Gulfport, Miss. – Jesse Allen Nichols, 37, of Gulfport, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. to transporting images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.

“Dealing in sexually explicit videos of children is despicable. I appreciate the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, our Homeland Security agents, trial attorneys from the U.S. Department of Justice, and our prosecutors for putting an end to this criminal’s evil trade.  We will continue to work with our government and private sector partners to make sure all these types of deviants are brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst.

In February 2018, Nichols transported images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct to “Dropbox”, on online storage medium, which resulted in the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) issuing a CyberTipline Report to authorities at Homeland Security Investigations containing at least 56 videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.  Further investigation revealed the email and user name of Nichols and it was determined that Nichols’s cell phone was used in transporting the images of the minors.

Nichols was indicted on December 12, 2018.  When arrested on the indictment, Nichols admitted to the use of his cellular telephone to access various social media platforms and online storage mediums.  He affirmed the use of his cellular telephone and the email identified in the CyberTipline Report, and that through such access on his cellular device he stored images and videos of child pornography.

Nichols will be sentenced by Judge Guirola on November 12, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. in Gulfport.   He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.  It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones and Trial Attorney Ralph A. Paradiso with the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing 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 (CEOS), 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.

A Fairfield, Ohio man was sentenced yesterday to 250 months’ imprisonment on charges of production of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider. 

Schneider was joined in the announcement by Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Downey, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.

Sentenced was James Coy Whitaker, Jr., 36. 

According to court records, beginning in 2013 and continuing to April 2017, Whitaker enticed and persuaded a minor female to produce images and live stream videos of herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct.  Whitaker met the minor female in an online social media chat room and conned the victim into sending him a nude image of herself, which he then used to threaten violence and embarrassment if she did not continue to send sexually explicit photos and videos of herself.  This conduct began when the female victim was just 12 years old. 

“The images sent to Whitaker are not merely pictures but are a permanent record of the sexual abuse and exploitation of a child,” stated United States Attorney Schneider.  “I commend the work of the FBI and Michigan State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for their dedication to investigating crimes against children.”

This case was investigated by special agents with the FBI and the Michigan State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Rawsthorne and Ann Nee.

Natchez, Miss. – Javonte Lamar Butler, 20, of Natchez, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette, III to stealing a firearm from a business that is licensed to sell firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Kirk Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On December 14, 2018, Javonte Lamar Butler visited Peddlers Antique Pawn and Salvage, a federally licensed reseller of firearms, located in Natchez, Mississippi. While a store employee assisted two other persons, Butler reached into a glass display case, removed a pistol, and left the store without lawfully purchasing it. Butler was subsequently indicted on June 14, 2019, for stealing a firearm from a business licensed to sell firearms.

Butler will be sentenced by Judge Bramlette on November 19, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. in Natchez. He faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bert Carraway.

This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 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.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal jury returned a guilty verdict today convicting Jose Elfego Gutierrez-Gomez, 36, a citizen of Mexico residing in Stockton, of being a deported alien found in the United States, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Gutierrez-Gomez originally entered the United States without having obtained legal status. Then in 2008, he was convicted of methamphetamine trafficking and sentenced to five years in prison. Following his release from prison, he was removed from the United States. Gutierrez-Gomez subsequently illegally reentered the United States.

Gutierrez-Gomez came to the attention of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and on December 21, 2018, he was arrested. A grand jury subsequently indicted him.

This case is the product of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shea J. Kenny and Katherine T. Lydon are prosecuting the case.

Gutierrez-Gomez is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23 by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller. Gutierrez-Gomez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Gulfport, Miss. – Oscar A. Fajardo, 50, a legal permanent resident in the United States and a citizen of El Salvador, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr., to transporting an illegal alien within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Gregory K. Bovino, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.

Fajardo is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Guirola on November 12, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and special assessments that could total $5,100. Fajardo also will face Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings and potential loss of his Legal Permanent Resident status.

