CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role in distributing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Carlos Santiago-Gomez, 29, of Absecon, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Simandle in Camden federal court to one count of distributing images of child pornography and was detained without bail.

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

On March 27, 2018, law enforcement officers from the FBI’s Atlantic City Child Exploitation Task Force executed a search warrant at Santiago-Gomez’s residence in Absecon, New Jersey, and seized multiple items of digital evidence, including cell phones, CD discs, thumb drives, hard drives and computers, which contained thousands of images of child sexual abuse. Agents also located evidence showing that in July and August 2017, Santiago-Gomez posted videos of child sexual abuse on at least two KIK instant message groups, while also acting as the administrator of one of those groups.

The count of distribution of child pornography is punishable by a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for June 6, 2019.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner; the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Scheffler; and N.J. Human Services Police, under the direction of Director Timothy J. Gallagher, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.

Defense counsel: Brenden T. Shur Esq., Northfield, New Jersey

United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the indictment of DYLAN MATTHEW DELING, a/k/a “Jason Keens,” a/k/a “Dylan Nash,” 19, on child pornography and extortion charges. DELING made his initial appearance yesterday before Magistrate Judge Katherine Menendez, in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“As the cyber threat landscape continues to evolve, sextortion crimes are becoming more prevalent through the use of social media platforms and messaging apps,” said U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald. “These types of cases cause very real harm and can have a devastating impact, especially on young victims. Teachers, parents, and students alike need to be aware of this issue, know how to defend against online predators, and be vigilant in reporting these crimes.”

According to the allegations in the indictment, on May 14, 2018, DELING, a registered sex offender, persuaded, induced, and coerced a minor victim (Minor A) to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. On July 8, 2018, DELING contacted a second minor victim (Minor B) and threatened to kidnap and injure the victim and her parents if she did not provide DELING with sexually explicit images.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, in coordination with multiple state and local law enforcement agencies inside and outside of Minnesota.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Miranda E Dugi.

Defendant Information:

DYLAN MATTHEW DELING, a/k/a “Jason Keens,” a/k/a “Dylan Nash,” 19

Fairmont, Minn.

Charges:

• Production and attempted production of child pornography, 1 count
• Penalties for registered sex offenders, 1 count
• Interstate commination with intent to extort, 1 count

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Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Byung Il Bang, a/k/a Peter Bang, age 59, of Germantown, Maryland, today to four years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for federal wire fraud and tax charges, in connection with a scheme in which he embezzled over $6.7 million from the Montgomery County government and failed to report the money as income on his tax returns.  Judge Xinis continued the sentencing hearing concerning restitution and forfeiture until Friday, March 1, 2019, at which time the judgment will be finalized.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Kelly R. Jackson of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.

“Mr. Bang lied to his colleagues, government officials and the IRS over an extended period of time.  The $6.7 million that he embezzled deprived Montgomery County taxpayers of funds that could have been used for schools, libraries, and other expenditures, and harmed the County’s reputation,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur.  “Corrupt public employees undermine everyone’s faith in government.”

“Through strong Federal and County cooperation and investigation we were able to bring Mr. Bang to justice.  It is important that people who betray the public trust be held accountable.  Today’s sentence is the next step in our effort to close this chapter of greed and corruption in the career and life of Byung Il “Peter” Bang,” said State’s Attorney John McCarthy.

According to his plea agreement and other court documents, from 2010 through July 2016, Bang was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Department of Economic Development for Montgomery County, Maryland (MC-DED).  In 2016, the MC-DED was privatized and Bang’s position was moved to the Montgomery County Department of Finance, where he was employed until May 2017. 

The MC-DED established business incubator and/or innovation centers throughout the County.  As COO, Bang oversaw budgets for these incubators and was authorized to request disbursement of County funds to the incubators to further the program.  Bang’s position also enabled him to authorize and direct the disbursement of money from County partners, including the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO), and the Maryland Conference & Visitors Bureau, without any significant oversight or approval.

In 2010, Montgomery County and the Chungcheongbuk-Do province of South Korea entered into an agreement to develop an incubator fund.  On July 20, 2010, Bang caused a company called Chungbuk Incubator Fund LLC to be incorporated in the State of Maryland and opened four bank accounts in the name of the company, listing his home address as the address of the LLC. 

Bang admitted that between 2010 and 2016, he fraudulently authorized the disbursement of $6,705,669.37 from the Montgomery County government to the bank accounts of the fraudulent entities that Bang created and controlled.  Bang admitted that most of the funds were used to fuel his gambling addiction.

