Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Drug Trafficker who used Teens as Couriers Sentenced to 85 Months

 SAN DIEGO – A Tijuana-based drug trafficker who used teens as drug couriers was sentenced in federal court today to seven years in prison and a $50,000 fine for his leadership role in coordinating the movement of large quantities of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine to San Diego from Mexico.

Osvaldo Medivil-Tamayo, 22, pleaded guilty in August 2020 to conspiracy to import and conspiracy to distribute federally controlled substances. In his plea agreement, Mendivil admitted he was “the leader of a drug distribution cell based in Tijuana” and that he used high school students as drug couriers to move drugs through San Diego ports of entry.

Mendivil also admitted that he “involved individuals less than 18 years of age in crossing drugs.” He admitted that he and his co-conspirators “specifically recruited high school students who crossed through the San Diego Ports of Entry daily. Mendivil knew that these individual[s] were minors as they hid narcotics on their persons, in backpacks, and in vehicles as they crossed into the United States.” According to court filings, Mendivil’s trafficking activities were captured on a wiretap on his Snapchat account. Mendivil’s own messages indicated his significant involvement in coordinating drug transportation loads. Mendivil sent and received numerous photographs and videos of narcotics on Snapchat, which DEA agents were able to review and collect as evidence.

Mendivil’s intercepted Snapchat messages also painted a picture of Mendivil knowingly using minors as drug couriers. Court filings highlight the specific conversations between Mendivil and his co-conspirators where Mendivil is provided with identification documents of would-be juvenile couriers, showing their ages. In one case, Mendivil received a photograph of a Chula Vista High School identification card and subsequently discussed the drop location for what agents believed to be several hundred pills.

According to his plea agreement, Mendivil worked as the transportation coordinator for several sources of supply of drugs and maintained a “cadre of couriers” to transport drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border in vehicles. Mendivil also paid others to recruit these couriers on his behalf. Mendivil admitted that the seizures of drugs attributed to his organization during the course of this investigation was approximately 150 kilograms total of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine.

At his sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Cynthia Bashant noted Mendivil was “not only destroying lives with the drugs brought in but was destroying lives by getting other young people involved.”

“Our youth are being used by drug traffickers to smuggle dangerous drugs across the border,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “We are aggressively prosecuting the recruiters who exploit children. But the children also need to know that trying to sneak dangerous drugs under the noses of authorities is risky business. Don’t throw away your future.” Grossman praised prosecutor Meghan Heesch for her excellent work on this matter, and DEA and IRS agents for their innovative investigative strategies in this case.

“Drug cartels will do anything to get drugs into the United States so they can make their blood money - including putting our children in harm’s way,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge John W. Callery. “The DEA prioritizes investigations involving the exploitation of children and is involved in community outreach to educate parents and teenagers of the explicit dangers associated with smuggling drugs for cartels.”

Related cases 19CR2953-BAS and 20CR1454-BAS charged Mendivil’s co-conspirators, including his recruiters, stash house operators, and couriers.  Seven other co-conspirators with lesser roles than Mendivil have been convicted and sentenced for federal drug trafficking offenses.

DEFENDANT                                               Case Number 19-CR-2320-BAS                                          

Osvaldo Mendivil-Tamayo                            Age: 22                                   Tijuana, Mexico

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Count 1: Conspiracy to Import Cocaine, Fentanyl, Heroin, and Methamphetamine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 952, 960, 963

Count 2: Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, Fentanyl, Heroin, and Methamphetamine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841, 846

Maximum penalties as to both counts: Life in prison and $10 million fine

AGENCIES

Drug Enforcement Administration

Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigations

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Drug trafficker sent to prison for trafficking meth via FedEx

 McALLEN, Texas – A 20-year-old McAllen resident has been ordered to federal prison for his role in a meth conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Jose Edmundo Corona pleaded guilty June 3.

Today, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane ordered him to serve a 168-month sentence to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane noted Corona’s role in the conspiracy.

Between September and October 2020, authorities intercepted multiple FedEx packages destined for Houston, Dallas and Atlanta at their shipping center in Pharr. All of the parcels packages were shipped in identical boxes with similar packaging styles. A search ultimately revealed a total of 45 kilograms of crystal meth.

Surveillance footage determined Corona was the individual who placed the packages for delivery at various mailing centers throughout the Rio Grande Valley as well as paid for the shipping costs. Fingerprint analysis helped to determine Corona not only mailed the packages but also prepared the narcotics within the packages.

The drugs had an estimated street value of $300,000.

Corona will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura M. Garcia prosecuted the case.

Armed Gang Member Receives 57 Months After Throwing Stolen Gun in Judge’s Parking Lot

 WILMINGTON, N.C. – Nahledge Vaughn, 20, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

According to court documents, evidence presented in court and other documents, on December 9, 2020, the Wilmington Police Department was utilizing enhanced patrols because of an increase in gang associated violence.  Officers saw Vaughn who was a passenger in a car driven by another validated gang member. The driver did not have a valid license.  Law enforcement attempted to stop the car in the area of 5th and Market Streets in Wilmington.  Vaughn jumped out of the car and attempted to flee on foot.  Vaughn ran by the New Hanover County Courthouse and threw a stolen loaded Glock handgun into the gated Judge’s parking lot.  He was arrested shortly after that.  Courthouse Security exited the courthouse and searched the parking lot.  They retrieved the firearm.  The incident was captured on video.

Vaughn had previously been validated as a gang member by the Wilmington Police Department.  Vaughn was on probation for possession of a stolen firearm at the time of his arrest in December and prohibited from possessing a gun.  Vaughn was convicted of possessing a stolen handgun in July 2020.  The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, following a search of Vaughn’s bedroom, found a stolen handgun, a 50-round drum for a Glock handgun, a speed loader and a laser attachment for a handgun in February 2020.

This is part of operation “Obviously Your Not Golfer” which is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Wilmington Police Department, Holly Ridge Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo  prosecuted the case.

Camden Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute over 1 Kilogram of Heroin

 CAMDEN, N.J. B A Camden man was sentenced today to 87 months in prison for conspiring to distribute more than 1 kilogram of heroin, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.  

David Velez, 31, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance (heroin) from June 2018 through November 2018. Judge Bumb imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.

According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:

Using confidential informants, consensual recordings, over 40 controlled drug purchases, and court-authorized wiretaps, the investigation showed a large-scale drug operation in the 400-500 block of Pine Street in Camden in 2017-2018. Street-level sellers were supervised by managers, who also resupplied them with pre-packaged heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine. Velez and his brother, Ramon Velez, sold heroin from the area surrounding his residence on Morgan Boulevard. David Velez was arrested on January 8, 2019.

