CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Late yesterday, a Charlotte federal jury convicted Rafid Latif, 54, of Charlotte, N.C., Ejaz Shareef, 42, of Mt. Royal, New Jersey, and Imtiaz Shareef, 39, of Bossier City, Louisiana, of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering through a fraudulent loan scheme, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. A fourth co-defendant, Biren Sheth, 52, of West Caldwell, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty on May 16, 2018, to conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, for his role in the scheme.

According to filed court documents and evidence presented at trial, from 2010 to 2018, Latif, Ejaz Shareef, and Imtiaz Shareef, conspired with each other and Sheth to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), various banks, and an insurance company through the operation and sale of two Charlotte-area hotels, the Days Inn located at 1408 West Sugar Creek Road, and the Arlington Suites located at 4416 South Tryon street. 

Trial evidence established that the conspiracy involved three inter-related schemes: an insurance fraud scheme; a fraudulent loan-kickback scheme; and a short-sale scheme.  According to court records, in 2010, Latif, Ejaz Shareef and Imtiaz Shareef were the operators of the Days Inn hotel.  In that capacity, the three co-defendants engaged in a scheme to obtain fraudulent reimbursements from an insurance company for fictitious repairs and remodeling expenses at the Days Inn hotel.  By submitting fake documents and bogus proofs of payment, the co-defendants obtained more than $825,000 from the insurance company, and then used a portion of the money to facilitate bank loan fraud schemes involving the two hotels. 

According to trial evidence, in 2012, the defendants obtained an SBA loan from a bank in order to finance the purchase of the Days Inn hotel.  The co-conspirators obtained the loan by making several false material representations including presenting the bank with fraudulent documents such as an inflated lease-purchase agreement; by misrepresenting the source of the down payment, which was the fraudulently-obtained insurance money; and by failing to disclose to the bank that the co-conspirators would receive nearly $700,000 as a kickback from the hotel’s inflated sale price.

In addition to the fraudulent scheme involving the Days Inn hotel, Sheth and Latif engaged in separate fraudulent loan scheme involving the Arlington Suites hotel. Trial evidence established that, as a favor for Sheth’s assistance in facilitating the purchase of the Days Inn hotel, Latif agreed to help Sheth with the fraudulent short sale of the Arlington Suites hotel. Sheth owned the Arlington Suites hotel, which was in part financed with an SBA loan.  With Latif’s help, Sheth defrauded SBA by convincing SBA to agree to a short-sale when Sheth fell behind on his payments.  According to trial evidence, Sheth arranged to “sell” the Arlington Suites hotel to a corporation in Latif’s name.  This sham sale was in name only. According to trial evidence, Sheth convinced SBA to charge off nearly $1 million of the balance Sheth owed on the existing loan.  Because Latif was only a straw purchaser and Sheth remained the true owner of the hotel, the $1 million represented an immediate increase in Sheth’s equity in the Arlington Suites hotel.

According to evidence presented at trial, Latif further defrauded SBA in connection with the Arlington Suites sale by obtaining another SBA loan to finance the purported purchase of the hotel.  Latif secured the SBA loan by using false and fraudulent documentation and making material representations about the down-payment money, among other things. 

In 2014, Sheth transferred to Latif $690,000 in kickback funds from the Days Inn sale, after Latif threatened to expose the Arlington Suites short-sale fraud.

At sentencing, Latif, Ejaz Shareef, and Imtiaz Shareef face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.  A sentencing date for the defendants has not been set.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray credited the Charlotte Division of the FBI for its investigation of this case and thanked the SBA for its invaluable assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caryn Finley and William Miller, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, are in charge of the prosecution.

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DAVID TAYLOR, a state-licensed doctor, was convicted by a jury for writing medically unnecessary prescriptions for oxycodone over a five-year period. The verdict followed a one-week jury trial before United States District Court Judge Andrew L. Carter, Jr.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “Dr. David Taylor violated his solemn Hippocratic oath to do no harm.  For cash and gifts, Taylor prescribed more than 100,000 oxycodone pills that quickly made its way to the streets of New York City, fueling the opioid epidemic.  Now, Taylor stands convicted and faces 20 years in prison for his crime.” 

According to allegations in the Indictment and evidence introduced at trial:

From January 2012 through at least June 2017, in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere, TAYLOR and others conspired to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone.  During this time, TAYLOR operated out of three offices in Staten Island, New York, and prescribed more than 2.6 million 30-milligram oxycodone pills.  In exchange for cash and gifts, TAYLOR wrote prescriptions for over 100,000 oxycodone pills with a street value of more than $2 million for members of the conspiracy whom TAYLOR knew had no legitimate medical need for the drug.  The co-conspirators then illegally sold the oxycodone they obtained from TAYLOR on the streets.

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TAYLOR, 75, was convicted of one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  TAYLOR will be sentenced by Judge Carter on April 5, 2019.

Other members of the conspiracy, including VITO GALLICCHIO, 51, NICHOLAS AVICOLLI, 54, DANIEL GARCIA, 57, LAWRENCE MONTALBANO, 52, and DON MICHAEL CARIM, 34, previously pleaded guilty to the same offense.