On March 26, 2019, in Jackson County, Mississippi, a South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team agent stopped a vehicle on Interstate 10 eastbound for a traffic violation. The agent initiated the traffic stop while calling for back-up, and a U.S. Border Patrol Agent arrived on the scene shortly thereafter. The Border Patrol Agent made contact with the driver of the vehicle, identified as Oscar A. Fajardo. The agent identified himself as a Border Patrol Agent, and learned that Mr. Fajardo is a legally admitted permanent resident alien to the United States, who is a citizen of El Salvador.

Fajardo and his passenger, Andres Barrientos-Flores, were traveling from Houston, Texas, to Virginia. Barrientos Flores, also a citizen of El Salvador, was determined to be an illegal alien to the United States who had been previously removed from the United States. Barrientos-Flores was separately prosecuted and pled guilty to unlawful return by an alien after removal.

U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, United States Border Patrol, and by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Cameron Fox, 35, of Rocklin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. to 20 years in prison for distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Fox met a minor victim online for sexual purposes and after meeting her in person, he sent her child pornography.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Marin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rosanne Rust and Michael D. Anderson prosecuted 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.

PITTSBURGH – Following a two-day non-jury trial, Jamiek Moore was convicted of multiple violations of the federal narcotics and firearms laws, including conspiracy to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and two counts of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Moore, 23, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was tried before United States District Judge Reggie B. Walton in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

According to Assistant United States Attorney Jerome A. Moschetta, who prosecuted the case, the evidence presented at trial established that on or about June 8, 2017, Moore conspired with others, including co-defendant Jaimere Dehonney, to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, and that Moore possessed firearms on that day in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The government’s evidence largely consisted of items seized by law enforcement pursuant to search warrants from a residence and vehicle utilized by Moore, Dehonney, and others, located on Yosemite Drive in Penn Hills, Allegheny County. That evidence consisted of quantities of heroin, large quantities of heroin packaging materials, approximately $28,000 in U.S. Currency, and two loaded firearms. The government further established that on May 15, 2017, at a residence located on Rhine Court, Moore possessed quantities of marijuana and heroin with the intent to distribute them, and that he possessed two loaded firearms that day in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Judge Walton scheduled sentencing for Nov. 22, 2019 at 2 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years to a maximum of life in prison, a fine not to exceed $2,750,000, 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.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pittsburgh Police Department and the Penn Hills Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Jamiek Moore.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Stockton residents Donald Earl Freeman Jr., 26, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison, and Juan Arturo Arroyo Gomez, 32, was sentenced to one year in prison, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

On December 14, 2017, Freeman and Arroyo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery, identity fraud, and unauthorized access to a computer for accepting bribes to change test scores in the computers of the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

“Individuals in positions of trust who exploit federal and state law for personal gain pose a significant threat to public safety and national security,” said Jerry C. Templet Jr, Deputy Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (San Francisco and Northern California). “HSI will continue working with our local, state, and federal partners to investigate these types of public corruption cases and bring those responsible to justice.”

According to court documents, Freeman was an employee at the DMV’s Tracy branch office and among other things, was responsible for processing applications for California commercial driver licenses (CDLs). Such CDLs permit the license holders to drive passenger buses or to operate tractor-trailer trucks on California and interstate highways, including, in some cases, hauling hazardous materials. Arroyo was a broker in the scheme and solicited truck driving students to pay him to assist them in obtaining driving permits.

According to court documents, in exchange for money from Arroyo and other brokers, Freeman accessed the DMV’s database in Sacramento to alter the records of applicants to fraudulently show that the applicants had passed the required written tests when, in truth, the applicants had not passed the tests or, at times, even taken the written tests. In so doing, this caused the DMV to issue permits to those drivers, as well as completed CDLs upon the applicants passing the behind-the-wheel driving tests.

According to their plea agreements, Freeman caused no less than 123 fraudulent permits to be issued, including at least 13 at the request of, and in exchange for payment from, Arroyo.

