NEW ORLEANS –U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that MEKAILL HARRIS, age 20, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty September 3, 2019 to a one count Superseding Bill of Information charging him with possession of a firearm in a federal facility. 

On April 12, 2019, HARRIS was being investigated by investigators at the Veterans Affairs Hospital, located at 119 South Galvez, New Orleans, after investigators learned that HARRIS was engaged in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend, an employee at the V.A. Hospital.  According to HARRIS’s girlfriend, she was concerned that HARRIS may return to the hospital in possession of a firearm. Responding investigators located HARRIS on the hospital’s campus.  HARRIS fled from officers.  While running, a silver 9-millimeter handgun dislodged from HARRIS’s person onto the ground.  The weapon was recovered by V.A. investigators.

On September 3, 2019, HARRIS was sentenced to credit for time served and placed on probation for a period of 1-year imprisonment by Magistrate Judge Michael B. North.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. 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.

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the law enforcement officers at the Veterans Affairs Hospital and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany L. Reed is in charge of the prosecution.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arlington man pleaded guilty today to robbing two Falls Church pawn shops of nearly $800,000 in jewelry and watches.

According to court documents, in July 2014, Budder Khan, 29, entered Route 50 Gold and Jewelry Exchange, forced the store’s employees to the ground using what appeared to be a real firearm, smashed the business’s glass display cases and took jewelry and watches worth over $650,000. Later, in April 2015, Khan entered Top Pawn, again used what appeared to be a real firearm to frighten the store’s employees, smashed the business’s glass display cases and stole jewelry and watches worth over $143,000.

Khan pleaded guilty to two counts of interference with commerce by robbery and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison when sentenced on December 6. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This 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.

This investigation was conducted by the FBI WFO’s Violent Crime Safe Streets Task Force which is composed of Special Agents of the FBI, along with Detectives from the Fairfax County Police, the Prince William County Police, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, the Arlington County Police, the Alexandria City Police, the Leesburg Police, Vienna Police Department, Herndon Police Department, Fairfax City Police, Falls Church Police Department, the Washington Metropolitan Police Department and in partnership with the ATF, USMS, HSI, and other federal agencies. This task force focuses on investigating the most egregious and violent criminal enterprises and actors operating in the Capital Region. 

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Blanchard is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-199.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 84 months in prison for drug crimes.

A jury convicted Glenn Marcell Madison, Jr., 29, of Columbus, in May on all counts following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge James L. Graham.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Columbus Interim Chief of Police Thomas A. Quinlan announced the sentence handed down this afternoon.

Madison, also known as “Monster,” was indicted in October 2018 and May 2019 and charged with six drug-related crimes.

He was convicted of two counts of distributing cocaine, one count of distributing heroin and one count of distributing methamphetamine; each are crimes punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Madison was also convicted of two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, which carries a potential sentence of five to 40 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the Columbus Division of Police and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Noah R. Litton, who are representing the United States in this case. 

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A Toledo man was indicted on drug and firearms charges.

Ronnie Robinson, 32, was indicted on one count of possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Robinson possessed on July 9 cocaine and a Ruger 9 mm pistol, despite a previous conviction for trafficking fentanyl, according to the indictment.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.  

The investigating agency in this case is the Toledo Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S.s Attorney Matthew D. Simko is prosecuting the case.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, 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. PSN was reinvigorated 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.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  The burden of proof is always on the government to prove a defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

A Toledo man was indicted for allegedly selling fentanyl and other drugs that resulted in a fatal overdose on New Year’s Eve.

Bryan Mays, 30, was indicted on one count of distribution of a controlled substance. The charge comes with a potential sentencing enhancement for causing death.

Mays, aka Sipp Nolte, sold a mixture of fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl and Tramadol on December 30, 2018, according to the indictment.

The next day, a person identified in court documents as C.L. ingested the drugs and died, according to the indictment

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas P. Weldon and Michael J. Freeman.        

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

CINCINNATI – A Russian national and an Italian national have been charged here with conspiring and attempting to steal trade secrets from an American aviation company.

Alexander Yuryevich Korshunov, 57, and Maurizio Paolo Bianchi, 59, were charged by a criminal complaint on Aug. 21.  Korshunov was arrested on Aug. 30 at Naples International Airport in Italy. The complaint was unsealed today.

