title: Two Orlando Men Charged With Armed Robbery Spree

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Nijah Jahni Mitchell (22, Orlando) and Dany Telfort (20, Orlando) with multiple counts of Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. If convicted on all counts, Mitchell faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 28 years, up to life, in federal prison, and Telfort faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 14 years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Mitchell and Telfort that the United States intends to forfeit the Glock 9mm firearm, Taurus 9mm firearm, and associated ammunition, which are alleged to have been used during the commission of the offenses. According to the indictment, between March 23 and April 1, 2023, Mitchell and Telfort robbed six convenience stores in Central Florida. They also brandished firearms during their respective robberies. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Orlando Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Clermont Police Department, the Ocoee Police Department, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oakland Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman. 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. Download Indictment


title: Four Flight Attendants Plead Guilty To Smuggling Drug Money To The Dominican Republic

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that four flight attendants charged in connection with smuggling drug money to the Dominican Republic have pled guilty to operating an unlicensed money transmission business. SARAH VALERIO PUJOLS pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald on July 23, 2024; CHARLIE HERNANDEZ pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams on July 25, 2024; EMMANUEL TORRES pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Cave on August 12, 2024; and JAROL FABIO pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian on August 13, 2024. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “These four flight attendants abused their privileges as flight attendants to move money for drug traffickers. My Office is committed to staunching the illicit flow of narcotics proceeds in all of its forms. These guilty pleas show that the sky is not the limit when it comes to law enforcement’s reach.” According to the allegations in the Complaints, the Informations, court filings, and statements made in Court: During the relevant period, all of the defendants were employed as flight attendants with different international airlines that operated routes between New York City and the Dominican Republic. All of the defendants had “Known Crewmember” (“KCM”) status with the Transportation Security Administration, which allowed them to pass through a special security lane at John F. Kennedy International Airport and other airports with less scrutiny than normal passengers. Before or in about October 2021, a cooperating witness (“CW-1”) operated a significant money laundering organization (“MLO”) in New York City, specializing in the movement of cash proceeds from narcotics sales from New York City to the Dominican Republic. One method that CW-1 used in furtherance of their MLO was corrupting flight attendants, like the defendants, who worked routes between New York City and the Dominican Republic. In exchange for a fee – which generally amounted to a small percentage of the amount of money that they would be smuggling – the defendants accepted bulk cash from CW-1 in New York City, got it past airport security via the KCM lane, and passed it off to other members of CW-1’s MLO in the Dominican Republic, including another cooperating witness (“CW-2”). After CW-1 and CW-2 began cooperating with law enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) and the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) orchestrated a number of sting operations in which CW-1 provided law enforcement funds represented to be narcotics proceeds to the defendants, who then smuggled it down to the Dominican Republic and handed it off to CW-2, who returned the funds to law enforcement. * * * PUJOLS, 42, of the Bronx, New York; HERNANDEZ, 42, of West New York, New Jersey; EMMANUEL TORRES, 34, of Brooklyn, New York; and JAROL FABIO, 35, of New York, New York, each respectively pled guilty to one count of operation of an unlicensed money transmission business, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. PUJOLS will be sentenced by Judge Buchwald on November 14, 2024; HERNANDEZ will be sentenced by Judge Abrams on November 15, 2024; TORRES will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon on January 6, 2025; and FABIO will be sentenced by Judge Subramanian on November 15, 2024. As part of their guilty pleas, PUJOLS, HERNANDEZ, TORRES, and FABIO each agreed to forfeit property involved in their commission of the offense. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of HSI and the NYPD. This case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin A. Gianforti and Jaclyn Delligatti are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Georgia Man Indicted for Pandemic-Related Fraud and Stolen Identity Tax Refund Fraud

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Mycheal Arnell Brady, also known as “Michael Brady,” has been indicted on federal charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, for stealing COVID-19 relief funds and submitting fraudulent federal tax refunds using the stolen identities of multiple individuals. Brady has also been charged with possession of unauthorized access devices that contained dozens of the identity theft victims’ personal information, including their Social Security numbers. “Brady’s alleged scheme defrauded programs designed to support legitimate businesses struggling during the COVID-19 relief pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “To further perpetrate his fraud, he also allegedly used stolen personal information from unsuspecting victims to file fraudulent tax returns and obtain refunds.” “This case demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of COVID-19 relief programs,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Braithwaite. “Fraudulent activities undermine the purpose of these essential programs, designed to support legitimate small businesses struggling during the pandemic. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to ensuring that those who exploit federal programs are held accountable.” “Mycheal Brady’s alleged theft of funds under the CARES Act and other criminal activity led to his indictment today,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “It is only a matter of time before IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners uncover the crimes of many others who defrauded the American people during the COVID-19 pandemic.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the indictment, and other information presented in court: Mycheal Brady allegedly submitted several fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications to authorized lenders and the Small Business Administration. The applications contained fraudulent information regarding gross revenues and fake employees at his various companies and sought over $1.9 million in funding. He also allegedly submitted fraudulent tax forms and bank statements to support his loan applications. Brady allegedly received more than $330,000 from the fraudulent EIDL and PPP loans, which were not used for authorized business purposes. In connection with his fraudulent schemes, Brady also allegedly possessed dozens of Social Security numbers belonging to the stolen identity theft victims, which Brady then used to apply for federal tax refunds. The victims were not aware of Brady’s use of their personal identifying information nor did they consent to his filing of their federal tax refunds on their behalf. Mycheal Arnell Brady, also known as “Michael Brady,” 36, of Peachtree City, Georgia was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Christopher C. Bly on August 5, 2024. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 23, 2024. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Cooper and Samir Kaushal are prosecuting the case. 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 . 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: Three Additional Suspects Arrested in Connection with Rash of Carjackings in the District and Maryland

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Law enforcement this week executed search warrants at several homes in Washington D.C. and arrested three suspects in connection with a series of armed car jackings and vehicle thefts in the District of Columbia and Maryland. Elmer Bonilla, 22, was arrested on August 9 at his home in the Brightwood neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Christian Rodriguez, 19, of Hyattsville, Maryland, was also arrested on August 9 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Dylan Giron, 22, was arrested August 12 by law enforcement at a relative’s home in Northwest Washington, D.C. A detention hearing is scheduled for Bonilla, Rodriguez, and Giron for August 16, 2024. Earlier this year, on February 28, 2024, Gregory Giron, 20, of the Washington D.C.’s Crestwood neighborhood, was taken into custody by Baltimore County Police following a vehicle pursuit of Gregory Giron, who was driving a Toyota Corolla that had just been carjacked. He was initially charged with one count of carjacking the Toyota Corolla. On August 1, the four co-defendants were charged in a 16-count Superseding Indictment for the rash of offenses that occurred from December 12, 2023, to February 27, 2024, which include: • January 5, 2024, carjacking of a Hyundai Elantra on the 3900 block of Georgia Avenue NW; • January 16, 2024, auto theft of a 2023 Kia Sportage on Hanover Pike, in Reisterstown, MD; • January 23, 2024, armed carjacking of a 2019 Dodge Challenger on the 7500 block of Eastern Avenue NW; • January 23, 2024, armed carjacking of a 2016 Dodge Challenger, on the 1500 block of Decatur Street NW; • January 24, 2024, armed carjacking of a 2019 Dodge Charger on the 6400 block of Luzon Avenue, NW; • January 25, 2024, armed carjacking of a 2023 Honda Pilot on the 3200 block of P Street, NW; • January 25, 2024, armed carjacking, of a 2015 Infiniti Q50 on the 200 block of Pidco Road, Reisterstown, MD; • January 25, 2024 armed carjacking of a 2014 BMW 428i on the 5600 block of Sargeant Road, Hyattsville, MD During the execution of the search warrants this week at the co-defendents’ residences, law enforcement recovered ammunition, firearms, a bullet proof vest, cash, and imitation firearms. This is an ongoing investigation being handled by the FBI’s Washington Field Office with assistance from local law enforcement. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 24cr00113