Bang did not report the money he embezzled as income on his individual tax returns.  His failure to report those funds as income resulted in $2,335,913 in taxes owed to the IRS.

Bang also lied on his County financial disclosure statements for the years 2012 through 2016, by failing to disclose his interest in the Chungbuk entities, including: property holdings; relationship with an income source; and the type and amount of income received. 

Bang previously plead guilty to the following charges in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County: theft scheme over $100,000; and misconduct in office.  His sentencing on those charges is scheduled for March 7, 2019.  Judge Xinis ordered that Bang’s federal sentence will be served concurrent to whatever sentence is imposed on his state charges.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the IRS-CI and the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas M. Sullivan and Erin B. Pulice who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Ali Jackson, age 25, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to committing a violent act in aid of racketeering, in connection with his membership in the Southside Brims gang.  Co-defendant Davon Hamilton, age 20, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty to the same charge on January 31, 2019.

The guilty pleas were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Chief John Gavrilis of the Maryland Transit Administration Police.

According to their guilty pleas, Jackson and Hamilton are members of the Southside Brims, a subset of the Bloods, a violent street gang with thousands of members nationwide.  In approximately 2005, a member of the Fruit Town Brims, another subset of the Bloods gang that became established on the East Coast, was authorized to form a new Bloods set in Maryland, the Southside Brims. Over time, the Southside Brims expanded in membership to other states, including New Jersey, Virginia, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania.

The Southside Brims follows many of the same practices as the Bloods gang, including identification with the color red, which members wear prominently in clothing, hats, and bandanas as a way to signify membership in the gang; a long-term and violent rivalry with the Crips street gang; and an established hierarchical membership structure, among other things.

Members of the Southside Brims engaged in criminal activity including, attempted murders, murder, assaults, robberies, drug trafficking.  Southside Brims members committed acts of violence to maintain membership in the gang, to discipline members within the gang, and to retaliate against rival gang members.  Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly violent acts directed at rival gang members or as directed by gang leadership, increased the respect accorded to that member, resulted in the member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and could result in a promotion within the gang.  Southside Brims members participated in meetings to conduct gang business, including initiations of new members, discussions of sanctions, collections of membership dues, and discussions of acts of violence and other activities related to the gang.

On March 22, 2018, Jackson and Hamilton were socializing with members of the gang when the group learned that another member of the gang had allegedly been assaulted by members of the rival Crips street gang. Jackson, Hamilton and several gang members went to the area of the assault to assist, ultimately encountering several suspected Crips members in Baltimore.  Jackson, Hamilton, and other members of the Southside Brims assaulted one victim, “C.A.,” knocking the victim unconscious. During the assault, one of the members of the gang stabbed C.A. four times with a knife.  Members in the gang also forcibly stole property from C.A.  Jackson and the other Southside Brims then fled the area.  Jackson admitted that he participated in the assault of C.A. to maintain or increase his position in the gang.

Jackson and Hamilton each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for Jackson on April 18, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. and for Hamilton on April 26, 2019 at 11:00 a.m.  The defendants remain detained pending sentencing. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, HSI Baltimore, and the Maryland Transit Administration Police for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew DellaBetta and Joan C. Mathias, who are prosecuting the case.

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HOUSTON – A federal jury has convicted a 50-year-old internal medicine doctor and 47-year-old hospital owner of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, 17 counts of health care fraud and three counts of money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick and Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. The jury deliberated for less than four hours following a two-week trial before convicting Dr. Harcharan Narang and Dayakar Moparty.

Narang, a doctor who owned and practiced at North Cypress Clinical Associates, and Dayakar Moparty, who managed and operated Red Oak Hospital, conspired to commit health care fraud. During trial, the jury heard evidence that Narang and Moparty unlawfully enriched themselves by submitting false and fraudulent claims for medical tests that were not medically necessary, not provided or both and then billed at Red Oak Hospital at a higher reimbursement rate.

Additionally, Narang and his co-conspirators falsified home health patient assessment form documents to make the beneficiaries appear sicker on paper to receive higher reimbursement rates from health care benefit programs such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna and Aetna. Moparty also also instructed his employees to falsely bill the medical services at Red Oak Hospital and other entities associated with Moparty, when in fact, the patients never received services from Red Oak and the other entities.

