SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for possessing heroin to distribute.

Danny R. Jones, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Friday, April 5, to 18 years in federal prison without parole.

On June 27, 2018, Jones pleaded guilty to possessing heroin with the intent to distribute. 

Law enforcement officers, prior to executing a search warrant, established surveillance of Jones’s residence on May 10, 2016. Officers saw Jones leave his residence, driving a Ford Taurus. An officer stopped the vehicle for an improper license plate and arrested Jones, who was driving while having a revoked driver’s license. The officer searched the vehicle and found a diaper bag on the passenger-side rear seat. Inside the diaper bag were several clear plastic bags that contained a total of 190 grams of heroin.

Jones is one of eight defendants charged in this case, all of whom have pleaded guilty, and is the final defendant to be sentenced.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan D. Nguyen. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has charged Rondell Henry, age 28, of Germantown, Maryland, by criminal complaint with interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle.  Today, the government filed a motion arguing for Henry to be detained pending trial as a flight risk and a danger to the community.  Specifically, the government’s detention memo alleges that Henry, who claimed to be inspired by the ISIS terrorist organization, stole a U-Haul van with the intention of using it as a weapon against pedestrians on sidewalks within the National Harbor complex along the Potomac River in Maryland.  A detention hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, April 9, 2019, at 12:45 p.m. in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas M. DiGirolamo.

The criminal complaint was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Moore of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Henry P. Stawinski III of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Acting Chief Russell E. Hamill, III of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Chief Michael L. Brown of the City of Alexandria (Virginia) Police Department.

U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur stated, “We continue to gather evidence, as well as review evidence already obtained as part of this ongoing investigation.”

According to the criminal complaint and other court documents, on March 26, 2019, the Alexandria Police Department was contacted concerning a leased U-Haul vehicle that had been stolen from a parking garage at a mall in Alexandria, Virginia.  The driver, who had rented the U-Haul vehicle had noticed a man driving a blue BMW follow the U-Haul off Interstate 395 and onto mall property, then follow the U-Haul into the parking garage and park a few spaces away.  When police responded to the garage, they found the BMW near where the U-Haul had been stolen.  A check of the BMW’s registration records revealed that the BMW was registered to Rondell Henry.

On March 27, 2019, the stolen U-Haul was located at the National Harbor in Maryland.  Law enforcement reviewed video surveillance of the area that showed Henry parking and subsequently exiting the stolen U-Haul.  Henry was arrested the following day.

According to the detention memo, for two years, Henry has harbored “hatred” for those who do not practice the Muslim faith.  Allegedly inspired by videos he watched of foreign terrorists, Henry decided to conduct a vehicular attack, similar to the 2016 truck attack in Nice, France, for which ISIS claimed responsibility.  After stealing the van, Henry drove around, arriving at Dulles International Airport in Virginia at approximately 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 27, 2019.  The government’s motion for detention alleges that Henry exited his U-Haul and entered the terminal, trying to find a way through security, allegedly to harm “disbelievers” in a way designed for maximum publicity.  After more than two hours of failing to breach Dulles’s security perimeter, Henry allegedly returned to the U-Haul.

According to the motion for detention, Henry then drove the U-Haul from Virginia to the National Harbor in Maryland, arriving around 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 27.  The motion for detention alleges that Henry parked the U-Haul and walked around a popular part of National Harbor.  According to the motion for detention, Henry finally broke into a boat to hide overnight.

By the following morning, Thursday, March 28, police officers had discovered the location of the stolen U-Haul.  When Henry leapt over the security fence from the boat dock, observant Prince George’s County Police officers arrested him.

If convicted, Henry faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle. 

A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the City of Alexandria Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked his office’s national security prosecutors, who are handling the case.

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ALBANY, NEW YORK – Sean R. Fabian, age 41, of Plattsburgh, New York, was convicted on Friday, following a 4-day jury trial, of conspiring to distribute cocaine.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; and Plattsburgh City Police Chief Levi J. Ritter.

The trial evidence showed that on February 11, 2018, Fabian conspired with Hannah Dyer to traffic 300 grams of cocaine from New York City to Plattsburgh for distribution.  On February 13, 2018, the pair met in Albany where Fabian provided the 300 grams of cocaine to Dyer, who was to take the cocaine to Plattsburgh.  The New York State Police stopped Dyer’s vehicle in Clinton County and found the drugs in a container, submerged in a fish stew.

