U.S Attorney Brady Statement on the Passing of Dick Thornburgh

 PITTSBURGH – Scott W. Brady, United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, issued the following statement tonight following the passing of former Attorney General of the United States, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania Governor, Dick Thornburgh.

"We join all Pennsylvanians in mourning the passing of General Thornburgh, a true giant in the law and a former leader of our Office who set an unwavering standard of excellence and professionalism for all United States Attorneys to follow."

"General Thornburgh’s legacy has been one not only of fierce intellect and love of justice, but also, like the Pittsburgher he was, an impact infused with his trademark integrity, grace and humility."

At the Law Enforcement Directors Awards Ceremony held on November 5th, U.S. Attorney Brady unveiled the inaugural Dick Thornburgh Award, which will be presented each year to an outstanding Assistant U. S. Attorney who exhibits the commitment to justice and the highest ethical standards that were embodied by General Thornburgh throughout his career.

Then-United States Attorney General William Barr provided a videotaped statement of congratulations to Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Conway, the first winner of the first Dick Thornburgh Award, in which AG Barr recalled his work experiences with Dick Thornburgh, the first Attorney General for whom he worked. AG Barr recalled General Thornburgh as "a lawyer’s lawyer", "an outstanding leader" and "a man of unquestioned integrity and courage."

"Away from the Department, he was a model of personal decency and public service, contributing on issues ranging from international affairs to the rights of the disabled," former AG Barr added.

Dick Thornburgh was born on July 16, 1932 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Yale University in 1954 and earned his LL.B degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1957. Mr. Thornburgh also holds honorary degrees from 31 colleges and universities.

Following law school, Mr. Thornburgh worked in private industry until 1959 when he joined the Pittsburgh law firm then known as Kirkpatrick & Lockhart. In 1967, he was elected as a delegate to the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention. From 1969 to 1975, Mr. Thornburgh was the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania and was appointed Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division in 1975, serving two years in Washington, D.C. in that role before returning to private practice as a partner at Kirkpatrick & Lockhart. Pennsylvania elected Mr. Thornburgh governor in 1979 and he served two terms. Mr. Thornburgh also taught courses at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government and directed that school’s Institute of Politics from 1987 to 1988.

Appointed by President Reagan, Dick Thornburgh was sworn in as Attorney General on August 12, 1988. President George H.W. Bush reinstated him as Attorney General in 1989 and he served until 1991. In 1992, the American Legion honored Mr. Thornburgh with its highest award, the "Distinguished Services Medal." He published his autobiography in 2003 entitled, Where the Evidence Leads: The Autobiography of Dick Thornburgh.

Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Receipt of Child Pornography

 United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Receipt of Child Pornography was sentenced on December 10, 2020, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.

Michael Hanson, age 63, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, $3,000 in restitution, and a $5,000 special assessment to the Victims of Trafficking Fund.  Hanson will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

The conviction stems from Hanson receiving computer images of child pornography, as well as obscene matter, at Rapid City between September 2010 and June 2019.

The investigation was conducted by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.

Hanson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Omaha Woman Sentenced for Distributing Methamphetamine

 United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Victoria Zoltowski, 34, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.  United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Zoltowski to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.  After her release from prison, she will begin a five-year term of supervised release.

On February 13, 2018, officers from the Omaha Police Department served a search warrant at Zoltowski’s residence. Inside, officers located Victoria Zoltowski. Officers located a shoe box in her bedroom, and it contained 1,011 grams of methamphetamine.    

This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.

Sioux Falls Man Indicted on Firearm Charge

 United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.

Bud Theus, II, age 68, was indicted on October 14, 2020.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on December 29, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on May 8, 2020, Theus, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and then knowing he had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and being an unlawful user of a controlled substance, and then knowing he was an unlawful user of a controlled substance, knowingly did possess a revolver, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce and foreign commerce, in Corson County, South Dakota.

The charge is merely an accusation and Theus is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.

The investigation is being conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Corson County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook is prosecuting the case.   

Theus was released on bond pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.

Third Defendant Pleads Guilty for his Role in Nigerian Romance Scam

 A Norman man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for his role as a money launderer in a Nigerian romance scam that defrauded multiple victims, including elder Americans, of millions, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Tobiloba Kehinde, 28, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering before U.S. District Court Judge Gregory K. Frizzell. Kehinde’s sentencing hearing is set for March 29, 2021.

“In the last year, Americans were defrauded out of more than $200 million due to romance scams. Whether these con artists are romancing vulnerable elder victims online or facilitating money laundering to hide the illicit proceeds, this U.S. Attorney’s Office will never stop fighting to get justice for the victims,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Today, Tobiloba Kehinde, becomes the third conspirator brought to justice for his role in a Nigerian romance scheme.”

In his plea agreement, Kehinde admitted that he knew the money involved in the financial transactions involved the proceeds from unlawful activity. He further stated that he knew the financial transactions were designed, in whole or in part, to conceal or disguise the nature, the location, the source, the ownership, or the control of the proceeds of the unlawful activity.

From 2017 through and November 2019, Kehinde knowingly concealed the proceeds of a romance scam operation by moving money between and among multiple bank accounts that were opened under various aliases using fake passports and other fraudulent identification documents to obscure the source of the funds and the identities of the co-conspirators. Court documents state that he and his co-conspirators took further steps to conceal the source of the funds, took a commission, and directed the remainder of the funds back to the online romance scammers in Nigeria, including in the form of vehicles and vehicle parts.

According to court documents, Kehinde coordinated with overseas co-conspirators who had assumed false identities on online dating websites and social media platforms with the intent to defraud victims. Kehinde opened several accounts using fraudulent identities, including “Jeff Atto” and “Ari Lawson,” then provided the account and routing numbers to the overseas co-conspirators.  The overseas co-conspirators told victims they were U.S. residents working abroad. In fact, the investigation revealed that these overseas co-conspirators were located in Nigeria. As these online “relationships” continued, the overseas co-conspirators’ would request increasingly larger sums of money, claiming that the funds were needed to complete business projects or to return to the United States. The victims were directed by the overseas co-conspirators to send funds to Kehinde and others’ bank accounts, assuring the victims that he would allocate the money as needed.

Kehinde and his co-defendants were charged in November 2019. Afeez Olajide Adebara, 35, and John Oluwaseun Ogundele, 31, have also pleaded guilty.

