PROVIDENCE – The controller for a high-technology electronics manufacturer in Providence that has been in business for nearly 90 years was sentenced today to 33 months in federal prison and ordered to pay back more than a half-million dollars she embezzled from the small business. 

 Jill Martinho, 43, of Swansea, Mass., who was employed by Walco Electric Company for approximately 13 years beginning in 2005, was also ordered to pay the IRS more than $185,000 in back taxes, having failed to claim the embezzled funds on her tax returns.

Martinho pleaded guilty on April 1, 2019, to wire fraud and willfully making a false tax return.

According to information presented to the Court, Martinho was entrusted by the owner of Walco Electric to manage all of the company’s finances, including signing company checks, managing bank accounts, borrowing on the company’s line of credit, payroll, and creating monthly financial statements.

Ms. Martinho was also authorized to purchase supplies necessary for the company with the use of personal credit cards. She perpetrated the fraud by obtaining reimbursement twice for some purchases and by obtaining reimbursement for completely fictitious expenses.

From May 2015 through February 2018, although Martinho was entitled to reimbursements from the company totaling approximately $459,224, based on her fraudulent claims, including the use of fraudulently created card statements, she received approximately $1,017,295 from the company, causing the company a loss of approximately $557,974.

At sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith ordered Martinho to serve 33 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years supervised release. Martinho was ordered to pay $557,974 in restitution to her former employer, of which $100,000 has already been reimbursed, and $185,466 owed to the IRS.

Martinho’s sentence is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Kristina O'Connell, and Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service Stephen Marks.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.

The matter was investigated by the FBI, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the United States Secret Service.

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LEXINGTON, Ky.— D’Vonta Middlebrooks, 24, of Lexington, was sentenced today, to 115 months in federal prison, by United States District Judge Danny C. Reeves, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

In August 2018, officers with the Lexington Police Department, while assisting State Probation and Parole officers, located Middlebrooks in a Lexington residence.  During the search of the residence, officers located a 9 mm handgun.  Middlebrooks admitted to the possession of the firearm and was arrested.  At the time of his arrest, Middlebrooks was on bond for other charges.           

 Under federal law, Middlebrooks must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for three years.

Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Stuart Lowrey, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Louisville Field Division; and Lawrence Weathers, Chief of the Lexington Police Department, jointly made the announcement.

The ATF and the Lexington Police Department conducted the investigation.  The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Cynthia T. Rieker.

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. The PSN program was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

ROME, Ga. - Brian Hernandez Acosta, the lead defendant in a child sex trafficking case, has pleaded guilty to charges of conducting a child exploitation enterprise, conspiring to engage, and engaging, in sex trafficking minors by force, fraud, or coercion, sex trafficking of children under 18 years old, interstate transport of a minor for prostitution, producing child pornography, and distributing cocaine to a person under 21 years old.

“The defendant produced child pornography and pursued a full range of child exploitation methods,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “The scheme in this case is especially egregious because they coerced their child victims into engaging in sexual activity in some instances through the use of alcohol and cocaine.  We are hopeful that Hernandez Acosta’s guilty plea will encourage more victims to contact law enforcement.” 

“This defendant and his friends preyed upon vulnerable teens, and in a scheme of cruelty and brutality coerced his victims to sell their bodies for his own gratification and profit,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI has zero tolerance for the sex trafficking of children and will continue to work with law enforcement partners to ensure justice is served for the victims.”

“I am very pleased that members of the Dalton Police Department were able to assist with this case.  The hard work and efforts by the FBI and the task force members really paid off.  Their efforts have helped to dismantle a group that was sexually exploiting minors,” said Dalton Police Chief Cliff Cason.

According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Hernandez Acosta conspired to traffic minor girls for commercial sex throughout North Georgia.  Beginning in November 2015, and continuing until December 2016, the defendants allegedly caused at least six girls between 16 and 17 years old to engage in prostitution, through the use force, fraud, and coercion.