title: Ohio Man Sentenced for Transporting Meth Through KC Aboard Bus

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Akron, Ohio, man was sentenced in federal court today for transporting more than 27 kilograms of methamphetamine through Kansas City, Mo., aboard a bus. Rogeric Romone Clark, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 12 years in federal prison without parole. On April 11, 2024, Clark pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Members of the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics Task Force (MoWIN) were conducting interdiction activities at a Kansas City, Mo., bus station on, Dec. 5, 2023. As passengers disembarked from a bus that originated in Los Angeles, California, officers used a police drug-sniffing dog, which alerted to a suitcase later identified as belonging to Clark. Investigators later identified another suitcase that belonged to Clark. A detective contacted Clark, who confirmed a suitcase belonged to him and gave officers consent to open it. As the detective opened the suitcase, Clark fled on foot through the rear parking area. Clark fell during the chase and was taken into custody. Officers searched both of the suitcases and found 30 one-pound bundles in each suitcase that contained a total of 27.2 kilograms of methamphetamine. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh Ragner. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.


title: Russian Citizen Sentenced to 40 Months for Selling Stolen Financial Information on the Criminal Internet Marketplace Slilpp

body_text: WASHINGTON – Georgy Kavzharadze, 27, of Moscow, Russia, was sentenced today to 40 months in prison for being a prolific vendor of stolen financial information, login credentials, and other personally identifying information (PII) on a criminal internet marketplace called Slilpp, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. Kavzharadze pleaded guilty February 16, 2024, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. In addition to the prison term, Judge Kollar-Kotelly ordered Kavzharadze to pay $1,233,521.47 in restitution. Kavzharadze is also known as “George” and went by online monikers of “TeRorPP,” “Torqovec,” and “PlutuSS.” In Cyrillic his name is ГЕОРГИЙ КАХОВИЧ КАВЖАРАДЗЕ. According to court documents, between July 2016 and May 2021, Kavzharadze, using the name “TeRorPP,” listed over 626,100 stolen login credentials for sale on Slilpp and sold more than 297,300 of them on the illegal marketplace. Those credentials were subsequently linked to $1.2 million in fraudulent transactions. On May 27, 2021, Kavzharadze’s account on Slilpp listed 240,495 login credentials for sale that would allow the buyer to use the information to steal money from the victim’s online payment and bank accounts. The credentials included access to accounts with banks located in New York, California, Nevada, and Georgia. Kavzharadze accepted Bitcoin as payment for the credentials. An FBI analysis connected Kavzharadze to withdrawals of more $200,000 in Slilpp profits from his Bitcoin account. In June 2021, the FBI, in a coordinated action with international law enforcement partners, disrupted Slilpp by seizing its infrastructure and domain names. The Slilpp database contained a wealth of historical information about Slilpp vendors, customers, and transactions, including subscriber and payment information for individual accounts that have been used to buy and sell login credentials over Slilpp. The database accurately reflected known Slilpp transactions and subscriber records, including FBI undercover purchases. On August 24, 2021, Kavzharadze was charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, bank fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft. He was subsequently extradited to the United States. His initial appearance occurred May 18, 2022, in U.S. District Court. Kavzharadze has been detained since his extradition to the United States. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Macey and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Misher. Valuable assistance was provided by Paralegal Specialist Lisa Abbe, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Demian S. Ahn, and former Paralegal Specialist Michon Tart. 21cr531


title: Fargo, ND, Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Robbery of a Mail Carrier

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: Fargo – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that on August 14, 2024, DeShaun Holmes, age 22 from Fargo, ND, appeared before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte, U.S. District Court, Fargo, ND, and was sentenced to 114 months in federal prison, followed by five years supervised released and an order of forfeiture of a Glock 9mm pistol for the offenses of Robbery of a Mail Carrier (18 USC 2114(a)) and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. On July 17, 2023, DeShaun Holmes robbed a postal carrier at gun point in Frontier, ND, and stole a key from the carrier to gain access to numerous post office boxes and mail receptacles with the intent to commit further crimes of bank fraud and mail fraud. Thanks to a collaborative investigation between federal and local law enforcement, Holmes was identified, arrested, and charged four days after the offense. “This defendant targeted a mail carrier in our community because of his job,” Schneider said. “That job is an important and often difficult one, but it should never be dangerous. As this strong sentence shows, the United States Attorney’s Office will forcefully prosecute anyone who threatens the men and women of the United States Postal Service with violence. I want to thank our law enforcement partners for working with our career prosecutors to make sure this defendant faced justice in federal court.” "The safety and security of Postal Service employees and customers are core to the mission of the United States Postal Inspection Service, and this violent incident is a tremendous example of how local, state, and federal partners can join together to quickly and safely resolve situations like this," said Denver Division Inspector in Charge Bryan Musgrove “I would like to thank all the emergency responders along with our law enforcement partners at Cass & Clay County Sheriffs as well as Fargo PD for their efforts that led to a successful investigation, arrest and prosecution of DeShaun Holmes. “ “As Sheriff, I know the importance of partnering with our local, state, and federal partners to reduce criminal activity in our communities. This is a prime example of those partnerships. The United States Postal Service was quick to respond when asked to assist with this case. Through that partnership, they worked collaboratively with our agency to identify and arrest Deshawn Holmes for his actions in an armed robbery of one of our local mail carriers in the Frontier neighborhood. The partnership, quick investigative action, and follow-through with the US Attorney’s Office assured that Holmes will be held accountable for his actions and will look to bring justice to the victim in this case. I want to thank all of those who were involved in investigating this case and the US Attorney's Office for their roles and assistance in bringing this situation to a safe successful conclusion. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fargo Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Greenley. # # #


title: Bozeman construction company owner sentenced to prison, fined $75,000 for failing to pay taxes to IRS

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA — The owner of a Bozeman construction company who admitted not paying to the IRS employee-related taxes of more than $800,000 was sentenced today to federal prison and fined $75,000, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Joseph Glen Dickey, 39, owner of Alpine Customs, Inc., pleaded guilty in April to failure to truthfully account for and pay over withholding and FICA taxes, a felony, and failure to file employer’s quarterly return and pay tax, a misdemeanor. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen sentenced Dickey to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The court also fined him $75,000 and ordered $270,807 restitution, which is the remaining amount owed after Dickey repaid some of his outstanding balance prior to sentencing. The government alleged in court documents that Dickey owns Alpine Customs, Inc., a commercial construction company that has employed 60 or more individuals. Dickey acted as Alpine’s general manager and exercised control over every aspect of the business, including approving company payments and overseeing company bank accounts. Alpine withheld payroll taxes from employees’ paychecks, including federal income taxes and Social Security and Medicare taxes. Alpine also was required to make quarterly deposits of those payroll taxes and additional employer payroll contributions to the IRS. Dickey did not timely deposit several employee or employer payroll taxes from 2018 to 2021. Dickey knew of the requirements and his bookkeepers and IRS officers repeatedly advised Dickey of these legal obligations. In total, Dickey failed to timely pay $803,374 in employer and employee payroll taxes. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Chelsea Man Arrested for Armed Robberies of Three Local Banks