This case was the product of an investigation by the California Department of Motor Vehicles Office of Internal Affairs and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Rosanne L. Rust prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — David L. Bonuccelli, 65, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to embezzlement from his employees’ pension plan, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Bonuccelli was the CEO of a real estate investment consulting and advisory firm in Sacramento that was a licensed real estate broker, registered investment advisor with the SEC, and which provided services to public pension funds, institutional investors, endowments, and individual investors. His firm sponsored a number of retirement benefit plans for its employees under ERISA, including a traditional pension over which Bonuccelli was the sole trustee. From 2011 through 2014, Bonuccelli made unauthorized transfers totaling $1,243,154 from the pension’s account, including transfers to his personal bank account to fund hundreds of thousands of dollars in spending and transfers to his own retirement plan. Bonuccelli later created paperwork purporting to document these transfers as “loans,” and made false statements on annual forms filed with the Department of Labor about the pension plan’s balance and his transfers.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew M. Yelovich and Miriam R. Hinman are prosecuting the case.

Bonuccelli is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on Jan. 16, 2020. Bonuccelli faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Salvador Padilla III, 39, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley, to 10 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

On May 23, 2019, Padilla pleaded guilty. According to court documents, in October 2017, an investigation began into a Sacramento-area methamphetamine dealer based on reports that the dealer was distributing pound-level quantities of methamphetamine locally. In December 2017, an undercover purchase of one-pound methamphetamine was arranged from the dealer. Just before the purchase took place, Padilla left his home and drove to the dealer’s home, where he gave the dealer over a pound of methamphetamine, which the dealer then sold to the undercover agent.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with special assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy H. Delgado is prosecuting the case.

In May 2019, co-defendants Eberardo Mendez, and Jose Romero, 55, both of Sacramento, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Mendez and Romero will be sentenced in September and October 2019, respectively. They each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

GREAT FALLS – Browning resident Delwin Paul Calflooking, Sr., today admitted to strangling a woman earlier this year at his home on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Calflooking, 47, pleaded guilty to strangulation of a dating partner. He faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Sentencing is set for Nov. 14, 2019. Judge ordered Calflooking detained pending sentencing.

The prosecution said evidence would show that the victim had been drinking with Calflooking on May 6, 2019 at his residence when he began questioning her and strangled and assaulted her. The victim found herself on the ground with Calflooking’s hands around her neck and lost consciousness several times. The victim suffered fractured ribs, a broken arm and significant bruising.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah Paisley is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI.

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Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that EMEKA NNAWUBA, a/k/a “Benjamin Alabie,” who is a member of the United States Army Reserves, has pled guilty to participating in a scheme to launder the proceeds of frauds perpetrated against dozens of victims.  NNAWUBA pled guilty today before United States District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who will impose sentence on January 7, 2020.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “Emeka Nnawuba admitted today that he received over $1 million from unsuspecting women in internet romance scams and laundered those proceeds to conceal their origin.  Nnawuba callously preyed upon victims looking for companionship, only to come away as victims of theft.  Nnawuba tried his luck in love and lost, as he now faces time in prison.”

According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment and statements made in court:

From at least 2016 until 2018, NNAWUBA participated in a scheme to launder the proceeds of frauds perpetrated against dozens of victims.  Among other things, NNAWUBA used false identities and false passports to open bank accounts, received or attempted to receive more than $2,000,000 in fraud proceeds, withdrew tens of thousands of dollars of fraud proceeds in cash, and transferred more than $1 million of fraud proceeds to bank accounts controlled by co-conspirators in an effort to conceal the source of funds.

The funds laundered by NNAWUBA were procured principally by (a) romance scams, in which members of the scheme trolled dating websites to find unsuspecting women and stole their money on false pretenses, and (b) business compromise scams, in which members of the scheme impersonated individuals, professionals, or businesses in the course of otherwise ordinary financial transactions, and then fraudulently induced the counterparties to those transactions to transfer funds to bank accounts controlled and operated by NNAWUBA or other members of the scheme.

