Baltimore, Maryland – Devon Denzel Thompson, age 26, of Woodlawn, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute three kilograms of fentanyl. 

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.

“Law enforcement partners are working together to arrest and prosecute those who peddle deadly fentanyl on our streets and in our neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur.  “Drug traffickers are on notice that dealing in fentanyl increases their odds of federal prosecution.  We will continue to do everything we can to reduce overdose deaths from this drug and from all opioids.  Add a gun to that equation and you face an even longer sentence in federal prison, where there is no parole—ever.  Please, put down the gun and save a life—maybe even your own.”

According to his plea agreement, on March 16, 2018, Thompson was pulled over for a traffic violation by Baltimore County Police Department officers.  During the course of the traffic stop, law enforcement asked Thompson to get out of his vehicle, but he did not comply.  Instead, Thompson drove away, followed by the Baltimore County officers, who observed Thompson throwing items out of the window.  Ultimately, Thompson was stopped and placed under arrest.  Law enforcement recovered a digital scale and other drug paraphernalia from the vehicle.  Law enforcement recovered the items Thompson threw from his vehicle, including a baggie containing over 40 grams of fentanyl.

Based on those recoveries, a warrant was obtained to search Thompson’s residence.  During the search, law enforcement recovered three kilograms of fentanyl and over $10,000 from Thompson’s bedroom and a .380-caliber handgun and rounds of live ammunition from other areas of the house.  Thompson admitted that the drugs and gun were his and that he possessed the gun in connection with his drug distribution.

As part of his plea agreement, Thompson is required to forfeit any assets directly traceable to the offense, including $14,144 in cash and the .380-caliber firearm and ammunition recovered from his home.

Thompson and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Thompson will be sentenced to between 10 and 12 years in federal prison.  U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for December 20, 2019 at 11:00 a.m.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher M. Rigali and Lauren E. Perry, who are prosecuting the case.

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John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARTIN NUNEZ, 41, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 21 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 15, 2018, state parole officers, with the assistance of Hartford Police, conducted a compliance check of Nunez at his residence.  A search of the residence revealed a .380 caliber handgun, a firearm magazine, and five rounds of ammunition in a dresser drawer in Nunez’s bedroom.  Nunez was arrested at that time.

Nunez’s criminal history includes a state conviction for assault in the first degree, and multiple convictions for distributing narcotics.

It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

On June 27, 2019, Nunez pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Nunez has been detained in state custody since his arrest.  He will begin serving his 21-month federal sentenced today.

This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department.  The FBI Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.

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

Charlottesville, VIRGINIA – United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen and Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Justice Department’s Civil Right Division announced today the arrest of a Florida man on federal charges that in January 2019 he made racially-motivated threats against a prospective candidate that interfered with a local election for City Council in Charlottesville, Virginia. 

A federal grand jury in the Western District of Virginia returned a sealed indictment on September 11, 2019 charging Daniel McMahon, 31, of Brandon, Fla., with four counts: willful interference with a candidate for elective office, bias-motivated interference with a candidate for elective office, threats to injure in interstate commerce, and cyberstalking.  The indictment was unsealed today following McMahon’s arrest.

“As alleged in the indictment, this defendant was motivated by racial animus and used his social-media accounts to threaten and intimidate a potential candidate for elective office,” U.S. Attorney Thomas T. Cullen stated today.  “Although the First Amendment protects an individual’s right to broadcast hateful views online, it does not give license to threats of violence or bodily harm.  We will continue to prioritize cyber-threat cases, including those giving rise to civil rights violations.”

“The alleged targeted and racially motivated actions by Daniel McMahon were an attempt to disrupt the American political process,” said David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division. “The FBI remains committed to protecting the civil liberties of all Americans.  We are grateful for the assistance of the FBI office in Tampa and the partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office, during this investigation.”

