John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GLENN JAMISON, 37, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.

According to court documents and statement made in court, on January 10, 2018, Jamison possessed a loaded 9mm Ruger LC9 handgun in Waterbury.  At the time, he was on state probation and had two outstanding warrants for his arrest.

Jamison’s criminal history includes numerous felony convictions.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for July 17, 2019, at which time Jamison faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

Jamison has been detained since his arrest on January 10, 2018.

This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Waterbury Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha Freismuth.

This prosecution has been brought though Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.

WICHITA, KAN. – A California woman was indicted Tuesday on a federal charge of smuggling more than 60 pounds of methamphetamine into Kansas, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Maria Alvarez-Buenrostro, 46, Los Angeles, Calif., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The Kansas Highway Patrol stopped Alvarez-Buenrostro for a traffic violation on I-70 near Hays in Ellis County. Troopers found 33 heat-sealed bags of meth hidden in a rear quarter panel and both rear doors of her Ford Explorer.

If convicted, she faces a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $4 million. The Kansas Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst is prosecuting.        

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Jassiel Varela-Aniles, 29, Liberal, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by following a felony conviction and one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony and deported. He was found January 15, 2019, in Seward County, Kan, after being a fugitive on the run.

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the first two counts and up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the last count. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan McCarty is prosecuting.

Marco Antonio Cardenas-Rodriguez, 41, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found July 27, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.

Sherri Byerly, 58, Great Bend, Kan., is charged with one count of fraudulently receiving Supplemental Security Income. The crime is alleged to have occurred from 2003 to 2016 in Barton County, Kan.

If convicted, she faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Social Security Administration – OIG investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.

John O. Green, 52, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of threatening a Social Security Administration employee. The crime is alleged to have occurred June 25, 2018, in Wichita, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to a year in federal prison and a fine up to $3,000. The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Protective Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.

David A. Logan, 50, Fort Scott, Kan., a contract driver for the U.S. Postal Service, is charged with stealing mail. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2017 and 2018 in Chanute, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Postal Service – OIG investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.

David L. Madden, 37, Alden, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a machine gun. The crime is alleged to have occurred Feb. 22, 2017, in Rice County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.

William Bedell, 57, Wichita, Kan., is charged with fraudulently receiving Social Security benefits. The crime is alleged to have occurred during 2014 through 2017 in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Social Security Administration – OIG investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.

Jose Luis Rios-Hernandez, 24, of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. The crime is alleged to have occurred Feb. 27, 2019, in Thomas County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than five years and a fine up to $5 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst is prosecuting.

Uriel Ramirez-Chairez, 34, a citizen of Mexico who has been living in Wichita, is charged with one count of misusing a Social Security number, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Nov. 13, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

          Misuse of a Social Security number: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.

          Aggravated identity theft: A mandatory two years (consecutive) and a fine up to $250,000.

          Aggravated illegal re-entry: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.

Pablo Constantino-Zavala, 49, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Dec. 24, 2014, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to two years and a fine up to $250,000. Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.

Richard Todd Heffelman, 44, is charged with escaping from federal custody at Mirror, Inc. Halfway House in Wichita. The crime is alleged to have occurred Feb. 3, 2019.

If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Xiaoying Xu, age 34, a Chinese citizen, and Yiwen Zhu, age 34, a Chinese citizen and legal permanent resident of the United States, both residing in Covina, California, on a federal conspiracy charge, mail fraud, and trafficking in counterfeit goods.  The indictment was returned on April 23, 2019, and the defendants were arrested today.

The indictment 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; Acting Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Postal Inspector in Charge Peter R. Rendina of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; and Casey Durst, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Baltimore Field Office.

“These defendants allegedly imported counterfeit goods from China and sold them as legitimate merchandise using the registered trademarks of legitimate companies.” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur.  “Those who traffick in counterfeit goods are committing a crime which results in American jobs lost, American business profits stolen, and American consumers tricked into receiving substandard products.”

