an intercepted call in early February, Belton and Derek Mims discussed how they were going to obtain 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine, 20 pounds for each of them and 20 pounds for “Unc,” a nickname for Elmer Mims. Less than two weeks after that call, DEA contacted local authorities in York County, Nebraska, to assist in stopping a truck that was believed to be transporting the 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine. The Nebraska officers stopped the truck and seized a tote that contained sixty, one‑pound packages of 99% pure methamphetamine. During an intercepted call on February 28, 2022, Elmer Mims and Belton discussed the seizure of the 60 pounds in Nebraska, believing that Derek Mims may have been stealing from them. In March 2022, investigators searched Elmer Mims’s Cedar Rapids residence, seizing nearly $19,000 in cash drug proceeds, a box for a Glock handgun, ammunition, a holster, a tactical vest, and over four pounds of marijuana. Elmer Mims had previously been convicted in federal court in 1985 for a heroin conspiracy that involved smuggling large quantities of heroin using drug couriers and sending drug money to Hong Kong and Nepal. The following ten co‑defendants charged in the same indictment had previously pled guilty in federal court: David Poitier Belton Derek Michael Mims Phillip Lanell Rogers Robert Lee Michael Bates Anton Tarrice Whitney, Jr. Christopher Eric Curley Calub Joseph Storlie Timothy Michael Webber Kiyonte Levell Sowell Jesus Vera Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Mims remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Mims faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids consists of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Chatham and Kraig Hamit. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22‑CR‑39‑CJW‑MAR. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: PUERTO RICAN MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSION OF 30 KILOGRAMS OF COCAINE

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced that Rafael Velez-Lopez of Puerto Rico pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, on September 22, 2020, Drug Enforcement Administration agents arrested Velez-Lopez and Emanuel Campbell Camacho after they observed Camacho exit the Windward Passage Hotel and enter a blue Mazda sedan that traveled to the parking lot at Nelson Mandela Circle. Camacho later exited his vehicle and approached the passenger side of another vehicle where he removed a black duffle bag and placed it into his vehicle. Camacho then returned to the Windward Passage Hotel with a duffle bag approached the stairs leading to the second- floor level of the hotel. As the agents approached Camacho, they observed Velez-Lopez near the top of the stairs checking his cell phone. Agents inspected the duffel bag and discovered 30 brick-shaped objects inside the duffle bag that Camacho was carrying. Velez Lopez and Camacho were in constant communication during the entire transaction. The bricks later tested positive for cocaine hydrochloride. Velez-Lopez will be sentenced by a federal district court judge who will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration and investigated by Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Payne. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: PUERTO RICAN MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSION OF 79 KILOGRAMS OF COCAINE

body_text: St. Thomas, VI – U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith announced that Wesly Albert Amaro of Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Ruth Miller to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, on March 29, 2022, at approximately 4:00 a.m., the United States Coast Guard detected a vessel operating without navigation lights traveling at a high rate of speed from Culebra, PR, towards Hendrick Bay, St. Thomas. The vessel was later intercepted by U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection Air and Marine Operations. The vessel, operated by Amaro, attempted to flee while the co-defendant Brian Santiago Gonzalez began throwing duffel bags overboard. The engine of the vessel was disabled after Amaro failed to stop. Agents later recovered three duffel bags containing 79 kilograms of suspected narcotics which later tested positive for cocaine hydrochloride. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Payne. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: BVI MAN PLEADS GUILTY TRANSPORTING ILLEGAL ALIEN

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced that Samuel Davies, of Tortola, BVI, pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller to bringing an alien to the United States for private financial gain. According to court documents, on September 7, 2019, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations intercepted a vessel as it approached Coral Bay, St. John, with no navigational lights. Davies, the captain, and a Dominican Republic male were the occupants of the vessel. Neither occupant could produce legal documentation that allow their presence in the United States. Davies later told the agents that he met a man in Tortola known to him as “San Diego” who asked to take the Dominican National to Jost Van Dyke, BVI, but they accidentally ended up in Coral Bay. The passenger was later deported to the Dominican Republic and Davies will be sentenced by a federal judge at a hearing scheduled by the court. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Patrol Air and Marine Operations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Payne.


title: West Des Moines Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation Crimes