As a result of his conviction, Fabian faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000,000, when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D ’Agostino on July 31, 2019.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.   Fabian has been in custody since his arrest on June 21, 2018.

This case was investigated by the DEA and the Plattsburgh City Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas Collyer and Troy Anderson.

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Jamie L. Moore, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 87 months incarceration for drug distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Moore, age 47, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine” in February 2019. Moore admitted to conspiring with others to distribute methamphetamine in 2017 and 2018 in Marshall County.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture of a property located at 1512 Lindsay Lane in Moundsville, West Virginia.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr., prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Marshall County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office; the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office; the Sistersville Police Department; the Paden City Police Department; and the New Martinsville Police Department investigated. The Columbus, Ohio, Police Department Gang Crimes Unit assisted in the case. 

The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.

Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Xavier C. Coyle, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was arraigned today on a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Coyle, age 29, was indicted by a federal grand sitting in Wheeling on April 2, 2019 on one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Coyle, having previously been convicted of a felony, is accused of having 9mm pistol in December 2019 in Marshall County.

Coyle faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. 

U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Justin R. Beaver, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was arraigned today on drug charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Beaver, age 26, was indicted by a federal grand sitting in Wheeling on April 2, 2019 on four counts of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Beaver is accused of distributing methamphetamine in Marshall County in November 2018.

Beaver faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr., is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. 

U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

            WASHINGTON – Tony John Evans, 30, formerly of New York, N.Y., was sentenced today to five years in prison for his role in a wide-ranging scheme that caused a Maryland man to embezzle more than $4 million from his employer in Washington, D.C.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

            Evans pled guilty in September 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of interference with interstate commerce by extortion and aiding and abetting and causing an act to be done. He was sentenced by the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan. Following his prison term, Evans will be placed on three years of supervised release. In addition, he was ordered to pay $4,217,542 in restitution, as well as $3,119,010 in a forfeiture money judgment.

            Evans and several members of his family were indicted in April 2018.

            In his plea agreement, Evans admitted that from January 2017 through April 2017, he worked with other individuals to extort and defraud others out of money, precious metals, and luxury merchandise. As part of the scheme, he pretended to be a mobster in order to get a Maryland man to provide him and his fellow conspirators with money, luxury goods, and gold. Evans threatened to harm the man and his family if payments were not made.

            As a result of Evans and other conspirators’ actions, the man embezzled more than $4 million from his employer in the District of Columbia over a three-month period for the purpose of providing it to Evans and the other conspirators. Towards the end of the conspiracy, the man delivered more than $1 million in gold—which he had purchased with embezzled funds—to a hotel in New York. Evans admitted that he retrieved the gold bars, delivered them to other individuals, and sold several of the bars to a gold dealer in New York in exchange for cash. 

            In October 2017, the FBI executed a search warrant on Evans’s safe deposit box at a bank in New York. The safe deposit box contained gold and expensive jewelry, including luxury watches and diamonds. As part of his plea agreement, Evans agreed to forfeit his rights to all of the items recovered from the safe deposit box. He also surrendered two additional one-kilogram gold bars to the FBI, along with a Rolex watch, which he purchased with criminal proceeds.

            Charges against five co-defendants remain pending.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Assistant Director in Charge McNamara commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas, who is assisting with forfeiture issues, Paralegal Specialists Brittany Phillips and Joshua Fein, former Paralegal Specialists Jessica Mundi and Kristy Penny, and Forensic Accountant Bryan Snitselaar.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Kent and Kondi Kleinman, who investigated and are prosecuting the case.

This week, April 7-13, 2019, the United States Attorney’s Office joins the rest of the Department of Justice in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 7-13, 2019.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office will participate in an annual event that celebrates and supports crime victims. 

“Victims of crime deserve justice. This Department works every day to help them recover and to find, prosecute, and convict those who have done them harm,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “During this National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we pause to remember the millions of Americans who have been victims of crime and we thank public servants who have served them in especially heroic ways. This week the men and women of the Department recommit ourselves once again to ensuring that crime victims continue to have a voice in our legal system, to securing justice for them, and to preventing other Americans from suffering what they have endured.”
 