Nineteen defendants were arrested on drug trafficking charges based on the investigation; 16 defendants have pleaded guilty on drug conspiracy charges, 12 of whom are awaiting sentencing. The remaining three defendants are awaiting trial.

The following co-defendants have been previously sentenced: Kaliel Johnson, 28, sentenced on June 3, 2021, to 110 months in prison; Ramon Velez, 44, sentenced on June 9, 2021, to 10 years in prison; Naeem Sadler, 21, sentenced on July 27, 2021, to 130 months in prison; and William Carrillo, 45, sentenced on Aug. 3, 2021, to 130 months in prison.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced David Velez to five years of supervised release.

Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley S. Benavides; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabriel Rodriguez; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer; the Camden County Sherriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Gilbert L. Wilson; the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of  Chief William P. Monaghan; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. She also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Department of Homeland Security for their assistance.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Askin and Sara Aliabadi of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Camden Office.  

The charges and allegations against the three defendants awaiting trial are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

California Methamphetamine and Firearm Dealer Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison

 Dub Mailed Rifle and Five Kilograms of Methamphetamine to Maryland in U.S. Mail

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Harjit Singh Dub, age 27, of Moreno Valley, California to seven years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine. 

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; and Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, Dub mailed two parcels, the first parcel contained five kilograms of methamphetamine and another which contained a 39-caliber rifle to a P.O. Box in December 2019. Law enforcement officers intercepted the parcels from a Spencerville, Maryland post office, where they were searched pursuant to search warrants.

After shipping the parcels to Maryland, Dub traveled to Maryland to collect the money for the methamphetamine and rifle in person. As stated in the plea agreement, Dub traveled from California to the Washington National Airport where Dub unknowingly met with an undercover officer. While in route from the airport to Rockville, Maryland, Dub not only stated that he shipped the methamphetamine and the rifle, but that he also could ship firearm silencers and large quantities of cocaine and heroin.

When Dub arrived in Rockville, Maryland where he was arrested by law enforcement.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.    

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner praised the DEA for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin B. Pulice who prosecuted the case.

Albuquerque drug trafficker sentenced to 32 years in prison

           ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  – Javier Jaquez, 50, of Albuquerque, was sentenced on Aug. 26 to 32 years in federal prison. On Sept. 18, 2020, Jaquez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 100 grams and more of heroin, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

          In his plea agreement, Jaquez admitted to conspiring with others to sell large amounts of methamphetamine in Albuquerque, which involved others acting at his direction beginning on August 18, 2017, when Jaquez sold one pound of methamphetamine through an intermediary. After several more transactions, Jaquez arranged to sell 20 pounds of methamphetamine on July 27, 2018. According to court records, when law enforcement moved to arrest Jaquez, he attempted to flee with accomplice Freddie Sanchez.

          Jaquez admitted to storing drugs at his business, Jaquez Brothers Trucking, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and over 100 grams of heroin. Jaquez also possessed a .45 caliber pistol and two rifles, as well as ammunition for the firearms. As a previously convicted felon, Jaquez cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

          Upon his release from prison, Jaquez will be subject to five years of supervised release.

          Sanchez pleaded guilty on Sept. 18, 2020, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and possessing a firearm in furtherance of such a crime. On March 19, Sanchez was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. A third co-conspirator, Kevin Garcia-Salas, pleaded guilty on Sept. 18, 2020, to conspiracy to commit drug trafficking and distribution of 50 grams and more of methamphetamine. On Feb. 24, Garcia-Salas was sentenced to three years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

          The Albuquerque Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Field Division investigated this case as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF is an independent component of the U.S. Department of Justice established in 1982 to combat transnational-organized-crime and to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics in the nation by using a prosecutor-led, multi-agency approach to enforcement. OCDETF leverages the resources and expertise of its partners in concentrated, coordinated, long-term enterprise investigations of transnational organized crime, money laundering and major drug trafficking networks.

          Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Schied prosecuted the case.

Former EDA Director Indicted on Federal Fraud Charges

 CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.– A federal grand jury in Charlottesville returned an indictment last week charging the former executive director of the Economic Development Authority of the Town of Front Royal and the County of Warren, Virginia [EDA] with wire fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering.

According to an indictment returned under seal last Wednesday and unsealed today, Jennifer Rae McDonald, 44, of Front Royal, Virginia, was the executive director of the EDA from April 2008 until December 2018. From June 3, 2014 to on or about December 20, 2018, McDonald devised and participated in a scheme to defraud the EDA to obtain money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.

McDonald, through her position as executive director at the EDA, had access to funds belonging to the EDA and, as the indictment alleges, used EDA funds to pay on debt owed by her, other individuals, and LLCs she controlled, to purchase real property for which she often earned commissions as a real estate agent, and to purchase real property in the name of an LLC she controlled.

McDonald is charged with 16 counts of money laundering, 10 counts of bank fraud, seven counts of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.  The defendant made her initial court appearance today and was released pending trial.

Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.

The FBI and Virginia State Police are investigating the case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Welsh is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Lummi tribal member sentenced to prison for assaulting three people with metal baseball bat

 Defendant went on a rampage after injecting methamphetamine

Seattle – A 30-year-old enrolled member of the Lummi Nation was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 52 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and two counts of assault causing serious bodily injury, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.  Talin Lee Morris, was arrested May 14, 2019, after assaulting three people with an aluminum baseball bat on the Lummi Indian Reservation.  At the sentencing hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez said, “The community deserves to be safe from someone who is a danger to them.”

According to records filed in the case, Morris visited friends on a property on the Lummi Reservation.  After shooting up with methamphetamine, he grew agitated and broke a window with an aluminum baseball bat.  As one of his friends led him outside, he hit the friend on the back of the head with the bat and continued to strike his friend while he was on the ground.  When two other people came to assist the victim, Morris used the bat to strike them.  The first victim suffered a concussion, head wound and fracture to his scapula. The second victim had his arm broken in two places and required surgery with bolts and metal plates.  The third victim suffered bruising and swelling where she was hit with the bat.  Morris was arrested by Lummi Police a short time later.

Morris was indicted in July 2019.  Morris pleaded guilty in May 2021.  Morris has been in custody since his arrest.

In asking for a 5-year prison sentence, Assistant United States Attorney J. Tate London noted that at the time of the assault, Morris had just been released from custody for another assault. Morris “has a lengthy criminal history dating back to his late teens that involve convictions for assaults, including assaults of law enforcement officers,” London wrote in his sentencing memo. 

Morris will serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.

The case was investigated by the Lummi Nation Police Department and the FBI.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Tate London, who serves as a Tribal Liaison for the Western District of Washington.

Businessman Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Paying Bribes to Federal and D.C. Employees

 Admitted Providing Gifts in Exchange for Information, Other

            WASHINGTON – Charles M. Thomas, 47, was sentenced today to 14 months in prison for paying bribes to two employees of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as well as to an employee of the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) in return for favorable treatment on contracts for his business.

