BOSTON – A Boston gang member pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to distributing crack cocaine in a Jamaica Plain housing development.

Dominique Finch, aka “Heff,” 27, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and distribution of cocaine base within 1,000 feet of a public housing facility. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Jan. 9, 2019.

Following a two-year investigation, Finch and eight co-defendants were charged in January 2018 in connection with illegal drug distribution and firearm possession within and near the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments in Jamaica Plain, formerly known as the Bromley Heath Housing Development. On July 6, 2016, Finch, a member of the Heath Street Gang, conspired with his brother to distribute crack cocaine inside the development. According to court records, Finch has a lengthy criminal record that includes convictions for assault with a dangerous weapon, armed robbery, witness intimidation, assault and battery, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Finch was on pretrial release in Suffolk Superior Court at the time he and his brother made the drug sale.

The investigation and arrests sought to reduce violence and improve the quality of life for residents of the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments by removing individuals who trafficked drugs and who were involved in gang activity in and around the development.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and distribution of cocaine base within 1000 feet of a public housing facility provides for mandatory minimum sentence of one year and no greater than 40 years in prison, a minimum of six years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of $2 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today. Assistance was also provided by the Boston Housing Authority’s Department of Police and Public Safety.

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

BOSTON – Dozens of individuals were arrested today on federal drug, firearms, and immigration offenses, as well as state warrants. In addition, 13 criminal aliens were arrested and will be processed administratively. Today’s sweep, netting more than 35 criminals in and around the City of Lawrence, is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhood Initiative (PSN), which aims to bring together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime.

As part of today’s sweep, approximately 35 defendants were charged with federal and state offenses, and nine are still at large. Thirteen criminal aliens were arrested by ICE and will be processed administratively for removal from the United States, and 14 are currently at large.

The arrests are the culmination of a number of federal investigations dubbed Operation Law and Order, which targeted impact players and repeat offenders in and around the City of Lawrence, all of whom have prior convictions for acts of violence, firearm offenses and/or drug trafficking, and those with criminal records who are in the United States illegally.

Today’s operation involved over 200 federal law enforcement agents from all over New England, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; Homeland Security Investigations; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Marshals Service; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

During the investigations, law enforcement officers bought or seized approximately 10 kilos of fentanyl.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Todd M. Lyons, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; United States Marshal John Gibbons of the District of Massachusetts; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett made the announcement today. 

The federal cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys in Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit, Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit, and the Major Crimes Unit. The state cases are being prosecuted by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office.  Administrative arrests made by ICE will be handled in Immigration Court. 

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

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. Oct. 3, 2018, marked one year since Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN 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.

            WASHINGTON – A volunteer on the staff of a member of the U.S. House of Representatives made his first court appearance today on charges stemming from the illegal posting of restricted personal information of five U.S. Senators on the Wikipedia website, as well as related conduct.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jessie K. Liu and Matthew R. Verderosa, Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police.

            Jackson A. Cosko, 27, of Washington, D.C., was arrested on Oct. 3, 2018 by the U.S. Capitol Police. He is charged in a criminal complaint with five federal offenses: making public restricted personal information; making threats in interstate commerce; unauthorized access of a government computer; identity theft; and witness tampering. The complaint also charges him with second-degree burglary and unlawful entry, both District of Columbia offenses.

            Cosko appeared this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Deborah A. Robinson in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The judge ordered that Cosko remain detained pending a hearing set for Oct. 9, 2018.

            According to the affidavit in support of the complaint, the U.S. Capitol Police began an investigation on Sept. 27, 2018, after it was determined that the Wikipedia pages of three U.S. Senators had been edited to include restricted personal information without their knowledge or permission. This information included home addresses and personal telephone numbers. These edits took place roughly contemporaneously with public – and highly publicized – Senate proceedings related to a nomination for the U.S. Supreme Court.

            Then, on Oct. 1, 2018, according to the affidavit, similar information was posted on the Wikipedia pages of two additional Senators.

             “Doxxing” is the act of gathering, by licit and illicit means, and posting on the Internet personal identifying information (“PII”) and other sensitive information about an individual.

            On the night of Oct. 2, 2018, according to the affidavit, a witness saw Cosko at a computer in the office of a U.S. Senator who had once employed him. The witness confronted Cosko, who left the office. An investigation led to Cosko’s arrest by the U.S. Capitol Police.

            The charges in criminal complaints are merely allegations and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

            The statutory maximums for the crimes are as follows:

            Federal Offenses:

            Making public restricted personal information – five years.

