MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Justin Cain, 35, Cashton, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William Conley to five years of probation.  On March 21, 2018, Cain pleaded guilty to stealing mail from the U.S. Postal Service.  

From September 14 to October 21, 2013, Cain knowingly stole mail while employed as a mail-processing clerk with the U.S. Postal Service in La Crosse, Wisconsin.  During the course of their investigation, federal agents determined the defendant stole over 5,000 pieces of mail, which affected over 7,800 victims.  During an interview with agents, Cain admitted to stealing money and valuables from the mail so he could purchase heroin.  Judge Conley noted this was the “most egregious” theft of mail case he has presided over.

The charge against Cain was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inpsection Service, and the U.S. Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General.  The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma.

ROCKFORD — A McHenry man was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Kapala to 210 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on child pornography charges. 

Following a four-day jury trial in federal court, MICHAEL L. CHAPARRO, 29, was found guilty on Feb. 2, 2018, of one count of transporting child pornography via the internet, and two counts of accessing child pornography that had crossed state lines, including an image of a prepubescent minor and a minor under 12 years of age, with intent to view the child pornography.

According to the indictment and the evidence at trial, on Aug. 7, 2014, Chaparro knowingly transported to Pennsylvania and Texas materials depicting one or more actual minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  In addition, evidence at trial indicated that Chaparro accessed a smart phone on Nov. 24, 2014, and computer hard drive on July 30, 2013, with intent to view child pornography, knowing that one or more persons depicted in an image involved a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.

The sentencing was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Jeffrey Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Bill Prim, McHenry County Sheriff.  The Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force assisted in the investigation.

The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Love and Margaret J. Schneider.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALAN D. ZALESKI, 57, of New Britain, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to one count of making a false statement to the U.S. Probation Office and the U.S. District Court.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 3, 2011, ZALESKI was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 101 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing machine guns and numerous other unregistered weapons.  He was released from federal prison in December 2015 and began serving this three-year term of supervised release.  As part of his reporting requirements while under court supervision, ZALESKI submits online monthly reports to the U.S. Probation Office and ultimately to the U.S. District Judge responsible for his criminal case.  The online reporting form states that ZALESKI must answer the questions completely and correctly, and further warns ZALESKI that making a false statement may result in federal prosecution.

On his monthly reports to the U.S. Probation Office, ZALESKI has reported that he lives in New Britain.

On March 23, 2018, the FBI interviewed the owner of a property at 863 Shuttle Meadow Avenue in Berlin and learned that ZALESKI has rented this property for years and remains as the current renter.  This was the same location the FBI searched in 2006 over a period of three days in which dozens of automatic machine guns and semi-automatic firearms, multiple rifles and handguns, as well as silencers, fragmentation grenades, chemical grenades, smoke grenades and various homemade pipe bombs and IEDs were located and seized.  In 2006, the property was protected by booby-traps, including tripwires connected to percussion explosives and camouflaged plywood boards on the ground with nails protruding through them.

At no time has ZALESKI reported to the U.S. Probation Office his affiliation with any storage space or rental property, or association to any property located at 863 Shuttle Meadow Avenue in Berlin, thus preventing the U.S. Probation Office’s ability to supervise ZALESKI and ensure that he was in compliance with all of the conditions of his release. 

ZALESKI is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall on September 20, 2018, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.

ZALESKI is released on bond pending sentencing.

This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.

BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury today indicted four Georgia men for the May robbery of an east Alabama bank, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr.

A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges DERRICK ANTONIO OWENS, 47, KENYATTA DELAFAYETTE COSBY, 46, and BRICE MERCIVIOUS KIMBRO, 22, all of Atlanta, and TRAVIS OMERE MONTFORD, 30, of Decatur, Georgia, with conspiracy to rob and with robbing Small Town Bank in Heflin on May 2.

“I commend the quick and courageous actions taken by Heflin Police officers in apprehending these suspects in flight from the scene of a bank robbery,” Town said. “Because of their professional response, and great work done by the FBI, these four defendants all face federal felony bank robbery charges where, if convicted, they will face federal time in a federal prison.”

According to the indictment, the four men traveled together to the Heflin bank and robbed it as follows:

Cosby entered the bank, jumped the teller counter and shoved a teller to the floor. Montford and Kimbro stood in front of the teller line to take money from the tellers, while Owens remained at the door “urging his coconspirators to act expeditiously.”

Owens also drove the car that the four men sped away from the bank in after the robbery.

