Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, (FBI), Miami Field Office, announced that Dr. David Edward Nowak, 42, of Delray Beach, Florida, was sentenced to prison on federal child pornography charges.

Dr. Nowak previously pled guilty to receipt of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2), and possession of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(4)(B) (Case No. 19cr80049).  On September 17, 2019, U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman sentenced Dr. Nowak to 9 years in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release.  Dr. Nowak was also ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution to the victims.           

According to court records, from 2015 through 2019, Nowak accessed peer-to-peer networks to obtain images and videos of child pornography.  Those images and videos included pre-pubescent children engaged in forced sexual acts.  

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

U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the FBI in this matter.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

SOUTH BEND - Nehemiah Felders, age 29, of South Bend, Indiana was sentenced before South Bend District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. for felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.

Mr. Felders was sentenced to 96 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. 

According to documents in this case, a grand jury indicted Felders in September of 2018.  A jury convicted him of possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony following a two-day trial held in in May 2019.  Evidence at trial showed that a handgun was found on a couch when the Indiana State Police executed a search warrant in South Bend.  Three Indiana State Police officers testified that Felders admitted possessing the handgun.

Mr. Felders has twice been previously convicted of felonies, and has been convicted of five misdemeanors. 

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Indiana State Police.  The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Schaffer.

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John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian C. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that STEVEN KENT STRANGE, 49, of Bailey, North Carolina, was arrested yesterday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with defrauding his employer’s charity matching gift program.

According to the criminal complaint, Strange is employed by Collins Aerospace, which is a business unit of United Technologies Corporation (“UTC”), based in Farmington, Connecticut.  UTC has a Matching Gift Program, through which the company will match an employee donation, up to $25,000 annually, to a charity.  In 2008, Strange established the Housing Development Foundation of North Carolina, Inc., and listed his residence at the principal office for the charity.  Strange began working for Collins Aerospace in 2014.

The complaint alleges that, between approximately 2016 and June 2019, Strange defrauded UTC’s Matching Gift Program by submitting fraudulent records of donations, including fabricated cashiers checks, he and coworkers purportedly made to the Housing Development Foundation.  Between 2017 and 2019, UTC transferred approximately $367,000 in matching funds to the Housing Development Foundation of North Carolina.  A review of the foundation’s bank records reveal that a large portion of the foundation’s expenditures appears to be personal expenditures. 

The complaint charges Strange with wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

Strange appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge James E. Gates in Raleigh, North Carolina, and was released pending his court appearance in the District of Connecticut.

U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.

U.S. Attorney Durham thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina for its assistance with yesterday’s arrest and court proceeding.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - Kevin Robert Lee, 35, of Tallahassee, was sentenced yesterday to 66 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to 20 counts of bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and theft from a lending institution, as well as three counts of filing a false tax return. The crimes involved more than $800,000 in theft. The sentence was announced by Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Between June 2014 and November 2017, Lee was the lending director of FSU Credit Union (FSUCU), a Tallahassee-based credit union. As lending director, Lee’s position allowed him to open new customer accounts and approve lines of credit. He also served as treasurer of the Tallahassee Chapter of Credit Unions (TCCU), a non-profit organization that advocates legislation favorable to credit unions. In 2014, Lee used the name, date of birth, and social security number of the President of TCCU to create a second fraudulent account for that organization. Lee used the original TCCU account for fraudulent activity while leaving the new account for legitimate TCCU transactions. Lee also created two accounts using the names, dates of birth, and social security numbers of his college roommates and used them as "intermediary accounts" into which funds stolen from FSUCU customers were deposited. Lee transferred funds from inactive customer accounts to pay down the lines of credit to the intermediary accounts he created or deposited them into TCCU’s original bank account. He also used the stolen funds to pay off personal credit cards, make mortgage and car payments, and pay for his children’s private school tuition. In total, Lee stole over $800,000 from the FSUCU. Additionally, in February 2016, March 2017, and March 2018, Lee filed tax returns in which he failed to claim as income the funds he stole from FSUCU.