            Threats in interstate commerce – two years.

            Unauthorized access of a government computer – one year.

            Identity theft – five years.

            Witness tampering – 20 years.

            District of Columbia Offenses:

            Second-degree burglary – 15 years.

            Unlawful Entry – Six months.

            The maximum statutory federal sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes.  If convicted of any federal offense, a sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            The investigation into this matter is being conducted by the U.S. Capitol Police. The case is being prosecuted by the Cyber Crime and National Security Sections of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

Fayetteville, Arkansas – Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Anthony Monjure, age 23, of Bentonville, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison followed by twenty-five years of supervised release on one count of Accessing the Internet with the Intent to View Child Pornography. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.

According to court records, in April of 2017, the FBI conducted a nationwide undercover investigation into individuals utilizing the internet to post, download, and have discussions about child pornography. During the investigation, the FBI located a social media group that was created and maintained solely for like-minded individuals to share child pornography. While monitoring the group, FBI agents determined that one member, who utilized the screen name of “horneyaf3785,” was from Northwest Arkansas. Ultimately, law enforcement identified the individual from Northwest Arkansas, as Anthony Monjure, a sex offender from Bentonville. In August of 2017, a federal search warrant was executed at Monjure’s residence. During the execution of the warrant, the FBI located in Monjure’s possession a cellular phone, which had the user ID of horneyaf3785 saved to the device.

In June of 2018, Monjure pleaded guilty to Accessing the Internet with the Intent to View Child Pornography. During his change of plea, the Government provided the Court with evidence that Monjure had previously been convicted of an offense related to the Possession of Child Pornography.

This case was investigated by the Federal bureau of Investigations.  Assistant United States Attorney Dustin Roberts prosecuted the case for the United States.

St. Louis, MO – The United States Attorney’s Office will prosecute aggressively violent criminals and drug dealers.  Federal prosecution is a powerful tool in the fight to reduce violent crime.  At least 85% of federal sentences must be served; there is no parole in the federal system.  None.  Sentences are served in prisons far from St. Louis.  Below is a list of defendants prosecuted federally in September as a result of the hard work of police and agents:

Charles T. Currie, 30, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Adam Francisco, 34, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Derrick Franklin, 29, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Shawn Gordon, 35, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Earl Murray, 37, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm.

Myron Coffee, 26, Creve Coeur, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one felony count of possession of felon in possession of a firearm.

Stanford Morris, 42, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute Fentanyl and cocaine base (crack).

Quincy Nelson, 38, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Jametric A. Steele, 48, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Akenele Williams, 32, University City, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Melvin Willis, 47, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of one or more firearms; possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base; and possession of one or more firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Antonio Ball, Jr., 20, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of carjacking and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Jermaine Clay, 22, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Damon Douglas, 30, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

William Jones, 27, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Clyde Lockett, 46, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Malachiah Williams, 22, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of carjacking and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Carman Ford, 38, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Manuel Francisco, 47, Edgar Springs, MO, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm; unlawful to receive a firearm not registered; and fraud and misuse of Visas/Permits.

Reginald Holmes, 36, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of one or more firearms.

Calvin Johnson, 60, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Harold Lee, 26, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Herbert Palmer, 57, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Lavon Washington, 32, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Wilton Fortson, 61, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Myron Gunter, 37, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Wendell Corey Jones, 58, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Arvell Keithley, 21, Woodson Terrace, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Marqus Parker, 19, Ferguson, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of carjacking and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Braylon Roberts, 31, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of armed robbery and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Charles Lamar Roby, 30, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm; possessed one or more firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Angelina Jones, 36, Florissant, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Calvin Monger, Jr., 32, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Earnest Harris, 27, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Tyrone Davis, 46, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Darion Johnson, 26, St. Louis, pled guilty to brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Lorenzo Luna-Espinoza, 22, Midland, TX, pled guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by illegal immigrant.

Glenn Reynolds, 26, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Marquise Q. Dukes, 28, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Dirrell Taylor, 26, Wentzville, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Jamel Green, 27, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Deandre Johnson, 24, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Glenn Reynolds, 26, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Robert Goss, 23, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Darian Clark, 25, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Terry Stubblefield, 47, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Daylin L. Crafton, 30, Florissant, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Terry Parker, 34, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Savon Durphey, 24, pled guilty to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possessing with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Rafael Foster, 32, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

William C. Howard, 26, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

David Staples, 49, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Vergil Thomas, 29, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Roland Garner, 33, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Charles G. Ivy, 46, Sullivan, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Jeremiah Hart, 22, St. Peters, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Armon Harris, 39, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base.

