title: Leader Of San Francisco MS-13 Clique Convicted By Jury Of Racketeering Conspiracy, And Murder & Attempted Murder In Aid Of Racketeering

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO - A federal jury found Elmer Rodriguez, a/k/a Gordo, guilty of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of murder in aid of racketeering, one count of attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and one count of use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence related to his participation in the MS-13 20th Street clique, announced Acting First Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Colthurst and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. The verdicts follow a three-week trial before the Honorable Richard Seeborg, Chief United States District Judge. “Bringing these violent criminal gang members to justice is a direct result of the partnerships between HSI SF, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the San Francisco Police Department and the San Mateo County Sherriff’s Office,” said Tatum King, special agent in charge, HSI San Francisco / NorCal. “HSI personnel and law enforcement partners dedicated years to this complex investigation with the ultimate goals of holding criminals accountable and prevention of additional victimization in our communities.” The trial centered on the conduct of Elmer Rodriguez, the alleged leader of the MS-13 20th Street clique. Rodriguez was convicted of ordering the murder of Jorge Martinez near 19th and Mission Street on March 17, 2017. Martinez had been celebrating his birthday after attending a Warriors basketball game with his son. After the game, they went to a bar in the Mission District. Rodriguez and other MS-13 clique members were also present at the bar that night and identified Martinez as a possible rival Norteño gang member. Rodriguez ordered another clique associate to murder Martinez. The associate followed Martinez out of the bar and shot him to death. Rodriguez was also convicted for ordering the murder of Giovanni Alvarez, a/k/a “P Wee,” on May 25, 2017. Alvarez was a 20th Street clique member who Rodriguez and others in the clique believed to be cooperating with law enforcement. Rodriguez sanctioned Alvarez’s murder because of these suspicions. Rodriguez and his associates, including Edwin Alvarado Amaya, a/k/a “Muerte” and Kenneth Campos, a/k/a “Nesio,” lured Alvarez into a car. Campos drove the group to Bernal Heights Park where the group intended to kill him. At the park, Rodriguez gave a signal to Alvarado Amaya, who then hacked Alvarez to death by inflicting dozens of deep wounds to his face and torso with a machete. Alvarado Amaya and Campos pleaded guilty to the crime and have been sentenced for their roles in this murder. Rodriguez was further convicted of attempted murder and use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence following a shooting that followed an extortion attempt by Rodriguez and other MS-13 associates on Eddy Street in the Tenderloin District on November 26, 2017. Rodriguez’s trial featured evidence of the MS-13 20th Street clique’s other racketeering activities, including two other previously unsolved homicides. A member of the 20th Street clique shot German Polanco Gil to death on September 2, 2015, in the Bayview District of San Francisco after he and another member spotted Gil walking near his home. The gang member believed Gil was a rival Norteño gang member so they drove around the block, returned to where Gil was walking, and fatally shoot him on the sidewalk. Clique member Rogelio Belloso Aleman, a/k/a “Smiley,” pleaded guilty to, and admitted his role in, this murder. Members of the 20th Street clique also murdered Gilberto Rodriguez at the Gray Whale Cove parking lot in Pacifica. Clique members including Kevin Reyes Melendez, a/k/a “Neutron,” Kevin Guatemala Zepeda, a/k/a “Mision,” and Abner Marroquin Alegria, a/k/a “Coche,” lured Gilberto Rodriguez away from San Francisco and ultimately drove him to a remote parking lot in Pacifica where multiple associates, including Reyes Melendez, murdered him by stabbing him with a machete and shooting him to death. In addition to these murders, the trial featured evidence of additional acts of violence including: a September 16, 2016 shooting of a suspected Norteño at 21st Street and Hampshire Street; an October 27, 2016 gang assault in the Mission District; a May 17, 2017 gang assault outside of a taqueria in the Mission District; a November 30, 2017 attempted murder at 24th Street and Potrero Avenue in the Mission District. In sum, the jury convicted Rodriguez of participating in a racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations (RICO) conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d). In addition, the jury convicted Rodriguez of two counts of murder in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(1), one count of attempted murder in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5), and one count of use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). Rodriguez faces a mandatory term of life imprisonment. Further, additional fines, forfeitures, and restitution may be ordered; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Rodriguez is in federal custody pending sentencing. Rodriguez’s sentencing hearing is set for September 19, 2023. In total, 14 defendants have been convicted as a part of this investigation, which has resulted in convictions relating to four murders, four attempted murders, and multiple assaults with dangerous weapons. Defendant Age Charges Sentence ABNER MARROQUIN ALEGRIA a/k/a “Coche” or “Chapin” 42 Racketeering Conspiracy 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) 204 months in prison ROGELIO BELLOSO ALEMAN a/k/a “Smiley” 30 Racketeering Conspiracy 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) 204 months in prison Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering 18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(3) and 2 EDWIN ALVARADO AMAYA a/k/a “Muerte” 26 Racketeering Conspiracy 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) 300 months in prison Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering 18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(5) and 2 KENNETH CAMPOS, a/k/a “Nesio” 33 Racketeering Conspiracy 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) 204 months in prison Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering (two counts) 18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(3) and 2 EVERT GALDAMEZ CISNEROS a/k/a “Talentoso” 25 Racketeering Conspiracy 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) 60 months in prison Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering 18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(3) and 2 OSCAR ESPINAL a/k/a “Chuy” 32 Racketeering Conspiracy 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) 144 months in prison Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering 18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(5) and 2 KEVIN REYES MELENDEZ, a/k/a “Neutron” 30 Racketeering Conspiracy 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) 300 months in prison Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering (two counts) 18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(5) and 2 MISSAEL MENDOZA 22 Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering 18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(3) and 2 36 months in prison CHRISTIAN QUINTANILLA 22 Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering 18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(3) and 2 36 months in prison BRIGIDO JOSUE GONZALES SALES a/k/a “Inocente” or “Kiko” 22 Racketeering Conspiracy 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) 144 months in prison Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5) and 2 Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering 18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(3) and 2 ALEXIS CRUZ ZEPEDA a/k/a “Zorro” 29 Racketeering Conspiracy 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) 192 months in prison Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering 18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(5) and 2 KEVIN GUATEMALA ZEPEDA 27 Racketeering Conspiracy 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) 204 months in prison Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering 18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(3) and 2 FERNANDO ROMERO BONILLA 25 Racketeering Conspiracy 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) 84 months in prison Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering 18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(3) and 2 This case is being prosecuted by the Organized Crime Strike Force of the Office of the United States Attorney. The prosecution is the result of an investigations by HSI, the San Francisco Police Department Homicide Unit and Community Violence Reduction Team, San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Gang Intelligence Unit and Investigations Bureau, Daly City Police Department, Pinole Police Department, Redwood City Police Department Street Crimes Reduction Team, and San Pablo Police Department.


