John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ALBERT LEE ROBINSON, 58, of Stamford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 42 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing narcotics and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 16, 2004, Judge Underhill sentenced Robinson to 188 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for distributing crack cocaine.  Robinson was sentenced as a career offender based on prior convictions for burglary, narcotics and robbery offenses.  Robinson was released from prison in August 2017 and began serving his five-year term of supervised release.

On August 14, 2018, Stamford Police arrested Robinson on state charges after he was found in possession more than 300 bags of heroin and more than 200 bags of crack cocaine, as well as baggies of powder cocaine and a jar containing marijuana.  Officers also seized a digital scale and $2,052 in cash.

On September 5, 2018, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Robinson with one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.  The next day, members of the DEA’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Stamford Police Department executed a federal arrest warrant for Robinson.  At this time of his arrest, Robinson possessed a bag of powder cocaine on his person.

Robinson has been detained since his federal arrest on September 6.  On December 18, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and admitted violating the conditions of his supervised release.

Judge Underhill sentenced Robinson to 42 months of imprisonment for distributing narcotics, and a concurrent 12-month sentence for violating the conditions of his supervised release.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan and Elena L. Coronado.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an 18-count indictment on April 11 against Deena Vang Lee, 38, of Fresno, charging her with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent tax returns, and making and subscribing false and fraudulent tax returns, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, between February 2012 and February 2016, Lee prepared tax returns for a fee for friends, family, and other acquaintances that claimed thousands of dollars in tax credits for education and child care expenses that were not actually incurred. Lee also submitted fraudulent tax returns on her own behalf, failing to report the income from her tax preparation services.

This case is the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vince Tennerelli is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Lee faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ruben Ruiz Jr., 27, of Escondido, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 10 years in prison for possessing heroin for distribution, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

Ruiz pleaded guilty on June 19, 2018. According to court documents, on February 28, 2018, a California Highway Patrol officer stopped Ruiz while he was driving northbound on Interstate 5 near Mt. Shasta in Siskiyou County. When the officer had his narcotics detection canine run a sweep around Ruiz’s truck, the dog alerted. A subsequent search revealed over 14 pounds of heroin. Ruiz was on federal supervised release at the time, after having been released from federal custody for a separate narcotics offense three months earlier.

According to the plea agreement, Ruiz said that he was supposed to receive a call when he arrived in Portland with further instructions.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the California Highway Patrol, and the Siskiyou Unified Major Investigations Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy H. Delgado prosecuted the case.

     Indianapolis – Josh J. Minkler, the United States Attorney, is pleased to announce that Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) federal grant dollars are available for State and local government agencies to partner with federal law enforcement on targeted and prioritized violent-crime reduction programs, which include community engagement, prevention and reentry efforts. PSN grants monies may be used for criminal justice-related initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contracted support, information systems, research and evaluation.

     Applicants are encouraged to propose evidence-based, effective, promising or best practices cited in an academic, journal, a recognized list of evaluated programs or causal evidence from an outcome evaluation. Applications must enhance or expand, not replace, existing funds.

     “The Justice Department is pleased to offer opportunities for community members to partner with state and local government agencies in an effort to reduce the gun-related violence that currently plagues our communities,” said United States Attorney Josh Minkler. “We would like to recognize and thank our PSN Task Force partners, ICJI, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, the Indiana Department of Education, the Indianapolis Marion County Forensic Services Agency, and community volunteer Gloria Riggs, for their persistence tackling these challenges over time and their innovative efforts to drive down the violence.”

     Project Safe Neighborhoods is the Justice Department’s flagship Violence Reduction initiative and was reinvigorated in 2018. In the Southern District of Indiana, United States Attorney Minkler appointed Kendra Klump, Assistant U.S. Attorney, to lead the PSN Task Force efforts in coordination with Marshall Depew of IMPD.    

     This funding opportunity runs from October 2019 through September 2020.  Applications may be submitted through May 24, 2019 using the IntellGrants system at http://intelligrants.IN.gov. For assistance with submitting an application, contact CJIHelpDesk@cji.in.gov, Terrie Grantham at TGrantham@cji.in.gov or Leann Jaggers at LeJaggers@cji.in.gov

     Additional details may be found at:  www.in.gov/cji/files/RFP_PSN_SIN_2019.pdf.