"One of the most important assets of American financial institutions is customers’ faith in their integrity, and this defendant used his position of trust to steal their funds and the credit union’s reputation," Keefe said. "This sentence should send a clear message that anyone who tries to violate the public’s trust will end up paying severe consequences."

Lee was sentenced to 66 months years in federal prison, followed by 5 years supervised release. Additionally, he was ordered to pay $979,839.49 in restitution to the FSUCU and its insurance company, and to the United States Internal Revenue Service. Additionally, Lee was also ordered to pay $11,589.48 in prosecution costs to the United States Internal Revenue Service.

Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, after being alerted by FSU Credit Union. Scott Schneider, Supervisory Special Agent, IRS-CI, said, "This case was an outstanding example of the kind of state and federal cooperation that puts criminals behind bars. Criminals will not be allowed to undermine the public’s confidence in upstanding institutions."

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Angela Marie Farr, a/k/a Angela Pace, Angela Mullins, and Angela Biggs, age 33, of Leonardtown, Maryland; Michael Vincent Pace, age 39, of Leonardtown, Maryland, and Mary Francis Biggs, age 62, of Lexington Park, Maryland with conspiracy and theft of government property.  Farr was also charged with aggravated identity theft and social security fraud.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge of the Mid-Atlantic Field Office Kim R. Lampkins for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General; and Special Agent in Charge Michael McGill of the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General.

The five-count indictment alleges that Farr served as the organizer of a conspiracy in which she submitted false and fraudulent documents to the Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) claiming that Farr, her then-husband, Michael Pace, and her father, Individual 1, were homebound and required full-time assistance and disability compensation.  Farr’s mother, Mary Biggs, conspired with Farr to file fraudulent documents on behalf of Individual 1, and, when Farr so exaggerated Individual 1’s disabilities that the VA determined that Individual 1 could not handle his own finances, appointed Biggs as Individual 1’s fiduciary.

Angela Marie Farr was a member of the United States Navy from August 2, 2005 to April 19, 2007.  On October 6, 2009, Farr received a service-connected disability rating of 70% based on fraudulent documentation she submitted, which purported that she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder from an incident in which she was raped by another serviceman.  Farr admitted to local law enforcement to fabricating the incident.  Farr also claimed to the VA that she suffered a traumatic brain injury from an on-duty car accident, which was also determined to be a fabrication. Ultimately, the VA increased Farr’s service-connected disability rating to 100% based on additional fraudulent documentation she submitted.  As a result, Farr received approximately $390,000 from the VA to which she was not entitled.

Farr is also charged with stealing the identity of a physician identified in the indictment as “Doctor 1” when she submitted forged documents to the VA purportedly authored by that physician.  Farr is also charged with social security fraud for fraudulently receiving $35,000 in Social Security Disability Insurance benefits for her claimed disabilities.

Michael Vincent Pace was a member of the United States Army from August 30, 2001, to February 2, 2002, and from January 4, 2005, to June 2, 2006, as well as the United States Army National Guard from May 22, 2007, to October 28, 2007.  Pace and Farr were married from 2008 until they divorced on December 5, 2017.  Pace was deemed to be 100% disabled by the VA, based on fraudulent medical documentation submitted to the VA.  Despite claiming to be profoundly disabled, Pace also received a Caregiver Assistance stipend from the VA exceeding $2,500 per month for purportedly caring for Farr.  As a result, Pace received approximately $274,000 from the VA to which he was not entitled.

Mary Francis Biggs was Farr’s mother, and the wife of Individual 1.  Individual 1 was a member of the United States Navy from January 29, 1974, to January 31, 1997, and is Farr’s father. Individual 1 received a 100% service-connected disability rating by the VA based on fraudulent documentation Farr and Biggs submitted on his behalf.