title: Cumberland County Woman Gets Maximum Penalty for Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – A Cumberland County woman was sentenced today to 360 months imprisonment followed by lifetime of supervised release for producing child pornography. She was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to the victim. According to court documents and other information presented in court, Amy Banks Huddleston, 50, was investigated by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation in July 2021 after a child with whom she had contact was found to be a victim of child sexual exploitation. The investigation began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received three CyberTips from the Kik social media platform that one of its users had uploaded child sexual abuse material on multiple days. The IP address used to upload the images belonged to Joshua Glardon who lived in Fayetteville. Two of the images in the CyberTip appeared to be homemade images. Pursuant to a search warrant, Glardon’s digital devices were seized. After a forensic analysis was complete, law enforcement found thousands of images of child sexual abuse material on his phone. Included in those files were images of the child that appeared to be homemade images that were a part of the CyberTips. Law enforcement officers were able to identify the child through chat messages Glardon had with Amy Huddleston. When law enforcement learned Huddleston had access to this child, a search warrant was executed on Huddleston’s residence. In an interview, Huddleston confessed to allowing Glardon to sexually assault this child. She admitted she would take images and videos of the child, including videos of her performing sexual acts on the child, and send them to Glardon. A forensic analysis of Huddleston’s digital devices revealed chat conversations wherein Glardon and Huddleston discussed the sexual abuse of the child. Glardon was also federally indicted and has entered pleas of guilty to Distribution, Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography. He is awaiting sentencing. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded. U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan presided over the sentencing. The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR98-2FL. ###


title: Six indicted in scheme that defrauded pandemic relief programs of more than $3 million

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A wide ranging fraud scheme, led by 29-year-old Paradise Williams, of Phoenix, was detailed today in a 26-count indictment charging wire fraud and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Two defendants were arrested Monday in Phoenix, a third was arrested in Houston, and three defendants were arrested in Washington State. Two Seattle defendants are detained at the Federal Detention Center with hearings scheduled Friday and next week. “The participants in this fraud were relentless in exploiting pandemic relief programs that were intended to assist small businesses and people who were vulnerable to eviction,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “The need for the emergency rental assistance greatly outweighed the funds available, and we know that fraud schemes such as this one stole money that should have gone to those desperately needing help.” According to the indictment, Paradise Williams was the hub in a wheel of fraud. She created fake documents and told her accomplices how to pose as landlords and tenants claiming to need rental assistance. Because the program would pay for back rent and future payments, the person posing as the fraudulent landlord got payments of tens of thousands of dollars for each fake tenant application. Williams received kickback payments from those who used the scheme for fraud. Williams herself received more than $740,000 in emergency funds by posing as the landlord on at least 21 different applications for rental aid. In fact, neither Williams nor her accomplices owned any rental properties and were not the tenants they impersonated. In addition to Williams the grand jury indicted: Rayvon Darnell Peterson, 32, of Seattle, Washington Tia Janee Robinson, 28, of Fife, Washington Jahari Asad Cunningham, 45, of Houston, Texas D’arius Akim Jackson, 37, Bonney Lake, Washington David Jesus Martinez, 32, Pacific, Washington In addition to the rental assistance fraud, members of the group defrauded or attempted to defraud the unemployment systems in Washington, California, South Carolina, and Nevada. Between June 2020 and August 2021, Williams and others submitted at least 35 fraudulent applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) seeking more than $3.7 million from the Small Business Administration (SBA). Two of the loans were funded for a loss of $300,000. Williams assisted her accomplices with forging documents and fake tax statements to defraud the SBA. Williams used multiple common email addresses and a common naming convention for business names as she attempted the fraud. Williams and others also sought to defraud a different SBA program, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). In April and May 2021, Williams, Jackson, and others submitted at least 13 fraudulent applications to the SBA PPP program seeking approximately $253,000. Nearly $212,000 was paid out. According to the indictment the money was used for luxury cars, lavish trips, designer clothes, jewelry, and even plastic surgery. Williams used over $90,000 in cash and wire transferred funds, from the proceeds and kickbacks she received, to buy a 2018 Range Rover sport utility vehicle and a 2017 Lexus ES Sedan. Both vehicles were seized in Phoenix on Monday. In June 2021, Williams used funds from the frauds to travel to Miami and while there she rented a Lamborghini. Wire fraud in connection with a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Money laundering is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from SBA-OIG. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cindy Chang. 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


title: Hickory Business Owner And Co-Conspirator Are Sentenced For Trafficking Methamphetamine

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced Shawn Lamont Hickman, 32, of Newton, N.C., and Amos Lamont Bruen, 47, of Valdese, N.C., to 156 months and 97 months in prison respectively for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison terms imposed, Hickman and Bruen were each ordered to serve four years of supervised release after they are released from prison. Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Reed Baer of the Hickory Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed documents and information presented in court, beginning in December 2021, law enforcement became aware that Bruen was dealing narcotics out of a business he owned in Hickory, N.C., Amos Essential Oils. An undercover officer visited Bruen’s business and arranged to purchase narcotics from Bruen. Between December 2021 and February 2022, the undercover officer met several times with Bruen at his store and conducted several controlled purchases of methamphetamine totaling more than 1.5 kilograms. Court records show that Hickman was present on several occasions while the undercover officer was conducting the controlled purchases, often armed with a firearm. According to court records, on February 26, 2022, law enforcement observed Hickman engage in narcotics transactions in the parking lot of a pool hall, Corner Pocket. Hickman was arrested and officers recovered a firearm and methamphetamine from Hickman’s vehicle. On March 1, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Bruen’s residence. During the search of Bruen’s home and vehicle, officers seized marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and a firearm. An additional firearm and ammunition were also seized from Bruen’s business. On November 22, 2022, Bruen pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. Hickman pleaded guilty on February 14, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The defendants are currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and the Hickory Police Department for their investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Boykin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: Queens Man Pleads Guilty To 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, announced that BHASKARRAY BAROT pled guilty today to wire fraud in connection with engaging in a years-long scheme to defraud his former employer out of approximately $4.4 million. BAROT pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn and is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter on September 7, 2023. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For 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 guilty plea emphasizes that this Office will seek justice for companies that fall victim to corporate theft.” According to court filings and statements made in court proceedings: 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 from the Company on approximately 40 fake invoices, totaling approximately $4.4 million. * * * BAROT, 32, of Queens, New York, pled guilty to wire fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation. 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.


title: Six Defendants Arrested For Multimillion-Dollar Wire Fraud And Money Laundering Scheme

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Keechant L. Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging six defendants — SALIF NDAMA-TRAORE, KYLE EMORDI, KEITH EMORDI, AMADOU TIDIANE BA, MOHAMMED NABI ELIKPLIM AKINOTCHO, and IBRAHIM BOCOUM — with conspiring to commit wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a business email compromise (“BEC”) scheme that used spoofing attacks to deceive victims into sending a total of approximately $5.8 million to bank accounts that had been opened using fake and stolen information. All six defendants were arrested and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray in the Southern District of Texas. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Sitting behind their computer screens, the defendants and others used email spoofing to insert themselves into legitimate business transactions and deceived victims across the country into sending millions of dollars to fraudulent bank accounts. Thanks to the efforts of this Office and its law enforcement partners, the defendants now face the long arm of justice.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “As alleged, the defendants engaged in a business email compromise scheme in which they induced the victims to make fraudulent payments totaling more than $5 million. Additionally, in an attempt to conceal their actions, the defendants withdrew their ill-gotten gains in a manner intended to evade federal reporting requirements. As today’s action demonstrates, the FBI remains committed to bringing those who engage in fraudulent activity to justice.” NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “Business email compromise and money laundering schemes, although not violent, are not victimless and can be devastating to the organizations and individuals who fall prey to them. While the network of online criminals targeting unsuspecting victims is growing every day, today’s charges should send a clear message to scammers committing fraud – wherever they are based – that they will be identified and held fully accountable. The NYPD will continue to work tirelessly with all of our law enforcement partners to address this pervasive threat head-on.” As alleged in the Indictment: [1] From July 2021 through February 2022, the defendants and others engaged in a fraudulent BEC scheme that involved impersonating legitimate business contacts by email to induce five victims — a hospital, a labor union, a law firm, a real estate closing company, and a logistics company — into remitting payments totaling approximately $5.8 million to fraudulent bank accounts. Each of the fraudulent bank accounts was opened shortly before the diversion of funds, and at least three accounts were opened using a fake driver’s license or stolen social security number. Internet protocol registration information also shows that the defendants logged into several of the fraudulent accounts online. The funds were immediately moved from the fraudulent accounts to bank accounts held in the defendants’ own names or in the name of a defendant-owned company. The funds were then quickly transferred to additional savings or investment vehicles held in the defendants’ names, withdrawn in cash, or sent to co-defendants through ACH transfers or using a P2P payment service. Withdrawals were usually made in successive increments of less than $10,000 to avoid triggering federal reporting requirements. Some funds were pulled back after hitting the fraudulent accounts, resulting in the recovery of approximately $3.14 million and a total loss of approximately $2.66 million. * * * NDAMA-TRAORE, 39, KYLE EMORDI, 26, KEITH EMORDI, 29, and BOCOUM, 32, all of Houston, Texas; AKINOTCHO, 33, of Cypress, Texas; and BA, 35, of Sugar Land, Texas, were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which also carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California; the FBI Field Offices in Columbia (Hilton Head Resident Agency), Houston, and Sacramento; and the police departments of New York City, the City of Beaufort, and Houston for their assistance. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Yumi Chong is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. U.S. v. Ndama-Traore et al Indictment