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John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Stamford Police Chief Jonathan Fontneau today announced the unsealing of three-count indictment charging VINCENT DECARO, 29, ARBER ISAKU, 29 and DAVID REICHARD, 30, all of Stamford, with offenses related to the trafficking of fentanyl analogues.

The indictment was returned on August 7, 2018.  Decaro and Isaku, who were extradited from Albania, appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel in Bridgeport and entered pleas of not guilty to the charges.  They are detained pending trial.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, Decaro and Isaku purchased fentanyl analogues from suppliers in China and, working out of Decaro’s residence at 77 West Hill Circle in Stamford, pressed the drug into counterfeit oxycodone pills, which they sold to customers on dark web markets.  Reichard, who lived for a short time at Decaro’s residence, helped Decaro and Isaku press pills and mail the pills to customers.

On April 3, 2018, a court-authorized search of Decaro’s Stamford residence revealed numerous pills containing approximately 330 grams of fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl, approximately 40 grams of fentanyl analogues in powder form, three pill presses, instructions on how to prepare the fentanyl analogue Carfentanil, a hazardous material suit, a gas/respirator-type mask, and numerous U.S. Postal mail envelopes.

Prior to that date, on August 23, 2017, Isaku was arrested by the Connecticut State Police after he accepted delivery of a package containing approximately 160 grams of fentanyl at his Mitchell Street residence in Stamford.

At the time of the search of Decaro’s home in April 2018, Decaro and Isaku were in Europe.  They have been detained since September 21, 2018, when they were arrested by Albanian State Police as they were attempting to cross the border from Albania into Kosovo.  A search of an apartment in Tirana where they had been staying revealed alprazolam, fentanyl and other controlled substances; tools and dies for pressing pills, and instructions for synthesizing fentanyl.

The indictment charges Decaro, Isaku and Reichard with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of fentanyl analogues, and Decaro and Reichard with one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of fentanyl analogues.  Both offenses carry a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.  Isaku is also charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl analogues, and offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

Reichard was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on April 13, 2018.  He previously entered a plea of not guilty to the charges in the indictment.

U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Connecticut State Police and Stamford Police Department, with the assistance of the Albanian State Police.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.

DENVER – Dr. John Alan Littleford, DO, age 73, of Manhattan, Kansas and formerly of Parker, Colorado, was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Blackburn to serve 87 months in federal prison followed by 3 years on supervised release for charges related to the illegal distribution of controlled substances and money laundering, U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn, DEA Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Tim McDermott and IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Steven Osborne announced. Littleford was ordered to report to a facility once designated by the Bureau of Prisons. 

According to the stipulated facts contained in the defendant’s plea agreement as well as court filings, Dr. Littleford owned and operated the Pain & Injury Clinic in Parker, Colorado. Dr. Littleford held himself out as a practitioner in the field of “pain management,” although he did not have any certification in that field and had not completed a medical residency which would have been directly applicable to the field of pain management.

The DEA opened a criminal investigation into Dr. Littleford in late February 2012 because doctors and pharmacists throughout the Denver metropolitan area expressed concerns about the prescribing practices they were seeing and local law enforcement had repeated encounters with Dr. Littleford’s patients. On October 31, 2012, the Colorado Medical Board issued an Order of Summary Suspension which suspended Dr. Littleford’s license to practice medicine in Colorado, effective on November 5, 2012, until final resolution of additional proceedings for suspension or revocation. On November 9, 2012, the defendant voluntarily surrendered his DEA registration. On November 14, 2012, the defendant entered into a Stipulation and Final Agency Order with the Colorado Medical Board which voluntarily and permanently relinquished his license to practice medicine in Colorado, effective November 16, 2012.

Evidence offered in support of Littleford’s sentencing showed he routinely prescribed large quantities of opioids, often in conjunction with benzodiazepines, without any diagnosis and with very little documentation in the patient files. On one occasion, Littleford’s notes which accompanied prescriptions for 840 oxycodone 30mg tablets; 360 Percocet tablets; 120 Oxycontin 80mg tablets; 240 MSContin 100mg tablets; 240 Klonopin 2mg tablets noted that Littleford’s diagnosis for the patient was simply, “?”.  Littleford’s file for that same patient also included strong warnings from other physicians who had seen the patient, including one which said, “these doses of medication from my perspective were incompatible with his long-term survival.” That patient died just over a month later from oxycodone toxicity as a result of taking controlled substances Littleford prescribed. Littleford pled guilty to distributing controlled substances to that patient and, through his plea agreement, agreed the Court could consider his distribution of controlled substances to that patient on several occasions in adjudging an appropriate sentence.