body_text: Des Moines, IA – A West Des Moines man was sentenced today to 60 years in prison for multiple child exploitation offenses. For the last twelve years, Jonathan Francis Speidel, age 31, of West Des Moines, used social media platforms, including Snapchat, Kik, TikTok, and MeetMe, to communicate with minor females. During the conversations, Speidel directed numerous children to take explicit photos or videos of themselves. To persuade children to produce and send him child pornography, Speidel used various tactics. Among other things, Speidel misrepresented facts about himself, such as his name, employment information, and age; he paid children in exchange for sexually explicit content; he claimed to be looking for models; and he sent children child pornography or depictions of him masturbating. The minor victims ranged in age from 8 to 17 years old and were located across the United States, including several victims who lived in or near Des Moines. Over the same period, Speidel collected and exchanged child pornography using various internet sites. On or about March 30, 2022, Speidel knowingly possessed visual depictions of child pornography, including over 800 images and over 200 videos, some of which included minors younger than twelve years old. Speidel also traveled over state lines with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a child. While living in Oregon from October 2018 to August 2019, Speidel engaged in a sexual relationship with a child, who was between 14 and 15 years old. Speidel was charged in Oregon with several counts of sexual abuse. Those charges remain pending. After being charged, Speidel returned to the Des Moines area some time in 2020. In September 2020, Speidel flew to Oregon, picked up the child, who by that time had turned 16 years old, and drove the child to Washington. Speidel took the child to Washington, where the age of consent is 16, younger than the age of consent in Oregon. The purpose of Speidel’s trip was to engage in sexually explicit conduct with the child and to produce child pornography. In Washington, Speidel did both of those things with the child. Following his prison term, Speidel will be on supervised release for life and required to register as a sex offender. There is no parole in the federal system. After the sentencing, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “We are proud of the work of our FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in Des Moines. This joint investigation brought an end to Jonathan Speidel’s appalling and heinous crimes. Today’s sentence ensures Speidel will no longer be allowed to victimize children. It also sends a message to predators, the FBI and our federal, state, and local partners will remain relentless to ensure children are protected.” Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Cyber Crime Bureau Special Agent in Charge, and Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Commander Nathaniel McLaren said “This case highlights the collaboration of information between ICAC Task Force agencies combating this type of child sexual exploitation. The DCI Cyber Crime Bureau - Iowa ICAC Task Force worked closely alongside Ohio Law Enforcement, and Oregon (State) Law Enforcement to arrest the suspect. This collaboration ultimately led to the identification of numerous victims nationwide and multiple victims locally in the Des Moines area.” United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa said “Speidel is a dangerous child predator, pure and simple. Today’s sentence provides some degree of justice for Speidel’s actions to the victims, who in the face of indescribable trauma, have courageously contributed to help prevent Speidel from harming any other minors. For over a decade, he targeted, manipulated and enticed minors, exchanging thousands of electronic messages, with the goal to produce child pornography and engage in illegal sex acts. Our thanks to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI)’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force and their continued dedication to protecting children and bringing individuals like Speidel to justice.” The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s Cyber Crime Bureau and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in Des Moines, the North Olmstead, Ohio Police Department, and the Gladstone, Oregon Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Essley prosecuted the case. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821. Parents and guardians are encouraged to have open and ongoing conversations about internet safety with children. For more information about internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the Publication & Resources tab.


title: Federal Jury Convicts McAlester Couple Of Committing Child Abuse And Child Neglect In Indian Country

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that McAlester residents, Billy James Menees, age 29, and Ashley Dawn Marie Schardein, age 27, were both found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country and one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country. The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, February 14, 2023 and concluded on Thursday, February 23, 2023 with the guilty verdicts. During the trial, the United States presented evidence that beginning in January of 2019 Billy Menees and his live-in girlfriend, Ashley Schardein, began the systematic abuse and neglect of a child victim in their care. The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the McAlester Police Department, the District Attorney’s Office for District 18, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the victim in this case is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Pittsburg County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, U.S. Chief District Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of the presentence reports. The sentencings will be scheduled following completion of the reports and the Defendants will remain in custody of the United States Marshal until then. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Paladino and Caila M. Cleary represented the United States.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Tulsa Man for Assaulting St. Francis Hospital Security Officers

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: A federal jury found a Tulsa man guilty this week for assaulting two security officers with his vehicle, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Leeroy Wendell McQueary II, 40, was convicted of two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country. “Two security officers tried to calm Leeroy McQueary II down inside St. Francis Hospital, and when that failed, they escorted him out of the facility to protect employees and patients,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Then McQueary aimed his vehicle at the officers, accelerated, and attempted to run them down. He’s now learned there were consequences for his criminal behavior.” On Nov. 4, 2022, McQueary entered the St. Francis Hospital lobby, acting agitated and stating that he was trying to locate a friend, whom he couldn’t name. Concerned about his erratic and angry behavior, front desk employees asked him to step to another area of the lobby while they tried to gather more information. They then contacted security for assistance. When two security officers arrived and calmly requested more information about the “patient,” McQueary again could not provide the patient’s name nor a valid hospital room number. He continued to act erratic. McQueary’s behavior further escalated when security asked him to leave and eventually escorted him from the facility using verbal commands. McQueary continued yelling expletives at the security team and repeatedly threatened to hunt them down and kill them. Security provided the defendant space and a clear path to exit the parking area. McQueary entered his vehicle and backed out of his parking spot, then accelerated his car, aimed at, and rammed a parked security vehicle occupied by a third officer. He then accelerated down the parking lane. Officers ran across the parking lot to see where McQueary was headed. At one point, McQueary made a deliberate U-turn and accelerated toward both security officers at a dangerous pace. He then aimed more deliberately toward them. Officers drew their firearms to no effect and eventually fired at the defendant’s car. Before being struck, both security officers jumped away from the vehicle, which almost hit them. The defendant then sped up, drove over a parking lot curb, attempted to drive away, and crashed into an electric box. He exited the vehicle and fled the scene on foot. Hospital surveillance video verified the front desk employees’ and officers’ accounts about what happened in the lobby. Surveillance and several witnesses further verified the incident that occurred outside the hospital. The Tulsa Police Department located and arrested McQueary on Nov. 30, 2022. The Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Niko A. Boulieris and Adam C. Bailey are prosecuting the case.