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Chelsea man was arrested today in connection with the armed robberies of banks in Weymouth, Jamaica Plain and Hyde Park. Keywan Kelly, 29, was charged with three counts of armed bank robbery. Kelly was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at 2 p.m. today. According to the charging documents, at approximately 11:52 a.m. on July 1, 2024, a male – later allegedly identified as Kelly – entered a Bank of America branch in Weymouth wearing gloves and a medical mask. Kelly allegedly approached a teller window and pushed a handwritten note towards the teller demanding $20,000 and threatened that he would “kill you all,” while pointing a firearm at the teller. It is alleged that the teller then handed Kelly $15,000, after which Kelly demanded more and the teller gave him additional cash of approximately $4,000 to $5,000 before leaving the bank. During the robbery, Kelly allegedly made verbal threats such as, “Run that s**t before I blow this place up” and “I’ll kill all of you.” Similarly, at approximately 1:41 p.m. on July 16, 2024, a male – later allegedly identified as Kelly – entered the Rockland Trust Bank in Jamaica Plain wearing a black balaclava style mask, black clothing and white latex gloves. Kelly allegedly approached the teller window and handed the teller a note that read, “I need 20K no DyPacks I have 4 bombs I’ll Kill everyone make quick,” while brandishing a firearm. Kelly allegedly fled the bank on foot after receiving approximately $2,480 in cash from the teller. It is further alleged that, at approximately 10:09 a.m. on July 26, 2024, a male – later allegedly identified as Kelly – entered another Rockland Trust Bank branch in Hyde Park, again wearing a black balaclava style mask and gloves. There, Kelly allegedly handed the teller a handwritten note that included words to the effect of, “you’re being robbed give me cash,” before pointing a firearm at the teller. It is alleged that Kelly verbally threatened to “shoot” and demanded $20,000. Upon receiving approximately $3,000 in cash, Kelly took back the demand note and fled the bank. A subsequent investigation allegedly identified Kelly on the Weymouth bank’s video surveillance and identified Kelly’s fingerprints on the vehicle used as a getaway car following the Weymouth robbery. The investigation also allegedly revealed connections between Kelly and vehicles that were identified as being in the vicinity of the Jamaica Plain and Hyde Park banks at the time of the robberies. Cell phone location data allegedly revealed that Kelly’s cell phone was present in the vicinity of each of the banks near the time of the robberies. The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $ 250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Boston and Weymouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit is 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.


title: Local Restauranteur Charged with Filing False Tax Returns

body_text: BOSTON – The former owner of two restaurants was charged yesterday in connection with filing false tax returns. Remigijus Mikelenas, 55, of Gilford, N.H., formerly of Canton, Mass. has been charged with three counts of filing false tax returns. Mikelenas was arrested yesterday and released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston. According to the charging documents, Mikelenas was the owner of a café and juice bar in Canton. It is alleged that between approximately 2012 through 2020, Mikelenas deliberately failed to report more than $3.5 million in gross receipts at his businesses to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). As a result, Mikelenas allegedly avoided paying more than $860,000 in federal income taxes. During the investigation, Mikelenas allegedly told an undercover agent posing as a prospective buyer for the businesses, that he regularly underreported his gross receipts to the IRS and showed the agent a copy of the “real” books that reflected the businesses’ true earnings. During the meeting, it is further alleged that Mikelenas asked the agent whether he worked for the IRS, and added, “If I get caught, I’ll be screwed.” The charge of filing false tax returns provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is 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.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures 20-Year Sentence in Child Exploitation Case

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Las Cruces man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for conspiring with his cousin to distribute child pornography, following an extensive investigation that uncovered thousands of explicit images and videos of minors. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court document, between April 18, 2022, and April 24, 2023, Ryan Gallardo , 24, conspired with his cousin, Yamil Pillado, to send and receive videos depicting child pornography using various online platforms and cloud storage services. The two men exchanged thousands of files containing sexually explicit images and videos of minors, including content involving bestiality and sadomasochism. In addition to trading child pornography, Gallardo and Pillado discussed prior sexual abuse of children and plans to sexually abuse and record minors that Gallardo had access to through relationships with others. Pillado pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and receive child pornography and was sentenced to more than 17 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Pillado will be subject to 20 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. Upon his release from prison, Gallardo will be subject to 25 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, made the announcement today. Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the El Paso Police Department, Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, New Mexico State Police and the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa A. Ong and A’Kiesha Soliman prosecuted the case. # # #


title: New York Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking a Minor and Forced Labor

body_text: BOSTON – A New York City man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for brutally sex trafficking a minor. Defendant trafficked the minor victim nearly every single day and forced her to work at a strip club. Sherriff Cooper, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 18 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Cooper was also ordered to pay $97, 200 in restitution to the minor victim. In February 2024, Cooper was convicted by a federal jury of sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud and coercion; transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity; and forced labor. “Sherriff Cooper viciously and cruelly exploited a vulnerable minor who was half his age – taking advantage of his position of trust to abuse her into submission. When he lost his job, Mr. Cooper decided he would rather sex traffic a vulnerable child for financial gain than seek legitimate employment – all the while physically abusing and threatening her. Her bravery and courage in holding this defendant accountable is truly remarkable. Mr. Cooper’s refusal to accept any responsibility for his crimes or show remorse for the lifelong harm he inflicted underscores why he is truly deserving of this significant sentence,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Our thoughts today are with the victim in this case who suffered horrific abuse and courageously came forward and told investigators and the jury what Sherriff Cooper did to her. As a result, Sherriff Cooper was sent to prison for 18 years. No child should ever be subjected to sex trafficking, especially by someone in a position of trust,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Today’s sentence removes a dangerous threat from our community, and sends a clear message that human trafficking will not be tolerated.” In 2017, Cooper was working as a security guard at a residential program for pregnant teens when he met the victim – a then 15-year-old pregnant minor who had run away from Massachusetts Department of Children and Families’ custody. Cooper began a sexual relationship with the victim and, after losing his job in early 2018, began sex trafficking her around Boston, posting advertisements for her on commercial sex websites and taking all the proceeds. He used violence, threats of violence and coercion to make the victim engage in commercial sex for his financial benefit, trafficking the minor victim every single day except for when she was menstruating and on her birthday. Cooper transported the victim across state lines to sex traffic her in New York. While in New York, Cooper obtained a fake ID for the minor victim and forced her to strip at a club – keeping all the proceeds for himself. Cooper continued to use threats of violence, violence and coercion to keep the victim working at the club for his financial benefit. Cooper’s violence against the victim increased when she could not strip as often because he impregnated her. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and SAC Cohen made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the FBI New York Field Division and the Arlington and Malden Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Torey B. Cummings, Stephen W. Hassink and Lauren A. Graber of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Steven Patrick Crabtree, 35, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 4, 2024, law enforcement officers responded to reports of an individual shooting at others outside of a Buffington Street residence in Huntington. Officers encountered Crabtree, who matched the description of the shooting suspect. Officers recovered a loaded Smith & Wesson model SD9VE 9mm pistol from Crabtree, and later determined that the firearm had been stolen. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Crabtree knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for conspiracy to deliver not less than 10 grams nor more than 100 grams of heroin in Wayne County Circuit Court on May 30, 2018, and attempt to commit a felony in Cabell County Circuit Court on March 21, 2017. Crabtree is scheduled to be sentenced on November 25, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-86. ###


title: Moon Township Man Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Return, Admits to Causing $1.03 Million Tax Loss