The maximum penalty for the conspiracy charge is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for bank robbery is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Heflin Police and the FBI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Simpson is prosecuting.

An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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PITTSBURGH - A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Waverly Primm, age 30, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2015, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other agencies joined forces in a long-term wiretap investigation of drug trafficking in New Castle. The investigation revealed that Primm conspired with others to distribute crack cocaine, which was transported from Buffalo, NY, to the New Castle area for further distribution.

Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for November 20, 2018 at 1 p.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Pending sentencing, the court continued the defendant’s detention.

Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New Castle Police Department, and the Lawrence County Drug Task Force conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Primm.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – An inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Loretto, Pa., pleaded guilty in federal court in Johnstown to a charge of possession of a prohibited object in prison, and was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, consecutive to the current prison term he is serving, followed by three years’ supervised release, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Alexander Rodriguez-Melendez, 30, pleaded guilty to the indictment before United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.

In connection with the guilty plea, on May 12, 2017, Rodriguez-Melendez possessed a quantity of Buprenorphine.

Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie L. Haines prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Mr. Brady commended the Laurel Highlands Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Correctional Institution, Special Investigative Staff, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Rodriguez-Melendez.

Hot Springs, Arkansas - Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Leslie Fryar, age 42, of Amity, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Hot Springs.

According to court records, during October 2016, investigators with the 18th East Judicial Drug Task Force, Arkansas State Police (ASP), and Department of Homeland Security began investigating  Fryar, for the distribution of methamphetamine within Garland County, Arkansas. During March 2017, Arkansas State Police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle and made contact with the driver, who was identified as Fryar. Fryar consented to a search of her vehicle and law enforcement found a plastic bag in the glove compartment which contained approximately 115.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine. Fryar was subsequently arrested. The suspected methamphetamine was submitted to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory for analysis, and it was determined to be 109.94 grams of actual methamphetamine.

Fryar was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2017 and entered a guilty plea in November 2017.

This case was investigated by the 18^th East Judicial Drug Task Force, the Arkansas State Police, and the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant United States Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.

Hot Springs, Arkansas – Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced today that Shaun Booth, age 30, of Hot Springs, Arkansas was sentenced on June 26, 2018 to 90 months in federal prison followed by three  years of supervised release, on one count of Aiding and Abetting the Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Steven Taylor, age 36, of Maud, Texas was sentenced today to 151 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release, on one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Kelsey Williams, age 24, of Olive Branch, Mississippi was sentenced on June 25, 2018 to 120 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release, on one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.  The Honorable Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Hot Springs.

According to court records, on June 7, 2016, officers with the 18^th East Judicial Drug Taskforce in Garland County executed a state search warrant at the Economy Inn located in Hot Springs, which is within the Western District of Arkansas. Upon entry into the room, officers made contact with co-conspirator, Booth, who was the lone occupant of the room and in the far bed of the room. Booth had a valid warrant for his arrest and was placed in custody. During execution of the warrant, officers located a large amount of methamphetamine, as well as numerous items of drug paraphernalia. During the investigation agents learned that the methamphetamine had been brought in from Texas by Taylor and Williams and dropped off at the Economy Inn for further distribution by Booth. Investigators also learned that Taylor had the room rented in his name and had a key to the room.

The methamphetamine seized in this case was sent to the Arkansas State Crime lab where it tested positive for methamphetamine.

Booth, Taylor and Williams were all indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2016 and pled guilty in 2017.

This case was investigated by the 18^th East Judicial Drug Taskforce.  Assistant United States Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.

NEW ORLEANS, La. –United StatesAttorney David C. Joseph announced today that a New Orleans man was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for viewing child pornography.

Michael Calagna, 66, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman on one count of accessing or viewing child pornography. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to the guilty plea, law enforcement began investigating an online video teleconferencing service in 2015 that specialized in sharing child pornography to its viewers. The agents recorded the presentations and noted that Calagna was a viewer at his New Orleans home. During the video chats, Calagna expressed his interest in pornography showing children ages five and up.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423.  Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls.  Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app.  Tips may be submitted anonymously.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Luke Walker and David J. Ayo prosecuted the case.

RENO, Nev. – A federal grand jury returned four-related indictments today charging 20 alleged members of a Reno drug trafficking and firearms organization for their roles in a large-scale drug distribution ring that operated in the Reno area. Seventeen defendants are charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin, and three defendants are charged with firearms-related offenses.

United States Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI’s Las Vegas office made the announcement.