Specifically, the indictment alleges that McMahon threatened D.G. with physical harm because of D.G.’s race and because D.G. was campaigning for elected office. The indictment further alleges that threats were made with the intent to injure and intimidate D.G., and were part of a course of conduct that planed D.G. in fear of death and serious bodily injury.  The charges of cyberstalking and transmitting threats in interstate commerce carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The two charges arising from the threats against D.G. because of his race and because he was campaigning for elected office each carry a maximum sentence of one year in prison. 

This case is being investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia Thomas T. Cullen, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh, and Trial Attorney Risa Berkower of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

A Marion man was charged in federal court for child exploitation after he induced a 13-year-old to engage sexual activity.

Tyler Foreman, 21, was charged via criminal information with one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of receiving visual depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of 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 case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle K. Angeli following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A 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 U.S. District Court jury here today convicted Qian “Will” Williams, 38, of Cincinnati, of distributing heroin and cocaine from a house in northeast Cincinnati, and of possessing firearms in furtherance of drug crimes.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot K. Isaac and Boone County Sheriff Michael A. Helmig announced the verdict reached today following a jury trial that began September 11 before U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett.

Testimony by witnesses and evidence presented during the trial showed that for approximately 15 months Williams distributed heroin and cocaine he obtained from sources in Indiana and elsewhere.

Task force officers executed search warrants at Williams’ property on Randomhill Drive in August 2017. They seized more than a kilogram of heroin, more than 100 grams of cocaine, drug paraphernalia including a kilogram press, six firearms including two handguns, large-capacity magazines, and ammunition. Agents also seized more than $80,000 in cash and jewelry while executing the search warrants. 

The jury found Williams guilty of two counts of distribution of a controlled substance (up to 20 years), one count of possession of a kilogram or more of heroin with intent to distribute it (at least 10 years up to life), one count of possession of 100 or more grams of heroin with intent to distribute it (five to 40 years), one count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute it (up to 20 years) and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises (up to 20 years).

The jury also convicted Williams of being a felon in possession of a firearm, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, punishable by at least five years and up to life in prison.

A federal grand jury indicted and agents arrested Williams in October 2017. He has been in custody since his arrest and was ordered to remain in custody until he is sentenced. Judge Barrett will schedule a date for sentencing.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the DEA, Cincinnati Police Department and Boone County Sheriff’s Office, as well as assistant United States Attorneys Karl P. Kadon and Ebunoluwa Taiwo, who are representing the United States in this case.

# # #

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former United States Postal Carrier pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to stealing mail parcels that contained narcotics and then selling those narcotics in his neighborhood.

Ricky Lee Harris Germany, 32, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and a detectable amount of marijuana.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Monica Weyler, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) Eastern Area Field Office, announced the plea offered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King.

According to court documents, Germany had been employed as a city postal carrier at the United States Postal Service’s Oakland Park Station in Columbus from 2013 until 2018.

In September 2018, investigators received information that Germany had stolen mail parcels containing marijuana while employed as a postal carrier. According to a complainant, Harris Germany stole more than 100 pounds of marijuana over the course of six months. The complainant stated Harris Germany would look for large parcels from California, Texas and Arizona and would check the packages on his lunch break to see if they contained drugs.

The investigation revealed Germany intercepted mail parcels on multiple occasions from delivery routes other than his assigned route. During a search of his residence, investigators discovered opened packages containing marijuana, THC oil and methamphetamine.

Germany admitted to stealing mail coming from out of state and selling stolen narcotics to people in his neighborhood.

Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine is punishable by a range of 10 years up to life in prison.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the USPS-OIG and Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan J.C. Grey, who is representing the United States in this case.

# # #

Florence, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Jadarius Oshar McCray, 23, of Myrtle Beach, was sentenced to nearly 5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. 

Evidence presented to the court showed that on April 22, 2018, an officer with the Myrtle Beach Police Department responded to a 911 call about a man with a gun.  The caller described a subject who approached the caller and asked for money the subject thought the caller owed him.  When the caller told the subject he didn’t know the subject and didn’t owe him any money, the subject pointed a firearm at him and threatened him.  When a group of women walked through a nearby parking lot, the subject fled on foot.  An officer located McCray, who matched the subject’s description, walking in a parking lot near the incident location and told McCray to stop.  McCray turned around, looked at the officer, and then disappeared around a building corner for a few seconds before returning into the officer’s view.  Officers detained McCray and located an unloaded .380 caliber handgun in the brush directly behind where McCray had disappeared. 