            The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Robert E. Bornstein, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, Criminal Division, Christopher Gaffney, Special Agent in Charge, Office of Special Investigations, HUD Office of Inspector General, and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.

            Thomas, of Lusby, Md., pleaded guilty in May 2018 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia., to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and two counts of conspiracy to pay gratuities and violate the Procurement Integrity Act. He was sentenced by the Honorable Randolph D. Moss. As part of his plea agreement, he is required to pay restitution to the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education in the amount of $179,999. He also must pay a forfeiture money judgment in the same amount. Additionally, following his prison term, he will be placed on two years of supervised release.

            According to court documents, Thomas was the sole owner and president of a Maryland company that provided information technology services to agencies of the federal government and educational services to public school children in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. His company had offices in the District of Columbia and Virginia and dozens of employees.

            In his guilty plea, Thomas admitted to carrying out three schemes. One involved his dealings with a former management analyst of OSSE, an agency of the District of Columbia government. The others involved his dealings with a former contract oversight specialist and a former supervisory contract specialist with HUD.

            In 2013 and 2014, according to the government’s evidence, Thomas made approximately $53,000 in payments to OSSE employee Shauntell Harley. In return, she provided him with information needed to create fraudulent invoices reflecting the provision of early intervention services that Thomas’s company did not provide. All told, Harley used her official position to cause $179,999 in payments to be made to Thomas’s company for work that was not performed.

            The activities involving HUD took place from approximately 2010 to 2015. Thomas provided HUD employee Kevin Jones with tickets to sporting events, travel, cash, and other items worth more than $50,000, in exchange for Jones providing Thomas and his company with non-public information about pending HUD contracts. Thomas provided the second employee, former supervisor LaFonda Lewis, with tickets to sporting events, designer handbags, cash, and other items, worth more than $23,000, in exchange for non-public information about contracts.

            Harley pleaded guilty to charges involving two bribery schemes in March 2018 and was sentenced to 56 months in prison. Lewis pleaded guilty to violating the Procurement Integrity Act in January 2019 and was sentenced to a year and a day in prison. Jones pleaded guilty to bribery in March 2019 and was sentenced to 24 months in prison.

            In announcing the sentence, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillips, Special Agent in Charge Bornstein, Special Agent in Charge Gaffney, and Inspector General Lucas commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, HUD’s Office of the Inspector General, and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General.

            They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Paralegal Specialists Joshua Fein and Kristy Penny. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter C. Lallas, who is investigating and prosecuting the matter.

Hartford Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Prison for Gun Possession, Violating Supervised Release

 Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that TAFARIE GREEN, 31, of Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 62 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in February 2016, Green was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 60 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for his role in a gang-related crack cocaine distribution ring in Hartford.  Green, who had been detained since his arrest in April 2014, was released from federal prison in April 2019.

On June 2, 2020, Hartford Police detectives conducting a narcotics investigation approached a Dodge Durango that was parked on Kenneth Street in Hartford.  Green, the driver of the vehicle, accelerated and drove straight at the detectives who leaped out of the way.  He then drove at a high rate of speed onto a sidewalk and through two chain link fences before he crashed into a tree.  Green fled the scene on foot.  A second occupant of the vehicle, who possessed a loaded handgun, was immediately apprehended.  A search of the Durango revealed a Ruger 9mm pistol and approximately 144 grams of fentanyl, as well as Green’s wallet and iPhone.

Forensic analysis of the Ruger 9mm pistol revealed the presence of Green’s DNA.

In addition to his previous federal narcotics conviction, Green’s criminal history includes state convictions for assault, robbery, attempted burglary and criminal possession of a firearm. 

Green was arrested on July 13, 2020.  On April 1, 2021, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.  He has been detained since his arrest.

Judge Dooley sentenced Green to 50 months of imprisonment for unlawfully possessing a firearm, and an additional 12 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release.

This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department’s Vice, Intelligence and Narcotics Unit, with the assistance of the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Man Charged with Robbing Wallingford Convenience Store at Knifepoint

 The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Joey Miles Sherwood, 31, of Center Rutland, Vermont, was arrested yesterday for the August 1, 2021 knifepoint robbery of the Cumberland Farms convenience store in Wallingford, Vermont.  Sherwood will be appearing this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle for his Initial Appearance after he was charged by Criminal Complaint with Interference with Commerce by Robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951.  Sherwood is currently detained pending his initial appearance, and the government has requested his detention pending trial.

According to court records, on August 1, 2021, Sherwood is alleged to have entered the Cumberland Farms in Wallingford, retrieved a soda from a drink cooler, approached the cashier, and asked for two packs of cigarettes.  As the cashier rang up the sale, Sherwood allegedly produced a knife and demanded money.  The robbery netted $156 in cash, and $21 in merchandise.  Sherwood is the suspect in five additional knifepoint robberies of convenience stores in Rutland and Addison counties that occurred in July and August of 2021.

Court records reflect that Sherwood is on conditions of pretrial release for a 2020 arrest in New Hampshire for Attempted Felonious Sexual Assault, for a March 2021 arrest in Rutland County for Burglary and Possession of Stolen Property, and for a May 2021 arrest in Addison County for Aiding in the Commission of a Burglary.   

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the charge against Sherwood is merely an accusation and that he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

If convicted of the charged offense, Sherwood could face up to twenty years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and a period of federal supervised release. Any sentence will be formulated through consultation of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and consideration of Sherwood’s personal history and characteristics. 

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Vermont State Police, and the coordination and assistance provided by the Brandon Police Department, the Middlebury Police Department, and the Rutland City Police Department.  

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan Ophardt is prosecuting the case for the government. Sherwood has not yet retained or been appointed counsel.

Connecticut Woman Sentenced for Theft from Health Care Benefit Program

 PORTLAND, Maine—A Connecticut woman was sentenced today in federal court for theft from a health care benefit program, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Melissa Tansey, 51, to one year and one day in prison and three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $162,135.08 in restitution to the victim. She pleaded guilty on March 31, 2021.

According to court records, beginning in March 2013, Tansey was employed as the sole administrative assistant and bookkeeper with a health care provider based in Falmouth. Beginning in November 2013, she began making unauthorized charges on the provider’s credit cards. In December 2013, she began writing unauthorized checks to herself. She would create fraudulent entries in the provider’s accounting software to make it appear that the payments were for legitimate expenses. This theft continued until January 2018, when the provider learned of her activity.

The FBI investigated the case.

Sussex County Woman Charged with Producing, Distributing, and Advertising Child Pornography

 NEWARK, N.J. – A Sussex County, New Jersey, woman was charged today with producing, distributing, and advertising images of child sexual abuse, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.