At trial, patients consistently testified that they had merely but a Groupon for weight loss shots. However, after meeting with Narang, they all received the same battery of medical tests that were not needed or provided. Health care benefit programs paid Red Oak Hospital approximately $3.2 million. Moparty then covertly paid Narang approximately $3 million to various corporate entities Narang owned.

Narang and MoParty’s co-conspirator, Dr. Gurnaib Sidhu, 67, of Houston, had previously pleaded to conspiracy to commit to health care fraud and is awaiting sentencing.

Narang and Moparty face up 10 years in federal prison for each count of health care fraud and up to 20 years for each count of money laundering. Narang and Moparty were permitted to remain on bond with an ankle monitor pending their sentencing hearing, set for June 20, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Sim Lake.

The FBI and Office of Personnel Management – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tina Ansari and Trial Attorney Drew Pennebaker are prosecuting the case.

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

Travis Bird In Ground, age 20, was indicted on February 13, 2019.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 20, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

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

The Indictment alleges that on August 25, 2018, Bird In Ground did forcibly assault, oppose, impede, intimidate, and interfere with a law enforcement officer who was employed by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and that such conduct involved physical contact.

The charge is merely an accusation and Bird In Ground is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.    

The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore is prosecuting the case.   

Bird In Ground was released on bond pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury to a Child and Child Abuse.

Leilih Smart, age 31, was indicted on February 13, 2019.  She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 20, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that between December 31, 2018, and January 1, 2019, Smart abused and assaulted a child under the age of 7 years old, causing serious bodily injury to the child.

The charges are merely accusations and Smart is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

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

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

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Canadian man living in Leesburg was sentenced today to 21 years in prison for conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl that caused two deaths and one non-fatal overdose in 2016.

“Curry’s distribution of heroin and fentanyl in Leesburg carried grave consequences, causing at least three overdoses, including two overdose deaths,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The investigation and prosecution of opioid-related crimes continues to be a top priority for the Eastern District, and we remain steadfast in our pursuit of those who spread this poison in our communities.”

According to court documents, Joseph Riley Curry, 29, obtained heroin and fentanyl from sources of supply that he distributed to customers in Loudoun County. Drugs that Curry distributed killed two people in March 2016, and caused a third individual to experience an overdose that required medical intervention. In August 2017, Curry was arrested on a state felony distribution charge. While in custody, Curry ordered another individual to destroy evidence he thought might be used against him in a possible federal prosecution.

This matter was investigated by the Leesburg Police Department and the Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets/HIDTA Task Force – Northern Virginia which is composed of FBI Agents, and Task Force Officers from the Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Leesburg, Prince William County Police Departments, HSI, ATF, with assistance from the DEA Mid-Atlantic Regional Laboratory. This matter was brought to the attention of the task force by the Leesburg Police Department.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, Michael L. Chapman, Loudoun County Sheriff, and Gregory C. Brown, Leesburg Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Peters prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-396.

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Appear.

William J. Waukechon, age 19, was indicted on February 13, 2019.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 21, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

On June 12, 2018, Waukechon was indicted for multiple offenses, including Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to Crime of Violence.  He made his initial appearance on that Indictment on August 13, 2018, and was subsequently released pending trial. The Indictment alleges that on January 22, 2019, Waukechon failed to appear for a scheduled hearing.

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

The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.   

Waukechon was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Salvadoran national was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for illegally reentering the United States.

“Guevara-Paz was twice convicted of felony offenses, and reentered within months after his deportation as an aggravated felon,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This is a serious issue of public safety and national security, and we remain committed to prioritizing criminal immigration enforcement.”

According to court documents, Jaime Amilcar Guevara-Paz, 42, illegally entered the United States and was deported in April 2008 as an aggravated felon after being convicted for kidnapping in the third degree in Texas, as well as another felony charge in California. Guevara-Paz was removed from the United States twice before his reentry spurring the instant prosecution.

Following his second removal in 2009, Guevara-Paz returned yet again under a fictitious name and was found to be in the country illegally in August 2018 following his arrest in Fairfax County on unrelated state charges.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jeffrey M. Jacoff, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Call and Evan Clark, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly R. Pedersen.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-356.

In Waco, 49–year-old Ronnie Lee Tanner, Jr., of San Diego, CA, remains in federal custody charged with robbing a Wells Fargo Bank branch located in Temple, TX, on Wednesday, announced United States Attorney John F. Bash, FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division, and Temple Police Chief Floyd O. Mitchell.