United States Attorney Christina E. Nolan stated:  “The pursuit of justice for victims and their families is a central component of our mission.  Those who have suffered senselessly at the hands of criminals – whether from violence, drug trafficking, financial crime, child exploitation, or other crime – will always have tireless advocates at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  Working with our brave law enforcement officers, we will strive to ensure victims’ rights are protected and that they receive appropriate compensation and recovery services.  We will also continue to collaborate with community partners to assist crime survivors and make Vermont safer through prevention initiatives.” 

Each year in April, the Department of Justice and United States Attorneys’ offices observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week nationwide by taking time to honor victims of crime and those who advocate on their behalf.  In addition, the Justice Department and U.S. Attorneys’ offices organize events to honor the victims and advocates, as well as bring awareness to services available to victims of crime.  In Vermont, this year’s observance takes place April 7-13, with the theme: Honoring Our Past. Creating Hope for the Future.

This year’s event in Vermont took place at the Capitol Plaza in Montpelier, Vermont on April 8. The day included a workshop in the morning presented by master storyteller Sue Schmidt. An awards ceremony followed in the afternoon to honor victim advocates and allied professionals from across Vermont who serve victims of crime.

The U.S. Department of Justice will host the Office for Victims of Crime’s annual National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C. on April 12, 2019, to honor outstanding individuals and programs that serve victims of crime.

The Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime, within the Office of Justice Programs, leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week each year. President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims’ Rights Week in 1981 to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and rights of victims of crime.

The Office of Justice Programs provides innovative leadership to federal, state, local, and tribal justice systems, by disseminating state-of-the art knowledge and practices across America, and providing grants for the implementation of these crime-fighting strategies. Because most of the responsibility for crime control and prevention falls to law enforcement officers in states, cities, and neighborhoods, the federal government can be effective in these areas only to the extent that it can enter into partnerships with these officers. More information about the Office of Justice Programs and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov. More information about Crime Victim’s Rights Week can be found at https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw/. You may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Vermont- Victim Witness Program at (802) 951-6725.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a conspiracy that distributed 45 kilograms of methamphetamine in southwest Missouri.

Kenneth R. Friend, 48, of Springfield, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Friday, April 5, to participating in the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene, Polk, Christian, Jasper, Laclede, and Webster Counties from June 1, 2013, through Nov. 29, 2014. Friend also pleaded guilty to money laundering by engaging in monetary transactions to promote unlawful activity.

Beginning in 2012, the Drug Enforcement Administration, assisted by other agencies, investigated one of the largest methamphetamine distribution rings in southwest Missouri. The investigation resulted in the indictment of 29 defendants.

The conspiracy was responsible for the distribution of more than 45 kilograms of methamphetamine.

During the conspiracy, Friend obtained large amounts of methamphetamine from various sources. For example, Friend paid one source $20,000 in early November 2014 for two pounds of methamphetamine. Friend also intended to purchase a large amount of methamphetamine from one of his sources on Nov. 27, 2014. As part of the investigation, law enforcement officers arrested Friend, his then-girlfriend and one of his suppliers. During the execution of a federal search warrant at the supplier’s residence in Springfield, agents found approximately $20,000 and approximately five and a half pounds of methamphetamine. Friend admitted that he intended to purchase at least two of the five and a half pounds seized from this source of supply. Agents also seized $34,310 from Friend, which he had intended to use to purchase the two pounds of methamphetamine. Agents also seized Friend’s 1992 Harley Davidson motorcycle, which he used to distribute methamphetamine and which he purchased with proceeds from the sale of methamphetamine. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Friend must forfeit the cash and the motorcycle to the government.

Friend is among 29 defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case; 27 of those defendants have been sentenced.

Under federal statutes, Friend 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. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randall D. Eggert, Nhan D. Nguyen and Cynthia J. Hyde. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Gulfport, Miss – Following a conviction at trial on October 31, 2018, Frederick Arayatanon, 35, of Westminister, California was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to serve life in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

During the course of a drug investigation that began in 2017, DEA agents discovered that Arayatanon was shipping large quantities of methamphetamine from California to Tuyen Ngoc Le in Biloxi, Mississippi. Once Le received the methamphetamine shipments, she would give them to Demetrius Mason for distribution in the Ocean Springs area.

