PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A former high school teacher in Johnson County, Ky., who previously admitted to sexually exploiting a minor student, has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves sentenced 26 year-old Robert Cantrell, of Versailles, Ky., for illegally enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity.  Judge Reeves further ordered Cantrell to serve 15 years of supervised release, following his sentence.  Under federal law, Cantrell must serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence.

Earlier this year, Cantrell admitted that, in 2014, he had enticed a minor student to text him sexually explicit images of the student engaging in sexually explicit conduct.  Additionally, Cantrell admitted that he had induced the minor student to engage in sex acts with him.

Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Howard S. Marshall, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Jack Conway, Kentucky Attorney General; and Dwayne Price, Johnson County Sheriff, jointly made the announcement.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Cyber Crimes Unit; and Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Federal and state authorities are seeking to identify anyone who suffered a financial loss as a result of dealings with Budget Finance Company, Inc. of New Martinsville, West Virginia, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
 
Individuals or businesses who may have suffered losses as a result of financial transactions with Budget Finance Company are asked to file a complaint with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia using a standardized complaint form, available here.

A community forum will be hosted by the Wetzel County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office on Tuesday, December 1, at 9:30 a.m. at the New Martinsville Municipal Building on Main Street in New Martinsville.  Information will be provided to the public at the forum, and copies of the complaint form will be provided.

Individuals can also report losses directly to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Wheeling by calling (304) 234-7721 or by sending an email to ashley.lough@usdoj.gov. 

United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger today announced the sentencing of RAHMAD LASHAD GEDDES, a/k/a “Face,” a/k/a “Poo Poo,” 36, to 282 months in federal prison for trafficking an 18-year-old woman from Wisconsin to Duluth, Minn., for the purpose of commercial sex. GEDDES, who was charged in a superseding indictment on April 8, 2015, was convicted on April 27, 2015, following a six-day jury trial.

“This violent defendant preyed on the vulnerabilities of his victim and used force and coercion to sell her for commercial sex,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Provinzino. “The lengthy sentence handed down by the court underscores the seriousness of these types of crimes, which we will continue to combat through aggressive prosecution.”

St. Louis County Attorney Mark Rubin said: "I want to commend U.S. Attorney Andy Luger for recognizing the tremendous value of combining our offices' efforts.  The collaboration between some of our finest prosecutors, as happened in this case, assures justice for a remarkably courageous victim.  The work of Assistant United States Attorney Laura Provinzino and Assistant St. Louis County Attorney Jon Holets is an example of the kind of cooperative work we need to help build a safer world.  It gives me hope."

As proven at trial, on January 6, 2014, GEDDES recruited the victim from her home in Eau Claire, Wis., for the purpose of trafficking her for commercial sex. The defendant and a friend took the victim to a motel in Duluth, Minn., where they took pictures of her to place an advertisement for commercial sex on backpage.com. GEDDES used an anonymous prepaid credit card to pay for the online advertisement. GEDDES and his friend used the victim’s cell phone to set up several “dates” between the victim and “johns.” On one occasion, after a meeting with a “john,” GEDDES accused the victim of hiding money. The defendant physically assaulted the victim and told her that he hit her because she did not do what she was told.

As proven at trial, on January 9, 2014, GEDDES traded drugs, which he referred to as “rocks,” for two semi-automatic handguns and ammunition. GEDDES has four previous felony convictions in Cook County, Ill., Hennepin County and Sherburne County, Minn., making him an armed career criminal under federal law.

As proven at trial, on January 14, 2014, GEDDES returned the victim to her home. She immediately reported to her pastor that she “had been used for prostitution.”

This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Duluth Police Department and St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura M. Provinzino and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Holets of the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office.

Defendant Information:

RAHMAD LASHAD GEDDES, a/k/a “Face,” a/k/a “Poo Poo,” 36

Blaine, Minn.