*                      *                      *

NNAWUBA, 29, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, pled guilty to one count of participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.  

Five other individuals previously were charged and pled guilty in connection with their participation in the scheme. 

On February 12, 2018, Ifeanyi Ezeji pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering.  On May 31, 2018, Judge Failla sentenced Ifeanyi Ezeji to 40 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and ordered him to forfeit $2,080,347.14 and pay restitution in the amount of $873,891.31.

On May 31, 2018, Christopher Ezeji pled guilty to passport counterfeiting.  On October 4, 2018, Judge Failla sentenced Christopher Ezeji to five years of probation, and ordered him to forfeit $500.00 and pay restitution in the amount of $873,891.31.

On June 22, 2018, Peter Abbah pled guilty to aggravated identity theft.  On October 2, 2018, Judge Failla sentenced Abbah to 24 months in prison and one year of supervised release, and ordered him pay restitution in the amount of $218,498.76.

On July 27, 2018, Michael Akhiero pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud.  On April 22, 2019, Judge Failla sentenced Akhiero to seven months in prison and three years of supervised release, and ordered him to forfeit $600.00 and pay restitution in the amount of $143,192.99.

On January 11, 2019, Okechukwu Peter Ezika pled guilty to engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity.  Ezika’s sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

*                      *                      *

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Secret Service, and thanked United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations for its assistance. 

The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Juliana N. Murray and Robert B. Sobelman are in charge of the prosecution. 

GREAT FALLS – Box Elder resident Ryan John Gardipee on July 31 admitted to assaulting and injuring a woman during an argument that began while they were out for the evening and continued at a residence on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Gardipee, 23, pleaded guilty to assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a dating partner. He faces a maximum five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and set sentencing for Nov. 14, 2019. Gardipee is detained pending sentencing.

The prosecution said in court records that on Dec. 8, 2018, Gardipee, the victim and another person were out drinking at a casino and then went to another business. An argument began between Gardipee and the victim and continued after they returned to the casino. At one point, Gardipee and the victim began to drive to a residence. Gardipee grabbed the victim’s head as she was driving, and she slammed on the brakes. When the car began moving again, Gardipee jumped out and returned to the casino. Fearing that Gardipee may have injured himself, the victim returned to the casino and the two left together for the residence. On the drive, Gardipee again grabbed the victim’s head and yelled at her to drive to the residence. At the residence, Gardipee assaulted and strangled the victim.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Cobell is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI.

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On July 25, 2019, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Stockton residents Lucious James Roy, 33, and Dawniel Santangelo, 41, with sex trafficking of a child, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. The indictment was unsealed today.

According to court documents, between September and November 2018, Roy recruited, enticed, transported, harbored, and maintained a minor victim, knowing that the minor would be caused to engage in prostitution. During that same time period, Roy and Santangelo also recruited, enticed, transported, harbored, and maintained a second minor victim, knowing that the second minor victim would also engage in prostitution.

Roy and Santangelo are currently in state custody in Oregon.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Stockton Police Department, San Joaquin District Attorney’s Office, Medford (Oregon) Police Department, and Jackson County Oregon District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron L. Desmond and Brian A. Fogerty are prosecuting the case.

If convicted of sex trafficking of a child, Roy and Santangelo face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that a federal jury in Monroe convicted two northeast Louisiana residents for robbing three financial institutions at gunpoint and for multiple firearms violations.  The verdict came in this afternoon following a four-day trial, which was presided over by U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty.

Lakendria Nicole Goings, 35, of Monroe, and David Ray Johnson, 36, of Winnsboro, Louisiana, were convicted of all counts submitted to the jury – two counts of bank robbery, one count of credit union robbery, and three counts of using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.  In addition, Johnson was found guilty of two counts of convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

“Today’s verdict brings justice for the victims of these armed robberies and reinforces my office’s resolve to assist those Louisiana communities that suffer under the menace of violent crime,” said David C. Joseph, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana.  “We cannot undo the terror these defendants caused during their rampage, but we can take solace that they have been held accountable by a jury of their peers, and will be spending substantial time in federal prison as a result of their crimes.  I am thankful for the extraordinary efforts and teamwork of the federal and local law enforcement officers that investigated these crimes and those Franklin Parish Sheriff’s deputies who put their lives on the line to stop the defendants before anyone was hurt.” 