Ernis Basic, 30, St. Louis, pled guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of one or more drug trafficking crimes.

Michael Brown, 21, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Ameche W. Baldwin, 32, Olivette, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Bryian T. Fips, 37, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

Terrence Akins, 26, St. Louis, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

Darkel D. Martin, 32, East St. Louis, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

Cortez Cooper, 38, St. Louis, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

Andre Legardy, 25, St. Louis, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for stealing a firearm which is moving in interstate commerce.

Devoshia Gray, 20, St. Louis, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

Marlon Adams, 37, St. Louis, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

Charles D. Smith, 29, was sentenced to 27 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

Deandre Thompson, 46, St. Louis, was sentenced to 63 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

Terran Eggleston, 32, St. Louis, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

Michael Guest, 61, St. Louis, was sentenced to 14 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

Markquis Bryant, 29, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

Acotra Weaver, 28, St. Louis, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

Andre Adams, 33, St. Louis, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

Maurice Cooper, 38, St. Louis, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

Deon D. Story, Jr., 38, St. Louis, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

Justin I. Morrow, 20, St. Louis, was sentenced to 144 months in prison for robbery and discharging a firearm during the commission of a federal crime.

Darrius T. Shannon, 37, St. Louis, was sentenced to conspiracy to distribute heroin and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Christopher Wilson, 29, Omaha, NE, was sentenced to 38 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

Darryl E. Allen, 50, was sentenced to 13 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

Tito Santiago, 34, St. Louis, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.

Kevin Nailor, 24, St. Louis, was sentenced to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and felon in possession of a firearm.

Trevon Sykes, 26, St. Louis, was sentenced to 180 months for felon in possession of one or more firearms.

Fayetteville, Arkansas - Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Juan Francisco Alcocer,age 32, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced yesterday to 75 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.

According to court records, during January 2018, investigators received information that Alcocer was distributing methamphetamine in Northwest Arkansas. During the course of the investigation, probable cause was established to support a search warrant for Alcocer’s hotel room. During the search of the hotel room, law enforcement officers revealed pipes, digital scales, and bags of methamphetamine. The DEA Crime Lab results confirmed that the substance seized weighed and contained 480.03 grams of actual methamphetamine.

Alcocer was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2018 and entered a guilty plea in June 2018.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Springdale Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Amy Driver prosecuted the case for the United States.

In San Antonio this morning, a federal judge sentenced 36–year-old Gerardo Javier Carreon of Laredo, TX, to 70 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for transporting illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden.

On July 5, 2018, Carreon pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens.  On June 12, 2018, authorities responding to a scene in the area of Loop 410 and Broadway discovered over 50 illegal aliens in and around a semi-tractor trailer driven by Carreon. 

“As we’ve seen too many times, transporting human beings in tractor-trailers is unbelievably dangerous.  This has to stop,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.  “We will vigorously prosecute drivers who commit this dangerous crime, and the penalties are stiff.”

“As this sentence makes clear, those who exploit people in for profit will themselves face consequences,” said HSI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Folden.  “Those responsible for illegally moving people into and through our country place personal profit ahead of public safety and border protection.  They are driven by greed with little regard for the health and well-being of their human cargo, which can be a deadly combination.”

The U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating this case.  Assistant United States Attorneys Matt Lathrop and Christina Playton prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.

Jackson, Miss. – Four Louisiana businessmen have been indicted and arrested for conspiracy, paying bribes, and attempting to pay bribes to former Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner Christopher B. Epps and current Kemper County Sheriff James Moore in exchange for receiving contracts involving the MDOC and a regional detention facility located in Kemper County, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Christopher Freeze, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.

A three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on September 19, 2018, charges the four businessmen with conspiracy to defraud the United States, and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. They are identified as:

• Michael LeBlanc Sr., 70, of Baton Rouge, La.

• Michael LeBlanc Jr., 40, of Prairieville, La.

• Tawasky L. Ventroy, 59, of Opelousas, La.

• Jacque B. Jackson, 50, of Laplace, La.

Between 2012 and 2015, the four are alleged to have conspired to pay bribes to former MDOC Commissioner Epps and Kemper County Sheriff Moore. Sheriff Moore voluntarily assisted the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and was never a subject of this investigation.