Convicted:

• Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion, 1 count
• Transportation with Intent to Engage in Prostitution, 1 count
• Armed Career Criminal in Possession of a Firearm, 1 count

Sentenced:

• 282 months in prison
• Lifetime supervised release

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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600

          CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - Shane Mitchell, 32, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire on one count of bank robbery, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. The Court imposed a term of 77 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release and full restitution to the victim bank.

          Mitchell walked into a TD Bank in Manchester, New Hampshire, on March 7, 2015 and handed the teller a note demanding money. The note, written in pencil on blue-lined paper stated something to the effect of, “Put the cash in the bag and no yelling or screaming. I have a weapon if anyone wants to live.” Mitchell made off with $600 in stolen funds.

          That same day, police traced Mitchell to a nearby apartment building where the stolen money and distinctive items of clothing worn during the robbery were found. Police also recovered a pencil and blue-lined notepad consistent with the demand note.

          This case was investigated by the Manchester Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana Konesky.

     PHOENIX – On Nov. 23, 2015, Deanna Kay Frader, 66, of Mesa, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Neil V. Wake to 30 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for evading income tax on nearly $1.7 million she embezzled from Ardent Sound, Inc., where she had been employed as an office manager and bookkeeper.  Frader previously pleaded guilty to tax evasion.

      “The United States Attorney Office will vigorously prosecute those who commit this type of serious and repeated abuse of financial trust,” said U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo.  “Frader’s actions were harmful to her employer and to taxpayers, and it is hoped that this well-deserved sentence will deter others from similar fraudulent activity.

       Frader was the sole office manager and bookkeeper for Mesa-based Ardent Sound for more than 20 years, until April of 2012.  Her embezzlement was discovered during an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audit of Frader Endeavors, LLC, a company that Frader owned with her son and that was the beneficiary of a large portion of the stolen funds.  In an effort to hide the embezzlement and evasion during the audit, Frader created a fictitious loan agreement with Ardent Sound and forged the signature of its prior president.  In the plea agreement, Frader admitted that she stole funds from Ardent Sound on nearly 400 occasions and then altered the company’s records to conceal the theft.  She also admitted that she knew of her obligation to pay taxes on the funds and purposefully did not do so.  As part of her sentence, Frader was ordered to pay restitution to Ardent Sound and to the IRS for the full amount of the respective losses.

       The investigation in this case was conducted by the IRS-Criminal Investigation.  The prosecution was handled by Monica Klapper, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-15-219-PHX-NVW

RELEASE NUMBER:   2015-117_Frader

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

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Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a federal jury in New Haven today found IAN PARKER BICK, 20, of Danbury, guilty of fraud and money laundering offenses stemming from his operation of Ponzi scheme.  The trial before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer began on November 6.

“Mr. Bick repeatedly lied to victim investors, took their money and used it to take trips with friends, on shopping sprees, to purchase jet skis, and also to pay off previous investors who were promised unrealistic returns,” U.S. Attorney Daly said.  “I thank the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Department of Banking and Danbury Police Department for their diligent investigation and prosecution of this matter.”

According to the evidence at trial, BICK was a principal and/or managing member of various Danbury-based entities, including This Is Where It’s At Entertainment, LLC, Planet Youth Entertainment, W&B Wholesale, LLC, and W&B Investments, LLC.  Using these entities, BICK solicited investment funds from his friends, former classmates, acquaintances, and their parents by promising high investment returns over relatively short periods of time.  BICK falsely represented to victim-investors that he could generate the high investment returns by using their funds to purchase electronics and electronic devices, such as iPhones, tablets and head phones, and by reselling the items for a substantial profit via the Internet.  However, the electronic resale business never actually began in earnest and did not return any meaningful profit.  BICK also falsely represented to certain victim-investors that he could generate high investment returns by using their funds to organize and promote concerts at various venues in Connecticut and Rhode Island.  BICK falsely represented that he had made significant profits organizing and promoting concerts in the past.

BICK failed to invest the funds he received as he had represented and instead used invested funds for unrelated and unsuccessful businesses, and to pay personal expenses, including hotel stays and to purchase jet skis.  BICK also used invested funds to issue payments, purportedly as “interest payments” and as “return of principal,” to certain victim-investors.

