United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Howes, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer.

Roderick Dupris, age 45, was indicted on September 11, 2018. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on September 14, 2018, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on May 24, 2018, Roderick did forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, and interfere with a law enforcement officer, while the officer was assisting federal law enforcement officers, and said conduct involved the use of a dangerous weapon, that is a pickup.

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

The investigation is being conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.   

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

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Dupree, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assaulting, Resisting, Opposing, and Impeding a Federal Officer.

John Darren Johnson, age 31, was indicted on August 13, 2018. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on September 20, 2018, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 8 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on August 2, 2018, Johnson did forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, and interfere with a Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Police Officer while the officer was engaged in their official duties, and said contact did involve physical contact with the police officer.

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

The investigation is being conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.   

Johnson was released to a third party custodian pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by A Prohibited Person was sentenced on September 17, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.

Christian Kersten, age 30, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, forfeiture of the firearm, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Kersten was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 14, 2018.  He pled guilty on July 10, 2018.

The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on January 22, 2018, when a Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe officer made a traffic stop and Kersten was on occupant of the vehicle.  Following a search of the vehicle, law enforcement recovered a firearm in the location Kersten had been occupying.  Kersten had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, was a fugitive from justice, and was an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance, making it illegal for him to possess firearms.

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 effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.

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

NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced Friday, September 21, 2018 the unsealing of a second superseding indictment against WAYNE JEROME CELESTINE, age 57, a physician who practiced in Gretna, Louisiana and resided in the New Orleans area.  The second superseding indictment contains charges of distribution of controlled substances, structuring bank funds, obstruction of justice, and offenses of money laundering involving a substantial sum of cash.

According to court records, DR.CELESTINE illegally dispensed and conspired with others to illegally dispense controlled substances, including oxycodone, oxycodone/acetaminophen, oxycontin HCL, oxymorphone HCL, hydromorphone, opana, fentanyl, suboxone, and morphine sulfate, a Schedule II drug controlled substances; hydrocodone/acetaminophen, a Schedule III drug controlled substance until October 6, 2014, thereafter, a Schedule II drug controlled substance; and alprazolam, diazepam, and carisoprodol, Schedule IV drug controlled substances.  

CELESTINE is detained pending trial.

If convicted of the original charge (Count 1), CELESTINE will face a maximum of not more than 20 years in prison on the drug dispensing conspiracy charge, pursuant to Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 846.  CELESTINE will also be subject to a fine of not more than one million dollars and a minimum term of supervised release of three years, following any term of imprisonment.

If convicted on the dispensing charges in Counts 2-5, CELESTINE faces not more than 20 years in prison, a one million dollar fine, and three years of supervised release.  On the money laundering conspiracy charge, (Count 6), he faces not more than 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  On the structuring charge (Count 7), he faces 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  On the two obstruction charges (Counts 8 and 9), he faces 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count.

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Harahan Police Department, Westwego Police Department, Louisiana State Police, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, New Orleans Police Department, and New Orleans District Attorney’s Office in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney John F. Murphy is in charge of the prosecution.

            WASHINGTON - Garth Anthony Gardner, 49, a citizen of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for a scheme in which he made misrepresentations to apply for and obtain more than $3 million in multiple home equity line of credit loans.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kelly R. Jackson of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington D.C. Field Office.

            Gardner pled guilty in July 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to two counts of bank fraud. He was sentenced by the Honorable Christopher R. Cooper. In addition to his prison term, Gardner will be subject to a restitution order to be set at a later date. He also must pay a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $2,048,446. Following his prison term, Gardner will be placed on five years of supervised release and could be deported.

            According to the government’s evidence, in October 2003, Gardner purchased a property in the 5100 block of 13^th Street NW, using the Social Security number of another person and falsely representing himself as a U.S. citizen.  In May 2005, he used a corporation that he owned to purchase a second property in the 1300 block of Dexter Terrace SE.  Gardner transferred ownership of the second property from the company to himself for $10.  Next, Gardner applied for a series of home equity line of credit loans using the two properties as collateral.