title: Harnett County Drug Dealer Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A Harnett County man was sentenced to 180 months in prison for dealing methamphetamine. On October 6, 2022, Christopher Wayne McNeill pled guilty to the charges. According to court documents and other information presented in court, a multi-agency investigation identified that Christopher Wayne McNeill, 49, was trafficking kilograms of methamphetamine in Harnett County. Law enforcement made four controlled purchases of methamphetamine involving McNeill. Through their investigation, law enforcement determined McNeill was supplying other distributors with methamphetamine. McNeill pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than fifty grams of methamphetamine and distributing more than five grams of methamphetamine. He has previous felony convictions for assault with a deadly weapon (1994) and breaking and entering (2014) as well as a felony drug conviction (2021). Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, Coats Police Department, Dunn Police Department, Harnett County Sherriff’s Department, and the State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey L. Peaden 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. 5:22-CR-174-1D. ###


title: Toledo Man Sentenced to More Than 23 Years in Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Illegal Possession of Firearm

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: TOLEDO – A Toledo man was sentenced to spend more than 23 years – or 280 months – in prison by U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary on Feb. 8, 2023, after he pleaded guilty to multiple charges stemming from his role in a Toledo-area drug trafficking conspiracy. Jackie Green, 53, pleaded guilty in July 2022 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of controlled substances, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, beginning in December 2019, Green and more than 20 other co-conspirators conspired together to traffic large amounts of fentanyl, crack cocaine, and cocaine in the Toledo area. Court documents say that Green received large amounts of drugs from various suppliers and then further distributed those drugs to others. Court records show that members of the conspiracy used cell phones and code words to conceal their activity and multiple residences in the Toledo area to store, break down, package, and distribute their narcotics and proceeds. Furthermore, court documents state that Green used various vehicles to transport and deliver the narcotics that he sold. In September 2020, Green was found by law enforcement authorities to be in possession of a firearm. Green was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple previous drug trafficking convictions in the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas. On December 16, 2020, federal, state, county, and local law enforcement authorities participated in a wide-ranging takedown operation of 24 individuals involved in the drug trafficking conspiracy. This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, Toledo Metro Drug Task Force, and the Northwest Ohio Interdiction Task Force. The FBI Safe Streets is comprised of the FBI, Toledo Police Department, Sylvania Township Police Department, and the Oregon Police Department. The Toledo Metro Drug Task Force is comprised of the FBI, Toledo Police Department, Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Lucas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The Northwest Ohio Interdiction Task Force is comprised of the FBI, Toledo Police Department, and the Lucas and Wood County Sheriff’s Offices. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alissa M. Sterling, Robert N. Melching, and Sara A. Al-Sorghali.


title: Rhode Island Man Arrested and Charged with Laundering More than $35 Million in Fraud Proceeds and Obstruction of Justice

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Rhode Island man was arrested today and charged in federal court in Boston in connection with allegedly using his accounting and “virtual CFO” business to launder tens of millions of dollars in proceeds from internet fraud schemes. Craig Clayton, 73, of Cranston, R.I., was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of obstruction of justice. He will appear in federal court in Boston today at 2 p.m. before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley. According to the charging documents, from 2019 to present, Clayton and others used his accounting and “virtual CFO” business, Rochart Consulting, as a front to launder the proceeds of internet fraud schemes. As part of the alleged conspiracy, Clayton founded dozens of shell companies in the United States and used those shell companies to open business bank accounts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, through which he laundered the criminal proceeds for his clients in exchange for fees. In total, since 2019, it is alleged that Clayton opened approximately 80 bank accounts purportedly on behalf of 65 different companies. It is alleged that, in communications with one of his Rochart business associates, Clayton stated that they were “money mules complicit in their [Rochart’s clients’] offenses.” In encrypted communications with one of his clients, Clayton allegedly expressed concern that his phone was “tapped” by law enforcement and sought to obtain “dirt” on a victim who had reported the fraud scheme in order to “distract the police.” In recorded conversations with an undercover law enforcement agent posing as a potential Rochart client, Clayton allegedly stated that several of his clients were “fugitives from justice.” It is further alleged that, when banks and law enforcement began to investigate Rochart, Clayton falsely told investigators and bank personnel that his shell companies were legitimate businesses, among other things. After he became aware that a federal grand jury was investigating him, Clayton allegedly attempted to obstruct the ongoing investigation by making several false statements to federal agents during an interview. In addition to today’s arrest, five seizure warrants were executed on Rochart bank accounts holding several hundred thousand dollars of alleged money laundering proceeds and a Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicle that Clayton purchased. The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the proceeds, whichever is greater. The charge of obstruction of justice provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Darnell Edwards, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant United States Attorneys Ian J. Stearns of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Alexandra Amrhein of Rollins’ Asset Recovery Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.