Dominique Saczawa, 31, of Sparta, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of production of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of advertisement of child pornography. She appeared today by video conference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre and was detained.

According to documents filed in this case:

In August 2021, Saczawa used a web-based application to share images and videos depicting the sexual assault of a child, and to solicit others to share similar content. Saczawa produced video and images of a minor victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct and Saczawa communicated these to other individuals through the web-based application. 

The charges of production and advertisement of child pornography each carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.

Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angelica M. Sinopole of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime & Gangs Unit in Newark.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Buffalo Man Caught With Cocaine In Car Pleads Guilty

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jaelyn Castro, 23, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles E. Watkins, who is handling the case, stated that on May 8, 2021, Buffalo Police officers encountered a vehicle that was parked illegally outside of a store located at the intersection of Hampshire Street and Plymouth Avenue. As officers approached the vehicle, they advised the defendant, who was sitting in the driver’s seat, to remain stationary. However, Castro continued to move around in the driver seat. The officers then asked the defendant step out of the vehicle. During a search of Castro, an officer recovered two large baggies containing suspected cocaine.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.

Sentencing is scheduled for February 17, 2022, before Judge Vilardo.

Enrolled member of Navajo Nation pleads guilty to sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country

             ALBUQUERQUE – Bryan Bull, 40, of Shiprock, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty in federal court on Aug. 30 to two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country. 

            According to court documents, on June 3, 2019, Bull and Jeremiah Elijah Jim, 31, of Teec Nos Pos, Arizona, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, used intimidation and force on then 14-year-old John Doe and sexually abused him.  The abuse took place in Shiprock on the Navajo Nation.

            Bull is currently in custody pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled.  By the terms of the plea agreement, Bull faces up to 18 years in prison. Jim pleaded guilty on April 5 and faces between 14 and 24 years in prison. A sentencing hearing for Jim is scheduled for Oct. 6.

            The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department. 

Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking

             CONCORD - Gianno Koeiman, 31, of Lawrence, Massachusetts pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday to possession of fentanyl and cocaine with intent to distribute, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 22, 2017, an undercover Salem police officer observed what he believed to be a drug transaction in the shoe department of a local store between Koeiman and a drug customer.  The officer observed the men leave the store and get into separate vehicles.  The drug customer stayed in his car and began to inject himself with drugs.  After being approached by an officer, the customer confirmed he had just purchased one gram of heroin from the man in the shoe department. 

            In the meantime, a second Salem police officer followed Koeiman’s vehicle and stopped it.  After explaining what the first officer observed in the shoe department, Koeiman responded that those observations were accurate.  When asked if he had illegal substances in the car, Koeiman responded that he did and consented to a search of the trunk.  The search revealed 95 baggies which contained a total of approximately 67 grams of fentanyl and 23 baggies which contained a total of approximately 16 grams of cocaine. 

            Koeiman is scheduled to be sentenced on December 6, 2021.

            “Drug traffickers who distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and other dangerous drugs are endangering lives throughout New Hampshire,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley.  “In order to protect public health and safety, we work with our law enforcement partners to identify drug dealers and hold them responsible for their actions.”

             This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Salem Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John S. Davis.

Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Stolen Gun in Chicago Park

 CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for illegally possessing a stolen semi-automatic handgun in Douglas Park on Chicago’s West Side.

TERRY LEE illegally possessed the loaded gun in the 1200 block of South Farrar Drive on the evening of Aug. 12, 2020.  Chicago Police officers responding to a call of a person with a gun observed Lee sitting in the driver’s seat of a van.  As the officers approached him, Lee exited the van and ran toward a grassy area before being apprehended.  Officers discovered the firearm in the center console of the van.

Lee, 30, of Chicago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal charge of illegal possession of a firearm.  He had previously been convicted of felonies in state court and was prohibited by federal law from possessing the gun.

U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr., imposed the prison sentence Aug. 26, 2021, after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.

The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen de Tineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. 

“City residents often fear for their safety and for the safety of their loved ones while simply trying to go about their daily lives due to the possession and use of guns by people who are not permitted to have them,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Getter argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.  “The law that defendant broke is one that is designed to prevent people who previously have broken serious laws from possessing these dangerous weapons.”

Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy.  In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.

Monday, August 30, 2021

Two Tacoma men sentenced to lengthy prison terms for gun and drug crimes

 Large amount of methamphetamine plus firearms results in 10-year and 6-year prison sentences

Tacoma – Two Tacoma residents were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to lengthy prison terms for gun and drug-distribution crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.  Tyson Lloyd, 33, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and Cole Hornbeck, 25, was sentenced to 6 years in prison.  Both defendants conspired to distribute controlled substances, including methamphetamine.  Both men also illegally possessed firearms in connection with their drug-dealing activity.  At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said, “There is nothing good about methamphetamine – it destroys lives.  People are harmed, people suffer.  And not just the user – it is families of users who are harmed as well.”

“These defendants were dealing substantial quantities of methamphetamine – a drug linked to overdoses and deaths nationwide,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa Gorman.  “And these defendants conducted their drug business while illegally possessing firearms – a dangerous combination.”

According to the plea agreements, Lloyd supervised Hornbeck as a distributor in his drug-trafficking network.  In April 2020, the defendants agreed to sell methamphetamine to a person who, unbeknownst to them, was working with law enforcement.  The defendants sold this person $5,000 worth of methamphetamine and made plans for another drug deal the following week.  Ultimately, the defendants and a potential supplier were arrested in Auburn, Washington, during a deal for a large quantity of methamphetamine.  When law enforcement subsequently searched Lloyd and Hornbeck’s shared residence under a court-authorized search warrant, investigators seized more methamphetamine, cocaine, and other drugs that the defendants planned to distribute.  Law enforcement also found two firearms in the residence: a shotgun and a stolen .45‑caliber pistol. 

In addition to the drug-conspiracy charges, Lloyd pleaded guilty to possessing firearms as a felon; he has multiple Washington State convictions for crimes such as burglary, car theft, and identity theft.  Hornbeck pleaded guilty to possessing firearms as an unlawful user of controlled substances.  Both firearm offenses are punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Lloyd and Hornbeck have been in custody at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac since their arrests on April 29, 2020.  Once they complete their prison terms, Lloyd will serve a five-year term of supervised release, and Hornbeck will serve a four-year term of supervised release.

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 case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Tacoma Resident Office, the Lewis County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET), and the Grays Harbor Drug Task Force (GHDTF).  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonas Lerman.

Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Customers in Scam Involving Fake Sales of Puppies

 Defendant Used Various Websites, Collected Over $158,000 in Wire Transfers

            WASHINGTON – A Maryland man who advertised the sale of pit bull puppies on various websites pleaded guilty today to a scheme in which he generated at least $158,000 in money transfers from more than 100 victims who never got the dogs.