According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Korshunov was an employee of a Russian state-owned company and had previously been a Russian public official whose service included the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Bianchi was a former director at an Italian subsidiary of GE Aviation, one of the world’s top aircraft engine suppliers, which is headquartered in the Southern District of Ohio. While working for the subsidiary, Bianchi was responsible for business in China, Russia and Asia.

After leaving the subsidiary, Bianchi went to work for a company called Aernova in Forli, Italy.

Korshunov was employed at United Engine Corp (UEC), which included a subsidiary named Aviadvigatel (a branch of the Russian state-owned company), which had been “entity listed” by the U.S. Department of Commerce in September 2018 for acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States.

Aernova and Aviadvigatel had a contract during the time of the alleged conduct.

It is alleged that between 2013 and 2018, Bianchi – on behalf of Korshunov – hired current or former employees of GE Aviation’s Italian subsidiary to do consulting work related to jet engine accessory gearboxes for Bianchi and Korshunov. The employees’ statements of work typically stated that the “the holders of patent and intellectual property obtained as a result of the work are…the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.”

Throughout the consulting, employees allegedly used trade secrets owned by GE Aviation to create the technical report. The effort focused on accessory gearboxes made by Avio Aero, which are external engine components that provide power to systems such as hydraulic pumps, generators and fuel pumps.

The affidavit details that Korshunov arranged and paid for employees to meet with him in June 2013 at the Paris Air Show in Le-Bourget, France and in 2014 in Milan, Italy to discuss and revise the technical report.

Conspiring to and attempting to steal trade secrets is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Benjamin C. Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and the cooperation of GE Aviation, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy S. Mangan and Trial Attorney Will Mackie of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, who are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division assisted in the investigation.

A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to three years and five months (41 months) in prison on conviction of attempt to possess with intent heroin, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Farren Mason, Sr., 60, of the City’s Homewood neighborhood.

According to information presented to the court, on November 9, 2018, Mason’s car and house were searched. During the searches, agents and task force officers recovered 150 bricks of heroin from Mason’s car and additional heroin and $70,000 in cash were found in Mason’s house. The total amount of heroin seized totaled 232 grams.

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Horan stated that Mason’s sentence was intended to hold him accountable for his crimes and to deter future criminal conduct.

Assistant United States Attorney Michael Leo Ivory prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Brady commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the North Versailles Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Mason.

PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to launder proceeds of marijuana trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Holly Shrum, 29, of the City’s Overbrook neighborhood, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge David S. Cercone.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that the Drug Enforcement Administration and other agencies conducted a multi-year investigation of a marijuana trafficking conspiracy. The investigation revealed that during the operation of the conspiracy, Shrum conspired to launder proceeds obtained through the marijuana trafficking. According to information provided to the court, Shrum and her boyfriend, codefendant Christopher Schanck, were caught attempting to launder $25,000 in drug proceeds at the Rivers Casino by inserting $20 bills into a gaming machine in increments of $500 and then cashing out the vouchers, without ever having gambled at the casino.

Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for January 15, 2020, at 11 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Pending sentencing, the court continued the defendant’s bond.

Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Indiana Borough Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Shrum. The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Andrew Harris, 23, of Philadelphia, entered a plea of guilty before United States Judge Cynthia M. Rufe on the charges related to violations of 18 U.S.C. § 1030 for using a school computer and someone else’s username without that person’s permission in an attempt to illegally obtain President Donald Trump’s tax returns from the Internal Revenue Service. Harris’ co-defendant, Justin Hiemstra, previously pleaded guilty on August 6, 2019.

These charges arose out of a plot between the defendant, then a student at Haverford College, and Hiemstra (another Haverford College student), to use computers at the school’s computer lab and the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) website to illegally access the tax returns. The defendants opened a false FAFSA application in the name of a member of the Trump family, and found that someone else had already obtained a username and password for Donald Trump. In order to reset the password, the defendants were prompted to answer challenge questions, which the original person had created when setting up the account. They were able to answer the questions and reset the password, and then used the President’s personal identifier information, including his social security number and date of birth, to attempt to import the President’s federal tax information into the bogus FAFSA application. Ultimately, this illegal attempt failed.

“No matter what you think about the President’s tax returns, clearly this kind of illegal activity cannot be tolerated or condoned. Unauthorized or false attempts to obtain any citizen’s IRS filings are a serious violation of privacy rights and a federal crime, and there’s nothing funny about it,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Now this un-funny plot has branded both Harris and his cohort, Hiemstra, with federal criminal convictions that they deserve.”