title: Union County Man Convicted of Tax Evasion and Failing to File Tax Returns

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was convicted of tax evasion and failing to file personal income tax returns, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division announced today. Jonathan D. Michael of Springfield, New Jersey was convicted of one count of tax evasion, from 2014 through 2018, and five counts of failing to file tax returns during the same period. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Michael worked as a mechanic by a port-operating company in New Jersey. From 2014 through 2018, Michael earned over $1.4 million from the port-operating company. In February 2014, he submitted a Form W-4, “Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate” to his employer in which he falsely claimed to be completely exempt from federal income tax withholding, which caused the employer to stop withholding federal income taxes from his wages. In November 2016, after the IRS sent Michael a notification that he was not entitled to claim exempt status, Michael wrote the company and claimed that his false W-4 was correct. Despite earning income each year over the threshold that would require him to file individual income tax returns, Michael failed to file such tax returns with the IRS for the years 2014 through 2018. The maximum penalty for tax evasion is five years of in prison; the maximum penalty for failure to file as charged in Counts Two through Six is one year per count. U.S. Attorney Sellinger and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty verdict. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Feldman Nikic of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark and by Trial Attorney Michael C. Vasiliadis of the Tax Division in Washington, D.C.


title: Illinois Man Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison

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

body_text: HAMMOND- Alexander Greene, 27 years old, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge James T. Moody after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Greene was sentenced to 63 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, on February 22, 2022, the Indiana State Police responded to a vehicle crash and spoke with Greene. From Greene’s possession, a trooper recovered a loaded semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device attached. The machinegun conversion device made the pistol capable of firing multiple shots with a single pull of the trigger. Greene’s criminal history revealed he has prior felony convictions for aggravated battery resulting in great bodily harm and possession of a stolen vehicle, and as such, is prohibited from possessing the firearm in this case. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Indiana State Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joel L. Mathur and Kevin F. Wolff. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Cedar Rapids Man Convicted of November 2020 Armed Robbery Spree

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A seven-time convicted felon who robbed or attempted to rob employees of Cedar Rapids businesses at gunpoint seven times in a twelve-day period in November 2020 was convicted by a jury on June 6, 2023, after a four-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Cardel Demetrius Redmond, age 28, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of six counts of interference with commerce by robbery, six counts of using and possessing a firearm during and in furtherance of those robberies, one count of attempt to interfere with commerce by robbery, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The verdict was returned yesterday afternoon following about six hours of jury deliberations. The evidence at trial showed that on November 17, 2020, Redmond robbed the Subway restaurant on Gateway Place SW in Cedar Rapids by displaying a firearm to the employees and demanding the cash from the register. On November 19, 2020, Redmond robbed a cashier at gunpoint in the Wine and Spirits area of the Hy-Vee grocery store on Oakland Road NE in Cedar Rapids. On November 25, 2020, Redmond robbed the Perkins Restaurant & Bakery on Southgate Court SW in Cedar Rapids by pointing a firearm at one of the employees of the business. On the night of November 27, 2020, Redmond used a firearm to rob an employee at the Hy-Vee grocery store on Mount Vernon Road SE in Cedar Rapids. Minutes later, Redmond robbed two employees at gunpoint at the Little Caesar’s Pizza on Mount Vernon Road SE. Less than twenty-four hours later, on November 28, 2020, Redmond attempted to rob two employees at the Hy-Vee Drugstore on 6 th Street SW by brandishing a firearm. One of the employees told him there was a police officer in an unmarked car in the parking lot, and Redmond fled. The following night, November 29, 2020, Redmond robbed the same Subway restaurant on Gateway Place SW by pointing a firearm at an employee. Redmond was arrested on burglary charges later that night. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Redmond will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Redmond faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 42 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $ 3,500,000 fine, and not more than 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kyndra Lundquist and Tony Morfitt and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR-0085. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Jackson County Detention Center Employee Indicted for Smuggling K2-Laced Papers to Jail Inmates

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An employee of the Jackson County Detention Center, along with three associates of an inmate detained at the center, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to smuggle papers laced with K2 to jail inmates. Aaron D. Copes, 42, of Grandview, Mo., Deanna K. Clark, also known as “Nina,” 32, and Stephanie McDaniel, 31, both of Kansas City, Mo., and James A. Booker, Jr., 37, of Raytown, Mo., were charged in a single-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on May 31, 2023. That indictment has been unsealed and made public following the arrests of Copes, Clark, and Booker this week. Copes was employed as a case manager at the Jackson County Detention Center. His duties included interviewing inmates daily, providing counseling and mediation for inmates, and providing training to correctional officers. Clark and Booker were close associates of an inmate at the Jackson County Detention Center, who is identified in court documents as unindicted co-conspirator CC1. McDaniel was the girlfriend of CC1. The indictment also refers to another inmate, identified as unindicted co-conspirator CC2. Copes, Clark, Booker, and McDaniel are charged with participating in a conspiracy from March 2020 to October 2021 to smuggle contraband into the Jackson County Detention Center. Copes allegedly took bribe money and sexual favors in exchange for smuggling contraband into the Jackson County Detention Center and delivering it to inmates, including CC1 and CC2. Conspirators allegedly smuggled in K2, a controlled substance, which was soaked onto sheets of paper that were smoked by inmates. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the FBI and the Jackson County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.


