Bartholomew County man sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child

 Indianapolis – United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today, Levi Alexander Walters, 28, Westport, Ind., was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for three counts of sexual exploitation of a child.

“To uncover evidence that a man you trusted, entered your child’s bedroom, and preyed upon her innocence while she tried to sleep is every parent’s worst nightmare,” said Minkler.  “Bringing that perpetrator to justice is an essential part of restoring that child’s belief that there are still good adults who will protect her.”

The investigation into Walters’ conduct began when the child victim’s mother called police to report that she found videos on Walters’ phone, showing Walters engaged in sexual conduct with her child, who was younger than 10 years old. Deputies from the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office responded to the victim’s residence and were met with a very volatile situation. Walters had obtained two firearms and threatened to commit suicide after the child’s mother found evidence of the abuse and began calling police. The deputies were able to place Walters in custody, ensuring the immediate safety of the victim and her mother.

The Indiana State Police Cyber Crime Unit were requested to conduct an examination of Walters’ cell phone. The examination revealed numerous videos and images depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, and the Indiana State Police.

“This type of behavior will not be condoned in Bartholomew County,” said Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Major Chris Lane. “Our focus is always on the victim in these types of cases; we want to always be sure they get the justice and the compassion they deserve.”

“Indiana State Police investigators work diligently every day, all across Indiana, and in close collaboration with its law enforcement partners, to bring to justice those who seek to perpetuate the victimization of children”, said Indiana State Police Superintendent Douglas G. Carter.

“This sentence should put child predators around the state on notice that the FBI and our law enforcement partners do not tolerate child exploitation in Indiana,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Paul Keenan. “We will use every technique in our arsenal to unmask you and hold you accountable for your criminal activity.”

According to Assistant United States Attorney Kristina Korobov, who prosecuted this case for the government, said Chief Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson also sentenced Walters to an additional 15 years of supervised release following his federal prison sentence, and ordered him to pay over $10,000 in restitution to the minor victim.

In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its most significant public safety challenges. This prosecution demonstrates the office’s firm commitment to target, investigate, and prosecute those who exploit and harm children or other vulnerable victims. (See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan Sections 4.1 and 4.2)

Springfield Man Sentenced for Heroin Conspiracy

 BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced today in connection with his role in a large-scale drug conspiracy that trafficked dozens of kilos of heroin and fentanyl into Springfield from Bronx, N.Y. and the Dominican Republic.

Marcos Pena, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to four years in prison and five years of supervised release. In June 2019, Pena pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin and two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin.

Pena admitted to his part in the conspiracy, which included, amongst other roles, transporting tens of thousands of dollars at a time to sources of heroin in the Bronx and transporting multiple kilograms of heroin back to Springfield, where the heroin would then be packaged at Springfield-based heroin mills.

Pena also admitted to distributing heroin to a government witness on two separate occasions in February 2016. On Feb. 10, 2016, Pena and co-defendant Alberto Marte sold approximately 125 grams of heroin to the witness. Pena again sold 125 grams of heroin to the same witness on Feb. 24, 2016.

Marte pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 180 months in prison.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Division; Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Hampden County District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood; Chicopee Police Chief William Jebb; Holyoke Police Chief Manny Febo; and West Springfield Police Chief Ronald Campurciani made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Desroches of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.

Florida Man Sentenced In Drug Proceeds Money Laundering Case

 HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on September 29, 2020, Michael Sean Riley, age 52, of Ocala, Florida, was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment and ordered to forfeit up to $800,000, by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for his role in a money laundering conspiracy involving $800,000 in drug proceeds.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Michael Riley arranged with John T. Oiler to rent a storage unit in Baltimore and travel to Pennsylvania to take possession of more than $800,000 of cash drug proceeds Michael Riley skimmed from a larger load of cash.  Oiler took the vast majority of those proceeds and stored them in the rented unit in Baltimore.  Michael Riley then contacted his cousin, Timothy Riley, then a Narcotics Agent of the PA Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics Investigations Mobile Street Crimes Unit, and turned over the rest of the cash proceeds to him and other agents from the Mobile Street Crimes Unit.  Michael Riley paid Timothy Riley three cash payments totaling $48,000 which Timothy Riley subsequently laundered.  Oiler and Michael Riley each netted about $400,000 of the proceeds and each conducted numerous financial transactions with the cash drug proceeds.

Coconspirator Timothy B. Riley was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment and conspirator John T. Oiler was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment.

The case was investigated by the Harrisburg Offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, with the full assistance of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys James T. Clancy and Carlo Marchioli prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as 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.

Grand Jury Indicts Registered Sex Offender on Child Pornography Charges

 PROVIDENCE – A registered sex offender convicted in 2014 of possessing child pornography was indicted today by a federal grand jury on two counts of distribution and one count of possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni, and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael S. Shea.

If convicted, Thomas Andreozzi, 59, of North Providence, faces a minimum term of incarceration of 10 years in federal prison.

According to court documents, it is alleged that in May 2020, Andreozzi uploaded images depicting child pornography while communicating with a person online. It is alleged that Andreozzi also boasted, “I have lots of young stuff” and “I have little girls.”

Andreozzi was arrested at his home in July by members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. As Task Force agents and officers approached Andreozzi’s residence, he allegedly fled inside his apartment and refused law enforcement commands to open the door. After forcing their way into Andreozzi’s apartment, agents and officers immediately seized a cell phone from Andreozzi’s hand and another on a nearby table. It is alleged that the phone in Andreozzi’s hand was opened to an online electronic media storage service. Numerous files of child pornography were allegedly observed by law enforcement.

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

Distribution of child pornography is punishable by statutory penalties of 15-30 years imprisonment to be followed by up to lifetime supervised release. Possession and accessing child pornography with intent to view is punishable by statutory penalties of 10-20 years imprisonment to be followed by up to lifetime supervised release.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams.

The Rhode Island ICAC Task Force is comprised of members of the Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit along with detectives from the Warwick Police Department, Cranston Police Department, Newport Police Department, East Providence Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, Bristol Police Department, North Kingstown Police Department, Woonsocket Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations.

United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman thanks the FBI and the Winnebago County Sherriff’s Department in Winnebago County, Wisconsin for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.

Newark Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and Crack Cocaine

 NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack cocaine, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Cory Canzater, a/k/a, “Big C,” 47, of Newark, was previously found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin and more than 28 grams of cocaine base, distribution of heroin and distribution of cocaine base. Canzater was convicted following a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court, who imposed the sentence today by videoconference.