The case was investigated by the Department of Education – Office of Inspector General and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony J. Wzorek.

BIRMINGHAM -- A federal jury yesterday convicted an Oneonta man of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of over 500 grams of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E, Town and Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay Morris. 

The jury returned its guilty verdict against Brian Turner, 47, after two days of testimony before U.S. District Judge Annemarie Axon.  Turner will be sentenced on January 9, 2020. 

"My office is dedicated to stop the influx of dangerous drugs like methamphetamine into our communities,” Town said.  “This verdict assured the citizens of the Northern District that yet another peddler of this poison faces a potential life sentence and that he will soon be joined by other drug dealers in a federal prison.”

“The verdict returned in this trial is yet another example of DEAs unwavering commitment to keeping drug dealers from selling poison in our communities.  The defendant distributed untold amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine to those suffering from addiction.  While battling the opioid epidemic, DEA and our law enforcement partners stand vigilant against the cyclical nature of drug distribution.  We cannot forget or overlook methamphetamine.  Our communities are also being flooded with this dangerous drug.  Defendant Turner will now hear the clang of his prison cell door instead of the clink of profits lining his pocket from selling drugs.”

Evidence at trial proved that Turner conspired with others in 2016 and 2017 to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine in Northern Alabama.  DEA agents identified Turner after intercepting a phone call between him and his drug supplier in June 2017.  Further investigation revealed that Turner received methamphetamine and cocaine from his supplier every few weeks for more than a year and a half, receiving several pounds of the drugs over the life of the conspiracy. 

The penalty for possessing with intent to distribute and distribution of over 500 grams of methamphetamine includes imprisonment for not less than 10 years or more than life. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.  Assistant United States Attorneys Austin Shutt and Blake Milner prosecuted the case. 

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Ocala, Florida – Daprix Devon Gadson (29, Ocala) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. Gadson, who qualifies as an Armed Career Criminal, faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison for the firearm offense and up to 40 years’ imprisonment for the narcotics offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, on April 16, 2019, Gadson led officers from the Ocala Police Department on a high-speed vehicle chase when they attempted to pull him over for a traffic offense. After fleeing for approximately two miles, Gadson crashed his car into a stop sign, disabling the car. Gadson then fled on foot, but was soon apprehend and arrested. During a subsequent search of Gadson’s vehicle, officers recovered a loaded semi-automatic handgun, 55 rounds of handgun ammunition, and at least 20 grams of methamphetamine. At the time of his arrest, Gadson had 13 prior felony convictions, including 5 for serious drug offenses, and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was jointly investigated by the Ocala Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.

This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

TYLER, Texas – Two East Texas men have pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.

David Anthony Ebanez, 23, of Jacksonville, and Vincent James Galella, 28, Whitehouse, each pleaded guilty this week to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine before U.S. Magistrate Judge K. Nicole Mitchell.    

According to information presented in court, on April 10, 2019, Ebanez was found in possession of over 50 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine at the Cherokee County Courthouse in Rusk, Texas. 

On Sep. 24, 2018, Galella was found in possession of methamphetamine in a vehicle in Smith County, Texas.

Ebanez and Galella were both indicted by a federal grand jury on May 15, 2019, and charged with federal drug trafficking violations.

                Under federal statutes, Ebanez faces a minimum of five years and up to 40 years in federal prison while Galella faces a maximum of 20 years.  These guidelines prescribed by Congress are provided here for information purposes, as the sentencings will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the U.S. Probation Office.

                This case was investigated by the DEA Dallas Field Division, Tyler Resident Office; the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Police Department, and the Smith County Sheriff’s Office.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Ann Cozby and Colleen Bloss.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that NOEL CORTES, 55, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 27 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and Hartford Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Division into the trafficking of narcotics and associated violence in Hartford’s South End by members and associates of the Almighty Latin Kings Nation (“Latin Kings”).  The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, physical surveillance and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that two alleged members of the Latin Kings operated separate drug trafficking organizations that distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine.  The organizations used multiple locations to process, package, store and distribute narcotics, and possessed firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking activities.