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of willfully filing a false tax return, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Albert Boyd Jr., 53, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, for each year from 2017 to 2022, Boyd failed to report income from his company, Boyd Roll-Off Services, Inc., on the business’s tax return for the relevant tax year, causing a total tax loss of at least $1,030,000. Specifically, Boyd ensured that much of the company’s income from the sale of scrap metal went unreported by causing cash proceeds not to be deposited in the business bank account and causing checks to be deposited into accounts other than the business bank account. Boyd then failed to provide his tax return preparer with records relating to the undeposited cash and diverted checks. Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for December 17, 2024. The law provides for a total sentence of up to three years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss of the offense, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney William B. Guappone is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Internal Revenue Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Boyd.


title: Richmond man with previous firearms convictions sentenced for possessing a handgun

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

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to three years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Oct. 3, 2023, Henrico County Police (HCPD) responded to a call for service regarding a fight at an apartment complex on Henrico Arms Place. A woman who was not involved in the fight approached the officers and reported that she had just been assaulted by Jamie Louis Cook, 39, who is the father of her child. When an HCPD officer attempted to place Cook into custody for domestic assault, Cook attempted to flee from the officers. As Cook fled, he reached into his waistband, removed a loaded 9mm handgun, and dropped it on the ground. Cook eventually stopped running and was taken into custody. The officers recovered the firearm that Cook dropped, which had been stolen in November 2021. Cook has previous felony convictions including for robbery, use of a firearm in commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Eric D. English, Chief of Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Hubbard, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-26.


title: Mexican National Sentenced For Illegal Re-entry

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that BALTAZAR GARCIA-MENDOZA (“ GARCIA”) , age 33, was sentenced on August 7, 2024 to time served after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). According to court documents, GARCIA was encountered during a traffic stop on Interstate 10 in St. Tammany Parish on April 24, 2024, after being previously deported on February 3, 2014. GARCIA was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Sarah S. Vance to time served, which was over three months. GARCIA had no previous criminal history. Database checks indicated that GARCIA reentered the United States without permission, inspection, or parole by an immigration officer and without the express consent of the United States Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for readmission to the United States and, was encountered in the Eastern District of Louisiana by law enforcement. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon M. Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Former Attorney Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison on Embezzlement and Fraud Charges in Connection With Collapse of Washington Federal Bank

body_text: CHICAGO — A former attorney has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for embezzlement and fraud in connection with the failure of Washington Federal Bank for Savings in Chicago. ROBERT M. KOWALSKI served a key role in an embezzlement scheme at Washington Federal. The bank, which was based in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood, was shut down in 2017 after the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency determined that it was insolvent and had at least $66 million in nonperforming loans. Much of the money was transferred to Kowalski, who at the time was a licensed attorney, and two real estate developers without all of the required documentation and often without any documentation whatsoever. The embezzled funds were falsely identified in the bank’s records as loan disbursements, even though the bank never required Kowalski to repay the money. After the collapse of the bank, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. attempted to collect the money and properties that Kowalski obtained as part of the embezzlement scheme. Kowalski responded by filing a fraudulent bankruptcy case, in which he attempted to conceal his possession of numerous assets. To substantiate numerous misrepresentations in his bankruptcy filings and avoid paying taxes, Kowalski filed false corporate and personal tax returns for several years. He also failed to file any returns at all for two years. Kowalski, 62, of Robbins, Ill., was convicted last year of embezzlement, bankruptcy fraud, and tax fraud charges. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Chief Judge Virginia M. Kendall on Tuesday ordered Kowalski to pay restitution of $7.2 million to the FDIC and $424,047 to the IRS. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Vincent R. Zehme, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Region of the FDIC’s Office of Inspector General; Machelle L. Jindra, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General in Chicago; Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office; Korey Brinkman, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Central Region of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General; Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; Andrea Peacock, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Department of the Treasury, Office of Inspector General; Deborah Witzburg, City of Chicago Inspector General; and Kathryn B. Richards, Chicago Housing Authority Inspector General. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Trustee Program. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Petersen, Kristin Pinkston, and Jeffrey Snell, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Netols. The federal criminal investigation into the bank’s collapse led to charges against a total of 16 defendants, including the bank’s Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and other high-ranking employees. Four defendants were convicted after jury trials, while ten defendants pleaded guilty and two entered into deferred prosecution agreements. Robert Kowalski’s sister, JAN R. KOWALSKI, also formerly an attorney, pleaded guilty and is serving a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for fraudulently enabling her brother to conceal more than $357,000 from creditors and the trustee in his bankruptcy case.


title: California drug trafficker sentenced to over eight years in prison

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A California woman was sentenced today to eight years and eight months in prison for her part in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. According to court documents, in September 2022, Lily Marlene Contreras Lopez, 35, took over the drug-trafficking business of her romantic partner, who was arrested on firearms and narcotics charges in California. One of her customers was Chase Scott Jones, 27, who supplied drugs to Sean Michael Johnson , 26, a long-time supplier of narcotics to customers across the nation. Law enforcement learned that, dating back to at least May 2020, Johnson had sold tens of thousands of fentanyl pills to an individual in Virginia. An undercover officer contacted Johnson to gauge his fentanyl drug supply. Law enforcement made a total of six controlled purchases from the conspiracy beginning in January 2023. Johnson negotiated the controlled purchases with the undercover officer and sent the details to Jones, who then sourced most of the drugs from Contreras Lopez. The fifth and six controlled purchases were conducted in person in California. The sixth deal involved 100 pounds of meth and 10 kilograms of fentanyl powder. On Dec. 6, 2023, before the deal took place, Contreras Lopez distributed the meth to Jones. Jones then proceeded to the deal location, with Contreras Lopez waiting nearby to complete the transactions. After Jones distributed the meth to the undercover officer, both Jones and Contreras Lopez were arrested. During searches of Contreras Lopez’s apartment and storage, law enforcement recovered two kilograms of fentanyl powder, five handguns, a digital scale, a money counter, several empty promethazine bottles, and drug ledgers. On Feb. 29, Johnson pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and meth. Johnson was sentenced on May 29 to eight years and six months in prison. On Feb. 4, Jones pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and meth. Jones was sentenced on June 6 to 10 years in prison. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Carter prosecuted the case. 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-46.


title: Co-Conspirators Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – Two men were sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for participating in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that allegedly distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Christopher Nagle, 30, of Revere and Isaac Clayton, 77, of Lynn were sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV. Christopher Nagle was sentenced to 139 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Clayton was sentenced to two months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, with the first six months to be served in home confinement. In February 2024, Clayton pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. In April 2024, Christopher Nagle pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. According to court documents, the DTO distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, among other things, to various individuals in the Lynn area. Christopher Nagle, and allegedly his brother Lawrence Michael Nagle, were identified as leaders of a DTO distributing various controlled substances throughout the North Shore region of Massachusetts. It is alleged that the Nagle DTO distributed significant quantities of various controlled substances, including, Adderall (both pharmaceutical-grade pills and counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine), methamphetamine, Xanax, Oxycodone (both pharmaceutical-grade and counterfeit pills containing fentanyl), cocaine and marijuana, among others. A search of Christopher Nagle’s apartment recovered more than 74,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, weighing more than 24 kilograms. As part of the conspiracy, Clayton stored various controlled substances including marijuana, cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine) and counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl at his apartment on behalf of the DTO. A search of his apartment in October 2022 resulted in the seizure of various quantities of marijuana, cocaine base and fentanyl, as well as three loaded firearms, additional rounds of ammunition, $2,640 in drug proceeds and materials used to package and distribute controlled substances. Lawrence Michael Nagle has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for trial on Jan. 6, 2024. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan D. Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Rockwood Man Sentenced for Tax Evasion and Filing False Income Tax Returns