"As long as public corruption continues to be an issue in our state, I can promise you that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will be here to root it out, prosecute it, and ensure that justice is done. I want to personally thank Kemper County Sheriff James Moore for coming forward and working with us to catch those who violate our corruption laws," said U.S. Attorney Hurst.

According to the indictment, LeBlanc Sr., LeBlanc Jr., Ventroy and Jackson were associated with Brothers Commissary Services and American Phone Systems, both located in Louisiana but operating in the state of Mississippi.

The indictment states that LeBlanc Sr. allegedly used corrupt means in an attempt to secure lucrative jail and detention facility contracts for commissary and other services throughout Mississippi. Ventroy worked for LeBlanc Sr. to help secure the contracts.

According to the indictment, on or about October 20, 2014, LeBlanc Sr. called Epps to confirm Ventroy would be meeting with Epps. On or about October 21, 2014, Ventroy brought a $2,000 cash bribe or gratuity to former Commissioner Epps. LeBlanc Sr. and Ventroy also agreed to give something of value of $5,000 or more with the intent to influence Epps for awarding and retention of the contracts for LeBlanc Sr.’s company for inmate commissary services.

The indictment alleges that LeBlanc Jr. used corrupt means in an attempt to secure lucrative jail contracts for commissary and inmate telephone services with the Kemper County Regional Correctional Facility and elsewhere. Jackson worked for LeBlanc Jr. to help secure the contracts.

According to the indictment, on or about December 8, 2014, LeBlanc Jr. obtained $2,000 in casino chips at a Biloxi, Mississippi, casino. LeBlanc Jr. provided a minimum of four $500 chips to Jackson. Jackson gave Sheriff Moore a total of $2,000 in casino chips in the men’s restroom of the casino because the inside of the restroom was not covered by casino surveillance cameras. LeBlanc Jr. and Jackson also agreed to give something of value of $5,000 or more with the intent to influence Moore for awarding and retention of the contracts for LeBlanc Jr.’s company for inmate telephone and commissary services at the Kemper County Regional Correctional Facility.

LeBlanc Sr., LeBlanc Jr., Ventroy and Jackson are appearing today before United States Magistrate Judges in the Louisiana districts where they were arrested. Each will appear for their arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda R. Anderson in Jackson, Mississippi, on October 16, 2018, at 1:30 p.m.

LeBlanc Sr. and Ventroy are charged in Counts 1 and 2, which carry a maximum sentence of imprisonment of 5 years and 10 years each, respectively. LeBlanc Jr. and Jackson are charged in Counts 1 and 3, which also carries a maximum sentence of imprisonment of 5 years and 10 years each, respectively. Each count carries a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Hurst commended the work of the special agents with the FBI’s Jackson Division who investigated the case, along with assistance from Kemper County Sheriff James Moore. The FBI New Orleans Division assisted with the arrests. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jay Golden and Kathlyn Van Buskirk.

The public is reminded that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Scott W. Atway, 44, of Powell, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 12 months and one day in prison, four months of community confinement and eight months of house arrest for filing a false tax return. Atway was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $600,000.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, announced the sentence handed down yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.

According to the statement of facts in this case, for several years, including 2010 through 2013, Atway owned multiple Verizon Wireless stores in Central Ohio aside from being a self-employed attorney who operated his own law practice. In 2013, he also generated income from a real-estate holding company for his rental properties.

Atway provided incomplete or false documents to his tax-return preparer for these years. He further made false statements to her when asked to justify how he paid for his lifestyle.

During this timeframe, Atway was building and improving upon a luxury home in Powell. He paid more than $800,000 to contractors for additions including an enclosed tennis court, basketball court, in-ground pool, six-car garage and an elevator. These expenses could not have been covered by the amount of taxable income Atway reported to the IRS.

He was also buying high-end cars, including a $99,000 Land Rover, a $50,000 Porsche 911, a $24,000 Lexus IS250, a $71,000 BMW X6 and a nearly $143,000 Audi R8. (The purchase prices of some of the cars were partially offset by trade-ins.) For these cars, he either received no financing or paid off the loans early, and the income he reported to the dealerships was much greater than what he reported on his tax returns.

“Instead of paying the taxes that he owed, Atway bought high-end vehicles and built an extravagant home for himself,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “Atway stole from all of us—to the tune of over half a million dollars. He deserves the term of incarceration he received.”

“The license to run a business is not a license to avoid paying taxes,” said Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office. “By filing false tax returns, he cheated all Americans, since we all pay our fair share for the government services and protections that we enjoy.”