In May and June 2015, investigators conducted several controlled purchases of suspected fentanyl from Richard Colon, also known as “Droopy,” of Hartford.  On May 15, 2018, Cortes delivered 200 bags of fentanyl on behalf of Colon to complete one of the transactions.

Cortes has been detained since his arrest on July 24, 2018.  On April 24, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl.

Cortes’ criminal history dates to 1985 and includes convictions for robbery, assault, narcotics and firearms offenses.

On August 20, 2019, Colon pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.  He awaits sentencing.

This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and the Hartford Police Department.  The Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.  The Hartford Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Division and Shooting Task Force have provided valuable assistance to the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Andrew Parker, of Mannington, West Virginia, has admitted to his involvement in a cocaine and heroin distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
 
Parker, age 31, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting in the Distribution of Cocaine Base.” Parker admitted to selling cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in April 2018 in Monongalia County.

Parker faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. 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 Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the West Virginia State Police investigated.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.

An Ypsilanti man was convicted today by a federal jury in Detroit on charges of distribution and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, heroin and fentanyl, resulting in the overdose death of a victim and the serious bodily injury to a second overdose victim, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider.

Joining Schneider in the announcement were Keith Martin, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division, and Chad Baugh, Deputy Director of Canton Police Department.

Found guilty was Adam Dean Brown, 39. The eleven-day trial was conducted before United States District Judge Sean Cox. The jury deliberated approximately six hours before returning their verdicts. Brown faces mandatory life in prison when he is sentenced on January 8, 2020. 

According to the evidence presented at trial, on October 17, 2017, law enforcement responded to a house call where they found an individual deceased in his basement. Officers found a syringe and packet of suspected heroin at the scene and determined the deceased died of an apparent drug overdose. A subsequent investigation revealed that the suspected heroin was actually fentanyl, and that the

22-year old victim died from a fentanyl overdose. Through their investigation, officers learned that the victim purchased the fentanyl from defendant Brown, a previously convicted drug trafficker. Further evidence showed that Brown and co-defendant James Sharp conspired to distribute illegal drugs, including heroin and fentanyl, over a fourteen month period in 2016 and 2017. Co-defendant Terence Robinson connected Brown to the October 17, 2017, overdose victim. Before officers could stop Brown, however, he sold fentanyl to a second local man, leading to his overdose and serious bodily injury. The second victim also overdosed on fentanyl sold by Brown, but the victim’s mother called 911 and first responders worked diligently to revive the victim.

"Overdose deaths from heroin and fentanyl have become a national epidemic, including here in Michigan, and illegal opioid pushers such as Adam Brown are a significant part of our problem,” Schneider said. “Michigan law enforcement is fully committed to battling back against these opioid traffickers and the tremendous pain they are causing to overdose victims and their families.” 

“Fentanyl and heroin are causing overdose deaths throughout the state of Michigan in increasing numbers”, stated Acting Special Agent in Charge Martin. “The DEA is committed to aggressively pursuing individuals and Drug Trafficking Organizations who distribute these poisons across the state in order to profit from the destruction of lives and communities.”

“The Canton Police Department is fortunate to be able to partner with the federal government and in this case, provide a voice for the victim and a sense of justice for the family members struggling with the loss of their loved ones,” said Chad Baugh, Deputy Director of Canton Police Department.  “We are hopeful this verdict sends a message to drug traffickers in southeast Michigan,” Baugh adds.

James Sharp pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on January 11, 2019, and was sentenced to 41 months in prison. Terence Robinson pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and will be sentenced on October 9, 2019.

This investigation was led by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration assigned to the Southeast Michigan Regional OCDETF Strike Force along with assistance from the Canton Township Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Michael Buckley and Hank Moon.  

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Brian Scott Mayle, 40, of Coalton, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 49 months incarceration for possessing an illegal explosive material, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

In July 2016, Mayle who is not a licensee or permittee, received and transported C4 explosive material in Randolph County. He pled guilty to one count of “Receipt and Transfer of Explosive Material without a License” in January 2017. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug and Violent Crime Task Force investigated. 

U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided. 
 

          LOS ANGELES– Thirteen people were arrested today on two federal grand jury indictments alleging a conspiracy to export hundreds of pounds of narcotics, including cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, from Mexico through Southern California and into Canada.

          Three defendants were arrested in the Los Angeles area, while the others were arrested in the Seattle and Vancouver, Canada areas. Three additional defendants are currently in state custody and will be transferred over to federal custody at a later date.