Le pled guilty for her role in the drug conspiracy and was sentenced by Judge Guirola to serve 262 months in federal prison. Mason pled guilty for his role and was sentenced by Judge Guirola on May 31, 2018 to serve 292 months. Both Le and Mason testified as witnesses for the United States during Arayatanon’s trial.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Shundral H. Cole and Kathlyn Van Buskirk.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two local men have been ordered to federal prison following their convictions of robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

Matthew Joseph Bryant, 24, and Nathealle Avori Tyrell Jones, 21, each pleaded guilty Jan. 31, 2019, as did and Corey Alexander Newman, 25.  

Today, Senior U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack handed Bryant and Jones each a 33-month sentence for the robbery to be followed by an additional 84 months for the firearms charge which must be served consecutively to the other sentence imposed. Both must also serve five years of supervised release following completion of their sentences.   

Newman is pending his sentencing hearing.

On Aug. 5, 2018, local law enforcement responded to an aggravated robbery at the Texas Food Mart located in the 6100 block of Williams. As officers arrived in the area, they observed a suspect vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The vehicle then fled from the officers until crashing into a utility pole.

At that time, Bryant, Jones and Newman fled from the vehicle, but were soon arrested and taken into custody.

Officers searched the vehicle and surrounding area and discovered U.S. currency, convenience store items, cigarettes, disposable gloves and a loaded handgun with an extended magazine.

Surveillance footage at the location showed that two males wearing dark clothing and bandanas covering their faces entered the store. As one male stayed by the front door and pointed a handgun at the clerk, the other male went behind the counter and emptied the cash register into a bag along with cigarettes and flavored cigars. The male then took the clerk’s cellular phone and wallet before leaving the store and driving off in a dark colored sedan.

During the follow-up investigation, law enforcement was able to determine that Bryant was in possession of the firearm and entered the store with another individual while Jones, the getaway driver, and Newman waited outside.

Bryant and Jones have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Corpus Christi Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt is prosecuting the case.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 36-year-old Houston resident has sentenced in Corpus Christi federal court following his conviction for possessing with intent to distribute crystal methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Aaron Dee Summer III pleaded guilty Jan. 31, 2019, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute narcotics.

Today, Senior U.S. District Court Judge Janis Graham Jack sentenced Summer to 145 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court noted Summer did not have a minor role in the offense as he claimed. 

On Nov. 17, 2018, law enforcement conducted an inspection of a charter bus traveling north through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) immigration checkpoint near Falfurrias. During the investigation, authorities discovered luggage belonging to Summer with 28 bundles totaling approximately 13.5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine.

Law enforcement arrested him and discovered he was hiding an additional kilogram of Fentanyl strapped to his torso underneath his clothing. Summer  admitted he had transported narcotics on the bus from Mexico and the Rio Grande Valley area of Texas on several occasions over the previous six months.

Summer has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and CBP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Paxton is prosecuting the case.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Stephanie Beck,41, of Lewiston, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to manufacture marijuana.

According to court records, the defendant was licensed by Maine’s Department of Professional and Financial Regulation as a Certified Clinical Supervisor and an Alcohol and Drug Counselor.  Between December 1, 2017, and February 27, 2018, the defendant provided patient names to a nurse practitioner (including the names of MaineCare recipients), who, in turn, created fraudulent medical marijuana certifications.  These fraudulent certifications allowed a marijuana trafficking conspiracy to illegally cultivate marijuana plants under the cover of, but in violation of, the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Program.

The defendant faces up to 20 years in jail and a $1,000,000 fine.  She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the Maine Attorney General’s Healthcare Crimes Unit, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Suzanne Muscara, 37, of Burlington, Maine, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Friday with mailing a threatening communication to Senator Susan Collins. 

According to the complaint affidavit, the charge arose from an investigation into a suspicious letter processed by the U.S. Postal Service mail sorting facility in Hampden, Maine, in October 2018.  The letter was leaking a fine white powder and it contained a threat.  The white powder was tested and found not to contain toxic substances.

If convicted, the defendant faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The defendant will make an initial appearance today at 2:30 p.m. in U.S. District Court in Bangor, Courtroom 1.

The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspector Service, the Office of Maine State Fire Marshal, and the Maine State Police.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt. 

NEWARK, N.J. – An Iselin, New Jersey, man today admitted that he attempted to fraudulently obtain United States citizenship, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Pal Singh, a/k/a “Surinder Singh,” a/k/a “Harpal Singh,” 67, an Indian national, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas to an information charging him with one count of attempted naturalization fraud.

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

In March 1992, Singh applied for admission into the United States as a tourist at Los Angeles International Airport by presenting an Indian passport that purported to contain an entry visa to the United States. Singh was refused admission because the entry visa was deemed fraudulent and he was detained pending exclusion proceedings. Singh thereafter applied for asylum in the United States in his true name, and he was released on bond while his asylum claim was evaluated. In June 1993, an immigration judge in New York denied Singh’s asylum application and Singh was ordered to surrender for deportation. Singh failed to appear for his deportation as ordered.

In August 1995, Singh fraudulently applied for asylum in the United States under the identity of “Harpal Singh,” and claimed that he had entered the United States by crossing the United States-Mexico border in December 1994. Singh did not disclose that he had previously been denied asylum under his true identity. In March 1996, an immigration judge denied Singh’s second asylum application and he was again ordered to surrender for deportation. Singh again failed to appear for his deportation.

In May 1996, Singh fraudulently applied for asylum in the United States under the identity of “Surinder Singh,” claiming that he had entered the United States by crossing the United States-Mexico border in November 1995. Singh did not disclose that he had previously been denied asylum under his true identity and under the identity of Harpal Singh. This application further claimed that Surinder Singh had been beaten and tortured in India in 1994 despite the fact that Singh had been living in the United States at the time under his true identity.  In June 1996, the Immigration and Naturalization Service granted Singh’s third asylum application in the name of “Surinder Singh” based on fraudulent information provided by Singh.

In December 2015, Singh filed an Application for Naturalization, Form 400-N, with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under the identity of Surinder Singh. He falsely answered questions relating to his identity, his prior immigration applications, and his immigration status, among others. In May 2018, Singh appeared in the identity of Surinder Singh before an officer of the Department of Homeland Security in Newark for an interview, which was conducted under oath and video-recorded. Singh was also assisted by counsel and by a Punjabi interpreter. Singh falsely answered additional questions relating to his identity, his prior immigration applications, and his immigration status, among others.

A qualified fingerprint examiner from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Biometric Support Center has compared fingerprints taken of Singh when he initially attempted to enter the United States in March 1992 to fingerprints taken in the names of Harpal Singh and Surinder Singh in connection with the above-described immigration proceedings.  The fingerprint examiner concluded that the same individual made all of the fingerprints.

The attempted naturalization fraud charge carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 5, 2019.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Kearney of the U.S Attorney’s Office National Security Unit in Newark.

NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role in a scheme to steal credit cards from the mail, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Moussa Dagno, 24, of Harrison, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count each of bribery of U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail carriers and employees, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Dagno, who was arrested in February of 2018, remains detained pending his sentencing.

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

Dagno recruited several USPS mail carriers and employees to steal credit cards from the mail in exchange for bribes of $100 per stolen card. Dagno activated the cards under false pretenses, and he and others would use the cards to purchase high-end electronics and clothing at various retail stores throughout New Jersey. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement seized six laptops and a smartphone from Dagno’s residence, all of which had been purchased with credit cards stolen by USPS workers involved in the scheme.

Several of the USPS mail carriers and employees who accepted bribes from Dagno and others have already pleaded guilty to bribery charges and are awaiting sentencing. These individuals include: former mail carriers Zenobia Gilmer, Ayesha Trotz and Kyanne Costley, who had delivery routes in Mt. Arlington, New Jersey, East Orange, New Jersey, and Elizabeth, New Jersey, as well as Jennel Williams, who formerly worked as a clerk in the Main Post Office in Newark. All four admitted to stealing credit cards from the mail and delivering those stolen cards to Dagno or another individual working with Dagno. 