The remaining defendants are Joshua Naandom Ditep, 26, Nigerian citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States residing in Norman; Paul Usoro, 26, Nigerian citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States residing in Norman; Chibuzo Godwin Obiefuna, Jr., 27, U.S. citizen residing in Long Beach, California; Jamiu Ibukun Adedeji, 24, Nigerian citizen, residing in Norman; First and last name unknown #1, who maintained an address in Brooklyn, New York; First and last name unknown #2, who maintained an address in Dallas, Texas; and First and last name unknown #3, who maintained an address in Dallas, Texas. Ditep, Usoro, Obiefuna, and Adedeji await trial while the three additional co-defendants remain fugitives.  These remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office conducted the investigation. Trial Attorney Babasijibomi Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Nassar of the Northern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case.

Convicted Felon Charged with Illegal Possession of Firearm

 Defendant allegedly shot victim in the leg in October 2020 in Fitchburg

BOSTON – A Fitchburg man was charged today with being a felon in possession of a 10 mm Glock pistol.

Joel Polanco, 32, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Polanco is currently in state custody and will make an initial appearance in federal court at a later date.

On Oct. 24, 2020, Polanco was arrested after police responded to the area of Snow and Cherry Streets in Fitchburg following a report of a person suffering a gunshot wound to the leg. A witness reported seeing someone fitting Polanco’s description shoot the victim. In addition, surveillance videos showed a person fitting Polanco’s description carrying what appeared to be the black fanny-pack and holding an item in his hand that appeared to be a gun. According to the charging documents, Polanco shot the victim using a 10 mm Glock pistol that was later recovered from a black fanny-pack in the area of Snow Street.

Polanco is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a March 2011 conviction in Worcester federal court of being a felon in possession of ammunition and distribution of cocaine base.

The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Fitchburg Police Chief Ernst Martineau made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

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

Department of Defense Statement on COVID-19 Distribution Plan

 Dec. 31, 2020

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The Department of Defense continues to deliver on the Acting Secretary of Defense’s priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect our people, maintain readiness, and support the national COVID-19 response. The phased, standardized, and coordinated distribution of vaccines to DoD personnel has expanded to additional locations in the United States and overseas. 
 
“Today, we recognize the outstanding efforts of the department in executing the initial phases of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution process. Following emergency use authorization last week of the Moderna vaccine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and issuance of prioritization guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Defense Health Agency, vaccines are now being distributed and administered to DoD populations in England, Germany, Japan, and South Korea. Distribution of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines continue to DoD populations in multiple locations throughout the United States,” said Jonathan Rath Hoffman, Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs.
 
The Department of Defense maintains a deliberate and phased approach to distribute and administer allocations of the COVID-19 vaccine. The current distribution and administration process remains consistent with the department’s established plan. DoD’s plan also includes supporting increased distribution as vaccine production increases. 

The department prioritizes DoD personnel to receive the vaccine informed by CDC guidance and the Department’s own COVID-19 task force’s assessment of unique mission requirements. Priority groups include health care providers, support personnel, residents and staff of DoD long-term care facilities, and other essential workers and high-risk beneficiaries. 

DISTRIBUTION AND SUPPORT FACTS
- Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed to more than 150 DoD vaccine administration sites in the United States and at overseas locations. 

- Since December 13, DoD has received more than 160,000 vaccine doses from the U.S. allocation.

- 175 medical professionals and 21 support personnel are currently supporting COVID response efforts in North Dakota, Wisconsin, Guam, Hawaii, the Navajo Nation, and California.

- 143 medical professionals preparing to support COVID response efforts in Arizona and to provide additional support for California and the Navajo Nation.

Information on the DOD vaccine distribution plan can be found here.

Information on vaccine administration sites can be found here.

North Liberty Man Sentenced to Prison for Heroin Distribution

 DAVENPORT, Iowa — On December 30, 2020, United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Eric Allen Rhine, age 55, of North Liberty, to 120 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Following his prison term, Rhine was ordered to serve five years of supervised release as well as pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

This investigation began in 2018 involving narcotics trafficking between Johnson County and Chicago, Illinois. Law enforcement determined Rhine and his co-conspirator, Robert Rankins, Jr., obtained heroin in Chicago and sold it in Johnson County. Rhine admitted the conspiracy was responsible for selling more than 1,000 grams of heroin and he was supplying heroin to numerous individuals in the Iowa City/Coralville/North Liberty area.

This matter was investigated by the Johnson County Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Mount Pleasant Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug and Firearm Offenses

 DAVENPORT, Iowa — On December 30, 2020, United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Robert Dean Stagers, age 32, of Mount Pleasant, to 140 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Stagers was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term and to pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

The investigation began in March of 2018 when law enforcement discovered Stagers had become a supplier of methamphetamine in the Southeast Iowa area. Stagers knowingly distributed methamphetamine to his purchasers who then distributed to others. In 2019, a search warrant was executed on Stagers’ residence in Mount Pleasant. Officers found a safe that contained 132.01 grams of methamphetamine and seven loaded guns. A vehicle associated with Stagers was also searched and officers found four more firearms. Stagers admitted he knowingly carried and used these firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.

This matter was investigated by the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Mount Pleasant Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Davenport Man Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography Offenses

 DAVENPORT, Iowa — On December 23, 2020, United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced John James Ramirez, age 45, of Davenport, to 60 months in prison for Possession of Child Pornography and Possession of Obscene Visual Representation of the Sexual Abuse of Children announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Following his prison term, Ramirez was ordered to serve five years of supervised release and pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

The investigation began in 2019 when the Davenport Police Department received a report that Ramirez had depictions of child pornography on his home computer. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Ramirez’s Davenport residence and seized electronic and storage devices. A forensic examination revealed 107 images depicting child pornography of children, ranging in age from infants to teenagers, and 106 computer-generated images depicting child pornography of children. Ramirez knowingly received these visual depictions of child pornography through interstate commerce via the Internet.

This matter was investigated by the Davenport Police Department. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

U.S. Attorney's Office And FBI Announce Federal Charges and Arrests In December 2020 Human Trafficking Takedown

 More Federal Human Trafficking Cases Charged in 2020 in the District of Nevada Than in Any Previous Year

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse of the FBI announced today a federal human trafficking takedown in the District of Nevada. With this takedown, the District of Nevada closes out 2020 having filed more human trafficking cases than in any previous year.

Human trafficking — a crime that involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to lure victims and force them into labor or commercial sexual exploitation — is a top priority area for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and their law enforcement and community partners. Every year, millions of women, men, and children are trafficked worldwide, including in Nevada.