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

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squad (Group TDS-NY), which comprises agents and officers from the DEA, the New York Police Department, the New York State Police, New York State Department of Financial Services, the New York National Guard, and New York City Department of Investigation.  He also acknowledged the assistance of Health and Human Services-OIG and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Narcotics Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kiersten A. Fletcher, Justin V. Rodriguez, and Nicolas Roos are in charge of the prosecution.

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Anthony Grado, a member of the Luchese organized crime family, and Lawrence Tranese, an associate of the Colombo organized crime family, were sentenced by United States District Judge Carol B. Amon to 12years’ and 40 months’ imprisonmentrespectivelyfor conspiring to distribute oxycodone that they obtained through fraudulent prescriptions. The Court also ordered Grado to pay $70,000 in forfeiture and Tranese $12,000 in forfeiture.

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.

“Today’s sentence punishes the defendants for ruthlessly endangering our community through their organized crime-backed distribution of highly-addictive opioid drugs,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “This Office, working together with our law enforcement partners, will continue our relentless efforts against those responsible for the opioid epidemic.” Mr. Donoghue thanked the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance during this investigation.

“Opioid and prescription drug abuse affects communities and families in New York and across the country. Grado and Tranese’s conspiracy to distribute oxycodone contributed to this nationwide crisis, and even worse, they threatened a doctor with violence in order to coerce him into providing fraudulent prescriptions,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.  “Today’s sentence should stand as a warning to organized crime families, their associates, and anyone else who would commit similar acts in order to further the scourge of opioid addiction for their own benefit: you will be found out and brought to justice.”

 “Dismantling criminal enterprises, in all their forms, will always be a priority for the NYPD and our law-enforcement partners at the Eastern District and the FBI,” stated NYPD Commissioner O’Neill. “Collectively, we have a very long reach and we will not tire in our mission of fighting crime and keeping people safe – which includes removing from our streets anyone who adds to our nation’s opioid crisis by dealing illegal narcotics.”

Grado and Tranese, together with their coconspirators, gave a Brooklyn-based doctor the names of people for whom the doctor should write prescriptions, and the doctor complied, usually without conducting any physical examinations.  The defendants then filled the prescriptions and sold the pills.  Alternatively, the defendants and their coconspirators used violence and threats of violence to force the doctor to write the prescriptions, or seized the doctor’s prescription pad and Grado completed the prescription.  In one recorded conversation, Grado told the doctor that he would make the doctor write “a thousand scripts a day and [expletive] feed you to the [expletive] lions” if the doctor wrote prescriptions without Grado’s approval.  In the same conversation, Grado told the doctor that if newly ordered prescription pads “go in anybody’s hands” besides Grado’s, “I’ll put a bullet right in your head.”  During the course of the conspiracy, one of Grado’s associates stabbed the doctor in a dispute over the doctor’s prescription pads.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Mathew S. Miller and Matthew J. Jacobs are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendants:

ANTHONY GRADO
Age:  54
Monroe Township, New Jersey

LAWRENCE TRANESE (also known as “Fat Larry”)
Age:  55
Brooklyn, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-559 (CBA)

PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Howard M. Appel, 57, of Wayne, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond to 60 months’ incarceration following Appel’s earlier conviction, upon his plea of guilty, to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. The defendant’s sentence also includes three years of supervised release, a fine of $200,000, and a forfeiture payment of $3,868,699.46. The defendant has been detained in jail since his guilty plea in August 2018.

In 2010, approximately one year after his release from prison following two prior securities-fraud related convictions, Appel participated in a new securities fraud scheme involving publicly traded companies, including Virtual Piggy, Inc. (ticker symbol “VPIG”), and Red Mountain Resources, Inc. (ticker symbol “RDMP”). Appel acquired title to the shares in the names of nominees in order to hide his ownership block from investors and manipulated the share price of the stocks by engaging in a complicated series of actions, including coordinated buying and selling with co-conspirators. Appel also admitted that he traded on inside information that he obtained as a result of his “consulting” work for the companies, including the status of the companies’ efforts to get listed on NASDAQ.  In sentencing Appel, Judge Diamond found that Appel had obtained over $3,800,000 in illegal profits from his fraud in this case.

“Incredibly, this is Appel’s third securities-fraud related conviction,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “The defendant needs to understand that every time he commits a federal crime, he will be prosecuted. Hopefully, this will sink in over the next five years as he sits in jail. Prosecuting securities fraud and thereby safeguarding the integrity of the securities markets has been and will continue to be a top priority of my Office.”  

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael S. Lowe. The parallel civil enforcement proceeding was filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission’s New York Regional Office, under the direction of Mark P. Berger.

SOUTH BEND – Anthony Francis, 20 years old, of Mishawaka, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio after pleading guilty to distribution of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

Francis was sentenced to 78 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release. 