            By settling these loans in close proximity to each other, Gardner minimized the banks’ ability to learn about the other loans.  From August to October 2004, Gardner obtained 12 home equity line of credit loans from 12 different banks secured by the 13^th Street property, totaling approximately $1.4 million.  Between March and April 2006, Gardner applied for 13, and obtained 12, such loans from 12 banks, secured by the Dexter Terrace property, totaling approximately $1.9 million.

            In approximately February 2008, Gardner stopped making payments and defaulted on all of the loans.  The banks discovered Gardner’s fraudulent conduct after initiating foreclosure proceedings on the properties.

            Gardner admitted that he used a portion of the proceeds from the fraudulent scheme to purchase 15 silver bars, which the government recovered and liquidated for about $1.1 million.

            Gardner was arrested in Frankfurt, Germany in May 2017, and was extradited to the District in February 2018, to face the charges that had been pending since 2014.  He remained in custody pending his sentencing.'

            The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in the extradition of Gardner from Germany to the United States. 

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jackson commended the work performed by those who investigated the case from the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Washington Field Office of the U.S. Secret Service and the Office of the Inspector General of the Social Security Administration. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise A. Simmonds and Diane Lucas, former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Bradford and David A. Last, and Paralegal Specialist Aisha Keys.

JARED CARRELL(“CARRELL”),age 38, of Thibodaux, Louisiana, was indicted Friday, September 21, 2018 for receipt of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser.

On May 30, 2018, law enforcement officers with the Louisiana State Police found CARRELL in possession of a LG cellular device containing images depicting the sexual victimization of prepubescent children.  On July 9, 2018, members of the Louisiana State Police and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, executed a search warrant at CARRELL’s Thibodaux residence. At which time, CARRELL was arrested and charged with possessing child pornographic materials. Today’s indictment charges CARRELL with knowingly receiving and attempting to receive images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. CARRELL will appear before a U.S. magistrate judge for his arraignment on this indictment in the next two weeks.

U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, CARRELL faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five (5) years imprisonment up to twenty (20) years, followed by up to a life term of supervised release, and a $250,000.00 fine.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, 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 the 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 Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.  For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”                                

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Fraud Section Chief, Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.

U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that SHALLON DAVIS DUNMILES, age 34, together with LASHONDA MELANCON, age 37, WILFRED PERRILLOUX, age 43, DANYELLE TUCO, age 32, ANDREA STALKS, age 42,  EBONY STEWART, age 32,  CORTAZ WILLIAMS, age 23, and DANIELLE ANDERSON, age 36, were indicted Friday, September 21, 2018 by a federal grand jury for charges stemming from their arrest in St. John the Baptist Parish earlier this year.

Count 1 of the Indictment charges DUNMILES, a former employee at a medical clinic in Laplace, and MELANCON with conspiracy to possess and possess with the intent to distribute illicitly obtained prescription medications, including dextroamphetamine/adderall, a Schedule II drug controlled substance, and promethazine with codeine, a Schedule V drug controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 846.  Count 2 of the Indictment charges DUNMILES, MELANCON, PERRILLOUX, STALKS, STEWART, TUCO, WILLIAMS, and ANDERSON with conspiracy to acquire or obtain possession of the prescription medication by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, or subterfuge, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 843(a) and 846. 

U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser reiterated that the Indictment is merely an allegation and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser also praised the work of the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad (TDS) in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Shirin Hakimzadeh is in charge of the prosecution.

The United States has entered into an agreement to settle civil fraud claims with Dr. Mark Fleckner, a Board Certified Ophthalmologist who maintains a practice in Garden City, New York.  The agreement resolves allegations that, in contravention of Medicare regulations and in violation of the federal False Claims Act, Dr. Fleckner administered certain pharmaceutical products that he had purchased overseas, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) had not evaluated nor approved for use in the United States (“Unapproved Drugs”).  These products included aflibercept (“Eylea”) and ranibizumab (“Lucentis”), which Dr. Fleckner used to treat patients who had wet, age-related macular degeneration or other diseases and conditions of the eye.  The United States contends that the Unapproved Drugs were not eligible for reimbursement by Medicare.  Under the terms of the civil settlement agreement, Dr. Fleckner will pay a total of $6,955,240.80. 