Federal law prohibits McCray from possessing firearms and ammunition because of his prior felony convictions for pointing and presenting a firearm and unlawful carrying of a weapon.

United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis sentenced McCray to 57 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Myrtle Beach Police Department. 

This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local 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.

Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Hummel of the Florence office prosecuted the case.

#####

A complaint was unsealed earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Steven Nerayoff and Michael Hlady with extortion.  Nerayoff, an attorney, and Hlady threatened to destroy a startup cryptocurrency company if they were not paid millions of dollars in the cryptocurrency Ether (ETH).  Nerayoff was arrested this morning, and will make his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Steven L. Tiscione.  Hlady was arrested this morning in Rhode Island, and will make his initial appearance this afternoon in federal court in Providence. 

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), New York Field Office, announced the charges.

“As alleged, Nerayoff and Hlady carried out an old-fashioned shakedown, to be paid off with 21^st century cryptocurrency,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “This Office and our partners at the FBI are committed to protecting businesses from extortion, whether the demands are for U.S. dollars or cryptocurrency.” 

“When you peel back the layers of this case, an age-old extortion scheme is revealed with a modern day twist,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.  “Imposing forceful demands on a company for personal gain is risky business, whether one's preference is to be paid off with cryptocurrency or cold hard cash. The FBI will continue to seek justice for victims who businesses have been targeted by these types of scams.”

The victim company, headquartered in Seattle, Washington, is a startup mobile-based business that specializes in generating user traffic to clients’ products by issuing its own cryptocurrency tokens as loyalty rewards.  In November 2017, the company planned an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) to raise capital, and signed an agreement with an entity operated by Nerayoff.  Under the agreement, Nerayoff agreed to help the company complete a successful ICO in return for 22.5% of all funds raised, and 22.5% of the issued cryptocurrency tokens.  Just days before the ICO was to occur, Nerayoff told executives of the company that his compensation would have to be increased by approximately 17,000 ETH to 30,000 ETH (worth approximately $8.75 million at the time), or he would sabotage the ICO and destroy the company.  The company paid Nerayoff as demanded, despite not receiving any additional services. 

Subsequently, Nerayoff introduced the executives to Hlady, who used the alias “Michael Peters” and who Nerayoff described as his “operations guy.”  Hlady told the executives that he had been part of the Irish Republican Army, the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency and the FBI, and that he had “taken down” a head of state.  In March 2018, Nerayoff and Hlady threatened one of the executives with destruction of the company if not paid additional funds and company tokens.  Later that month, Nerayoff demanded a purported loan of 10,000 ETH (worth approximately $4.45 million at the time), and Hlady followed up with a text message to the executive stating, “I promise I will destroy your community” if Nerayoff’s demands are not met.  The company then transferred 10,000 ETH to Nerayoff.  The  “loan” was never repaid.   

The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, Nerayoff and Hlady each face up to 20 years’ imprisonment.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Bini and Andrey Spektor are in charge of the prosecution. 

The Defendants:

Steven Nerayoff
Age:  48
Great Neck, New York

Michael Hlady (also known as “Michael Peters”)
Age:  47
East Greenwich, Rhode Island

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-MJ-830

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANTHONY MORALES, 30, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 19, 2019, Waterbury Police received a report that Morales had been involved in a domestic dispute and was in possession of a firearm.  Investigators subsequently encountered Morales at a hotel Waterbury.  A search of Morales’ room revealed a Taurus, Model 85, .38 caliber revolver loaded with five rounds of ammunition, and an additional 13 rounds of loose ammunition.

Morales’ criminal history includes state felony convictions for robbery, larceny, assault and narcotics offenses.