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate, who is representing the United States in this case. 

# # #

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Alexander Davis, 32, of Monsey, New York, was found guilty after a jury trial for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and for travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.  The trial took place in Easton, Pennsylvania before United States District Judge Edward G. Smith.

Between December 4 and December 20, 2017, the defendant began communicating online via Craigslist with a person he believed to be a 14-year old female named “Marisa.”  In fact, “Marisa” was a Special Agent with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office acting in an undercover capacity.  Both in online chats and later in text messages, the undercover agent repeatedly told Davis that she was a 14-year old girl.  Davis asked to meet “Marisa” multiple times and peppered their communications with sexual innuendo, including volunteering to bring condoms to their first sexual encounter.  Davis traveled to a McDonald’s restaurant in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on the agreed-upon date with condoms and was arrested.

“This predator traveled to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania with condoms in his pocket and illegal sex with a minor on his mind,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain.  “At trial, he claimed that he was role-playing, thinking that he was actually communicating with an adult, but the jury did not buy that excuse.  This sort of depravity has no place in our communities.  Thanks to smart detective work and collaboration between state and federal law enforcement agencies, Davis’s plan never came to fruition.”

“Homeland Security Investigations leaves no stone unturned in identifying and arresting perpetrators who seek to prey upon vulnerable children in our communities,” said Marlon V. Miller, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia.  “Thanks to HSI’s partnership with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and the diligent teamwork of federal, state, and local law enforcement in this case, a potentially dangerous child predator has been convicted and will now be held accountable for his actions.”

The case was investigated by Special Agent Kathryn Murray of Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from Special Agent Daniel Block of the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josh Davison.

CINCINNATI – Donte Holdbrook, 24, of Middletown, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to his role in a local narcotics conspiracy tied to the Sinaloa Drug Cartel in Mexico.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot K. Isaac, Middletown Police Chief Rodney Muterspaw, Preble County Prosecuting Attorney Martin P. Votel and Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Paul A. Pride announced the plea entered into yesterday before U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black.

Holdbrook was one of 12 individuals charged by a Cincinnati federal grand jury in March in a narcotics and money laundering conspiracy. Members of the group distributed fentanyl from Mexico in Middletown and sent proceeds back to the Sinaloa Drug Cartel in Mexico. A number of others were charged in San Diego, Calif. in a related case.

This investigation began when undercover FBI agents in San Diego learned that a known Sinaloa Cartel money-laundering boss, Jose Lopez-Albarran, coordinated and conducted multiple bulk cash pickups from a drug trafficking organization within the Southern District of Ohio.

Lopez-Albarran was one of 40 defendants charged in the Southern District of California. According to court documents there, he and other members of the Cartel allegedly laundered tens of millions of dollars in narcotics proceeds from the United States to Mexico between 2015 and 2018. Through the investigation in California, law enforcement discovered multiple drug-trafficking cells throughout the United States.

The Middletown, Ohio drug-trafficking cell led by Holdbrook sent drug proceeds back to the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico via Lopez-Albarran.

Holdbrook was found to be in possession of 366 grams of fentanyl during a traffic stop on December 2, 2017, and in the plea also admitted he arranged for multiple shipments of fentanyl into the Middletown area.

Holdbrook pleaded guilty to the narcotics conspiracy and faces 10 years to life in prison.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of the cases by the FBI – including FBI San Diego Cross Border Violence Task Force, FBI Cincinnati Division and FBI Cleveland Division, Cincinnati and Middletown police departments, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Warren County Drug Task Force, as well as the coordination of Preble County Prosecutor Votel. Glassman also commended Assistant United States Attorney Karl P. Kadon, who is representing the United States in this case.

# # #

BOISE – Ray Perales, 43, of Caldwell, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 262 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced.  A federal grand jury indicted Perales on September 14, 2017, and he later pleaded guilty on July 13, 2018.  Perales was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David C. Nye.

 According to court records, investigators received information in July 2017 that Perales was distributing large amounts of methamphetamine.  On July 19, 2017, Perales was arrested for violating his parole.  At the time of his arrest, he had a loaded pistol and over $13,000.  On August 9, 2017, investigators searched Perales’ mobile home in Homedale, Idaho.  During the search, investigators found approximately five pounds of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and $18,231.  Perales’ co-defendant, Ricardo Renteria-Castillo, was also in the mobile home.

Perales has a lengthy criminal history with at least four prior felony convictions, including distributing controlled substances.  At the time he committed this offense, he was on parole for attempted strangulation.  Because of his criminal history, he faced a sentence of at least twenty years in prison.