Littleford regularly provided controlled substances prescriptions to patients well before their prior prescriptions should have run out. The evidence presented at Littleford’s sentencing showed those patients occasionally presented with withdrawal symptoms and clear drug-seeking behavior. One such patient, whom Littleford’s plea agreement agreed the Court could consider as relevant at sentencing, died of complications from acute oxycodone toxicity after taking oxycodone Littleford prescribed. The progress note associated with the final prescriptions Littleford wrote that patient said the patient’s chief complaint was that he was “begging to feel things.” In response to that complaint, Littleford provided the patient with prescriptions for 300 oxycodone 30mg tablets and 10 Fentora (fentanyl) 200mcg tablets.

Littleford did not taper or reduce the amounts of controlled substances he was prescribing to patients who were physically deteriorating. Instead, he repeatedly justified his prescriptions of controlled substances to outside insurance companies and courts before whom his patients had pending criminal cases. For several patients, his files were characterized by a remarkable lack of documentation related to the prescriptions he wrote for controlled substances.

Littleford also pled guilty to and was sentenced for money laundering in order to promote his illegal distribution of controlled substances at the Pain & Injury Clinic.

In accordance with Littleford’s plea agreement, the Court considered his distribution of controlled substances to seven different individuals he saw at the Pain & Injury Clinic—involving more than 14,000 pills of various opioids, amphetamines, benzodiazepines and muscle relaxants as well as fentanyl patches and hundreds of vials of injectable meperidine.

“Doctors who prescribe narcotics outside the scope of accepted medical practice are adding to the opioid epidemic,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn.  “Dr. Littleford’s prosecution is part of our increased effort to stop the harm of prescription drugs and protect those vulnerable to addiction.”

“The continued successful prosecution of doctors who prescribe outside the scope of medical necessity shows the opioid epidemic is far from over,” said DEA Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Tim McDermott.  “DEA has and will continue to use all resources to combat this epidemic.”

“Doctors who illegally distribute prescription drugs are a major contributor to the current opioid crisis and a scourge on society.  Without the ill-gotten gains from their illegal distribution, many of these doctors could not finance their criminal activity.  IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to investigating the financial aspect of those crimes and putting those individuals in jail,” said Steven Osborne, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation.

This case was investigated by the DEA Denver Division and IRS Criminal Investigation.

The defendant is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter McNeilly and Jaime Peña.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The 17^th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day will be held on Saturday, April 27, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Daniel W. Neill for the DEA Las Vegas office.

“Prevention starts at home. Cleaning out the family medicine cabinet could save a life,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “I encourage Nevadans to be responsible citizens and safely dispose of unwanted, unused, and expired prescription medications at a collection site on Take Back Day before the pills end up lost, stolen or misused.”

“This is an excellent opportunity for all Nevadans to empty out their medicine cabinets to prevent misuse,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Neill.

On April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., partner law enforcement agencies will collect prescription medications at more than 30 collection sites throughout Nevada. The public can find a nearby collection site at www.DEATakeBack.com or by calling 1-800-882-9539. DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Last October, Americans turned in 457 tons (914,236 pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 5,800 sites operated by the DEA and almost 4,800 of its local and tribal law enforcement partners. Overall, the DEA and its partners have taken in almost 11 million pounds (nearly 5,500 tons) of pills at past Take Back Days.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. For more information about the safe disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 27 Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com.

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National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Collection Sites

Saturday, April 27, 2019, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – April 24, 2019 – David Wallace of Boca Raton, Florida and Timothy Stocksdale, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, two former executives of Arriva Medical, LLC (Arriva), agreed to pay $500,000 each to settle the United States’ allegations that they had violated the False Claims Act, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee. 

Arriva is a mail-order diabetic testing supply company based in Coral Springs, Florida, which, at one point, had operations including a customer call center in Antioch, Tennessee.  Wallace and Stocksdale co-founded Arriva and after its November 2011 sale to Alere, Inc. (Alere), they remained employed as Arriva executives.  Wallace served as Arriva’s president from November 23, 2011 through August 30, 2013, and Stocksdale served as Arriva’s vice president during the same period.