“Combating sex trafficking is one of our prosecutors’ top enforcement priorities, and our office now has the pieces in place to stay at the forefront of this fight,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “Heading into 2021, we remain committed to increasing investigations and prosecutions of traffickers, taking them off the streets and away from victims.”

“The FBI will always be vigilant in pursuing those who choose to prey on our most vulnerable, especially our children,” said Special Agent in Charge Rouse. “I would like to thank our law enforcement partners and their task force officers as part of the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force for their commitment to making these arrests.”

This month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office brought five prosecutions related to human trafficking. Two of the five defendants were charged with federal sex trafficking offenses:

• On December 15, 2020, Kenton King, 25, of Las Vegas, was indicted on one count of coercion and enticement, one count of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of attempt sex trafficking, and one count of possession of child pornography. According to allegations in the indictment, King attempted to coerce and entice an underage victim to engage in numerous sexual offenses, including prostitution.

The case was investigated by the Henderson Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Supriya Prasad is prosecuting the  case.

• On December 3, 2020, Jeffrey Lofstead, 63, of Kings Beach, California, was indicted on one count of attempted sex trafficking of children. According to allegations in the indictment, on or about October 7, 2020, Lofstead attempted to recruit and solicit a child, who had not yet attained the age of 18 years, to engage in a commercial sex act.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Northern Nevada Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is comprised of federal, local, and state law enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Walkingshaw is prosecuting the case.

In addition to the sex trafficking cases above, the December 2020 takedown included three other individuals charged with federal firearm offenses who either had been previously convicted of pandering offenses or whose alleged offenses related to vice operations:

• On December 9, 2020, Tamarion Keandre Williams, of Las Vegas, was charged with one count of felon in possession of a firearm. As alleged in the criminal complaint, on November 21, 2020, Williams illegally possessed a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol. At the time of the alleged offense, Williams was on probation due to convictions for pandering and battery with substantial bodily harm in Clark County.

The case was investigated by the FBI, the Nevada Division of Probation, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bianca Pucci is prosecuting the case.

• On December 29, 2020, Darryl Henderson, of Las Vegas, made his initial appearance in federal court on a felon in possession of a firearm charge. As alleged in the criminal complaint, beginning on August 12, 2020, and continuing until on or about September 8, Henderson illegally possessed a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Henderson is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions in Clark County. He was also pending sentencing in Nevada state court after pleading guilty to attempt pandering, which is a felony.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bianca Pucci is prosecuting the case.

• On December 21, 2020, Adrian Anguiano, of Las Vegas, was charged with one count of felon in possession of a firearm. As alleged in the criminal complaint, on November 27, 2020, Anguiano illegally possessed a 9mm semi-automatic pistol. Two weeks earlier, on November 13, police officers had observed a female enter Anguiano’s truck in an area known for prostitution. When officers attempted to contact the vehicle’s occupants, the driver fled, ramming a police vehicle and nearly hitting an officer in the process. The female was thrown from the vehicle, fracturing her skull and rendering her unconscious. Subsequent investigation identified Anguiano as the vehicle’s driver. On November 27, Anguiano was arrested by local law enforcement as he left his residence. A protective sweep of the residence revealed a 9mm semi-automatic pistol in plain view in Anguiano’s bedroom. He subsequently admitted to being in possession of the firearm.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Cowhig is prosecuting the case.

Other federal sex trafficking charges that federal prosecutors filed in the District of Nevada in 2020 include:

• On October 6, 2020, Denzel Renyal Michael Loyd, 35, of Las Vegas, was charged in a 10-count indictment with four counts of coercion and enticement; three counts of sexual exploitation of a child; one count of transfer of obscene material to minor; one count of sex trafficking of children; and one count of possession of child pornography. As alleged, from February 5 to March 9, 2020, Loyd coerced and enticed four underage victims via Facebook to engage in prostitution for him. The indictment further alleges that Loyd sent obscene material to a victim, and that he possessed child pornography on his cell phone.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Supriya Prasad is prosecuting the case.

• On June 3, 2020, Mario Alston, 42, of Las Vegas, was charged with one count of attempted sex trafficking of children.

The case was also investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Supriya Prasad is prosecuting the case.

A complaint and/or indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

In addition to prosecutions, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prevention and spreading awareness of human trafficking. This year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office co-hosted training events for attorneys, victim services providers, and the community. The Department of Justice provided non-profit service providers with a total of $998,714 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs and its component, the Office for Victims of Crime, to provide safe, stable housing and appropriate services to survivors of human trafficking.

If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, contact the Homeland Security Investigations’ Blue Campaign at 1-866-347-2423 or get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

Report missing children or child pornography to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-THE-LOST (843-5678).

Ticketmaster Pays $10 Million Criminal Fine for Intrusions into Competitor’s Computer Systems

 Ticketmaster Used Passwords Unlawfully Retained by a Former Employee of a Competitor to Access Computer Systems in Scheme to “Choke Off” the Victim’s Business

Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Ticketmaster L.L.C. (Ticketmaster or the Company) agreed to pay a $10 million fine to resolve charges that it repeatedly accessed without authorization the computer systems of a competitor.  The fine is part of a deferred prosecution agreement that Ticketmaster has entered with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York to resolve a five-count criminal information filed today charging computer intrusion and fraud offenses.  Previously, on October 18, 2019, Zeeshan Zaidi, the former head of Ticketmaster’s Artist Services division, pled guilty in a related case to conspiring to commit computer intrusions and wire fraud based on his participation in the same scheme.  Both cases are assigned to U.S. District Judge Margo K. Brodie.

Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Field Office, made the announcement.

“Ticketmaster employees repeatedly – and illegally – accessed a competitor’s computers without authorization using stolen passwords to unlawfully collect business intelligence,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney DuCharme.  “Further, Ticketmaster’s employees brazenly held a division-wide ‘summit’ at which the stolen passwords were used to access the victim company’s computers, as if that were an appropriate business tactic.  Today’s resolution demonstrates that any company that obtains a competitor’s confidential information for commercial advantage, without authority or permission, should expect to be held accountable in federal court.”

"When employees walk out of one company and into another, it's illegal for them to take proprietary information with them. Ticketmaster used stolen information to gain an advantage over its competition, and then promoted the employees who broke the law. This investigation is a perfect example of why these laws exist - to protect consumers from being cheated in what should be a fair market place,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.