title: Former Cincinnati city councilman pleads guilty to accepting bribes

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A former Cincinnati city councilman pleaded guilty in federal court here today to honest services wire fraud. Jeffrey Pastor, 39, of Cincinnati, admitted he deprived the citizens of Cincinnati of their right to honest services by a public official by accepting bribes in exchange for official action. According to his plea agreement, between June 2018 and January 2019, Pastor accepted and agreed to accept things of value in exchange for favorable official action by Pastor relating to two development projects in the city. For example, in September 2018 Pastor and his associate flew to Miami, Florida, on a private plane to meet with investors regarding a real estate development project. Pastor never paid for or disclosed the trip. During the trip, Pastor explained he would ensure favorable action on behalf of the city for the project and could receive money through his associate’s non-profit entity (which had been incorporated two weeks prior). Pastor discussed “compensation” and agreed to accept $15,000 for helping with the project. He said the purpose of his associate’s entity was to “sanitize” the money. After flying back to Cincinnati, Pastor called the investor to “negotiate a monthly retainer” and said that $15,000 would be the retainer fee for providing official action. On Oct. 4, 2018, Pastor accepted $15,000 in cash. After receiving the money, Pastor continued to solicit additional payment from the investor and others. Pastor and Tyran Marshall were indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2020. Charges remain pending against Marshall, including conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, bribery, attempted extortion and money laundering. Pastor’s plea agreement would allow for a prison sentence of up to 24 months. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter and Assistant United States Attorney Matthew C. Singer are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Two Pocatello Police Officers Honored in Justice Department’s Sixth Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: BOISE – Two Pocatello Police Department officers—Corporal Demetrius Amos and Patrolman First Class Mackenzie Handel—received the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing at a ceremony presided over by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on Monday in Washington, D.C. Corporal Amos and Patrolman Handel were two of only nineteen law enforcement officers and deputies from 15 jurisdictions across the country to receive this prestigious honor this year. The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local, and Tribal sworn rank-and-file officers, deputies, and troopers for exceptional efforts in community policing. The awarded individuals have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: criminal investigations, field operations, or innovations in community policing. Pocatello Police Chief Roger Schei and Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad attended the ceremony along with representatives from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho. “Every day, law enforcement officers across the country are asked to respond to some of the most difficult, most dangerous, and most traumatic moments that our communities face,” said Attorney General Garland. “Today’s awardees exemplify the very best of the noble profession of policing.” In May 2022, Officers Demetrius Amos and Mackenzie Handel and their trainees (new hires on just their third day with the Pocatello Police Department) responded to a domestic disturbance in which a man was threatening a woman and a child with a gun. When the officers and trainees arrived, the subject turned his rifle on them. Officer Amos fired twice, and the subject fled to an alley, took cover, and lay in wait to ambush them when they followed. When they did, he fired multiple rounds—gravely injuring Amos and then injuring Officer Handel, who had placed himself in the line of fire to protect his trainees. Handel was able to direct additional responding officers to the subject, who surrendered, and to guide a new hire in providing emergency medical care for Amos and himself. The subject was transported to a local hospital by ambulance; Amos and Handel were evacuated in patrol vehicles. Officer Handel’s selflessness and quick thinking resulted in his own injury but likely saved the lives of officers around him, including Officer Amos. Amos’s encouraging messages to his department through his period of recovery unquestionably improved morale among colleagues who had been affected by the incident. “Corporal Amos and Patrolman Handel are extremely well-deserving of this honor,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit. “They responded with bravery and professionalism to protect the community from a cowardly act of violence. The officers that assisted them immediately after the shooting and, indeed, the entire Pocatello Police Department, also have our praise and gratitude. All of their actions during this traumatic event, and in its aftermath, represent the best of law enforcement and are a credit to Idaho.” The Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing is made possible through the Department’s work with national law enforcement stakeholder groups, who play a vital role in the review process. The result is this annual awards program, which allows the Department to highlight a group of officers whose commitment to their communities is obvious through their exceptional efforts. A list of award winners can be found here . Complete information on the Sixth Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing can be found here . ###


title: Jury Convicts St. Louis Man of Meth Trafficking

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Louis, Mo., man traveling by bus from Los Angeles, Calif., has been convicted in a federal jury trial of possessing methamphetamine to distribute after more than 31 pounds of methamphetamine was found in his luggage at a Kansas City, Mo., bus station. Cregg L. Matthews, 56, was found guilty on Tuesday, June 6, of one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Matthews has been detained in federal custody without bail since his arrest on March 9, 2019. Law enforcement officers were conducting drug interdiction activities at a local bus station at about 10:27 p.m. Saturday, March 9, 2019. A bus arrived from Los Angeles en route to St. Louis, and a Kansas City, Mo., police detective used a service canine to check the luggage under the bus in the luggage bins. When all the passengers were off the bus, they also checked the luggage in the passenger compartment. The police service canine alerted to Matthews’s suitcase, which was in the overhead bin above his seat on the bus. Matthews was carrying a black bag when he was contacted to which the police service canine also later alerted. When investigators searched the black bag Matthews was carrying, they found 10 bundles of methamphetamine that weighed a total of 10 pounds and some marijuana. In the suitcase retrieved from the bus, investigators found 16 bundles of methamphetamine that weighed a total of 21.6 pounds. Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., returned a guilty verdict to U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips, ending a trial that began Monday, June 5. Under federal statutes, Matthews is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean T. Foley and John Constance. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri Highway Patrol, and MoWIN (the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics Task Force).


title: California Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A California man pleaded guilty in federal court today to smuggling more than 33,000 counterfeit pills that contained nearly four kilograms of fentanyl aboard a bus traveling through Kansas City, Mo., from Los Angeles, Calif. Matthew J. Gomez, 28, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute. Members of the Missouri Western Interdiction Task Force (MoWIN) watched Gomez at a local bus terminal on March 16, 2023, as he got off a bus traveling through Kansas City from Los Angeles. Gomez was wearing a backpack and carrying a large duffel bag. He walked out the front doors of the bus terminal and paced back and forth on the sidewalk while making a call on his cell phone. The detective asked Gomez if he would consent to a search of his luggage. Gomez placed his duffel bag on the ground and was in the process of removing his backpack when he quickly stepped away from the detective in an attempt to flee. A struggle ensued, and Gomez was eventually placed under arrest and escorted into the terminal. Officers searched Gomez’s backpack and found three large, heat-sealed packages that contained numerous blue M30 pills. The Kansas City Police Crime Laboratory subsequently confirmed that the recovered pills contain fentanyl. The number of pills totaled 33,497 for an approximate weight of 3,684.97 grams, or 8.12 pounds. Under federal statutes, Gomez is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Smith. It was investigated by the Kansas City Mo., Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.


title: Marysville, Washington, man who ran fentanyl pill mill from his garage sentenced to 15 years in prison