The 17 defendants charged for their alleged roles in the drug conspiracy are Jose Valentin Mora, aka Cholo and Magic, 36; Sandy Diaz Tavares, 33; Jose Vega, aka Panda, 33; Angel Diaz, 21; Javier Chavez, 58; Shawn Curl, 35; Marcos Hernandez, aka Bigotes, 58; Roberto Mora-Mora, 52; Juana Baca, aka Sneaky, 44; Elizabeth Reyes-Delacerda, aka Chavela, 26; Richard Rossall, aka Monopoly, 52; Ciara Hernandez, 18; Marco Antonio Ramirez, aka Anthony, 35; Kelsea Barbara Riley, 26; Leon DeJesus Munera, 27; and Jorge Ayala-Chavez, 43, all of Reno, Nevada; and Francisco Meza Recio, 31, of Simi Valley, California. Each defendant faces the maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a fine of $10,000,000.

According to allegations contained in the 14-count drug conspiracy indictment and criminal complaint, from January 25, 2018 to June 14, 2018, the defendants conspired with each other to possess and distribute large amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin in Reno and elsewhere. On several occasions, Jose Valentin Mora, the alleged leader, sold the drugs to his co-conspirators who would then resell the drugs in Reno. To date, more than 18 pounds of methamphetamine has been seized from this drug conspiracy. This amount has an approximate street value of over $300,000.

The three-related indictments charge Jose Valentin Mora, Jose Vega, Jose Mora-Silva, Dagoberto Mora-Silva, and Alberto Acosta-Macias with firearms offenses. Felons Jose Mora and Jose Vega are charged with unlawful possession of a firearm after having a prior felony conviction in Nevada. Jose Mora-Silva is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm while being an alien unlawfully in the United States. Dagoberto Mora-Silva is charged with aiding and abetting the possession of a firearm by prohibited persons Jose Mora and Jose Mora-Silva. Jose Mora and Acosta-Macias are charged with possession of a stolen .22 caliber Marlin rifle. Each defendant faces the maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

“As alleged, these defendants trafficked large amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin in Reno,” said U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson. “Today’s indictments are the latest example of our steadfast commitment to fighting drug trafficking and reducing violent crime in Nevada’s communities. Together with our law enforcement partners we are committed to protecting Nevadans and making our communities safe.”

“Law enforcement partnerships made this operation a success,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse. “Drug trafficking organizations bring gun violence to our neighborhoods and take advantage of the addiction problem our community and our nation faces. Working together with our partners enabled us to identify key elements of the organization and effectively shut it down. I am very proud of the hard work of the Northern Nevada Safe Street’s Task Force. As a result of this large scale operation, a well-organized drug trafficking operation has effectively been dismantled, and the community of Reno is safer.”

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

These charges stem from an investigation by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force with significant assistance by federal, state, and local law enforcement partners including the Reno Police Department, Sparks Police Department, and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Keller is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. For more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.

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         DALLAS —Design Plastering West LLC, a New Mexico domestic limited liability company (LLC), was sentenced today before United States District Judge Ed Kinkeade of an Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) violation causing death to an employee, announced U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas.  As a part of Design Plastering West LLC’s sentencing, the company was ordered to pay a $150,000 criminal fine and $100,000 civil penalty, admit to eight willful violations of OSHA regulations, and be monitored for four years by an OSHA compliance expert.
             
          According to court documents filed, on May 24, 2018, Design Plastering West LLC pled guilty to a one-count information. 

          Design Plastering West LLC, a subcontractor, contracted to complete work at the Maple District Loft, a project in Dallas, Texas.  Design Plastering West LLC employed Jorge Carrion Torres to complete stuccowork.  On May 14, 2015, Mr. Torres died when he fell approximately 23 feet from the third floor balcony of that project.  Design Plastering West LLC admitted the third floor balcony where Mr. Torres was working did not have the proper fall protections, such as guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems.  Design Plastering West LLC admitted to failing to provide fall protection and that such failure caused the death of Mr. Torres. 
           
            The investigation was conducted by Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Rumsey is in charge of the prosecution and was assisted by attorneys from the Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor.

                                                                                                                                      # # #

Assistant U. S. Attorney A. Dale Blankenship (619) 546-6705

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY– June 27, 2018

SAN DIEGO – Two federal indictments unsealed in San Diego today charge 20 defendants with heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana trafficking.