It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for December 12, 2019, at which time Morales faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

Morales has been detained since his federal arrest on May 13, 2019.

This matter has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and the Waterbury Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.

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

          CONCORD - Julion Adamski Parker, a/k/a Julian Iden Lima, 27, of Chester, was sentenced to time served (approximately 16 months) and fined $1,000 for violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.  

          According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 11, 2017, Chester Police Department received a call that Parker was inside the Chester General Store with a gun in plain view.  Knowing that Parker previously had been convicted of impersonating a federal officer, members of the Chester Police arrested Parker for being a felon in possession of a deadly weapon.

          Further investigation showed that Parker had previously purchased guns on two occasions by completing documents that falsely claimed that he had never been convicted a felony in any court.  On March 30, 2017, Parker purchased a Mosin-Nagant, Model M91/30, 7.62 X 39 mm caliber rifle from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Hooksett.  On June 20, 2017, he purchased an Arsenal, Model SAM7R, 7.62 X 39 mm rifle from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Londonderry.

          Parker previously pleaded guilty on May 2, 2019, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of making false statements in order to acquire a firearm.  After being released from custody, Parker will be on supervised release for three years.  During the first six months of his release he will be subject to home confinement with electronic monitoring.

          “In order to protect public safety, it is essential to keep guns out of the hands of criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify, prosecute, and incarcerate criminals who unlawfully obtain and possess firearms.”    

          This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Chester Police Department. The United States Marshal’s Service assisted in the apprehension of Parker.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Walsh.

          The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.           

###

STATESBORO, GA:  A former Bulloch County sheriff’s deputy has been indicted by a federal grand jury with possession of child pornography.

Travis Tuenge, 43, of Statesboro, is charged with one count of Possession of Child Pornography, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.

“Exploitation of children through child pornography is a despicable crime that will not be tolerated in the Southern District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “In cooperation with our law enforcement partners, we will find and prosecute these cases no matter the status of those engaging in this exploitation.”

Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case was investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua S. Bearden and Marcela C. Mateo.

TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka man who appears to have accidentally shot himself was sentenced Tuesday to 30 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a gun, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Keeno D. Collins, 26, Ozawkie, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In his plea, he admitted Topeka police found him wounded on the grounds of the Topeka West High School. He had a gunshot wound to his upper left arm. Collins told police he didn’t know what had happened. After police found a gun nearby, they matched DNA on the weapon to Collins. He was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a 2015 conviction in Shawnee County District Court on a felony drug charge.

McAllister commended the Topeka Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hunting for their work on the case.

RALEIGH– Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned indictments charging ABONZA BONIFACIO-GARCIA, age 33, of Mexico, and JOSE DIAZ-BRITO, age 40, of Mexico, with illegal reentry of a deported alien.

Additionally, the grand jury returned indictments charging JOHNNY ROEL-ROBLEDO, age 42, of Mexico, with illegal reentry of an aggravated felon and illegal and unlawful alien in possession of a firearm, and JORGE ALBERTO CHAVEZ-MORENO, age 38, of Mexico, with passport fraud, aggravated identity theft, false representation of a social security number, false claim to US citizenship in order to register to vote, and fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other documents. 

If convicted of illegal reentry of a deported alien, BONIFACIO-GARCIA, previously deported and found in Pitt County, and DIAZ-BRITO, previously deported and found in Wake County, would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

ROEL-ROBLEDO, previously deported and found in Wake County, is alleged to have been previously removed subsequent to an aggravated felony conviction (possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine).  Therefore, if convicted, he would face a maximum imprisonment term of 30 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

If convicted of passport fraud, aggravated identity theft, false representation of a social security number, false claim to US citizenship in order to register to vote, and fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other documents, CHAVEZ-MORENO, found in Sampson County, would face maximum penalties of 37 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations.  The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. 

The cases are being investigated by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations.

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Kenneth Wendell Ravenell, age 60, of Monkton, Maryland, on federal charges of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and narcotics conspiracy.  The indictment was returned late on September 18, 2019. 