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

Canzater engaged in a heroin and crack cocaine distribution conspiracy, led by Ahmad Johnson, a/k/a “OC,” 40, of Newark. Other members of the conspiracy included Maurice McPhatter, a/k/a “Ree,” Willie McPhatter, a/k/a “Roc,” Keith Henderson, and Sacha Negron, all of Newark.  Canzater was a runner, who distributed narcotics for the Johnson drug trafficking organization.

Through the authorized interception of telephone calls and text messages, controlled purchases of heroin, the use of confidential sources of information, and other investigative means, law enforcement learned that Canzater was a member of a conspiracy led by Johnson, who was responsible for obtaining wholesale amounts of drugs, including heroin and cocaine, and processing and packaging the drugs for sale in and around Newark. During the September 2017 takedown of the organization, law enforcement conducted a series of search warrants and found over a kilogram of heroin, over 200 grams of crack cocaine, and over 150 grams of fentanyl.

Johnson pleaded guilty to a drug conspiracy and was sentenced on April 15, 2019, to 180 months in prison. Maurice McPhatter pleaded guilty to a drug conspiracy and was sentenced on May 15, 2020, to 120 months in prison. Willie McPhatter, Henderson, and Negron have all pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy charges and are awaiting sentencing.

This case was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.

In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty sentenced Canzater to five years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents and officers with DEA’s High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Group 1, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan Gibson, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Astorga and Ari B. Fontecchio of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark.

Virginia Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Attempted Production of Child Pornography and Traveling in Interstate Commerce for Illicit Sexual Conduct

             Knoxville, Tenn. - Gregory Lynn McKnight, Jr., 28, of Clintwood, Virginia, was sentenced on September 29, 2020, by the Honorable R. Leon Jordan, Senior U.S.  District Judge, to serve 180 months in federal prison for attempting to coerce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography and traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.  Following his imprisonment, McKnight will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 15 years and will be required to register with the state sex offender registry in any state in which he lives, works, or attends school.

            The investigation began after the parents of a minor female informed local a law enforcement agency that McKnight had contacted their daughter on social media and began sending messages of a sexual nature to her.  During the undercover investigation, McKnight attempted to get the minor to send him sexually explicit depictions of her and to meet for sex.  McKnight drove from Virginia to Tennessee for the purpose of having sex with the girl. 

            “This prosecution represents part of our efforts to work with law enforcement agencies to protect children from persons who try to groom children online for child pornography and other illicit purposes,” said J. Douglas Overbey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee.  U.S. Attorney Overbey encourages parents to be vigilant concerning the online activities of their children. “These predators operate from the shadows of the internet, pretend to befriend young people, and then prey upon the minors’ vulnerability to induce them to send sexual images and videos, unbeknownst to their parents.”

            The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew T. Morris and Jennifer Kolman represented the United States in Court.

            This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty To Discharging A Firearm Near Fond Du Lac School

 United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty plea of SHELBY GENE BOSWELL, 28, to illegally possessing and discharging a firearm in a school zone. BOSWELL, who was initially charged on November 6, 2019, entered his guilty plea today before Chief Judge John R. Tunheim in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

According to his guilty plea and documents filed with the court, on October 18, 2019, BOSWELL knowingly and with reckless disregard for the safety of others, discharged a firearm on the grounds of Fond du Lac Head Start which is within a distance of 1,000 feet of the grounds of Fond du Lac Ojibwe High School. Because he has prior felony convictions in Beltrami County, Carlton County, and in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, BOSWELL is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fond du Lac Police Department. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement to combat 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.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew R. Winter and Bradley M. Endicott are prosecuting the case.

Defendant Information:

SHELBY GENE BOSWELL, 28

Fond du Lac, Minn.

Convicted:

• Felon in possession of a firearm, 1 count
• Discharge of a firearm in a school zone, 1 count

Tenderloin Drug Dealer Accused of Trafficking Fentanyl That Killed One, Injured Another

 SAN FRANCISCO – Charges were unsealed today accusing a Tenderloin drug dealer of selling fentanyl that led to the overdose death of one individual and the hospitalization of another individual, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Toby Schwartz of the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Additional facts regarding the investigation and charges can be found here: https://youtu.be/6Xy3vG9bwq4

According to the complaint, on May 18, 2020, the defendant, Celin David Doblado-Canaca, age 38, sold fentanyl that was packaged as cocaine near the corner of Golden Gate Avenue and Hyde Streets in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District.  The drugs were taken to San Bruno, California, where the substance was ingested later that night by two individuals who believed they were using cocaine.  The fentanyl killed one user and nearly killed another.  The victims were discovered by a family member in the early hours of May 19, 2020. 

“Fentanyl is pouring into our community from China and Mexico.  Because it is incredibly powerful in even the smallest doses, fentanyl is being mixed with other drugs and marketed as other drugs.  Many drug users who die of fentanyl overdoses never even know that they have been given fentanyl.  The epicenter of this fentanyl disaster is the Tenderloin neighborhood in San Francisco,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson.  “I feel strongly that the Tenderloin is a wonderful neighborhood, a diverse neighborhood, a relatively affordable neighborhood, a neighborhood of children and the elderly.  However, the Tenderloin neighborhood is also home to an open-air drug market that is spreading death throughout the Bay Area.  The drug dealing that is openly oppressing the Tenderloin is quietly undermining neighborhoods across San Francisco, Oakland, San Mateo, Sonoma, Marin County and elsewhere.  What happens in the Tenderloin does not stay in the Tenderloin.”

“We know fentanyl is potent and fatal in the smallest amounts. We are increasingly seeing it mixed with other drugs or sold as something else. Unfortunately, the user often doesn’t know this until it is too late. It is truly a game of Russian roulette,” said DEA Assistant Special in Charge Schwartz.  “Working with our local counterparts in these drug overdose cases is a priority for us. We want to send the message to all those who are distributing this poison in our community, we will find you and bring you to justice.  I would like to acknowledge the outstanding efforts by officers from the San Bruno, South San Francisco, and San Francisco Police Departments for their partnership in this investigation.” 

The complaint affidavit describes how investigators traced backwards from the scene of the overdose death in San Bruno to the Tenderloin, and ultimately identified Doblado-Canaca as the alleged source of the fentanyl.  As part of their investigation, officers stopped and searched Doblado-Canaca when he entered a liquor store at the corner of Hyde and Turk Streets in San Francisco, where he was found to have more than a dozen small baggies of substances alleged to be fentanyl and heroin.  The drugs and their packaging appeared to be organized for sale.

Doblado-Canaca was arrested in San Francisco on August 21, 2020, and made his initial appearance in federal court in San Francisco on August 25, 2020.  Doblado-Canaca is currently being held in custody pending further proceedings.  The case was unsealed today, on September 30, 2020, when Doblado-Canaca made an appearance before the Honorable Alex G. Tse, U.S. Magistrate Judge.

A complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years, and a fine of $1,000,000, for each violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).  However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. 

This case was prosecuted by member agencies of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a focused multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force investigating and prosecuting the most significant drug trafficking organizations throughout the United States by leveraging the combined expertise of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the San Bruno Police Department, the South San Francisco Police Department, and the San Francisco Police Department. 

Hartford Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl and Crack

 John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that YASIL SANTOS, also known as “Lilo,” 25, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl and crack cocaine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Gang Task Force and Hartford Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Division into the trafficking of narcotics and associated violence in Hartford’s South End by members and associates of the Almighty Latin Kings Nation (“Latin Kings”).  The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, physical surveillance and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that two members of the Latin Kings operated separate drug trafficking organizations that distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine.  The organizations used multiple locations to process, package, store and distribute narcotics, and possessed firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking activities.

Nelson Ferry led one of the drug trafficking organizations.  Ferry, with the assistance of Santos and others, processed and packaged heroin/fentanyl at his East Hartford residence, and he operated a “trap house” at 149 Wethersfield Avenue in Hartford as a distribution point for drug customers.  Santos worked with Ferry to distribute heroin/fentanyl and crack cocaine from the Wethersfield Avenue trap house.

Santos has been detained since his arrest on July 24, 2018.  On September 24, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 28 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”).

Santos’ criminal history includes two state convictions for firearm offenses.

Ferry pleaded guilty to related charges and, on February 26, 2020, was sentenced to 87 months of imprisonment.

This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department.  The Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.  The Hartford Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Division and Shooting Task Force have provided valuable assistance to the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.

Judge sentences St. Louis man for dealing drugs and being a felon in possession of a firearm

 ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Ronnie L. White sentenced Miles Davis to 51 months in prison. The 36-year-old St. Louis resident pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of possession with intent to distribute.

On October 9, 2019, officers from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) were patrolling the 4000 block of Pleasant and noticed Davis watching their patrol car suspiciously. While watching the patrol car, the officers noticed Davis grab his satchel and hide between two parked cars.

Concerned Davis was either grabbing or getting rid of a weapon, one SLMPD officer got out of the patrol car and approached Davis. As the officer approached, Davis removed a handgun from the satchel and threw it under one of the parked cars. The officer ordered Davis to come from between the parked cars, handcuffed Davis and advised him of his Miranda rights. Davis told the officer that when he saw the police he was scared, because he is a convicted felon.

A computer check verified Davis was a convicted felon. The handgun recovered from under the parked car is a Hi-Pointe 9mm caliber pistol with seven rounds of ammunition. Police also found multiple bags of cocaine base (crack) and fentanyl on Davis. Davis admitted he sold drugs and sold someone drugs in exchange for the pistol.                      

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Officers investigated the case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski prosecuted the case for the United States Attorney’s Office as part of the Safer Streets Initiative. Missouri Attorney General Schmitt and U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen launched the initiative in January of 2019 as an unprecedented state and federal partnership to prosecute violent crime in St. Louis.

Wareham Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

BOSTON – A Wareham man was arrested and charged yesterday with possession of child pornography.

David St. Jacques, 56, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of possession of child pornography. Following an initial appearance yesterday, St. Jacques was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Oct. 5, 2020.

As alleged in the charging document, federal agents executed a search of St. Jacques’s residence yesterday morning and seized a computer, three phones, and one thumb drive. Agents discovered that St Jacques had allegedly destroyed at least two other drives and attempted to destroy one of his phones when agents arrived to execute the warrant. St. Jacques admitted to exchanging child pornography with other individuals on various chatting applications, and agents located child pornography during the on scene review of the devices that were still intact.

In March 2009, St. Jacques was convicted in Plymouth County Superior Court of several counts of dissemination and possession of child pornography.

Due to the prior felony conviction, St. Jacques faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, 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 upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Lelling’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit, 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 criminal complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Heroin Sale Near Truck Stop Results in Prison Sentence

 Previously Convicted of a Felony Drug Offense

A man who distributed heroin near a truck stop was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.

Orlando Wash, age 30, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 21, 2020 guilty plea to one count of distribution of heroin near a truck stop after having been previously convicted of a felony drug offense.

At the guilty plea and sentencing hearings, information showed that Wash sold heroin in the Cedar Rapids area from 2016 through 2019.  Specifically on November 8, 2018, Wash sold heroin to an individual working for the Cedar Rapids Police Department near a truck stop located near I-380 in Cedar Rapids. Wash admitted he was responsible for possessing of a firearm during the period he was selling heroin.

Wash was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Wash was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Wash 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 Reinert and investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice by Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force.  The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.   Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 19-CR-00127.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Waterloo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a Gun and Methamphetamine

 Ran from Police with a Loaded Gun in his Waistband

A Waterloo man who unlawfully possessed a firearm and possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute was sentenced on September 28, 2020, to almost four years in federal prison.

Corvelous Devontae Caston, age 30, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 4, 2020 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine after having previously been convicted of a felony drug offense.

Information disclosed at sentencing showed that, on September 11, 2019, Caston was the backseat passenger of a car stopped by police.  As officers approached the car, Caston opened his door and fled on foot.  Officers pursued and eventually apprehended Caston.  Officers recovered a loaded firearm with no serial number from Caston’s waistband and a mason jar containing a number of multi-colored pills that contained methamphetamine. 

Caston was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Caston was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Caston is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

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.

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk Count Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 19-CR-02072.

Richmond Hill man admits concocting 'intricate scheme' to frame a former acquaintance for breach of privacy in health care

 False statements involved fake email accounts, use of others' identities

SAVANNAH, GA:  A Richmond Hill man has admitted that he created fake email addresses and concocted other information to falsely accuse a former acquaintance of committing violations of patient privacy.

Jeffrey Parker, 43, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of False Statements, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charge carries a possible sentence of up to five years in federal prison.

“Jeffrey Parker tried to portray himself as a ‘whistleblower’ while attempting to frame a former acquaintance,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “This fake complaint not only caused potential harm for an innocent victim, but it also unnecessarily diverted resources from federal investigators whose diligent work shredded his web of lies.”

As outlined in court documents, Parker admitted that he “engaged in an intricate scheme” in which he contacted the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to claim that a former acquaintance had violated privacy provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Parker created email addresses using the names of real individuals and pretended to be these individuals to make it appear as if the acquaintance committed a crime.  He sent these communications to the hospital where the acquaintance worked, to the DOJ, and to the FBI. Parker then claimed to have received threatening messages in retaliation for acting as a whistleblower, prompting FBI agents to ensure his safety and quickly investigate his allegations. When an FBI agent interviewing Parker found inconsistencies in his story, Parker admitted concocting the scheme in an attempt to harm the former acquaintance. 