In a two-day sweep, members of the Homeland Security Investigations Gangs & Weapons Group, plus other law enforcement agencies around the county made numerous arrests and searched two locations in Spring Valley and Lemon Grove.

The yearlong investigation involved months of federal wiretaps, numerous undercover drug and gun buys and extensive surveillance. Many of the defendants are associates of criminal street gangs such as Skyline Piru, Florencia 13, Ysidro, Shelltown, Logan Heights Red Steps, Vario and Chula Vista.  The investigation revealed that some of these defendants have ties to Mexican Mafia and Mexican Drug Cartels. 

As of today at noon, sixteen of the twenty defendants are either in federal or state custody.  Authorities are continuing to search for two defendants. Six of the defendants were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Clinton Averitte yesterday.

“Drugs are destroying lives and families and bringing violence to our communities, and we are more committed than ever to prosecuting these cases,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman. “Gangs are most often the distributors of these deadly poisons, and we have a special resolve to go after them.”

HSI Special Agent in Charge David Shaw said, “Homeland Security Investigations remains committed in keeping our communities safe from drug trafficking and associated dangerous criminal activity,” said David Shaw, Special Agent in Charge for HSI in San Diego. “The arrests over the last two days demonstrate the unwavering dedication between HSI and our law enforcement partners, to address these dangerous threats facing our community.”

This case is the result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.

The United States is represented in court by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Dale Blankenship.

DEFENDANT         Criminal Case No: 18CR2278-CAB

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine (Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1), 846);

Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine (Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1), 846);

Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana (Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1), 846);
Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Title 21, U.S.C, Secs. 841(a)(1)).

Maximum Penalties: Maximum Penalties: For cocaine and methamphetamine charges: life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a $10 million fine; for marijuana charge:

40 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a $5 million fine.

DEFENDANTS                                                                  Criminal Case No: 18CR2970-CAB

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine (Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1) and 846);

Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine (Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1) and 846);

Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Title 21, U.S.C. Secs. 841(a)(1));

Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute (Title 21, U.S.C. Secs. 841(a)(1)).. 

Maximum Penalties: For cocaine and methamphetamine charges: life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a $10 million fine; for heroin charge:

20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

AGENCIES

Homeland Security Investigations – Gang and Weapons Group

San Diego Police Department

San Diego County Sheriff’s Department

Chula Vista Police Department

San Diego County Probation Department

San Diego District Attorney’s Office

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

San Diego Fugitive Task Force

United States Bureau of Prisons – Joint Intelligence Sharing Initiative

ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations

United States Border Patrol K-9

Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations

Federal Bureau of Investigation 

SAN FRANCISCO – Lara Karakasevic, aka Lara Castle, pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to conspiring to defraud the United States, announced Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Acting Special Agent in Charge Tara Sullivan.  The plea was accepted by the Honorable Vince Chhabria, U.S. District Judge.

According to her plea agreement, Karasevic, 48, of St. Helena, Calif., admitted that between July 2008 and June of 2009, she and a coconspirator agreed to defraud the United States by obstructing the lawful function of the IRS by deceitful or dishonest means.  

Karakasevic owned an internet-based consulting business called TTF Consulting, LLC, which operated out of a home in Petaluma.  In exchange for a fee, TTF Consulting electronically transmitted for its clients certain forms to the IRS, including Forms 1099-OID.  Form 1099-OID is a form used to report annual interest on certain types of securities.  As part of the scheme, Karakasevic’s coconspirator received information from TTF Consulting clients, reviewed the information, and provided the information to Karakasevic so Karakasevic could complete the forms and submit the forms to the IRS. Between April 2009 and June 2009, Karakasevic prepared six forms for TTF Consulting clients knowing that the forms were false.  Specifically, the forms reported false amounts of interest income and tax withholdings from certain financial institutions.  In addition, after filing the false forms, TTF Consulting informed its clients that the clients could later file tax returns based on those forms.  Karakasevic acknowledged that she was aware of a high probability that the purpose of the conspiracy was to obstruct and defeat the IRS’s efforts to collect income taxes and that, after October 2008, when she knew the purpose of the conspiracy was unlawful, she nevertheless continued with the scheme.  In addition, Karakasevic submitted a 2005 federal income tax return on her own behalf requesting a $291,836 refund based on a false and fraudulent Form 1099-OID.  Karakasevic admitted that, in sum, the intended tax refunds from the false and fraudulent tax returns submitted to the IRS based on her conduct amounted to $1,231,578.