The Scheme to “Choke Off” the Victim Company

According to Ticketmaster’s admissions and publicly filed court documents, Ticketmaster, a wholly owned subsidiary of Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. (Live Nation), was primarily engaged in the business of selling and distributing tickets to events and concerts.  The victim company offered artists the ability to sell presale tickets – sold in advance of general ticket sales – on an online ticketing platform.  It also offered artists an Artist Toolbox (the Toolbox), which was a password-protected app that provided real-time data about tickets sold through the victim company. 

Instrumental to the criminal scheme was Coconspirator-1, a former senior employee of the victim company, who worked in the company’s Brooklyn, New York offices from approximately May 2010 to July 2012.  In approximately July 2012, Coconspirator-1 signed a separation agreement with the victim company, in which he agreed to maintain the confidentiality of that company’s confidential information.  He then joined Live Nation in approximately August 2013.

In November 2013, while employed by Live Nation, Coconspirator-1 shared with Zaidi and another Ticketmaster employee the URLs for draft ticketing web pages that the victim company had built for an artist, but had not disseminated to the public.  In response to a Ticketmaster executive explaining that the goal was to “choke off [victim company]” and “steal back one of [victim company]’s signature clients,” Coconspirator-1 offered that Ticketmaster could “cut [victim company] off at the knees” if they could win back presale ticketing business for a second major artist that was a client of the victim company.

Ticketmaster’s Intrusions Into the Victim Company’s Password-Protected Artist Toolboxes

In January 2014, Coconspirator-1 emailed Zaidi and a second Ticketmaster executive multiple sets of usernames and passwords for Toolboxes.  Coconspirator-1 encouraged the executives to “screen-grab the hell out of the system,” but also warned, “I must stress that as this is access to a live [victim company] tool I would be careful in what you click on as it would be best not [to] giveaway that we are snooping around.”  (Emphasis in original.)  The information from the Toolboxes was then used to prepare a presentation for other senior executives that was intended to “benchmark” Ticketmaster’s offerings against those of the victim company. 

In early May 2014, a senior executive of Live Nation (Corporate Officer-1) asked Zaidi and others how Ticketmaster’s presale online offering compared with the Toolbox.  Coconspirator-1 was then asked to “do a screenshare/demo” at an upcoming “Artist Services Summit.”  Coconspirator-1 agreed to “pull together a list of the log-ins and URL’s that I still have access to for this so I can give the team as much insight as possible.”  At least 14 Live Nation and Ticketmaster employees attended the Artist Services Summit, in San Francisco.  There, in front of those employees, Coconspirator-1 used a username and password he had retained from his employment at the victim company to log in to a Toolbox, and provided a demonstration.  Coconspirator-1 later also provided Zaidi and other Ticketmaster executives with internal and confidential financial documents he had retained from his employment at the victim company.

In January 2015, Coconspirator-1 was transferred to the Artist Services division, promoted to Director of Client Relations, and given a raise.  Following the promotion, Coconspirator-1 emailed another Artist Services employee, “Now we can really start to bring down the hammer on [Victim Company].”  Ticketmaster employees continued to access password-protected victim company Toolboxes through December 2015.

Ticketmaster’s Surveillance of the Victim Company’s Draft Ticketing Web Pages

Between approximately July 2014 and June 2015, Coconspirator-1 and others monitored draft ticketing web pages created by the victim company.  Although these pages were not password-protected, they were not indexed in search engines, and therefore could not be located without determining the exact URLs, which included a series of numbers.  Until the victim company or artist publicly disseminated a URL, the victim company intended to restrict access to itself and the artist.

After joining Live Nation, Coconspirator-1 explained to Zaidi and others how the “store ID” numbers in the URLs were numbered sequentially, enabling Ticketmaster employees to monitor new pages and to learn which artists planned to use the victim company to sell tickets.  Coconspirator-1 used this information to search for new victim company ticketing web pages, and sent the URLs to Ticketmaster executives.  In or about January 2015, a Ticketmaster employee was assigned to learn about this system from Coconspirator-1, and maintained a spreadsheet listing every victim company ticketing web page that could be located, so that Ticketmaster could identify the victim company’s clients and attempt to dissuade them from selling tickets through the victim company.  Zaidi explained that “we’re not supposed to tip anyone off that we have this view into [the victim company’s] activities.” 

The Deferred Prosecution Agreement and Criminal Information

Under the terms of the deferred prosecution agreement, Ticketmaster will pay a criminal penalty of $10 million and will maintain a compliance and ethics program designed to prevent and detect violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and other applicable laws, and to prevent the unauthorized and unlawful acquisition of confidential information belonging to its competitors.  Ticketmaster will also report to the United States Attorney’s Office annually during the three-year term of the agreement regarding these compliance measures.  If the Company breaches the agreement, it will be subject to prosecution for the charges in the criminal information that was filed today, charging the Company with one count of conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, one count of computer intrusion for commercial advantage, one count of computer intrusion in furtherance of fraud, one count of wire fraud conspiracy and one count of wire fraud.

The investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s New York Field Office.  The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Allon Lifshitz, Craig R. Heeren and Ian C. Richardson are in charge of the prosecution. 

The Defendants:

TICKETMASTER L.L.C.

E.D.N.Y. Docket No.  20-CR-563 (MKB)

ZEESHAN ZAIDI
Age:  46
New York, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-450 (MKB)

Convicted Felon Indicted on Federal Child Pornography Charge

 Defendant was on supervised release at the time of charged offense

BOSTON – An Auburn man was indicted today by a federal grand jury on a child pornography charge.

Christopher Rondeau, 35, was indicted on one count of possession of child pornography and will be arraigned in federal court in Worcester at a later date. Rondeau was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Nov. 6, 2020. 

According to the charging documents, a search was executed at Rondeau’s residence where a cell phone was found containing images and videos of child pornography. In 2016, Rondeau was convicted of receipt of child pornography and sentenced to 68 months in prison and seven years of supervised release. He was released from federal custody in August 2019 and was on supervised release at the time of his November arrest.  

Due to Rondeau’s prior conviction, the charging statute provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; David Magdycz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Auburn Police Chief Andrew J. Sluckis, Jr; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial Bennett of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

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 charging documents are allegations.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Identity Thief Extradited from Dominican Republic Sentenced to Two and ½ Years in Prison for Using Stolen Information to Commit Tax Fraud

 PHILADELPHIA – First Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Arleny Reyes Nunez, 42, of Philadelphia, PA and the Dominican Republic, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $154,528 in restitution by United States District Judge Harvey Bartle III, for using the personal identification information of others to file fraudulent tax returns, resulting in more than $150,000 in losses to the federal government.