According to the 13-count indictment, from about August 2016 until approximately April 2019, Xu and Zhu conspired with others to defraud e-commerce customers by importing and selling counterfeit consumer goods, specifically Pandora jewelry and Ray-Ban sunglasses.  The indictment alleges that the defendants used their residence and offices in El Monte and Alhambra, California, as destination points for shipments of counterfeit goods shipped from Hong Kong and China.  Xu and Zhu allegedly repackaged the counterfeit goods, then mailed them to unsuspecting customers throughout the United States who believed they had purchased authentic goods. 

The defendants allegedly used fraudulent accounts set up with e-commerce marketplace companies to sell the counterfeit goods, misrepresenting to customers that they were authentic.  Xu and Zhu obtained funds from the victims of the counterfeit scheme through fraudulently acquired customer accounts opened in the names of other people at a global online payment company.  The online payment company sent the victims’ money to Xu and Zhu by electronic transfer to bank accounts or by check, which the defendants then cashed at ATMs.  The indictment alleges that the defendants then transferred the proceeds of the scheme from their bank accounts to other bank accounts opened in the names of other Chinese nationals.  

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of five years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and traffick in counterfeit goods; a maximum of 20 years in prison for each of six counts of mail fraud; and a maximum of 10 years in prison for each of six counts of trafficking in counterfeit goods.  The defendants are expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California.  No court appearance has been scheduled yet in Maryland.

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

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, HSI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in Maryland and in Los Angeles, California; Seattle, Washington; and Tampa, Florida for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Martin J. Clarke and Peter J. Martinez, who are prosecuting the case.

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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – The former Linn County Attorney pleaded guilty today to federal charges of stealing 350 to 500 items including electronics and equipment that belonged to the county, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said today. The estimated value of the items is $75,000.

John Sutherland, 68, Mound City, who served as county attorney for approximately 20 years before leaving the job in January 2017, is charged with one count of mail fraud and one count of lying to federal investigators. The crimes are alleged to have taken place from sometime prior to January 2009 and continuing until Sutherland left office.

In his plea, Sutherland admitted that on Feb. 6, 2019, FBI agents found 13 items stolen from Linn County when they searched Sutherland’s office at the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office. At the time, Sutherland was working as an Assistant District Attorney. One of the items was a stolen Apple laptop computer.

When FBI agents interviewed him, Sutherland denied any wrongdoing and made other false statements. For instance, he claimed that an Apple TV 64 GB video-streaming device the county purchased for about $220 had been destroyed. FBI agents found the device intact at Sutherland’s residence. They also found that Sutherland had given some of the stolen items to his adult children.

In his plea agreement, Sutherland agreed to pay full restitution and to surrender his license to practice law. Sentencing is set for July 18. The mail fraud count carries a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The false statement count carries a penalty of up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.

McAllister commended the FBI, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tris Hunt and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for their work on the case.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALEXANDER CALDERON, 23, of Thomaston, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin and crack cocaine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in the fall of 2017, the FBI, ATF and Waterbury Police Department began an investigation into drug trafficking by suspected members of “Addicted to Money,” also known as “ATM,” a violent street gang operating in Waterbury.  The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, physical surveillance and controlled purchases of heroin and crack cocaine, resulted in federal charges against Calderon and 10 other individuals.

The investigation revealed that Calderon regularly sold heroin and crack cocaine to customers.

Calderon has been detained since his arrest on July 17, 2018.  On January 15, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin and cocaine base (“crack”).

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Waterbury Police Department’s Gang Task Force.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick F. Caruso and Natasha M. Freismuth, with assistance from Cynthia Serafini and Don Therkildsen of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office.

In Waco today, 27-year-old Christopher Almaguer and his wife, 27-year-old Sarah Rashelle Almaguer, of Killeen were each sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for sexually assaulting children and producing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge William Noonan, Dallas Field Office, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Killeen Police Chief Charles F. Kimble.