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Kelly R. Jackson of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office.

Law enforcement will have no comment beyond this press release at this time. 

According to the indictment, Ravenell violated the legitimate and lawful purpose of the law firm where he worked in order to enrich himself and Individual 1 by receiving payments from a drug trafficker client and his associates in exchange for instructing the client and his associates how to evade law enforcement and continue their drug trafficking, laundering drug proceeds, and obstructing justice to protect the client and his associates.

Further, the indictment alleges that Ravenell knowingly protected and assisted co-conspirators in their drug trafficking by coaching co-conspirators about law enforcement techniques so that they could evade these techniques when they trafficked in narcotics. Ravenell allegedly used the law firm’s bank accounts to launder hundreds of thousands of dollars and protect the drug trafficking organization.  Ravenell allegedly used the law firm’s bank accounts to receive drug payments and make payments to attorneys retained to represent other members of the conspiracy, concealing and misrepresenting the source of the funds to those attorneys.  Ravenell allegedly created and caused the creation of false records, including a client file in the name of a person that the law firm did not represent, in order to conceal the source of the funds used to pay other lawyers for their representations of members of the conspiracy.  According to the indictment, Ravenell misrepresented to employees of the law firm the purpose of payments he directed them to make for or on behalf of members of the conspiracy.  Ravenell also allegedly received substantial cash payments derived from drug sales as compensation for laundering money and for protection he provided to his co-conspirators.

In addition, the indictment alleges that Ravenell and a co-conspirator obtained information about arrested co-conspirators, including whether or not they were cooperating and the status of their cases, and provided such information to other members of the conspiracy so that they could protect ongoing drug operations.  The indictment alleges that Ravenell obtained access to incarcerated co-conspirators, whom he did not represent, so that Ravenell could attempt to improperly influence their testimony, attempt to cause them to execute false affidavits and witness statements which he knew to be false, and attempt to cause witnesses to withhold testimony from official proceedings against his client. 

Finally, the indictment alleges that Ravenell participated in a conspiracy to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana.

If convicted, Ravenell faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the racketeering conspiracy; a maximum of 20 years in prison for the money laundering conspiracy; and a maximum of life in prison for the narcotics conspiracy.  The case will be handled by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady, who has been assigned to preside over this case in the District of Maryland.

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

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the IRS-CI, the DEA, the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department, the Phoenix (Arizona) Police Department, and the Arizona Financial Crimes Task Force for their work in the investigation and thanked the prosecutors who are handling the case.

# # #

DeForest Man Charged with Receiving Child Pornography

Michael Hinze, 43, DeForest, Wisconsin, is charged with five counts of receiving visual depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  The indictment alleges that Hinze received the child pornography from September 28 to 30, 2018.

If convicted, Hinze faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison on each count.  The charges against him are the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and DeForest Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman is handling the prosecution.

The indictments against Smith, Schenck, and Hinze have been 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.  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.justice.gov/psc.

Wisconsin Rapids Man Charged with Distributing Methamphetamine

David Shamont Lindsey, 35, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.  The indictment alleges that he distributed the methamphetamine on May 7, 2019.

If convicted, Lindsey faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison.  The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Central Wisconsin Drug Task Force, Wisconsin Rapids and Plover Police Departments, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Anderson is handling the prosecution.

New Lisbon Man Charged with Methamphetamine Crime

Shane C. Evans, 43, New Lisbon, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.  The indictment alleges that he possessed the methamphetamine on May 5, 2019.

If convicted, Evans faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison.  The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Rice Lake Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Anderson is handling the prosecution.

Madison Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearms

Sean P. Okray, 48, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of firearms.  The indictment alleges that on August 23, 2019, he possessed a 9mm pistol and a .380 caliber pistol. 

If convicted, Okray faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.  The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department, Dane County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Rita Rumbelow is handling the prosecution. 