Through this scheme, BICK defrauded more than 15 investors out of a total of nearly $500,000.

BICK was charged in a 15-count indictment on January 8, 2015.  The jury found BICK guilty on six counts of wire fraud, which carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count, and one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

The jury found BICK not guilty on two counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to federal law enforcement, and could not reach a verdict on three counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.  The government dismissed one count of money laundering prior to the trial.

Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for March 2, 2016.  BICK is released on a $250,000 bond.

This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Banking and the Danbury Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael S. McGarry and Christopher W. Schmeisser.

Citizens are encouraged to report any financial fraud schemes by calling, toll free, 855-236-9740, or by sending an email to ctsecuritiesfraud@ic.fbi.gov.

          GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN– Tyrone Smith, 45, of Lansing, Michigan, pled guilty yesterday in federal court to three counts of sex trafficking girls and women and transporting them across state lines for prostitution. He will be sentenced in April 2016 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in federal prison, up to a maximum of 25 years.

          After serving 15 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections for second degree murder, Smith began recruiting women in Lansing for his interstate commercial sex operation. A federal grand jury indicted him in July 2015 on seven counts involving four victims, including one minor. The indictment charged Smith with three counts of sex trafficking by force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion; one count of sex trafficking a minor; and three counts of transporting adult women and the minor from Michigan to Illinois for commercial sex. In a written plea agreement, Smith admitted to recruiting the first victim, an adult woman, in about December 2012, providing her with heroin, posting commercial sex ads of her online in lingerie, and arranging for johns to pay for sex with her in Lansing, Chicago, and elsewhere over a two-year period. Smith admitted to being physically violent and threatening towards her throughout this time, knowing that this would cause her to continue to engage in commercial sex acts. Smith also admitted to recruiting a 17-year-old girl and sex trafficking her from December 2014 to June 2015. He arranged for johns to buy sex from her in his Lansing residence and area motels, and he took her to Chicago for several weeks in early 2015. The minor watched Smith assault another woman for her disloyalty to Smith’s prostitution business, and Smith continued to cause the minor to engage in commercial sex acts after that. In June 2015, while Smith and the minor were in a Lansing motel, Smith grabbed her by the neck and threw her on the bed to stop her from leaving with the cell phone he gave her, which had a large amount of information on it about his prostitution business. The minor sought medical attention afterwards for a concussion, a laceration on the bridge of her nose, and bruising on her face and body. Smith admitted that a short time later, he reconnected with the minor and continued arranging commercial sex dates for her.

          The conviction resulted from a joint investigation led by the FBI, Ingham County Sheriff’s Office, and East Lansing Police Department, with assistance from the Michigan State Police (MSP). Assistant United States Attorney Tessa K. Hessmiller prosecuted the case. This is the third federal sex trafficking conviction in the Western District of Michigan, following cases against Eddie Jackson and Christopher Bryant. This is the fourth sex trafficking conviction obtained in the past year as a result of the FBI’s joint investigation with the Ingham County Sheriff’s Office and other Lansing area law enforcement partners, who collaborated in the federal Christopher Bryant trial and the related state convictions of Jonathan Purnell and Mariah Haughton in Ingham County.

          In announcing the conviction, U.S. Attorney Patrick Miles stated, “Sex trafficking is real and happens in West Michigan. Traffickers target victims by identifying vulnerabilities to exploit, whether through drugs, money, violence, or a false sense of security and affection provided by the trafficker. My office is working hand-in-hand with federal, state, and local law enforcement to identify and prosecute human trafficking, including the sex trafficking of children.”

          This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office; county prosecutor’s offices; and federal, state, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement. For more information about Project Safe Childhood in West Michigan, including resources for children and parents, visit: http://www.justice.gov/usao/miw/programs/psc.html.