On June 24, 2014, a federal grand jury handed down an indictment charging Karakasevic with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, and one count of filing a false tax return, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(1).  Karakasevic pleaded guilty to the first charge.   The second charge will be dismissed at the time of sentencing if Karakasevic complies with the terms of the plea agreement.  

Karakasevic is currently free on bond.  Judge Chhabria scheduled her sentencing hearing for October 2, 2018.  Karakasevic faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the conspiracy charge.  However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Stier is prosecuting the case.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the IRS-CI.  
 

SAN FRANCISCO – Shamsuddin Dost was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for distributing heroin in Afghanistan that was bound for the United States, announced Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Chris D. Nielsen.  The sentence was handed down by the Honorable James Donato, United States District Judge.

On January 22, 2018, after a four-day trial, a jury convicted Dost, 23, of Livermore.  During the trial, evidence showed that Dost contacted a confidential source to ask him to bring heroin from Afghanistan to the United States.  Dost connected the confidential source with a heroin supplier in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, who provided two kilograms of heroin, for the purpose of bringing the drugs to the United States.  Dost also sold another five kilograms in Afghanistan, again bound for the United States.  When Dost was arrested, he was planning the sale of another one hundred kilograms of heroin in Afghanistan, destined for the same customer in the United States.  In recorded conversations, Dost described his family’s ability to provide trailer trucks of heroin from laboratories in Kandahar and Khogyani, in Afghanistan, and discussed other schemes to send heroin to Moscow and Pakistan.  

In other recorded conversations, Dost also described his willingness to use violence and his “close ties” to the Taliban in Pakistan, which he asserted controlled the drug trade on the Afghan-Pakistan border.  Dost stated that if someone betrayed him, he would not hesitate to pay a thousand dollars to “slice him like ground beef,” and that he had previously had a Taliban governor threaten to “cut [a man’s] throat and hang him in public.”

On July 6, 2017, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Dost with one count of conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin for the purpose of unlawful importation, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 963, and two counts of distribution of one kilogram or more of heroin for the purpose of unlawful importation, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 959(a).  The jury found Dost guilty of all three counts.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Donato sentenced the defendant to a five-year period of supervised release.  Dost has been in custody since his arrest on November 18, 2016, and will begin serving his sentence immediately.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rita Lin and Nikhil Bhagat prosecuted the case with the assistance of Rawaty Yim and Linda Love.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Afghanistan and the Bay Area, with assistance from the Sensitive Investigations Unit of the Afghan National Police.  This case was investigated and prosecuted by member agencies of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a focused multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force investigating and prosecuting the most significant drug trafficking organizations throughout the United States by leveraging the combined expertise of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
 

SAN FRANCISCO –Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse congratulated Rita Lin on her appointment to the San Francisco County Superior Court.  Lin, of San Francisco, has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California since 2014.  Earlier today, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced his decision to appoint Lin to the bench along with nine other California superior court appointments.

“Rita is an excellent AUSA and carried out the mission of the Justice Department to the highest degree.  We commend the Governor’s selection today, and as an office we are proud that she may now continue her public service as a judge for Superior Court of San Francisco.”  said Acting U.S. Attorney Tse. 
 

PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William McSwain announced today that his Office is co-hosting an outreach event aimed at educating criminal justice professionals and the public about the obstacles and challenges ex-offenders face when returning home from prison.

On Friday, June 29 at 9:00 a.m., as part of Re-entry Awareness Month in Philadelphia, several agencies are joining forces to host a prisoner re-entry simulation at the Strawbridge Building in Philadelphia. The event is hosted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children & Families, Office of Child Support Enforcement, The MENTOR Program, and the National Workforce Opportunity Network. The simulation is intended to educate the public and criminal justice system professionals who assist with re-entry transition about the complex challenges prisoners face when they return home from prison. The simulation will provide a way for participants to stand in the shoes of individuals just released from prison, which in turn will help them better anticipate and meet their needs.

Titled Get Ready, Get Set, Get Out: A Day in the Life of a Returning Citizen, the program will ask participants to assume identities of ex-offenders and to participate in activities designed to simulate the first month of an individual’s release. Throughout the course of two hours, participants complete various tasks such as getting a driver’s license, reporting to probation, attending drug treatment and counseling, and attending to other basic life requirements to become a productive citizen and avoid re-incarceration. 