According to documents in the case, on August 30, 2017, Francis along with his co-defendant Brian Cardona distributed 198 grams of methamphetamine to another individual.  During the transaction, the defendants discussed providing much larger quantities of drugs and firearms.  Francis was on community corrections when he and Cardona sold the methamphetamine.  On July 5, 2018, Cardona was sentenced to 78 months incarceration for his criminal conduct. 

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the DEA, South Bend Police Department and the Elkhart Police and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.

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Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington today sentenced William Matthew Napolitano (35, New Port Richey) to life in federal prison for enticing and coercing a minor to engage in sexual activity, and for possessing child pornography. Napolitano had pleaded guilty on August 29, 2018.

According to court documents, from 2014, through most of 2017, Napolitano—at the time employed by Pasco County Schools as a Transportation Manager—lured a 15-year-old student into a predatory sexual relationship that lasted several years. In addition, Napolitano invited the student to view his collection of child pornography, invited him to watch live productions of child pornography on the internet, and invited him to engage in group sex with other adults and other minors. Napolitano also produced and distributed depictions of the sexual abuse of the student.

A review of Napolitano’s electronic devices revealed his interest in enticing and having sex with children and detailed his pattern of arranging such sexual encounters. Napolitano’s devices also contained thousands of message threads wherein he discussed raping babies and young children, intentionally contracting and spreading the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and incest. He also actively participated in and encouraged others to sexually abuse children for his own viewing pleasure. Napolitano had amassed a large collection of child sex-abuse videos and other sexually explicit material, including infant and toddler pornography, pornography involving young children, and pornography involving feces, bestiality, and sadistic and masochistic conduct.

At the time of his arrest, Napolitano was a Manager of Transportation Services for Pasco County Schools. Before ascending to that position, he was a Transportation Route Specialist (2006–2010) and a school bus driver (2004–2006). From 2001 through most of 2004, Napolitano worked at the YMCA in New Port Richey, Florida, as a childcare worker, child supervisor, and senior program director.

“The atrocities committed by this child predator who was in a trusted position at a school district cannot be undone,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “But our greatest hope is that with this life sentence, we can bring some closure to the victims as they continue in the recovery process.”

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.

This is another case 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 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.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore. – After deliberating for just 20 minutes, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts against Andrew Franklin Kowalczyk, 44, formerly of Portland, for the repeated sexual abuse and exploitation of three minor female victims.

“Andrew Kowalczyk’s actions have brought unthinkable distress and terror to the lives of his victims and their families. Our two prosecutors, each with many years’ experience handling similar cases, describe Kowalczyk’s conduct as the worst they’ve seen in their careers,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “I applaud the unwavering resolve of our trial team, our partner investigators and the victim survivors who persevered against a defendant who attempted every conceivable tactic to delay justice for more than 10 years.”

“I am proud of the people on the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, people who work tirelessly to bring justice to victimized children and help put their abusers behind bars. This defendant will never violate our most vulnerable again, and I hope this sentencing sends a strong message to those who would sexually exploit children,” said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon.

“Heinous crimes like those committed by the defendant must come to an end,” said Brad Bench, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Seattle. “I’m very proud of the agents and law enforcement partners responsible for removing this dangerous person from our streets. Let this be a warning to others who attempt to harm our children. We will work tirelessly to ensure you are brought to justice.”

According to court documents and information shared during trial, law enforcement first learned of Kowalczyk’s abuse in early 2008. On December 27, 2007, a Des Moines, Washington police officer stopped Kowalczyk for several traffic violations. Kowalcyzk did not own the vehicle he was driving, did not have a driver’s license and gave the officer a false name. After refusing the officer’s request to step out of the vehicle, Kowalczyk fled, leading police on a high-speed chase that was later terminated for public safety reasons.

Kowalczyk was later located at the Northwest Motor Inn in Puyallup, Washington. A records check run on the alias used by Kowalczyk to book his hotel room returned an outstanding arrest warrant for failing to appear in an unlawful use of a weapon case in Washington County, Oregon. Kowalczyk was arrested early the next morning when attempting to leave the hotel in a cab. Officers seized Kowalcyzk’s personal belongings including two pieces of luggage and a backpack.

In January 2008, Des Moines police detectives sought and obtained a state warrant to search computer equipment, a digital camera and digital storage devices found in Kowalczyk’s luggage. The searched returned a tremendous amount of child pornography including a number of images and videos that appeared to be homemade. Numerous videos and images depicted an unidentified male sexually abusing two very young children. Metadata embedded in many of the digital images revealed that they were created using the same camera found in Kowalczyk’s luggage.

Puyallup Police officers later published certain non-pornographic images of the victims and an adult woman found on Kowalczyk’s devices in an attempt to identify the victims. An adult woman, later identified as the victims’ mother, saw the images and contacted Puyallup Police. She confirmed she knew Kowalczyk and that he had regular access to her daughters in Portland. After reviewing some of the images seized, the victims’ mother was able to identify locations where the images were taken.

The victims’ mother told investigators she met Kowalczyk, a friend of her deceased brother, in 2003. In 2005, after the victims’ mother and her children wound up in a domestic violence shelter, Kowalcyzk offered to pay for them to stay in a motel. Between April and the beginning of June 2005, Kowalczyk arranged for the victims’ mother and her children to stay with or adjacent to him in three different Portland motels. Kowalcyzk and the victims’ mother later rented separate apartments.