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CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051
 
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Tiffany Hogan, a.k.a. Michael Hogan, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to robbing the Chase Bank at 2900 Dewey Avenue in Rochester before U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer. The charge carries a maximum possible penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both.

Assistant U.S. Charles E. Moynihan, who is handling the case, stated that on May 22, 2015, Hogan entered the Chase Bank just after it opened and passed the bank teller a note demanding money. The note also indicated that nobody would be hurt if the teller complied. The teller provided Hogan with a specific amount of United States currency. 

The defendant left the bank and entered a white minivan in which co-defendant Maximilion Broadnax was waiting and the two drove away. Hogan and Broadnax were arrested later that day at 17 Second Street in Rochester by Rochester Police officers who were looking for Broadnax in connection with his involvement in stolen vehicles. While taking Broadnax into custody, officers saw that Broadnax’s pants fell down and a large amount of United States currency fell out. 

Charges are pending against Maximilion Broadnax. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Cohen, as well as the Town of Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Patrick Phelan, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli.
 
Sentencing is scheduled for January 19, 2016, at 10:30 a.m. Judge Larimer.

Acting United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad announced today that Milwaukee resident Drayon Wren (age: 38), was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release for federal sex trafficking charges involving three minor victims and one adult victim. 

On July 16, 2015, Wren plead guilty to three counts of sex trafficking of a child and one count of sex trafficking an adult by use of force, fraud or coercion.  Wren recruited the three minors girls and an adult female in Milwaukee and transported them to Elk Grove, Illinois to engage in prostitution.  

In his sentencing remarks, the Honorable J.P. Stadtmueller, emphasized the depravity of Wren’s conduct, “on our young people, our most important resource.”The judge further stated that “the public at large deserves protection from this terrible, terrible business” of sex trafficking.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys= Offices and the Criminal Division=s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov

 This case was investigated by law enforcement officers from the Human Trafficking Task Force, including those from the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Milwaukee Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Penelope Coblentz and Joseph R. Wall.

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LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Lafayette man pleaded guilty Tuesday to possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony.

Jarrod Ty Foxworthy, 29, of Lafayette, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik to one count of possession of a firearm by convicted felon. According to the guilty plea, the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office dispatched a deputy to investigate a complaint on April 2, 2013. Someone matching Foxworthy’s description was seen firing a weapon in the front yard of a home on Nyoka Circle in Lafayette. When Foxworthy arrived to be interviewed by the deputy, he was carrying a black Smith & Wesson M&P .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun and was later taken into custody. The defendant had been previously convicted in March of 2007 in North Carolina state court of common law robbery, for which he was sentenced to 12 to 15 months in prison.

Foxworthy faces up to 10 years in prison, three years supervised release and a $10,000 fine.  A sentencing date was not set.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Department of Justice initiative designed to reduce firearm crimes by removing dangerous and persistent felons from the community and promote firearm safety.

The ATF and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph is prosecuting the case.

DENVER – Colorado U.S. Attorney John Walsh issued the following statement today regarding the mass shooting in Colorado Springs:

"Our thoughts today are with the victims of this terrible crime, their families, and also with the City of Colorado Springs, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Police Department and Planned Parenthood, all of whom were victims of this senseless violence.   Selfless acts of great courage and determination by law enforcement officers  prevented  far greater bloodshed.  One of those officers gave his life, and others were wounded as they fought to confront the threat and protect others.  They deserve our undying gratitude.

"The United States Attorney's Office and federal law enforcement have been working throughout in close support of Colorado Springs, El Paso County, and State of Colorado law enforcement, as well as Fourth Judicial District Attorney Dan May.   We also have been in close contact with both the National Security Division and Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.   The federal investigation is ongoing and focused."

John Walsh, United States Attorney, District of Colorado

HAMMOND – United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, David Capp, announced that Edwin Tollinchi-Rodriguez, age 30, of East Chicago, Indiana, was sentenced Tuesday, December 1, 2015, in federal court by Judge Rudy Lozano after his guilty plea of transporting a minor across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

Edwin Tollinchi-Rodriguez was sentenced to 450 months imprisonment and 20 years supervised release. 