The settlement resolves the United States’ claims that Wallace and Stocksdale caused Arriva to submit false claims to Medicare that were tainted by kickbacks paid to beneficiaries in the form of free or no cost home blood glucose meters or waived or uncollected copayments during the period from November 23, 2011 through August 30, 2013.  The settlement also resolves the United States’ claims that Wallace and Stocksdale caused Arriva to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary home blood glucose meters during the same period.

On February 8, 2019, the United States separately intervened in a False Claims Act case alleging that Arriva and Alere submitted and/or caused to be submitted false claims to the Medicare program for medically unnecessary glucometers and diabetic testing supplies that were tainted by the payment of kickbacks in the form of free home blood glucose meters and routine copayment waivers.  Alere is a large medical device company based in Waltham, Massachusetts.  Both Arriva and Alere were acquired by Abbott Laboratories in September 2017. 

In October 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) revoked Arriva’s billing number for billing Medicare for durable medical equipment that was shipped to a beneficiary more than 14 days after the beneficiary’s death.  Arriva subsequently stopped operating in late 2017.

The case was handled by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee and investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Bowden McIntyre represented the United States. 

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            WASHINGTON – Candace Marie Claiborne, a former employee of the U.S. Department of State, pleaded guilty today to a charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States, by lying to law enforcement and background investigators, and hiding her extensive contacts with, and gifts from, agents of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), in exchange for providing them with internal documents from the U.S. State Department. 

            The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu of the District of Columbia, Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Deputy Assistant Secretary Ricardo Colón, Domestic Operations, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service.

            The plea took place before the Honorable Randolph D. Moss of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. 

            “Candace Marie Claiborne traded her integrity and non-public information of the United States government in exchange for cash and other gifts from foreign agents she knew worked for the Chinese intelligence service,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers.  “She withheld information and lied repeatedly about these contacts.  Violations of the public’s trust are an affront to our citizens and to all those who honor their oaths.  With this guilty plea we are one step closer to imposing justice for these dishonorable criminal acts.” 

            “Candace Claiborne broke the public trust when she accepted gifts and money from foreign officials, and then lied about it to State Department background investigators,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “The United States will continue to seek to hold accountable those who abuse their positions of trust.” 

            “Candace Claiborne was entrusted with Top Secret information when she purposefully misled federal investigators about her repeated interactions with foreign contacts which violated her oath of office as a State Department employee,” said Assistant Director McNamara.  “The FBI will continue to investigate individuals who fail to report foreign contacts, which is a key indicator of potential insider threats posed by those in positions of public trust.”

            “Our close working relationship with the FBI and the Department of Justice resulted in the conviction of Candace Claiborne who violated the public trust and damaged our national security,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary Colón.  “Diplomatic Security will continue working with our law enforcement partners to vigorously defend the interests and security of the United States of America.”

            According to the plea documents, Claiborne, 63, began working as an Office Management Specialist for the Department of State in 1999.  She served overseas at a number of posts, including embassies and consulates in Baghdad, Iraq, Khartoum, Sudan, and Beijing and Shanghai, China.  As a condition of her employment, Claiborne maintained a TOP SECRET security clearance.  Claiborne also was required to report any contacts with persons suspected of affiliation with a foreign intelligence agency as well as any gifts she received from foreign sources over a certain amount.

            Despite such a requirement, Claiborne failed to report repeated contacts with two agents of the People’s Republic of China Intelligence Service, even though these agents provided tens of thousands of dollars in gifts and benefits to Claiborne and her family over five years.  The gifts and benefits included cash wired to Claiborne’s USAA account, Chinese New Year’s gifts, international travel and vacations, tuition at a Chinese fashion school, a fully furnished apartment, a monthly stipend and numerous cash payments.  Some of these gifts and benefits were provided directly to Claiborne, while others were provided to a close family member of Claiborne’s.

            In exchange for these gifts and benefits, as stated in the plea documents, Claiborne provided copies of internal documents from the State Department on topics ranging from U.S. economic strategies to visits by dignitaries between the two countries. 

            Claiborne noted in her journal that she could “Generate 20k in 1 year” working with one of the PRC agents.  That same agent at one point tasked her with providing internal U.S. Government analyses on a U.S.-Sino Strategic Economic Dialogue that had just concluded.