The victims’ mother frequently left her children alone in Kowalczyk’s care while she searched for work or housing. The victims’ mother believed Kowalczyk treated the victims well, buying them clothing, diapers, shoes, and even a birthday cake for their second birthday and was unaware of the abuse that transpired. The cake—with the victims’ names on it—appeared in some of the non-pornographic images found on Kowalczyk’s devices.

Investigators were later able to track down the Portland motel rooms Kowalczyk rented for the family. Kowalczyk took photos of himself sexually abusing two of the minor victims at each location. He took sexually explicit photos of the third minor victim at his apartment in Southeast Portland. In March 2008, investigators conducted a federal search warrant of a storage locker Kowalczyk rented in Woodlawn, Washington. They found a sofa, a mirror and several shirts depicted in the pornographic images found on Kowalczyk’s devices.

A federal grand jury charged Kowalczyk with a single count of sexual exploitation of children on February 2, 2008. A superseding indictment with eight additional counts of sexual exploitation of children was returned on March 21, 2012. Kowalczyk sought the replacement of counsel more than a dozen times and filed extensive motions to suppress evidence, causing a decade-long delay in bringing the case to trial.

He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison with a 15-year mandatory minimum on each of the nine counts. Kowalczyk will be sentenced in March 2018 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman.

The case was investigated by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Portland Police Bureau, and the Puyallup and Des Moines, Washington Police Departments. It was prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin and Gary Y. Sussman, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

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 U.S. 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.justice.gov/psc.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at www.fbi.gov/tips.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 31 months imprisonment, three years supervised release on each count to run concurrently, and restitution in the amount of $87,307.76 on her conviction of Embezzlement in Connection with Health Care and Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Jill Ellen Bowser, aka Jill D’Angelo, 51, formerly of West Mifflin, Pa.

According to the information presented to the court, Bowser embezzled funds in the amount of $87,000 that belonged to a health care business entity, where she was employed. The court was further advised that Bowser used forged prescriptions to acquire controlled substances.

Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

The United States Attorney commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jill Ellen Bowser, aka Jill D’Angelo.

BOSTON - A Dominican national was convicted today by a federal jury in Boston of false representation of a Social Security number.

Erika Bautista Diaz, 30, was convicted by a federal jury of one count of false representation of a Social Security number. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Feb. 28, 2019. Bautista Diaz was arrested and charged in July 2018 during a federal sweep targeting individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.

During the execution of a search warrant at Bautista Diaz’s home on July 26, 2018, law enforcement found identity documents in Bautista Diaz’s true name, as well as a Social Security card and birth certificate in the name of a U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico. Bautista Diaz used the name and Social Security number of the U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico for employment in Massachusetts and to receive paychecks. 

The charge provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000. Bautista Diaz will be subject to deportation upon completion of her sentence. 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; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Phillip Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Burzycki and Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.

Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker and U.S. Attorney John H. Durham announced that a Connecticut crime prevention organization is the recipient of one of 16 awards presented today during the 2018 Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) National Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.  The awards recognize individuals and groups for their dedication and contribution to the success of PSN, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.

“Project Safe Neighborhoods is making our prosecutions more targeted and more effective – and that makes the American people safer,” said Acting Attorney General Whitaker. “Today the Department recognizes 16 examples of those who go above and beyond the call of duty in using PSN to reduce violent crime.  We had a lot of impressive nominees, but even with tough competition, these 16 stood out.  I want to thank each one of them for their service and congratulate them on a job well done.”

The Justice Education Center, Inc., based in West Hartford, received a PSN award for Innovative Prevention/Reentry Strategy.  This award is given to those who have made an impact to reduce offenses, prevent crime by mitigating risk, and prevent recidivism on the part of those reintegrating into society.

Specifically noted during today’s ceremony, the Justice Education Center and the Connecticut U.S. Attorney’s Office developed the Career Pathways Technology Collaborative, a program designed to provide skilled vocational, credentialed training to at-risk youth, 16 to 24 years of age.  Career Pathways enables young people to acquire credits toward their high school diploma or GED, obtain entry or competitive level employment, or seek further technology certifications through union or community college programs.  This collaborative is deeply community-based, as the Justice Education Center has developed partnerships with local boards of education, community colleges, workforce development boards, and unions.  Of the 133 youths enrolled in the program since 2015, more than 70 percent received credit towards graduation.  The success of the partnership between the Justice Education Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut has fostered the development of new investments in education, risk reduction and career readiness – with PSN funds serving as critical leverage for additional state, municipal and foundation support.

“The Justice Education Center is dedicated to finding creative ways to prevent crime, improve public safety and strengthen our communities in Connecticut,” said U.S. Attorney Durham.”  “For more than a decade, the Justice Education Center and U.S. Attorney’s Office have collaborated closely on initiatives to reduce violent crime and curb juvenile crime.  I congratulate the Justice Education Center – under the dedicated, tireless and enthusiastic leadership of its executive director Sherry Haller – for this well-deserved national recognition.”