In addition to the prison terms, United States District Judge Alan D Albright ordered each defendant to pay $10,000 to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Fund and be placed on supervised release for the remainder of their lives after completing their respective prison terms.

On October 30, 2018, the defendants pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of production of child pornography.  By pleading guilty, the Almaguers admitted that in December 2017 they uploaded sexually explicit videos of themselves sexually assaulting children as young as eight months old.  According to court records investigators compiled a list of approximately 25 potential minor child victims, ranging in age from infants to fourteen years of age, from the Central Texas area.

“To me this is the most significant case we’ve prosecuted since I became U.S. Attorney,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.  “The Almaguers were serial child abusers.  They abused 25 children that we know about—children from the neighborhood, children from church, children they babysat.  The youngest victim was an infant.  And the nature of the abuse was unimaginable.  They also made videos of the children’s torture and shared them.  These are two of the most wicked criminals in Texas history.”

“The sentencing in this child exploitation case emphasizes the commitment of the Secret Service to remove predators from our communities,” said William Noonan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Dallas Field Office.  “The Secret Service will continue to work closely with our network of law enforcement partners to bring those who commit crimes against children to justice.”

This morning, Judge Albright also sentenced Christopher Almaguer’s brother, 25-year-old Paul Perez, Jr. of Killeen, to 20 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release.  Judge Albright also ordered Perez to pay $10,000 to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Fund.  On September 25, 2018, Perez pleaded guilty to two counts of receipt of child pornography.  Perez admitted to receiving images and videos from the Almaguers which depicted the sexual abuse of children.

“My office does all it can to protect Texans, and I am proud of the difficult work that my Child Exploitation Unit and the U.S. Department of Justice undertakes in order to keep our children safe from dangerous predators,” Attorney General Paxton said. “The detestable people who perpetuate such horrific crimes against children must be held accountable for their actions.”   

The Almaguers and Perez have remained in custody since their arrests by investigators with the Texas Office of Attorney General, Child Exploitation Unit, and special agents with the U.S. Secret Service in February and March 2018, respectively.   

This case was investigated by the Texas Office of the Attorney General, Criminal Investigations Division, Child Exploitation Unit; the U.S. Secret Service; Killeen Police Department; and, the Temple Police Department.  This investigation was initiated in February 2018 when Facebook.com provided a Cybertip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) reporting a user was uploading suspected images and videos depicting child pornography.  Without the indispensable assistance of Facebook and NCMEC, this case would not have been brought to the attention of law enforcement.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory S. Gloff prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.

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

Matthew D. Krueger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 22, 2019, Jeffrey Melgar (age: 33), of Appleton, Wisconsin, was sentenced to a term of ten years in federal prison, followed by six years of supervised release, for possessing with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a) and (b)(1)(A).

According to court documents, Melgar, who recently moved to the Appleton area from California, received packages of methamphetamine via the U.S. Postal Service from a source in California. Melgar then sold the drug for $600 an ounce in the Fox Valley. 

In pronouncing sentence, Chief U.S. District Judge William C. Griesbach noted the serious nature of Melgar’s offense and the need to send a strong message of deterrence to Melgar and anyone else who might attempt to distribute drugs in Northeast Wisconsin.   

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.

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John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL KMEC, 40, of Marlborough, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for operating various embezzling schemes while employed at Connecticut College in New London.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Kmec began working at Connecticut College in 2006.  In 2014, Kmec was promoted to Director of Auxiliary Services of the college.  In that position, he oversaw the print shop, bookstore, vending machines, transportation, laundry services and residence halls.  He also oversaw the Camel Card program, which is an identification and debit card used at the college.  As part of his responsibilities, Kmec oversaw approval of various third-party reimbursements for services to the college.