According to documents in the case, defendant Edwin Tollinchi-Rodriquez admitted in his guilty plea that on November 3, 2012, he knowingly transported an 11 year-old minor child, identified in public filings as “Jane Doe,” from the State of Indiana to the State of Illinois with intent that she engage in sexual activity that is prohibited by Illinois law, i.e., Criminal Sexual Assault under Illinois law.

At a hearing held on October 29, 2015, Jane Doe testified that the defendant began sexually abusing her when she was 8 years old and that he threatened to kill her, her family and himself if she disclosed the abuse.  Jane Doe explained that she believed Defendant’s threats because he had been violent with her, her mother and her brother on previous occasions. 

This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in coordination with East Chicago, Indiana and the Lansing, Illinois Police Departments.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill R. Koster.  

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin launched a series of public service announcements (PSAs), a website, and a new smartphone app today to highlight additional resources in the fight against drug addiction in West Virginia.

“While we continue to tackle the supply of these drugs coming into our community, we have to do something about the demand. We know this is an epidemic, but unlike epidemics where you can tell someone is sick just by looking at them, we might not notice or be aware of people who are affected. They look like you and me,” said U.S. Attorney Goodwin at a press conference today. “Unlike those wearing all red featured in the PSAs, an addict is probably not dressed head to toe in red, so they are not easy to spot. Chances are that here in West Virginia, you have encountered not just one or two, but many each day who are suffering from addiction.”

The PSAs focus attention on the challenge of spotting someone suffering from addiction, and provide resources for people to take action. The PSAs urge the friends and family of those struggling with addiction, as well as addicts themselves, to connect with appropriate local services. Viewers of the PSAs are encouraged to download The Call WV app, visit makethecallwv.com, or call the West Virginia state hotline at 1-844-HELP4WV (1-844-435-7498).

“One of the most frequent questions we hear is, when someone is ready to seek help for addiction or the addiction of a loved one or friend, where do they turn? One recent positive development is the state hotline. Another development we are here to introduce today is the launch of a new website and smartphone app to permit folks struggling with addiction to quickly and easily find resources in their immediate area. The website is makethecallwv.com and the app is known as The Call WV,” announced Goodwin. “The website is up and the app is available right now for Apple and Android smartphones. It uses the location function in your phone to show you the resources that exist in your immediate area. We are also working to integrate it with the state HELP4WV hotline.”

The Call WV app is a one-stop-shop for addiction recovery resources at the state and local level. The map feature of the app can provide assistance finding the nearest place to get help with addiction. The app also compiles information on facilities and organizations that can help someone find recovery housing, residential and non-residential treatment options, meetings and events in the local area, and resources available to prevent drug use in the first place. The purpose of the app is to empower individuals to get the answers they need about how to fight addiction, for themselves and for their loved ones, in their moments of need.

These initiatives were made possible through local partnerships in the public and private sectors. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia partnered with the Huntington Police Department to complete these projects. Trifecta Productions, a Huntington business, created the PSAs, and Syntech Creative, also a Huntington business, built and will continue to update the smartphone app. The Huntington Mayor’s Office of Drug Control Policy also provided essential support for these initiatives.

The PSAs will be available to view at makethecallwv.com, and will be running on local television stations throughout the media markets of Southern West Virginia. The Call WV app is available for free download at the iTunes Store or on Google Play.

The PSAs and The Call WV app are part of a comprehensive strategy led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by law enforcement and public and private sector partners, is committed to aggressively pursuing and prosecuting those responsible for the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin, and also to providing resources to those impacted by drug addiction in communities across the Southern District.

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Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that FRANK BIANCUR, JR., 41, of West Haven, waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to seeking and receiving illegal payments while employed as a Zoning Enforcement Officer for the Town of East Haven.

According to court documents and statements made in court, BIANCUR was employed as the Town of East Haven’s Planning and Zoning Administrator/Zoning Enforcement Officer.  In pleading guilty, BIANCUR admitted that he sought and received payments from at least five individuals in exchange for official acts he rendered as the Zoning Enforcement Officer.