In August 2020, the defendant pleaded guilty to charges of criminal conspiracy to defraud the federal government, theft of government funds, and the unlawful possession and use of a means of identification. The charges were the result of the defendant and her co-conspirators acting together to defraud the United States by filing fraudulent tax returns using the identities of others.

From 2010 through May 2014, Reyes Nunez prepared and filed approximately 29 false tax returns, retrieved the refund checks (sometimes paying a minor child to retrieve paper checks from mailboxes at vacant Philadelphia properties), and deposited the checks into bank accounts associated with fake businesses she created in furtherance of this scheme. Later, in order to avoid apprehension, the defendant fled to her home country of the Dominican Republic, where she was ultimately arrested by local authorities for using a false passport and extradited back to the United States in January 2020.

“The defendant played a key role in a scheme to exploit others’ personal information in order to steal from the federal government,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Williams. “Further, when Reyes Nunez became aware that authorities had a warrant for her arrest, she abandoned her family and fled the United States in order to avoid facing criminal consequences. But she could not outrun justice, and now she will pay her debt to society.”

“Ms. Reyes Nunez thought she could flee the country to evade prosecution,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso. “What she failed to count on is that IRS Criminal Investigation special agents work diligently to identify and bring to prosecution those who engage in tax fraud. Her extradition and sentencing should serve as a reminder that we are committed to vigorously pursuing those who undermine the integrity of the U.S. tax system.”

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Priya T. De Souza.

OJJDP Releases Expunging Juvenile Records: Misconceptions, Collateral Consequences, And Emerging Practices

           WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention today released Expunging Juvenile Records: Misconceptions, Collateral Consequences, and Emerging Practices. This bulletin discusses common misconceptions surrounding expungement of juvenile records. It also provides information about the collateral consequences of juvenile records as well as federal, state and local emerging practices.

          Although the general public and impacted youth assume expunged juvenile records no longer exist, handling of these records varies widely from state to state. Expungement, sealing and confidentiality are three legally distinct methods for destroying or limiting access to juvenile records. These methods may allow the police, courts or the public to access juvenile records, depending on state laws.

TITLE:	Expunging Juvenile Records: Misconceptions, Collateral Consequences, and Emerging Practices
AUTHOR:	Andrea R. Coleman, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
WHERE:	https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/publications/expunging-juvenile-records.pdf

 

Jewelry Wholesaler Pleads Guilty in $200 Million Ponzi Scheme

 Defendant Falsely Promised High Rates of Return for Investments in Wholesale Jewelry Purchases

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Gregory Altieri pleaded guilty to wire fraud for running a two-year $200 million Ponzi scheme based on false statements to investors about inflated returns for nonexistent wholesale jewelry deals.  As part of the plea, Altieri also admitted to committing securities fraud in connection with the scheme.  When sentenced, Altieri faces up to 20 years in prison.  Today’s proceeding took place before United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan.

Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the guilty plea. 

“With today’s guilty plea, Altieri is held accountable for duping dozens of investors, including retirees living off their pensions,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme.  “The defendant’s lies have caught up to him and he will now face the consequences of his fraudulent scheme.”  Mr. DuCharme expressed his grateful appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, for its exemplary work on the case, and to the Securities and Exchange Commission, New York Regional Office, for their assistance.

Beginning in August 2017, Altieri solicited between $75 million to $85 million in investments in his entity, LNA Associates, from over 80 investors located in Queens, Staten Island, Long Island and elsewhere.  Altieri told investors that their money would be used to purchase jewelry at “closeout” prices, which would then be resold at a high profit yielding returns on those investments of between 30 and 70 percent in a matter of months.  While Altieri initially purchased some jewelry with investors’ money, since approximately May 2018, he used money from new investors to pay earlier investors, representing to the latter group that they were receiving returns on their investments.  These purported “returns” were used by Altieri to convince the earlier investors to keep their money with LNA Associates by “rolling over” their funds into new investments based on false promises to use this money to purchase additional jewelry.  By January 2020, when Altieri stopped making payments to investors, he owed them approximately $200 million based on the falsely inflated promised returns.   

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business & Securities Fraud Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Andrey Spektor and Lindsay K. Gerdes are in charge of the prosecution, assisted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Morris of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Unit and by a Special Agent of the Office’s Business & Securities Fraud Section. 

The Defendant:

GREGORY ALTIERI
Age:  53
Melville, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-249 (BMC)

Tennessee State Prison Inmate Charged With Mail Stalking

 Communication Attempts with Woman Began After Murdering Her Husband

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – December 29, 2020 – An inmate at the Tennessee Department of Correction has been charged with using the U.S. Mail to harass and intimidate the widow of a man he murdered in 2009, announced  U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee. 

A criminal complaint unsealed today charged Hank Wise, 55, with mail stalking, after sending numerous letters and other communications to the woman through her attorney.

“We owe a duty to victims of crime to ensure that they will not continue to be subjected to cruel acts which cause emotional distress as alleged here,” said U.S. Attorney Cochran.  “We simply will not stand for this.”

On April 2, 2009, while at the Buck Wild Saloon in Nashville, Wise shot and killed a man identified in the complaint as “B.G.” in front of his wife.  In April 2012, Wise was convicted of second degree murder in Davidson County Criminal Court and subsequently sentenced to 23 years in prison. 

While in prison, beginning in approximately 2011, Wise began sending letters to the victim’s widow, through her attorney, which lasted until 2017. The communications were also in the form of holiday cards such as Christmas and Valentine’s Day and contained romantic overtures, professing his love for her and telling her that he thinks about her every day. 

Wise continued to send letters and cards intended for the woman through her attorney until 2017.  Although initially aware of the communications, the woman asked her attorney not to notify her of any subsequent letters after 2012.  After 2012, the attorney continued to receive letters from Wise, intended for the woman, but in keeping with his client’s wishes, he did not share the communications with her until sometime in 2019.  The woman was highly distressed when she learned of the continued attempts by Wise to communicate with her. 

Wise made an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge this afternoon.  If convicted of this charge, he faces up to five years in federal prison.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation.  Wise is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Miami Woman Sentenced to 10 Years for Methamphetamine Drug Conspiracy

 TULSA, Okla. – A Miami woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court for conspiring with her sister to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Megan Nicole Hollenbeck, 29, to 10 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release.