Beginning in approximately 2014 and ending when he was terminated by Connecticut College in April 2018, Kmec defrauded the college through various embezzlement schemes, including receiving funds from the college through fraudulent billing schemes, diverting checks to the college to a bank account he controlled, diverting money from the Camel Card program to bank accounts he controlled, and misappropriating a college laptop.  He also fraudulently deposited more than 80 reimbursement checks that a contractor for the college had issued to Connecticut College students into a bank account he controlled.

Through these schemes, Kmec stole $173,010.

On November 14, 2018, Kmec pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New London Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Cherry.

MIAMI – 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, along with their national, tribal, and community partners will hold the 17th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day across the country on Saturday, April 27^th.  The drug take back service is free and anonymous for the public.

Now in its ninth year, DEA has collected 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 law enforcement partner agencies will be open from 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 sharp material.)

"Addiction causes a tremendous amount of pain and suffering, not just for those addicted to drugs but also for their family members and friends," said Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon.  "Helping people keep their loved ones safe by disposing of unwanted, unused, and expired prescription medications is just one of many ways that DEA is working to break the cycle of addiction and overdose deaths plaguing this country."

“Keeping our homes free of harmful prescription medication, when no longer needed, is a way of keeping everyone safe.” said Adolphus P. Wright, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Miami Field Division.  “We strongly encourage the public to do your part by discarding your expired, unused, and unwanted medications at any of the 200+ sites throughout Florida.” 

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 medicines.  The majority of prescription drug abusers have often reported receiving their drugs from friends, family, and the home medicine cabinet.  Take Back Day serves as a unique opportunity for Americans to secure their medicine cabinets from theft and abuse.

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

BOSTON – The former head coach of the men’s tennis team at the University of Texas at Austin pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with accepting a $100,000 bribe to secure the admission of a purported student-athlete to the university.

Michael Center, 54, of Austin, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Oct. 30, 2019. Center was initially charged by criminal complaint on March 12, 2019.

Case information, including the status of each defendant, charging documents and plea agreements are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.

The charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright, and Kristen A. Kearney of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.

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

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a grand jury indicted Melissa W. Richardson, 43, of Shreveport, on 20 counts of acquiring a controlled substance by fraud.

According to the indictment, Richardson, who worked for Veterans Affairs in Shreveport as a pharmacist, stole various quantities of Hydrocodone, Tylenol/Codeine, Diazepam and Morphine on June 9, 2017 from prescriptions meant for patients.

If convicted, Richardson faces a maximum term of four years imprisonment, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for each count. 

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison D. Bushnell is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced thatMichael E. Algiere,32, of Oakland, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to interfering with commerce by robbery.  Algiere was indicted in August 2018.

Court records reveal that on October 31, 2007, the defendant entered the Oakland Pharmacy in Oakland, Maine.  He was wearing a black ski mask, a hooded sweatshirt, and camouflage gloves.  He went to the pharmacy counter holding a knife and he demanded oxycodone from the pharmacist.  The defendant absconded with several bottles of Roxicodone, Oxycontin, and Percocet.  Investigators submitted several items of evidence to the Maine State Police Crime Laboratory (MSPCL) recovered at and around the scene of the robbery.  Forensic analysts recovered the same male DNA profile from the ski mask and knife.  That profile was loaded into the Combined DNA Index System (“CODIS”) in 2007 but did not yield a match.  CODIS is a criminal justice database that contains DNA profiles of convicted offenders and arrestees (known profiles).  Because participating forensic laboratories regularly add DNA profiles to CODIS, the MSPCL routinely compares unknown profiles from unsolved cases against the known profiles in CODIS.  In February 2017, a CODIS comparison revealed that the DNA obtained from the ski mask and knife matched DNA collected from Michael E. Algiere.  The DNA match was confirmed after federal investigators obtained a search warrant and collected samples of the defendant’s DNA.

The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. 

The case was investigated by the Oakland Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the MSPCL. 

United States Attorney Trent Shores announced the arrests of a Mayes County man and woman who were wanted in connection to a methamphetamine drug conspiracy. The two were taken into custody during a joint law enforcement operation early this morning at their residence in Chouteau.