Evidence presented at trial showed that Goings and Johnson’s spree began when they robbed the Guaranty Bank branch in Epps, Louisiana on November 10, 2017.  The defendants entered the bank wearing hoodies to obscure their faces, and waiving semi-automatic handguns in the direction of customers and employees.  Johnson stood at the entrance door acting as lookout and rear guard, while Goings directed the gun at the face of a bank teller, ordering the bank teller to fill a bag with money.  The robbers left Guaranty Bank with approximately $17,307.  After the robbery, Epps Police Department officers and West Carroll Parish Sheriff’s detectives found a cloth work glove worn by Johnson during the robbery, several rolls of coins, and a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, in a vacant lot close to the bank.  DNA from the glove matched David Ray Johnson’s DNA, which was in a North Carolina DNA database as a result of Johnson’s 2012 felony conviction for financial card theft.

The second and third robberies occurred on November 27, 2017 (Barksdale Federal Credit Union in Cotton Valley, Louisiana), and December 18, 2017 (Winnsboro State Bank in Gilbert, Louisiana).  On both occasions the defendants entered dressed in black, bulky hooded clothing with dark fabric covering their faces, waiving semi-automatic firearms at bank customers and employees and demanding money from the tellers. They left Barksdale FCU with $12,756, and Winnsboro State Bank with $28,447.

After the robbers left Winnsboro State Bank with a duffel bag full of money, Franklin Parish Sheriff’s deputies located the getaway car and began a high-speed chase with the defendants’ Toyota Sequoia, sometimes exceeding 100 mph.  During the chase, Johnson, who was driving, pointed a semi-automatic handgun out of the driver’s window and fired several times at the deputies.  The vehicle later crashed in a residential area in Winnsboro, Louisiana, and the defendants surrendered to authorities.  Johnson exited the vehicle with a .40 caliber pistol in his hand, loaded with a round in the chamber and four live rounds in the magazine, which dropped to the ground as he submitted to arrest.  This .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol was of the same make, model and caliber handgun that investigators found in the vacant lot near the Guaranty Bank robbery in Epps.

In the Sequoia, deputies found a duffel bag with $28,477 in cash, black clothing, hooded jackets, black fabric consistent with the masks worn during the robberies, and paper coin wrappers bearing handwritten account numbers belonging to Barksdale FCU customers.  Officers also found a Double Star Brand, Model Star 15, .223-caliber semi-automatic AR-type rifle, which Johnson had just brandished in the Winnsboro State Bank robbery, loaded with a live round in the chamber and 27 rounds in a detachable magazine.

Goings and Johnson face seven years in prison for each count of using of a weapon during a crime of violence and 25 years in prison for each count of bank robbery. Johnson faces up to 10 years for discharging the weapon during the high speed chase, and he also faces up to 10 years in prison for the convicted felon in possession of a firearm counts.  Judge Doughty set the sentencing date for David Ray Johnson on November 6, 2019, and for Lakendria Nicole Goings on November 7, 2019.

The FBI, ATF, Louisiana State Police, Franklin Parish Sheriff’s Office, East Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Office, Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office, Epps Police Department, Cotton Valley Police Department, and Winnsboro Police Department investigated the case, and the federal prosecution was greatly aided by District Attorney Mack Lancaster’s office, Fifth Judicial District of Louisiana.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Aaron Crawford and Brandon B. Brown prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.

BILLINGS—A man who admitted selling methamphetamine in the Billings area was sentenced on July 31 to six years in prison and four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Albert Garcia, 48, hometown unknown, pleaded guilty in November to possession with intent to distribute meth.

Chief U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen of Missoula presided.