On July 5, 2017, the VA determined, based on fraudulent documentation, that Individual 1 was not capable of managing his finances because of his purported disabilities, and appointedBiggs as Individual 1’s fiduciary.  As such, Biggswas responsible for the receipt and expenditure of Individual 1’s fraudulently obtained VA benefits funds.  As a result, Biggsand Individual 1 received approximately $156,000 in disability compensation and SMC to which they were not entitled.  Biggs conspired with Farr to hide from the VA the fact that Individual 1 was capable of working, and was in fact actively employed.

Farr, Pace, andIndividual 1purported to be wheelchair-bound and to require in-home nursing to accomplish everyday tasks due to their claimed service-connected injures.  However, during the period they were purportedly disabled, Farroperated a social media marketing company based in Leonardtown, Maryland, Paceraised his three children andregularly exercised at a local CrossFit gym, and Individual 1was employed as a division head at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Patuxent River, Maryland.

If convicted, Farr faces a mandatory minimum of 2 years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; Biggs and Pace face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

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 VA-OIG and the SSA-OIG for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Davio, who is prosecuting the case.

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Greenville, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Dana Q. Roush, age 38, of Greenville, was found guilty of a conspiracy to commit mail fraud and equity skimming. A federal jury returned guilty verdicts late Wednesday evening after an hour and a half of deliberation. United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain of Anderson received the verdicts and will sentence Dana Roush and her husband Michael “Bubba” Roush,” who pleaded guilty to the mail fraud conspiracy prior to trial, after reviewing a Presentence Investigation Report which will be prepared by the United States Probation Office.   

Evidence presented at trial showed that Dana and Bubba Roush owned and operated Kingdom Connected Investments, LLC (“KCI”).  They marketed their company as a Christian organization and promised to create “win-win” situations for home sellers and buyers. They sought homeowners who often owed more on their home than the property was worth, and buyers who lacked good credit and thus could not obtain a conventional mortgage. 

KCI promised to relieve the homeowner from the burdens of mortgage payments by “buying” the home and placing a buyer in the home who would rent-to-own.  KCI promised to make all the sellers’ mortgage payments.  KCI misled sellers to believe that they would be immediately removed from the property’s title and that they were no longer responsible for the original loan.

KCI promised buyers an easy road to homeownership.  In exchange for the down payment (typically 10 percent of the purchase price), the buyers were told that they were renting-to-own and building up equity.  KCI further concealed from the buyers that a third party—the seller—had an existing mortgage on the property that KCI was responsible for paying.  

Rather than using the down payments and rents received from the buyers to pay the sellers’ mortgage payments, Bubba and Dana Roush used the money for personal expenses and to expand their real estate business. 

The sellers, many of whom believed they were off the title and note, received foreclosure notices.  They learned that KCI, despite having a renter in the home, had stopped paying on the mortgage.  Buyers often learned they had no real ownership interest when the home was purchased by a third-party at a foreclosure sale and the new owner started eviction proceedings. 

Victims of the scheme suffered myriad injuries including loss of money, dreams, and ruined credit.  Special Agent Matt Jacobson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation testified that KCI received $2.6 million from buyers and only paid $1.4 million in mortgage payments.  Approximately 130 properties were involved in the scam, and Agent Jacobson testified that in only two instances did a buyer actually become a homeowner and a seller not face foreclosure and ruined credit. 

“Protecting South Carolinians from financial fraud is one of our top priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon.  “Dana and Bubba Roush lined their own pockets by preying on distressed homeowners and families hoping to achieve the American dream of home ownership.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office will vigorously investigate and prosecute individuals like the Roushes who make false representations to enrich themselves at the expense of others.”

“This verdict is the result of excellent work by FBI Special Agents, prosecutors from the United States Attorney’s Office and investigators from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.  I commend them all.  These schemes, based on absolute greed, prey on the vulnerable by perverting trust.  The FBI will continue to work with our partners to track down such schemes and bring those responsible to justice,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jody Norris.