Arrest warrants had been issued for Gary Scott Moreland, 54, and Rebecca Jane Nichols, 40, both of Chouteau, after a grand jury indicted the two for drug conspiracy this month.

Also named in the indictment were Wesley Joseph Griffin, 39, of Pryor, and Aaron John Culkins, 42, of Tulsa. The indictment alleged that the co-conspirators possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in the Northern District of Oklahoma from August 2017 to April 2019.

“Our partnerships extend to all areas of northeastern Oklahoma. I’m proud to work with Mayes County officials to bust this alleged methamphetamine distribution operation,” said U.S. Attorney Shores. “Methamphetamine overdoses are one of the leading causes of drug-related deaths in Oklahoma. And so drug dealers better believe that we are looking to dismantle their operations and hold them accountable.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Tulsa Police Department, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office and Pryor Police Department conducted the investigation and arrests. The Broken Arrow Police Department, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and Oklahoma National Guard Counter Drug Task Force also assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar is prosecuting the case.

An Indictment is a formal statement of charges or alleged violations of law. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

In the case of United States v. Hansmeier, et al., defendants PAUL R. HANSMEIER and JOHN L. STEELE will be sentenced on June 4, 2019, before Judge Joan N. Ericksen in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. HANSMEIER and STEELE were charged and convicted of orchestrating a multi-million dollar fraud scheme in which they obtained payments from victims to settle sham pornography film copyright infringement lawsuits. At the sentencing hearing, the Court may, but is not required to, order HANSMEIER and STEELE to pay restitution to the victims of their scheme.

If you believe that you are a victim of this scheme, and actually paid money to the entities involved in the case (including, but not limited to, Steele Hansmeier Law, Prenda Law, Alpha Law, Anti-Piracy Group, AF Holdings, Ingenuity 13, Guava LLC, Livewire, LW Systems), please visit https://hansmeier.usaocrimevictims.org/ to obtain information about how to make a claim for restitution in this case. Victim information will not be disclosed to the public.

The case is captioned United States v. Hansmeier, et al., Criminal No. 16-cr-00334 (JNE).

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

The charges in this case are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Madison Police Department, Middleton Police Department, Sun Prairie Police Department, Fitchburg Police Department, and Dane County Sheriff’s Office.  The Dane County District Attorney’s Office also assisted in this case.  The prosecution of the case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Corey Stephan and Daniel Graber.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime.  The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.

U.S. Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. joins the Drug Enforcement Administration in announcing that on April 27th, DEA will hold its 17th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.  The biannual event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at thousands of collection sites around the country, including over 50 here in the Northern District of Iowa. The event is an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. 

“The DEA’s National Takeback Initiative has been very successful and offers an anonymous and free opportunity to get rid of dangerous and unwanted prescription pills,” U.S. Attorney Deegan stated. “Prescription drug abuse can and does lead to heroin and other opioid abuse.  Heroin and opioids are extremely dangerous drugs and have caused overdose deaths here in our own communities.  Takeback Day is a day our community can come together to fight the opioid and heroin epidemic by ensuring that unneeded prescription drugs are destroyed.”

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 web site at https://takebackday.dea.gov/#collection-locator where you can search by zip code, city, or state.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that VITALY BORKER was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to two years in prison for one count of mail fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in connection with his operation of the eyewear retail and repair website Opticsfast.com. 

BORKER pled guilty on March 20, 2018, before U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe, who imposed today’s sentence.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman stated:  “Vitaly Borker twice perpetrated criminal schemes involving the online sale and repair of eyewear, and today he was rightfully sentenced to prison for a second time.  Perhaps his second stint in federal prison will impress upon this shady businessman that seeking to make money by fraud and intimidation is a path to prison and not success.”