body_text: Seattle – A Marysville, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 15 years in prison for three federal felonies connected to the fentanyl pill manufacturing lab in his rental home, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Jose Eduardo Garnica, 34, pleaded guilty in March 2023 to conspiracy to manufacture and deliver controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Tana Lin said, “This is one of the largest fentanyl seizures in the district. Mr. Garnica had so much fentanyl a hazmat team had to be called in.” “This case weaves together all the strands that make fentanyl trafficking such a dangerous business,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “Mr. Garnica was manufacturing fentanyl pills with deadly powders that could make each pill lethal. His activities contaminated the home he rented, and he had 27 guns – many of them high powered assault weapons – adding to the danger. This is a significant prison sentence, but appropriate due to the risk he posed to our community.” According to records filed in the case, Garnica came to the attention of law enforcement on June 17, 2022, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Los Angeles inspected a package shipped from China to Garnica’s Marysville address. The package was labeled “furniture parts,” but in fact it contained dies for use in a pill press that would make pills that appear to have the markings of oxycodone pills. Further investigation of Garnica and Wilson revealed numerous unusual cash transactions and the purchase of 11 firearms in a three-month span of 2020. In fact, when law enforcement searched the home, agents seized 27 guns and 25 kilos of fentanyl. Law enforcement also seized 50,000 rounds of ammunition. On July 21, 2022, agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI executed search warrants at the Marysville residence and seized the pill press and other materials for making fake oxycodone pills in the garage. Officers called a hazmat team to secure the lab due to the potentially deadly nature of fentanyl powder. Investigators determined that fentanyl residue had spread from the manufacturing location in the garage, throughout the house. The spread may have been caused by the HVAC system. Garnica has agreed to pay more than $71,000 to the owner of the home to remediate the residence. In addition to the pill press and fentanyl powder, law enforcement found kilo sized bricks of fentanyl pills that appeared to have been smuggled into the U.S. from Mexico. Also of great concern, some of the pills Garnica was manufacturing also contained Xylazine – a sedative used in veterinary medicine that has been linked to more deaths. In some instances, those injected with Xylazine had had tissue damage requiring amputation. In asking for an 18-year prison sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Vince Lombardi cited the unique danger of fentanyl and the heavy toll of fatal overdoses in King County. “…Fentanyl overdose deaths have continued to soar in the Seattle area. Overdose deaths attributable in whole or in part to fentanyl have risen from just 22 in 2016 to 709 in 2022. As of May 26, more than 500 overdose deaths were attributable to fentanyl for 2023 to date – a pace that puts King County at more than 1,000 overdose deaths by year end.” The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the FBI with assistance from the Washington State Patrol, National Guard Civil Service Team, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Custom and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations, the Snohomish County Drug Task Force, and the Skagit County Drug Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vince Lombardi.


title: Former Luzerne County Constable Sentenced To 18 Months’ Imprisonment For Possessing Unregistered Firearm

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Sydney Snelling, Jr., age 49, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani to 18 months of imprisonment, for the unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Snelling pleaded guilty to possessing an assault rifle bearing a modified barrel of under 16” on April 7, 2022, without possessing the requisite tax stamp to possess such a firearm. At the time of the offense, Snelling was a Luzerne County Constable, but has since been removed from his position. In addition to the sentence of imprisonment, Judge Mariani ordered Snelling to forfeit the modified firearm, and imposed a two-year term of supervised release, to commence upon his release from imprisonment. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. # # #


title: Two men sentenced for methamphetamine trafficking in West Virginia

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Two men were sentenced today in separate cases for trafficking methamphetamine in Randolph and Hardy Counties. William Thomas DeSantis, 32, of Akron, Ohio, will serve 10 years and 4 months in prison for transporting methamphetamine from Ohio to Randolph County, West Virginia. During a traffic stop, officers found nearly 600 grams of methamphetamine in magnetic storage boxes hidden throughout DeSantis’s vehicle. The investigation revealed that DeSantis was a supplier for several people in Elkins, West Virginia, transporting hundreds of grams of methamphetamine to be sold. In a separate case, Scott Allen Greenwalt, 50, of Moorefield, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 8 years in prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations. Investigators used a confidential informant on several occasions to purchase methamphetamine from Greenwalt in Hardy County. Officers executed a search warrant and found nearly 50 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded 9mm pistol in Greenwalt’s house. The Mountain Region Drug Task Force investigated the DeSantis case. The Ohio State Highway Patrol assisted. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the Greenwalt case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted both cases on behalf of the government. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: 14 defendants convicted and sentenced for trafficking over 600 kilograms of methamphetamine

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Two Georgia Department of Corrections inmates, Carmelo Reyes-Lozano and Bautista Toledo-Ramirez, have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine. “Keeping our citizens safe by combatting illegal distribution of dangerous drugs within and outside prisons is a top priority of this office,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “These defendants and their 12 conspirators trafficked a staggering amount of illegal narcotics. Their prison sentences reflect the seriousness of their conduct and the grave danger posed to communities impacted by their drug trafficking.” “Regardless of how sophisticated these criminal organizations think they are, they’re no match for the professionalism and dedication of the DEA,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division. “This case brought 14 people to justice and cut off a significant supply chain for methamphetamine.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: During a federal wiretap investigation in the summer of 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) intercepted several inmates in Dooley State Prison and Washington State Prison using contraband cell phones to discuss narcotics deals. In response, the DEA in February through April 2020, extended the investigation and discovered that Carmelo Reyes-Lozano and Bautista Toledo-Ramirez served as leaders of a drug trafficking organization and were directing a series of drug transactions in the Atlanta area from their prison cells. On February 15, 2020, agents intercepted communications between Reyes-Lozano and co-defendant Luis Carlos Vite-Garcia discussing a large drug shipment that arrived in the Atlanta area. Federal agents were then able to identify an address in Rex, Georgia being used as a “stash house” for narcotics. Agents searched the stash house pursuant to a warrant and discovered approximately 588 kilograms of methamphetamine (crystal and powder form), approximately 100 gallons of liquid methamphetamine in the process of being converted to a crystal form, a drug ledger, and a Mossberg 500 shotgun. Investigators saw siblings Hector Hugo Miranda-Fernandez (“Miranda”) and Jessie Miranda-Fernandez (“Fernandez”), who conspired with Reyes-Lozano and Toledo-Ramirez, at the residence and arrested Fernandez later that evening. The next day, agents intercepted a conversation between Reyes-Lozano and Miranda, during which Miranda stated that he was fleeing to Mexico due to the DEA’s discovery of the stash house and his brother’s arrest. On February 20, 2020, agents learned that Miranda was in Texas and traveling to the border. That afternoon, officers with the Encinal Police Department in Texas located and arrested Miranda. On February 28, 2020, the DEA intercepted another set of communications, this time between Toledo-Ramirez and co-defendant Delshawn Morrow. During the calls, the men discussed plans to smuggle methamphetamine into Washington State Prison. Utilizing intel from these intercepts, investigators arrested co-defendant Bertha Daniels the following day as she entered the prison with approximately 180 grams of methamphetamine hidden on her person. The investigation revealed a video recording of co-defendant Jhojana Pujol delivering the drugs to Daniels in a motel parking lot near the prison on behalf of Toledo-Ramirez. On March 23, 2020, the DEA intercepted additional communications indicating that Toledo-Ramirez and Reyes-Lozano were coordinating a multi-kilogram methamphetamine deal with co-defendant Jason Lloyd Barnum using co-defendant Jean Pierre as an intermediary. Investigators learned that Pierre was a prolific marijuana trafficker who had supplied several of Toledo-Ramirez’s customers in the past. The following day, co-defendants Vite-Garcia, Carlos Andres-Vite, and Ramon Mora-Montalvo delivered approximately four kilograms of methamphetamine to Barnum. The drugs had been stored at Vite-Garcia’s stash house in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Barnum was arrested with those drugs after he traveled from Florida to the Atlanta area in a vehicle that Pierre owned. On March 30, 2020, DEA agents intercepted more telephonic communications in which co-defendant Lourdes Ayala-Cruz called Reyes-Lozano to coordinate the purchase of a kilogram of methamphetamine for co-defendant Jose Paralta-Sanchez. Ayala-Cruz and Paralta-Sanchez drove from North Carolina to the Atlanta area to complete the deal. The transaction occurred on April 1, 2020, in the parking lot of a hardware store in Atlanta, and the drugs were delivered to Paralta-Sanchez by Mora-Montalvo. The Gaston County, North Carolina, Police Department arrested Ayala-Cruz with the drugs as she drove back to her home in North Carolina. On April 6, 2020, investigators arrested Vite-Garcia, Andres-Vite, and Mora-Montalvo en route from Decatur, Georgia to the stash house in Lawrenceville with approximately 10 kilograms of methamphetamine. The DEA searched the Lawrenceville residence that day pursuant to a warrant. During the search, federal agents seized more methamphetamine, approximately two kilograms of heroin, a digital scale, two firearms, and over $22,000 in U.S. currency. For his role in the conspiracy, Reyes-Lozano, 34, of Jalisco, Mexico, received a sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg of 17 years, six months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Reyes-Lozano was convicted on October 19, 2021, after he pleaded guilty. Bautista-Toledo, 42, of Michoacán, Mexico, received a sentence of 23 years in prison, followed by 12 years of supervised release. Bautista-Toledo was convicted on August 10, 2022, after pleading guilty just days before his trial was set to begin. Reyes-Lozano’s and Bautista-Toledo’s federal sentences will run consecutive to the state prison sentences the men are already serving. The defendants’ 12 conspirators previously entered guilty pleas for their roles in the drug trafficking conspiracy and received the following sentences imposed by Judge Grimberg: Hector Hugo Miranda-Fernandez, 36, of Jalisco, Mexico, was sentenced to eleven years and one month in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Jessie Miranda-Fernandez, 23, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Luis Carlos Vite-Garcia, 39, of Reynoso, Mexico, was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Ramon Mora-Montalvo, 29, of Reynoso, Mexico, was sentenced to three years and five months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Carlos Andres-Vite, 23, of Reynoso, Mexico, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Jhojana Pujol, 26, of Boston, Massachusetts, was sentenced to time served in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Delshawn Morrow, 45, of Thomasville, Georgia, was sentenced to 14 years in prison to run consecutive to any sentence he is currently serving, followed by four years of supervised release. Bertha Mae-Daniels, 47, of Thomasville, Georgia, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Jason Lloyd Barnum, 42, of Irvington, New Jersey, was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Jose Paralta-Sanchez, 53, of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Lourdes Suyapa Ayala-Cruz, 44, of Choloma Cortez, Honduras, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Jean Pierre, 46, of Irvington, New Jersey, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Georgia State Patrol, Gaston County, North Carolina, Police Department and Encinal, Texas, Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebeca M. Ojeda and C. Brock Brockington, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Miguel R. Acosta and Scott McAfee, prosecuted the case. 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 . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Arson