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – United States Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger, along with a team of law enforcement officials from the Eastern District of Virginia, joined law enforcement leaders from around the country this week at the 2018 Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Conference held in Kansas City, Missouri.

This morning, Terwilliger participated in a panel presentation on the ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) model and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN).

“CGIC and NIBIN are game changers for how we target and investigate trigger pullers,” said Terwilliger. “Director Brandon’s leadership and support of our anti-violent crime efforts and the U.S. Attorney community in general has been astounding. He and his team are truly committed to the ATF mantra of being no better partner. My sincere thanks to the brave women and men of ATF for all they are doing to interdict gun traffickers and violent criminals using both traditional law enforcement techniques as well as cutting edge science.”

Terwilliger was joined at the PSN conference by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen W. Miller and Rebeca H. Bellows, Newport News Police Chief Steve R. Drew, Major Roger Russell of the Richmond Police Department, Detective Ray Betts of the Fairfax County Police Department’s Gang Unit, and Sgt. Claudio Saa of the Town of Herndon Police Department. This team of law enforcement officials presented on best practices of investigating and dismantling MS-13, setting up violent crime task forces, forming law enforcement and community partnerships, and how to effectively use the CGIC model to address violent crime. The Eastern District of Virginia continues to be a leader in PSN and currently has active programs in all four divisions: Alexandria, Newport News, Norfolk, and Richmond.

Terwilliger recently accepted an invitation from ATF Director Thomas E. Brandon to join the National Crime Gun Intelligence Board, and will immediately begin serving a three-year term.

“United States Attorney Terwilliger’s extensive experience in both prosecuting violent firearm offenders and developing Department of Justice policies to combat firearm violence provides essential expertise to the Crime Gun Intelligence Governing Board,” said ATF Deputy Director Thomas E. Brandon. “ATF is fully committed to reducing gun violence in communities across the nation and the Governing Board, which includes police chiefs, forensic lab directors and federal and state prosecutors, is vital to the success of our mission. ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network helps disrupt the shooting cycle by assisting investigators in identifying firearms involved in more than one crime, often leading to the arrest of active trigger pullers and the firearm traffickers who illegally supply them with guns. NIBIN focuses investigations on our nation’s most violent offenders, enhancing the effectiveness of law enforcement in making our communities safer. We thank United States Attorney Terwilliger for his commitment to public safety the Eastern District of Virginia and our nation, and greatly appreciate his joining the Board.”

Established in 2016, the board uses the collective experience of federal, state, and local experts in the fields of forensics, law enforcement, and criminal law to ensure ATF receives valuable input on national programs related to Crime Gun Intelligence. Members of the 23-member board serve 3-year terms and are eligible for re-appointment. It meets biannually in different cities across the United States.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

BILLINGS—A Bozeman man convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison and three years supervised release on Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Kurt G. Alme said.

Anthony Jones, 27, pleaded guilty to the charge in August.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided at the sentencing. Judge Watters ordered the sentence to be consecutive to a state District Court sentence in Gallatin County.

Jones was convicted in Gallatin County in August 2017 of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony, and as a result, was prohibited from possessing firearms.

In March 2018, an individual bought a 9mm semi-automatic pistol at Livingston pawn shop. A few days later, Livingston police officers responded to an incident a local motel where Jones, the person who had purchased the pistol and another person were present.

In an interview with law enforcement, Jones admitted to possessing the firearm several times before the weekend police responded to the motel incident and had helped load and clean the pistol.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Dake prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals.

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FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Diblaim Alan Valdez-Araux, 31, of Madera, and Fresno residents Erick Lizarraga, 28; Perla Ramos, 29; Brittany Martinez, 26; David Martinez, 66; Rosemarie Martinez, 64; Jesus Bueno, 27; Noyra Gonzalez, 41; and Maricela Castellanos, 54, charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, the defendants were involved in trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine in the Fresno – Madera area, as well as sending methamphetamine to Denver, Colorado. Lizarraga allegedly arranged two shipments to Denver that were seized by law enforcement. On October 13, 2018, David and Rosemarie Martinez had 30 pounds of methamphetamine with them that they were taking to Denver via Amtrak. On October 15, 2018, after Lizarraga arranged for Diblaim Valdez-Araux to get another 30 pounds, Noyra Gonzalez and Maricela Castellanos were arrested while taking the 30 pounds to Denver after their car was stopped and searched by the California Highway Patrol. Jesus Bueno purchased approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine from Lizarraga that he sold to customers in the Fresno area. On November 4, 2018, Valdez-Diblaim was stopped in Selma by the Fresno Sheriff’s Department with approximately 54 pounds of methamphetamine while returning from the Los Angeles area. Perla Ramos and Brittany Martinez are believed to have assisted Lizarraga in delivering drugs and collecting profits.

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of ten years to life in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is the product of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fresno County Sheriff’s Department, California Highway Patrol, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.

The OCDETF program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.