In addition to the FBI, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General (HUD OIG) participated in the investigation. Nadine E. Gurley, Special Agent in Charge at HUD, stated “HUD OIG is dedicated to protecting HUD from individuals seeking to defraud the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) program.  HUD OIG will continue to partner with other federal, state and local authorities to ensure that corrupt individuals do not use their positions to enrich themselves at the government’s expense.  We remain steadfast in working with the U.S. Department of Justice to pursue any unscrupulous individuals who attempt to defraud our programs for their own personal enrichment.”

The maximum sentence the Roushes face is imprisonment for 20 years, a fine of $250,000, and supervised release for three years.  Special Assistant United States Attorney Ian Conits and Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office prosecuted the case on behalf of the Government. 

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Columbia, South Carolina– United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Darrell Henry Adam, age 29, of Rock Hill, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison for manufacturing child pornography. 

Facts presented during the hearing showed that Adam recorded his sexual assault of a child.  Adam then showed the video to a confidential witness he met through an online dating app.  Adam indicated to the confidential witness that he had also provided methamphetamine to the child.  After the confidential witness saw the recording, he called the local office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to report the abuse.  The York County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI responded to Adam’s residence that day.  After questioning Adam, the investigators obtained a search warrant to look through the home and Adam's electronics. Investigators discovered hundreds of child pornography images and videos within Adam's electronic devices, including the abuse video described by the confidential witness. Adam was immediately arrested and has remained in custody during the prosecution of his case.

“The highest calling of the United States Attorney’s Office is to keep South Carolinians safe,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon.  “In partnership with local, state, and federal law enforcement, we will relentlessly pursue those who harm our children.  Thanks to the hard work of the York County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, and the Attorney General’s Office, Darrell Adam has been brought to justice for the horrific crime he committed.”

"This sentence demonstrates the danger and depravity of these offenses.  The immediate response and tremendous work of our personnel and our partners in the York County Sheriff's Office saved children from further harm.  The FBI will remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate these matters, find those responsible and protect children," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Alphonso Norris.

The investigation was conducted by members of the York County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson of the Columbia office.  It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that Rudolph Carryl, 68, formerly of Oyster Bay, N.Y., was sentenced today to 74 months in prison and two years of supervised release for executing an investment scheme that defrauded retired victims of more than $440,000.  U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. also ordered Carryl to pay $444,500 in restitution.

John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Charlotte Office joins U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.

According to plea related documents and today’s sentencing hearing, Carryl held himself out as an investment advisor to his victims and operated Carryl Capital Management (CCM), an investment management firm with offices in New York City.  CCM maintained a website that purported the firm adhered to rigorous risk control measures, and was dedicated to achieving the investment goals for its clients.

In or about February 2015, Carryl induced a victim identified as “M.G.” to hand over money which he promised to invest in stocks. Over the course of two years, M.G., who was Carryl’s childhood friend and a retired nurse living in North Carolina, wired more than $90,000 to an account controlled by Carryl, based on Carryl’s misrepresentations that M.G.’s money would be used to purchase stocks on M.G.’s behalf. Similarly, in or about May 2015, Carryl solicited victims “W.B.,” a retired, decorated United States Air Force veteran, and his wife “A.B.,” both of North Carolina, to invest approximately $350,000 in a purported investment fund that was managed by Carryl. To induce the retired couple to part with their money, Carryl claimed that he was a successful investment adviser who managed investments for the country of Saudi Arabia and that he was friends with wealthy celebrities.  

According to court records, rather than invest the victims’ funds as promised, Carryl used the money to pay for personal and other expenses, to repay his other victims other misconduct, and to make substantial cash withdrawals.

Unbeknownst to his victims, Carryl was being investigated and ultimately was convicted of federal wire fraud charges related to a separate investment scheme at the same time he was defrauding his victims in North Carolina. Carryl was sentenced in August 2017 by a federal judge in New York to 12 months and one day in prison for the other fraud.  After his sentencing but before he reported to the Federal Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentence, Carryl continued to be in contact with W.B., assuring W.B. that his investments were doing ok, all the while failing to disclose any information about his conviction or his impending report date to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.   