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Shabazz Akeem Isiah Watson, 27, of Saint Stephen, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to arson during the protests and riots that occurred in Downtown Charleston on May 30 and 31, 2020. Evidence presented to the court showed that at 10:33 pm on May 30, 2020, during a protest that turned violent following the death of George Floyd, Watson entered a wine bar on King Street. Watson took several paper menus from the counter, set them on fire with a lighter, and placed them under a wooden barstool. Watson repeated this process multiple times until the fire grew. There were multiple individuals inside the business, but Watson was solely responsible for starting the fire. Watson moved on, and at 11:09 pm, he entered a retail clothing store on King Street. Watson ran to the back of the store and lit merchandise and clothing on fire. Watson then quickly exited. Before the fires grew out of control, another individual entered the store and used a fire extinguisher to put the fires out. At 11:55 pm, Watson entered a paint store on Meeting Street. He lit a cardboard display on fire and quickly exited the store. Finally, on May 31, 2020, at 12:55 am, Watson entered a retail store on Meeting Street. Watson approached a row of merchandise and lit several items on fire. Watson then walked to the paper towel/toilet paper row and lit several more items on fire. The fires grew rapidly and eventually burned the entire building and everything inside, resulting in the business remaining closed for several months during repairs. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will defend the right of every South Carolinian to peacefully protest and to protest without threats to their physical safety,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “Those who use protests as cover for violent acts that endanger our community will be held accountable. We are grateful to ATF, the Charleston Police Department, and the Charleston Fire Department, whose thorough and professional investigations brought this arsonist to justice.” “It was unfortunate to see individuals take advantage of the protests occurring at the time to cause harm and major damage to the community,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “Through a determined and collaborative effort, we are seeing those individuals face the consequences of their dangerous actions.” “In pursuing such an extraordinarily complex case, this successful investigation truly came from collaboration among law enforcement partners. The exceptional work done by the dedicated detectives, analysts, and officers from the Charleston Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Attorney’s Office to garner this indictment against someone who terrorized our city is nothing short of remarkable,” said Charleston Police Department Deputy Chief Jack Weiss. “I want to thank everyone who was involved in this case and who dedicated their time, energy, and expertise every single day. They reviewed countless hours of video from citizens and business owners, shared information, and followed up on innumerable leads, ultimately culminating in a successful investigation and conviction. I’d also like to thank the community, the Mayor, and our city council for their continued and unwavering support. Finally, I’d like to thank the Charleston Fire Department whose members stood by law enforcement and ensured everyone’s safety.” United States District Judge Richard Gergel sentenced Watson to 5 years in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. All told, Watson caused $2,415,510.75 in damage to the four businesses. Watson was ordered to pay restitution in that full amount as part of his sentencing. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charleston Police Department, and Charleston Fire Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Lietzow prosecuted the case. ###


title: Wilson Man with Two Prior Felony Convictions Sentenced to 19 Years After Armed Robbery of Speedway Gas Station

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – Antwon Demarco Perry, of Wilson, was sentenced today to 228 months in prison for brandishing a firearm during a robbery. Perry, 37, pled guilty to the charge on March 16, 2023. “Violent robberies like this often leave victims traumatized for years, even when no shots are fired,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This store clerk was just doing her job when she was held at gunpoint and ordered to hand over the cash in the register. The Wilson Police Department is partnering with our office to get dangerous, repeat felons off the streets to make our communities safer.” “We value our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Wilson Police Chief Scott Biddle. “The arrest and prosecution of chronic, violent offenders like Mr. Perry are vital to making Wilson a safe place to live and raise a family. This partnership resulted in the conviction and sentencing that will keep Mr. Perry off the streets of Wilson for a long time.” According to court documents and other information presented in court, on November 5, 2019, at around 10:30 p.m., officers with the Wilson Police Department responded to an armed robbery call at the Speedway gas station at 1602 Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway in Wilson. The store clerk told officers that a masked man wearing a gray-camouflage jacket and light blue gloves pointed a firearm at her and demanded money from the register. She handed over money from the register, and the robber fled on foot. The State Crime Lab analyzed matching light blue gloves recovered during the course of the investigation for DNA, and the results came back as a match for Perry. When investigators approached Perry, he admitted to committing the robbery to repay a drug debt. This is Perry’s third federal felony conviction. In 2004 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, he was convicted of numerous offenses, including armed carjacking and use of a firearm during that crime, and received a 60-month sentence. Then, in 2012, Perry was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina of possessing a firearm as a felon and received a 71-month sentence. 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 Wilson Police Department investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted. 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-0052-D. ###


title: Indianapolis Felon Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Nicholas Karagianis, 38, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine, and illegally possessing a firearm. According to court documents, on October 7, 2021, Drug Enforcement Administration Agents witnessed Karagianis sell 62.2 grams of methamphetamine and 2.9 grams of fentanyl to an individual for $900. On November 1, 2021, Karagianis sold 108.7 grams of methamphetamine and 3 grams of fentanyl to the same individual in a parking lot near East Thompson Road in Indianapolis. On December 8, 2021, DEA agents executed a search warrant at Karagianis’s home. During the search, agents located a .40 caliber handgun in the nightstand. Agents also found 38.1 grams of fentanyl on Karagianis’s person. According to the DEA, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage. Six out of ten counterfeit pills examined by the DEA in the past year contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug. Karagianis is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his previous felony convictions of possession of methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a syringe. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers and Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement. “Fentanyl is devastating our communities at an unprecedented rate. Illegally armed fentanyl dealers pose an even greater danger to the public,” said United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “We continue to work diligently with the DEA to aggressively address this epidemic and remove armed fentanyl dealers from our neighborhoods.” The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Karagianis be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Pamela S. Domash, who prosecuted this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. One Pill Can Kill : Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill . Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late. ###


title: Two Federal Bureau of Prisons Employees Charged with Violating the Civil Rights of an Inmate Resulting in His Death

