Mexican National Sentenced for $10 Million Marijuana Growing Operation in Daviess County

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national who has been deported seven times after illegally entering the United States was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a Daviess County, Missouri, marijuana-growing operation where law enforcement officers seized nearly $10 million worth of plants.

Sergio Medina-Perez, 47, of El Monte, California, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to six years in federal prison without parole. This federal sentence must be served consecutively to any sentence imposed as a result of his violation of probation in an unrelated California case. Medina-Perez pleaded guilty in California to being a felon in possession of a firearm, cultivating marijuana and resisting arrest for a marijuana grow operation in Shasta County, Calif. He received a suspended imposition of sentence and was placed on three years’ probation, but indicted eight months later in this federal case.

The court also ordered Medina-Perez to forfeit the Daviess County property to the government.

On Feb. 3, 2021, Medina-Perez pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to manufacture and to possess marijuana plants with the intent to distribute. Medina-Perez also pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been deported following a felony conviction.

Law enforcement officers, who had been keeping the marijuana grow site under surveillance, executed a search warrant at the property on Aug. 27, 2018. The plants were in a clearing inside a large area of timber. A distinct path led from a building in the wooded area to the area containing the marijuana plants.

Officers located approximately 2,464 cultivated marijuana plants. With an approximate street value of $1,800 per pound of marijuana, this results in approximately $9,757,440 in marijuana plants seized.

Two days later, on Aug. 29, 2018, Medina-Perez was arrested near the grow site. He told law enforcement that he came to Missouri from California to work as a trimmer at the marijuana grow operation and was paid $100 for every pound of marijuana that he trimmed.

Medina-Perez has been deported from the United States on seven previous occasions. He was convicted in Yakima County, Washington, of possessing cocaine on Sept. 22, 1993, and deported in 1995. He illegally reentered the United States and was deported again on April 3, 1998; Aug. 30, 2002; April 4, 2003; Dec. 17, 2005; July 6, 2006; and July 11, 2006.

Co-defendant Miguel Pulido-Maldonado, also known as “Mona,” 30, ran into the woods to escape custody but was arrested on Aug. 30, 2018; he was covered in mud, his arms had numerous bites from either mosquitos or other insects and it appeared he had been outside for several days. Pulido-Maldonado had previously illegally entered the United States and was removed on Jan. 30, 2017. Pulido-Maldonado was sentenced to three years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to illegally reentering the United States.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Northwest Missouri Drug Task Force, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Daviess County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Grundy County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Buchanan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Livingston County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.

Fresno Man Indicted for Assaulting a Court Security Officer

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Carlos Perez, 45, of Fresno, charging him with assault on a federal contractor, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on June 21, 2021, Perez assaulted a Court Security Officer inside the U.S. Federal Courthouse in Fresno by striking the officer in the face.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Protective Services, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Schuh is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Perez faces a maximum statutory penalty of eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Adult Man Pretending to be Teenager Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Pornography Charges

Miami, Florida – A Palm Beach Gardens, Florida adult who enticed minor girls into sending him sexually explicit pictures of themselves by, among other things, pretending to be a teenager during on-line chats has pled guilty in federal court in West Palm Beach to production, distribution, and possession of child pornography.  

According to court records, beginning in 2008, Dwight Castaldi, 45, communicated with girls as young as 13 on a social networking website.  Castaldi told the girls he was a teenager and sent the victims pictures of an unknown young man, falsely claiming they were pictures of him.  During chats, after promising each girl an exclusive relationship, Castaldi convinced the minors to take sexually explicit pictures of themselves and send the images to him.  Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Castaldi’s Palm Beach County home in 2018.  They found several electronic devices containing hundreds of videos and photographs of child exploitation material and evidence of Castaldi communicating with others about it.  

Castaldi’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 20, 2021, before U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith.  Castaldi faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 15 years and a maximum of life.  

Castaldi recently completed a three-year sentence in California on separate charges for similar conduct of enticing a 13-year-old girl using the internet.

Acting U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez of the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of FBI Miami announced the guilty plea.

FBI Miami investigated the case, together with the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department and Huntington Beach California Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller is prosecuting the case. 

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

To report online child sexual exploitation, use the electronic Cyber Tip Line or call 1-800-843-5678.  The Cyber Tip Line is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in partnership with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.

Army Reservist Sentenced To 40 Months In Prison For Participating In Money Laundering Scheme

Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that EMEKA NNAWUBA, a/k/a “Benjamin Alabie,” who is a member of the United States Army Reserves, was sentenced yesterday to 40 months in prison for participating in a scheme to launder over $1 million in proceeds of romance fraud and business email compromise schemes perpetrated against dozens of victims.  NNAWUBA previously pled guilty before United States District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who also imposed yesterday’s sentence. 

U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said:  “Emeka Nnawuba laundered money for a scheme that trolled dating websites in order to steal money from the accounts of unsuspecting women.  He will now spend time in prison and be compelled to make restitution to the victims of the scheme.” 

According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment, court documents, and statements made in court:

From at least 2016 until 2018, NNAWUBA participated in a scheme to launder the proceeds of frauds perpetrated against dozens of victims.  Among other things, NNAWUBA used false identities and false passports to open bank accounts, received or attempted to receive more than $2 million in fraud proceeds, withdrew tens of thousands of dollars of fraud proceeds in cash, and transferred more than $1 million of fraud proceeds to bank accounts controlled by co-conspirators in an effort to conceal the source of funds. 

The funds laundered by NNAWUBA were procured principally by (a) romance scams, in which members of the scheme trolled dating websites to find unsuspecting women and stole their money on false pretenses, and (b) business compromise scams, in which members of the scheme impersonated individuals, professionals, or businesses in the course of otherwise ordinary financial transactions, and then fraudulently induced the counterparties to those transactions to transfer funds to bank accounts controlled and operated by NNAWUBA or other members of the scheme.

*                *                *

NNAWUBA, 31, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, pled guilty to and was sentenced on one count of participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering.  In addition to the prison term, NNAWUBA was sentenced to three years of supervised release and was ordered to forfeit $2,096,248.39 and pay $1,362,528.46 in restitution.

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Secret Service, and thanked Homeland Security Investigations for its assistance. 

The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Juliana N. Murray and Robert B. Sobelman are in charge of the prosecution. 

Jury Convicts Armed Fentanyl Dealer

Tampa, Florida – A federal jury has found Johnny Ordaz (32, Bradenton) guilty of possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Ordaz faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the fentanyl offense, a consecutive mandatory minimum of 5 years, and up to life in prison, for possessing the firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for possessing the firearm as a felon. His sentencing hearing is set for September 30, 2021.

Ordaz had been indicted on February 13, 2020.