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Jeffrey J. Ebersole, Special Agent-in-Charge, Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), New York Field Office; and Scott J. Lampert, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), New York Region, announced the settlement. 

“Dr. Fleckner bypassed the FDA’s regulatory authority by purchasing and administering unapproved pharmaceutical products in violation of Medicare regulations,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “The settlement holds Dr. Fleckner accountable for his actions and ensures that Medicare funds will only be used for FDA-approved pharmaceuticals.”

“FDA’s oversight of prescription drugs protects consumers from illicit medicines obtained from unauthorized foreign sources,” stated FDA-OCI Special Agent-in-Charge Ebersole.  “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who place profits over their patients’ safety.”

“FDA approval provides confidence to millions of patients that drugs are safe when prescribed appropriately,” stated HHS-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Lampert.  “Those administering unapproved medications – as contended in this case – put patients at risk and burden taxpayers.” 

The government’s investigation revealed that from at least July 1, 2014 to June 27, 2017, Dr. Fleckner purchased the Unapproved Drugs because they were less expensive than drugs that were approved by the FDA for marketing in the United States.  Medicare reimburses physician-administered drugs at a set rate based on the average sales price of the respective FDA approved, physician-administered drug in the United States.  Dr. Fleckner was thus able to profit from the “spread” between the reimbursement rates he received based on FDA-approved drugs and the lower amounts he paid for the Unapproved Drugs.  The United States contends that the Unapproved Drugs were not eligible for reimbursement by Medicare.  The settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing by Dr. Fleckner.

The United States’ investigation was handled by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth M. Abell of the Office’s Civil Division.

The Defendant:

DR. MARK FLECKNER
Garden City, New York

Memphis, TN – A federal jury has convicted a local man for illegally possessing a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the guilty verdict today.

According to the information presented in court, on May 27, 2017, at approximately 7:00 p.m., Leon Ward, 33, of Memphis, drove his blue Chevrolet Impala to the 1900 block of Clovia Lane, where he displayed a .40 caliber pistol fromthe window of the vehicle. Ward then got out of the car and began firing shots in the area of several of his cousins, his brother, and three-year-old nephew.

On Friday, September 21, 2018, a federal jury convicted Ward on one count of possessing a firearm after being a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C., § 922(g).

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "This is precisely the type of violent gun offender that threatens lives and public safety in Memphis. This brazen and recidivist violent behavior must be met with swift and significant punishment. As a result of this conviction and continued prosecution, the citizens of Memphis and West Tennessee are safer. Gun Crime is Max Time."

Leon Ward is currently serving a 42-month sentence for violating the terms of his supervised release. Ward is also facing additional federal charges involving an unrelated robbery attempt and use of a firearm in June of 2017. That indictment was returned by a federal grand jury earlier this year.

Sentencing is set for December 14, 2018, before U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. Ward faces up to 10 years imprisonment on this offense.

This case was investigated by the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force; Memphis Police Department and Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryce Phillips and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bayonle Osundare are prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Denton Worrell, a/k/a “Lil D,” 21, of Rochester, New York, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Senior  Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” The defendant pleaded guilty on May 8.

According to court records, between June 2015 and March 2017, Worrell conspired with others to acquire heroin, fentanyl and crack in Rochester and transport it to Central Maine for distribution. The defendant managed the operation and oversaw the distribution of drugs from 12 to 15 “trap houses” in Central Maine.

In imposing the sentence, Judge Woodcock noted that the defendant was a manager of a “very sophisticated” drug distribution operation based in Rochester and operating in Central Maine.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance provided by the Augusta Police Department, and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Brookhaven, Pennsylvania, man was sentenced today to an additional 160 months in prison for possessing hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse while imprisoned at Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix for previous offenses involving the distribution and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Brian J. McKay, 47, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to an information charging him with one count of possession of child pornography. Judge Rodriguez imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

McKay admitted that he possessed two micro SD Cards which together contained a total of approximately 593 images and 645 videos of child pornography, some of which depicted children being sexually abused and sadistic and masochistic sexual conduct involving infants and toddlers. In connection with his plea, McKay also admitted that he distributed child pornography to another inmate.