Memphis, TN – A local woman pleaded guilty to conspiracy and embezzlement, while being employed as a teller at Tri-State Bank ("Tri-State") in Memphis. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the guilty plea today.

According to the charging instrument, from calendar years 2015 to 2016, Tanya Williams, a Tri-State bank teller, participated in a scheme to activate many dormant accounts and withdraw funds from said accounts. Williams and her bank manager used their Tri-State computer and user I.D. to activate and enter the accounts to fraudulently withdraw funds. The manager gave Williams some of the proceeds due to her willingness to participate in the fraud. During the time of the conspiracy and embezzlement, Tri-State suffered a loss of over $214,000.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "The long term financial fraud and embezzlement committed by this defendant is disturbing and far-reaching. The abuse of her position of trust and authority as a teller for her own personal gain had a significant negative impact on the employees and customers of Tri-State Bank. The U.S. Attorney’s Office places a high priority on protecting the security, deposits, and assets of financial institutions, and this conviction demonstrates that commitment."

Sentencing is set for April 5, 2018, before U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes. Williams pleaded guilty to one-count of conspiracy and another count of embezzlement. The maximum penalty for conspiracy is 5 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine and for embezzlement 30 years imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine. On August 30, 2018, the co-defendant, Michael B. Gaines, pled guilty to embezzlement. U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr., sentenced Gaines to 12 months and one-day in federal prison on December 6, 2018.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Damon Keith Griffin is prosecuting the case on the government’s behalf.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a two–day trial, a federal jury found William Lamar Blessett, 39, of North Highlands, guilty Wednesday of one count of possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to evidence presented at trial, between mid-2016 and October 2017, Blessett possessed multiple electronic images of child pornography in a Dropbox cloud storage account and on devices including a laptop computer, two smartphones, and two tablet computers. Blessett knew these images showed minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Blessett accessed the pornographic images on the internet using links he obtained on the Kik instant messaging application. Blessett viewed the images and downloaded them to a Dropbox account that he owned and operated. Blessett then used the account to organize and view the images and transfer them to his electronic devices.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, Central Investigative Division, Hi-Tech Crimes Bureau, the Sacramento Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grant Rabenn and Amy Hitchcock and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Artuz are prosecuting the case.

Blessett is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on February 19, 2019. Blessett faces a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison, as well as a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Brandon Edward Nichols, 27, of San Jose, charging him with possessing a firearm as a felon, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, on December 12, 2017, Nichols’ car was stopped for a vehicle code violation. During the contact with the officer, Nichols produced various credit cards and identification issued in other people’s names. When the officer arrested Nichols for possessing these items, she found a gun in the driver’s‑side door. During a subsequent search of Nichols’ hotel room, officers found a second firearm. Nichols was previously been convicted of a felony and cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Fairfield Police Department with special assistance from the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy H. Delgado is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Nichols faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charge is only an allegation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case was brought as a 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. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’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 – Kassim Tajideen, the operator of a network of businesses in Lebanon and Africa whom the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated as an important financial supporter to the Hezbollah terror organization, pleaded guilty today to charges associated with evading U.S. sanctions imposed on him.

            The announcement was made by Acting Attorney General Matthew G. Whitaker; Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers; U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia; Special Agent in Charge Raymond Donovan of the Special Operations Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Special Agent in Charge Valerie A. Nickerson of the DEA’s New Jersey Field Division, and Commissioner Kevin K. McAleenan of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

            Tajideen, 63, of Beirut, Lebanon, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, in furtherance of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).  Tajideen was designated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in May 2009 as a result of his provision of significant financial support to Hezbollah, which was named a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. Department of State.  This designation prohibited Tajideen from being involved in, or benefiting from transactions, involving U.S. persons or companies without a license from the Department of the Treasury.

            “This Department of Justice has put a target on Hezbollah,” Acting Attorney General Whitaker said. “In January, we started the Hezbollah Financing and Narcoterrorism Team, and in October, former Attorney General Sessions named Hezbollah one of the five priority organizations for our Transnational Organized Crime Task Force.  The DEA worked for three years to bring this prosecution of a Treasury Department-designated terrorist for sanctions violations to successful completion.  I want to thank the prosecutors and agents Trial Attorney Joseph Palazzo and AUSAs Thomas Gillice, Luke Jones, Karen Seifert, Deborah Curtis, and SAUSA Jacqueline Barkett for helping us achieve this victory today. We are going to keep targeting Hezbollah and other terrorist groups and their supporters, and we are going to keep winning.”

            “This guilty plea demonstrates our commitment to vigorously investigate and prosecute violations of U.S. economic sanctions,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “Through the efforts of law enforcement here and abroad, this defendant has been held accountable for violating laws protecting our national security and foreign policy interests.”

            “This is the latest example of DEA’s recent successes against Hezbollah’s global criminal support network and reflects DEA’s determination in combatting this transnational criminal organization,” said Special Agent in Charge Donovan.

            According to the statement of facts signed by Tajideen in conjunction with his plea, after his designation, Tajideen conspired with at least five other persons to conduct over $50 million in transactions with U.S. businesses that violated these prohibitions.  In addition, Tajideen and his co-conspirators knowingly engaged in transactions outside of the United States, which involved transmissions of as much as $1 billion through the United States financial system from places outside the United States.