            The guilty plea was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Washington, D.C.

            Fonjeck Eric Azoh, 42, of Mount Rainier, Md., pleaded guilty to wire fraud. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and potential financial penalties. As part of the plea agreement, Azoh agreed that a restitution order of at least $158,000 is appropriate in the case. He also agreed to forfeit $67,000 seized by law enforcement during the investigation and pay an additional $92,000 forfeiture money judgment. Azoh will be sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Nov. 17, 2021, by the Honorable Carl J. Nichols.

            According to the government’s evidence, between January 2019 and October 2020, Azoh offered the pit bull puppies, using various websites. He agreed to sell these puppies to victims living throughout the United States even though he never intended to provide them. Azoh directed victims to send money to him through money transfer businesses, which he then collected at retail stores and elsewhere. Throughout the scheme, Azoh collected at least $158,000 from at least 119 victims who lived in 40 different states.

            Azoh was arrested in January 2021 and has been in custody ever since.

            In announcing the plea, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillips and Special Agent in Charge Villanueva commended the work of those who investigated the case from HSI. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Borchert, who prosecuted the case.

Greenwich Resident Admits Defrauding Investors of Nearly $1.5 Million

 Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SAMUEL KLEIN, 65, of Greenwich, pleaded guilty today to fraud and money laundering offenses stemming from an investment fraud scheme.

Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the court proceeding before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson occurred via videoconference.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Klein controlled several different entities, including Visual Group LLC; O.S. Management, LLC; KF Pecksland LLC; Four Pines Holdings, LLC; and Payton Lane NH, Inc.  In 2018, Klein made false representations to a victim investor, including that the victim’s funds would be invested in distressed debt, when Klein knew that all of the investment funds would not be used for the stated purposes.  Based on these false representations, the victim investor wrote a check in the amount of $200,000 to Visual Group LLC for the purpose of making a purported investment in distressed debt.  Klein caused the check to be transported from New York to Connecticut and deposited into a bank account in the name of Visual Group LLC.  Klein subsequently solicited and received approximately $50,000 in additional funds from the victim investor.

The investigation further revealed that, from approximately July 2016 through at least June 2019, Klein defrauded three additional victim investors of a total of more than $1.2 million by making multiple false statements and misrepresentations.

Klein knew that all of the funds solicited from the victim investors would not be used for his stated purposes, and instead would be utilized by Klein for personal and other expenditures.

Klein pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of property taken by fraud and one count of money laundering.  Each offense carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.  He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall on November 22, 2021, in New Haven.

Klein has agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $1,497,797.52.

Klein is released on a $500,000 bond pending sentencing.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Laraia and David T. Huang.

Ex-Chairman of Los Angeles-Based Church Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison for Stealing $11 Million in Church Funds

           LOS ANGELES – The former chairman of the board of the Fifth Church of Christ, Scientist, of Los Angeles was sentenced today to 130 months in federal prison for stealing more than $11 million in church funds.

          Charles Thomas Sebesta, 56, of Huntington Beach, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson, who also ordered him to pay $11,438,213 in restitution. Sebesta pleaded guilty in February 2020 to one count of wire fraud and one count of bank fraud. He has been in federal custody since his arrest in August 2019.

          The church hired Sebesta in 2001 as its facilities manager. He joined the church four years later and ultimately served as its chairman, giving him control over the church branch’s financial assets and operations, including some of its bank accounts.

          From at least August 2006 through December 2016, Sebesta caused the church to make checks and other payments to banks accounts in the name of fictitious companies he created, as well as to bank accounts he held in his own name and in the names of his family members and a female companion. To further conceal these payments, Sebesta forged a church member’s signature on numerous checks drawn against the church’s bank accounts.

          In the fall of 2008, Sebesta oversaw the sale of church property in Hollywood for approximately $12.8 million. Sebesta stole a significant majority of the proceeds for his personal use, including purchasing a home with more than $2 million in cashier’s checks drawn from church bank accounts. The checks were falsely recorded in church records as “donations” and environmental remediation payments to a fictitious “Sky Blue Environmental” company.

          In 2009 and 2010, Sebesta used church money to wire $1.86 million and $309,622 to be credited to his own personal tax accounts to generate overpayment refunds from the U.S. Treasury and the California Franchise Tax Board, respectively.

          To conceal his crimes, Sebesta impersonated a real estate developer by creating an email account in the executive’s name. Posing as the developer, Sebesta sent emails to church members in which he fraudulently represented that the real estate developer held Sebesta in high esteem and was making donations to the church and paying the rent for the church’s new location.

          In total, Sebesta stole at least $11,438,213 of church assets.

          “Having wrested operational and financial control of the Church from its elderly members by 2006, [Sebesta] began a 10-year spree in which he treated the Church and its considerable assets as his own personal piggy bank,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “[Sebesta] stole $11,438,213 and destroyed a venerable church, its congregation, and the faith its congregants had in one another by employing sophisticated means to abuse his position of trust and cause the Church not only substantial, but ruinous, financial hardship.”

          Sebesta also defrauded another former employer – a private high school in Los Angeles County – out of $34,032 and embezzled $36,282 that a donor’s estate had donated to the church.

          The United States Secret Service investigated this matter.

          Assistant United States Attorneys Adam P. Schleifer and Valerie L. Makarewicz of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.

Former Chiropractor Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distribution of Oxycodone

 PORTLAND, Ore.—A Clackamas, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for distributing oxycodone pills acquired from dozens of fraudulent prescriptions, one of which led to the overdose death of Starlin Swan, a 26-year-old woman.

Mark Steven Gardner, 33, was sentenced by the Honorable Michael W. Mosman to 50 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.

“The opioid epidemic has cost more than 500,000 American lives. The death toll in this country is staggering and the tragic loss that surviving family members must endure is devastating.  This prosecution represents our office’s firm commitment to hold those accountable who unlawfully distribute controlled substances that results in death.”  said Acting United States Attorney, Scott Erik Asphaug.

In November 2015, Gardner, a chiropractor, stole a prescription pad from a physician with whom he shared his Portland office building. Over the next four months, Gardner used the doctor’s name to forge fraudulent oxycodone prescriptions. Gardner instructed others to fill the prescriptions at times when he knew the doctor’s office, to which he had access, was closed. Gardner would then enter the doctor’s office, answer the doctor’s office phone, and pose as the doctor to verify the authenticity of the prescriptions when contacted by pharmacies. The individuals filling the prescriptions would typically give Gardner half of the pills received.

On January 8, 2016, Gardner called 911 to report finding a female friend unresponsive. Paramedics arrived on scene and found Ms. Swan deceased.  A subsequent autopsy and toxicology examination revealed that Ms. Swan had died of an oxycodone overdose.