The simulation is open to the public, and the details are provided below:

WHEN:       Friday, June 29, 2018, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

WHERE:     The Strawbridge Building, Ben Franklin Conference Center, 801 Market Street, Suite 9101-9102, Philadelphia, PA 19107

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Robert Gibeault, Jr., age 49, of Gansevoort, New York, appeared today in federal court on charges that he distributed child pornography over the internet. 

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Kevin M. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). 

According to the federal criminal complaint, Gibeault used the file-sharing program BitTorrent to distribute child pornography to other BitTorrent users from January 2017 through September 2017.  His laptop computer contained approximately 390 video files and 85 image files depicting child pornography.  These included files that Gibeault had previously distributed over the BitTorrent network.  The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

If convicted, Gibeault faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a term of post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life, and a fine of up to $250,000.  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, if convicted, Gibeault would be required to register as a sex offender. 

Gibeault appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, who ordered him detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for June 29, 2018. 

This case is being investigated by HSI, with assistance from the New York State Police and Colonie Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph A. Giovannetti and Emmet O’Hanlon.

This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood.  Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that KEVIN SAM, age 43, of New Orleans, was sentenced today, by the Honorable Susie Morgan, United States District Court Judge, to a 105 month term of imprisonment, to be followed a three year period of supervised release.  On March 19, 2018, SAM plead guilty to a Superseding Bill of Information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute heroin, possession with the intent to distribute heroin, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. 

According to court documents, SAM was the target of a narcotics investigation that was investigated by members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Members of the FBI received information that SAM was selling heroin from his residence, located in the 1300 block of Reyes Street in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Agents obtained a search warrant of SAM’s residence and located multiple bags of heroin that were packaged for sale.  A pistol was also located inside of the residence.  SAM, a convicted felon, is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.  At the time of his arrest, agents, while conducting a pat down of SAM, located additional individually wrapped bags of heroin inside of SAM’s clothing.

In August of 2017, SAM was sentenced to serve 120 month term of imprisonment for his role in a drug conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas (Beaumont Division). The sentence imposed today will run concurrent with the Texas sentence.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority.  In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany L. Reed is in charge of the prosecution.

United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana organized and hosted a seminar for local sheriffs and drug-court judges on the availability of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) as means to combat the crisis of opioid addiction in local prison populations and the larger community. “It is well beyond reasonable dispute that opioid proliferation and addiction are at crisis levels both locally and nationwide,” U.S. Attorney Evans stated. He continued: “Combating this crisis with all available resources is a top DOJ priority.”

Representatives of six parishes in the Eastern District of Louisiana attended the June 27th seminar, which opened with a keynote address from Dr. John Morrison, Medical Director for the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections. AUSA David Howard Sinkman, the U.S. Attorney’s civil-rights coordinator, next provided an overview of the interaction between the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the use of MAT in correctional facilities, specialty courts, and other public entities. A panel discussion on the practical aspects of MAT use in prison populations featured testimonials from national experts Dr. Josiah Rich, a professor from Brown University, Dr. Jonathan Giftos, the Clinical Director of Substance Use Treatment at the Rikers Island Correctional Facility in New York, and officials from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons.

A panel of state officials next addressed the use of MAT locally. Featured state officials included: Dr. Janice Petersen from the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Gary Young and Tracy Falgout from the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, and Kerry Lentini, the Director of the Louisiana Drug Court Program. A final address from Ms. Tara Kunkel, Senior Drug Policy Advisor from the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, highlighted potential grant and funding opportunities available to local providers to institute MAT programs in their respective facilities and courts. An open question-and-answer session concluded the event.

U.S. Attorney Evans commented on the interest in the seminar:

A collaborative, multi-faceted approach is necessary to attack opioid addiction from both supply and demand angles. We set an ambitious agenda to cover medical, legal, practical, and financial aspects of MAT in prisons, but found receptive local partners ready to implement new ideas and strategies.

The United States Attorney’s Office anticipates holding future meetings and possibly implementing a working group to further pursue this initiative. Assistant United States Attorneys David Howard Sinkman and Sharon Smith organized the event.

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y.—U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a Minerva Maestre, 50, of Dunkirk, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, was sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. In addition, the defendant was ordered to forfeit more than $150,000 in drug proceeds.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that on April 28, 2017, Dunkirk Police, the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence located at 51 E. Second Street in Dunkirk. During the search, officers seized 60 grams of crack cocaine, 42 grams of cocaine, plastic baggies, and $171,962 in cash.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, under the direction of Chautauqua County Sheriff Joseph Geraci; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division; and the Dunkirk Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Ortolano.