Carryl previously pleaded guilty to securities fraud, and he is currently detained. In sentencing Carryl today, Judge Cogburn emphasized the tremendous impact that Carryl’s “avarice and greed” had on his victims and the fact that Carryl continued to lie to his victims while being prosecuted in New York for his previous crime. 

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the FBI for leading the investigation.

Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel Ryan and William Bozin, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case. 

In March 2019, U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced the Office’s Elder Justice Initiative, which aims to combat elder financial exploitation by expanding efforts to investigate and prosecute financial scams that target seniors; educate older adults on how to identify scams and avoid becoming victims of financial fraud; and promote greater coordination with law enforcement partners. For more information please visit: https://edit.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/elder-justice-initiative

Orlando, Florida, – U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp today sentenced Robert Wells (37, Palm Coast) to 18 months in federal prison for possessing a loaded handgun and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Wells to forfeit the firearm and ammunition. 

Wells was convicted on May 1, 2019, following a bench trial.  

According to the stipulated facts and court documents, on the morning of February 3, 2018, a citizen contacted the Daytona Beach Police (DBPD) and reported that Wells was behaving suspiciously near her home and carrying a gun. DBPD identified Wells and, with the help of another citizen, determined that Wells had hidden the loaded firearm he had been carrying behind a trash can at a nearby shopping mall. Wells later admitted that he had come to Daytona Beach for drugs and had found the firearm. At the time of the incident, Wells had prior convictions for multiple felony offenses, including aggravated battery (2006); possession of cocaine (2008); battery on a law enforcement officer (2008); and resisting an officer with violence (2008).

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive and the Daytona Beach Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.

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.

Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp today sentenced Melvin Mack Gatlin (34, Tucker, GA) to four years in federal prison for committing credit card fraud and identity theft while visiting Orlando in early April 2018. The court also ordered Gatlin to forfeit the computer and credit card encoder he had used to commit the offense and, to pay $7,184.24 in restitution to his victims. Gatlin had pleaded guilty on June 17, 2019.   

According to court documents, on April 1, 2018, Gatlin used a fake driver license and a counterfeit credit card, in the name of a victim, R.P., to check into a resort hotel. The following day, using the fake driver license and a counterfeit credit card, he purchased 11 theme park tickets. On April 3, 2018, he purchased 11 more theme park tickets using the fake driver license and a counterfeit credit card. Gatlin was arrested and admitted that he had obtained the fake credit cards and stolen account numbers on the dark web. Investigators found that Gatlin had incurred thousands of dollars in fraudulent transactions in just a few days in Orlando. 

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.

PITTSBURGH – A former resident of Cleveland, Ohio, has pleaded guilty to charges of violating federal robbery and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Rayshawn Patterson, 20, pleaded guilty today in front of Senior U.S. District Judge Arthur J. Schwab to charges of Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery, Hobbs Act Robbery, Conspiracy to Steal Firearms from a Licensed Firearm Dealer, Theft from a Licensed Firearms Dealer, Possession of Stolen Firearms, and Interstate Transport of Stolen Firearms. Additionally, Rayshawn Patterson accepted responsibility for a separate robbery that occurred in Cleveland, Ohio. Patterson has been detained since his initial appearance in federal court.

According to information presented to the court, in December of 2017, Rayshawn Patterson and other conspirators from the Cleveland, Ohio area conspired to travel to rural areas of Western Pennsylvania to burglarize Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) and transport the stolen firearms back to Cleveland, Ohio. On December 22, 2017, Rayshawn traveled to Clarion County, Pennsylvania to attempt to locate and burglarize a gun store. However, he and his co-conspirators were unsuccessful in doing so. Prior to returning to Cleveland, Rayshawn and his co-conspirators observed a gas station with only one employee working late at night. The individuals then devised a plan to rob that gas station. Rayshawn Patterson participated in a robbery of the gas station in which the employee was threatened with violence, physically restrained and brought to another area of the store. The conspirators netted only approximately $300 from the robbery before returning to Cleveland.