On the afternoon before Ms. Swan’s death, Gardner forged a prescription for Ms. Swan for 90 30mg pills of oxycodone. The prescription was filled the same day, although the pharmacy only filled it for 60 oxycodone pills. 

In total, Gardner forged 48 prescriptions for 25 different recipients, including some scripts that were written after the overdose death of Ms. Swan.  A total of 2,352 30mg oxycodone pills were fraudulently dispersed because of Gardner’s scheme. Following the discovery of the script forgeries, Gardner was stripped of his chiropractic license.

On May 15, 2019, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Gardner with distribution of oxycodone resulting in death; distribution of oxycodone; and acquiring or obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, or subterfuge. On April 19, 2021, he pleaded guilty to unlawful distribution of oxycodone.

Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement. This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Peter D. Sax, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy

 BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty on Friday, Aug. 27, 2021 to his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy.

Carlos Monteiro, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Jan. 10, 2022. Monteiro was indicted in September 2020.

Monteiro was charged as part of an investigation into a drug trafficking organization distributing large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine and other controlled substances in the greater Boston area. In 2017, Monteiro participated in the drug trafficking conspiracy including distributing fentanyl on behalf of a co-conspirator.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Hoefle and John Mulcahy of Mendell’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Anchorage Drug Dealer Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison

 ANCHORAGE – An Anchorage man was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess to 15 years in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised released for selling more than 500 grams or approximately 5,000 doses of methamphetamine. 

According to court documents, Dorian Topps, 28, pleaded guilty in October 2020 to five counts of trafficking a controlled substance. Topps was involved in selling large amounts of  methamphetamine to an undercover agent on five separate occasions, between October 2019 and January 2020. On three of the occasions, Topps personally completed the sale with the agent and on two other occasions, he provided other individuals with the methamphetamine to sell to the undercover agent.

In 2016 Topps was convicted and sentenced to four years in federal prison on a drug trafficking charge. He was still on federal supervised release for that conviction when he sold the methamphetamine to the undercover agent.  

Topps’ accomplices, Isaiah Cross, 28, and Kevin Glover, 38, each pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking a controlled substance. In separate hearings Cross was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release and Glover was sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release.

“The trail of destruction caused by the distribution of methamphetamine and other illicit drugs is devastating in our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Wilson, District of Alaska. “These sentences demonstrate that the Department of Justice will use every weapon in its arsenal to stop methamphetamine from reaching our neighborhoods and harming our citizens.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Alaska State Troopers and the Anchorage Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison O’ Leary prosecuted the case.

Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

 Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on August 25, 2021, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.

Myles Feather Earring, age 37, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Feather Earring was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 6, 2021.  He pled guilty on June 8, 2021.

The conviction stems from Feather Earring failing to register as a sex offender as required by federal law between January 7, 2021, and February 9, 2021.  Feather Earring had previously been convicted of a sex offense in federal court which requires him to register for the rest of his life.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.

Feather Earring was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Two Georgia men sentenced for stealing millions from Synchrony Bank

 ATLANTA - Franck Davidoff and Dwight Pearson have been sentenced after pleading guilty to a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme that resulted in a loss of over $2,000,000 to Synchrony Bank.

“These two defendants not only harmed the bank, but the pair also victimized countless businesses and individuals by stealing their information and posing as them to perpetrate a massive bank fraud scheme,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine.“We warn others who might follow their example that this conduct will be prosecuted.”

“The defendants in this case deliberately defrauded scores of innocent citizens out of millions of dollars for their own personal gain,” said U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Steven Baisel. “With the help of our local law enforcement partners at the Duluth PD, we were able to successfully end their criminal enterprise.”

According to Acting U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charges and other information presented in court: From January 2017 until they were arrested in October 2018, Franck Davidoff and Dwight Pearson conspired to defraud Synchrony Bank in a complicated fraud scheme that netted them over $2 million.  The scheme involved using stolen corporate information to open merchant bank accounts at Synchrony Bank. 

Specifically, in June 2018, Davidoff and Pearson opened a merchant account with Synchrony Bank in the name “S&G Carpet Stores,” a real business that operates in the state of Florida and used S&G Carpet’s CEO’s information to open the account.  At the time the account was created, the pair directed the bank to transfer any funds deposited into the S&G Carpet account into a separate merchant account opened in their own names. 

The pair then established $600,000 worth of lines of credit for 57 individuals whose information they stole. The lines of credit appeared to be advance financing for large purchases from S&G Carpet.  Once the money was deposited into the S&G Carpet account, it was immediately transferred to the secondary account.  Davidoff and Pearson conducted this scheme multiple times using multiple businesses.  They targeted businesses in Florida for the merchant accounts. They also targeted residents in a wealthy neighborhood in Florida to use for the fake lines of credit.

For this conduct, they were charged with a wire fraud conspiracy to defraud Synchrony Bank, 13 counts of wire fraud, and seven counts of aggravated identity theft.  Each pled guilty to the wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.

Franck Davidoff, 34, of Milton, Georgia, has been sentenced to six years, six months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,379,178.19.  Davidoff was convicted of these charges on March 22, 2021, after he pleaded guilty.

Dwight Pearson, 49, of Johns Creek, Georgia, has been sentenced to seven years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,379,178.19.  Pearson was convicted of these charges on May 17, 2019, after he pleaded guilty.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Duluth Police Department.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane C. Schulman and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassandra Schansman prosecuted the case.

Panama child pornography investigation leads to sentencing of young man

 BROWNSVILLE, Texas – An 18-year-old Brownsville man has been ordered to federal prison for possessing nearly 10,000 of images and videos of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Irbenis Mederos Jr. pleaded guilty April 27.

Today, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez ordered him to serve a 168-month sentence to be immediately followed by 10 years of supervised release. The court considered statements from many victims describing the trauma they’ve endured. In handing down the sentence, Judge Rodriguez additionally ordered that $36,000 in restitution be paid and divided equally amongst the 12 victims who requested restitution.

On Sep. 28, 2020, authorities discovered the sexual exploitation of a minor child via social media. It was determined she was an eight-year-old U.S. citizen residing in Panama.

The investigation led to an IP address in Brownsville belonging to Mederos. Law enforcement conducted a search at his residence and seized a cellphone. Forensic analysis resulted in the discovery of 1,229 images and 110 videos of child pornography, approximately 55 of which were of the minor female in Panama. Several others also depicted child pornography involving infants and toddlers.

Mederos will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Panama conducted the investigation along with HSI-Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Investigation Task Force.

Saturday, August 28, 2021

Gloversville Man Sentenced to 180 Months for Child Pornography Crimes

 ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jonathan L. Morgan, age 32, of Gloversville, New York, was sentenced today to 180 months in prison for distributing and possessing child pornography. 