Hernandez Acosta, after pursuing some of the girls on Facebook and Snapchat, posted provocative photographs of them in the adult entertainment and escort sections of Backpage.com, a classified advertisement website seized by the Department of Justice. Hernandez Acosta used these ads to solicit men to engage in sex with the minors for money. The advertisements used fake names for the minors and falsely listed the girls’ ages as between 19 through 21 years old.  For example, Hernandez Acosta forced one 16-year-old girl to engage in sex with men after driving her from Florida to Georgia after falsely offering the girl a place to live. The defendant required the young girls to engage in sex acts with multiple men each night and kept a large portion of the money they earned.

Between July 2016 and December 2016, co-defendants Anthony Joseph Lawhon and Brandi Rice Stumpe allegedly hosted numerous sex parties at their residence in Canton, Georgia, where they engaged in sex acts with minor girls or young women while plying them with alcohol and cocaine. Investigators recovered images of some of this conduct on Hernandez Acosta’s cellphone. Lawhon is alleged to have paid Hernandez Acosta thousands of dollars in exchange for commercial sex and cocaine. Investigators are working to identify other girls and young women allegedly victimized in this child exploitation scheme.

Hernandez Acosta’s guilty plea follows the previous guilty pleas of co-defendants Nilageo Alvarez Acosta and Jaime Adam Riano. The trial of co-defendants Anthony Joseph Lawhon and Brandi Rice Stumpe is currently scheduled for September 16, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr.

• Brian Hernandez Acosta, 28, of Dalton, Georgia, pleaded guilty on July 1, 2019, to the offenses of conducting a child exploitation enterprise, sex trafficking minors by force, fraud, or coercion, sex trafficking of children under 18 years old, transporting a minor in interstate commerce for prostitution, producing child pornography, and distributing cocaine to a person under 21 years old.

• Nilageo Alvarez Acosta pleaded guilty on April 11, 2019, to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, sex trafficking children under 18 years old, and interstate transport of a minor for prostitution. 

• Jaime Adam Riano pleaded guilty on November 17, 2017, to sex trafficking children under 18 years old.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Dalton Police Department.  The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Murray County Sheriff’s Office also provided assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Suzette A. Smikle, Dashene Cooper, and Phyllis Clerk are prosecuting the case.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment concerning co-defendants Anthony Joseph Lawhon and Brandi Rice Stumpe only contains charges.  Lawhon and Stumpe are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

Matthew D. Krueger, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on July 16, 2019, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against a man and woman allegedly involved in a firearms offense on the Menominee Indian Reservation. The indictment charged Aaron C. Smith (age: 27), formerly of Keshena, which is located on the Menominee Indian Reservation, and Keanna R. King (age: 26), of Shawano.

Count One of the indictment charged Smith with Prohibited Possession of a Firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). Smith faces a maximum of ten years’ imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release if convicted of this offense. The indictment also charged Smith with Obstruction of Justice in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(b)(1). If convicted of this offense, Smith faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.

King is charged in Count Three with False Declarations Before a Grand Jury in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1623(a). If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.

According to the indictment, on or about April 21, 2019, Smith possessed a .25 caliber handgun despite knowing he was prohibited from possession due to a previous conviction. On or about May 6, 2019, Smith allegedly acted to influence King’s testimony before a federal grand jury. According to the indictment, on or about May 29, 2019, King provided false testimony to a federal grand jury when she denied Smith handed her a firearm he illegally possessed on April 21, 2019.

The Menominee Tribal Police Department, Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory, and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier.

An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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Matthew D. Krueger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on July 16, 2019, a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment against a man allegedly involved in an assault that resulted in a woman sustaining serious bodily injury. The indictment named Brad L. Blackowl (age: 28) of Keshena, which is located in the Menominee Indian Reservation.

The indictment charged Blackowl with Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 113(a)(6). If convicted, Blackowl faces a maximum of ten years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.

According to the indictment, on or about February 17, 2019, the defendant struck a woman with his fist, causing her to sustain nasal injuries requiring surgical reconstruction.

The Menominee Tribal Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, which will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier.

An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that RIGOBERTO FRANQUIS-HERNANDEZ, age 35, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a one-count bill of information with illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of 8 U.S.C. ' 1326(a) on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 in the court of U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo.

Marshall County Woman Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of a Child

BIRMINGHAM– A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced a Marshall County woman for sexually exploitation of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge James G. Hernandez. 