            The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence of 60 months in prison. The plea agreement also calls for Tajideen to pay $50 million as a criminal forfeiture in advance of his sentencing.  Tajideen has been detained since extradition to the United States in March 2017 after his arrest overseas.  Sentencing is scheduled to occur on Jan. 18, 2019.

            This guilty plea is the result of a three-year investigation by the DEA’s Special Operations Division (SOD)/Counter Narcoterrorism Operations Center (CNTOC) and the DEA New Jersey Field Division, with the assistance by CBP. Assistance was provided by the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

            Tajideen’s case falls under DEA’s Project Cassandra, which targets Hezbollah’s global criminal support network - dubbed by the DEA as the Business Affairs Component (BAC) - that operates as a logistics, procurement and financing arm for Hezbollah.  This investigation and others are part of the Department of Justice’s Hezbollah Financing and Narcoterrorism Team (“HFNT”), a component of the Department’s Transnational Organized Crime initiative (TOC).  The HFNT was formed in January 2018 to ensure an aggressive and coordinated approach to prosecutions and investigations, including Project Cassandra cases, targeting the individuals and networks supporting Hezbollah.  Comprised of experienced international narcotics trafficking, terrorism, organized crime, and money laundering prosecutors and investigators, the HFNT works closely with partners like the DEA, the Department of the Treasury, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, among others, to advance and facilitate prosecutions of Hezbollah and its support network in appropriate cases.

            This case is being prosecuted by the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the DEA and CPB’s National Targeting Center Counter Network Division, with assistance from the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs and the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division.

            The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Joseph Palazzo of the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas A. Gillice, Luke Jones, Karen Seifert and Deborah Curtis and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline L. Barkett of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

EUGENE, Ore. – On Wednesday, December 5, 2018, William E. Wild, Sr., 48, of Redmond, Oregon, was sentenced to 120 days in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for endangering human life by manufacturing hash oil, a controlled substance.

According to court documents, on December 12, 2016, law enforcement and first responders responded to an explosion at Wild’s residence in Redmond. The explosion occurred in a detached garage where the defendant had been illegally manufacturing butane hash oil (BHO). The force of the explosion blew out Wild’s garage door. By his own admission, Wild had been smoking a cigarette in close proximity to the lab at the time of the explosion.

Officers on scene reported finding burnt clothing, a pressure cooker, a Pyrex dish, a large bin of marijuana stem bud and seed as well as an amber substance later identified as BHO. Officers also found a grow room adjacent to the garage with more than 20 mature marijuana plants. In total, investigators seized 57 mature marijuana plants; scales; packaging materials and containers; ledgers containing drug amounts, debts and receipts; approximately $20,000 in cash and several pipe bombs in Wild’s home.

Wild and his 18-year-old daughter were present at the time of the explosion, suffered burns and smoke inhalation and were transported by ambulance from the residence. Wild’s daughter was later intubated and flown by air-ambulance to Portland for treatment.

Wild, a first-time offender, previously pleaded guilty to one count of endangering human life on August 16, 2018. A restitution hearing is scheduled for February 7, 2019.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in partnership with the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement team (CODE), the Oregon State Police and the Redmond police and fire departments. It was prosecuted by Pamela Paaso, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Damaged Garage Door

Marijuana Plants

Pipe Bombs

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Ou Vern Saeteurn, 23, of Sacramento, charging him with possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and possessing two firearms in furtherance of his drug crimes, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, on September 6, 2018, law enforcement agents searched Saeteurn’s Oak Park home. In his bedroom closet, they found about 1 kilogram of methamphetamine and about 1 kilogram of cocaine. They also found two loaded firearms, additional ammunition, and about $9,400 in cash. In the rest of this home, officers found more methamphetamine, cocaine base, heroin, opium, about 16 firearms, magazines, and ammunition.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, the Sacramento Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Beck is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Saeteurn faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case was brought as a 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. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’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.

          A law enforcement operation making arrests and serving search warrants over the last two days targeted a multi-state drug trafficking network led by drug cartel members in Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes.  The drug trafficking organization distributing heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine was active in Washington State, New York, Arizona, Oregon, California, Tennessee, and Utah.  The group allegedly used a Manhattan Beach, California, cryptocurrency business to launder and transfer money to Mexico.  The owner of that business, GREGORY DAVID WERBER, 56, was arrested last night and appeared in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California today.  Other defendants appeared in U.S. District Court in Tacoma  today.

            “Overdoses involving fentanyl are growing at an alarming rate in Washington State,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “We are committed to bringing all needed resources to identifying and prosecuting groups that distribute this deadly poison in our communities.  I commend the Drug Enforcement Administration and their federal, state and local law enforcement partners who developed the evidence that led to the arrests that occurred today.”