A federal criminal complaint unsealed today alleges that on the afternoon of February 20, 2019, Tanner entered the bank located on South 31^st Street, handed a robbery note to a teller, then exited the bank with approximately $4,000. 

Acting on information supplied by the public, Temple Police officers were able to locate Tanner and arrest him without incident yesterday. 

Tanner faces up to 20 years in federal prison upon conviction. He remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for 1:30pm on March 4, 2019, in federal court in Waco.  

The FBI, together with the Temple Police Department, is investigating this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff is prosecuting the case on behalf of the Government.

It is important to note that a complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

U.S. Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. announced today that the Northern District of Iowa collected $4,488,405.85 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2018.  Of this amount, $1,839,911.31 was collected in criminal actions and $2,648,494.54 was collected in civil actions. 

Additionally, the Northern District of Iowa worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $3,865,556.19 in civil cases pursued jointly with these offices.             

As a whole, the Justice Department collected nearly $15 billionin civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2018.  The $14,839,821,650 in collections in FY 2018 represents is nearly seven times the appropriated $2.13 billion ($2,136,750,000) budget for the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices. 

“This office is committed to holding wrongdoers financially responsible for their actions and their crimes,” Deegan said.  “Collecting money from those who commit crimes and profit at the expense of others is a vital part of our mission.  We will continue to work diligently to collect money for the federal treasury and return money to victims of crime.”

“The men and women of the U.S. Attorneys’ offices across the country work diligently, day in and day out, to see that the citizens of our nation receive justice.  The money that we are able to recover for victims and this country as a whole is a direct result of their hard work,” Director James A. Crowell, IV, Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys.

The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims.  The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss.  While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

The largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or environmental laws.  In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration and Department of Education.

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          A one-time Crips gang member with prior convictions for assault, robbery, and drug dealing was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. ANTHONY COLBERT, 49, of Seattle pleaded guilty in September 2018, following his arrest as part of “Operation East Watch.”  The law enforcement initiative, led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), focused on drug dealing and gang violence in Kent’s East Hill neighborhood.  COLBERT was fresh from a federal prison sentence for drug dealing when he was identified as a key drug conspirator at the Highland Green apartments.  COLBERT tried to hide behind others as he distributed drugs in the community.  At the sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez said COLBERT had “an extensive criminal history with very serious offenses – made even worse by the fact that when he committed these crimes he had just gotten off of supervised release.”

            “This defendant has already served a total of 25 years in prison for state and federal offenses and now is adding to that unenviable record,” said U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.  “The East Watch initiative targeted offenders causing crime and violence in an area that saw 29 shootings in 2018.  By taking these habitual offenders out of our communities we hope to make our neighborhoods safer for all of us.”

          “Mr. Colbert’s willingness in conspiring to distribute this deadly drug placed the community at great risk,” said ATF Seattle Field Special Agent in Charge Darek Pleasants.  “His actions show contempt for law and order and this sentence is justified by the danger he poses to society.”

            According to records filed in the case, just four months after being terminated from supervised release for a 2014 federal conviction for distributing oxycodone and Percocet, COLBERT came to the attention of law enforcement.  COLBERT was identified as the source of supply of methamphetamine for co-defendant Allen Betts III, who distributed the drugs out of his Highland Green apartment complex.  Law enforcement observed COLBERT bring the drugs to Betts on multiple occasions, before Betts sold the drugs to an undercover agent and a person working with law enforcement.

            COLBERT has criminal history dating back to the 1980’s for drug and gun crimes.  In 1991, he was sentenced to 65 months in prison for firing shots in a Seattle neighborhood in a turf dispute with another gang.  In 1995, within a year of his release from prison he was sentenced to 12 years in prison for robbery.  In 2006, while still on state supervision he illegally possessed a firearm and was sentenced to an additional 70 months in prison. His federal conviction followed with a three-year federal sentence.

           All eight defendants in Operation East Watch have pleaded guilty.  Two of the eight await sentencing later this year.

• Mario Parra-Cetino, 28 of Kent, Washington was sentenced earlier this month to 66 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
• Anthony Ripley, 46, of Tacoma, was sentenced in November 2018, to ten years in prison for drug and gun possession crimes. 
• Eddie Tarik Musa Bell, Jr was sentenced in November to four years in prison for distribution of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
• Devon Parramore, 50 of Kent, was sentenced last month to 33 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine.
• Allen Betts III, 40, of Kent, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a firearm and was sentenced last month to four years in prison.
• Neal Stringer, 46, of Kent and Des Moines, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is scheduled for sentencing in April 2019.
• Kenyon Taylor, 39, of Federal Way, pleaded guilty in December 2018, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He is scheduled for sentencing in March 2019.