The bribery charge to which Dagno pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison; the bank fraud charge to which Dagno pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison; and the aggravated identity theft charge to which Dagno plead guilty carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, which will be served consecutively to the sentence Dagno receives on the other charges. The bank fraud charges carries a maximum potential fine of $1 million, while the maximum potential fine for both the bribery and aggravated identity theft is $250,000. Sentencing is currently scheduled for July 17, 2019.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the USPS - Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office, and inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge James Buthorn, with the investigation leading to these charges. 

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark J. McCarren and Jihee G. Suh of the U.S. Attorney’s Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.

ALBUQUERQUE – Troy Livingston, 18, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Breadsprings, N.M., made his initial appearance in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., this morning on a criminal complaint charging him with murdering a Navajo woman with malice aforethought.  Livingston remains in custody pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, both of which are scheduled for April 9, 2019.

            The criminal complaint alleges that Livingston beat the victim to death with a flashlight and his feet at a residence Breadsprings, which is located in the Navajo Indian Reservation, on April 6, 2019.  According to the criminal complaint, the victim was Livingston’s girlfriend. 

If convicted of the charge in the criminal complaint, Livingston faces a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.  Charges in criminal complaints are only accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

The case was investigated by the Gallup office of the FBI and the Crownpoint office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Cowen is prosecuting the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment on Thursday, April 4, 2019, against Jose Luis Rivas Jr., 26, of Bakersfield, charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, between June 2016 and May 2018, Rivas conspired with another Bakersfield man, Juan Pina, 23, to use a national parcel service company to ship packages of narcotics to various distributors around the country. Records filed with the court indicate that Rivas and Pina made kilogram-quantity shipments of controlled substances on several occasions.

On May 3, 2018, search warrants were executed for Pina’s residence and vehicle. Pina was arrested while driving his vehicle and in the back seat was a three-foot-long rectangular box, similar in size to the earlier shipments. The package was searched and found to contain approximately 700 grams of cocaine. In a search of Pina’s home, agents recovered over 2 pounds of heroin, over 2 pounds of cocaine, approximately 70 grams of methamphetamine as well as a loaded handgun and three long guns all found within close proximity to the drugs.

On March 27, 2019, when search warrants were executed for Rivas’s residence, agents recovered 12 cellphones and arrested Rivas.

On April 8, 2019, Juan Pina plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin.

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian K. Delaney and Thomas Newman are prosecuting the case.

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

Pina is scheduled to be sentenced on August 12. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Noel Carter, 45, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today for conspiring with Bakersfield police officers Damacio Diaz and Patrick Mara to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana that Diaz and Mara seized in the course of their duties as police officers, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill sentenced Carter to seven and a half years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Carter was also ordered to pay $70,513 in restitution to his former employer and to forfeit $286,251 representing proceeds from his drug trafficking activity.

According to court documents, from April 2012 to August 2015, Carter conspired with Diaz and Mara, who deliberately failed to submit the seized drugs into the Bakersfield Police Department evidence room and instead provided the stolen narcotics to Carter so that Carter could sell those narcotics for profit.

In May 2016, Diaz pleaded guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, as well as receiving bribes and making a false income tax return. In June 2016, Mara pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute, and to possess with the intent to distribute, methamphetamine. Both were removed from active duty with the Bakersfield Police Department and are currently serving federal prison sentences.

According to the plea agreement in October 2018, Carter agreed to pay restitution to Pacific Workplaces, his former employer. Starting in September 2016 and up until his termination in September 2017, Carter was a contract manager for Pacific Workplaces, a virtual office and short-term office rental business. Carter admitted to embezzling money from the company and depositing the money into his personal account.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian K. Delaney and Angela Scott prosecuted the case.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. –  In observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 7-13, 2019, United States Attorney Mike Stuart will be hosting the 19^th Annual Operation Reach Out Opening Ceremony.  Stuart will present Excellence in Victim Advocacy and Justice Awards to  federal, state and local partners engaged in fighting violence against women. 

What:               Operation Reach Out Ceremony & Reception

Where:             Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse 

                         300 Virginia Street East, 5^th Floor

                         Charleston, WV

When:             Tuesday, April 9 @ 11:00am

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