McKay and seven other inmates were arrested in April 2017 and February 2018 following an FBI investigation involving multiple covert recordings and several cooperating inmates. The investigation revealed that McKay and other inmates utilized contraband cellphones, micro SD cards, and access to the internet to obtain, view, and distribute child pornography within the prison. A co-defendant organized and helped facilitate this criminal activity by maintaining cloud accounts that were used as repositories for child pornography.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Rodriguez sentenced McKay to 10 years of supervised release. Restitution will be determined at a later date.

Six other inmates – all of whom were serving sentences for prior child pornography offenses while committing the alleged crimes in this case – have pleaded guilty: Erik M. Smith, 36, of Iron Mountain, Michigan; Anthony C. Jeffries, 32, of Orange, Virginia; Jordan T. Allen, 31, of Plain City, Ohio; Christopher D. Roffler, 30, of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Jacob S. Good, 26, of Fredericksburg, Virginia; and Charles Wesley Bush, 38, of Knoxville, Tennessee. Smith was sentenced to 151 months in prison and Good was sentenced to 10 years in prison; the other four defendants are awaiting sentencing.

William H. Noble, 52, of Lowell, Massachusetts, was indicted on May 23, 2018, and is scheduled for trial next year. The charges and allegations against Noble are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation. He also thanked officials of the Bureau of Prisons at Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix for their assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gabriel J. Vidoni and Alyson M. Oswald of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.

Defense counsel: John B. Brennan Esq., Camden

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – An Ames, Iowa sex offender pleaded guilty in federal court today to child sexual exploitation charges.

John Jordan Lundberg, 31, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to attempting to produce child pornography.

Lundberg admitted that he responded on Sept. 3, 2017, to an online advertisement that was posted by an undercover Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department detective in an effort to seek out potential sexual predators. The undercover officer posed as a mother offering her 13-year-old daughter for sex. The undercover officer also posed as the 13-year-old daughter, and Lundberg communicated with the “daughter” via text messages. 

Lundberg admitted that he sent the “daughter” sexually explicit photos and video of himself as well as adult and child pornography. Lundberg also admitted that he encouraged the “daughter” to send him nude photos of herself. 

In an e-mail to the undercover detective, Lundberg described himself as “a fan of incest.” He claimed to have begun sexually molesting his niece when she was 8 years old, and to have had sexual intercourse with her when she was 12 years old.
  
Lundberg was previously convicted on Sept. 15, 2017, for enticement of a minor for indecent purposes. Lundberg, who was granted a deferred judgment and placed on probation for three years, was arrested on Oct. 10, 2016 at the Meskwaki Bingo Casino during an undercover operation when he responded to a Craigslist advertisement and arranged a sexual encounter with a (fictitious) 15-year-old female. 

Under federal statutes, Lundberg is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the FBI.

Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, 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 the 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 Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
 

ATLANTA - Tommie L. Walker, a/k/a Columbia BT, and Juan Carlos Garcia-Martinez, a/k/a Carlos Garcia were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda T. Walker on September 21, 2018 on federal charges of drug trafficking and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.  Walker, Garcia-Martinez, and Samuel Anchondo-Galaviz were indicted by a federal grand jury on September 12, 2018.

“These defendants were allegedly part of a multi-state drug distribution scheme that transported and distributed cocaine worth approximately $4 million,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Thanks to the work of law enforcement in Georgia, South Carolina and Colorado, this drug enterprise is now history.”

“This investigation is an excellent example of the working relationships that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) have with their law enforcement partners,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta DEA Field Division. “The defendants were transporting large quantities of drugs throughout our neighborhoods, and the dismantlement of this criminal organization will have a positive local impact and sends a clear message that we will not tolerate illegal drug trafficking in our communities.”