 Perales’ co-defendant, Renteria-Castillo, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.  He is scheduled for sentencing on December 6, 2018 before Judge Nye at the Federal Courthouse in Boise.  That crime is punishable by at least 10 years up to life in prison.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Nampa Police Department, Caldwell Police Department, and the Idaho Department of Probation and Parole.  The following law enforcement agencies also participated in the search of the mobile home in Homedale: Homedale Police Department, Boise Police Department, Valley County Sheriff’s Office, Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, Ada County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mini Cassia Drug Task Force.

This indictment is the result of a joint investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), which includes the cooperative law enforcement efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and the U.S. Marshals Service.

The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.

Jackson, Miss. – Frank Saddler, 52, of Ridgeland, was charged by Criminal Information with one count of Extortion Under Color of Official Right, relating to his former job with the Mississippi Department of Human Services investigating fraud related to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze, and Dax Roberson, Special Agent in Charge, Office of Inspector General, United States Department of Agriculture.

"There is almost nothing more corrosive to our democratic form of government than one who abuses his position of authority and public trust. Prosecuting public corruption is a priority of this U.S. Attorney’s Office, and those who abuse their power should be on notice that they will be held to account by this Justice Department," said U.S. Attorney Hurst.

As set forth in the Criminal Information, Saddler was a Branch Director with the Mississippi Department of Human Services ("MDHS"), which has oversight of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ("SNAP") of the United States Department of Agriculture in Mississippi. Saddler’s duties included investigating violations of the SNAP regulations and pursuing criminal charges against violators.

As charged in the Criminal Information, from July 23, 2014 through June 12, 2015, Saddler extorted money from the owners of convenience stores who violated SNAP regulations and who had been charged with criminal violations relating to SNAP.

A violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), as charged in the Criminal Information, carries a maximum possible penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and supervised release of up to three years. Restitution is mandatory by law. The Criminal Information also seeks forfeiture of all proceeds of the extortion.

The public is reminded that a Criminal Information merely alleges that crimes have been committed and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Agriculture. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dave Fulcher.

A Cleveland man was sentenced to 12 ½ years in federal prison for stealing a firearm from a gun show in Berea.

Anthony Lett, 41, was convicted by a jury earlier this year on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of being in possession of a stolen firearm following a two-day trial in U.S. District Court.

"This is a person with a long history of violence who has no business having a firearm," U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. "Our community is safer with him behind bars."

Lett stole a Kahr Arms .45-caliber pistol from a gun show in Berea on April 30, 2016. Lett has prior convictions that make it illegal for him to have a firearm, including convictions for kidnapping, felonious assault, carrying a concealed weapon, drug trafficking and other crimes, according to court documents.

Lett is currently serving 20 years in state prison for unrelated convictions including attempted murder, aggravated robbery and other crimes, according to court documents.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Galvin and Elliot Morrison following an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Berea Police Department, with assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police.

Baltimore, Maryland – Over the past three days, three separate defendants have pleaded guilty to federal charges relating to the distribution of fentanyl.  First, Leslie Patillo, Jr. age 36, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the federal charge of possession with intent to distribute 40 or more grams of fentanyl.  Second, on October 3, 2018, Kamalah Nicole Cordell, age 31, also of Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to the federal charge of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.  Third, on October 2, 2018, Robert Luke Simpson, age 24, of Gambrills, Maryland, pleaded guilty to the federal charge of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.  As little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be a lethal dose.  Each of these three defendants distributed at least 32 grams of fentanyl, or enough to kill 16,000 people.

The guilty pleas were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; the Washington County Narcotics Task Force, led by Washington County Sheriff Douglas Mullendore; Washington County State’s Attorney Charles P. Strong, Jr.; Acting Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Postal Inspector in Charge Peter R. Rendina of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; and Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare.

U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur stated, “Drug traffickers are on notice that dealing in fentanyl increases their odds of federal prosecution. We’re also targeting drug dealers who use guns and increase the risk of gun violence in Maryland, as well as those who buy fentanyl on the dark web and re-sell this poison to our citizens.  Working together with our local, state, and federal partners, we are determined to reduce the number of opioid overdose deaths in Maryland.”