U.S. District Judge Abdul K. Kallon sentenced ANNA MARIE GOMEZ, 31, to 18 years in prison.  Gomez plead guilty in April to one-count of sexually exploitation of a child.  Gomez persuaded a six-year old girl to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce images of that conduct and transport them across state lines. 

“A long prison sentence is well-deserved for the defendant in this case,” Town said.  “Gomez gave no sanctuary to this young victim and now has been given bed space in a federal prison with no sanctuary of parole.”

“HSI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect the members of our population that are the most vulnerable,” Hernandez said.  “I hope that the sentence in this case allows the victim time to heal.”

U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the cases, which the Assistant United States Attorney Robert Becher, Sr. prosecuted.

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Follow us:  Twitter- @USAttyTown

Adam R. Walker, 34, of Herrin, Illinois, has been charged by indictment with unlawfully possessing 
over 50 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Steven
D. Weinhoeft, announced today. The indictment alleges that the offense occurred on May 1, 2019, in 
Williamson County.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be 
innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

Earlier today, Walker made his initial appearance in federal district court and pleaded not guilty. 
He was ordered held without bond pending a September 16, 2019 jury trial. If convicted of the 
offense, Walker faces a maximum possible penalty of 5-40 years imprisonment, 4 years supervised 
release, and a $5 million fine.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Marion Police Department.
 

Timothy S. (“Timmy”) Smith, 41, of Johnston City, Illinois, has been sentenced to a term of 235 
months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Steven D. 
Weinhoeft announced today. Smith pleaded guilty to a one-count indictment earlier this year.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings established that from January to September, 2018, 
Smith was involved with numerous others in the distribution of methamphetamine in Williamson and 
Franklin Counties. At sentencing, the judge found Smith responsible for distributing 2 kilograms of 
ice (methamphetamine with a purity level of at least 80%). Because of Smith’s extensive criminal 
history, he was classified as a career offender.

Smith’s sentence includes four years of supervised release.

The investigation was conducted by the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group. The Herrin Police 
Department, Johnston City Police Department, and Williamson County Sheriff’s Office
assisted in the investigation.
 

Leonard M. (“Lenny”) Falcone, 51, of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, has been sentenced to 140 months in 
prison on a federal methamphetamine violation, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft announced today. 
Earlier this year, Falcone pleaded guilty to a one-count indictment charging conspiracy to 
distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings established that Falcone was involved with numerous 
others in the distribution of methamphetamine in Williamson, Franklin, and Jefferson Counties. At 
sentencing, the judge found that Falcone was responsible for the distribution of approximately 125 
grams of ice (methamphetamine with a purity level of at least 80%). Falcone received an enhanced 
sentence because he possessed a dangerous weapon during the offense, which occurred between 
September 2017 and May 31, 2018.

Falcone’s sentence includes three years of supervised release.

The investigation was conducted by the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group. The Jefferson  County 
Sheriff’s  Office,  Mt.  Vernon  Police  Department,  Illinois  State  Police, and
Williamson County States Attorney’s Office assisted in the investigation.
 

Erickson Deck, 45, of Jerseyville, Illinois, has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for 
possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and federal firearm violations. Earlier this 
year, Deck pleaded guilty to a three-count indictment charging possession with intent to distribute 
methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in 
possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings established that, on January 28, 2018, Deck was found 
passed out in his car and blocking traffic in Alton, Illinois. Inside the car, investigators found 
methamphetamine for distribution, a digital scale, and a .357 revolver. At the time, Deck was 
prohibited from possessing a gun because of multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2009 
domestic battery conviction in Jersey County.

Deck’s sentence includes three years of supervised release and forfeiture of the gun.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Alton Police Department.
 

ALBANY, NEW YORK - Mahin Mojtahedzadeh, age 74, and a citizen of Iran, pled guilty today to conspiring to unlawfully export gas turbine parts from the United States to Iran.

The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers; United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Kevin Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Jonathan Carson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office.