“Whether an addiction or a vice, Megan Hollenbeck contributed to the methamphetamine problem in Miami. She conspired with her sister to deal meth for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “She will now spend the next 10 years in federal prison as a result of her criminal choices.”

Hollenbeck previously pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy. Her sister also pleaded guilty to taking part in the conspiracy and is set to be sentenced in February 2021. On Aug. 15, 2019, Hollenbeck and her sister Monica conspired to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine, during a law enforcement “controlled buy” that was captured on video. The two were arrested in Miami, Oklahoma, as part of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation “Pullin’ Chains.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Miami Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Duncombe prosecuted the case.

Helena man appears on allegations of sexually exploiting children and receiving child pornography

 MISSOULA – A Helena man appeared in court today on allegations of sexually exploiting children and receiving child pornography in Missoula and Lewis and Clark counties, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson said.

A criminal complaint unsealed today alleges Joshua Dean Fish, 27, committed the crimes of sexual exploitation of a child and receipt of child pornography. If convicted of the most serious crime, Fish faces 15 years to 40 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Fish was detained pending further proceedings.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

According to the complaint and affidavit, an investigation began in January when the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office received a report of suspicious online activity regarding a minor teenage female victim. The investigation led to additional minor female victims. Victims reported that they were promised monetary payments in exchange for photographs of themselves in various stages of undress and nudity through SnapChat, a social media application. The victims reported that the suspect used PayPal to submit payments to the victims, used the fictitious name, Grant Holman, and liked to be called Mr. Fish or Mr. Fishy.

The investigation led to a search of Fish’s residence in Gilbert, AZ, on June 18. Law enforcement seized a cell phone, a laptop computer and numerous hard drives. After examining the electronics that were seized during the search of Fish’s residence, agents discovered hundreds of thousands of images and videos of child pornography, the complaint and affidavit allege. The complaint and affidavit further allege that Fish used, coerced and exploited the victims into producing sexually explicit images of themselves. Fish lived in Missoula and Helena until about June 2018, when he moved to Arizona.

The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office and Gilbert (AZ) Police Department are investigating the case.

Hardy County man appears on drug charges

 ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Kenneth Allan Evans, of Moorefield, West Virginia, was arrested today and appeared in federal court to face drug charges, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Evans, 48, was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Elkins on December 15, 2020 on one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine,” one count of “Maintaining Drug-Involved Premises,” one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine,” and one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine – Aiding and Abetting.”

Also charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and other related charges are:

•    Kaleb Joseph Beals, 31, of Silver Creek, Georgia
•    Jennifer Ann Howell, 41, of Moorefield, West Virginia
•    Kelly Marie Talber, 36, of Keyser, West Virginia
•    Richard Allen Howell, 42, of Moorefield, West Virginia

All defendants are accused of working together to distribute crystal methamphetamine or “ice” from August 2018 to April 2019 in Hardy County and elsewhere.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Moorefield Police Department investigated.

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Bradley Lefebvre Pleads Not Guilty to Harassment Charges

The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Bradley Lefebvre, 38, a former resident of Springfield, Vermont who has since moved to New Hampshire, pleaded not guilty today in United States District Court in Burlington to federal harassment charges.  U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Conroy released Lefebvre on conditions pending trial, which has not been scheduled.

On December 2, 2020, a federal grand jury in Rutland returned a three-count indictment accusing Lefebvre of harassing three victims during the spring and summer of 2020.  The indictment alleges that Lefebvre used facilities of interstate commerce to harass and intimidate the victims and their families via communications that would reasonably be expected to cause substantial emotional distress to those persons.  

The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that Lefebvre is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.

If convicted, Lefebvre faces up to five years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.  The actual sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.

This case was investigated by the FBI task force.  

Lefebvre is represented by Assistant Federal Defender David McColgin.  The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.

Federal Deaths in Custody and During Arrest, 2016-2017 – Statistical Tables

           WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics today released Federal Deaths in Custody and During Arrest, 2016-2017 – Statistical Tables. This report is the first in a series that examines deaths that occur during federal arrest, detention and incarceration in the United States. It describes decedent, incident and facility characteristics of deaths in federal custody and during arrest by federal law enforcement agencies during fiscal years 2016 and 2017.

          BJS also released Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables and Federal Justice Statistics, 2016 – Statistical Tables. These reports are based on data from BJS’s Federal Justice Statistics Program, which began in 1979. They provide national statistics on the federal response to crime for fiscal years 2015 and 2016. The reports describe case-processing in the federal criminal-justice system, including investigations by U.S. attorneys, prosecutions and declinations, convictions and acquittals, sentencing, pre-trial release, detention, appeals, probation and parole, and prisons.

TITLE:	Federal Deaths in Custody and During Arrest, 2016-2017 – Statistical
	Tables (NCJ 252838)
	by BJS Statisticians Connor Brooks, Kevin M. Scott, and Anthony Whyde (former)
	Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables (NCJ 251771)
	by BJS Statistician Mark Motivans, Ph.D.
	Federal Justice Statistics, 2016 – Statistical Tables (NCJ 251772)
	by BJS Statistician Mark Motivans, Ph.D.
WHERE:	www.bjs.gov

Tulsa Man Charged with Attempted Sexual Contact Following ‘Peeping Tom’ Incidents

 A Tulsa man who allegedly attempted to sexually assault a victim after multiple ‘Peeping Tom’ incidents made an initial appearance today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Jesse Thomas Moore, 18, was charged with attempted sexual contact and first degree burglary. U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul J. Cleary set Moore’s detention hearing for Wednesday, Dec. 30, at 1 p.m.

“Jesse Moore is alleged to have looked into two victims’ windows and then entered their homes, in one incident attempting to sexually assault a young woman,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “The defendant is a danger to the Tulsa community. I am thankful for the Tulsa Police Department’s thorough investigative work and quick action to take Moore off our streets.”

According to court documents, Moore unlawfully entered a residence on Dec. 13, 2020, and attempted to rape a female victim. Video shows the suspect stepping onto the front porch, unscrewing the porch light then entering the residence at 6:36 a.m. then exiting the residence at 7:18 a.m. Moore was able to move around the residence without its occupants hearing him until the victim awoke to someone touching her. The suspect whispered, “Get the f**k up and don’t say anything or I’ll f**king kill you.” The suspect guided her to the living room where he attempted to rape the victim. As he covered her mouth, the victim bit the man’s right hand, causing him to let go and flee the scene.