            Claiborne, who confided to a co-conspirator that the PRC agents were “spies,” willfully misled State Department background investigators and FBI investigators about her contacts with those agents, the plea documents state.  After the State Department and FBI investigators contacted her, Claiborne also instructed her co-conspirators to delete evidence connecting her to the PRC agents.  She was arrested on March 28, 2017, following a law enforcement investigation.

            Judge Moss scheduled sentencing for July 9, 2019.  Claiborne, of Washington, D.C., was ordered detained pending sentencing, but will self-surrender for said detention on June 5, 2019.  The statutory maximum penalty for a person convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States is five years in prison.  The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes.  The sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court after considering the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            The FBI’s Washington Field Office is leading the investigation into this matter.  The case was prosecuted by Thomas A. Gillice and investigated by John L. Hill, both Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Deputy Chief Julie A. Edelstein and Trial Attorney Evan N. Turgeon of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

Gulfport, Miss – Mark Clayton Bosarge, Jr., 29, of D’Iberville, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm not registered in the National Firearms and Transfer Record, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Bosarge was also ordered to pay an $8,000 fine.

On June 13, 2018, Jackson County Deputies responded to a call from a homeowner in a home formerly occupied by Bosarge. The homeowner found explosive powder, pipes and components for pipe bombs. An investigation by the Bureau of ATF confirmed the homemade explosive HMTD, threaded pipe, and end caps for at least 3 pipe bombs, along with improvised detonators and a control box. When assembled, the devices were capable of causing property damage and injury or death to persons nearby. The devices qualify as firearms under federal statute and must be registered to be legitimately possessed. As a felon, Bosarge is not eligible to register or possess any firearm. Bosarge has prior a felony conviction for grand larceny in Harrison County.

The Jackson County MET Team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.

PHILADELPHIA – First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Williams announced that former Mayor of Reading, Vaughn Spencer, 71, of Reading, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 96 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and a $35,000 fine by the Honorable Juan R. Sanchez, Chief Judge, United States District Court.

Spencer was the Mayor of Reading from January 2012 until January 2016. He was convicted by a jury on August 31, 2018 on eleven counts of bribery solicitation and related offenses, stemming from a conspiracy to solicit campaign contributions from specific vendors for the May 2015 democratic primary in exchange for lucrative municipal engineering contracts.  T&M Associates and McTish Kunkle & Associates were among the engineering firms that engaged in this pay-to-play scheme. 

Spencer, his Special Assistant, Eron Lloyd, and his campaign manager, Michael Fleck, also conspired to pay an $1,800 bribe to Reading School Board President Rebecca Acosta, who was running for district justice at the time, in exchange for her help and her husband, City Council President Francisco Acosta, in persuading Reading City Council to repeal a local ordinance that set an annual limit on individual campaign contributions to persons running for city office.  Spencer pursued this because he was hoping to maximize his campaign contributions, and keep contributions he had already received well in excess of the limit. 

Francisco Acosta pled guilty and was sentenced to, and has already served, 24 months in prison, and Rebecca Acosta pled guilty and is currently serving an 18-month sentence of incarceration. Lloyd pled guilty and was sentenced to 5 years’ probation with the first 6 months on house arrest, and Mark Neisser of T&M pled guilty and was sentenced to 5 years’ probation with the first 12 months on house arrest and a $25,000 fine.  Fleck and Matthew McTish are scheduled to be sentenced on April 26, 2019.

“Spencer was so concerned with keeping his job, and the money to run a re-election campaign, that he forgot to do his job on behalf of the citizens of Reading,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Williams.  “He used the position that voters had entrusted to him for his personal benefit.  Our office is committed to uncovering and prosecuting public corruption, so officials should be on notice: if you abuse the powers of your office, the federal government is coming for you.”

“While mayor of Reading, Vaughan Spencer repeatedly sold off city contracts in an effort to cling to office,” said Michael T. Harpster, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. “Instead of working honestly on behalf of his constituents, he embraced these corrupt relationships and transactions for his own selfish benefit. The FBI is determined to root out the kickback culture seen all too frequently in this country's halls of power.”

“Spencer’s conscious decision to deceive and benefit personally at the expense of the citizens of Reading has cost him his liberty,” said Guy Ficco, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge. “Let his sentence serve as a stark reminder that if you commit a crime, status as a political leader will not protect you from federal prosecution.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle L. Morgan and Anthony J. Wzorek.