According to testimony presented at trial, in September 2019, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a car that Ordaz was driving. During the traffic stop, the officers recovered a firearm with an extended magazine, loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition, wedged between the driver’s seat and the center console. They also seized a bag containing fentanyl from the driver’s side door handle, and a digital scale, and small clear plastic baggies. The officers also found a bag in the passenger seat that contained another firearm with an extended clip, loaded with 27 rounds of ammunition, 63 rounds of additional ammunition, another digital scale, sandwich bags, and more small clear plastic baggies. They also recovered $588 from Ordaz’s front pocket.

This case was investigated by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally.

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

Sacramento County Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery and Bank Fraud

Crime Spree Involved Armed Robbery of a U.S. Mail Carrier, Mail Theft, Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Damian Deleal, 33, of Carmichael, pleaded guilty Thursday to armed robbery of a U.S. mail carrier and bank fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in March 2018, Deleal conspired with others, including Jacey Powell to rob a U.S. mail carrier of a postal service key that could open numerous residential cluster mailboxes in Sacramento County. Deleal conspired to obtain the key so he and his co-conspirators – including Jacey Powell, Brandon Moses, and Loren Patrick – could steal bankcards, checks, and other financial instruments from the mail.

On March 9, 2018, in South Sacramento, an unnamed co-conspirator robbed a mail carrier at gunpoint and forced the victim to hand over a postal service key. During the next few days, Deleal, Powell, Moses, and Patrick used the key to steal mailed bankcards and checks. They then attempted to use these items to purchase goods and obtain cash.

Powell and Deleal further conspired to claim reward money offered for information relating to the robbery and the stolen postal service key. In executing this plan, they planted the stolen key on Moses while he was sleeping in his car and called the U.S. Postal Service to report Moses’ location and inquire about the reward. After receiving this tip, investigators worked quickly to make arrests and learned that Deleal orchestrated the conspiracy and related crimes.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, and the Sacramento Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Artuz is prosecuting the case.

Deleal is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. on Oct. 7, 2021. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 25 years in prison and a $1 million fine for armed robbery, and a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for bank fraud. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which consider a number of variables.

Moses, Patrick, and Powell have already pleaded guilty to federal charges and were sentenced in the following related cases in this district: U.S. v. Patrick, 2:18-cr-79-MCE, U.S. v. Moses, 2:18-cr-90‑MCE, and U.S. v. Powell, 2:18-cr-83-MCE.

Omaha Man Convicted of Two Armed Robberies

Acting United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced that Lonnie L. Perry, 29, of Omaha, Nebraska, was convicted today in federal court in Omaha after a three-day jury trial.  Perry was found guilty of two counts of Interference with Interstate Commerce by way of Robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.  United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. will sentence Perry on October 4, 2021 at 1:30 p.m.  Perry faces up to 20 years for the robberies, seven years to life consecutive for brandishing a firearm, and ten years to life consecutive for discharging a firearm.

On October 25, 2017, Perry entered the Select Mart convenience store in Omaha and brandished a weapon at a store employee.  A father was shopping inside the store with his young son, and they hid in a backroom of the store until the police arrived at the scene.

On November 5, 2017, Perry entered the VP Racing Station convenience store in Omaha, brandished a weapon at two store employees and then fired his weapon into two vehicles fleeing the scene.  Each vehicle had a family with a child in it, and the bullet from the second shot landed next to the car seat of a two-year-old boy, nearly striking him.

On November 6, 2017, Omaha Police officers arrived at an apartment complex for a disturbance where Perry was identified brandishing a weapon.  While near a Runza restaurant, officers saw Perry drop a gun into a trash can. Officers used a Taser on Perry after he resisted arrest. He was transported to a hospital for treatment. Perry escaped custody in handcuffs and was arrested again later that same day.  The weapon was tied through ballistics to the shooting at the robbery the day before and had the defendant’s DNA on it.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Police Department.

Sacramento County Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery and Bank Fraud

Crime Spree Involved Armed Robbery of a U.S. Mail Carrier, Mail Theft, Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Damian Deleal, 33, of Carmichael, pleaded guilty Thursday to armed robbery of a U.S. mail carrier and bank fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in March 2018, Deleal conspired with others, including Jacey Powell to rob a U.S. mail carrier of a postal service key that could open numerous residential cluster mailboxes in Sacramento County. Deleal conspired to obtain the key so he and his co-conspirators – including Jacey Powell, Brandon Moses, and Loren Patrick – could steal bankcards, checks, and other financial instruments from the mail.

On March 9, 2018, in South Sacramento, an unnamed co-conspirator robbed a mail carrier at gunpoint and forced the victim to hand over a postal service key. During the next few days, Deleal, Powell, Moses, and Patrick used the key to steal mailed bankcards and checks. They then attempted to use these items to purchase goods and obtain cash.

Powell and Deleal further conspired to claim reward money offered for information relating to the robbery and the stolen postal service key. In executing this plan, they planted the stolen key on Moses while he was sleeping in his car and called the U.S. Postal Service to report Moses’ location and inquire about the reward. After receiving this tip, investigators worked quickly to make arrests and learned that Deleal orchestrated the conspiracy and related crimes.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, and the Sacramento Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Artuz is prosecuting the case.

Deleal is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. on Oct. 7, 2021. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 25 years in prison and a $1 million fine for armed robbery, and a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for bank fraud. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which consider a number of variables.

Moses, Patrick, and Powell have already pleaded guilty to federal charges and were sentenced in the following related cases in this district: U.S. v. Patrick, 2:18-cr-79-MCE, U.S. v. Moses, 2:18-cr-90‑MCE, and U.S. v. Powell, 2:18-cr-83-MCE.

Seller Of Forged Basquiats And Harings Arrested On Fraud Charges

Angel Pereda Attempted to Sell a Series of Fake Artworks Attributed to Jean- Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, Among Others, For Millions of Dollars

Audrey Strauss, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the arrest of ANGEL PEREDA for his role in a scheme to sell forged artworks purportedly created by renowned artists, including Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring.  PEREDA was arrested in New York on July 9, 2021.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, Angel Pereda attempted to sell forgeries of artworks by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, among others, as genuine.  If real, such works would be worth millions.  The alleged fakes have little or no value, except potentially as evidence of the alleged crime.  Angel Pereda now faces the prospect of a jury’s appraisal of his alleged conduct.”

FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: "As we allege, Mr. Pereda conned art buyers, hoping his victims wouldn’t see the difference between real art and a forgery. He used their trust to his advantage by passing off worthless pieces as priceless works of art. Hopefully, this case provides a lesson to any others hoping to engage in similar behavior – the FBI's Art Crime Team has the resources to distinguish the real from the fake, and its members will ensure you face the consequences of your actions."