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

          The operation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ (ATF) Puget Sound Regional Crime Gun Task Force and the Kent Police Department.  The task force contains agents and officers from King County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Department of Corrections, Washington State Patrol, Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Marshals Service, Seattle Police Department, and Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team.

            The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amy Jaquette and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Manca. Ms. Manca is a Senior Deputy King County Prosecutor specially designated to prosecute gun crimes in federal court.

CHICAGO — A convicted felon was charged today with federal firearm violations for allegedly illegally possessing a machine gun, silencers and ammunition in his Lake County home.

GREGORY DOMENICO, 35, of Wauconda, is charged with one count of illegal possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, and one count of illegal possession of an unregistered machine gun and three silencers.  Domenico possessed the machine gun, silencers and five rifle cartridges at his residence in December 2018 and January 2019, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago.  Domenico was arrested Thursday, and law enforcement carried out a court-authorized search of his residence. 

Domenico made an initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila Finnegan in Chicago and was ordered to remain in federal custody.  A detention hearing was scheduled for Feb. 27, 2019, at 10:30 a.m.

The charges were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Timothy Jones, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; John Idleburg, Lake County Sheriff; and David Wermes, Chief of the Wauconda Police Department.  The case was investigated by the Lake County Gang Crimes Task Force.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Ardam.

According to the complaint, an undercover law enforcement officer made several purchases of unregistered firearm parts from Domenico.  The sales occurred at Domenico’s residence, the complaint states.

According to the complaint, Domenico sold the undercover officer two silencers on Dec. 13, 2018; a silencer and an auto-sear, which is designed to convert a semi-automatic pistol into a machine gun, on Dec. 18, 2018; and five rifle cartridges on Jan. 22, 2019.  Domenico was previously convicted of a felony and could not lawfully possess a firearm, firearm parts, or ammunition.  Domenico has never held a federal firearms license nor has he registered the possession and transfer of any items with the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record, the complaint states.

NEWARK, N.J. – Four additional people have been charged for their respective roles in a conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.

Victoria Irizarry, 30, of Fort Lee, New Jersey; Marisol Vargas, 34, of Rowland Heights, California; Daniel Estrella, 28, of Lyndhurst, New Jersey; and Cohen Easton, 46, a/k/a “Power,” of Paterson, New Jersey, are charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute approximately five kilograms or more of suspected cocaine.

Vargas and Irizarry appeared this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven C. Mannion in Newark federal court and were released on bail. Easton appeared Feb. 21, 2019, before Judge Mannion and was detained. Estrella remains at large. Previously, Derik Sanchez, 32, of Fort Lee, New Jersey, and James Ferrer, 34, of Belleville, New Jersey were charged in related federal conspiracy complaints.

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

In September and October 2018, Vargas, who allegedly maintained a narcotics stash house in California, brokered the shipment of boxes of cocaine to Sanchez, Irizarry, and others in New Jersey using the U.S. Postal Service. The cocaine, which was intercepted by law enforcement, was to be sold in New Jersey and New York by Sanchez and other members of the conspiracy, including Ferrer, Easton, and Estrella.

Each defendant faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine.

U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, New Jersey Division, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Fontecchio of the Economic Crimes Unit and Senior Trial Counsel Jamie Hoxie of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.

WASHINGTON– Two St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, residents were arrested today on an indictment charging them with conspiring to defraud the United States and aiding and assisting in the preparation of fraudulent tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser of the Eastern District of Louisiana.

As charged in the indictment, Michegel Butler and Brittany Riquel Patterson prepared false tax returns in 2013 for clients of Crown Tax Service in Kenner, Louisiana. Butler is the alleged owner of Crown Tax Service, and Patterson is a return preparer at Crown. As part of the scheme, Butler and Patterson allegedly falsified returns by including fraudulent business income and expenses, dependents, and dependent care expenses. They allegedly sought to substantiate these false items by having clients sign blank declarations of business income and expenses, and false receipts. The indictment charges that some clients also were encouraged to buy or sell the personal identification information of others to facilitate the false reporting of dependents on returns.

An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed.  The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, Butler and Patterson face a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge, and three years for each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a fraudulent tax return.  They also face substantial monetary penalties, supervised release, and restitution.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Strasser commended Assistant United States Attorney Dall Kammer and Trial Attorney Lauren Castaldi of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting this case. The case was investigated by special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation.