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Rockwood, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a fine of $40,000 and restitution of $207,378 (which has already been paid) to the Internal Revenue Service on his conviction of tax evasion and filing false income tax returns, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Jason R. Svonavec, 45. According to information presented to the Court, Svonavec evaded tax liability in 2017 by illegally expensing the construction of his home in Somerset, Pennsylvania, through entities he operates called Heritage Coal and Natural Resources LLC and Banshee Crane. In 2018, he filed a tax return reporting false tax deductions for Heritage Coal. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Internal Revenue Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Svonavec.


title: Bronx Man Charged With Possession Of Child Pornography

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Erin Keegan, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced that JUAN TOMAS DIAZ was arrested yesterday and charged with one count of possessing child pornography. DIAZ will be presented later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Juan Tomas Diaz, who had access to and lived in the same building as a daycare run by a family member, possessed at least one hundred images of child pornography. Among those were graphic videos and images of children, ranging from infants to young teenagers, being raped and engaging in other sexual conduct. Our investigation into Diaz is ongoing, and we urge anyone with information about Diaz’s conduct to call HSI at 1-877-4-HSI-TIP. We will continue to tirelessly work together with our law enforcement partners to detect predators and protect our community’s children.” Acting Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan said: “As alleged, Juan Tomas Diaz was found to have been in possession of over 100 images and videos of child pornography at his home mere steps from a daycare. Every parent's worst nightmare, the defendant had access to a childcare facility where toddlers' and young adolescents' loved ones expected they would be safe. This arrest underscores the urgency of our commitment to collaborate with our partners in the relentless fight of safeguarding our communities. I commend HSI New York's Child Exploitation Investigations Team and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York for confronting this alarming reality directly.” According to the allegations contained in the Complaint: [1] DIAZ lives in a basement apartment in the Bronx, located below a daycare. 11 children are currently enrolled at the daycare. DIAZ has access to the daycare, which is run by a family member of DIAZ. On or about August 13, 2024, federal agents executed a judicially authorized search warrant of DIAZ’s apartment. Pursuant to that warrant, federal agents seized and searched DIAZ’s phone, which was found to contain what appears to be over 100 images of child pornography. DIAZ, after waving his Miranda rights and signing a written Miranda consent form, voluntarily spoke to law enforcement and admitted to having viewed videos and images of minors engaged in sexual activity. * * * DIAZ, 46, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Phillips is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Knott County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: PIKEVILLE, Ky. – A Vest, Ky., man, Lee Rose, 37, was sentenced on Wednesday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, to 216 months, for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, between at least September 2023 and January 2024, Rose was selling methamphetamine in Knott County. Specifically, on September 27, 2023, law enforcement made a controlled purchase of over 50 grams of methamphetamine from Rose. At the time he sold this methamphetamine, Rose was on parole, for three separate prior convictions for felony trafficking in methamphetamine. Law enforcement then engaged in additional transactions where Rose provided methamphetamine, on October 4, 2023 (for 52 grams), on October 9, 2023 (for 13 grams), and January 9, 2024 (for 56 grams). Under federal law, Rose must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Dale Richardson, Knott County Sheriff, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, KSP, and Knott County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Trimble prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. — END —


title: Former Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Delaware

body_text: Wilmington, Del. – Paul Michael Wilcox, 42, formerly a Chief Master Sergeant stationed at Dover Air Force Base, pleaded guilty today to possessing child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”), announced David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware. Chief Judge Colm F. Connolly, U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, accepted the plea. According to statements made in open court, the investigation into Wilcox began after law enforcement received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children reporting that a Google account holder uploaded CSAM to the Internet in May 2023. Law enforcement identified Wilcox as the owner and user of the Google account. Law enforcement also searched the account and confirmed that Wilcox had uploaded CSAM to his Google account. U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Prosecuting individuals who choose to prey upon and exploit the most vulnerable members of our community remains a priority for my office. We will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to expose the perpetrators of these heinous crimes and bring them to justice.” The United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations investigated this case, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations and Delaware Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce. Assistant U.S. Attorney Claudia L. Pare is prosecuting this case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 23.63.


title: East Boston Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Child Pornography Offenses