According to the allegations contained in the complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:

In or about 2020 and 2021, ANGEL PEREDA engaged in a scheme to sell paintings and other artwork that he marketed for sale as having been painted or created by world-famous artists, including Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, among others.  By knowingly and falsely claiming that these fake works were painted by these famous artists, PEREDA tried to trick purchasers into paying millions of dollars for the fake works, which, as the defendant well knew, were essentially worthless.

To deceive his victims, PEREDA falsified the provenance – that is, the ownership history – of the forged artworks.  On one occasion, PEREDA attempted to facilitate the sale of a painting purportedly by Basquiat, which PEREDA referred to as “Glory Boys Kingdom.”  When told by another individual that a particular false provenance had been detected as fraudulent, PEREDA created and sent to an individual in New York new fraudulent provenances, so that the painting could be sold for millions of dollars.  A photograph of “Glory Boys Kingdom” is below:

 

PEREDA is also connected to at least three other works of art purportedly by Basquiat and Haring, which have been determined to be fraudulent.  Photographs of the pieces are below:

 

 

If you believe you have additional information regarding ANGEL PEREDA, also known as “Angel Luis Pereda Eguiluz,” please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL FBI or NYArtCrime@fbi.gov, and reference this case.

PEREDA, 49, of Mexico, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI Art Crime Team in the investigation, which she noted is ongoing.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel L. Raymond is in charge of the prosecution.

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

 

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[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation as to the defendants charged in the Complaint.

Clay County Man Indicted For Attempting To Entice A 9-Year-Old Child To Engage In Sexual Activity And For Soliciting And Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Videos Over The Internet

Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announced today that Garrett Eric Weber (30, Green Cove Springs) has been arrested and indicted by a federal grand jury for attempting to entice a 9-year-old child to engage in sexual activity, and for soliciting and distributing child sexual abuse videos using the internet. If convicted on all charges, Weber faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison, a $1 million fine, and a potential life term of supervised release. Weber was arrested on a federal warrant by the Green Cove Springs Police Department during a traffic stop on July 5, 2021. He was detained without bond on July 7, 2021.    

According to court documents and evidence proffered at Weber’s detention hearing, in June 2020, Weber, using the name “BUBBLESXD_90,” uploaded an image depicting the sexual abuse of a child to a chat group on a popular social media application (app). Further investigation ultimately resulted in the identification of Weber.

Beginning in March 2021, an undercover FBI agent, posing as the parent of a young child, engaged in online conversation with Weber using the app. After some discussion and being told that the “child” was only nine years old, Weber offered to serve as the “child’s” trainer by engaging in sexual activity with the “child.” He requested that the “parent” take an explicit photo of the “child” for him, and he provided specific instructions on how to accomplish this through various means. On at least seven occasions, Weber sent the “parent” videos over the internet that depicted the sexual abuse of young children in an effort to demonstrate exactly how he planned to molest the “child.”

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.  

This case was investigated by the Green Cove Springs Police Department, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Winnebago County (Wisconsin) Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Milwaukee and Jacksonville, with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

Crimes Against Children Task Force Arrests 4 Individuals for Sexual Exploitation Offenses

Each defendant was charged separately

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in San Juan, Puerto Rico returned the following indictments, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.

Luis X. De Leon-Gonzalez was charged with Possession of Child Pornography and Receipt of Exploitation Material in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252A(a)(5)(B) and 2252A(a)(A) and (B) and faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years of in prison for the receipt charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Alvarez is prosecuting the case.  The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.

Roberto Gonzalez-Medina was charged with violations Distribution and Possession of Child Exploitation Material in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252A(a)(2)(A) (Distribution of; 2252 A(a)(5)(B) and (b)(2)  and faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison if convicted of the Distribution charge. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Colon is the prosecutor assigned to the case.   Homeland Security Investigations is the lead investigative agency.

Efrain Orama-Acevedo was charged with Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography, and Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2422(b), 2252 (a)(2); and 1470(b)(2) respectively. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for the Coercion and Enticement Count. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenifer Hernandez is prosecuting the case. The investigation was handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office also filed a criminal complaint against Emmanuel Romero De Jesus charging him with Sexual Exploitation of a Child (Production of Child Exploitation Material), Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, Receipt of Child Sexual Exploitation Material, Transfer of Obscene Material and Interstate Threatening Communications in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2251 (a), 2422(b), 2252(a)(2), 1470 and 875(d) respectively. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison for the Production of Child Exploitation Material Count. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon is prosecuting the case. The investigation was handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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

Laredoan sentenced for importing meth inside tacos

LAREDO, Texas – A 31-year-old resident of Laredo has been ordered to federal prison for bringing drugs into the country concealed in his “lunch,” announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Nicolas Castro Jr. pleaded guilty Nov. 30, 2020.

Today, U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana ordered him to serve an 87-month sentence to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, Judge Saldana noted Castro’s background and her concerns about how his graduation to drug smuggling after a prior conviction for alien smuggling.  

On Sept. 8, 2020, Castro attempted to enter the United States at the Gateway to the Americas Bridge in Laredo. Authorities inspected Castro’s belongings and found a plastic bag with tacos and chips. Castro claimed the food was for his lunch.

Law enforcement referred him to secondary inspection where a K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics within the bag. It then tested positive for meth.

Castro eventually admitted to knowing the tacos contained a kilogram of drugs and that he was going to be paid $1,500 to transport the drugs to Austin.

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

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew prosecuted the case.

Woman Arrested on Federal Drug Charge After Allegedly Selling Cocaine While on Vacation in Chicago

CHICAGO — A woman has been arrested on a federal drug charge after allegedly selling two kilograms of cocaine while vacationing in Chicago this week.

MARINA RIVERA, 33, sold the cocaine Wednesday evening in the 3200 block of South Komensky Avenue in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago.  Unbeknownst to Rivera, the buyer was cooperating with law enforcement, who conducted surveillance on the transaction, the complaint states.  Rivera was arrested shortly thereafter.

Rivera was staying in a nearby residence this week while on vacation in Chicago from Mexico, the complaint states.  Law enforcement searched the residence and discovered approximately eight kilograms of cocaine inside a suitcase in the bedroom where Rivera was staying, the complaint states.

The complaint charges Rivera with one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.  She made an initial appearance in federal court Thursday and was ordered to remain detained in federal custody.  A detention hearing is set for July 14, 2021, at 1:30 p.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Heather K. McShain.

The arrest and complaint were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Robert J. Bell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew J. Dixon and Megan DeMarco.

The drug charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. 

The public is reminded that a complaint 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.