According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: Agents of the Atlanta-Carolina High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program began their investigation in August 2017 in conjunction with Drug Enforcement Administration agents in South Carolina and Colorado. Walker, who raps under the name “Columbia BT,” allegedly participated in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy that extended to Colorado, South Carolina, and Mexico.

Walker allegedly operated a warehouse in the Atlanta area where he received shipments of cocaine hidden in tractor-trailers. The shipments were sent by a co-conspirator in Colorado. Walker allegedly would then distribute the drugs to individuals from South Georgia and South Carolina. Garcia-Martinez is an alleged co-conspirator who facilitated some of Walker’s drug transactions.

Law enforcement officers seized more than 135 kilograms of cocaine from the organization, a quantity worth more than $4 million at current wholesale prices in Atlanta. Law enforcement also seized more than $220,000 in drug proceeds.

October 9, 2017, a tractor-trailer containing approximately 40 kilograms of cocaine, which was driven by Anchondo-Galaviz, was stopped on the way to Walker’s warehouse. Other seizures charged in the indictment took place on December 3, 2017 and February 21, 2018.  Walker allegedly used his illegal drug proceeds to finance a lavish lifestyle that he displayed in his rap videos. Some of the property seized from the alleged drug proceeds included a 2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn and a 2013 Bentley Mulsanne.

Tommie L. Walker, a/k/a Columbia BT, 42, of Kennesaw, Georgia is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and three counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Juan Carlos Garcia-Martinez, a/k/a Carlos Garcia, 37, of Forest Park, Georgia, and Samuel Anchondo-Galaviz, 40, of New Mexico are each charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges.  The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Atlanta-Carolina High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Georgia State Patrol, the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office, the Marietta Police Department, and the Colorado Attorney General’s Office.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas N. Joy and Erin Harris and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Brown are prosecuting the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

Washington, D.C.—Today, James Carroll, Deputy Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, announced the designation of 10 new areas across Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and West Virginia as High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTAs). This designation enables the 10 areas to receive Federal resources to further the coordination and development of drug control efforts among Federal, State, local, and tribal law enforcement officers, and allows local agencies to benefit from ongoing HIDTA initiatives that are working to reduce drug trafficking across the United States.

The newly-designated areas are:

• Allegheny, Beaver, and WashingtonCounties in Pennsylvania as part of the Ohio HIDTA
• Atlantic County in New Jersey as part of the Liberty Mid-Atlantic HIDTA
• Butler County in Ohio as part of the Ohio HIDTA
• CharlestonCounty in South Carolina and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian Reservation in North Carolina as part of the Atlanta/Carolinas HIDTA
• Mineral County in West Virginia as part of the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA
• Montgomery and Powell Counties in Kentucky as part of the Appalachia HIDTA

“Drug traffickers are fueling the opioid crisis and poisoning our communities, so we have to be relentless in bringing them to justice,” Carroll said.“This new funding will allow law enforcement to disrupt trafficking operations in key areas so we can save lives, strengthen our communities, and safeguard our country.”

The HIDTA program was created in 1988 and serves as a catalyst for coordination among Federal, State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug trafficking regions. Law enforcement organizations working within HIDTAs assess drug-trafficking problems and design specific initiatives to decrease the production, transportation, and distribution of drugs.There are 29 HIDTAs located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.

Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Joey Lamont Brunson, a/k/a “Solo Flex,” age 42 of Eutawville, Orangeburg County, South Carolina, was sentenced on all twelve of the charges in his federal indictment by United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr.  Brunson was convicted at trial earlier this year by a federal jury sitting in Columbia.  After just four hours of deliberations, the jury returned verdicts convicting Brunson of being a member of a conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, four counts of use of a cell phone to further drug trafficking, money laundering conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and perjury.  Based on his two prior federal felony drug convictions, as well as his instant convictions for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, Brunson was sentenced to a statutory mandatory life sentence (without parole) plus 60 months consecutive for the firearms offenses.

Evidence presented at the trial included numerous wiretap calls between Brunson and his main source of supply Lamario Vincent Wright from June through October of 2013.  In the calls, Brunson brazenly discussed beating another conspirator in an effort to recover cocaine that the conspirator had stolen from Wright.  Repeatedly in the intercepted calls and texts, Brunson ordered drugs using coded language from his suppliers.