          The indictments unsealed today charge a total of 30 defendants with a series of narcotics-related offenses, including conspiracies to distribute, import, and export controlled substances. The indictments further allege that the organization imported MDMA, or ecstasy, from Canada to Southern California in exchange for other drugs.

          According to the indictments and other court documents, the defendants, one of whom was arrested on August 24 and remains in federal custody, were members of related international drug trafficking organizations that worked together to traffic bulk quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin from Mexico to Canada through Southern California, including at locations in Costa Mesa, Compton, Ventura, and Redlands.

          The drugs would be exchanged for either cash or bulk quantities of ecstasy, the indictments allege. Some of the defendants allegedly also conspired to transport narcotics to Australia from Southern California. The drug trafficking organizations included members of Canadian, Mexican, Serbian, Chinese, and Sudanese organized crime groups, according to court documents.

          The defendants allegedly used modified cellular devices with military-grade end-to-end encryption to communicate with each other regarding their drug trafficking business, including the transportation of narcotics between the United States and Canada. These devices are manufactured primarily by Canadian companies that remove most functionality from the phones, leaving only an encrypted email system, court papers state.

          In total, law enforcement seized approximately 428.5 kilograms (944.7 pounds) of cocaine, nine kilograms (19.8 pounds) of heroin, 46.6 kilograms (102.7 pounds) of methamphetamine, and 46.12 kilograms (106.1 pounds) of MDMA. Law enforcement also seized approximately $811,000 in Canadian currency.

          Those defendants arrested today in the U.S. will appear this afternoon in United States District Court, including in downtown Los Angeles.

          If convicted of all charges, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

          An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

          This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Los Angeles Police Department, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Critical support was provided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Toronto Police Service, the Sudbury Police Service, the Hamilton Police Service, Peel Regional Police, the Hawthorne Police Department, the Baldwin Park Police Department, the West Covina Police Department, the Fontana Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Justice Canada, and the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs.

          This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Victoria A. Degtyareva of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section.

PEORIA, Ill. – Rick A. Hamm, 58, of Chillicothe, Ill., owner of “Show Me Your Snows,” a waterfowl outfitting service, pleaded guilty today in federal court to unlawful sale of wildlife, in violation of the Lacey Act.  Hamm admitted that in December 2015, he and his assistant guides took two hunters on a guided waterfowl hunt in Fulton County, Ill. During the hunt, Hamm and his guides used an electronic caller to lure geese into shooting range, knowing it was unlawful under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Illinois conservation regulations. As a result of the use of the electronic caller, the hunters were able to shoot and kill geese. The two hunters were agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acting in an undercover capacity.

At sentencing, scheduled on Jan. 9, 2020, before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government and Hamm have agreed to a sentence of 24 months of probation with the condition that during the 24-month period, Hamm is banned from hunting and guiding worldwide. Hamm has also agreed to pay $2,500 in restitution to the State of Illinois and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and to pay a $50,000 fine. 

This is the second time Hamm has been prosecuted in federal court for wildlife crimes.  In 2000, he pleaded guilty to three violations of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act dealing with shooting waterfowl over the bag limit, transporting untagged waterfowl, and hunting with lead shot. In that case, Hamm paid a $5,000 fine.

Each of Hamm’s co-defendants, Trent Gustafson, Zachary Entwistle, James Schupp, and J. Weston Schupp, have previously pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing on October 17, 2019, before Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley. 

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Legge in the prosecution.  The charges were investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with the assistance of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

HOUSTON – A federal grand jury has indicted a 43-year-old Houston man on four counts of firearms violations including possession of a machine gun, specifically, a bump stock, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

The four-count indictment, returned yesterday, alleges Ajay Dhingra possessed a machine gun, made two materially false statements in the acquisition of two firearms and unlawfully possessed a firearm after having been adjudicated as a mental defective or who had been committed to a mental institution.

Previously charged by criminal complaint, he made his initial appearance in federal court Aug., 19, 2019, at which time he was ordered into custody pending further criminal proceedings. He is expected to appear for his arraignment before U.S. District Judge Gray Miller Sept. 12, 2019, at 10:00 a.m.

According to court records, on or about Aug. 17, 2019, Dhingra called the George Bush Foundation and left a concerning message. Authorities discovered Dhingra had previously been committed to a mental institution, according to the allegations. As such, he is prohibited by federal law of possessing a firearm or ammunition.