Biddeford Middle School Employee Arrested and Charged with Child Exploitation Offenses

PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man was arrested and charged by criminal complaint today with possession of child pornography and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court documents, in April 2021, Jesse Kiesel, 48, engaged in an internet chat with an undercover member of law enforcement posing as a 13-year-old girl. During the chat, Kiesel steered the conversation towards the topics of sex and sexual contact, and ultimately transmitted images of his erect penis to the undercover officer. Following the execution of a search warrant at Kiesel’s residence, numerous images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct were recovered from his computer.

Also according to court documents, Kiesel is an employee of Biddeford Middle School with the job title of Ed Tech II.

If convicted, Kiesel faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Kiesel will make an initial appearance via videoconference on July 12 at 2:00 p.m.

Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case, with assistance from the Biddeford Police Department, the Newbury, Massachusetts Police Department and the United States Marshals Service.

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

Former Leader of Latin Kings Department of Correction Chapter Sentenced for Racketeering Conspiracy Charges

BOSTON – A former Leader of the Massachusetts Department of Correction Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) was sentenced yesterday on racketeering charges.

Frutuoso Barros, a/k/a “King Fruity,” 40, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to 126 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On Feb. 17, 2021, Barros pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy.

In February 2020, Barros and other gang members conspired to murder two members of the Latin Kings active in the area of Lynn, Mass., who were believed to be “renegade” and not following directives issued by the gang’s national leadership in Chicago. In 2015, Barros was convicted in Essex County Superior Court for these crimes and sentenced to state prison. While he was substantively convicted in state court for those offenses, Barros committed these crimes in furtherance of the Latin Kings racketeering enterprise.

As detailed in court filings, the Latin Kings bring disputes and related gang violence into jails and prisons where members are incarcerated. Once in state prison, Barros’s membership in the Latin Kings continued and he took the position as Inca, or Leader, of the Latin Kings within the Massachusetts Department of Correction (MA DOC) system. In this role, Barros coordinated the operations of the Latin Kings inside MA DOC, including issuing directives of violence against individuals serving sentences and coordinating the violence that the gang committed inside of the MA DOC facilities. As part of his leadership role, Barros received information concerning the identities of those targeted for violence in the jails and prisons, locations of the targets and of incarcerated Latin Kings members, the standing of certain individuals with the gang and the status of disputes and alliances with other gangs both inside and outside of the prison system.

In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Barros is the 35^th defendant to be sentenced in the case.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Lauren Graber of Mendell’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

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

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

Russian National Sentenced to 5 Years and Deportation for Bribery, Visa Fraud, and Tax Charges, Forfeiting $5.9 Million

NEW BERN, N.C. – Leonid Teyf, 59, a Russian national formerly residing in Raleigh, North Carolina, was sentenced today to 5 years in prison for bribery of a public official, visa fraud, and false statements in relation to foreign financial interests.  Teyf and his wife, Tatiana Teyf, 43, will also forfeit $5,900,241 in assets.  Leonid Teyf will be judicially deported after he completes his sentence.  The husband and wife entered into a plea agreement in March 2021.

In December 2018, Teyf was charged by indictment with bribery of a public official, murder-for-hire, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, harboring illegal aliens, and unlawful use of a visa procured through false claims.  Teyf was also charged in a money laundering conspiracy with Tatiana Teyf and others, and several tax charges regarding the wrongful denial of the existence of overseas financial interests and the failure to file required forms in regard to the same overseas accounts.

The indictment further alleged Teyf knowingly used and possessed a U.S. immigrant visa which he had procured through false claims made on his I-140 application (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker), and that he and Tatiana Teyf had harbored and assisted other persons from Russia in coming to and remaining in the United States.

As otherwise alleged in publicly available documents filed in federal court by the Government, during the course of the investigation into the money laundering charges, Leonid Teyf came to believe that Tatiana Teyf was having an affair with another man.  Leonid Teyf discussed with an FBI confidential source having the man murdered.  Teyf also paid an someone whom he believed to be employee with the United States Department of Homeland Security $10,000 to find the man and have him deported from the United States. 

In March of this year, Teyf entered a plea of guilty to violations of 18 U.S.C. § 201, the payment of the $10,000 bribery to the federal official, 18 U.S.C. § 1546, visa fraud, and 26 U.S.C. § 7206(1), filing a false tax return.  Tatiana Teyf pled guilty to a separately filed Criminal Information, which charged a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1015(a), making a false statement in an immigration document.  Both agreed to forfeit almost $6 million in assets, and Teyf agreed to forfeit a firearm that he had provided to a confidential source.  He also agreed to his deportation. 

Pursuant to the plea, the Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina agreed to dismiss the murder-for-hire, firearm, money laundering,  harboring illegal aliens, and all but one of the tax charges against Teyf, and to seek a sentence of 60 months’ imprisonment for him.  Pursuant to Tatiana Teyf’s plea to the charge in the Criminal Information, all charges against her in the Indictment were dismissed and the government will not seek a term of imprisonment.

G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The investigation of this case was conducted by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Raleigh Police Department.

Maryland man sentenced drug trafficking

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA –Donald Noel Smith, of Oakland, Maryland, was sentenced today to three years probation for drug trafficking, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.

Smith, 42, pleaded guilty in October 2020 to one count of “Unlawful Use of Communication Facility.” Meadows admitted to using a phone to distribute drugs in March 2020 in Monongalia County.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office investigated.

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

Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.

Judge sentences St. Louis man for robbery and brandishing a firearm at six people

ST. LOUIS – On Wednesday of this week, United States District Court Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. accepted pleas of guilty from Kevin Moore for the crimes of robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of that robbery.  Immediately after the guilty pleas, Moore, a 39-year old St. Louis, Missouri resident, was sentenced to a 141-month term of imprisonment.  

On August 28, 2019, Moore entered Behrmann’s Tavern in the 3100 block of Meramec Street located in St. Louis and announced a robbery. He ordered five customers and one employee to the ground and held them at gunpoint with a semi-automatic rifle.

One of the customers refused to get on the ground. Moore pushed the barrel of his rifle into the side of the customer’s ribcage and tried to take his property.  Moore then put the barrel of his rifle into the back of another customer and robbed that customer of his money. Continuing with his robbery spree, Moore pointed his semi-automatic, assault rifle at the other patrons and commandeered their valuables, including their money and other items. 

Moore also stole money from the cash register after forcing an employee to open the register.  Moore then fled the tavern.  Moore was later apprehended by the police.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jason Dunkel is handling this matter.

Bristol Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

 The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Scott Remick, 46, of Bristol, Vermont, was charged by criminal complaint in United States District Court in Burlington, Vermont, with one count of possession of child pornography.  Remick made his initial appearance to answer the complaint on July 8, 2021, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle.  On July 9, 2021, Judge Doyle denied the government’s motion for detention and ordered Remick released on conditions.  Remick is next scheduled to appear in Federal court on July 26, 2021.