Mojtahedzadeh pled guilty to one count of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations.  She admitted that she was the President and Managing Director of ETCO-FZC (“ETCO”), an export company with an office in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.  ETCO is a supplier of spare and replacement turbine parts for power generation companies in the Middle East, including Iran.

Mojtahedzadeh admitted that from 2013 through 2017, she worked with companies in Canada and Germany to violate and evade U.S. sanctions against Iran, by having these companies first acquire more than $3 million dollars’ worth of turbine parts from two distributors in Saratoga County, New York. 

When the U.S. parts arrived in Canada and Germany, respectively, these companies and Mojtahedzadeh then arranged for the parts to be re-shipped to ETCO’s customers in Iran.  At all times, U.S. law prohibited the export and re-export of U.S.-origin turbine parts to Iran without a license from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which neither Mojtahedzadeh nor her co-conspirators possessed.

“By supplying Iran with millions of dollars’ worth of illegally exported turbine machinery, the defendant provided equipment that is critically important for Iran’s infrastructure,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers.  “This sort of sanctions violation allows the Iranian government to withstand the pressure of U.S. sanctions – pressure that is intended to end Iran’s malign behavior.  We will continue to hold to account those who aid Iran in evading the United States’ comprehensive embargo.”

United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith stated: “Mahin Mojtahedzadeh worked for years to illegally acquire gas turbine parts for power plants in Iran.  Thanks to thorough inter-agency collaboration by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement, the defendant and her co-conspirators are being held accountable for circumventing economic sanctions that protect the national security of the United States.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge James N. Hendricks stated: “The proliferation of sensitive U.S. technologies to Iran remains a clear threat to our national security.  The FBI, along with our interagency partners, will continue to identify, investigate, and eliminate proliferation efforts aimed at circumventing our export control laws and economic sanctions to illegally obtain sensitive technologies.”              

HSI Special Agent in Charge Kevin Kelly stated: “HSI's export enforcement initiatives safeguard national security and protect our interests across the world.  The defendant’s admission of willful attempts to thwart these efforts is inexcusable and her guilty plea is an example of the significant repercussions for such actions.”

Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Carson, of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement, stated: “We will fully and aggressively enforce our nation’s restrictions on exports to Iran.  Controls on exports to Iran help apply maximum pressure on Iran to end its promotion of instability and terrorism worldwide. The Office of Export Enforcement will continue to leverage our unique authorities to pursue violators wherever they are, worldwide. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to achieve this goal.”

Mojtahedzadeh faces up to 20 years in prison, as well as a fine of up to $1 million, when she is sentenced on November 12, 2019 by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

Two of Mojtahedzadeh’s co-conspirators have previously pled guilty.

Olaf Tepper, age 52, and a citizen of Germany, pled guilty to conspiring to violate IEEPA.  On August 3, 2018, Judge D’Agostino sentenced him to 24 months in prison, and to pay a $5,000 fine. Tepper was the founder and Managing Director of Energy Republic GmbH (“Energy Republic”), based in Cologne, Germany, which re-exported U.S.-origin turbine parts to Iran, including as part of a conspiracy with Mojtahedzadeh.

Mojtaba Biria, age 68, and a citizen of Germany, also pled guilty to conspiring to violate IEEPA, and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14, 2019.  Biria was Energy Republic’s Technical Managing Director. 

These cases are the result of a joint investigation by the FBI, HSI and the Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement, and are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Belliss and Michael Barnett, with assistance from Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence & Export Control Section.

Ronald R. Springfield, 35, of Paducah, Kentucky, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for 
possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft announced 
today. According to the indictment, the offense occurred on April 30, 2019, in Williamson County.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be 
innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

Springfield made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday and pleaded not guilty. He was 
ordered held without bond pending a July 19 detention hearing. The charged offense carries a 
maximum penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group.
The Energy Police Department assisted in the investigation.
 

WHEN:       Monday, July 22, 2019at 10:00 AM

WHERE:     Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office

                        4710 Corporation Drive

                        Fayetteville, NC                  

Re:                  Operation “Southern Lights” Press Conference

RALEIGH– The United States Attorney’s Office announces a press conference to discuss the indictment and arrests of multiple defendants in an ongoing investigation into a multi-state organization on the east coast engaged in cigarette trafficking and money laundering. The organization was based in Cumberland County, North Carolina.  The following agencies took part in Operation Southern Lights:  Homeland Security Investigations, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office.