The next day, on December 23, 2017, Rayshawn Patterson and his co-conspirators returned to Western Pennsylvania and burglarized DSD Sports in Brookville, PA by smashing the front door and windows with a sledgehammer and other tools. Once inside the store, Rayshawn and his co-conspirators stole approximately 16 firearms including 14 handguns and two assault rifles. The co-conspirators then transported the firearms back to Cleveland, Ohio. On December 29, 2017, Cleveland Police recovered two of the stolen handguns from DSD outside the home of Rayshawn and his co-conspirators. Later on January 10, 2017, agents from the Pittsburgh and Cleveland divisions of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed search warrants in Cleveland, Ohio at residences connected to Rayshawn and his co-conspirators. Agents recovered the suspected sledgehammer and other tools believed to be used in the burglary.

Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for February 18, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. Rayshawn Patterson faces a total maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.

Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Lanni is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Brookville Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Cleveland Police Department, and the Cuyahoga Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation leading to the guilty plea in this case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp today sentenced Dondi Kentrail Freeney (34, Sanford) to seven years and six months in federal prison, and Telvin Javon Williams (25, Sanford) to five years in federal prison, for their roles in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy. Freeney and Williams had pleaded guilty on June 25, 2019.    

On August 9, 2019, a federal jury found Benjamin Greene Robinson (32, Daytona Beach) guilty for his role in this same conspiracy. A final conspirator, Antonio Toray Chandler (39, Belle Isle), has signed a plea agreement and is scheduled to appear in court on September 20, 2019.   

According to court documents, and testimony and evidence presented during Robinson’s trial, in January 2016, the conspirators arranged for multiple shipments of cocaine to be sent through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from California to various addresses in Daytona and Sanford. During the investigation, the FBI and the USPS seized three packages of the packages, each containing two kilograms of cocaine hidden inside tubs of protein powder. Law enforcement identified five additional shipments that the conspirators had successfully shipped through the mail. In 2016, during the month of January, the conspirators were responsible for shipping 14 kilograms of cocaine through the mail, estimated to be worth of $490,000. 

Freeney was involved in all aspects of the scheme, including arranging for payments and shipments and tracking down lost packages. Williams provided cash to Freeney and also received one of the 2-kilogram packages in Sanford.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Lake County Sherriff’s Office, and the Volusia Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Five Missouri residents and two Colorado residents have pleaded guilty to their roles in a conspiracy to distribute more than $1.7 million of marijuana that was mailed from Colorado to Missouri. 

Christopher E. Buckingham, 42, of Versailles, Missouri, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to participating in the conspiracy from Aug. 28, 2015, to July 10, 2018.

Co-defendants Natalie J. McNeil, 34, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri; her brother, Tanner L. McNeil, 29, of Denver, Colorado; and Benjamin T. Parker, 29, also of Denver, also have pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Additionally, they have pleaded guilty to their roles in a related money-laundering conspiracy.

In separate but related cases, Eva N. Johnston, 44, Brian E. McIntyre, 25, and Brian C. Miller, 29, all of Kansas City, Missouri, have pleaded guilty to their roles in the marijuana-trafficking conspiracy.

Tanner McNeil and Parker shipped the marijuana to co-conspirators in Missouri for further distribution. The marijuana was shipped in sealed packages inside plastic protein containers, and each shipment usually contained between four to six pounds. A total of 121 packages (484 to 726 pounds of marijuana) were shipped during the conspiracy.

Natalie McNeil deposited cash in structured amounts (to avoid federal transaction reporting requirements) in the bank accounts of Tanner McNeil and Parker. The cash deposits were made in bank branches in Missouri then withdrawn shortly afterward by Tanner McNeil and Parker at bank branches in Colorado.