The charges further allege law enforcement contacted Dhingra at his residence where they found two firearms in his possession, one of which law enforcement identified as a rifle with an installed bump stock.

Authorities obtained a search warrant, which allegedly resulted in the discovery of a Glock pistol, a Colt rifle with a bump stock and 277 rounds of 9 mm ammunition.

According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), this is the first case filed in Texas and what is believed to be the first nationwide involving illegal possession of bump stocks since the law was implemented in March 2019.

If convicted of any of the charges, Dhingra faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.

The Secret Service and ATF conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ted Imperato and Steven Schammel are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

SAN FRANCISCO – Federal complaints have been filed against 30 defendants charged in a patients-for-cash kickback scheme, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson,  Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett, and Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG), Steven J. Ryan.  

The complaints, unsealed this morning, describe a wide-ranging patients-for-kickback scheme.  At the center of the scheme are Amity Home Health Care, the largest home health care provider in the San Francisco Bay Area, and Advent Care, Inc., a provider of hospice care.  According to the complaints, all the defendants participated in the scheme whereby Amity, under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Ridhima “Amanda” Singh, paid kickbacks to marketers, doctors, and other medical professionals in exchange for the certification or referral of patients for home health or hospice services.  Also charged are 28 people including doctors, nurses, marketers, a social worker, and additional employees of Amity. According to the complaints, every single defendant charged was recorded by law enforcement officers either offering or accepting, or approving illegal payments for patient referrals. 

Title 42, United States Code, Section 1320a-7b, makes it a crime for any person to knowingly solicit, offer, or pay a kickback, bribe, or rebate for furnishing services under a Federal health care program.  Because many of the patients were insured by Medicare, a taxpayer-funded insurance plan, the referral of patients through the kickback scheme violated the statute.

“The complaints allege a scheme for doctors, nurses, and other medical care professionals to trade patients for cash,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson.  “This is the largest cash-for-patients scheme ever charged criminally in the Northern District of California.”

“The transition to a home health agency should be based on medical and personal needs – not cash payments or thinly disguised referral bribes as alleged in these cases,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan.  “We will continue working with law enforcement partners to guard these vital government health programs as patients and taxpayers deserve better.”

The criminal complaints describe how Amity and some of its employees bribed individuals associated with hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and doctors’ offices to induce those individuals to send patients to Amity and Advent.  Amity and the other defendants often disguised the kickbacks as payroll, phony medical directorships, and, at other times, as “entertainment,” reimbursements,” “gifts”, or “donations.”  Further, several of the defendants are doctors and other health care professionals who allegedly received bribes in exchange for making referrals to Amity and Advent and other home health agencies so that the companies could provide and bill for services.  In the case of Amity, Singh and her employees allegedly compensated these professionals in cash for each patient referral and for making introductions to physicians, case managers, or other health care professionals who could refer patients.

In addition, some of the defendants are described as “marketers.” Marketers received from Amity and others cash and gifts, such as tickets to Warriors games, in exchange for patient referrals.  Marketers had clients that consisted of case managers at hospitals, social workers at skilled nursing facilities, doctors, and office staff at doctors’ offices.  Singh allegedly instructed marketers to take clients out to elaborate meals, sporting events, and purchase gifts for individuals willing to provide Amity with patients, mainly Medicare patients.  When patient referrals were slow, Singh allegedly directed the marketer to incentivize clients with gifts in an effort to induce them to refer more patients to Amity.

In sum, the following individuals and companies have been changed in the scheme:

Each defendant is charged with illegally influencing patient referrals for federally funded health care through payments, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)(2)(A).  In addition, Singh is charged with lying to investigators, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001, and tampering with witnesses in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(b)(3).

An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum $500,000 fine.  The corporations are subject to a $1,000,000 for each violation.  In addition, Singh faces a maximum statutory penalty of 5 years and a $250,000 fine for the § 1001 charge and a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years and a $250,000 fine for the § 1512 charge.  In addition, the court also may order an additional term of supervised release, fines or other assessments, and restitution, if appropriate.  However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

The prosecution is being handled by the Office of the U.S. Attorney, Northern District of California’s new Corporate Fraud Strike Force and is the result of an investigation by the FBI and HHS-OIG.