            Over December 5^th and 6^th, 2018, more than 400 federal, state and local law enforcement officers executed fifty-one federal arrest warrants and search warrants on more than 50 buildings and 35 vehicles.  In Western Washington the group distributed heroin, crystal methamphetamine and fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills in Pierce, Kitsap, King, Skagit and Snohomish Counties. Over the course of the investigation law enforcement seized thousands of counterfeit oxycodone pills tainted with fentanyl, a powerful and potentially deadly opioid.  Following one seizure from a vehicle, Washington State Patrol troopers were treated for their accidental exposure.

          “The dangerous pills containing fentanyl flowing through this pipeline operated by this Western Washington distribution network has been shut down,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Keith Weis.  “Those profiting from pushing illicit opioids such as fentanyl and heroin into our most vulnerable communities will be met with a significant law enforcement response.”

            The investigation began 18 months ago with drug seizures by the Bremerton Police Department.  More recently, on November 28, 2018, law enforcement seized more than 13 pounds of heroin from the engine compartment of a semi-truck driven by a frequent smuggler for the ring.  In addition to coded cell phone conversations, many of the members of the ring also communicated via Facebook messenger.  Today alone law enforcement seized 39 firearms and more than 4 kilos of heroin.

            “An agency the size of Bremerton can impact crime on a larger scale when it is able to partner with agencies like the DEA,” said Bremerton Chief of Police James Burchett.  “I am very proud of the hard work and dedication of all the officers and agents that made this operation a reality.”

            Those arrested in the last 24 hours include:

CARLOS EDUARDO LOPEZ HERNANDEZ, 22, Kent, WA
JAIME HEREDIA CASTRO, 36, Burlington, WA
JUAN AVILES BERRELLEZA, 23, Kent, WA
JOSE LUIS SIERRA BARRIENTOS, 39, Burlington, WA
HECTOR MANUEL URIAS MORENO, 27, Everett, WA
URIEL ZELAYA, 22, Auburn, WA
JESUS RENE SARMIENTO VALENZUELA, 33, Kent, WA
MONIQUE GREEN, 40, Federal Way, WA
ANDREW CAIN KRISTOVICH, 34, Lynnwood, WA
BRIAN LIVELY, 44, Snohomish, WA
GERALD KEITH RIGGINS, 52, Puyallup, WA
ESTHER LA RENA SCOTT, 41, Snohomish, WA
MICHAEL JOHN SCOTT, 40, Snohomish, WA
KAREN SURYAN, 60, Seattle, WA
ORLANDO BARAJAS, 40, Burlington, WA

OSCAR HUMBERTO CARRILLO SALCEDO, 22, Tukwila, WA
ALLEX HUBLY, 27, Tacoma, WA
DAVID HUBLY, 30, Tacoma, WA,
CHARLES JOSLYN, 38, Bonney Lake, WA

COLIN BECCARIA, 28, Puyallup, WA
JAKE WILSON, 22, Spanaway, WA
JERRY A. RODRIGUEZ, 27, Tacoma, WA
KURTIS NEMYER, 49, Puyallup, WA
LINDSAY NEMYER, 32, Puyallup, WA
JOSH MENDIOLA, 27, Graham, WA
NATASHA DJORDJEVIC, 36, Tacoma, WA
TIMMY CRAWFORD, 60, Auburn, WA
BLAKE HYNEK, 29, Edgewood, WA
MARTIN DEAN GREGORY, 32, Puyallup, WA           

            This investigation was conducted by the DEA Tacoma Resident Office and the Bremerton Police Department, with significant assistance from the Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement Team (TNET), Special Operations Division, Chantilly, Virginia and Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).

          The multi-agency takedown operation was supported by DEA Seattle; DEA Los Angeles; DEA San Diego, DEA San Francisco and DEA Phoenix; as well as Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Marshals Service; West Sound Narcotics Enforcement Team; Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team; Grays Harbor Drug Task Force; Snohomish County Regional Drug Task Force; Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team; Skagit County Inter-local Drug Enforcement Unit; Thurston County Narcotics Enforcement Team; Lewis County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team; Pierce County Sheriff’s Department; King County Sheriff’s Department; Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office; Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office; Aberdeen Police Department; Auburn Police Department; Bothell Police Department; Bremerton Police Department; Burlington Police Department; Fife Police Department, Seattle Police Department; Tacoma Police Department; Lakewood Police Department; Bonney Lake Police Department; Kent Police Department; Everett Police Department; Mill Creek Police Department; Quinault Nation Police Department; Hoquiam Police Department; Washington State Department of Corrections; Washington State Patrol; Mount Vernon Police Department; Oregon State Police; Washington and Oregon National Guard.

          Tactical operations were conducted by DEA’s Special Response Teams (SRT) from Seattle and San Francisco. Additional support was provided by Bremerton Special Operations Group; Lakewood Special Operations; FBI SWAT; King County SWAT; Kitsap County SWAT; Mount Vernon SWAT; North Sound Metro SWAT, Pierce County  Metro SWAT; Pierce County SWAT; Seattle PD SWAT; Snohomish County SWAT;  Washington State Patrol SWAT; Skagit County HRT; Valley SWAT; and the U.S. Marshal’s Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force.

            The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Marci Ellsworth and Karyn Johnson.