Kamalah Nicole Cordell

According to her plea agreement, from at least 2017 through January 2018, Cordell conspired with others, including Antoine Henderson, to distribute fentanyl and other drugs in the area of Washington County, Maryland.  In August and September 2017, investigators conducted at least six controlled purchases of either fentanyl or crack cocaine from Cordell and/or Henderson.  According to their plea agreements, the controlled purchases were supposed to be heroin, but lab results showed that the substances provided by Cordell and/or Henderson were in fact fentanyl, not heroin.  On January 17, 2018, search warrants were executed at two locations and three vehicles associated with Cordell and Henderson.  At the stash house, located on Atlantic Drive in Hagerstown, agents recovered 80.22 grams of fentanyl, located in the bottom compartment of a Coca-Cola vending machine in the garage.  Cordell and Henderson own and operate a vending machine company.  The agents also recovered 9 mm ammunition, a drug press, digital scales, cellular phones, and other drug paraphernalia. At Cordell and Henderson’s primary residence, located on Lantern Lane in Hagerstown, the agents recovered additional cellular phones, a currency counter, jewelry, and a garage opener that opened the garage at the stash house.  Cordell admitted that her participation in the conspiracy involved at least 32 grams but less than 40 grams of fentanyl.

Leslie Patillo, Jr.

Patillo was part of the same drug organization and admitted that he distributed fentanyl and other drugs in the Washington County, Maryland area.  According to his plea agreement, on April 10, 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Patillo’s residence and recovered 99.44 grams of a combination of fentanyl and heroin, as well as drug paraphernalia.  In addition, a knotted baggie was found on Patillo’s person that contained .82 grams of a combination of heroin and fentanyl.  Investigators also recovered $26,680 in cash from the home, believed to be the proceeds of Patillo’s drug distribution.  A storage unit in Patillo’s name was also searched and three guns, each packaged with a loaded magazine, were seized from the unit.  One of the magazines, packaged with a .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, was loaded with six rounds of hollow-point ammunition.

Robert Luke Simpson

Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Simpson’s residence and found 6,200 fentanyl pills weighing approximately 369 grams, in a hidden compartment in a wall-mounted shelf and on a desk.  Officers also found $8,578 in cash, as well as cell phones, computers, iPads, and Bitcoin cryptocurrency mining equipment.  Simpson admitted that he purchased 10,000 fentanyl pills from a dark web marketplace for approximately $10,000 worth of Bitcoin cryptocurrency.  Simpson sold the fentanyl pills for $5 to $10 each to customers in Maryland.  Simpson admitted that he sold between 400 grams and 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl.

Antoine Jamel Henderson, age 35, of Hagerstown, Maryland previously pleaded guilty.  Henderson and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Henderson will be sentenced to between 10 and 15 years in federal prison.

U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for both Cordell and Patillo on January 3, 2019 at 11 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., respectively.  Henderson is scheduled to be sentenced on January 10, 2019, at 3:00 p.m.

U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for Simpson on March 2, 2019, at 3:00 p.m.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DEA; the Washington County Narcotics Task Force, led by Washington County Sheriff Douglas Mullendore; and Washington County State’s Attorney Charles P. Strong, Jr. for their work in the Cordell and Patillo investigation.  U.S. Attorney Hur commended HSI Baltimore, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department for the work in the Simpson investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joan C. Mathias and Michael C. Hanlon, who are prosecuting the Cordell and Patillo Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas A. Mitchell, who is prosecuting the Simpson case.

# # #

             WASHINGTON – Antoine Byrd, 38, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to fatally stabbing one man and wounding two others at a bar and grill in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Byrd pled guilty on Oct. 3, 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of voluntary manslaughter while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence in the range of 10 to 14 years. The Honorable Craig Iscoe set a hearing for Jan. 11, 2019, to determine whether to accept the plea and sentencing range.

            According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, the stabbing took place at approximately 11:40 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2016.  That evening, the homicide victim, Robinson Pal, 32, had been with friends at the “Bar Code” bar and restaurant, in the 1100 block of 17^th Street NW. Byrd was also at the club that night.  At some point during the evening, Mr. Pal pointed out Byrd to his friends, and accused Byrd of having previously robbed him. 

            A short time later, Mr. Pal and Byrd encountered one another again.  This time, they got into a physical altercation, and at some point, Byrd yelled, “I’m going to kill you.” Byrd then stabbed Mr. Pal one time in his chest area.  Mr. Pal slumped over and fell to the floor.  During that altercation, Byrd also stabbed a second man in the back, and a third man in the hand. Both of those victims survived.