The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

In previously pleading guilty, Morgan admitted that he distributed videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children via a phone-based application connected to the Internet, from March 11 to March 12, 2020.  He also admitted to possessing child pornography on two phones.  Additionally, Morgan sought out videos of parents abusing their children, and provided detailed instructions to an undercover law enforcement officer (posing as a parent) as to how to abuse her daughter while filming it; smashed and tried to destroy one of his phones upon being approached by law enforcement; and admitted to inappropriately touching a child on several occasions.

Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 15-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release.  Additionally, Morgan will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

The case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.

Orange County Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Charge

 ALBANY, NEW YORK – Peter Mami, age 43, of Orange County, New York, pled guilty today to possessing and intending to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine.  The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge, United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.

As part of his guilty plea, Mami admitted that on March 2, 2020, he and his co-defendant possessed with the intent to distribute approximately two kilograms of cocaine.

Mami faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 4 years and up to life, when Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby sentences him on January 6, 2022.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

This case was investigated by the DEA, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashlyn Miranda and Joshua R. Rosenthal.

Friday, August 27, 2021

Rapid City Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

 Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on August 23, 2021, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.

Kameron Lamont Jackson, age 29, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Jackson was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 9, 2021.  He pled guilty on June 3, 2021.

The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred between December 12, 2020, and March 9, 2021, in Rapid City.  Jackson, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of conviction under Federal Law, knowingly failed to properly register as a sex offender and update his registration when he changed his place of residence.

 This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Rapid City Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.

Jackson was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

California Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy

 Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a San Jose, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on August 24, 2021, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.

Michael George Sequeira, age 37, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Sequeira was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 17, 2019.  He pled guilty on March 8, 2021.

The conviction stemmed from incidents beginning at an unknown date and continuing until on or about December of 2019, when Sequeira knowingly and intentionally combined, conspired, confederated, agreed with others to distribute a mixture or substance containing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, which is a Schedule II controlled substance.

At the time Sequeira voluntarily joined in the agreement, he knew the purpose of said agreement.  Sequeira provided over 500 grams of methamphetamine to his co-conspirators in South Dakota, who then would redistribute it to drug customers in South Dakota. 

This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Department, and the Sioux Falls Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer D. Mammenga prosecuted the case.

Sequeira was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Three Sentenced for Violent Shooting in Aid of Racketeering

 FORT WAYNE – United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty sentenced three individuals,  members of  “2500,” a Fort Wayne street gang who engaged in drug and firearms trafficking with “Grit Gang,” a street gang based in Bloomington, Indiana, for committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tina L. Nommay.  

William D. Beamon, aka “Lil’ Will,” 28, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced to a total of 360 months (30 years) in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release.

Kyombe D. Bolden, “aka Pudge,” 30, of Bloomington, Indiana, was sentenced to a total of 324 months (27 years) in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release.

Ronnie D. Burrus, “aka Ronnie Robinson, Ronnie Burris and Yung Ron,” 28, of Fort Wayne and Bloomington, Indiana, was sentenced to a total of 360 months (30 years) in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release.

In 2020, all three of these defendants entered pleas of guilty to two counts of attempted assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; and three counts of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.  A fourth defendant, Demetri D. Beachem, has also pled guilty and is currently scheduled for sentencing on November 12, 2021. 

“We will use all the tools we have as federal prosecutors to hold those involved in criminal activity accountable for their actions, including racketeering statutes.  Our goal, along with our federal, state and local partners, is to protect our communities from violent activity perpetuated by groups of individuals, especially those involved in closely associated street gangs or other criminal organizations. We wish to thank our law enforcement partners for their investigative efforts to bring to justice those individuals involved in criminal acts of violence in our community,” said Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.  

“This case was the first use of the federal racketeering statutes against street gangs in the Fort Wayne area and it will not be the last. Today’s sentences should send a strong message that criminal organizations such as the one the defendants were members of will not be tolerated in our communities, and the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue our efforts to remove those who participate in this violent activity from our streets,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Paul Keenan.

According to documents in this case, gang members of 2500 and Grit Gang were engaged in drug and firearms trafficking and were responsible for violent criminal gang activity.  On October 4, 2014, the defendants received an insulting social media video from rival gang members, and they reacted by hunting down these rival gang members, locating them at a residence at the intersection of Caroline and Suttenfield Streets in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Upon seeing the rivals exit the house, the defendants began shooting, striking the house and a neighboring house with gunfire.  These individuals fired approximately 50 shots, exposing people in both houses to significant danger.  One victim suffered only a minor wound, but the dangerous actions of the defendants risked the lives of many innocent bystanders and children in both houses. 

This multi-agency investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force in Fort Wayne, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Allen County Police Department, the Fort Wayne Police Department, and the Indiana State Police. Also assisting with this investigation were the Bloomington Police Department, the Indiana State Police Laboratory Division, and the Fort Wayne Police Department’s Detective Bureau and Gang and Violent Crimes Unit. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony W. Geller and Stacey R. Speith.

Foxborough Teacher Arrested on Child Exploitation Charges

 BOSTON – A teacher at Foxborough High School was arrested today and charged in connection with possession of child pornography and receiving child pornography over the internet.

Thomas Davis, 41, of Mansfield, was charged with possession and receipt of child pornography. Following an initial appearance today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy, Davis was detained pending a probable cause and detention hearing scheduled for Sept. 1, 2021.

According to the charging documents, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Davis’ residence today and seized a laptop belonging to Davis. An on-site examination of the device revealed approximately 40 images of child pornography on the defendant’s laptop, including images involving prepubescent minors under the age of 12-years-old.

The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Mansfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case

Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

The details contained in the criminal complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Orange County Man Once Affiliated with Youth Soccer League Indicted for Possessing, Distributing and Producing Child Pornography

           SANTA ANA, California – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a Huntington Beach man with child exploitation offenses, including the possession, distribution and production of child pornography, the Justice Department announced today.

          Mark Phillip Oster, 61, who served as a referee and a coach in the American Youth Soccer Organization from 2015 through 2021, was named in a four-count indictment filed Wednesday. The indictment charges Oster with two counts of producing child pornography, one count of distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.

          Oster has been in federal custody since July 30, when FBI agents arrested him pursuant to a criminal complaint that charged him with possession of child pornography.  

          During this investigation, the FBI uncovered evidence indicating Oster engaged in illegal conduct with minor victims.

          Anyone who has information regarding the case against Oster or who may know someone victimized by the defendant is requested to contact the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565 or through the FBI online tip portal. Identified victims may be eligible for certain services and rights under federal and/or state law.

          An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

          Oster is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment in United States District Court in Santa Ana on September 7.

          If he were to be convicted of the four counts in the indictment, Oster would face a statutory maximum sentence of 100 years in federal prison. Additionally, each count production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison.

          Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Beshai of the Santa Ana Branch Office and Trial Attorney Kyle Reynolds of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting this case. 

Member of Gregory Butler Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads Guilty to His Role in The Drug Distribution Conspiracy

 Admits to Providing More Than a Kilogram of Heroin, as well as Crack Cocaine, to Street Level Distributors

Baltimore, Maryland – Tirrel Saunders, a/k/a “Pretty”, age 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Saunders was a member of the Gregory Butler Drug Trafficking Organization (“Butler DTO”) which distributed heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.    

The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to his guilty plea, from October 2018 through April 2019, FBI intercepted phone communications of the Butler DTO that operated in and around the Baltimore area, using phones to arrange heroin, crack cocaine, and fentanyl sales to drug users and redistributors from Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

The Butler DTO sold thousands of dollars in narcotics on a daily basis. For example, intercepted phone communications revealed that the Butler DTO frequently sold over 100 grams of heroin mixed with fentanyl on a daily basis. Customers of the Butler DTO believed they were purchasing heroin, but the Butler DTO adulterated all heroin it sold with fentanyl. Street-level distributors in the Butler DTO worked in shifts and shared phones they used to communicate with Butler DTO leadership and customers.

As stated in the plea agreement, investigative efforts identified Saunders as a Butler DTO supervisor and manager. In this capacity, Saunders managed daily supplies of narcotics and the collection of drug proceeds from distributors. FBI investigators intercepted Saunders regularly arranging to resupply co-conspirators with heroin and crack cocaine which they sold to drug customers. Saunders also communicated with Butler DTO leadership and acted as a liaison between Butler DTO leadership and street-level distributors.

Saunders agreed that over the course of the conspiracy, he distributed over one kilogram of heroin to street-level distributors.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Saunders and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Saunders will be sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.  U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm has scheduled sentencing for November 19, 2021 at 1 p.m. 

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI, DEA, Montgomery County Police Department, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation.

Mr. Lenzner also recognized the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the City of Rockville Police Department; the Baltimore County, Howard County, and Montgomery County Police Departments; the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office; the Maryland State Police; the West Virginia State Police; the Virginia State Police; the Warren County (VA) Sheriff’s Department; the Winchester (VA) and Front Royal (VA) Police Departments; and the Frederick County and Howard County State’s Attorney’s Offices for their assistance.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew DellaBetta, who is prosecuting the case.

Armed Bank Robber Sentenced To More Than 12 Years In Federal Prison

 Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Demarcus Daniels (25, Lake City) to 12 years and 3 months in federal prison for bank robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.  The court also ordered Daniels to forfeit the firearm and ammunition he possessed during the offense.

Daniels had pleaded guilty on May 28, 2021.

According to court documents, on the morning of June 24, 2020, Daniels robbed an Ameris Bank branch in Lake City. Daniels attacked a bank employee as she unlocked the door to open the branch for the day. During the robbery, Daniels pointed a loaded .32 caliber pistol at the employee and demanded that she open the bank’s safe. After she opened the safe, Daniels removed approximately $310,200 in cash. Daniels then attempted to escape by carjacking another bank employee, who drove away before Daniels could enter her vehicle. Daniels fled on foot, dropping some of the money in the parking lot as he ran. He was apprehended a short time later by the Lake City Police Department in a nearby office park, hiding behind a dumpster.

“The defendant in this case carefully planned a violent act in pursuit of his own personal gain and committed it with zero regard for his victims,” said Rachel L. Rojas, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “American banks serve as the bedrock of the U.S. economy, and the FBI remains committed to working alongside our partners to aggressively pursue those who commit acts of violence against these institutions, and to seek justice for victims who are traumatized in the process.” 

“We are aware that nationally violent crimes have increased. We are grateful for the assistance from the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office who worked to bring closure and prosecution of this case,” stated Dr. Argatha Gilmore, Chief of Police for the Lake City Police Department. “I appreciate Lake City Police Department patrol officers and investigators who were diligent in their efforts in locating and arresting the suspect.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lake City Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Wetzel County man admits to drug charge

 WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Christian Iversen, of New Martinsville, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.

Iversen, 34, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin.”  Iversen admitted to having heroin in August 2019 in Marshall County.

Iversen faces up to 20 years of incarceration and fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office investigated.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.

Quincy Man Sentenced to 151 Months for Methamphetamine Charge

 DAVENPORT, IOWA – On August 25, 2021, United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Michael Rees, age 40, of Quincy, Illinois, to 151 months in prison for his involvement in a methamphetamine conspiracy operating out of Burlington. Rees was also found to have possessed a firearm related to his drug trafficking activities and he was under criminal justice supervision at the time of this offense.

Rees was one of eight defendants who faced federal charges in the Southern District of Iowa after a multi-year joint federal and state investigation which culminated in the execution of search warrants in various locations, including Burlington, on November 19, 2019.

Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; West Central Illinois Taskforce; Quincy, Illinois Police Department; Southeast Iowa Narcotics Taskforce; Burlington Police Department; and the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa prosecuted this matter.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safter for everyone.

Crownpoint man sentenced to 10 years in prison for injuring children during drive-by shooting in Indian Country

         ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Eli Woody, 27, of Crownpoint, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty in federal court today to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence in Indian Country and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

        According to the plea agreement and other court documents, Woody was a passenger in a vehicle that pulled up next to a home located in Crownpoint on the Navajo Nation. Woody fired a shotgun from the vehicle and into the home. Woody admitted that knew the home was occupied with people, including children. Inside the home, two children were shot and suffered serious bodily injury.

        Upon his release from prison, Woody will be subject to five years of supervised release.

        The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigation and the Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David P. Cowen and Elisa C. Dimas prosecuted the case.

New Bedford Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Role in Cocaine Conspiracy

 BOSTON – A New Bedford man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy.

Jason Valliere, 43, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. On March 26, 2021, Valliere pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

In October 2020, Valliere was charged along with three co-conspirators for negotiating and coordinating a multi-kilogram cocaine deal with undercover agents. Initially, Valliere sought to negotiate for 10 kilograms of cocaine by offering cash as well as armed manpower (his co-conspirators). Subsequent renegotiations ultimately resulted in the deal of at least one and up to three kilograms of cocaine. At the time of Valliere’s arrest, law enforcement recovered a loaded firearm that was concealed in a compartment in Valliere’s car. The firearm matched a description that Valliere previously had given to undercovers of a gun he could bring to the anticipated drug deal. 

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolanta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins; Bristol County Sheriff Thomas M. Hodgson; Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long; Brockton Police Chief Emanuel Gomes; Bridgewater Police Chief Christopher D. Delmonte; East Bridgewater Police Chief Paul O’Brien; and Westport Police Chief Keith Pelletier made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Fall River Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin O’Donnell of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case. 

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.