In May 2015, a resident of East Haven contacted the East Haven Police Department and the FBI with information that he/she had been extorted by BIANCUR since approximately October 2012 and, as a result, had made cash payments to BIANCUR.  On May 19, 2015, BIANCUR called the victim and informed the victim that BIANCUR had to inspect an addition to the victim’s residence.  Although BIANCUR stated that he was “fighting” for the victim, he also required a payment of $200 or he would make the victim tear down the addition.  On May 21, 2015, the victim engaged in a consensually-recorded meeting with BIANCUR at BIANCUR’s office in East Haven Town Hall.  During the meeting, the victim gave BIANCUR $200 in cash, which BIANCUR put in his pocket.

In pleading guilty, BIANCUR also admitted that he sought and received $500 cash payments from two additional East Haven residents in order to resolve zoning violations.

BIANCUR pleaded guilty to one count of theft of honest services mail fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  A sentencing date has not been scheduled.

BIANCUR has been released on a $20,000 bond since his arrest on May 27, 2015.

Prior to his employment by the Town of East Haven, BIANCUR was employed by the City of West Haven and the City of Bridgeport. 

This matter is being investigated by the Connecticut Public Corruption Task Force and the East Haven Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.

The Connecticut Public Corruption Task Force includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General.  Citizens are encouraged to report corruption to the Task Force by calling 203-238-0505.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Columbia, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and powder cocaine in Boone County, Mo.

Malcolm Desean Redmon, also known as “Harp,” 32, of Columbia, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matt J. Whitworth to participating in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and powder cocaine in Boone County from November 2011 to August 2014. The court granted the defense attorney’s motion and ordered today’s plea agreement to be sealed.

Co-conspirators have admitted to distributing multiple kilograms of crack cocaine and powder cocaine, but the exact amount is disputed by Redmon and will be contested and determined at Redmon’s sentencing hearing.

Redmon is the 11^th defendant to plead guilty in this case. Kenneth Scott, Sr., 47, and James Thomas Pittman, 42, both of Fulton, Mo.; Carl Douglass Simon, also known as “Lil Carl,” 28, and Teka Lynn Hayes, 51, both of Columbia; Ryan D. Wright, 39, of Springfield, Mo.; Vershawn Dejuan Edwards, 23, of Jefferson City, Mo.; and Guillermo Ortiz Perez, also known as “Youngster,” 25, a citizen of Mexico with no known address, have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. Rodney Wayne Arnold, also known as “Rodney O.,” 31, of Columbia, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in federal prison without parole. William Alexander Hill, also known as “BJ,” 30, of Columbia, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years and five months in federal prison without parole. Courtnie Lea Goins, 26, of Springfield, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years of probation.

Under federal statutes, Redmon is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Gonzalez. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, MUSTANG (the Mid-Missouri Unified Strike Team and Narcotics Group), the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Boone County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Sekouba Konate, 51, the former President of Guinea in West Africa and current General Commander of the Security Forces of the African Union, pleaded guilty today to charges of bulk cash smuggling and false statements.

In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, on June 15, 2013, General Konate arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport from Ethiopia and proceeded through Customs and Immigration illegally carrying thousands of dollars in undeclared cash.  General Konate previously had applied for and received a G-4 visa to visit the United States based upon his employment with a foreign government.  From in or about January 2010 to December 2010, General Konate served as the transitional President of Guinea following a military coup.  From in or about December 2010 to the present, he has served as the General Commander of the Security Forces of the African Union—a military organization of 54 member states. 

Upon his arrival at Dulles Airport, General Konate approached Primary Inspection and handed the assigned officer from Customs and Border Protection (CBP), among other things, a signed Customs Declaration form that falsely and willfully represented that he was not carrying over $10,000 in U.S. currency or its equivalent anywhere on his person or in his effects.  When asked by the CBP Officer for a verbal confirmation, General Konate falsely and willfully repeated the same representation, even though he knew that he was carrying far in excess of $10,000, which was concealed on his person and in his luggage, in order to evade a currency-reporting requirement.

Following his referral to Secondary Inspection for further investigation, General Konate encountered two other CBP Officers and a Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations.  When he was asked again by the officers whether he was carrying over $10,000, General Konate this time responded that he was and amended his Customs Declaration form to reflect the $14,000 in U.S. currency that he was carrying in his wallet.  In truth and in fact, General Konate knew that he was carrying significantly more currency at the time and willfully and materially made a false statement on his Customs Declaration form that misrepresented the actual amount of currency that he had concealed in his luggage.  Based upon the inconsistency in his prior responses, CBP Officers conducted a preliminary search of General Konate’s luggage.  The search revealed an additional $30,750 in U.S. currency, which was divided into several stacks of money and was concealed in various compartments of General Konate’s luggage. 

Subsequent to the discovery of the $30,750, CBP Officers asked General Konate to complete a document, a FinCEN 105 form, that he knew would be filed with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the U.S. Department of Treasury.  General Konate completed and signed the FinCEN 105 form in the presence of the officers and represented that he was carrying a total of only $44,750 in currency, which accounted for the $14,000 in his wallet and the $30,750 that had been found during the search.  When General Konate signed the FinCEN 105 form, he willfully and materially misrepresented the total amount of money that he had concealed in his luggage.

After General Konate signed the FinCEN 105 form, CBP Officers conducted a second and more thorough search of his luggage.  During the search, officers discovered an additional $20,020 in U.S. currency, which again was divided into several stacks of money and was concealed in various compartments of General Konate’s luggage.  Following the searches, General Konate was found in possession of a total of $64,770 in U.S. currency, in stark contrast to his initial representation on his Customs Declaration form that he was not carrying over $10,000.  During his encounters with officers, General Konate repeatedly made statements that the questioning of him and accompanying searches were improper given his status as the former President of Guinea and current Commanding General of the African Union forces. 

General Konate was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 7, 2015, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on Feb. 19, 2016. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Clark E. Settles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gene Rossi, Monika L. Moore, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna G. Kaminska are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:15-cr-132.

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            SAN JUAN, P.R. – Yesterday evening, Kelvin García-Oquendo was sentenced to 89 months in prison (seven years and five months), $114,000 of restitution and three years of supervised release by United States District Court Chief Judge Aida Delgado-Colón, announced Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.

            On August 28, 2013, García-Oquendo plead guilty of bank fraud, credit card fraud and identity theft. Between February and March of 2015, García-Oquendo, while on bond, was also charged with credit card fraud of approximately $41,111.62. For this case García-Oquendo pleaded guilty on August 17, 2015.

On May 22, 2013, a federal grand jury indicted 42 individuals as a result of an investigation led by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HIS), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) and the Puerto Rico Treasury Department. The defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft and one count of a forfeiture allegation of $580,089.51. All the defendants pleaded guilty.

The USPIS and ICE-HSI conducted a Bank Fraud investigation involving 42 individuals from the Humacao, Puerto Rico area. Since 2010, the organization headed by named Kelvin García-Oquendo engaged in bank fraud, causing losses to several financial institutions in approximately $580,089.51.  The intended loss amounts to approximately $1,205,834.15.

The organization had individuals performing different roles in furtherance of the conspiracy, such as:  1) leaders and organizers; 2)  recruiters; 3) facilitators who would either open bank accounts or lend existing bank accounts for the deposit of false and fraudulent checks; 4) purchasers who would use ATM cards of the facilitators to purchase Money Gram Money Orders and Postal Money Orders with the proceeds of the bank fraud scheme; and 5) cashers who would go to different post offices to cash the money orders purchased by others.

           “The egregious behavior of those who would exploit our banking system for personal and criminal gain will not be tolerated. We remain committed to investigating and apprehending those who cheat the system,” said US Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. “We are committed to ensuring the integrity of the banking system and to prosecuting those who would undermine it for their personal gain.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Héctor Ramírez-Carbó. 