Janesville Man Charged with Gun Crimes

Deshawn Foreman, 24, Janesville, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition and with being a felon in possession of a firearm.  The indictment alleges that on July 24, 2019, he possessed .45 caliber ammunition, and that on July 25, 2019, he possessed a .45 caliber handgun.

If convicted, Foreman faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each charge.  The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Janesville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus is handling the prosecution. 

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

NEWARK, N.J. – An Ohio man was arrested today for his role in a large-scale, multi-level marketing scheme to defraud private and federally funded health care benefit programs of at least $10 million through the submission of claims for medically unnecessary prescriptions for compounded medications, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Kent Courtheyn, 35, of Kent, Ohio, owner and operator of two companies involved in the sales and marketing of compounded medications, IntegriMed Solutions LLC (IntegriMed) and KA Compounding LLC (KA Compounding), was charged by a federal grand jury in a two-count indictment with conspiring to commit health care fraud and conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. He is scheduled to have his initial court appearance today in federal court in Ohio.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From as early as July 2014 through July 2016, Courtheyn, a former medical device sales representative, ran a scheme to defraud federally funded health care benefit programs, such as TRICARE, as well as privately funded health care benefit programs. TRICARE is a health care entitlement program of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Military Health System that provides coverage for DoD beneficiaries worldwide, including active duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members, retirees, their families, and survivors.

Courtheyn recruited individuals to submit false and fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary compounded medications, such as pain creams, scar creams, wound creams, and metabolic vitamins, without regard to medical necessity. Compounding is a practice in which a licensed pharmacist or physician combines, mixes or alters ingredients of a drug to create a medication tailored to the needs of an individual patient. Pharmacies engaging in the practice are referred to as “compounding pharmacies.” Generally, compounded medications are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but can be prescribed by a physician when an FDA-approved drug does not meet the health needs of a particular patient. Compounded medications are supposed to be tailored to a patient’s particular medical need.

Courtheyn and others targeted individuals with health insurance plans that paid for compounded medications and had high reimbursements, and convinced these individuals to obtain compounded medications through their health insurance plan regardless of medical necessity.

Courtheyn was partners with Steven M. Butcher, a New York resident who was the owner and operator of another marketing company, MedMax LLC, involved in the marketing of medically unnecessary compounded medications. Courtheyn and Butcher had relationships with various compounding pharmacies, either directly or indirectly, through billing and distribution companies, which had their own network of compounding pharmacies. Courtheyn and Butcher sent prescriptions directly to a compounding pharmacy or to a billing and distribution company, which referred prescriptions to a particular compounding pharmacy and submitted claims to the appropriate health insurance plan on behalf of that pharmacy. In return for steering prescriptions to certain compounded pharmacies, Courtheyn and Butcher received a percentage of the reimbursement received by the pharmacy for each paid claim. Health insurance plans were reimbursing compounding pharmacies from $3,000 and $43,000 for each compounded prescription.

To maximize profit, Courtheyn operated IntegriMed and KA Compounding as a multi-level marketing company. He recruited several individuals as “sales representatives” who were paid a certain percentage of the reimbursement amount for each medically unnecessary compounded medication the sales rep caused to be filled and billed to a paying health insurance plan. If a sales representative was a beneficiary of a paying health insurance plan, Courtheyn also paid these individuals for obtaining their own or their family members’ medically unnecessary compounded medications.

The compounded medications Courtheyn and Butcher marketed and sold were not individualized to address the specific therapeutic needs of a specific patient. Instead, he chose drugs to be included in a compounded medication in order to maximize reimbursement and profit and not based on medical necessity. To get the medically unnecessary medications prescribed, Courtheyn and Butcher contracted and paid telemedicine companies with the expectation that their telemedicine physicians would prescribe compounded medications regardless of medical need. In total, Courtheyn defrauded health care benefit programs of at least $10 million, including TRICARE, which was defrauded at least $3.5 million.

The count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud carries a maximum potential punishment of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute carries a maximum potential penalty of five years. Both offenses are also punishable by a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.