          LOS ANGELES– A San Bernardino County man has been sentenced to 79 months in federal prison for conspiring to defraud the government out of more than $1.3 million in benefits, including Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster relief funds intended for victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in 2017.

          Ikponmwosa Eugene Idemudia, 40, of Rancho Cucamonga, was sentenced at a Monday hearing by United States District Judge Percy Anderson, who also ordered him to pay $1,328,982 in restitution. Idemudia pleaded guilty in October 2018 to one felony count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

          Court documents state that from 2016 until May 2018, Idemudia conspired with others to use stolen identities to apply for fraudulent government benefits, including FEMA disaster assistance funds, Social Security Administration benefits, federal tax refunds, federal unemployment benefits, and Health and Human Services benefits. The FEMA disaster relief money was stolen through the conspiracy occurred in relation to Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, which were presidentially declared major disasters. Once the funds were illicitly obtained, Idemudia and his co-conspirators transferred the benefits to prepaid debit cards, including Green Dot cards that had been registered under false names. Idemudia and his co-conspirators then converted the debit cards to cash.

          When law enforcement executed a search warrant at Idemudia’s residence in May 2018, agents found $256,904 in cash and more than $130,000 on prepaid debit cards. A preliminary forensic review of Idemudia’s cell phones showed that he exchanged more than 100 images of prepaid debit cards or gift cards with co-conspirators and the prepaid card numbers were registered with the stolen identities from various victims throughout the United States.

          This case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, U.S. Secret Service, and Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General

          This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Brown of the Major Frauds Section.

CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a Chicago man to 30 years in prison for leading an armed robbery crew that targeted stores on the city’s North and Northwest Sides.

ROBERT L. BERRIOS, 51, committed 24 armed robberies or attempted armed robberies in 2012.  His crew mainly struck at cellular telephone stores, often terrorizing store employees by wearing masks and brandishing firearms.  In some of the heists, the robbers physically restrained store employees with zip ties.  The robberies netted the crew $115,063.60 in cash.

A jury in 2017 convicted Berrios on robbery, firearm, and conspiracy charges.  In addition to the 30-year prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly on Tuesday ordered Berrios to pay $115,063.60 in restitution to the victim stores.  Judge Kennelly made findings that Berrios was the leader of the robbery crew and that he obstructed justice by committing perjury during his trial.

The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The Chicago Police Department provided valuable assistance.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angel M. Krull and Georgia Alexakis.

Three other members of the robbery crew were previously sentenced to prison terms.  DAVID REVIS, of Chicago, was sentenced to 15 years; JULIO RODRIGUEZ, of Chicago, was sentenced to nine years; and LUIS DIAZ, of Chicago, was sentenced to three years.

Evidence at Berrios’s trial revealed that the crew worked together to gather intelligence about possible targets, including store hours and the number of employees working at a given time.  The crew communicated with one another to plan the robberies and procure the necessary tools, including masks, zip ties, firearms, and getaway vehicles.

The jury convicted Berrios of leading the conspiracy to commit all 24 robberies or attempted robberies, and specifically made findings of guilt for nine robberies:

July 1, 2012: Walgreens store, 5935 W. Addison St., Chicago.

July 28, 2012: Currency Exchange, 2753 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago.

Aug. 15, 2012: Currency Exchange, 2814 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago.

Sept. 19, 2012: T-Mobile store, 1552 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago.

Sept. 28, 2012: T-Mobile store, 1958 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago.

Oct. 2, 2012: T-Mobile store, 4000 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago.

Oct. 13, 2012: T-Mobile store, 3951 N. Kimball Ave., Chicago.

Oct. 16, 2012: Cricket store, 3200 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago.

Oct. 22, 2012: AT&T store, 3955 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago.

If convicted, Singer faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.  The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan. 

Janesville Man Charged with Receiving Child Pornography

Brian J. Garbe, 44, Janesville, Wisconsin, is charged with three counts of receiving child pornography.  The indictment alleges that on February 27, March 3, and October 18, 2016, he downloaded videos from the internet containing visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. 

If convicted, Garbe faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison on each count.  The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s  Homeland Security Investigations; Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation; and Janesville Police Department.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman.