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDEN HUERTAS, also known as “Branden Holloway,” 34, formerly of Norwalk and last residing in Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm.

On May 13, 2014, HUERTAS was arrested by Bridgeport Police after he engaged officers in a foot pursuit.  After HUERTAS was apprehended, officers located a black bag containing a loaded .22 caliber revolver that HUERTAS had discarded during the chase.  At the time, HUERTAS was out on bond on state charges stemming from a series of arrests in 2014 for state domestic violence charges, including strangulation in the second degree, unlawful restraint and assault in the third degree.  He was also subject to a protective order that requires he surrender or transfer all firearms and ammunition.

HUERTAS has a lengthy criminal history that dates to 1998.

It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.  It is also illegal for a person who is subject to a protective order to possess firearms.

On May 28, 2015, HUERTAS pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

As a special condition of supervised release, Judge Arterton ordered HUERTAS to abide by the terms and conditions of the protective order issued in connection with the state charges, which is in effect through 2025.  The protective order requires that HUERTAS refrain from any contact with the victim, and that he stay at least 100 yards away from her.

“Our Office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of individuals who illegally possess firearms – particularly those defendants who engage in acts of domestic violence or other violent offenses,” said U.S. Attorney Daly.  “Working closely with our state and local partners, we aim to ensure that federal resources are used most effectively to support these investigations and to protect vulnerable victims and our communities.”

This matter was investigated by the Bridgeport Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alina P. Reynolds in collaboration with the Domestic Violence prosecutors of the State’s Attorney’s Office, Fairfield Judicial District.

U.S. Attorney Daly noted that victims of domestic violence can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233), or visit www.thehotline.org.  Victims in Connecticut also can call the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) hotline at 888-774-2900 or (English)or 844-831-9200 (Español).

CHARLESTON, W.Va. –  A Parkersburg man was sentenced today in federal court in Charleston, West Virginia, to two years and six months in federal prison for distribution of heroin and crack, as well as two years for a violation of his supervised release, announced United States Attorney Booth Goodwin. The sentences are to run consecutively for a total of four years and six months. William C. Barber, II, 45, of Parkersburg, previously entered a guilty plea to the federal drug charge.

Barber admitted that on September 18, 2014, he sold heroin and crack to an informant working with the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force. The drug deal took place outside of Barber’s residence in Parkersburg. At the time of the drug deal, Barber was on federal supervised release for possession with intent to distribute crack.

The Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess handled the prosecution.

This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.

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MADISON, WIS. -- John W. Vaudreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ceasar A. Hernandez, 25, Beloit, Wis., was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to four years in federal prison for possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony. Hernandez pleaded guilty to this charge on September 14, 2015.

Beginning in early 2015, Hernandez and others were the subjects of a joint federal and state task force investigating drug and gun violence in Beloit.  Between January and April 2015, Hernandez sold cocaine, marijuana, and a firearm to an informant.  On April 30, 2015, Hernandez was arrested at his residence where officers recovered a loaded firearm, as well as over 17 grams of cocaine. 

Hernandez has a prior drug related felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.  Hernandez’s guilty plea was based on his possessing the firearm on April 30.  His sentence was enhanced because he possessed the firearm in connection with a felony drug offense.

In sentencing the defendant, Judge Conley indicated that Hernandez’s previous three-year state prison sentence did little to deter his criminal behavior and that his gang activity showed lack of respect for the law.  Judge Conley observed that the path that Hernandez has been on since he was an adolescent is one that will put him in prison for the rest of his life, or get him killed. 

The charges against Hernandez were the result of an investigation conducted by G-ROC, a task force formed through the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Violent Crime Initiative, to address gang and drug-related violence in Rock County through the coordination of investigations among local and federal law enforcement agencies.  Its members include the FBI; Rock County Sheriff’s Office; Rock County District Attorney’s Office; Beloit Police Department; and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Przybylinski Finn.