After Brunson was indicted in 2015, agents testified he went on the run and eluded capture by the FBI for almost two years.  After receiving a tip from the Navy Federal Credit Union in Summerville, agents learned that Brunson was depositing between $3000.00 and $9000.00 cash regularly at multiple locations in late 2016 and 2017.  On March 3, 2017, Summerville Police Officers responded to a call for service from one of the credit unions and arrested Brunson after a brief struggle.  Agents searched the silver Suzuki he was driving and located cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana and two firearms. Bank records proved that Brunson deposited over $90,000.00 in cash in multiple accounts while on the run from the FBI.

Evidence at trial also included testimony and pictures of a $30,000.00 Escalade truck that Brunson bought at the request of his supplier Lamario Wright.  Records showed that Brunson used over $20,000.00 in drug money to purchase the truck and that he placed it in his name to hide the fact that the truck actually belonged to his partner Wright.

The case was investigated by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Summerville Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Marshal’s Office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Will Lewis and J.D. Rowell.

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Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew has sentenced Harlem Slaughter Turner, III (41, Tampa) to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.  Turner pleaded guilty on June 12, 2018.

According to court documents, on May 30, 2017, at approximately 2:50 a.m., officers from the Tampa Police Department were on routine patrol when they observed what appeared to be an altercation among a group of people just north of 7th Avenue on 17th Street in Ybor City. The officers heard someone yell, “he's got a gun,” as Turner quickly got into his car and fled the scene. The officers learned that Turner had threatened the occupants of another vehicle after he had been involved in a traffic incident.

The officers located Turner’s car, conducted a traffic stop, and searched the vehicle. During the search, under the rear seat, the officers found a 9mm handgun that had been reported stolen, along with a magazine containing 10 rounds of ammunition. The officers also recovered a magazine containing 14 rounds of 9mm ammunition located inside a backpack behind the center console. At the time, Turner had numerous prior violent felony convictions and, was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm by federal law. He also qualified for an increased penalty under the Armed Career Criminal Act.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael C. Baggé-Hernández and Charlie D. Connally.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to develop districtwide crime reduction strategies, incorporating the lessons learned since the program’s inception in 2001. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

ALBUQUERQUE – Zane Vicente, 26, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Magdalena, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to an assault charge.  Vicente’s plea agreement recommends that he be sentenced within the range of 24 to 30 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.

Vicente was arrested on Sept. 29, 2017, on a criminal complaint charging him with stabbing a Navajo man with a knife.  Vicente subsequently was indicted on Oct. 24, 2017, and was charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury on July 29, 2017, on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Socorro County, N.M.

During today’s proceedings, Vicente pled guilty to the indictment, and admitted that on July 29, 2017, he stabbed the victim in the torso with a knife.  Vicente acknowledged that the victim underwent surgery to repair a hernia to his diaphragm and other injuries caused by the stab wound he inflicted.

Vicente has been in custody since Jan. 2018, and will remain detained pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Murphy.

HAMMOND – Lawrence W. LaFlower, 42 years old, of Valparaiso, Indiana, has been charged with one count of wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

US Attorney Kirsch said, "Public officials who abuse their positions for personal financial gain will not be tolerated.  My Office, with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue those who corrupt their office for self-serving motives."

According to court documents, between April 2013 and April 2018, LaFlower used his position as the treasurer of the Fraternal Order of Police Ewalt Jahnz Lodge #165’s to embezzle over $180,000 from its investment and bank accounts. The FOP is a fraternal organization in Porter County, Indiana, whose mission is to improve working conditions for law enforcement officers and serve the public by raising money for scholarships and other programs.

LaFlower has entered into a plea agreement with the government and is expected to formally enter his plea of guilty in court later this week. 

The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an Information is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty in court.

If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Indiana State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abizer Zanzi.

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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The former Callaway County Collector pleaded guilty in federal court today to embezzling nearly $300,000 from Callaway County taxpayers.