According to court records and proceedings, on June 16, 2021, a source of information (SOI), who is a private software developer and security analyst and who is part of a group of individuals involved in analyzing a specific piece of software with a specific security vulnerability, identified a computer with the security vulnerability (the Target Computer).  The SOI accessed the Target Computer, including the contents of an encrypted volume mounted on it.  The SOI viewed some of the image files in that container and discovered that they depicted child pornography.  The SOI also created a text file that contained directories and file names of files located in the encrypted volume.  The file names indicated that the files contained sexually explicit content involving children.  

The SOI reported its findings to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and to the Vermont State Police (VSP).  VSP reached out to special agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).  After HSI spoke with the SOI and conducted additional investigation into the suspected user of the Target Computer, Scott Remick, agents obtained a warrant to search remotely electronically stored information at Remick’s residence, and a second warrant to search Remick’s residence.  

On July 3, 2021, HSI agents executed the remote search warrant and recovered images of child pornography, as well as items associated with Remick.  On July 7, 2021, HSI agents executed the warrant to search Remick’s residence.  Agents determined that a self-built computer at the residence was the same one searched pursuant to the remote search warrant.  Agents found additional images of child pornography on the self-built computer.

Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt emphasized that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.  If convicted, Remick’s sentence will be determined by the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the impact, if any, of any mandatory minimum prison terms applicable to any count of conviction.  

Acting U.S. Attorney Ophardt commended the efforts of Homeland Security Investigations in the investigation of Remick.  

Barbara A. Masterson, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont, is handling the prosecution of Remick.  The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Vermont has been appointed to represent Remick.  

Acting U.S. Attorney Ophardt noted that this case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, 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 Child Exploitation Obscenity Section, Criminal Division (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood 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 Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Identity thief who used bitcoin, ‘burner phones,’ and digital wallets to steal more than $500,000 sentenced to prison

Bought credit card info on the dark web, used it to buy luxury goods or items fenced for bitcoin

Seattle – A prolific identity thief who traveled the country using fraud to buy luxury goods and items he could convert to cash and bitcoin, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 3 years in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Between February 2017 and December 2018, Aaron Laws, 33, of Atlanta, Georgia, traveled through Washington, Oregon, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Arizona, Georgia, and Minnesota making fraudulent charges on victim credit cards.  Laws had a sophisticated scheme, recruiting others, and using digital wallets, bitcoin and burner phones to try to avoid detection.  At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik said Laws “had a very complicated criminal enterprise and nothing seemed to deter him.”

“Motivated by greed, this defendant attempted to use digital advances to hide his old-fashioned fraud,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.  “At all phases—from accessing the dark web, to loading stolen data onto digital wallets, to acquiring prepaid anonymous phones, to adopting aliases, to laundering money through anonymous cryptocurrency accounts—his operation was sophisticated and difficult to detect.  But ultimately law enforcement stopped him in his tracks.”

According to records filed in the case, Laws purchased credit card information from so-called ‘carding websites’ on the dark web.  The information was loaded onto digital wallets on prepaid phones and was quickly used for fraudulent purchases of electronics, jewelry and other items that could be sold for cash or bitcoin.  In many instances, Laws sent coconspirators into the stores to make the purchases in order to avoid detection.  Nevertheless, Laws profited the most from the scheme – as much as $500,000.

Laws used the stolen credit card information to purchase a Rolex for more than $34,000.  He purchased diamond jewelry including a diamond encrusted pendant in the shape of a bitcoin symbol.  Laws also purchased at least $166,000 in bitcoin during the time period from February 2017 until November 2017, buying the bulk of this bitcoin—$93,000—in a single day, on August 23, 2017.

Despite an arrest in October 2017, Laws continued his fraud spree.  Even after being sentenced to serve jail time on the weekends in Georgia, he was undeterred and continued to commit fraud across the country.

On January 31, 2020, Laws pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft.  Following his prison term, Laws will be on supervised release for 5 years.  He was ordered to pay $623,554 in restitution.

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Kirkland Police Department.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marie Dalton.

Dalton Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses

BOSTON – A Dalton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield to child sexual exploitation offenses. 

James LaFrance, 65, pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual exploitation of children. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Nov. 19, 2021. 

LaFrance admitted that on two separate occasions in 2018 and 2019, he encouraged a 16-year-old girl from Massachusetts, whom he had befriended on the internet, to engage in sexually explicit conduct during video chat sessions. LaFrance recorded the girl’s actions on his computer and provided specific directions as to what she was to do on camera. LaFrance engaged in virtually identical behavior toward a 16-year-old girl from Pennsylvania on two occasions in July 2019. 

The charges of sexual exploitation of children each provide for a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Dalton Police Chief Deanna Strout; Marblehead Police Chief Dennis King; and Newbury Police Chief John R. Lucey, Jr. made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Mendell’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, 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 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.

Albany County Man Pleads Guilty to Transporting and Possessing Child Pornography

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Christopher Eberlein, age 54, of Albany, pled guilty today to multiple counts of transportation and possession of child pornography.   The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Jodi Cohen, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

As part of his guilty plea before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, Eberlein admitted that he emailed hundreds of child pornography images and videos to himself from June 2008 through May 2019.   He also admitted to possessing child pornography images and videos on three laptops and one thumb drive.

Eberlein faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, when he is sentenced on November 9, 2021.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.  Additionally, Eberlein will be required to register as a sex offender.

This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, with assistance from the New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Williams.

Wilmington Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearms Offenses

 WILMINGTON, Del. – A Wilmington man was sentenced yesterday to 11 years in federal prison by the Honorable Colm F. Connolly, for possession with intent to distribute crack and powder cocaine and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

According to court documents, Troy Alexander, 42, admitted that for four to five months he obtained approximately a kilogram of cocaine each week for sale.  On the day of his arrest, DEA Agents seized approximately 160 grams of crack cocaine, 280 grams of powder cocaine, cutting agents, and a kilogram press with molds from a residence affiliated with Mr. Alexander in Wilmington, Delaware.  A loaded handgun was also found at Mr. Alexander’s home.  Mr. Alexander is not legally allowed to possess a firearm due to a prior federal drug conviction.

U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss stated, “All too often, drugs and guns lead to violence in Wilmington and the surrounding communities.  My office will continue to partner with the DEA to target, arrest, and prosecute drug and gun offenders and attempt to stem the violence before it occurs.”

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Group 41 is a member of the New Castle County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (“HIDTA”) and is comprised of officers from the Delaware State Police, New Castle County Police Department, Wilmington Police Department, Delaware Probation and Parole, Homeland Security Investigations, and Newark Police Department.  Additional assistance was provided from by the Wilmington Police Department Drug Organized Crime & Vice Unit. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carly Hudson, Jennifer K. Welsh, and Christopher L. de Barrena-Sarobe.