According to allegations made in the Complaint and Indictment to which BORKER pled guilty, as well as statements made in court proceedings:

BORKER founded Opticsfast.com in 2011 as an e-commerce eyeglass retail and repair business.  From at least 2011 through 2017, the defendant conducted a scheme to defraud individuals by inducing them to send their glasses to Opticsfast.com for repairs, then demanded exorbitant fees for repairs or return shipping, intimidated and harassed customers who requested refunds by subjecting them to a campaign of abusive emails and text messages, and threatened to discard glasses when customers disputed the fees.  In furtherance of the scheme, the defendant posted material false statements on Opticsfast.com’s website, falsely claiming the company used in-house laboratories staffed by trained technicians to perform repair work.  BORKER launched and operated Opticsfast.com after he was charged in a federal criminal case for his fraudulent operation of another eyewear retail and repair website, Decormyeyes.com, for which he was ultimately convicted and sentenced in a separate case.  BORKER continued his involvement in Opticsfast.com from prison even after he was incarcerated, and following his release from prison.

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BORKER, 42, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, a $50,000 fine, and a $300 special assessment.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Mortazavi, Jeffrey Coffman, Danielle Sasoon, and Nicholas Roos are in charge of the prosecution.

LAFAYETTE, La. –United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that Jose Daniel Molina, 36, of Veracruz, Mexico, was sentenced to 12 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter for illegally possessing a revolver and a shotgun.

Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call of shots being fired on December 2, 2018, near a residence in Duson, Louisiana, and found Molina’s vehicle parked at the intersection of Dwayne Road and Tunica Lane.  Upon further investigation, the officers saw a Mossberg 20-gauge shotgun which was in plain view in the backseat of the car, and a Smith & Wesson .38 Special revolver with three live rounds and three empty casings on the ground about 10 feet from the driver’s side window of Molina’s car.  Molina was later taken into custody and told Homeland Security agents that he was in possession of the two firearms and had illegally entered the country in 2000.  Molina pleaded guilty to the federal charge on January 29, 2019. 

Homeland Security Investigations, ATF and Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo prosecuted the case.

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that two men and one woman from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Counterfeiting United States Currency and Possession of Stolen Firearms, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.

Shalene Paige Ball, age 29, was sentenced to 7 months in custody, followed by 3 years of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $3,000, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Michael Scott Norton, a/k/a Michael Scott Carey, age 59, was sentenced to 59 days in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $1,500, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Chester Lee Kempf, age 62, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $3,000, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Ball, Kempf, and Norton were indicted by a federal grand jury on June 6, 2018.  Ball pled guilty on December 27, 2018, to Passing Counterfeit U.S. Currency; Kempf pled guilty on January 17, 2019, to Passing Counterfeit U.S. Currency and Possession of a Stolen Firearm; and Norton pled guilty on November 14, 2018, to Making Counterfeit U.S. Currency.

The conviction stemmed from incidents in August and November of 2017, when Ball and Kempf passed counterfeit $100 bills to several businesses in and around Sioux Falls.  The investigation revealed that Norton created the counterfeit bills for Kempf and Ball.  Ball and Kempf then used the fake bills at local businesses to make small purchases and receive genuine currency as change.  The real money was used to purchase illegal drugs.

Kempf was also indicted in another matter by a federal grand jury on May 8, 2018.  He pled guilty on January 17, 2019.  That conviction stemmed from an incident on or about December 9, 2017.  On that day, Ball called 911 to report that Kempf was unresponsive and struggling to breathe.  When police and paramedics arrived, they learned that Kempf had overdosed on heroin and also had a stolen handgun in his possession. 

This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the cases.

Ball had already served her time in custody prior to sentencing, while Kempf and Norton were turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.  

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Reliance, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding plead guilty and was sentenced on April 22, 2019, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno.

Roger Bishop, age 27, was sentenced to 3 years of probation, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $25.

Bishop was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 11, 2018.  

The conviction stemmed from an incident on April 14, 2018, when Bishop got into a heated argument with the victim, and threw her to the ground causing her to sprain her wrist.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Lower Brule Agency.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.