body_text: BOSTON – An East Boston man was sentenced yesterday for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Cristopher Vladimir Pineda Martinez, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns to five years in prison and five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution. In May 2024, Pineda pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. Law enforcement identified Pineda as member of several private large-scale group chats involved in the distribution of CSAM on an online chat platform. On Dec. 12, 2022, Pineda distributed eight videos depicting CSAM in three online chat groups on that platform. An additional 54 videos of CSAM, involving children as young as six years old, were found within the chat platform’s application on Pineda’s personal cell phone. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Former Luzerne County Attorney Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and the Department of Justice, Tax Division announced that Robert J. Powell, age 65, of Palm Beach, Florida, appeared in federal district court today and pled guilty to a one-count criminal information charging him with tax evasion for calendar year 2016, in connection with substantial legal fees he earned while associated with The Powell Law Group, P.C., a Luzerne County-based law firm. Powell was released on an unsecured bond while awaiting his sentencing. According to court documents and statements made in court, Powell sought to evade a substantial tax that was due and owing the IRS for 2016 by using nominee bank accounts, causing an accountant to file a request for a filing extension that falsely reported zero estimated tax liability for 2016, and making false statements during an IRS audit in 2019. Attached hereto is a detailed statement of facts that accompanied the guilty plea. Powell’s license to practice law was suspended in 2009 and he was subsequently disbarred in 2015. As a result, in 2009 he relinquished his ownership of The Powell Law Group. He nevertheless retained the right to collect 90% of the remainder of any future fees collected by the firm after the payment of firm expenses. Specifically, The Powell Law Group represented thousands of plaintiffs in a mass tort litigation that settled for approximately $5.15 billion in 2015 and The Powell Law Group was expected to receive approximately $120 million in attorneys’ fees from that settlement. Prior to the attorneys’ fees disbursement, The Powell Law Group and its co-counsel used those future legal fees as collateral to obtain a series of loans totaling over $125 million. Instead of depositing the loan proceeds into the Powell Law Group's bank accounts and using them to pay firm expenses, Powell instead directed the loans to nominee bank accounts that were under his control. He then used the loan proceeds for his personal debts and expenses, as well as his and his former law partner’s personal benefit. In June 2016, most of the attorneys’ fees were finally disbursed and the loans were repaid. Nevertheless, Powell did not file a personal income tax return and pay taxes on the receipt of the fees in that year. After the initial disbursement and through October 2019, an additional $12 million in attorneys’ fees was distributed and The Powell Law Group’s share continued to be directed into nominee bank accounts that Powell controlled. Powell personally received an additional $3.6 million of the fees during that time. Indeed for the full period of tax years 2010 through 2022, Powell did not file income tax returns for those years despite receiving and spending other personal income. Rather he willfully attempted to evade taxes due and owing by him to the United States. In 2019, when the IRS commenced an audit of his tax liabilities, Powell made false statements to the interviewing revenue agents to conceal his income and expenditures for tax years 2014 through 2016. Namely, Powell falsely stated that his only source of funds were loan advances, that he and his spouse did not have signature authority or control over other bank accounts, and that he had no ownership in any corporations. Ultimately, as alleged by the government, over the relevant time period Powell received millions in income resulting in substantial taxes that were due but not paid to the United States. In the plea agreement filed with the Court, Powell agreed to pay full restitution to the IRS in an amount to be determined by the Court at a later date. “For over a decade Robert Powell failed to file personal income tax returns and executed a sophisticated scheme to evade paying substantial taxes that were due and owing the IRS from massive legal fees his firm earned, said U.S. Attorney Karam. “The brazenness of his conduct included using nominee bank accounts, reporting zero estimated tax liability for the years in question, and repeatedly lying to IRS auditors attempting to unravel the scheme. I want to thank all the IRS agents, prosecutors, and support staff for their hard work that will allow justice to be finally served in this important case.” “Federal income tax compliance should be equally shared among all Americans,” said Denise Leuenberger, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office. “Defrauding the government with an elaborate scheme to underreport taxable income is unlawful. Mr. Powell’s plea today serves as an important reminder that IRS-CI is committed to bringing to justice those who evade their federal income tax responsibilities.” The Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department's Tax Division, Stuart M. Goldberg, said, “Powell engaged in a lengthy scheme to hide his income and not pay taxes. And when audited by the IRS, rather than step up, acknowledge his illegal conduct, and pay what he owed, he chose to double down and lie to the revenue agents who interviewed him.” The case was investigated by the Scranton office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. Senior Litigation Counsel Phillip J. Caraballo, Tax Division Trial Attorney Alexandra Fleszar, and Criminal Division Chief Bruce D. Brandler are prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine and restitution. 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. # # # Statement of Facts Defendant Robert J. Powell was an attorney, businessman, and investor. Robert J. Powell was a resident of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, until in or about 2009, when he relocated to Palm Beach County, Florida. Until on or about August 31, 2009, Robert J. Powell was the founder and owner of The Powell Law Group, P.C. (“Powell Law Group”), a law firm located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, and incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in or about December 2002. In or about August 2009, Robert J. Powell’s license to practice law was suspended by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Robert J. Powell subsequently was disbarred from the Bar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in or about January 2015. Prior to Robert J. Powell’s suspension from the practice of law, he owned 90% of the shares of the Powell Law Group. The remaining 10% of shares were owned by his partner, attorney Jill Moran. On or about August 31, 2009, Robert J. Powell relinquished his directorship of the Powell Law Group, and Jill Moran became the Managing Director and President of the Powell Law Group. Robert J. Powell also surrendered his shares in the Powell Law Group, leaving Jill Moran the sole shareholder. Beginning prior to Robert J. Powell’s suspension from the practice of law and incarceration, the Powell Law Group served as counsel for approximately 4,300 plaintiffs in a mass tort litigation (the “Mass Tort Litigation”). On or about September 15, 2009, Robert J. Powell and Jill Moran entered a Memorandum of Understanding whereby they agreed that any future attorneys’ fees from the Mass Tort Litigation would first be applied to pay the Powell Law Group’s expenses, with 90% of the remaining fees disbursed to Robert J. Powell, and 10% of the remaining fees disbursed to Jill Moran. In or about April 2014, the Mass Tort Litigation settled for approximately $5.15 billion. Of that settlement, the Powell Law Group expected to receive attorneys’ fees in excess of approximately $120 million. In or about May 2014, the Powell Law Group and two co-counsel law firms entered a loan agreement with Financing Company #1. Pursuant to that loan agreement, Financing Company #1 agreed to loan approximately $100 million to the Powell Law Group and the two co-counsel law firms. The loan was collateralized by the anticipated attorneys’ fees from the Mass Tort Litigation. As Robert J. Powell had relinquished his ownership of the Powell Law Group, he provided Jill Moran the loan agreement with Financing Company #1, to sign on behalf of the Powell Law Group. Pursuant to the loan agreement with Financing Company #1, and after the payment of fees and expenses, the Powell Law Group and the two co-counsel law firms were each designated to receive approximately $33 million in loan proceeds. Of the $33 million in loan proceeds designated for the Powell Law Group, approximately $9 million was sent by Financing Company #1 to three financial institution creditors holding outstanding debt-related judgments against Robert J. Powell, the Powell Law Group, and Jill Moran. The remaining Powell Law Group loan proceeds of approximately $24 million were deposited into an account held in the name of Company #1. Robert J. Powell arranged for the Powell Law Group’s loan proceeds to be held in Company #1’s bank account, instead of transferring those funds to the Powell Law Group’s bank accounts. Robert J. Powell had the ability to request distributions of the Powell Law Group loan proceeds held in Company #1’s bank account. Robert J. Powell used funds from the Powell Law Group loan proceeds held in Company #1’s bank account for his own personal expenses and investments, including to pay down personal debts accrued by Robert J. Powell. In or about May 2015, the Powell Law Group and the two co-counsel law firms refinanced the loan agreement with Financing Company #1, by entering an agreement with Financing Company #2. Pursuant to that agreement, Financing Company #2 agreed to repay Financing Company #1, and to distribute an additional approximate $7.6 million to the Powell Law Group and the two co-counsel law firms. The funds distributed by Financing Company #2 were collateralized by the anticipated attorneys’ fees from the Mass Tort Litigation. As Robert J. Powell had relinquished his ownership of the Powell Law Group, he provided Jill Moran with the agreement with Financing Company #2, to sign on behalf of the Powell Law Group. Financing Company #2 distributed the additional approximate $7.6 million to a bank account held in the name of Company #1. Robert J. Powell retained those funds in a bank account held in the name of Company #1, instead of transferring those funds to the Powell Law Group’s bank accounts. On or about April 8, 2016, the Powell Law Group and the two co-counsel law firms entered a second amendment to the agreement with Financing Company #2. As Robert J. Powell had relinquished his ownership of the Powell Law Group, he provided Jill Moran with the second amendment, to sign on behalf of the Powell Law Group. Pursuant to the second amendment, Financing Company #2 distributed an additional $3 million to Company #1’s bank account. Robert J. Powell used funds from the $3 million for personal obligations and expenses. Between in or about February and June 2016, the trustee overseeing the Mass Tort Litigation (the “Tort Trustee”) repaid Financing Company #2 in full, by distributing approximately $125,849,595.59 in attorneys’ fees due to the Powell Law Group. Following the payoff of Financing Company #2, all additional attorneys’ fees due to the Powell Law Group from the Mass Tort Litigation were distributed by the Tort Trustee to a bank account held in the name of a co-counsel law firm. Between in or about June 2016 to October 2019, the Tort Trustee distributed in excess of approximately $12 million to the co-counsel law firm’s bank account. Nearly all of those approximate $12 million were in turn transferred to Company #1’s bank account. Of that approximate $12 million in additional attorneys’ fees distributed by the Tort Trustee, Robert J. Powell personally received in excess of approximately $3.6 million, between in or about June 2016 through August 2019. Robert J. Powell personally received those funds from Company #1’s bank account, including by requesting that Company #1 transfer funds to a bank account under Robert J. Powell’s control, but held in the name of 656 Hermitage Circle LLC. Robert J. Powell used the funds held in 656 Hermitage Circle LLC’s bank account for his own personal expenses and investments. Robert J. Powell failed to file personal income tax returns for tax years 2010 through 2022, despite receiving and spending personal income during those years, and willfully attempted to evade taxes due and owing by him to the United States. For tax years 2015 through 2019, Robert J. Powell’s accounting professionals filed with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) tax filing extensions that reported zero estimated tax liabilities, on the following dates: a tax filing extension for tax year 2015, filed on or about April 14, 2016; a tax filing extension for tax year 2016, filed on or about April 12, 2017; a tax filing extension for tax year 2017, filed on or about March 17, 2018; a tax filing extension for tax year 2018, filed on or about March 10, 2019; and a tax filing extension for tax year 2019, filed on or about July 9, 2020. In or about August 2019, the IRS notified Robert J. Powell that he was the subject of an IRS audit. On or about October 22, 2019, Robert J. Powell was interviewed by IRS revenue agents in the course of the audit. During that interview, Robert J. Powell made several false statements to the IRS revenue agents, to conceal his income and expenditures during tax years 2014, 2015, and 2016. Those false statements included: that his only sources of funds were loan advances; that he and his spouse did not have signature authority or control over any other bank accounts; and that he had no ownership in any corporations.