Martinsburg man admits drug charge

 MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Joseph George Ray, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.

Ray, 56, also known as “YB,” pleaded guilty today to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute a Heroin and Fentanyl Mixture.” Ray admitted to distributing heroin and fentanyl in August 2020 in Berkeley County.

Ray faces up to 20 years of 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.

These charges are the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep.  This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally. 

OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Martinsburg Police Department investigated.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.

Philadelphia Drug Dealer Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal Prison

 JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Philadelphia, Pa., has been sentenced in federal court to 70 months in prison and four years’ supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws and money laundering, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.

United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Malik Byers, 29, of Philadelphia, Pa.

According to information presented to the court, from July 5, 2018 and continuing thereafter to on or about May 5, 2020, Byers conspired to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, and 28 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base, in the form commonly known as crack. Further, Byers conspired to commit money laundering.

Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard, Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

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

OCDETF conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Byers. The task force is headed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and is comprised of members drawn from the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Indiana Borough Police Department.

Massachusetts Man Sentenced To Prison For Fraudulent Scheme To Evade Payroll Taxes And Workers’ Compensation Requirements In Construction Industry

 Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Dennis Alexander Barahona (38, Chelsea, Massachusetts) to 18 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit tax fraud. The court also ordered Barahona to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $1,110,257 and to an insurance company in the amount of $41,352.91. In addition, the court ordered Barahona to forfeit his interest in $230,764 that was seized from two bank accounts. The court also entered a money judgment against Barahona in the amount of $263,302, representing the proceeds of the wire fraud.

Barahona had pleaded guilty on March 29, 2021. Barahona’s co-defendant, Gregorio Jose Fuentes-Zelaya, was sentenced on May 10, 2021, to 33 months in federal prison.

According to court documents, Barahona established a shell company that purported to be involved in the construction industry. He obtained a workers’ compensation insurance policy in the name of the shell company to cover a minimal payroll for a few purported employees. Barahona then “rented” the workers’ compensation insurance to work crews who had obtained subcontracts with construction contractors on projects in various Florida counties. Barahona sent the contractors a certificate as “proof” that the work crews had workers’ compensation insurance, as required by Florida law. By sending the certificate, Barahona falsely represented that the work crews worked for his company. Over the course of the scheme, Barahona “rented” the certificates to dozens of work crews.

As part of the scheme, the contractors issued payroll checks for the workers’ wages to the shell company and Barahona or a co-conspirator cashed these checks, then distributed the cash to the work crews after deducting their fee, which was typically about 6% of the payroll. During the scheme, the conspirators cashed payroll checks totaling approximately $4,388,371, with their fees totaling approximately $263,302. Neither the shell company nor the contractors reported to government authorities the wages that were paid to the workers, nor did they pay either the employees’ or the employer’s portion of payroll taxes – including Social Security, Medicare, and federal income tax. According to the IRS, the amount of payroll taxes due on wages totaling $4,388,371 was approximately $1,110,257.

The scheme also facilitated the avoidance of the higher cost of obtaining adequate workers’ compensation insurance for the numerous workers on the work crews to whom Barahona “rented” the workers’ compensation insurance. The policy that Barahona purchased and then “rented” out was for an estimated payroll of $91,000, and the insurance company issued the policy for a premium of $15,206. Had a workers’ compensation insurance policy been purchased for a payroll totaling $4,388,371, the policy premium would have totaled about $728,030.

“This criminal thought he could make quick profits with this criminal scheme,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “But instead of enjoying illegal profits, he will now be spending time behind bars with his co-conspirator thanks to HSI special agents and our law enforcement partners.”

“Employers are legally obligated to their employees and the American taxpayer to withhold and pay their fair share of taxes,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian Payne of IRS Criminal Investigation. “By shirking this obligation, their employees are cheated out of benefits they’ve earned and the taxpayer is also undercut. Today’s significant sentencing should make it abundantly clear that these actions will not be tolerated.”

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Florida Department of Financial Services. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.

Georgia Man Pleads Guilty in Bank Fraud Scheme Exploiting Homeless in Rhode Island

 PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Georgia man, one of four charged in March with running a scheme in which Providence area homeless and transient individuals were recruited to cash counterfeit business checks in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maine, in exchange for cash payments, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

A United States Secret Service-led investigation determined that from October 2018 through February 2021, numerous homeless individuals were arrested at banks throughout the region attempting to cash counterfeit business checks. Many of them reported similar patterns of being approached by one or more males in Providence and being offered the opportunity to cash bogus checks in return for cash payments.

According to information presented to the court, among those approaching individuals to cash checks was Michael Williams, 26, of East Point, GA. Once a person agreed to cash a check, Williams and his co-conspirators, Austin Weaver, 31, of Decatur, GA, Cortavious Benford, 26, of Atlanta, GA, and Jalen Ronald Stanford, 28, of East Point, GA, allegedly created a counterfeit check made payable to the individual and then drove him or her to a bank to cash it. The checks were generally in the amount of $2,000 or more. Individuals were often paid about $100 per check that they successfully cashed.

On February 5, 2021, Williams and Cortavious Benford allegedly recruited and drove a homeless person to a Providence bank to cash a check. They threatened to injure the man if he failed to provide them with all the proceeds. From inside the bank, the man pointed to a white sedan that was parked outside of the bank as containing the individuals who recruited him and provided him with the counterfeit check. Providence Police located the vehicle a short distance away and arrested Williams and Benford. They were found to be in possession of $12,000 in cash. 

A court-authorized search of a Providence residence that law enforcement determined the co-conspirators used when in Rhode Island resulted in the seizure of items used in the creation of counterfeit checks, including a computer, which had a program used to design and print checks, a printer, blank check stock, and an envelope containing numerous stolen checks and approximately $5,000 in cash.

Several completed fraudulent checks, which included known cashers and victim business information were found on the computer.

The investigation determined that using homeless and itinerant individuals, Williams and his co-conspirators allegedly attempted to cash approximately $677,687 worth of counterfeit checks throughout the New England region, causing losses to financial institutions of approximately $480,000.

Appearing today before U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Michael Williams pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus. Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on September 21, 2021.

Cortavious Benford, Austin Weaver, and Jalen Ronald Stanford, are awaiting trial.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.

Charges brought in this case are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Acting United States Attorney Myrus thanks the Providence and Medway, MA, Police Departments for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.

Massachusetts Men Sentenced for Home Invasion Robbery and Discharging Firearms During Robbery

 PORTLAND, Maine: Two Massachusetts men were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for interfering with commerce through acts of violence, conspiring to do so, and discharging a firearm during the acts of violence, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Eric Mercado, 33, of Lowell, Massachusetts, to 16 years in prison and four years of supervised release. Judge Levy sentenced Steven Hardy, 33, of Maynard, Massachusetts, to 15 ½ years in prison and four years of supervised release. Both men were also ordered to pay $3,740 in restitution to the victim.