“Many hours of investigative resources were wasted determining Parkers’ whistleblower claims were a scheme to damage a former acquaintance,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Now he will pay for his deliberate transgression and we can affirm that these types of actions will be exposed and punished.”

The case was investigated by the FBI, and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Thomas Clarkson and Patrick Schwedler.

Todd County Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as Sex Offender

 United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Todd County, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on September 28, 2020, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.

Edward Zane Roubideaux, Jr., age 30, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Roubideaux was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 10, 2019.  He pled guilty on July 20, 2020.

Roubideaux was convicted of Abuse of a Minor in May 2008.  As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and to update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment. Between August 15, 2019, and September 19, 2019, Roubideaux failed to register and update his registration.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.

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

Former Fort Drum Soldier Sentenced to 30 Months for Burglarizing North Country Firearms Dealers

 Rian Patterson Sentenced for Northern New York Gun Store Break-ins

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Rian Patterson, age 23, a former U.S. Army solider previously stationed at Fort Drum, New York, was sentenced today to serve 30 months in federal prison for the burglaries of two federally licensed firearms dealers in Northern New York, announced Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

As part of his previous guilty plea, Patterson admitted to stealing five (5) long guns during the burglary of a licensed federal firearms dealer in Gouverneur, New York, on September 14, 2019, and to the burglary of a second licensed federal firearms dealer in De Kalb Junction, New York, on September 29, 2019, during which five (5) handguns were stolen. All stolen firearms were recovered during the investigation of these crimes. Patterson also admitted to knowingly possessing stolen firearms taken during those burglaries in his barracks at Fort Drum, including one firearm with an obliterated serial number.

In addition to his term of imprisonment, the court also sentenced Patterson to three (3) years of post-imprisonment supervised release and ordered him to pay a restitution to the victims.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the U.S Army Criminal Investigation Division (ARMY CID), the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, and the New York State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sutcliffe.

This case was brought pursuant to 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.

Santa Cruz Man Charged with Federal Hate Crime for Attempting to Stab Black Man

 SAN FRANCISCO – Ole Hougen has been charged with a federal hate crime for attacking a black man with a knife on a street in Santa Cruz, announced U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson, Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge John L. Bennett.

Hougen, 44, of Santa Cruz, Calif., was charged by criminal complaint with willfully attempting to cause bodily injury by using a dangerous weapon because of a person’s actual or perceived race and color.  According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Hougen confronted a 29-year-old black man who was crossing a street in Santa Cruz.  Hougen took out a nine-inch knife and slashed at the man’s head, chest, and stomach multiple times while yelling racial slurs at him.  At the time of the attack, Hougen was on probation for state convictions involving a racially-motivated assault on a different black man in 2018.  The complaint also describes two additional racially-motivated assaults against black men committed by Hougen in 2014 and 2018.   

Hougen is charged with violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 249. The charge in the complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.  Hougen faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if convicted.

Assistant United States Attorney Marissa Harris and Trial Attorney Michael J. Songer of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.  The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Santa Cruz Police Department.

Boston Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking

 BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for cocaine trafficking.

Robert Santos, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to one year in prison and three years of supervised release. In April 2019, Santos pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

Santos was arrested on Sept. 7, 2018 after police officers observed a silver Hyundai Tucson making an illegal turn. Officers attempted to conduct a routine traffic stop, but Santos, who was driving the car, fled—first in his vehicle, leading police on a car pursuit through South Boston and subsequently on foot into Moakley Park. Santos was apprehended and found in possession of several plastic baggies containing cocaine and crack cocaine weighing a total of 27 grams. 

Santos was sentenced after completing the RISE program.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Looney of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

Guilty plea for man accused of importing cocaine hidden in Savannah shipment

 More than 45 pounds were seized in container transported to Augusta

SAVANNAH, GA: The second of two men charged in June 2019 after more than 45 pounds of cocaine were seized from a Savannah shipment has admitted guilt to a federal drug trafficking charge.

Jimmy Alexander Pujols, a/k/a “El Gallo,” 35, pled guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine in U.S. District Court, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The co-defendant in the case, Fausto Mendez Ramos, a/k/a “Rudy Reyes Polanco,” 40, earlier pled guilty to Conspiracy to Import a Controlled Substance. Each of the charges carries a penalty of up to life in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.

“Safeguarding the integrity of the vital shipments coming through Savannah includes identifying and intercepting illicit and illegal items hidden among the thousands of containers entering the city each day,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “We commend the outstanding work of the local and federal law enforcement agencies who caught these traffickers attempting to smuggle poison for distribution into our communities.” 

The shipment was intercepted in June 2019 by Agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in conjunction with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and with assistance from the Augusta Fire Department. Investigators seized packages containing 21.3 kilos of cocaine while serving a federal search warrant at an Augusta warehouse holding a shipping container that had been transported from Savannah. Pujols and Ramos, who arrived to oversee the operation of transferring the hidden packages of drugs from the container to a truck for shipment to Florida, were taken into custody.

Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division commented on the plea, “This guilty plea is a direct result achieved because of the dedicated efforts between local, state and federal law enforcement. The distribution of cocaine and the negative impact continues to plague many communities. These communities are much safer today because another drug trafficker has been removed from the streets.” 

“Drug abuse is a significant public health concern throughout the country,” said James Long, Savannah CBP Acting Area Port Director. “Through vigorous enforcement efforts, CBP will continue to intercept narcotics and prevent it from reaching our communities.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Coordinator Marcela C. Mateo, and Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Greg Gilluly Jr.

Career drug dealer sentenced to federal prison for meth, opioids, marijuana

 Felon was on state probation for cocaine sales when arrested

BRUNSWICK, GA:  An Appling County man with multiple prior convictions for selling narcotics has been sentenced to nearly two decades in federal prison.

Charlie Williams, 38, of Alma, Ga., was sentenced to 190 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Five Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Quantities of Hydromorphone and Marijuana, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his prison term, Williams must serve four years of supervised release.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“Charlie Williams first went to prison as a drug dealer 18 years ago, and time behind bars seemed to be the only time he wasn’t pushing poison on the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Our law enforcement partners have made the community a safer place by getting him back behind bars.”

Williams was on felony probation for convictions in state court on charges of selling cocaine when he was arrested in Oct. 2019 after Appling County Sheriff’s Office investigators served a search warrant at his home. During the search, investigators found large amounts of methamphetamine, hydromorphone (Dilaudid) pills and marijuana, along with more than $1,000 cash and drug-sales paraphernalia.

“This drug trafficker, who happens to be a repeat offender, was arrested because of the great working relationship that DEA has with its federal, state and local counterparts,” said U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Atlanta Field Division Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Murphy. “Mr. Williams will now spend well-deserved time in prison and his apprehension makes our communities a safer place today.”

“One prison term was not enough for this defendant,” said Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vic Reynolds. “His decision to reoffend brings harsh penalties. We will continue to work diligently along with our local and federal partners to investigate drug dealers that threaten the safety of our communities.”

“Much of the crime in our communities is driven by a handful of repeat offenders who continually challenge the efforts of law enforcement to keep our streets safe,” said Appling County Sheriff Mark Melton. “We appreciate the help of our law enforcement partners in getting this drug dealer out of our neighborhoods and back where he belongs: behind bars.”

The case was investigated by the DEA, the GBI, and the Appling County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Coordinator Marcela C. Mateo.

Mexican National Sentenced To Over 20 Years In Prison For Setting Fire To Drug Smuggling Vessel During U.S. Coast Guard Interdiction

 Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Jesus Soto-Martinez (41, Michoacan, Mexico) to 21 years and 3 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine while onboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, forcibly interfering with a lawful boarding, and knowingly using fire to commit a felony offense.

Soto-Martinez had pleaded guilty on November 20, 2019.

According to court documents, on February 19, 2019, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter STEADFAST interdicted a go-fast vessel (GFV) carrying Soto-Martinez and his co-conspirators in international waters about 378 nautical miles south of Acapulco, Mexico. The defendants were carrying approximately 2,000 kilograms of cocaine on the GFV. During the pursuit of the vessel, Jose Varges-Merida, a co-defendant, refused to comply with the USCG commands to stop and steered the GFV in the direction of the USCG vessel carrying its law enforcement detachment, causing the USCG vessel to significantly alter course and momentarily become unstable. The coxswain was forced to make evasive maneuvers to avoid the GFV from running over the USCG vessel and its crewmen. The USCG was then able to stop the GFV by using several rounds of disabling fire.

During the boarding of the GFV, Soto-Martinez intentionally started a fire onboard the GFV by lighting one of the fuel barrels on fire. After jumping off the GFV, Soto-Martinez clung to the side of the GFV and lifted up the tarp covering the cocaine bales, seemingly in an effort to ensure the nearby fire spread to the load of drugs. Almost immediately, the fire spread out of control and eventually engulfed the entire vessel. It took 90 minutes to extinguish. The majority of the GFV was burned to the waterline and the vast majority of cocaine was burned to an unsalvageable extent.

“I am extremely grateful to our U.S. Attorney partners for helping us complete the cycle of justice,” said Rear Admiral Brian Penoyer, the 11^th Coast Guard District commander.  “This case demonstrates the lengths smugglers are willing to go to avoid getting caught and the dangers Coast Guard men and women face as we continue to keep these drugs off the streets and out of our homes.”

This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. The case was prosecuted Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.

Kansas Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 20 Years

 KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A man who trafficked methamphetamine in the metro Kansas City area was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Michael Pruitt, 50, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

In his plea, Pruitt admitted he supplied methamphetamine in pound quantities to dealers who were part of a drug trafficking organization operating in metro Kansas City. Pruitt had storage units where he kept firearms and drugs that he sold. He was observed leaving a unit that was found to contain 48 firearms.

McAllister commended the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Catania for their work on the case.

Holyoke Man Sentenced for Heroin Distribution

 BOSTON – A Holyoke man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield for distributing heroin.

Jayson Quinones, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 14 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In May 2020, Quinones pleaded guilty to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute heroin.

Quinones sold heroin on Oct. 7, 2019 in Holyoke. The arrest was the result of a multi-agency investigation into heroin trafficking in Holyoke dubbed “Operation Open Air.”

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Holyoke Police Chief Manny Febo made the announcement. Assistant United States Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.

West Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charges

 BOSTON – A West Springfield man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Springfield to child pornography charges. 

Luke Gagnon, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Jan. 22, 2021. Gagnon was arrested and charged in January 2020.

From September 2019 to January 2020, Gagnon distributed child pornography. In addition, a hard-drive from a desktop computer belonging to Gagnon contained several videos and images of child pornography.

The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison and the charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison because the offense involved prepubescent minors. Both offenses provide for at least 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; Frederick J. Regan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; West Springfield Police Chief Paul Connor; and South Hadley Police Chief Jennifer Gundersen made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Dineen Jerrett from Lelling’s Springfield 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/.

Execution Scheduled for Federal Death Row Inmate Convicted of Murdering a Child

 Attorney General William P. Barr today directed the Federal Bureau of Prisons to schedule the execution of Orlando Cordia Hall, who was sentenced to death after kidnapping, raping, and murdering a 16-year-old girl in 1994.

In September 1994, Hall and several accomplices ran a marijuana trafficking operation out of Pine Bluff, Arkansas.  After a failed drug transaction involving $4,700, Hall and his accomplices went to the Arlington, Texas, home of a man they believed had reneged on the deal.  The man’s 16-year-old sister, Lisa Rene, answered the door.  Although she was simply an innocent bystander, Hall and his accomplices kidnapped her at gunpoint, and Hall raped her in the car.  Hall’s accomplices subsequently drove her to a motel in Arkansas, where they raped her several more times.  Hall and his accomplices then took her to a park where they had dug a grave.  There, they beat her over the head with a shovel, soaked her with gasoline, and buried her alive.

In October 1995, a jury in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas found Hall guilty of, among other offenses, kidnapping resulting in death, and unanimously recommended a death sentence, which the court imposed.  Hall’s convictions and sentences were affirmed on appeal more than 20 years ago, and his initial round of collateral challenges failed nearly 15 years ago.  In 2006, Hall received a preliminary injunction from a federal district court in Washington, D.C., based on his challenge to the then-existing federal lethal-injection protocol.  That injunction was vacated by the district court on Sept. 20, 2020, making Hall the only child murderer on federal death row who is eligible for execution and not subject to a stay or injunction.  Hall’s execution is scheduled for Nov. 19, 2020, at U.S. Penitentiary Terre Haute, Indiana.

Burlington Man Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Prison for Meth Offense

 DAVENPORT, Iowa—On September 25, 2020, United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Norris Davison, age 39, of Burlington, to 188 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Following his prison term, Davison will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

Davison admitted to conspiring to distribute four kilograms of ice methamphetamine in the Burlington area. Davison’s criminal history included convictions for a felony drug offense, and three felony convictions for unlawfully possessing weapons.

This matter was investigated by the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Taskforce, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office, and the Burlington Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Hills Man Sentenced to 22 years in Prison for Child Sex Trafficking, Methamphetamine, and Firearms Offenses

 DES MOINES, Iowa – On September 24, 2020, Kendall Andrew Streb, age 53, of Hills, Iowa, was sentenced to a total of 268 months in prison after being found guilty by a jury of three counts of child sex trafficking, two counts of distributing methamphetamine to children, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of being an unlawful user in possession of a firearm, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The case was presided over by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose.

During trial, the government presented evidence that Streb trafficked three teenagers in Iowa City, Coralville, and Cedar Rapids, primarily from November 2018 through February 2019. Streb solicited the three minors, aged 15 through 17 years old, by paying them in cash and methamphetamine in exchange for sex acts. Streb, at times, transported the teenagers to hotel rooms where he engaged in commercial sex acts with them. The evidence at trial showed that Streb knew one or more of the girls was under 18 years old, and he was otherwise was in reckless disregard of the fact that they were under the age of 18. Sex trafficking of a child is punishable by a minimum of ten years in prison, and up to life imprisonment.

United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum stated, “Kendall Streb will spend the next two decades in federal prison because he knowingly exploited teenage girls by paying them for sex. This sentence should serve as a wake-up call to anyone who believes he can escape serious criminal consequences if he is ‘just a john.’ We will continue to aggressively prosecute both buyers and sellers who sexually abuse children.”

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.

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

Member of Navajo Nation pleads guilty to aggravated sexual abuse in Indian Country

               ALBUQUERQUE – Derrick Mason, 24, of Fruitland, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty in federal court on Sept. 21 to an indictment charging him with aggravated sexual abuse, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and aggravated burglary in Indian Country.

              A grand jury previously returned an indictment against Mason on Jan. 10, 2019.

According to the plea agreement, Mason acknowledged that on the evening of Oct. 16, 2015, he went to the victim’s house in Nenahnezad, New Mexico, and turned off the circuit breakers, an electrical service box located outside of her home. When the victim stepped outside to check on the circuit breakers, Mason used the opportunity to enter her house, where he hid until she fell asleep. At about 1:00 a.m., Mason went to the victim’s bed, dragged her to the side of the bed, and sexually assaulted her twice. He punched the victim in the face several times and strangled her until she lost consciousness. As a result of Mason’s attack, the victim suffered serious bodily injury.  The attack took place within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation in San Juan County.

              Mason is in custody, pending sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled. By the terms of the plea agreement, he faces 17 years in prison.

              The Farmington office of the FBI, the Navajo Nation Criminal Investigations unit, and the Navajo Nation Police Department investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Raquel Ruiz-Velez is prosecuting the case.

Harrison County woman admits to methamphetamine and heroin distribution

 CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Stephanie Cottrill, of Shinnston, West Virginia, has admitted to methamphetamine and heroin distribution, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
 
Cottrill, age 37, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribute Methamphetamine and Heroin.” Cottrill admitted to working with others to distribute methamphetamine and heroin from November 2019 to January 2020 in Ritchie County.

Cottrill faces up to 20 years incarceration and a 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 Andrew R. Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Ritchie County Sheriff’s Office investigated.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.

Operation Free Market Update: Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

 HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Michigan man was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for a federal drug crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  Gary Jerome Johnson, also known as “Sosa”, 29, previously pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.

“Michigan football legend Bo Schembechler used to refer to what he called “A Michigan Man.”  He was definitely not referring to fentanyl dealers from Michigan,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “Johnson, already wanted by law enforcement authorities in Michigan, was found in Huntington with 16 grams of fentanyl that he had every intention of selling.  Now he will be going to federal prison with the many other fentanyl dealers we have convicted.”

Johnson previously admitted that on May 2, 2019, he was a passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over for a traffic stop in Huntington.  After learning that Johnson was wanted out of Michigan for absconding from parole, he was placed under arrest and taken to the West Virginia State Police detachment in Huntington for processing.  The Trooper found approximately 16 grams of fentanyl in his cruiser.  Johnson admitted he intended to sell the controlled substance.

Operation Free Market was a long-term drug investigation in the Huntington area.  The investigation was the result of a joint effort by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West.  

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.  Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.

The case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), an enforcement surge that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-00204.

Filipino Seaman Who Allegedly Stabbed to Death Fellow Crewmember on Container Ship Faces Federal Charges

          LOS ANGELES – A crewmember on a container ship has been arrested and charged with a federal offense stemming from the fatal stabbing of a fellow crewmember.

         Michael Dequito Monegro, 41, a resident of the Philippines, was named in a criminal complaint filed today that charges him with one count of performing an act of violence against a person onboard a ship that is likely to endanger the safe navigation of the ship.

         The complaint, which was filed in federal court in Los Angeles, alleges that Monegro used two knives to repeatedly stab the victim on the MSC Ravenna on September 20 while the vessel was travelling to the Port of Los Angeles, its destination after a voyage from China. The victim, also a citizen of the Philippines, died from the stab wounds. Other members of the crew witnessed the attack, after which the captain of the ship convinced Monegro to surrender the knives, according to the complaint. Monegro was then detained in a cabin aboard the ship, where other members of the crew took turns guarding him.

         Personnel from the FBI and the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) responded to the Liberian-flagged Ravenna on September 22 after the ship had docked. After obtaining consent from the ship’s owner, the investigators boarded the vessel, took custody of the victim’s body and recovered two knives identified by witnesses as the murder weapons. “Based on an initial assessment of the body, it appears that [the victim] was stabbed approximately 17 times, had multiple defensive wounds to his hands, and lacerations to his throat, face, and leg,” according to an affidavit in support of the complaint.

         During a shipboard interview by two FBI agents on September 22, Monegro admitted to stabbing the victim repeatedly, according to the affidavit.

         The homicide had a significant impact on the ship’s operations, including forcing the captain and other crew members to deal with the aftermath of the attack, restrain Monegro and interact with the Coast Guard to obtain information on securing the crime scene and storing the victim’s body, according to the affidavit. The incident also appears to have traumatized some of the crew members who witnessed the attack, the affidavit states.

         On Sunday, special agents with the FBI and Coast Guard Investigative Service arrested Monegro, who had remained onboard the Ravenna. Monegro is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

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

         The felony offense charged in the indictment carries a statutory maximum sentence of death or life in federal prison.

         This case is the result of an ongoing investigation being conducted by the FBI and the CGIS.

         The case against Monegro is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew O’Brien and Mark Williams of the Environmental and Community Safety Crimes Section and Jeffrey Chemerinsky of the Violent and Organized Crime Section.

Operation LeGend Results in Over 500 Arrests, Including 37 Murder Suspects

 Officers Seized 176 Firearms

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison, at a joint press conference with Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith, announced today that 518 arrests have been made by local and federal law enforcement officers in Operation LeGend.

“On behalf of the team of federal law enforcement agencies involved in this groundbreaking initiative, I made certain promises when Operation LeGend was launched,” Garrison said. “Those promises have been kept. The FBI, the ATF, the DEA, and the U.S. Marshals Service worked collaboratively and effectively with the Kansas City Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies to accomplish the objectives of Operation LeGend. We created a model for others to follow. Our success in Kansas City is now being duplicated in eight more cities across the nation.”

Promises Made, Promises Kept

“We promised that Operation LeGend would be a short-term, high-impact strategy to freeze the escalation of violent crime and respond to the record number of homicides in Kansas City this year,” Garrison said. “That promise was kept. Operation LeGend has had a significant impact on violent crime in Kansas City, and those efforts will continue.”

During the 10 weeks from the announcement of Operation LeGend on July 8 through Sept. 16, homicides in Kansas City were down 22 percent, non-fatal shootings were down 24 percent, and aggravated assaults were down 44 percent, as compared to the 10 weeks before July 8.

“We promised that federal agents would work alongside local law enforcement, in a supportive role to provide additional support and assistance,” Garrison said. “That promise was kept, and in the process, valuable lessons were gained for how to confront violent crime.”

For example, the FBI has doubled the number of agents working violent crime cases and embedded agents with the Kansas City Police Department’s violent crime unit. The ATF has added a new unit that is permanently embedded with Kansas City’s assault squad. Intelligence has been gained and shared among law enforcement agencies to improve future investigations. “These strategies for collaborating with local law enforcement have been successful, and will continue,” Garrison said.

“We promised there would be no storm troopers patrolling the streets of Kansas City, no interference with the civil rights of protesters engaged in public demonstrations,” Garrison said. “Despite accusations of a federal occupation, we have worked cooperatively with both local law enforcement and local community leaders. None of those dire predictions from our critics came to pass.”

“I’ve also said, from the start of Operation LeGend, that law enforcement would not be the sole solution to violent crime,” Garrison added. “Violence is a community issue, and requires a community-wide response.”

“I hope that by keeping the promises we made, by doing what we said we would do, we’ve established a level of trust and credibility that will continue to bear fruit,” Garrison said.

Among those arrested since the launch of Operation LeGend, 126 are federal defendants in the Western District of Missouri (with additional federal cases referred to U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Kansas and Texas). Among the remaining arrests, 37 were homicide cases. In addition to the arrests, agents and officers have seized 176 firearms, large quantities of illegal drugs, and several stolen vehicles during Operation LeGend.

Among the homicide arrests made under Operation LeGend was the defendant charged in state court with murder of 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro, in whose memory the operation was named.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office does not track cases that are referred for prosecution in state court or in other districts. Defendants have been charged in the Western District of Missouri with the following federal crimes: 
-    70 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses;
-    45 defendants have been charged with drug trafficking offenses;
-    11 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.

Operation LeGend
Operation LeGend is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking

            CONCORD - Christopher Juneau, 36, of Manchester, pleaded guilty in federal court to fentanyl trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, Juneau was part of a drug trafficking organization that sold fentanyl and cocaine to customers in Manchester.  In July 2019, a cooperating individual purchased fentanyl from Juneau.  The investigation revealed that Juneau worked with another drug trafficker and had sold drugs as part of a drug trafficking organization on numerous occasions.   

            Juneau is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11, 2021.  

            “Manchester and communities throughout New Hampshire have suffered greatly from the scourge of fentanyl trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “The distribution of this lethal drug undermines public health and safety throughout our state. In order to stop traffickers, we will closely coordinate with the FBI NH Safe Streets Gang Task Force and all of our law enforcement partners to bring the individuals responsible to justice.” 

            “Christopher Juneau is a drug trafficker who saw lives entangled with addiction as an endless source of cash, and today he’s finally taking responsibility for polluting Manchester, NH with fentanyl and cocaine,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI NH Safe Streets Gang Task Force will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to get drug dealers like him, and the organizations they work for, off our streets for good.”

             This matter was investigated by the FBI NH Safe Streets Gang Task Force which is comprised of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Hampshire State Police, Dover Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department and Nashua Police Department. The Manchester Police Department provided valuable assistance as well.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgiana L. MacDonald.

            Agencies participating in this investigation are part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy.  Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement.  The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

Samantha Simms Sentenced to Time-Served for Distribution of Methamphetamine

 The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Samantha Simms, 33, of Burlington, was sentenced on September 25, 2020, by U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss to time-served to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $4,000 fine.    

According to court documents, on March 3, 2020, the Vermont State Police received a call from Michael Haines in Cambridge. Haines told a trooper that a person he knew as “Tee,” was attempting to break into his house and that Tee was outside his residence in a truck with Sam Simms. While on the call with the trooper, Haines suddenly said, “I’m shot, I’m shot.” When troopers arrived on scene, they found Haines deceased on the floor of his kitchen. Haines’s death has been ruled a homicide.

Investigation into the homicide has indicated that Simms drove Tee, a.k.a. Taylor Ruffin Herrington, to Haines’s residence in Cambridge and Herrington shot into Haines’s house in a dispute over drugs. Herrington has been charged in federal court with carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), and conspiracy to distribute heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 846.

After the shooting, Simms drove Herrington back to Chittenden County. Later that evening, a confidential informant (CI) working with the Vermont Drug Task Force arranged a controlled buy of methamphetamine from Simms. The CI met with Simms and Simms provided the CI with less than one gram of meth. Simms was arrested and later pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1).

The United States was represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy Fuller. Samantha Simms was represented by Karen Shingler, Esq., and Norman Blais, Esq.

Dominican National Sentenced For Twenty-Year Old Felony Drug Charges

 SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on September 24, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Jose Rafael Hidalgo, age 43, a Dominican national, to 70 months’ imprisonment for drug trafficking.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Hidalgo admitted that between 1994 and 1999, he conspired with Luzerne County resident David Drozdowski and others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.  Hidalgo supplied Drozdowski with cocaine, which he admitted was between 5 and 15 kilograms, which Drozdowski and others then distributed in and around Luzerne County. 

Hidalgo was arrested on August 25, 1999, and, after entering an agreement with the United States to plead guilty, he was granted conditional release.  At some point between October 12, 1999, and February 2000, while residing in New Jersey under supervised pre-trial release, Hidalgo removed an electronic monitoring device and absconded. 

On February 22, 2000, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania issued an arrest warrant for Hidalgo.  The United States Marshals Service took charge of the investigation to locate and apprehend Hidalgo, and, in 2016, confirmed that Hidalgo was living in the Dominican Republic.  The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania initiated extradition procedures in conjunction with the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs and the U.S. State Department, leading to Hidalgo’s arrest by Dominican law enforcement authorities on January 17, 2019.  Extradition was granted on March 25, 2019, and the U.S. Marshals returned Hidalgo to the United States where he appeared before a federal Magistrate Judge for an initial appearance on May 20, 2019.

The original drug trafficking case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.

Bon Aqua Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Child Pornography Crime

 Defendant is a Previously Convicted Sex Offender

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – September 28, 2020 – A Bon Aqua, Tennessee man, who is also a previously convicted sex offender, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison Friday for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee. 

Randall Eugene Bateman, 38, was charged in March with possession of child pornography after an investigation determined that he was the administrator of an online chat room dedicated to the discussion of child exploitation and the trading of sexually explicit images of children.  The investigation determined that in February, Bateman used the “Kik” application to post and share several videos of adults engaged in sexually activity with male and female children between the ages of four and thirteen.    

A search warrant was executed at Bateman’s home on March 11, 2020, during which a cell phone and electronic storage media were seized and approximately 100 images and videos of child sexual abuse were discovered. 

Bateman pleaded guilty to the charge in June.  He was previously convicted in 2006 of especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a child and aggravated sexual exploitation of a child in Rutherford County, Tennessee and sentenced to eight years in prison. 

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI, with assistance from the Hickman County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Carran Daughtrey prosecuted the case.

Federal Carjacking and Firearm Charges Filed Against Man for Allegedly Stealing Vehicle at Gunpoint in Chicago

 CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a man on carjacking and firearm charges for allegedly stealing a vehicle at gunpoint in Chicago.

On the afternoon of May 27, 2020, ELIAS QUINONES-FIGUEROA forcibly took a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe sport-utility vehicle from a victim in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago, according to an indictment unsealed Friday in U.S. District Court in Chicago.  Quinones-Figueroa brandished a handgun during the carjacking, the indictment states.

The indictment charges Quinones-Figueroa, 19, of Chicago, with one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.  Quinones-Figueroa was taken into federal custody on Friday.  He pleaded not guilty at a Friday afternoon arraignment in federal court in Chicago.  U.S. Magistrate Judge Sunil R. Harjani scheduled a detention hearing for Oct. 1, 2020.

The carjacking charge is punishably by up to 25 years in federal prison, while the firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years, which must run consecutively to the carjacking sentence.

The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in bringing these charges.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn D. McCarthy.  The case was investigated by the Vehicular Hijacking Task Force, a multi-agency initiative that includes FBI agents and CPD officers.

The case was brought under Operation Legend, a Department of Justice initiative in which federal law enforcement agencies work in conjunction with state and local law enforcement to fight violent crime.  As part of Operation Legend, the Department of Justice significantly increased resources in Chicago to help state and local officials investigate and prosecute violent crime, particularly firearm-related offenses.

The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.  If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines

Keene Man Convicted of Extortion and Threat Offenses

 

            CONCORD – Christopher C. Cantwell, 39, of Keene, was found guilty by a jury in federal court of extortion and threat charges, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

            During four days of trial testimony, the jury was presented with evidence that Cantwell maintained an active online presence, including operating a website and an internet call-in program.  Evidence at trial showed that Cantwell believed that members of an online group called the “Bowl Patrol” had been harassing him online.  Cantwell contacted the victim in this case seeking to obtain identifying information about the leader of the Bowl Patrol, an individual who used the name “Vic Mackey.”

            When the victim did not disclose the information Cantwell sought, on June 16, 2019, Cantwell sent an electronic message through the Telegram messaging application, stating, “So if you don’t want me to come and f*ck your wife in front of your kids, then you should make yourself scarce[.]  Give me Vic, it’s your only out.”

            Between June 15, 2019, and June 17, 2019, Cantwell also sent a series of messages to the victim in which he threatened to injure the victim’s reputation by posting identifying information about the victim online (commonly referred to as “doxing”) and reporting the victim to child protection authorities if he did not receive information about “Vic Mackey.”  Evidence presented at trial showed that Cantwell did “dox” the victim on June 17, 2019, by posting identifying information and photographs related to the victim and the victim’s family online.  Cantwell also called child protection authorities in Missouri and made a report about the victim.

            Cantwell was convicted of one count of transmitting extortionate communications and one count of threatening to injure property or reputation.  The jury found Cantwell not guilty of cyberstalking.   Cantwell, who has been in custody since his arrest on January 23, 2020, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 4, 2021.

            The jury began deliberating on Friday afternoon and returned its verdict this morning.

            “Sending threatening and extortionate messages over the internet can instill fear and emotional damage,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “I am grateful to the jury for weighing the evidence in this case and finding that this defendant’s disturbing conduct was unlawful.  I also want to express my appreciation to the FBI and our other law enforcement partners for their work investigating this case.  This conviction should send a message to all those who use the internet as a means to threaten others that their unlawful conduct will not be tolerated.”

            “Safeguarding the civil liberties every American is entitled to, regardless of their beliefs, is fundamental to the FBI’s mission.  But when freedom of speech is weaponized, and threats are made, a line must be drawn where individuals like Christopher Cantwell will not be allowed to cross,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “We thank the jury for its prudent verdicts, and for recognizing that it’s also our sworn responsibility to protect every citizen from harm.”

            This trial was the second federal jury trial to take place in the District of New Hampshire since the pandemic caused a temporary delay in federal court proceedings in New Hampshire.  The court conducted the trial using a variety of health and safety precautions.  For example, all participants in the trial wore masks and maintained social distancing.

            This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the New Hampshire State Police, Keene Police Department, and the Manchester Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John S. Davis and Anna Krasinski.

Concord Township man indicted for threatening communications

 U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Cleveland has returned a one-count indictment against Thomas G. Bares, age 53, of Concord Township, Ohio for interstate threatening communications.

According to court documents, between on or about August 18, 2020 and on or about August 21, 2020, the defendant is accused of knowingly and willfully transmitting communications containing threats to injure students, teachers, and staff at Gilmour Academy in Gates Mills, Ohio. The defendant allegedly posted online videos, images and sent a text message to a person whose identity is known to the grand jury, all threatening physical harm against the school.

A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, the defendant's sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant's prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.

In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Cleveland Division of the FBI and the Village of Gates Mills Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ranya Elzein.