“On more than 100 occasions, this public official stole directly from the people she was elected to represent,” said U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison. “She will be held accountable for violating the public trust and abusing her position. The government will seek a significant prison sentence and repayment of what was stolen from the taxpayers of Callaway County.”

Pamela J. Oestreich, 59, of Fulton, Mo., waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to a federal information that charges her with one count of stealing from an organization that receives federal funds.

“As Sheriff of Callaway County, I express my sincere gratitude to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their prompt, professional, and expert assistance,” said Callaway County Sheriff Clay Chism. “Although this investigation could have been conducted on the local level, many factors made it apparent the case should be investigated by a federal agency for prosecution in the federal court system. Of most relevance, myself and Callaway County Prosecuting Attorney Christopher D. Wilson believed it paramount the citizens of Callaway County be assured this matter was handled without the slightest hint of some impropriety. Throughout the investigation, I remained in contact with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure myself, and all other local Callaway County officials, provided any needed assistance.”

Oestreich was elected as the Callaway County Collector in November 2002.  By pleading guilty today, Oestreich admitted that she disbursed taxpayer funds for her personal use on 103 occasions beginning in September 2015. Oestreich deposited taxpayer funds directly into her personal bank account. Oestreich also moved taxpayer funds between Callaway County bank accounts to conceal her theft of cash deposits made by taxpayers at the Callaway County Courthouse. The total amount embezzled by Oestreich from Callaway County taxpayers was $299,387.

Oestreich resigned from her office on March 15, 2018, when confronted by the Callaway County Sheriff and FBI agents.

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the government and Oestreich have agreed that she will face an advisory sentencing guidelines range of 41 to 51 months of imprisonment in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Oestreich’s sentence will include mandatory restitution of the stolen funds. During the course of her theft of public money, Oestreich made payments totaling $19,430 from her personal bank account into Callaway County Collector accounts to hide her theft. Consequently, the amount of restitution due and owing to Callaway County as a result of her criminal conduct is $279,957.

This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Callaway County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
 

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOSEPH DATELLO pled guilty today before United States District Judge Cathy Seibel to numerous acts of racketeering, including attempting to kill a witness against him.  In May 2017, DATELLO and 18 other members and associates of the Luchese Family of La Cosa Nostra were arrested and charged in a nine-count Indictment.  Since the unsealing of the Indictment, DATELLO and 12 other defendants have pled guilty, and have been or will be sentenced by Judge Seibel.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “Witness safety is paramount to ensuring the prosecution of criminal organizations.  Thanks to the FBI’s Joint Organized Crime Task Force, who uncovered Datello’s crimes without risking the security of the witness, Datello now faces life in prison for threatening a federal witness.”

According to the plea agreement DATELLO signed as part of his guilty plea, his statements when pleading guilty, the allegations in the Indictment, and statements made in related court filings and proceedings:

In 2002, an individual (the “Witness”) who had been working with DATELLO and Steven L. Crea, a leader in the Luchese Family, provided information to state and federal authorities concerning DATELLO’s and Crea’s participation in racketeering activity.  That information, and other evidence, led to the successful prosecution of DATELLO, Crea, and others.  In October 2016, DATELLO learned information that he thought revealed the Witness’s current whereabouts.  DATELLO travelled to what he believed was the Witness’s address and waited there, trying to find the Witness.  Had DATELLO found the Witness, he intended, with the blessing of Crea, to kill the Witness.

Crea is also charged with attempting to have the Witness killed, and other crimes, and is scheduled to begin trial before Judge Seibel in 2019.

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DATELLO, 67, of Staten Island, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering, and as part of that plea admitted racketeering acts including the attempted murder of the Witness, narcotics trafficking, and collecting debts through the threat of violence.  These crimes carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.  DATELLO will be sentenced before Judge Seibel.

The allegations contained in the Indictment as to Crea and the other defendants who have not pled guilty are merely accusations, and these defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Joint Organized Crime Task Force, which comprises agents and detectives of the FBI, NYPD, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor.

The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Scott Hartman, Hagan Scotten, and Jacqueline Kelly are in charge of the prosecution.