A total of $1,769,244 in deposits of drug proceeds were made in Missouri, with $1,033,788 being made into Tanner McNeil’s bank account and $735,456 being made into Parker’s bank account. Investigators determined that $1,295,063 of the deposited drug proceeds were withdrawn by Tanner McNeil and Parker in Colorado shortly after the deposits were made in Missouri. They knew that these financial transactions were conducted in order promote illegal marijuana trafficking, were designed at least in part to conceal the nature, location, and source of the proceeds of the illegal marijuana trafficking, and were designed at least in part to avoid financial transaction reporting requirements under state or federal law.

Buckingham admitted today that he received four packages that contained a total of 16 to 24 pounds of marijuana.

Under federal statutes, Buckingham is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Tanner and Natalie McNeil and Parker are each subject to a sentence of up to 40 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jess E. Michaelsen and Ashleigh A. Ragner. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA –Richard Warren Wilkinson, of Salem, West Virginia, has admitted to maintaining a drug house and a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Wilkinson, age 40, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm as a Drug User” and one count of “Maintaining Drug-Involved Premises.” Wilkinson, who is prohibited from having a firearm, admitted to having a 9mm pistol and a rifle in Harrison County in August 2015. Wilkinson also admitted to maintaining a home on Lick Run Road in Salem, West Virginia to manufacture, store, and distribute marijuana from March to August 2015.

Wilkinson faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearms charge and faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $500,000 for the drug charge. 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 Andrew R. Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Greater Harrison Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. 

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian C. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a jury in New Haven has found FAREED AHMED KHAN, 61, of Manchester, guilty of making a false statement during an interview with federal law enforcement.  A trial before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer began on September 16 and the jury returned its verdict this morning.

According to the evidence presented during the trial, Khan was born in Pakistan and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in February 2003.  Khan was a member of the Islamic Circle of North America (“ICNA”) and was responsible for collecting cash and check donations to ICNA for its various charitable events.  In 2014, the Federal Bureau of Investigation learned that, over the course of approximately eight years, Khan received more than $200,000 in cash deposits into his bank account.  Investigators also learned that Khan was transacting with an individual in Pakistan who was arranging for third parties to deposit cash into Khan’s account to fund medical equipment purchases for the individual in Pakistan.  Khan then collected the purchased medical equipment, repackaged the items, and shipped them to Pakistan.

On June 26, 2015, the FBI interviewed Khan.  During the interview, Khan made multiple false statements, including that he was not affiliated with ICNA, did not know anyone from ICNA, had never collected charitable donations for ICNA, and that the only packages he had ever sent to Pakistan were to his sister and brother and contained clothing.

On October 13, 2015, investigators conducted court-authorized search of Khan’s residence and seized numerous items related to Khan’s role in ICNA.  In addition, a search of Khan’s cellular phone revealed WhatsApp messages between Khan and his associate in Pakistan detailing Khan’s involvement in multiple shipments of medical equipment to Pakistan.

At sentencing, Khan faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.  A sentencing date is not scheduled.

Khan is released on a $50,000 bond.

This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Air Marshal Service, and Manchester Police Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vanessa Richards and Rahul Kale, with the assistance of Trial Attorneys Troy Edwards and David Cora of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

PROVIDENCE, RI – The leader of a multi-state conspiracy that stole and used personal identifying information of others to defraud banks, finance companies, car dealerships and retailers of more than $1.3 million pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence today to conspiracy, aggravated identity theft and fraud charges, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman; Stephen Marks, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service; and Scott E. Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Office of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General/Office of Investigations.

Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Octavio Andres Difo-Castro, 28, of Brooklyn, New York, admitted that he employed several individuals who, at his direction, opened bank accounts and applied for and received financing for automobiles, clothing, and electronic devices using fraudulent driver’s licenses, Social Security numbers, and other documents he created with stolen information he purchased on the Dark Web.

 Difo-Castro’s admitted to the court that, at his direction, several individuals opened bank accounts using fraudulent IDs he provided to deposit and withdraw fraudulently obtained funds; to pose as both the seller and the buyer of vehicles in order to fraudulently secure bank and/or credit union financing from financial institutions in several states; and used stolen IDs he provided to obtain retail store credit and make purchases at clothing and cellphone retailers in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

According to information presented to the court, banks and credit unions were defrauded of $899,866; cellphone retailers of $117,341; and clothing retailers of $14,067.