According to court records, on May 11, 2019, Mercado, Hardy and other persons travelled from Lowell, Massachusetts to the York, Maine residence of a medical marijuana caregiver with a plan to rob the caregiver of money and marijuana. Some of the members of the conspiracy posed as friends of the caregiver to gain entry into the house and socialized with the caregiver. While the caregiver and these persons were socializing, Mercado and Hardy entered the house through a door that had been unlocked by a member of the conspiracy. They were wearing masks, Mercado was armed with a 12-gauge shotgun and Hardy was armed with a 9 mm pistol. Mercado and Hardy ordered the victim onto the ground and demanded money and marijuana, but the victim refused.  The victim fled to another part of the house pursued by Mercado and Hardy. Both Mercado and Hardy fired their guns but missed the victim. The victim eventually escaped the house while being chased by Mercado and Hardy. While running down the driveway, Hardy shot at the victim but missed. Mercado and Hardy then returned to the house, stole the victim’s truck and fled the scene. They crashed the vehicle a short time later and fled on foot into the nearby woods. They were later picked up by the driver who had driven them to the house before the robbery.

The York Police Department received an emergency E-911 call. A York officer observed a vehicle in the vicinity of the robbery and recorded that vehicle’s license plate number. Further investigation of the vehicle revealed that it had been rented by the person whom Mercado had recruited to drive him and Hardy to the victim’s house.

FBI was called to assist in the investigation.  In September 2019, acting on information that Mercado had thrown the shotgun away while running through the woods, FBI investigators conducted an evidence recovery search of the area and recovered the shotgun submerged in mud.

The FBI, the York Police Department and the York County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

West Virginia Man Sentenced To 70 Months In Prison For Bank Robbery

 ST. PAUL, Minn. – A West Virginia man was sentenced today to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for robbing a bank in Moorhead, Minnesota.

According to court documents, on May 1, 2019, Robert Vaughn Evans, 53, entered the Gate City Bank located inside a grocery store in Moorhead, Minnesota. Evans handed the bank teller a note that stated, “I have a gun.” Evans told the teller he did not want “bait” and that he was “not [expletive] around” while reaching for his back waistline, leading the teller to believe Evans possessed and was reaching for a gun. The teller retrieved $3,860 from the drawer and provided it to Evans, who put the money in his pocket and fled on foot. The robbery was captured from several angles on high-quality surveillance video.

According to court documents, Evans also admitted that on February 13, 2019, he robbed Key Bank in Niagara Falls, New York. Upon entering the bank, Evans presented a note to the bank teller which claimed he had a weapon and requested “no bait packs.” Evans was given $786 in cash before fleeing the bank.

As part of his sentence, Evans was ordered to pay $3,860 in restitution to Gate City Bank in Moorhead, Minnesota, and $786 to Key Bank in Niagara Falls, New York.

Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz sentenced the defendant.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the United States Marshals Service (USMS), the Moorhead Police Department, the New York State Police, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Washington County (Ohio) Sheriff’s Office, the Story City (Iowa) Police Department, the Holland (Massachusetts) Police Department, the Marietta (Ohio) Police Department, and the Morehead City (North Carolina) Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura M. Provinzino prosecuted the case.

East Hartford Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Fentanyl Analogue

 Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILLIAM VALERIO-PALERMO, also known as “Willy,” 35, of East Hartford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of acetylfentanyl, a fentanyl analogue.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2018, law enforcement received information that Valerio was trafficking kilogram-quantities of fentanyl and was using his Hartford auto-repair business to launder drug proceeds.  On July 12, 2018, a court-authorized search of a West Hartford apartment that Valerio rented revealed approximately six kilograms of acetylfentanyl, items used to process and package narcotics, and approximately $49,000 in cash.

Judge Thompson scheduled sentencing for September 28, 2021.

Valerio has been detained since his arrest on July 12, 2018.

This investigation has been conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force and the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force.  The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments.  The FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force includes the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.

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

Charleston Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Multi-State Methamphetamine Conspiracy

 HUNTINGTON, W.Va. –  A Charleston woman who conspired with multiple individuals to distribute methamphetamine in 2018 and 2019 was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in federal prison. 

According to court documents, between the fall of 2018 and September 2019, Melanie Lynne Curnutte, 58, conspired with multiple individuals to distribute methamphetamine in the Huntington and Charleston areas.  During the conspiracy, Curnutte repeatedly obtained quantities of methamphetamine which were transported from Akron to Huntington.  Curnutte relied on multiple individuals from Akron to deliver the methamphetamine to her and Curnutte would in turn distribute the methamphetamine to various customers.  Curnutte admitted that she was aware that some of her customers intended to distribute the methamphetamine she provided to them. 

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),  the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the United States Marshals Service, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Akron, Ohio Police Department and the Brecksville, Ohio Police Department.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.  Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution.

Methamphetamine Possession with Intent to Distribute Nets 10-Year Prison Sentence

 COEUR D'ALENE – Denvil Alan Baldwin, 46, of, Spokane Valley, Washington, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison based upon his March 2021 guilty plea to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr. announced today. Baldwin was indicted on the charge by a grand jury on January 30, 2020.

Court records reflect that on January 8, 2020, Baldwin was found with 70 grams of methamphetamine in his car. A search warrant was issued for a trailer he was living in on the Coeur d’Alene Indian reservation. Another 740 grams of methamphetamine was found in the trailer. In pleading guilty, Baldwin admitted he possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it to others.

After serving his prison sentence, Baldwin will be on supervised release with the United States Probation Office for five years.

Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez commented that “drug traffickers operating on a reservation will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” He went on to credit the cooperative efforts of the Benewah County Sheriff’s Office, the Narcotics Division of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Coeur d'Alene Tribal Police Department, which led to charges.

Bridgeport Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Federal Racketeering Charge Stemming from 2018 Murder

 Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TA’RON PHARR, also known as “250,” 21, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a racketeering charge stemming from a gang-related murder in Bridgeport’s East End in August 2018.

According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence.  Pharr was a member of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport that committed acts of violence against rival gang, including the East End gang, the East Side gang, and the PT Barnum gang.  O.N.E. members also robbed drug dealers, sold narcotics, laundered narcotics proceeds, and stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut and used the cars to commit crimes.

On August 8, 2018, Pharr and other O.N.E. members stole a white Jeep Grand Cherokee in Newburgh, New York, and drove it back to Bridgeport.  In the early morning hours of August 13, 2018, O.N.E. members drove the stolen Jeep to Union Avenue in Bridgeport where they shot and killed Len Smith, 25, who they mistook for a rival East End group member, and shot and seriously wounded Smith’s female companion, both of whom were seated in a parked car.  After the shooting, Pharr and others transported the Jeep to Indian Wells State Park in Shelton where they burned the vehicle in an effort to destroy evidence of the murder.