Inmate Charged with Possessing Weapon

Francisco Rivera, 27, an inmate of the Federal Correctional Institution at Oxford, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a prohibited object.  The indictment alleges that on December 17, 2018, he possessed a weapon described as a metal needle with plastic wrapped around the end that measured approximately five and three-quarters inches in length.

If convicted, Rivera faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.  The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

BOSTON - Four Florida men were charged in a complaint partially unsealed today in federal court in Boston in connection with the fraudulent abuse of the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) Informed Delivery electronic notification system. 

Lucson Appolon, 26, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Kevens Louis, 26, of Plantation, Fla., were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Two charged co-conspirators remain at-large. Appolon and Louis were arrested on April 16, 2019, and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. 

Informed Delivery is a free electronic notification service provided by the USPS that gives residential and P.O. Box customers the ability to digitally preview their incoming mail and manage their packages.

According to the complaint partially unsealed today, the defendants accessed victims’ personal identifying information, including names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and addresses on the “dark web” and then used the information to open credit cards in the victims’ names. The defendants then subscribed to Informed Delivery using the victims’ personal identifying information and a fraudulent email address created to track the delivery of credit cards to the victims’ residential mailboxes. The defendants subsequently intercepted the credit cards at the victims’ mailboxes before the victims could receive them and used those credit cards at ATMs and to purchase gift cards and other items for resale at Apple and Walmart, among other retail establishments. The defendants traveled to states across the East Coast in furtherance of the fraud, including New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. The complaint further alleges that the defendants engaged in dozens of fraudulent transactions between August 2018 and January 2019, with an estimated exposure of over 1.2 million.

The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; the Concord, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.), Harvard, Kittery (Maine), Norfolk, Plantation (Fla.), Sherborn, and Weston Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of Lelling’s Cybercrime Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

St. Louis - The United States Attorney’s Office is proud to support the DEA on Saturday, April 27, 2019, for its 17th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The bi-annual event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at thousands of collection sites around the country.  Over 90 locations will be open and participating within the Eastern District of Missouri.  The event is an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.

In support of the effort, U.S. Attorney Jensen noted:

“The death toll from prescription painkillers has tripled in the past decade.  We know all too well that the problem is getting worse. Over 16,000 people die every year from prescription painkiller overdoses—that’s more than the number of overdoses from heroin, cocaine or any other illegal drug. Adolescents and young adults are especially vulnerable.  Many teens that begin abusing prescription drugs turn to heroin for a cheaper high.  Saturday’s prescription drug take back is an invaluable opportunity for everyone in our community to prevent prescription drugs from getting into the wrong hands, including the hands of kids.  We hope everyone takes advantage of it, with no questions asked, and we thank DEA for spearheading this effort.”

Last October, Americans turned in 457 tons (900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 6,000 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,800 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 16 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 11 million pounds—more than 5,400 tons—of pills.  The disposal service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. (The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles, or sharps, only pills or patches.)

Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. Some painkiller abusers move on to heroin: Four out of five new heroin users started with painkillers.

Flushing medications down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards. This initiative addresses the public safety and public health issues that surround medications languishing in home cabinets, becoming highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse.

For more information or to locate a collection site near you, go the DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day web site at https://takebackday.dea.gov/#collection-locator where you can search by zip code, city or state.

PITTSBURGH –A resident of Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal firearms and narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The two-count Indictment, returned yesterday, named William Johnson, 34, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on or about June 13, 2018, Johnson, being a convicted felon, illegally possessed a Ruger, Model P94, 40 Auto caliber pistol, one magazine containing 10 cartridges of Hornady 40 S&W caliber ammunition, and an SKS, 7.62x39mm caliber rifle. Federal law prohibits anyone who has been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year to possess a firearm or ammunition. Additionally, on or about June 13, 2018, Johnson possessed with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance; and a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base, in the form commonly known as crack, and methamphetamine, each a Schedule II controlled substance.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years to a maximum of life in prison, a fine not to exceed $5,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Robert C. Schupansky is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General – Allegheny County Drug Task Force and the City of Clairton Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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.

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

PHILADELPHIA, PA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division hosted a roundtable today for community organizations, treatment centers, and healthcare providers in order to foster discussion about the nationwide opioid crisis.  More specifically, the roundtable focused on the protections afforded by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for individuals using medication-assisted treatment (MAT) as a means to combat their opioid addiction and promote long-term recovery.