 In addition to United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr., it is anticipated members of Homeland Security Investigations, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service to be present at this event.

Credentialed members of the media are invited to attend. For additional information please e-mail Don Connelly at usance.PublicInfoOfficer@usdoj.gov.  Please RSVP your intentions to attend the event.

PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Harrison City, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charge of intentional damage to a protected computer, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

David Tinley, 62, pleaded guilty to one count beforeSenior or Chief United States District Judge Peter J. Phipps.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from in and around 2014 and continuing until on or about May 13, 2016, Tinley, a contract employee for Siemens Corporation at the Monroeville, PA location, intentionally inserted logic bombs into computer programs that he designed for Siemens Corporation.  The logic bombs ensured that the programs would malfunction after the expiration of a certain date.  As a result, Siemens was unaware of the cause of the malfunction and required Tinley to fix these malfunctions. 

Judge Phipps scheduled sentencing for Nov. 8, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense(s) and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Shardul S. Desai is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of Tinley.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that Ahmad Jamaal Becoate, 32, of Greensboro, North Carolina, was sentenced to 75 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Joseph Leeson, sitting in Allentown.  The court also ordered the defendant to pay $443,542 in restitution and entered a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $132,542.61.  The defendant pleaded guilty in February 2019 to charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and pass counterfeited securities, three counts of wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

Becoate and eight others were charged in December 2018 by superseding indictment for involvement in an extensive scheme to defraud Walmart stores across the United States using counterfeit checks and stolen social security numbers.  The conspiracy operated from at least June 2016 to July 2018.  In January 2017, the defendant was charged and convicted in Michigan state court while perpetrating this scheme; he was sentenced to serve 12 months in prison on the state charge.  But within days of being released from prison, the defendant went right back to the same illegal, fraudulent behavior.  Becoate and his co-conspirators presented in total more than $1,000,000 in fraudulent checks between June 2016 and July 2018.

“Becoate has spent much of his adult life in prison and has shown time and again that he has no regard for the law,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain.  “For years, the defendant victimized multiple businesses and individuals and his actions show he refuses to be deterred from fraud.  For these reasons, he will now spend additional significant time in prison – which is exactly where he belongs.”

“Today’s sentencing should serve as a strong deterrent to organized criminal groups considering taking part in similar fraud schemes,” said Special Agent in Charge James Henry of the Secret Service Philadelphia Field Office.  “This case highlights our outstanding relationship with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Social Security Administration.  We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to disrupt criminal groups in the state of Pennsylvania who attempt to defraud our community and its citizens.”

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General, and the United States Postal Investigative Service, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Crawley.

PROVIDENCE – A Plainfield, Conn., little league coach arrested by Rhode Island State Police in January 2019 at a Warwick, R.I., hotel where he arranged to meet with a 14-year-old boy to engage in illicit sexual activity was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison.

At the time of his arrest, Christopher L. Merchant, 34, of Woodstock, Conn., was also found to be in possession of images of child pornography that he stored on his cell phone.

In pleading guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence on March 20, 2019, to travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and transporting child pornography, Merchant admitted that on numerous occasions, beginning in early January 2019, he engaged in a series of online sexually graphic exchanges with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old boy. Merchant admitted that he arranged to meet with the boy at a Warwick, R.I., hotel to engage in illicit sexual activity. The defendant also admitted to sending obscene photographs to the person with whom he was communicating.

Merchant was actually communicating with a member of law enforcement assigned to the ICAC Task Force, who was conducting an investigation into online child exploitation via a dating and social networking application for smart phones.

At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith ordered Merchant to serve a term of incarceration of 60 months to be followed by 15 years supervised release, and to pay a mandatory assessment of $5,000 as provided for in the Justice for Victims Trafficking Act, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni, and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.

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BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.

Yancarlos Mejia Gonzales, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Mejia Gonzales will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In April 2019, Mejia Gonzales pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.