title: Second defendant charged in fraudulent refund scheme targeting online retailers

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 29- year-old Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to wire fraud and money laundering crimes related to his operation of a fraudulent online shopping refund scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Leonardo Vidal faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik on November 7, 2024. According to the charging information and the plea agreement, Vidal operated his own fraudulent refunding fraud scheme from June 2021 until April 2023 called Ressu Refunds. The scheme amassed 2,800 subscribers and obtained $6 million in fraudulent refunds for followers. Beginning in June 2022, Vidal conspired with 25-year-old Dearborn, Michigan, man Sajed Al-Maarej who operated a different refund site called “Simple Refunds.” As with the Ressu refund site, Simple Refunds operated through the messaging service Telegram. As explained in the charging information and the indictment of Al-Maarej , the Telegram channels represented to prospective purchasers that they could buy high value goods and keep them, while falsely claiming to the merchant company that a refund was due. Purchasers provided Al-Maarej and Vidal with information about their purchase (order number, name, address, value). For a cut of the refund, Al-Maarej, Vidal and their coconspirators would seek a refund by making false representations to the retailers about the status of the order. For example, Simple Refunds or Ressu Refunds would claim the item had not been delivered; was irretrievably damaged; or would have the purchaser mail a box of garbage or junk back to the company – once the package was scanned at the shipping point the refund was issued before the box arrived back and the fraud was discovered. The men recruited “insiders” at UPS and the US Postal Service who would input false scans into the order tracking history to make it appear items had been lost in shipping, stolen from the mail, or returned to the company. The end goal was for the purchaser to keep the product and get their money back. The purchaser then paid Al-Maarej or Vidal 10-15% of the purchase price as a fee, enabling Al-Maarej and Vidal to enrich themselves. In December 2022, Vidal acquired Simple Refunds from Al-Maarej. Vidal sold Ressu Refunds and Simple Refunds to a different Telegram user in April 2023. During the time that Vidal operated Simple Refunds it was responsible for $726,414 worth of fraudulent refunds and Vidal profited $87,000. During just 8 months from May 2022 through December 2022—Ressu Refunds facilitated more than 3,000 fraudulent refunds worth at least $5.3 million. Vidal obtained at least $640,000 from this fraud. The total value of the fraudulent refunds through Simple Refunds and Ressu Refunds while Vidal was running them is $6,067,168. Vidal has agreed to pay restitution of that amount. Wire fraud and money laundering are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend no more than 87 months in prison for Vidal. The actual sentence will be determined by Judge Lasnik after considering sentencing guidelines and other factors. On July 15, 2024, Al-Maarej pleaded guilty to conspiracy, mail fraud and wire fraud. He too is scheduled to be sentenced on November 7, 2024. The investigation is open and ongoing with the possibility of additional charges against other defendants. The case is being investigated by the FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Watts Staniar.


title: Manchester, New Hampshire Man Sentenced to Prison for Elder Fraud Offense

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office stated that on August 12, 2024, Nicholas Melanson, 42, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to six months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Melanson previously pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of a stolen check. Chief Judge Reiss also ordered Melanson to pay $1,500 in restitution to the victim of his offense. According to court records, over the course of nine days in May 2022, Melanson traveled on five different occasions from New Hampshire, where he lived and worked, to the residence of an elderly woman in Windsor, Vermont. Each time Melanson traveled to her residence, he picked her up and drove her to one or more banks where she had accounts. Once at the banks, she made withdrawals and conducted other transactions, and Melanson obtained checks and/or cash from her. The attempted or completed financial transactions that Melanson facilitated or conducted for the elderly woman totaled at least $392,000, though many of the transactions were ultimately stopped or reversed. Melanson received $1,500 cash and a $3,000 “bonus” payment for his role in the victimization of the woman, and he hoped to be paid $10,000 a month to continue manipulating her financial activities. Even though Melanson had never met the woman previously and only interacted with her those five times, he quickly observed that she was confused, opined that she was “starting to have Alzheimer’s,” and believed she was not able to make informed decisions about large financial transactions without guidance and instruction from someone else. Melanson’s conduct only stopped when he was arrested by the Windsor, Vermont Police Department at one of the victim’s banks on May 19, 2022. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the hard work and investigatory efforts of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Secret Service, and the Windsor, Vermont Police Department, and he further thanked the Windsor Police Department for its efforts on behalf of the victim in this matter. Melanson was represented in this matter by Assistant Federal Public Defender Mary Nerino. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Cate and Michael Drescher handled the case for the government. Since the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (EAPPA) was signed into law, the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. The Department has likewise conducted hundreds of trainings and outreach sessions across the country since the passage of the Act. Please visit: http://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/ .


title: Armed Robbery of Marijuana Stash House in Oklahoma City Leads to Four Guilty Pleas

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: More Than 600 Pounds of Black-Market Marijuana and Over $40,000 in Cash Recovered OKLAHOMA CITY – BRANDON MICHAEL NORMAN , 26, of West Melborne, Florida, has pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On August 5, 2024, Norman was charged by Superseding Information with interference with commerce by robbery and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. According to public record, on February 8, 2024, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD) responded to a reported armed robbery at a metro home. Victims in the home told authorities that three men, later identified as Norman’s co-defendants, William Lewis Daniels , 25, Jordon Isaih Watson , 25, and Keldon Sherrod Williams , 26, all of Texas, forced their way into the home and ordered the victims onto the floor where their hands were restrained with zip-ties. The victims told police that one of the defendants, later identified as Daniels, had a firearm. The defendants then ransacked the house and stole more than $36,000 in cash, more than 600 pounds of black-market marijuana stuffed into trash bags, and other items. OCPD officers determined the residence was a black-market marijuana stash house. Security footage from an adjacent property showed four vehicles leaving the stash house after the robbery, including a car stolen from the victims. The stolen car was later located by OCPD officers in a nearby business parking lot. Authorities pulled over two of the suspect vehicles shortly thereafter without incident, and arrested Norman, Watson, and Williams. Daniels, however, led authorities on a high-speed chase down Interstate 235 during rush hour traffic, wrecked his vehicle, and fled briefly on foot before he was arrested. Between the three vehicles, OCPD recovered 690 pounds of marijuana, $40,710.00 in cash, and one firearm. On August 12, 2024, Norman pleaded guilty to the Superseding Information, and admitted he took cash and marijuana from the victims, and that he possessed marijuana which he intended to distribute to others. Daniels, Watson, and Williams have each pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Daniels has also pleaded guilty to being a drug user in possession of a firearm. At sentencing, Norman, Watson, and Williams face up to 40 years in federal prison and fines totaling up to $1,250,000.00 each. Daniels faces up to 55 years in federal prison and fines totaling up to $1,500,000.00. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew E. Davis is prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Woman Sentenced for Conspiring to Smuggle Drugs into Virginia Prison and Laundering Drug Money through Mortgage Payments