            Byrd then fled the scene on foot. He was later identified by individuals who had been at the establishment that night.  DNA evidence also linked Byrd to the handle of the knife that was recovered on scene from underneath Mr. Pal. Byrd was arrested on Feb. 17, 2016, and has been in custody ever since.

            Mr. Pal died from his injuries on Feb. 1, 2016.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura A. Bach and David Gorman, Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin, Paralegal Specialist Kelly Blakeney, and Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Nestler, Alicia Long, and Ellen D’Angelo, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – Dozens of individuals were arrested today on federal drug, firearms, and immigration offenses, as well as state warrants. In addition, 11 criminal aliens were arrested and will be processed administratively. Today’s sweep, netting more than 35 criminals in and around the City of Lawrence, is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhood Initiative (PSN), which aims to bring together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime.

As part of today’s sweep, approximately 35 defendants were charged with federal and state offenses, and nine are still at large. Eleven criminal aliens were arrested by ICE and will be processed administratively for removal from the United States, and 13 are currently at large.

The arrests are the culmination of a number of federal investigations dubbed Operation Law and Order, which targeted impact players and repeat offenders in and around the City of Lawrence, all of whom have prior convictions for acts of violence, firearm offenses and/or drug trafficking, and those with criminal records who are in the United States illegally.

Today’s operation involved over 200 federal law enforcement agents from all over New England, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; Homeland Security Investigations; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Marshals Service; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

During the investigations, law enforcement officers bought or seized approximately 10 kilos of fentanyl.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Todd M. Lyons, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; United States Marshal John Gibbons of the District of Massachusetts; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett made the announcement today. 

The federal cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys in Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit, Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit, and the Major Crimes Unit. The state cases are being prosecuted by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office.  Administrative arrests made by ICE will be handled in Immigration Court. 

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

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. Oct. 3, 2018, marked one year since Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN 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.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A Fort Knox, Kentucky soldier pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings, to five counts of production of child pornography by a parent, 10 counts of transportation of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman.

Andrew Paul Schmidt, 40, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on December 4, 2017.  A federal grand jury indicted Schmidt on six counts on December 20, 2017, and returned a superseding indictment with additional charges on March 21, 2018.   

According to the criminal complaint, on December 4, 2017, Schmidt utilized KiK messenger to communicate with an individual online, which unbeknownst to Schmidt, was an undercover Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) special agent. During the course of the online conversation, Schmidt sent the undercover agent images of his five-year-old daughter.

Schmidt faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and could be sentenced up to 370 years in prison. Further, Schmidt faces a minimum term of 5 years supervised release up to a maximum term of supervised release for life, and a $4 million fine.  Sentencing is scheduled for January 17, 2019, at 10 AM in Louisville before Judge Jennings.   

Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Judd and United States Army Captain Greta L. Mattessich, Special Assistant United States Attorney, are prosecuting the case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation.

                                                                                   ****

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.

Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Court Judge John E. Steele has sentenced Ryan Williamson (50, Fort Myers) and William Pierce (50, Virginia) to one year in prison, and nine months’ imprisonment, respectively, for conspiring to pay unlawful kickbacks to a local doctor for referring patients to A&G Spinal Solutions, LLC (“A&G Spinal”) – the defendants’ durable medical equipment company. As part of their sentences, the Court also entered money judgments against Williamson in the amount of $1,593,564.54, and against Pierce in the amount of $803,007.25, the proceeds of the conspiracy. Both men had previously pleaded guilty.

According to the plea agreements, beginning in 2010, Williamson and Pierce conspired with Dr. Michael Frey, an interventional pain management doctor operating in Fort Myers, to pay compensation to Frey in exchange for referrals to their company (A&G Spinal). A&G Spinal then paid a percentage of the resulting profits via checks (made payable to Frey’s wife), who was unaware of the scheme and was not associated with A&G Spinal. In addition, from 2013 to 2015, Williamson also paid kickbacks to Frey in exchange for patient referrals for compound pharmaceutical pain cream prescriptions.

Frey has pleaded guilty for his role in both schemes and is currently awaiting sentencing.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Jones and Simon Eth, with the assistance from the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General.

Today’s resolution illustrates the government’s commitment to combating improper practices that implicate the nation’s federally subsidized health care programs, using all statutory and common law remedies available to address such schemes. Tips from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of abusive sexual contact on October 1, 2018.

Silas Ortley, age 36, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

In July 2017, Ortley engaged in sexual acts with juveniles.  At the times of Ortley’s conduct, the victims were twelve and thirteen years of age. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri.

Ortley remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshal’s Service to serve his sentence.