The prosecution said in court records that law enforcement received information in September 2017 that Garcia was selling meth in the Billings area. Agents worked with a confidential informant who made two controlled buys of meth, totaling about 26 grams, from Garcia.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Dake prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which 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.

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     TUCSON, Ariz. – On July 29, 2019, Joseph Michael Vosberg, 59, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins to 18 months in prison for assisting in the preparation and filing of false federal income tax returns.  Vosberg previously pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the filing of false federal tax returns.  In his plea agreement, Vosberg admitted that he prepared and filed thirty-three federal tax returns that contained $457,187 in false deductions.  As part of his sentence, the court ordered Vosberg to pay $202,243 in restitution to the United States Treasury for the tax loss relating to the offense.     

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.  The prosecution was handled by Jane L. Westby, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

Assistant U. S. Attorney Alexandra F. Foster (619) 546-6735

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY– August 1, 2019

San Diego – Amil Hassan Raage pleaded guilty to fraudulently receiving almost $750,000 as part of a spear phishing scheme. (Spear-phishing is when an unwitting victim responds to a bogus email, which the victim believes is from a trusted sender, and reveals confidential information to the fraudsters.)

On July 23, 2018, the University of California San Diego (UCSD) received a spear phishing email from a fraudulent Dell email account instructing UCSD to redirect its payments meant for Dell equipment and services to Raage’s Wells Fargo bank account in Minnesota.  Believing that the email was from a legitimate Dell employee, UCSD followed the instructions and redirected payment.

The email actually originated from one of Raage’s co-conspirators in Kenya. From August 8 through September 12, 2018, UCSD sent Raage 28 payments totaling $749,158.37.  Each time UCSD wired money to Raage’s account, Raage would promptly withdraw the money or transfer it to another account.  When UCSD learned of the fraud, it halted payments.

UCSD was not alone. Raage and his co-conspirators perpetrated a similar scheme on another university, this one in Pennsylvania. Again, a co-conspirator in Kenya used a falsified Dell account to instruct the Pennsylvania university to redirect its Dell payments to a bank account in Minnesota again controlled by Raage. Over the month of January 2018, the Pennsylvania university wired six payments totaling $123,643.77 to Raage’s bank account before the university was alerted to the fraud and stopped payments.

After the bank froze Raage’s accounts, he fled to Kenya on September 22, 2018. Working with Kenyan law enforcement, the FBI’s Legal Attaché in Kenya, and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, Kenyan police arrested Raage on May 7, 2019, and extradited back to the United States on May 23, 2019, to face prosecution for his involvement in this theft.

“Modern criminals like Raage have ditched the ski mask and getaway vehicle and opted for a computer as their weapon of choice,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “As this defendant has learned, we are matching wits with new-age thieves and successfully tracking them down and putting an end to their high-tech deception.”

“As exemplified by this outstanding result, criminals who operate in cyberspace falsely believe themselves to be beyond the reach of law enforcement, but they are sorely mistaken,” said FBI Special Agent-In-Charge Scott Brunner. “Our agents will relentlessly pursue justice, aided by our foreign partners. Thank you to the Kenyan National Police and the Office of International Affairs for their invaluable assistance in bringing Mr. Raage before the bar of justice.”

This type of spear phishing activity has been on the rise, especially for universities, local governments and other entities with procurement paperwork available on-line.

If you or your business or organization have been victimized by an email compromise scam, such as this one, it is important to act quickly. Contact your financial institution immediately and request that they contact the financial institution where the fraudulent transfer was sent. Next, call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI and also file a complaint—regardless of dollar loss—with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

Raage’s sentencing is set for 8:30 a.m. on October 11, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel.

DEFENDANT                                   Case Number: 18CR4858-GPC

Amil Hassan Raage                            Age: 48

SUMMARY OF CHARGE

Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 1349

Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison

AGENCIES

Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Diego Division

Kenya Police Service

Director of Public Prosecutions, Kenya

Legal Attaché, U.S. Embassy, Nairobi, Kenya

U.S. Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs