Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III this week sentenced Kevin Horsey, a/k/a What What, age 26; Terrell Luster, a/k/a Relly, age 30; Caesar Rice, age 27; and Michael Evans, a/k/a Pee Wee, age 25, all of Baltimore, to 20 years, 23 years, 22 years, and 14 years in federal prison, respectively, each followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise related to their activities as members of the Hillside gang that operated in the Cherry Hill neighborhood of Baltimore.  Horsey’s sentence was imposed on July 11, 2019.  Evans, Luster, and Rice were sentenced today.  A fifth Cherry Hill gang member, Christopher Dukes, age 27, of Baltimore, was sentenced on June 26, 2019, to 23 years in federal prison for his gang activities.  The defendants admitted to participating in murders, attempted murders, robberies, and the distribution of narcotics. 

The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.

“These armed gang members showed little regard for life, using violence to hurt, to rob, and to kill while selling deadly drugs in our city.  Defendant Dukes even tried to murder a police officer by hitting him with his car.  We are relentless in pursuing and stopping this type of violence.” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur.  “These dangerous defendants now face lengthy terms in federal prison, where there is no parole—ever.  Please, put down the guns and save a life—maybe even your own.”          

According to their plea agreements, the defendants were members and associates of the Hillside Enterprise, which they knew distributed powder and crack cocaine, heroin, oxycodone and marijuana, primarily in the Cherry Hill Shopping Center, in other locations throughout Cherry Hill, and in west and southwest Baltimore City.  The members of the Hillside Enterprise used the proceeds of their narcotics sales to purchase firearms, to enrich themselves, and to further the activities of the organization, including narcotics trafficking. Hillside members used residences in and around Cherry Hill to cut and package drugs for distribution, primarily heroin, powder cocaine, and crack. These locations included a house at 453 Roundview Road and an apartment at 2300 Terra Firma Road in Cherry Hill.  Only trusted members of the Hillside Enterprise were admitted to these locations while the drugs were being prepared for sale.  In an effort to distinguish their narcotics, Hillside members used colored topped vials or colored the drugs with food coloring.  All five defendants admitted that they distributed drugs as a member of Hillside, and on behalf of the gang. 

Members of the Hillside Enterprise routinely carried firearms and committed acts of violence in furtherance of the organization’s activities, including robberies, shootings, beatings, murders, and other violence in order to intimidate others who would interfere with their narcotics trafficking.  Acts of violence were also committed to discipline members within the Hillside Enterprise for transgressions, real or perceived, against the conspiracy.  

Hillside members and associates have been in a long-running dispute with persons not part of the gang, including Up Da Hill (“UDH”), the Lakebrook Circle Boys, and others.  Members and associates of Hillside have routinely engaged in acts of violence, including murder, directed at members of these rival organizations, or persons who happen to be located on territory controlled by these rival organizations.  The defendants all knew that these acts of violence, including the homicides, were committed by Hillside members and associates.  For example, Horsey, Luster, Rice, and Evans all admitted that they participated in, or were present at shootings, generally of individuals whom they and their fellow Hillside members believed to be rival gang members.  Dukes admitted participating in a murder, the attempted murder of a police officer (after he attempted to hit the officer with his car), and two shootings. 

According to the ATF, a reward of $10,000 is available for information leading to the arrest of the final defendant in this case, fugitive Deaven Raeshawn Cherry, a/k/a Gotti, age 22, of Baltimore, who is charged federally with drug and racketeering conspiracies, including murders.  He is actively being sought by ATF Baltimore Special Agents and the U.S. Marshals Service and should be considered armed and dangerous.  Law enforcement believes he is likely still in Baltimore City or the counties surrounding it. Anyone with information should contact ATF at (888) ATF-TIPS, ATFtips@atf.gov, text “ATFBAL” to 63975, or contact ATF via the mobile reportit® app.  Co-defendant Travis Eugene Alewine, a/k/a Sticks, age 27, of Baltimore, who had been a fugitive for two years, was arrested on May 23, 2019, after law enforcement received a tip as to his whereabouts.

This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN).  NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms.  NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles.  For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.

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

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia C. McLane and Michael C. Hanlon, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.

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WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Tiffany Sells, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to her role in a cocaine and heroin distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Sells, age 38, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1,000 feet of a Protected Location.” Sells admitted to selling cocaine near Jensen Playground on Wheeling Island in July 2018.

Sells is facing no less than one and up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Vogrin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The investigation was led by the Ohio County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative. The task force is comprised of the Drug Enforcement Administration, West Virginia State Police, the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wheeling Police Department. Those assisting in the arrests are the United States Marshal Service; Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Martins Ferry, Ohio Police Department; and the Columbus, Ohio Police Department.

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

PITTSBURGH, PA. - After deliberating less than three hours, a federal jury of nine men and three women found Gary E. Mills guilty of three counts of filing false tax returns following a three-week trial, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Mills, of Dubois, PA, was tried before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

"People who lie about their income on their taxes steal from the citizens of western Pennsylvania who work hard and play by the rules," said U.S. Attorney Brady. "My office is strongly committed to promoting compliance with federal tax laws, and will draw on all available law enforcement tools to identify, prosecute and punish tax cheats."

"This guilty verdict confirms that all income is taxable, no matter what the source of the income is" said Guy Ficco, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation. "The verdict should also be a message to others who may be considering not reporting all of their income and paying their fair share of taxes that they too could face criminal prosecution by doing so. The Special Agents of IRS-CI will continue to investigate and recommend prosecution against those who cheat the tax system and victimize the honest taxpayers."

The evidence presented at trial established that on April 15, 2015, April 15, 2014, and August 1, 2014, Mills filed false joint tax returns by intentionally under-reporting his and his wife’s income to the IRS. During the trial, evidence was presented that the Defendant’s wife embezzled $12.9 million from Matthews International from 1999 to 2015. The Defendant’s wife embezzled more than $4 million during the 2012-2014 tax years. The Defendant allegedly believed the monies came from gambling. However, in April 2012, the Defendant received a Notice of Deficiency from an IRS civil audit focused on the 2003-2007 tax years. The Notice of Deficiency informed the Defendant and his wife that he owed more than $930,000 in back taxes, penalties, and interest for the years in question. While litigating and settling this civil audit, the Defendant offset gambling winnings with gambling losses resulting in approximately $100,000 in taxable income for each of 2012, 2013, and 2014 tax years, which resulted in approximately $15,000 in taxes per year. During these years, the Defendant spent approximately $2.7 million dollars, which included a $600,000 yacht, another large recreational boat, and various luxury and recreational vehicles.

Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for December 12, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of nine years in prison, a fine of $750,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Shardul Desai prosecuted this case for the government.

Pending sentencing, the court continued Mills on bond.

The Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Mills.

AUGUSTA, GA:  A Blythe man has been indicted on federal charges that he shot a helicopter being used in support of a law enforcement operation.

Terry Kielisch, 55, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of Assaulting a Person Assisting an Officer of the United States, Damaging an Aircraft, Use of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

The charges in the five-count indictment carry sentences of 10 years to life in prison, along with substantial fines.

According to court documents in the case, Kielisch is accused of firing at and striking a Georgia State Patrol helicopter piloted by a GSP trooper and with a Richmond County Sheriff’s Office investigator as a passenger on March 12. The aircraft was providing support for Operation Gunsmoke, a sweep of defendants accused of drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession in Georgia and South Carolina, coordinated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Kielisch was not a target in the operation, and while the helicopter was damaged, neither the pilot nor the passenger were injured.

“This assault had potentially deadly consequences for the officers conducting their law enforcement duties,” said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Our office will vigorously prosecute anyone who would harm or attempt to harm the professionals who protect our communities.”

The case was investigated by the ATF, the Georgia State Patrol and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hank Syms Jr. and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Marchman. 

A criminal indictment contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

BOSTON – A Springfield man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in Springfield on the charge of extortion.

Anthony J. Scibelli, 51, was indicted on one count of collecting on an extension of credit by extortionate means. Scibelli was originally charged by criminal complaint on July 2, 2019.

According to the charging documents, in 2019, Scibelli collected on a line of credit that had been extended to a victim. It is alleged that on June 19, 2019, Scibelli threatened and beat the victim for failing to make the monthly $1300 payment. The beating occurred in front of four plain clothed members of law enforcement. During the beating, Scibelli allegedly threatened that the victim must have all the money “on the first,” referring to the 1^st of the month.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski  of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Colonel Kerry Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Desroches of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorney Marianne Shelvey of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting the case.

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

A man who falsely claimed he was not a drug user when buying an AK-47-style rifle in 2018 was sentenced July 11, 2019, to nearly three years in federal prison.

Braiden Robert William Despenas, age 22, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 4, 2019 guilty plea to being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm and making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.

In a plea agreement, Despenas admitted that he was an unlawful marijuana user between at least October 2017 and March 2018.  Court records show that in October 2017 Despenas was involved in an injury collision while he was driving under the influence of marijuana.  In March 2018, Despenas purchased an AK‑47‑style rifle with a high‑capacity magazine from a federal firearms licensee in Dubuque.  Despenas admitted that while completing ATF forms during the purchase of the rifle he falsely denied that he as a drug user. 

Court records further show that Despenas purchased at least five firearms between October 2017 and May 2018.  He falsely claimed he was not a drug user on each form.  In October 2017, Despenas bought two pistols in Mason City.  Less than two months later, Mason City police recovered one of those pistols after it was found lying, loaded with four rounds, in a yard in Mason City.

During a search of Despenas’s home in June 2018, officers recovered manuals, boxes, and ammunition for some of the firearms, but no firearms.  Despenas claimed the pistols he purchased in October 2017 were stolen, but that he had not reported the theft.  He also initially stated he “believed” he purchased the AK-47-style rifle, but denied, or claimed he could not recall, purchasing other firearms.  When confronted with the fact that officers had purchase paperwork for all of the firearms, Despenas admitted to purchasing them.  He claimed he had thrown one of them in a river because it did not work correctly, and that two others were at a relative’s house.  Police recovered two of the firearms at another apartment associated with Despenas in Mason City later that day.  Two firearms Despenas illegally purchased have never been recovered by law enforcement.

Despenas was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Despenas was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment on each charge, to be served concurrently.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Despenas is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Mason City Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 19-CR-03001-CJW-MAR.

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SOUTH BEND – Michael Clark, age 20, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced before United States District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. upon his plea of guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

Mr. Clark was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release. 

According to documents in this case, in January 2019, a search warrant was executed at a South Bend residence where Mr. Clark and others were located.  During the search, 4 firearms were located, several being loaded.  An amount of Cocaine base (crack) was found during the search.  During an interview, Mr. Clark admitted that he owned a 9mm handgun that was found in the bedroom of the house he occupied.  He also admitted that he purchased an AK-47 variant rifle, with others, for protection of the drugs, profits and people at the house where his drug dealing was taking place. 

The case was investigated by the ATF with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department.  The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse. 

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SOUTH BEND – Rex Hammond, age 55, of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced before United States District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. upon his conviction after a 4-day jury trial in April.  Mr. Hammond was convicted on 5 counts of Hobbs Act Robbery, 2 counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and 1 count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

Mr. Hammond was sentenced to 564 months in prison and ordered to pay $2,630 in restitution. 

U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “Hammond’s lengthy sentence should serve as a reminder to all violent criminals that we will seek appropriate punishment for their crimes.  Hammond changed the lives of innocent victims forever with reckless acts of violence.  Thanks to the work of all our law enforcement partners, he will essentially serve the rest of his life behind bars.” 

“This investigation and prosecution is another example of holding an armed career criminal accountable for the violence perpetrated by this defendant over many years,” stated Special Agent in Charge Tim Jones, of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Chicago Field Division. “ATF is proud to work alongside our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in these important cases, and I hope keeping this defendant off the street will also help the community reclaim its neighborhood and feel safer.”

"This sentence send a strong and clear message that violence such as this, that puts innocent people at risk and instills fear in our communities, won't be tolerated," said Grant Mendenhall, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Indianapolis Division. "Keeping our communities safe has always been a top priority for the FBI and our law enforcement partners and this sentence demonstrates our continued commitment to identify and arrest violent criminals and hold them accountable."

According to documents in this case, Mr. Hammond went on a robbery spree from October 6 through October 27, 2017.  During this spree he acquired, brandished, and lost firearms all while intimidating, threatening, and restraining victims of these various robberies. As part of his robbery spree, he robbed gas stations and a liquor store located in Logansport, Peru, Auburn, and Decatur, Indiana.  Before committing the armed robberies involved in this federal trial, Mr. Hammond already had five felony convictions for armed robbery, robbery, or attempted armed robbery convictions.  In fact, Hammond has spent the majority of the past 40 years robbing people or serving prison time for doing exactly that. 

The case was investigated by ATF; FBI; Indiana State Police; Logansport Police Department; Peru Police Department; Auburn Police Department; Portage, Michigan Department of Public Safety; Kalamazoo, Michigan Department of Public Safety; Decatur Police Department; and Marshall County Sheriff’s Office.  Additional assistance was provided by the following agencies: Cass County Prosecutor’s Office; Miami County Prosecutor’s Office; DeKalb County Prosecutor’s Office; Adams County Prosecutor’s Office; and Marshall County Prosecutor’s Office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Molly E. Donnelly and Luke N. Reilander. 

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Abingdon, VIRGINIA – A Florida man and woman, who traveled in a stolen vehicle and committed a robbery at the I-81 Travel Plaza in Wythe County, pleaded guilty last week in U.S. District Court in Abingdon to a series of related federal charges, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced.

Michael Anthony Wilson, 25 and Perla Isel Pineda-Osorio, 24, both of Sarasota, Fla., pleaded guilty last week, while a third defendant, Christyen Elijah Sumpter, is scheduled to plead guilty on July 25, 2019. 

On Thursday, July 11, 2019, in U.S. District Court, both defendants pleaded guilty to one count of robbery by threatening physical violence, one count of transporting a vehicle in interstate commerce knowing the same vehicle to have been stolen, and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, possess a motor vehicle that had crossed a state boundary after being stolen, and transporting in interstate commerce a vehicle that had been stolen.

“We are taking a zero-tolerance approach with individuals who commit acts of violence with firearms,” U.S. Attorney Cullen stated today.  “Robbery can, under many circumstances, result in federal prosecution, and we are committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to identify violent offenders and send them to federal prison.” 

According to court documents, on May 28, 2018, an individual in South Carolina picked up Pineda-Osorio, Sumpter, and Wilson, who posed as hitchhikers.  The three defendants pulled guns on the driver and demanded that he take them to various ATMs to withdraw money from his account.  After taking the driver’s money, they abandoned him on the side of the rode and stole his vehicle.  Pineda-Osorio, Sumpter, and Wilson then proceeded to Charlotte, North Carolina, where they robbed a convenience store.  The three committed a similar armed robbery at a store in Jonesville, North Carolina.  Later that same night, all three committed another robbery at the I-81 Travel Plaza in Wythe County, Virginia.  Soon after the robbery, law enforcement spotted the stolen vehicle in which they were traveling and a high-speed chase ensued. The vehicle eventually crashed and the defendants were taken into custody.  The guns used in the robberies were recovered and, while looking like real firearms, were determined to be BB guns.  At sentencing, the defendants each face a maximum of thirty-five years in prison.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Wythe County (VA) Sheriff’s Office, with assistance by Charlotte Mecklenburg (NC) Police Department, Jonesville (NC) Police Department, Montgomery County (VA) Sheriff’s Office, New River Valley (VA) Regional Jail, Orangeburg (SC) Department of Public Safety, Pulaski County (VA) Sheriff’s Office, Sarasota (FL) Police Department, South Carolina State Police, and Virginia State Police.

Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer is prosecuting the case for the United States.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich has sentenced Vivienne Yvette Sellers (78, Palm Harbor) to five years in federal prison for receiving child pornography. The court also ordered Sellers to forfeit the electronic devices that she used in the commission of the offense.

Sellers had pleaded guilty on April 8, 2019.

According to court documents, Sellers used an internet-based mobile application to receive child pornography and discuss the sexual abuse of children. Between May 30 and June 17, 2017, Sellers used the app to communicate with another user whom she believed to be a nine-year-old boy, and she received images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Sellers admitted to law enforcement agents that she had used her cellphone to access the app and communicate with a child about sex. Sellers stated that she sent sexually explicit pictures of herself to the child and received sexually explicit photos from the child. Sellers further admitted that she wanted the child to come over to her house with his friend because it was her fantasy to have sex with two boys at the same time.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell.

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

INDIANAPOLIS – United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announces impending leadership team changes within the Executive Committee staff at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

First Assistant United States Attorney Cynthia J. Ridgeway has accepted a position as a Corporate Strategy Director with Indianapolis-based Anthem, Inc. and has resigned from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. FAUSA Ridgeway’s final day in the office will be July 29, 2019. 

Cynthia has spent 15 years in federal public service representing the United States of America. Cynthia was hired in 2004 by now Congresswoman Susan Brooks and then-First Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Morrison. For several years, Cynthia prosecuted drug and violent crime matters under the supervision of John Dowd. From there, Cynthia was promoted to serve as Chief of the National Security Unit. Cynthia also litigated high profile complex white collar matters as a member of the General Crimes Section before being elevated to the position of First Assistant by United States Attorney Josh Minkler.

Prior to her role with the Justice Department, Cynthia was Special Counsel at the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office where she oversaw high profile litigation, public relations, and served on the leadership team. Cynthia was hired to serve the office directly following law school by Marion County Judge Sheila Carlisle. Additionally, Cynthia served the office as Chief of the Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit under the leadership of Marion County Judge Lisa Borges. 

The United States Attorney extends his heartfelt gratitude to Cynthia for her years of dedicated service.

MARTINEZ-CASTRO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, a fine of $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.   

U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that a Bill of Information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of United States Customs and Border Protection agents in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.

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MARTINEZ-RODRIGUEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, a fine of $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.   

U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that a Bill of Information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of United States Customs and Border Protection agents in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.

CHICAGO — A convicted felon has been charged with a federal firearm violation for allegedly illegally possessing a loaded semiautomatic handgun in the Old Town neighborhood on Chicago’s North Side.

GASTON TUCKER, 32, of Chicago, is charged with one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  Tucker illegally possessed the gun on Feb. 17, 2019, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago.  On July 9, 2019, U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez ordered Tucker detained in federal custody without bond.

The complaint and detention order were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Eddie Johnson, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.

Holding convicted felons accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods– the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy.  In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, including by prosecuting individuals who illegally possess firearms.

According to the complaint, Tucker was a backseat passenger in a sedan that was parked in front of a fire hydrant in the 1300 block of North Sedgwick Street in Chicago.  A Chicago Police officer approached the vehicle and obtained identification from the vehicle’s occupants.  As the officer walked back to her car to review the identifications, Tucker got out and ran down the street, the complaint states. 

As officers began searching the area, security guards from a nearby housing complex reported seeing a man run through the complex and drop an object underneath a dumpster, the complaint states.  Officers later searched underneath the dumpster and recovered the handgun, according to the complaint.

Tucker was previously convicted in state court of aggravated battery with a firearm, a felony for which he was on parole at the time of the alleged federal offense.

The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.  Illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is punishable by up to ten years in prison.  If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – July 15, 2019 – Twenty individuals have been sentenced for their role in a series of methamphetamine distribution conspiracies which resulted in as much as 21 kilograms of methamphetamine and one kilogram of fentanyl being trafficked into the Middle Tennessee area and the arrest and indictment of two dozen individuals on drug trafficking charges, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee. 

Filmon Mehtsentu, 33, of Clarkston, Georgia, was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison for his role as the leader of a Drug Trafficking Organization that brought and distributed multi-kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl into the mid-state, beginning in early 2017.  Mehtsentu pleaded guilty in December 2018, following a year-long investigation, dubbed “Operation Street Tax,” which resulted in the indictment of 13 other persons, nine of whom have pleaded guilty and were previously sentenced, including: Guled Mohamed, 33, of Snellville, Georgia, sentenced to 151 months in prison; Shawn Dial, 31, of Ashland City, Tennessee, sentenced to 110 months in prison; Shane Watts, 33, of LaVergne, Tennessee, sentenced to 100 months in prison; Anthony Hampton, 39, of Shelbyville, Tennessee, sentenced to seven years in prison; Joel Stockham, 27, of Antioch, Tennessee, sentenced to four years in prison; Juan Carranza, 39, of Nashville, sentenced to 41 months in prison; Eddie Shaw, 53, of Nashville, sentenced to three years in prison;  Zelalam Lloyd, 30, of Clarkston, Georgia, sentenced to 28 months in prison; and Randell Chaney, 35, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, sentenced to time served.

Reginald Crump, 51, and Darrell Lockridge, 31, both of Nashville, previously pleaded guilty and will be sentenced later this year.  Rocky Jones, 38, of Joelton, Tennessee, was convicted at trial in May and is awaiting sentencing.  Arone Haile, of Atlanta, Georgia, has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.  He is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Ten other persons were charged in 2017 in a separate methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, which began in December 2015 and continued until the end of May 2017.  All have pleaded guilty and were sentenced, including: Liam Glenn, 25, of Hermitage, Tennessee, sentenced to 14 years in prison;  Pascal Pasha, 35, of Kennesaw, Georgia,  sentenced to 150 months in prison; Todd White, 49, of Atlanta, Georgia, sentenced to 136 months in prison; Daniel Demore, 44, of Atlanta, Georgia, sentenced to 2 years in prison; Jason White, 39, of Portland, Tennessee, sentenced to 160 months in prison; Williams Ryan Macintyre, 35, of Nashville, Charles Henderson, 31, of Lebanon, Tennessee, and Autumn Swindle, 41, of Nashville, were each sentenced to five years in prison;  Charvel Roberson, 27, of Nashville, was sentenced to 26 months in prison; Dakota Boyles, 22, of Portland, Tennessee, most recently of Franklin, Kentucky, was sentenced to 12 months and a day in prison.

Of particular interest during the investigation, agents intercepted a parcel shipped from Arizona, which was suspected to contain a kilogram of heroin.  DEA Lab analysis later determined the contents to be fentanyl – a quantity lethal enough to kill thousands of people.  Other parcels intercepted during the investigation contained kilograms of incredibly pure methamphetamine, including 2.232 kilograms with 95% purity; 2.233 kilograms with 98% purity; 0.516 kilograms with 93% purity; and 141.16 grams of a substance containing heroin and fentanyl.

These cases were investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the United States Secret Service; the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department; the Columbia Police Department; the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office; and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Klopf and Brent Hannafan are prosecuting the cases.       

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NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JOAQUIN ENRIQUE LOPEZ-JIRON, age 33, a citizen of Honduras, was charged on Wednesday, July 10, 2019 in a one-count bill of information with illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of 8 U.S.C. ' 1326.

          LOS ANGELES– A former civilian employee of the United States Navy who was a senior procurement official for Naval Base Ventura County and who received $1.2 million in illegal kickbacks was sentenced today to 70 months in federal prison.

          Fernando Barroso Sr., 69, of Oxnard, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter. In March, Barroso pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of subscribing to a false federal income tax return. Barroso admitted in his plea agreement that he defrauded the United States, submitted false claims for payment and accepted bribes.

          Barroso worked for 22 years as the master scheduler for the Public Works Department at the Naval Base, which included three facilities – Point Mugu, Port Hueneme and San Nicolas Island. In this role, Barroso was an “approving official” responsible for approving material purchases, service contracts, vendors and payments to vendors.

          Barroso conspired with Theodore Bauer, a Ventura County businessman who operated three entities that received contracts from the Navy. Barroso and Bauer entered into an arrangement in 2008 where Barroso issued and approved work orders and purchase orders for Bauer’s companies. Bauer submitted false invoices on behalf of his companies, and Barroso approved invoices and payments to Bauer’s companies – even though work was not being performed. In return, Bauer gave Barroso 50 percent of all proceeds generated by the scheme.

          Prior to September 13, 2011, Bauer paid Barroso in cash – a figure that exceeded $375,000. Beginning on September 14, 2011, when Barroso created F. Barroso & Sons, Bauer paid the kickbacks by issuing checks payable to Barroso’s corporation. In December 2013, Barroso purchased a majority stake in a maintenance company, and Bauer paid kickbacks in the form of checks to that company as well. The total amount of kickbacks paid by Bauer to Barroso in the form of checks was $846,100.

          Barroso admitted in his plea agreement that he violated government procurement regulations and violated conflict of interest laws by approving contract payments to the maintenance company he controlled. Barroso further admitted that some of the invoices issued by the maintenance company were simply fraudulent.

          Barroso also admitted that he failed to report $95,200 of kickbacks on his 2011 tax return, and that he claimed $331,225 of fictitious deductions on his 2012 tax returns. These violations caused a tax loss to the government of $105,039. Judge Walter ordered Barroso to pay $1,077,718 in restitution to the U.S. Navy and Internal Revenue Service.

          Bauer pleaded guilty in November 2018 to conspiracy to commit bribery and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Walter on July 22.

          This matter was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

          The cases against Barroso and Bauer are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. O’Brien of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section.

SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on July 9, 2019, Jonathan Brownlee, age 41, of Long Pond, was indicted by a federal grand jury for possession of child pornography.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Brownlee committed the offense between August 2017 and April 10, 2018. The indictment further alleges that Brownlee possessed and accessed with intent to view images of child pornography, including images of minors under the age of 12.

The indictment also states that Brownlee committed the offense after having been convicted of receipt and distribution of child pornography in 2012 in federal court.  

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pocono Mountain Regional Police. Assistant United States Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.

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

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offenses is 20 years’ imprisonment, a lifetime term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. There is also a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

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