Butcher pleaded guilty on Feb. 14, 2018, before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez in Newark federal court to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. He admitted to defrauding health care benefit programs of $45 million. Butcher is awaiting sentencing.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; and U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Leigh-Alistair Barzey, with the ongoing investigation leading to today’s arrest.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Liu, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division in Newark.

Defense counsel: Michael Elliot Esq. and Mindy Sauter Esq, Dallas, Texas

TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, man was convicted today of being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Rasheed McNair, 40, of Ewing, New Jersey, was convicted following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan in Trenton federal court. The jury deliberated for less than one hour before returning the guilty verdict.

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

On Feb. 18, 2018, two Trenton Police detectives in the Street Crimes Unit were driving through the area of Oakland Street and Hoffman Avenue in Trenton when one of them observed McNair standing in an open doorway in a public housing complex and holding what was later identified as a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semiautomatic handgun.

McNair tucked the handgun into his jacket and ran up the stairwell of the building. After giving chase, one of the detectives observed McNair remove the handgun from inside his jacket and attempt to hide it under a doormat in front of an apartment. The other detective retrieved the firearm from under the doormat and rendered it safe. The weapon was later found to be loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber, and its serial number had been obliterated.

The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 9, 2020.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Sheilah A. Coley; and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty verdict.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elisa T. Wiygul and Michelle S. Gasparian of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.

Defense counsel: Mark A. Fury Esq., Mt. Holly, New Jersey

TOPEKA, KAN. – Two Kansas men with prior felony convictions were charged in separate cases today with unlawfully possessing firearms, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Gwyndell B. Declerck, Jr., 32, Topeka, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The indictment alleges that on Aug.17, 2019, Declerck unlawfully possessed a .40 caliber handgun. He was prohibited from having a gun because of prior convictions, including a 2010 conviction in Shawnee County District Court for criminal possession of a firearm.

Declerck was arrested Aug. 17, 2019, after Topeka police reported responding to callers complaining their house was hit by bullets.

If convicted Declerck faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Topeka Police Department and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting.

Jeffrey Lamont Armstrong, 38, Salina, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Feb. 22, 2019, in Saline County, Kan.

If convicted, Armstrong could face up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the first firearm charge, up to 20 years and a fine up to $1 million on the drug charge and not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the second firearm charge. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Debenham is prosecuting.

Both cases are being prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, a Justice Department program aimed at reducing gun violence. Last year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas prosecuted 161 defendants who were found guilty of federal firearms violations.

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

WICHITA, KAN. – A registered sex offender living in western Kansas was convicted today on federal child pornography charges, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

A federal jury convicted Wayne Benjamin Wasson, 59, Great Bend, Kan., on four counts of uploading child pornography to the internet and one count of possessing child pornography.

During trial, a prosecutor presented evidence that Yahoo and Google detected child pornography originating from Wasson’s residence. The digital trail led investigators to Wasson, who admitted he had received child pornography via Skype and had operated a number of other accounts. Investigators found child pornography within the accounts and on Wasson’s devices.

Wasson registered as a sex offender in 2007 following a conviction for possession of child pornography.

Sentencing is set for Dec. 13, 2019. He faces a penalty of not less than 15 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.

BRUNSWICK, GA.:  Three federal prison inmates have been charged in separate incidents in which correctional officers received injuries.

Eduardo Bermudez, 21; Dominique Moultrie, 31; and Ulysses Hensen, 43, inmates at Federal Correctional Institution Jesup, in Jesup, Ga., each are charged with Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding employees of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

In each case, the defendant is alleged to have refused instructions from correctional officers before assaulting them, resulting in injuries to the officers.

“The protection of our correctional officers is of paramount concern,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Our office will not hesitate to prosecute inmates who harm the officers whose job is to house those inmates safely and humanely.”

 “Staff at our federal correctional institutions serve, at times, under difficult conditions, trying to keep prisons safe for incarcerated felons,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Any abuse of prison staff by inmates cannot and will not be tolerated, and will be pursued for prosecution by the FBI.”

Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcela C. Mateo.