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A federal grand jury indicted a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) lieutenant and a BOP registered nurse yesterday with violating the civil rights of an inmate by showing deliberate indifference to the inmate’s serious medical needs, resulting in his death. The indictment alleges that on January 9, 2021, Lieutenant Shronda Covington, 47, of Chesterfield, and Registered Nurse Tonya Farley 52, of Chesterfield, were on duty and working in their official capacities at the Federal Correctional Institution at Petersburg, Virginia. On that day, they allegedly each willfully failed to ensure that the inmate, a 47-year-old man identified as W.W., was provided with necessary medical care, leading to W.W.’s death, even though each allegedly knew that W.W. had serious medical needs. Farley is also charged with writing a false report about the incident. Covington and Farley are each charged with making false statements to federal agents about the incident. The civil rights charges each carry a maximum penalty of life in prison, the false report charge carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison and each false statement charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; and Russell W. Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge of the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General (DOJ OIG) Washington Field Office, made the announcement. DOJ OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Garnett and Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert and Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-68.. An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Ring

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Elijah Figg, also known as "Bang," 23, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine, admitting to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO). According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 29, 2020, Figg sold 3 pounds of methamphetamine for $16,500 to an individual in Charleston. Figg admitted to using his mobile device to communicate with the individual to arrange the deal. Figg further admitted that he knew the individual was going to redistribute the methamphetamine. After the transaction, Figg traveled with four other people to the Beckley area of Raleigh County. Law enforcement officers attempted a traffic stop of the vehicle, and the driver attempted to flee. The pursuit ended when the vehicle struck some utility poles. Officers searched the vehicle and found $18,332 and methamphetamine residue. Figg admitted that the money found included the $16,500 he received from the methamphetamine transaction. Figg is scheduled to be sentenced on August 31, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. Figg participated in a participated in a DTO responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in the Charleston area. A dozen individuals pleaded guilty in connection with this prosecution, the result of an investigation dubbed “Woo Boyz.” During the course of the nearly year-long investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 15 pounds of methamphetamine, 45 firearms, including an IMI Industries Uzi fully automatic 9mm submachine gun, and more than $375,000 in cash. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, the West Virginia State Police, and the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman is prosecuting the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:21-cr-32 and 2:23-cr-88. ###


title: Two Green Bay Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl Disguised as Percocet.

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 24 and June 1, 2023, Senior U.S. District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced Don A.K. James, Jr. (age: 24) and Frederick L. Brewer (age: 34) to 15 years and 12 years in federal prison, respectively, after a jury convicted the Green Bay men of Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, Possessing Fentanyl With Intent to Distribute, and Distributing Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841 and 846. The evidence presented at trial showed that in January and February 2022, Brewer sold fentanyl pills to an informant working with the Brown County Drug Task Force (“BCDTF”). The potentially lethal pills had been illicitly manufactured to resemble Percocet®, in the form of blue “M30” pills. After BCDTF investigators arrested Brewer, they learned that James—Brewer’s brother—had negotiated with an Arizona-based source to buy thousands of counterfeit Percocet® “M30” pills containing fentanyl. James flew to Arizona in early January 2022 to buy at least 15,000 pills. While there, he sent a video to a large-scale buyer in the Green Bay area. The video showed that James had at least 19,000 pills to distribute. James flew back to Wisconsin and boasted to the buyer that James now had 30,000 fentanyl pills and was ready to do business. Brewer conspired with and assisted James in the fentanyl-trafficking operation, including when James returned from Arizona with the “load” of pills. When James was arrested, he attempted to swallow a bag of 58 fentanyl pills. After a several-minute struggle, during which BCDTF investigators administered Narcan to protect James against a potential overdose, they caused James to spit out the still-intact bag. James feared that he had swallowed two pills and pleaded for additional medical help. Investigators quickly summoned an ambulance, which transported James to the hospital for medical clearance. James later posted bail and was released, only to be re-arrested in June 2022 when he was found in possession of over 750 fentanyl pills with the intent to distribute. In sentencing both men, Judge Griesbach emphasized that trafficking fentanyl is equivalent to distributing “poison.” The judge cited recent data from the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) that 6 in 10 counterfeit pills tested at DEA Crime Labs contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl. In 2021, the DEA determined that 40% of pills were potentially lethal, but by 2022, the fatal dosage increased to 60% of tested pills. According to the DEA, fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing this country. It is a highly addictive synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Just two milligrams of fentanyl, the small amount that fits on the tip of a pencil, is considered a potentially deadly dose. According to the CDC, 107,622 Americans died of drug poisoning in 2021, with 66 percent of those deaths involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl. This case was investigated by the Brown County Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Tim Funnell prosecuted the cases. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Milwaukee Felon Indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and related Firearms Offenses

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on June 6, 2023, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Koleh B. Wilson (age: 45) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Counts One and Two of the indictment allege that Wilson was in possession of a 9 mm firearm and over 40 grams of fentanyl in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1), and Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B). Additionally, Count Three of the indictment alleges that Wilson possessed the 9 mm firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). As a convicted felon, Wilson is prohibited from ever possessing a firearm under state and federal law and faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine if convicted of Count One of the indictment. If convicted of dealing fentanyl, as alleged in Count Two of the indictment, Wilson faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years’, and up to 40 years’, imprisonment. If convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, as alleged in Count Three of the indictment, Wilson would face an additional minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and up to a life sentence. This case was investigated by the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department and the Milwaukee Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is being investigated and prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The PSN strategy brings together all levels of law enforcement and community resources to reduce violent crime and improve the quality of life in all our neighborhoods. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Former Owner of Watauga Recovery Clinics Sentenced To Prison

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – The former owner of a chain of buprenorphine clinics, with locations in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Abingdon on three drug charges. Dr. Ralph Thomas Reach, 63, of Bristol, Virginia, pleaded guilty in March 2023 to three counts of causing drugs to be misbranded while held for sale after shipment in interstate commerce by inducing various quantities of prescription drugs Subutex (Schedule III), Suboxone (Schedule III), clonazepam (Schedule IV controlled substance) and gabapentin to be dispensed without valid prescriptions by the actions of health care providers at Watauga Recovery Centers. “Opioid poisoning continues to be a leading cause of death for Virginians of all ages, despite the continued efforts of law enforcement and community groups to warn of the adverse effects of misuse,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “When doctors add to this mounting problem by overprescribing these powerful drugs, they must be held accountable, and we will continue to do exactly that.” “Virginians have suffered at the hands of pharmaceutical corporations and greedy doctors by overprescribing opioids - treating our population like a science experiment. Now, corrupt health care providers are manipulating the sale of drugs designed for opioids abuse recovery. Enough is enough. I'm proud of the role we’re playing in holding accountable bad actors who abuse the system and illegally prioritize profit over recovery,” Attorney General Jason Miyares said today “Buprenorphine, when properly prescribed, is an important tool in battling the opioid crisis. Medical professionals who abuse their access to and power to prescribe these drugs put profits over patients,” said Special Agent in Charge George A. Scavdis, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “Our office will continue to pursue and bring to justice those involved in the illegal prescribing and distribution of these drugs.” Reach, a physician, was the primary owner of Watauga Recovery Centers which operated substance abuse treatment clinics in Virginia and Tennessee. At his clinics, Reach and other medical providers wrote prescriptions for buprenorphine (including Suboxone and Subutex), clonazepam, gabapentin, and other drugs. The prescriptions at issue were not valid because they were dispensed without a legitimate medical purpose and beyond the bounds of professional practice. Senior United States District Judge James P. Jones sentenced Reach to imprisonment for a term of six months to be followed by 18 months of home detention. Upon release from prison, Reach will serve a five year term of probation. In addition, he was ordered to forfeit $50,000 and pay a fine of $100,000. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Virginia State Police, the Virginia Office of the Attorney General—Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Reach’s conviction and sentencing was the result of an investigation that previously led to convictions of: Matthew Sykes (former Watauga Recovery Centers employee); John Paul Linke (former Watauga Recovery Centers employee); Michael Dube (owner of screening laboratory used by Watauga Recovery Centers); Regan Dube (registered agent of screening laboratory used by Watauga Recovery Centers); Michael Olshavsky (sales representative of a Florida confirmation laboratory used by Watauga Recovery Centers); and Rakesh Kothuru (owner of a Las Vegas confirmation laboratory). Over $9.9 million dollars in fines, forfeitures and restitution were ordered as a result of these convictions. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and Virginia Assistant Attorney General Janine M. Myatt and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whit Pierce and Randy Ramseyer prosecuted Reach and the related cases.


title: 22 Defendants Charged in Connection with Manchester Drug Trafficking Ring

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – 21 defendants have been indicted and an additional defendant has been charged in connection with an organized drug trafficking ring operating out of Manchester and Boston, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Over the past day and a half, law enforcement arrested 12 of these defendants on conspiracy to distribute controlled substance charges. During these arrests, law enforcement seized approximately 1.6 kilograms of suspected cocaine, 150 grams of suspected cocaine case, 250 grams of suspected fentanyl, 100 bags of suspected controlled substances packaged for sale, $26,000 in cash, and four firearms. The defendants are scheduled to appear in federal court at various times this week. The following defendants have been charged in federal court: Juan Ramon Soto Baez aka “Ricky,” aka “Nicolas Lopez Rosado”, 53, of Dorchester, Massachusetts. Soto Baez is in custody. He is scheduled for a detention hearing in federal court in Concord on June 8, 2023 at 2:00pm. Osvaldo David Soto Jimenez aka “Tony”, 29, of Dorchester, Massachusetts. Soto Jimenez is in custody. Flemin Soto Baez aka “Carlos” aka “Joel Rodriguez”, 38, of Manchester, New Hampshire. Soto Baez is in custody. Antonio Aguasvivas aka “Toni”, 27, of Providence, Rhode Island. Aguasvivas is in custody. Melissa Rey Ramos aka “Ralphie”, 34, of Peabody, Massachusetts. Rey Ramos is in custody. Angel Leonel Fuentes Pizarro, 42, of Boston, Massachusetts. Pizarro is in custody. He is scheduled for a detention hearing in federal court in Concord on June 9. 2023 at 11:30am. Alejandro Reyes Rosado, 29, of UNKNOWN. Maria Camacho aka “Christina”, 43, of Manchester, New Hampshire. Luis Maldonado aka “Tony”, 48, of Manchester, New Hampshire. Maldonado is in custody. He is scheduled for a detention hearing in federal court in Concord on June 8, 2023 at 10:00am. Yefris Cruz Andujar, 23, of Providence, Rhode Island. Hidequell Gonzalez Viscaino, 22, of Waterbury, Connecticut. Katie Girgus, 29, of Manchester, New Hampshire. Girgus is in custody. Nickolas Starkey, 34, of Manchester, New Hampshire. Starkey is in custody. Daniel Beldin, 33, of Manchester, New Hampshire. Dari Rafael Baez Martinez aka “Chino”, 32, of Boston, Massachusetts. Baez Martinez is in custody. Leander Jose Rivera Soto, 28, of Boston, Massachusetts. Gabriel Hernandez, 30, of Boston, Massachusetts. Hernandez is in custody. Jose Cordero Ortiz, 37, of Boston, Massachusetts. Victor Arias Mejia, 38, of Manchester, New Hampshire. Jhonattan Jimenez, 36, of Boston, Massachusetts. Alesha Neault, 37, of Manchester, New Hampshire. Brandon Rivera, 21, of Boston, Massachusetts. Rivera is in custody. According to court records, this drug trafficking ring, led by Juan Ramon Soto Baez (also known by various aliases, including “Ricky”) and his associates, has allegedly been supplying the Manchester area with fentanyl and crack cocaine for at least the past 4 years. These individuals trafficked large quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine from Massachusetts to New Hampshire. They utilized a business model indicative of a sophisticated drug trafficking operation, which included using dispatch telephone numbers that customers would call to order drugs. Drug runners would drive vehicles to meet customers at predetermined locations to sell them drugs, often inside the runners’ vehicles. The charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. 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. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Marshal Service, the New Hampshire State Police, the Nashua Police Department, the Boston Police Department, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the New Hampshire Department of Corrections, Probation & Parole. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarad Hodes, OCDETF Coordinator, 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. 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: Mother and Son Indicted for Drug Conspiracy and Money Laundering

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on June 6, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment alleging that Moises Gonzalez-Rodriguez (age: 20) and Blanca E. Rodriguez (age: 52) of Green Bay, Wisconsin, conspired to distribute fentanyl in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846. The indictment also alleges that Blanca Rodriguez laundered the proceeds of the drug sales in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(a)(1)(B)(i). Blanca Rodriguez is the mother of Moises Gonzalez-Rodriguez. If convicted of the drug conspiracy charge, each defendant faces a mandatory 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a life sentence. Rodriguez also faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted of the money laundering offense. This case was investigated by the Brown County Drug Task Force and the United States Postal Inspection Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Colombian National Charged With Reentry Of Removed Aliens

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Edgar Ferney Penagos-Porras, age 34, a native of Colombia, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury with reentry of removed aliens. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Penagos-Porras was previously removed from the United States on or about February 26, 2018, and it is alleged that he reentered the United States without first obtaining legal permission to do so. The indictment also alleges that on May 23, 2023, Penagos-Porras was encountered in Monroe County, by the Pennsylvania State Police, on an outstanding warrant from Georgia. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Green Bay Felon Indicted for Possessing Firearms and Drug Trafficking Activity

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on June 6, 2023, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Fabian J. Duarte (age: 32) of Green Bay, Wisconsin. The indictment alleges that Duarte, a felon, was in possession of two firearms in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). Duarte is also alleged to have possessed with the intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 841(a) and 841(b)(1)(C). As a convicted felon, Duarte is prohibited from ever possessing a firearm under state and federal law and faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine if convicted of that charge. He faces an additional 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted of the drug charge. This case was investigated by the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is being investigated and prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The PSN strategy brings together all levels of law enforcement and community resources to reduce violent crime and improve the quality of life in all our neighborhoods. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter