Former Ohio State Trooper Pleads Guilty to Violating Civil Rights of Several Female Motorists Through Sexual Activity and Cyber Stalking

A former Trooper with the Ohio State Highway Patrol pleaded guilty today in Columbus, Ohio, to four counts of violating the civil rights of female motorists and one count of engaging in cyber stalking.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, United States Attorney Carter M. Stewart of the Southern District of Ohio, Special Agent in Charge Kevin R. Cornelius of the FBI, Cincinnati Division, Superintendent of the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSP) Colonel Paul A. Pride and Licking County Prosecutor Kenneth W. Oswalt made the announcement.

"There can be no greater breach of trust or abuse of authority than a police officer exploiting the power of his badge to sexually abuse the very citizens he has sworn to protect,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell.  “Today’s guilty plea should serve as a reminder that nobody is above the law, especially those who have taken an oath to uphold it.”

“I thank the State Patrol for bringing this matter to our attention and the State Patrol and FBI for conducting an exhaustive investigation,” said U.S. Attorney Stewart. “I extend my sympathies to the victims of this unfortunate case. No one should ever have to fear illegal conduct from those very persons sworn to protect them and uphold the law.

According to court documents, Bryan D. Lee, 30, of Lancaster, Ohio, served as an OSP Trooper from approximately January 2006 until October 2013.  In his plea agreement, Lee admitted that he violated the civil rights of four female victims by coercing them to engage in sexual acts, some of which he photographed, in exchange for his agreement not to file criminal charges or issue traffic infractions against the victims or their friends.  Some of those acts were performed while the victims were under arrest and restrained in handcuffs.  Lee also harassed and threatened some of the victims, including sending threatening electronic messages to one individual who Lee pulled over twice during a one-month period.

The investigation into Lee began when a routine review by OSP of the dash camera recordings in Lee’s cruiser revealed inappropriate conduct with a female driver and passenger whom Lee had stopped for a traffic violation.  OSP uncovered multiple instances of administrative and criminal misconduct by Lee and contacted the FBI to assist in their investigation. Lee resigned his position at the outset of the investigation.

Lee’s sentencing hearing will be scheduled by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson of the Southern District of Ohio.

This case was investigated by the Columbus office of the FBI’s Cincinnati Field Division and OSP.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Michael Marous of the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.  Also assisting in the investigation was Licking County Special Prosecutor Martin Frantz.

Eleven Men Sentenced to Prison in Connection with International Child Exploitation Enterprise

Eleven men have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in an international child pornography network operated online, which was targeted by state and federal investigators and prosecutors participating in Operation Kingdom Conqueror.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Michael W. Cotter of the District of Montana and Special Agent in Charge Mary Rook of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Division made the announcement.

According to court documents, in November 2009, an early participant in the conspiracy designed and created an online bulletin board that allowed members to exchange images, including child pornography.  As the conspiracy progressed, additional members contributed to the design and operations of the board.  Between Nov. 6, 2009, and March 19, 2012, members of the conspiracy used the online bulletin board to share pictures and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  During that same time period, the participants agreed to use the online bulletin board to solicit additional images of child pornography, which they would then share and broadcast on the Internet.  Thirteen defendants have been charged and convicted for their participation in this child pornography network.

The following defendants pleaded guilty in April 2014 to conspiracy to advertise child pornography and were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy of the District of Montana:

    Tony Bronson, 53, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced to serve 224 months on Oct. 28, 2014.

    Charles Crosby, 43, of Trenton, New Jersey, was sentenced to serve 210 months in prison on Oct. 23, 2014.

    Steve Humiston, 57, of Tacoma, Washington, was sentenced to serve 210 months in prison and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine on Oct. 23, 2014.

    John Johnson, 58, of Locust Grove, Virginia, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison on Oct. 22, 2014.

    Robert Krise, 66, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison on Oct. 22, 2014.

    Scott Long, 53, of Portland, Oregon, was sentenced to serve 200 months in prison on Oct. 21, 2014.

    Ian Nosek, 42, of Charlottesville, Virginia, was sentenced to serve 216 months in prison on Oct. 23, 2014.

    Phillip Morris, 42, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, was sentenced to serve 216 months in prison on Oct. 22, 2014.

    Joseph Purificato, 23, of Mount Vernon, Missouri, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison on Oct. 28, 2014.

    Paul Wencewicz, 48, of Polson, Montana, was sentenced to serve 200 months in prison on Oct. 21, 2014.

    Jeffrey Woolley, 53, of Nicholasville, Kentucky, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison and ordered to pay a $5000 fine on Oct. 28, 2014.

All of the defendants were ordered to forfeit their computers and storage devices. Purificato received a 10-year term of supervised release following his prison sentence.  All other defendants received lifetime terms of supervised release.  All defendants are required to pay $29,859 restitution.

Two additional defendants, Joshua Peterson, 45, of Prescott, Arizona, and Steven Grovo, 35, of Shirley, Massachusetts, were found guilty of participating in a child exploitation enterprise and a conspiracy to advertise child pornography on Oct. 9, 2014.  Both men are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 22, 2015, in Missoula, Montana.

The investigation, referred to as Operation Kingdom Conqueror, is an ongoing cooperative effort between the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, FBI, Montana Department of Criminal Investigations, Helena and Polson Police Departments, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the States of Jersey Police Department, Isle of Jersey.

Trial Attorney Maureen C. Cain of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee L. Peterson of the District of Montana prosecuted the case.

This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children.  Through a network of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation.  It is implemented through partnerships including the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.  The ICAC Task Force Program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing their investigative response to technology facilitated crimes against children.

Buffalo Man Sentenced on Drug Charges

Buffalo, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr., announced today that Jerome C. Crosby, 58 of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute cocaine, was sentenced to 77 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara. The defendant will also forfeit $58, 328 in United States currency, proceeds of the narcotics trafficking.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Clare Kane, who handled the case, stated that between January 2008 and July 29, 2008, the defendant conspired with others to supply kilogram quantities of cocaine that he obtained in New York City to Wallace Peace and others. The cocaine was then distributed in the Central Park area of Buffalo.

Crosby was one of 31 defendants arrested and convicted in this case. He is the 29th defendant to be sentenced.

The plea is the culmination of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge James S. Higgins, New York Field Division.