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MISSOULA—Fortine resident Roseann Robyn Kipp, who admitted stealing from two Eureka community programs, was sentenced today to eight months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $48,431 restitution, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Kipp, 40, pleaded guilty in November to wire fraud.

U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.

Prosecutors said evidence showed that for about two years, Kipp embezzled funds from the Eureka Rural Development Partners, which promoted and assisted businesses, and from the Area Chamber of Commerce, which put on an annual event called the “Rendezvous.” Kipp was an administrative assistant who provided bookkeeping services for Rural Development. She also was the treasurer for the Chamber of Commerce and collected funds in a PayPal account for the Rendezvous.

Kipp was fired on Nov. 25, 2015 after she admitted to embezzling funds from the Rural Development MasterCard account. The amount stolen was about $45,909. Kipp also stole about $2,501 from the Chamber’s PayPal account for the Rendezvous.

In a January 2018 interview with law enforcement, Kipp admitted to embezzling from Rural Development.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.

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MISSOULA—A Washington man who admitted attempting to view child pornography on a computer while riding a bus was sentenced today to a mandatory minimum 10 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Eric Franklin Rosser, 67, of Ellensburg, Wash., pleaded guilty in October to accessing with intent to view child pornography.

U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. Molloy also fined Rosser $10,000, levied a total of $5,000 in special assessments and ordered Rosser’s computer to be forfeited.

An investigation began on July 22, 2017, when a passenger on a commercial bus heading east on Interstate 90 near Butte noticed that Rosser, who was seated in front of him, was viewing child porn on his laptop computer. When the bus arrived in Billings, the passenger approached Rosser about the video, and Rosser responded, “Leave me alone. I know I have a problem.”

Law enforcement was called to the Billings bus station, and officers questioned Rosser. Rosser admitted he was watching child porn that was being sold online. He also said he had $10,000 cash strapped to each leg and another $50,000 cash in his bags. Officers found the money along with $2,402 that was in Rosser’s wallet. Rosser admitted to emptying his bank account before leaving Washington.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Billings Police Department.

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          A Canadian who smuggled ecstasy (MDMA) into the U.S. by hiking across rugged areas of the northern border was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to seven years in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.  NATHAN HALL, 41, was identified as the second smuggler in an unsuccessful attempt to bring more than 20 kilos of ecstasy into the U.S. in April 2013.  HALL was identified by his co-defendant, Border Patrol agents, and information in a backpack dropped at the scene.  Authorities believe HALL was the second suspect who fired a shot when confronted by agents.  HALL denies he was the gunman but admits that he did carry a firearm on an earlier smuggling run in March 2013.  The presence of the firearm strapped to his thigh was captured by a trail camera near the border.  At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik noted HALL “has a history of chronic lying, using fake ID, and ignoring court orders.”

            According to records filed in the case, HALL was a member of a conspiracy that transported ecstasy in backpacks by hiking over rough rural terrain at the border.  The ecstasy was then transported to California for distribution.  On a smuggling run in April 2013 near Sumas, Washington, two smugglers wearing camouflage clothing were confronted by Border Patrol Agents.  One smuggler, Jeffrey Laviolette, was taken into custody and ultimately sentenced to ten years in prison.  The second smuggler fired a shot, dropped his backpack, and ran back into Canada.  The backpack contained identification documents with HALL’s photo but a fake name.  HALL was later arrested in Canada.  The process of extraditing HALL from Canada took more than five years.  In November 2018, HALL pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute MDMA and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense.  HALL continues to deny he is the smuggler who fired the shot but admits carrying a firearm previously.

            HALL will likely be deported following his prison term.  He can petition for treaty transfer back to Canada.    

          This was an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, providing supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved.    

          The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol,  U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, Coast Guard Investigative Services, and the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Abbotsford Police Department and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah Vogel and Marie Dalton.

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

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Sean Blackwell, 34, of Gates, NY, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, lifetime supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that Blackwell was discovered actively trading child pornography from an apartment in Gates during an operation conducted by the FBI. Special Agents executed a search warrant at a residence that the defendant occupied during the period in question and seized digital items belonging to Blackwell. A forensic examination determined that the items contained multiple images and videos of child pornography, including images that depicted the sexual abuse of prepubescent minors. 

Sentencing is scheduled for May 22, 2019, before Judge Wolford.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Rochester Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gary Loeffert.