body_text: BOSTON – A Lowell woman was sentenced to prison today for conspiring to distribute controlled substances and conspiring to launder the proceeds in Massachusetts and Virginia. Sathtra Em, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 21 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2024, Em pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute MDMA and buprenorphine and two counts of money laundering conspiracy. Earlier today, one of Em’s co-defendants, Michael Mao, 38, of Silver Springs, Md., admitted to his involvement in the drug smuggling conspiracy – pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute MDMA and buprenorphine and one count of money laundering conspiracy. Judge Saylor scheduled Mao’s sentencing for Nov. 18, 2024. Between at least December 2019 and May 2021, Em helped Mao smuggle MDMA and buprenorphine, in the form of Suboxone and generic Suboxone sublingual films, into the Buckingham Correctional Center in Dillwyn in Virginia where Mao was incarcerated. Em allegedly paid a prison guard at the facility, co-defendant Kenneth Owen, $1,600 to receive the drugs in the mail and to deliver them to Mao in the prison. Em allegedly mailed at least two packages to Owen in December 2019 and January 2020 for him to smuggle into the prison for Mao. Em also mailed magazines into the prison with Suboxone sublingual films hidden in between pages glued together. Mao sold the smuggled drugs to other inmates at Buckingham Correctional Center, and Em collected the drug debts on behalf of Mao using Google Voice phone numbers to contact the inmates’ friends and families, and electronic payment applications such as Cash App and Paypal to receive the funds transfers. In a separate conspiracy, Em purchased a home in the Centralville neighborhood of Lowell in 2015. She lived there together with codefendant Sarath Yut until 2017. Yut was a regional drug trafficker and a leader of the Lowell-based gang, One Family Clique. Em and Yut agreed to deposit cash proceeds of Yut’s illegal drug trafficking activity into Em’s bank accounts to pay the mortgage for the Centralville home. Yut gave Em $1,500 cash every month to deposit into her bank account for the mortgage. Between October 2016 and January 2021, Em used at least $76,775 of drug proceeds to pay the mortgage for the Centralville home. The government is seeking forfeiture of this property, which the Court reserved its decision at sentencing today. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute MDMA and Buprenorphine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000, or twice the amount of the property involved, whichever is greater. Both charges also include forfeiture of assets traceable to or involved in the distribution and laundering offenses. 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. Sarath Yut pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and money laundering offenses and was sentenced in October 2023 to 15 years in prison. Kenneth Owen has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations, the Virginia Department of Corrections and the Lowell Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Amrhein of the Asset Forfeiture Unit, are prosecuting the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Felon On Supervised Release Of Using A Fraudulently Obtained Social Security Number And Theft Of Social Security Benefits

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Kellis Dion Jackson (63, Pinellas Park), a/k/a Chandler Dante Alexander, guilty of making a false statement to a federal agency, theft of government property, and fraudulent use of a Social Security number. Jackson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to evidence presented at trial, Jackson stole Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits from the Social Security Administration while on federal supervision for prior federal offenses. Prior to submitting an application for SSI, Jackson obtained a Social Security number under the fictional identity of Chandler Dante Alexander by falsely reporting that he had never had a Social Security number and providing false information regarding his birthdate and parents. Jackson used the fraudulently obtained Social Security number to get a commercial driver license, work, file tax returns, get married, and open bank accounts. Jackson thereafter applied for SSI and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) benefits using his birth name and valid Social Security number. Jackson made false statements on the SSI application and related documents, including falsely stating that he was not married, and his application was approved. Jackson’s SSI application would not have been approved had he reported his marriage and work activity under the fraudulently obtained Social Security number. In total, Jackson received $43,755 in SSI benefits to which he was not entitled. This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General, and the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler.


title: Armed Madison Drug Dealer Sentenced to 5 Years

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Joseph P. Rehbein, 32, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 5 years in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Rehbein pleaded guilty to this charge on May 15, 2024. On August 3, 2023, officers stopped a vehicle driven by Rehbein because it was reported stolen. After stopping, Rehbein got out of the car and ran, dropping a loaded 9mm handgun. During the short foot chase, Rehbein also tossed a bag containing methamphetamine before being arrested. Inside the car, officers found a large amount of methamphetamine inside a bag. In total, approximately 177 grams of methamphetamine was recovered. Rehbein is prohibited from legally possessing firearms or ammunition because he has multiple prior felony convictions. He was also on state probation at the time of this offense. At the sentencing, Judge Peterson expressed concern that Rehbein engaged in drug trafficking while on state probation for similar conduct. This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms. The charge against Rehbein was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins prosecuted this case.


title: Jury Finds Searcy Landlord Guilty of Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion and Possession With Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—A Searcy man has been convicted of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine at the conclusion of a two-day trial. On Tuesday, a federal jury found Thomas Ray Kelso, 74, guilty on all four counts for which he was indicted: three counts of sex trafficking and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The jury returned their verdict after deliberating for approximately two and a half hours. United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr. presided over the trial and will sentence Kelso at a later date. Kelso faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. “This defendant intentionally lured vulnerable victims to live in his apartments so that he could coerce sexual acts in exchange for some of life’s essentials—shelter and electricity,” said Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. “Once they fell behind on their rent or utility payments, or refused to continue to perform sexual acts, he turned off their power until they performed sexual acts with him. The conduct exhibited by Kelso is reprehensible and the jury’s verdict sends a clear message that these crimes will not be tolerated.” Kelso was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 1, 2023. Prior to that, an investigation by the Central Arkansas Drug Task Force revealed that Kelso frequently distributed methamphetamine at an apartment complex in Searcy. Kelso, who owned the apartment complex, exploited female residents in the complex and forced them into performing sex acts in order to keep the power on their apartment, satisfy their rent obligations, or obtain illegal narcotics. The investigation also revealed that when one woman refused Kelso’s sexual advances, he pulled her electricity meter to cut her power. Kelso also employed one woman to recruit other women for him so he could exploit them to engage in performing sexual acts on him. The statutory penalty for each sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion carries a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than 15 years and no more than 30 years in prison. The statutory penalty for possession with intent to distribute carries a maximum sentence of not more than 20 years in prison. Each sex trafficking count carries a potential penalty of not more than a $250,000 fine and not less than five years to life of supervised release. The possession with intent to distribute count carries a potential penalty of not more than a $1,000,000 fine and not less than three years of supervised release. The investigation was conducted by the Searcy Police Department and Central Arkansas Drug Task Force, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin Bryant and Shelby Shelton. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR