Gang Member Convicted In Manhattan Federal Court For His Role In The Murder Of Jessica White

Geoffrey S. Berman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that STIVEN SIRI-REYNOSO was found guilty of the June 11, 2016, murder of Jessica White, who was killed by a stray bullet while watching her children play in the playground of the John Adams Houses in the Bronx, New York.  SIRI-REYNOSO was convicted after an eight-day trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman:  “On June 11, 2016, Jessica White did what so many parents love to do – she took her children to the playground.  There, she was killed before her children’s eyes, the victim of a stray bullet in a gang shooting.  Today, a jury in the Southern District of New York unanimously found that Stiven Siri-Reynoso gave the order for that shooting.  We recognize that this verdict cannot fill the gaping hole that Jessica’s death left in so many hearts.  But in the face of such tragedy, we, along with our law enforcement partners, maintain our commitment to ridding our neighborhoods and playgrounds of senseless gang violence.  That is what we accomplished today, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the FBI and NYPD.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment and evidence at trial:

On June 11, 2016, Jessica White was struck and killed by a stray bullet while sitting on a bench watching her three children play on a playground at the John Adams Houses where she lived.  SIRI-REYNOSO, a member of the “Dominicans Don’t Play” or “DDP” street gang, was engaged in an ongoing gang dispute between the DDPs and the rival “Trinitarios” street gang involving, among other things, SIRI-REYNOSO’s drug sales near the John Adams Houses.  On the night of June 11, 2016, Trinitarios members tried to attack SIRI-REYNOSO.  In retaliation, SIRI-REYNOSO sent another individual to shoot at the Trinitarios.  One of the bullets fired by that individual struck and killed Jessica White.   

SIRI-REYNOSO also committed other crimes in connection with his membership in the DDP’s, including drug selling and robbery.

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SIRI-REYNOSO, 24, of the Bronx, was convicted of conspiring to commit racketeering, conspiring to sell narcotics, murder in aid of racketeering, and murder through the use of a firearm.  SIRI-REYNOSO is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison, and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30, 2018, before Judge McMahon.  The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Police Department.

The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Drew Skinner, Allison Nichols, and Frank Balsamello are in charge of the prosecution.

Rochester Man Convicted By A Federal Jury Of Bank Robbery Sentenced

 ROCHESTER, N.Y.--U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Joseph W. Peeples, III, 44, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted following a jury trial of robbing the Chase Bank located at 1 South Clinton Avenue, Rochester, NY, was sentenced to 264 months in prison by Chief Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa M. Marangola and Katelyn Hartford, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that on January 5, 2017, the defendant robbed the Chase Bank. Peeples was tracked by law enforcement to Binghamton, NY where he was arrested approximately 13 hours later. The defendant left approximately $43,000 in a bathroom at the Trailways Bus Station and $10,000 in a taxi cab. Upon Peeples arrest, law enforcement officers searched his hotel room and found $52,000.

The defendant had just been released from federal prison six days prior to robbing the Chase Bank for an unrelated bank robbery. During the trial, Peeples acted as his own attorney. A jury deliberated for under one hour and returned a verdict on March 30, 2018.

Today’s sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief Michael Ciminelli.

Recidivist Securities Fraudster Charged with Multi-million Dollar Stock Manipulation Scheme

PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Howard M. Appel, 57, of Wayne, Pennsylvania, was charged today in a criminal information with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud.

The information alleges that Appel—a former licensed stockbroker with two prior securities-fraud related convictions—secretly acquired large blocks of stock in publicly traded companies, including Virtual Piggy, Inc. (ticker symbol “VPIG”), and Red Mountain Resources, Inc. (ticker symbol “RDMP”), to manipulate the market in those stocks.  As alleged, Appel acquired title to the shares in the names of nominees in order to hide his ownership block from investors and made between $3,000,000 and $4,000,000 from his scheme.  Using nominee accounts was necessary because he previously lost his license and was barred by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) from selling securities or associating with any member firm.

The information further alleges that Appel and his co-schemers manipulated the stock price by taking numerous actions that were hidden from investors and security regulators including: working as a paid “consultant” to recruit investors, raise capital, and get the companies running; engaging in coordinated buying and selling, which he closely monitored, to raise the share price; and preventing co-conspirators from selling their shares without his permission.  The information further alleges that Appel encouraged unwitting investors to buy large blocks of stock by touting the companies’ supposed impending success while, at the same time, selling off shares from his nominee accounts—sometimes to those same investors.  Appel also allegedly traded on inside information that he obtained as a result of his “consulting” work for the companies, including the status of the companies’ efforts to get listed on NASDAQ.  As alleged, none of these facts was disclosed to the investing public in any of the public filings the company and Appel were required to make.

Appel faces a maximum sentence of five years’ incarceration, a three-year period of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greatest, and a $100 special assessment.

“As alleged, Appel orchestrated an end run around his FINRA bar by conspiring with others, at least one of whom was a licensed stockbroker, to use nominee accounts to manipulate the market and turn an illegal multi-million dollar profit,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain.  “Apparently undeterred, this habitual fraudster once again used his market know-how to further his own self-interest and to violate the law.  The efforts of our Office and the Securities and Exchange Commission’s New York Office demonstrate our steadfast commitment to using all of the tools at our disposal—both civil and criminal—to enforce the federal securities laws.”

The criminal case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael S. Lowe.  The parallel civil enforcement proceeding was filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission’s New York Regional Office, under the direction of Mark P. Berger.