The crime occurred after multiple Peeping Tom incidents earlier in the week at the same residence by the same defendant.

During the investigation, the Tulsa Police Special Victim’s Unit discovered that a second victim encountered similar incidents at her residence in South Tulsa, the latest occurring on Dec. 20, 2020, at 4 a.m.  The woman initially noticed an unknown male in her back yard near the end of October. Then on Oct. 25, 2020, the male unlawfully entered her residence, looked around then left. She stated that the male had continually returned to her home, looking into windows. In another incident, she stated that her 12-year-old son was home when the suspect entered the home through the back door. He fled when he heard the son scream to his mother.

Video surveillance from both residences where these incidents occurred show the same suspect arriving and leaving in a black Range Rover.

Tulsa Police Detectives eventually located the black Range Rover, which checked back to Moore. Officers obtained a search warrant for Moore’s residence and discovered a pair of shoes, a sweater, and pants that allegedly matched those of the suspect seen on surveillance footage.

The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case.

This matter will proceed in United States District Court in Tulsa, where the Complaint is currently pending. A Complaint is a temporary charge alleging a violation of law. For the case to proceed to trial, the United States must present the charge to a federal Grand Jury within 30 days. Once a Grand Jury returns an Indictment, a defendant has a right to a jury trial at which the United States would have the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Box Elder Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Robbery

 United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Box Elder, South Dakota, man convicted of Interference with Commerce by Robbery and Use and Brandishing of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence was sentenced on December 14, 2020, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.

Johnathan Adkins, age 21, was sentenced to 9 ½ years in federal prison. As to the Robbery conviction, Adkins was sentenced to 2 ½ years in federal prison and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. As to the Firearm conviction, Adkins was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison, to be served consecutively to the Robbery sentence, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

The convictions relate to Adkins and two other individuals robbing the Quality Inn and Big D at Rapid City in January 2020, and brandishing a pistol at an employee at each establishment.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice's signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department's past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-william-p-barr-announces-launch-project-guardian-nationwide-strategic-plan

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman prosecuted the case.

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

Gun and Drug Sales Result in Federal Prison Sentence

 A man who used a phone to set up a drug sale and then sold marijuana and two firearms to an individual working with the police in Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced on December 22, 2020, to more than three years in federal prison.

James Bell III, age 33, from Rock Island, Illinois, received the prison term after a July 13, 2020 guilty plea to one count of distribution of marijuana near a park in Dubuque, Iowa, after a prior drug conviction, one count of using a telephone to set up a drug transaction, and one count of possession of a firearm after being convicted of a felony offense and two domestic abuse misdemeanor crimes.

Evidence at sentencing showed that Bell used a telephone on November 21, 2017, to set up a marijuana transaction.  Later that day, he sold approximately one ounce of marijuana to an individual working with the police.  On December 7, 2017, Bell sold two firearms to an individual working with law enforcement.  During that transaction, Bell also sold someone else marijuana.

Bell was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Bell was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Bell is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by the Dubuque, Iowa, Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  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.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/ag/page/file/1217186/download.

Grand jury indicts two men on charges of armed robbery and brandishing a firearm

 ST. LOUIS, MO – A federal grand jury indicted 21-year-old Malik Dorsey and 20-year old Darrion Gardner, both of St. Louis, Missouri, on several armed robbery and brandishing a firearm charges.

Dorsey faces two counts of armed robbery, one count of attempted armed robbery, and three counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Gardner faces two counts of armed robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

According to the indictment, on December 5, 2020, Dorsey and Gardner robbed the T-Mobile phone store in Overland while brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

On December 7, 2020, Dorsey and Gardner robbed the Universal Wireless phone store in Breckenridge Hills while brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

On December 9, 2020, Dorsey attempted to rob the Boost Mobile phone store in Maplewood while brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.  During the attempted robbery, a store employee, who feared for his life, shot Dorsey. 

Dorsey and Gardner, both out on bond in connection with another robbery, were wearing GPS ankle-monitoring bracelets as a condition of their release during the charged crimes.

Each count of armed robbery or attempted armed robbery carries a penalty of no more than 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000.

Each count of possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence carries a penalty of no less than seven years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000

Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with the Breckenridge Hills, Maplewood, and Overland Police Departments, investigated this case.

2 Stratford Men Charged with Federal Car Theft Offenses

 John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that on December 22, 2020, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging CHRISTOPHER MULKERN, also known as “Chucky,” 21, and EDWIN CORDERO, 20, both of Stratford, with federal car theft offenses.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, Connecticut State Police and local police are investigating multiple car theft rings in Connecticut.  Mulkern, Cordero and others have stolen numerous motor vehicles, and used the stolen vehicles to travel throughout Connecticut and to neighboring states to steal other vehicles and the valuables inside, including credit cards, cellular telephones, and firearms.  Mulkern and Cordero typically frequented upper middleclass neighborhoods to go “car-checking” or “jigging,” which involves an attempt to open the door of a motor vehicle and, if successful, steal the vehicle and/or valuables inside.

It is alleged that, on December 1, 2020, Mulkern and Cordero stole a Porsche Panamera from a residence in Westport, Connecticut.  Shortly after midnight on December 2, law enforcement in Westerly, Rhode Island, identified the stolen Porsche and attempted to stop the car.  The Porsche drove recklessly, at speeds of at least 86 mph, between Rhode Island and Connecticut, and evaded police who, for safety reasons, were forced to terminate pursuit.

It is further alleged that, at approximately 4 a.m. on December 2, Mulkern, Cordero and others used the stolen Porsche to steal a Dodge Challenger from a residence in Milford, Connecticut.  In the evening of December 2, Stratford Police spotted and attempted to stop the Porsche.  During the pursuit, the Porsche rammed a car stopped at a red light at an intersection, drove up on the sidewalk and through the red light, and then struck a second vehicle, causing the second vehicle to flip onto its roof.  The damaged Porsche then traveled on I-95 into Bridgeport, where Mulkern and Cordero were apprehended as they attempted to enter another stolen Audi A4 that was parked on Gregory Street.

It is alleged that a search of the stolen Audi revealed approximately 13 key fobs for other vehicles, and a search of the Porsche revealed five cellphones.  In addition, Mulkern possessed two stolen credit cards, and Cordero possessed a key fob for the stolen Dodge, which was subsequently located parked on Main Street in Bridgeport.

Mulkern has been detained since December 2.  Cordero, who was released after his state arrest, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on December 15 and is currently released on a $30,000 bond.  Mulkern and Cordero are scheduled for arraignment on January 6 at 1 p.m. via videoconference.