Today’s roundtable was part of the Department of Justice’s initiative to remove discriminatory barriers to MAT and to educate local stakeholders about how anti-discrimination laws protect people with opioid use and other substance use disorders.  Representatives of dozens of local healthcare groups attended the roundtable event.  U.S. Attorney McSwain invited these representatives because they often work with individuals who are addicted to opioids and using MAT as part of their treatment. 

U.S. Attorney McSwain, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero, the Civil Rights Coordinator for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and Charlotte Lanvers, an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., presented to the group and addressed ways in which the ADA can protect individuals from discrimination arising from their use of MAT.

“Locally and nationally, opioid addiction and illegal distribution of opioids continue to be at alarming levels.  My Office is committed to stopping criminals from flooding our streets with these deadly drugs, as well as enforcing the ADA’s anti-discrimination protections against those who are lawfully using MAT as part of their addiction recovery plan,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain.  “These two goals are compatible and, in fact, help to reinforce each other.”

People who believe they are being discriminated against with regard to their use of MAT should file complaints with DOJ at https://www.ada.gov/filing_complaint.htm.  Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination may also file a complaint with the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250, Philadelphia, PA 19106, ATTN: Jacqueline C. Romero, Civil Rights Coordinator.

          DETROIT – With robust public participation over the course of 16 prior events, the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Initiative continues to remove ever-higher amounts of opioids and other medicines from the nation’s homes, where they are vulnerable to misuse, theft or abuse by family members and visitors, including children and teens. In continuation of this effort, DEA and its national, tribal and community partners will hold the 17th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day across the country on Saturday, April 27. The service is free and anonymous.

          Now in its ninth year, DEA has collected a total of nearly 11 million pounds (more than 5,400 tons) of expired, unused and unwanted prescription medications through its Take Back Day events. This weekend, approximately 6,000 collection sites manned by nearly 5,000 partner law enforcement agencies will be open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time. The public can find a nearby collection site at www.DEATakeBack.com or by calling 800-882-9539. (DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps.)

          "The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is committed to working with all of our partners to stem the tide of drug abuse and addiction across the nation," said Special Agent in Charge Timothy Plancon. "The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is one way that we can all make a difference in our community by safely disposing of unwanted medication. This unwanted medicine often ends up in the wrong hands. While it might seem insignificant, safely disposing of unwanted prescription drugs can truly save lives."

          Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States continue to be alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. The majority of prescription drug abusers say they get their drugs free from friends and family, including from the home medicine cabinet. Take Back Day is a unique opportunity for Americans to protect their homes and medicine cabinets from theft and abuse.

          National Take Back Day has received enthusiastic public support since its inception in 2010. Last October, the public turned in 457 tons (914,236 pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 5,800 sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,800 of its local and tribal partners.

END

PORTLAND, Ore.—U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that two Nigerian nationals have been charged in a 13-count indictment alleging they engaged in an online scheme to defraud victims of bitcoin virtual currency.

In an indictment filed on April 18, 2019, Onwuemerie Ogor Gift, 24, and Kelvin Usifoh, age unknown, were charged with one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering and 11 counts of wire fraud.

As alleged in the indictment, the scheme began when Gift and Usifoh purchased the URL www.wealthcurrency.com and published various webpages promising investors 20-50 percent returns on investments of bitcoin with zero risk and instant withdrawals. They actively encouraged victims to transfer bitcoin to private virtual currency wallets and made numerous false claims including that their bitcoins would be invested using “unique trading methods” and they would maintain a “constant high interest rate.” They created additional websites perpetuating the same scheme including www.boomcurrency.com and www.merrycurrency.com.

Beginning in December 2017 and continuing until at June 2018, Gift and Usifoh are alleged to have knowingly conspired to defraud three victims, one residing in Oregon and two in California. A photo of a fourth victim was used to create a false persona used in furtherance of the scheme. After receiving bitcoin transfers from their victims, Gift and Usifoh would transfer the bitcoin to other accounts and eventually exchange it for Nigerian Naira. The indictment alleges that in just over six months, the defendants stole 10.88 bitcoins worth approximately $59,000 from the three victims. In total, the government alleges Gift and Usifoh received more than 50 bitcoins as part of the scheme.

This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Quinn P. Harrington, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The Securities and Exchange Commission's Office of Investor Education and Advocacy today issued an Investor Alert to warn investors about investment scams involving websites touting advisory and trading businesses related to digital assets.