Pharr pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a pattern of racketeering activity, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  He has been detained since July 7, 2020.

This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Waterbury Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Peter D. Markle and Karen L. Peck.

This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.  PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities.  Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Kendallville Man Sentenced To Over 17 Years In Prison For Possessing With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine

 FORT WAYNE-Jason Wallen, 41, of Kendallville, Indiana, was sentenced before United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady following his plea of guilty to possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

Wallen was sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. 

According to documents filed in the case, on or about May 23, 2019, Wallen possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.  Because he had been convicted of several prior drug trafficking felonies, Wallen qualified as a career offender pursuant to the United States Sentencing Guidelines. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Garrett Police Department, the Indiana State Police, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, and the Allen County Sheriff’s Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.

Dubuque Man Sentenced to Twelve Years in Prison for Attempting to Tamper with Witnesses

 Also Admitted Knocking Out a Woman by Striking her with a Gun

A man who attempted to tamper with witnesses after he was facing charges related to an incident with a firearm was sentenced on July 2, 2021, to twelve years in federal prison.

Stephan Wayne Toliver, age 35, from Davenport, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 13, 2021 guilty plea to attempted witness tampering.

In a plea agreement, Toliver admitted that he struck a woman with a gun, knocking her unconscious.  Toliver also admitted to making false accusations against family members of the victim resulting in an investigation by DHS and the Dubuque Police Department that ultimately showed no wrongdoing by them.  Toliver also admitted that he sent a letter to the victim falsely telling her that if she or her family testified against him, DHS would use that information against her family. 

Toliver was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Toliver was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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.

Toliver 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 Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

Omaha Man Sentenced to 55 Years in Federal Prison for Aiding and Abetting Murder of Lincoln Mother

 Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Dante Williams, 28, of Omaha, Nebraska, to 55 years in federal prison on June 29, 2021 for his role in a home invasion that resulted in the death of Jessica Brandon of Lincoln on July 31, 2018.  His co-defendants, who discharged firearms during the home invasion, each received a life sentence, plus 240 months in federal prison for their roles in the felony murder.  Dante Williams was sentenced to 45 years for aiding and abetting the murder and 10 additional years, to be served consecutively, for participating in two attempted robberies in connection with the same crime.  Williams took a baseball with him to Brandon’s home on the first attempted robbery on July 30, 2018, and he helped his brother, Damon Williams, zip tie children and one elderly women in their beds during the home invasion.  Williams also received 5 years of supervised release to follow his term of imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lincoln Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Newport, N.C. Man Is Sentenced To 10 Years For Online Enticement Of A Minor

 CHARLOTTE, N.C. – James Wesley Safrit, 33, of Newport, N.C. was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney to 120 months in prison for the online enticement of a minor, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.  Judge Whitney also ordered Safrit to register as a sex offender and to serve 25 years under court supervision after he is released from prison.

Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer is joined in making today’s announcement by Robert R. Wells, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division.

According to court documents and today’s court proceedings, between January 9 and January 21, 2020, Safrit used MeetMe, a social networking application, to engage in multiple communications with an FBI undercover employee posing as a minor. Court records show that, during these communications, Safrit discussed his interest in engaging in sexual contact with the minor and made arrangements to meet the minor. Law enforcement arrested Safrit in Matthews, N.C., when he arrived at the agreed-upon location to meet with the person Safrit thought was a 14-year-old boy, for the purpose of engaging in sexual activities. Safrit pleaded guilty on June 19, 2020, to enticement of a minor using a means and facility of interstate commerce.

In imposing today’s sentence, Judge Whitney noted that “this type of criminal conduct is unacceptable and will be punished severely.”

Safit is currently in federal custody and he will be transferred to custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. 

The investigation was led by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark T. Odulio, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

Two Men Sentenced For Robbing Lowndes County Banks

             Montgomery, Alabama – Today, Acting U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Stewart announced that two men were sentenced for their role in robbing two Lowndes County banks. On Thursday, July 1, 2021, Bennie Ray Carpenter, Jr., a 42-year-old man from Town Creek, Alabama, was sentenced to 154 months in prison. Then, on Friday, July 2, 2021, Hunter Lee McPherson, a 21-year old from Greenville, Alabama received a sentence of 130 months. Both men were also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after their prison terms are complete and to pay $9,918.00 in restitution to the banks. There is no parole in the federal system.

            According to court records, on February 28, 2020, Carpenter entered the BancorpSouth Bank located in Hayneville, Alabama, wearing black clothing, including a ski mask and ski goggles, and an AK-47 semiautomatic rifle. He approached the counter and demanded money from the teller, who complied and gave him cash from the drawer. Carpenter then left the bank and got into an awaiting vehicle driven by McPherson. They then drove away in great haste. A few days later, on March 2, 2020, Carpenter robbed the First Citizens Bank in Fort Deposit, Alabama, in similar fashion using the same type of firearm, with McPherson again serving as the getaway driver.

            Law Enforcement reviewed video surveillance provided by each of the banks and determined the suspects were the same in each of the two bank robberies. They also discovered that stolen vehicles were used in both robberies and burned afterwards.

            Carpenter and McPherson were indicted by a federal grand jury on October 27, 2020 for robbing the two banks and for using a firearm in connection with the bank robberies. They pleaded guilty to the three charges in March of this year.  

            The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, the Crenshaw County Sheriff’s Office, the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, and the Greenville Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Bates prosecuted the case.

Former CFO Pleads Guilty to Embezzling over $1.6 Million

 SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Christopher Firle, 51, of Fairfield, pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Firle was the Chief Financial Officer of a holding company that managed several vehicle dealerships. From January 2016 through September 2019, Firle misappropriated over $1.6 million from the company. He carried out his embezzlement scheme in multiple ways, including by using company credit cards to pay for over $750,000 in personal expenses. The unauthorized charges included tickets to sporting events and purchases at several retail stores, including Bergdorf Goodman, Chanel, Hermès, Nordstrom, and Tiffany & Co. Firle also initiated over 30 unauthorized wire transfers from the company to a family member. Those transfers totaled over $500,000. Additionally, Firle issued over 30 unauthorized company checks to himself that totaled over $165,000, and he withdrew over $50,000 from a company account without authorization. Finally, Firle issued himself excess bonus payments totaling almost $160,000.   

This case is a product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Thuesen is prosecuting the case.

As part of his guilty plea, Firle agreed to pay restitution of $1,937,706 to his former employer. He also agreed to forfeit $1,652,269.44 to the United States.

U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez is scheduled to sentence Firle on October 19, 2021. Firle faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the court’s discretion after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.