The indictment charges Mulkern and Cordero with one count of transportation of a stolen vehicle and one count of possession of a stolen vehicle.  Both charges carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police and the Stratford, Milford, Stonington, Westport, Bridgeport, New Haven, Meriden, and Westerly (R.I.) Police Departments.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah P. Karwan.

Three Iowa Defendants Sentenced for Sex Trafficking Children

 DES MOINES, Iowa – Three defendants who pleaded guilty to sex trafficking children were sentenced in December 2020 announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. The cases were presided over by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose.

On December 7, 2020, Tommy Tate Collins of Cedar Rapids was sentenced to 210 months in prison following a guilty plea to one count of child sex trafficking. Collins admitted in his plea agreement that he trafficked a minor child, who was 15 and 16 years old at the time, by paying her for sex acts with money and drugs.

On December 18, 2020, Albert Kelly Price was sentenced to 348 months imprisonment. Price pleaded guilty to trafficking two minors and admitted to trafficking a total of three minors who were between 14 and 16 years old. Price paid all three minors for sex acts and used physical force on each minor. Price resided in Iowa City and North Liberty.

On December 21, 2020, Arrion Marcus West, Jr. of Iowa City was sentenced to 210 months imprisonment for trafficking two minors, who were 15 and 17 years old at the time of the offenses. West trafficked the minors by advertising them on escort websites, arranging prices and sex acts with customers, transporting them to engage in sex acts, and taking proceeds from the commercial sex acts. West also used physical violence towards one victim.

Co-defendants that were previously sentenced include Isaiah Patterson, sentenced to 144 months imprisonment in January 2020 for trafficking a 15 year old by posting advertisements of her for commercial sex acts, and Kendall Andrew Streb, who was sentenced in September 2020 to 268 months imprisonment for trafficking three minors and additional offenses.

“The defendants in these cases were buyers and sellers of children in our community,” stated Krickbaum. “They exploited vulnerable teenage girls for their own sexual gratification, and collectively they will serve many decades in federal prison. Federal law does not distinguish between ‘johns’ who will pay for sex with a minor, and pimps who offer minors for sex. Both groups are serious criminals, and we will treat them as such.”

Human trafficking is defined as a crime involving the exploitation of youth under the age of 18 for commercial sex; the exploitation of adults for commercial sex through the use of force, fraud, or coercion; and the exploitation of any individual for compelled labor. Human trafficking does not require the transportation of individuals across state lines, or that someone is physically restrained. Signs that a person is being trafficked can include working excessively long hours, unexplained gifts, physical injury, substance abuse issues, running away from home, isolation from others, or having a person in their life controlling them or monitoring them closely. Anyone who suspects human trafficking is occurring, be it a minor engaging in paid sex acts, or anyone being coerced into prostitution or labor, is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

The case was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department, with assistance from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation, and the Coralville Police Department. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Grand jury indicts four men accused of drug trafficking, firearms violations and committing a narcotics-related murder

 ST. LOUIS, MO – A federal grand jury indicted, Wednesday, four people accused of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, resulting in death.

According to the indictment, beginning in October 2019, Franklin Bell, Arrion Jones and Deoman Reeves conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

On October 21, 2019, Bell, Reeves and Deronte McDaniels possessed one or more firearms in furtherance of the commission of a drug trafficking crime. During this violation, they caused the death of David Anderson by shooting him.

On November 4, 2019, Bell, Reeves and Jones possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl and possessed one or more firearms in furtherance of the commission of a drug trafficking crime. Reeves possessed a firearm, which he sold to the ATF, knowing he had previously been convicted of a felony.

On November 18, 2019, Bell possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl.

On November 19, 2019, Bell and Reeves possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl and possessed one or more firearms in furtherance of the commission of a drug trafficking crime. Reeves again possessed a firearm as a convicted felon before selling that firearm to the ATF.

On December 10, 2019, Reeves possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl.

On December 13, 2019, Bell and Jones possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl.

On January 6, 2020, Bell and Jones possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl.

Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent of all charges unless and until proven guilty. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the University City Police Department is handling the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is handling the case.

El Paso Man Indicted for Stabbing Incident on Fort Bliss

 In El Paso, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 26-year-old Christopher Delgado for allegedly hitting his girlfriend with his fist then stabbing her with a knife multiple times while on Fort Bliss on November 26, 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer and FBI Special Agent in Charge Luis Quesada, El Paso Division.   

The indictment charges Delgado with one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of assault by striking, beating or wounding.  According to court documents, Delgado was driving when the victim asked to be taken home.  Delgado struck the victim with a closed fist and she struck him back.  Delgado pulled over, reached for a knife in the door of his vehicle and stabbed his victim multiple times before pushing her out of his car. 

Motorists saw the victim on the edge of Highway 375 and called emergency services.  She was treated for stab wounds at a local hospital.

Delgado faces up to 10 years in federal prison upon conviction of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.  He faces up to one year in federal prison upon conviction for assault by striking, beating or wounding. 

The FBI conducted this investigation with assistance from the Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID).  Assistant U.S. Attorney Herbert Bunton, III, is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

Federal Judge Denies Bond to Alleged Round Rock-Based Drug Trafficker and Money Launderer Who Used the Dark Web to Carryout his Schemes

 In Austin today, U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew W. Austin ordered that 38-year-old Round Rock resident Tu Hoang Dinh remain in federal custody after he entered a not-guilty plea to drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy charges involving the Dark Web, announced U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Deputy Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee, San Antonio Division; and Round Rock Police Chief Allen Banks.

A federal grand jury indictment charges Dinh with one count of conspiracy to import and possess with intent to deliver controlled substances and one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.  The indictment alleges that Dinh has conspired with others since 2018 to import and distribute THC, LSD, and MDMA (Ecstasy) using the Dark Web and under the business name “ATXGreen.”  The indictment also alleges that Dinh opened Venmo, PayPal, Square and Zelle accounts to accept payments for drugs.  He subsequently used proceeds from the distribution of narcotics to purchase two vehicles and to pay his property taxes in Williamson County.

Upon conviction, Dinh faces between 10 years and life in federal prison for the drug conspiracy and up to 20 years in federal prison for the money laundering conspiracy. No further court dates have been scheduled.

HSI and the Round Rock Police Department conducted this 16-month investigation with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Marshall and Robert Almonte are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.