Between 2007 and 2008, Mejia Gonzales was arrested and convicted on three separate drug distribution matters. Following his convictions, Mejia Gonzales was ordered removed, and on Jan. 12, 2011, he was deported to the Dominican Republic. Sometime thereafter, Mejia Gonzales reentered the United States and was arrested in 2013 during the execution of a state search warrant. Mejia Gonzales was subsequently convicted in federal court in Boston of illegally reentering the United States after being deported and was sentenced to 30 months in prison. After completing his sentence, Mejia Gonzales was deported on Aug. 17, 2016. In January 2019, he was encountered by law enforcement in Massachusetts and determined again to be illegally present in the United States. 

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Marcos D. Charles, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that Damon Edwards, 33, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 18 years in prison by the Honorable Judge Paul S. Diamond.

Edwards was a leader of a violent drug trafficking group that had operated out of the Norman Blumberg Apartment Complex, a public housing facility in Philadelphia. Edwards pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of crack cocaine and distribution of crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of public housing (a drug-free zone).

Edwards and others controlled drug sales in various areas of the public housing facility from 2012 to 2014.  These leaders obtained bulk crack and cocaine; cooked and packaged crack cocaine into bundles; hired, fired, and supervised shift sellers and lookouts; levied taxes on members and customers; and provided protection from other drug trafficking groups.  The shift sellers were the daily workers employed by the leaders to sell crack cocaine in the locations controlled by the groups, while the lookouts assisted other members of the groups by alerting them to the presence of law enforcement and directing customers to the shift sellers. 

“This violent drug trafficking group, led by Edwards, sold crack cocaine 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in and around the Norman Blumberg Apartment Complex in North Philadelphia,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain.  “This group used and carried firearms, robbed rival drug dealers, and used intimidation, threats, and violence to further its drug trade.  Philadelphia residents can rest assured that my Office will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute cases like this to keep citizens safe and to dismantle the crack cocaine trade.”

“The investigation, arrest, and successful prosecution of Damon Edwards are evidence of the merits of consistent inter-agency collaborations,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard J. Ross, Jr.  “We believe strongly in the value of these multi-tiered collaborative efforts. Mr. Edwards is a member of a violent drug trafficking organization. With his conviction and attendant sentencing, a prolific narcotics offender will be removed from the communities in which he distributed illegal and dangerous substances. We anticipate that arrests, convictions, and sentences such as this, will continue to have an appreciable impact on the safety and quality of life of our city's residents and visitors.”  

This case was investigated by the United States Attorney’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Drug Enforcement Administration in collaboration with the Philadelphia Police Department and Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jerome Maiatico and Yvonne Osirim.

Geoffrey S. Berman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing today of an Indictment charging ANTONIO MORA, a/k/a “Chucky,” and BRIAN MORA, a/k/a “Dottie,” with the September 17, 2018, shooting of a rival drug dealer in connection with a drug conspiracy, after pulling his daughter from his hands.  ANTONIO MORA will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox.  BRIAN MORA is already in federal custody.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken. 

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As alleged, Antonio and Brian Mora dealt heroin and crack cocaine in the Bronx.  During a dispute with a rival drug crew, the defendants allegedly ripped the victim’s daughter out of his arms before shooting him.  Thanks to our partners at the NYPD, the defendants now face federal charges for their brazen and callous crimes.”

NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill stated:  “This case illustrates the extreme violence that too often accompanies gang activity and the drug trade, and why we must be vigilant in keeping our communities safe.  I want to thank the law enforcement professionals whose hard work and dedication secured these federal indictments.”

As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:

Between 2016 and 2018, ANTONIO MORA and BRIAN MORA were involved in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and heroin.  During that same time period, ANTONIO MORA and BRIAN MORA used, carried, and discharged a firearm during and in furtherance of that drug conspiracy, including on September 17, 2018, when, in connection with a dispute with a rival drug crew, they shot a man after they pulled his daughter from his arms. 

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ANTONIO MORA, 25, of the Bronx, New York, and BRIAN MORA, 24, of the Bronx, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and heroin and one count of using and carrying a firearm, which was brandished and discharged, in connection with the narcotics conspiracy, each of which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.  The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant United States Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.