Difo-Castro pleaded guilty today to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to access device fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and nineteen counts of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2020.

 Also charged and convicted in these matters are:

• Reynaldo Martinez, 25, of Providence, who pleaded guilty in November 2017 to four counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of access fraud, and one count each of bank fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud, attempted access fraud, and interstate transportation of stolen goods. Martinez was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 48 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution totaling $38,126.62 to businesses he defrauded;
• Jason McDonald, 37, of Attleboro, MA, pleaded guilty in March 2018 to conspiracy, attempted bank fraud, fraudulent use of a Social Security number, and aggravated identity theft. McDonald was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 39 months in federal prison;
• Donald A. Wicklund, 33, of Pawtucket, pleaded guilty on April 12, 2018, to two counts of wire fraud, five counts of fraudulent use of a Social Security Number, five counts of aggravated identity theft and three counts of bank fraud. Wicklund was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 24 months and one day in federal prison; and
• Patricia Peralta, 28, of Patterson, N.J., pleaded guilty on August 21, 2019, of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit access fraud, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and fraudulent use of a Social Security number. She is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2020.

Yenesia Pujols, 47, of Providence, R.I., arrested on February 8, 2019, is awaiting trial on one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and Social Security fraud, and three counts of wire fraud.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Ferland, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha.

The investigations were led by the U.S. Secret Service, with the assistance of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General/Office of Investigations.

United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman acknowledges and thanks the United States Postal Inspection Service; East Providence, Warwick, Seekonk and Mansfield Police Departments; and the Rhode Island State Police for their assistance in the investigation of these matters.

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St. Louis, MO – Michael Bruce McDonald, 79, of Huntington Beach, CA, was sentenced to 174 months in federal prison for engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places. McDonald appeared before United States District Judge Henry E. Autrey. 

According to court proceedings and documents, McDonald is a former police officer from California. In 2001 he was found guilty of sexually abusing a child. He moved to the Philippines in 2009, and a short time later married. Three of his wife’s nieces moved in with them - all under ten years of age.

McDonald started producing child pornography pictures of the children and one of their friends. He sexually abused two of the children. He posted some of the images in an online account and sent images by email. McDonald sent child pornography images of the children to an undercover officer in St. Louis. The officer was able to identify McDonald and locate him in the Philippines. McDonald was indicted in the Eastern District of Missouri and was sent back to the United States to be prosecuted.

St. Louis County Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Livergood is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

TYLER, Texas – A 58-year-old Wills Point, Texas man has pleaded guilty to child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.

               James  Joseph Veeser pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography today before U.S. Magistrate Judge K. Nicole Mitchell.

               According to information presented in court, between January 2016 and January 2019, Veeser received child pornography using the internet and a computer, including three videos containing child pornography.                   

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

               Under federal statutes, Veeser faces a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison.  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 is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by  Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan R. Jackson.

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            CONCORD – Justin English, 35, of Effingham, pleaded guilty in federal court to participating in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy and possessing firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, between early 2018 and October 4, 2018, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Southern Maine Safe Streets Gang Task Force conducted an investigation into English’s fentanyl trafficking in Effingham, New Hampshire and York, Maine. On October 4, 2018, the FBI executed a search warrant on English’s residence, arrested English and his co-conspirator, and seized approximately 200 gram so fentanyl, currency, collectible coins, and four firearms. Under the terms of the plea agreement, English agreed to forfeit to the United States $28,386 in cash and $45,738 in collectible coins. The FBI previously administratively forfeited the firearms.

            Sentencing is currently scheduled for January 2, 2020.

            “Fentanyl trafficking poses a significant danger to the community,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “When drug traffickers are armed, the risk to public health and safety are even higher.  We are working closely with our law enforcement partners each day to identify, arrest, and prosecute the armed drug dealers who endanger the citizens of the Granite State.”         

             This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Southern Maine Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the York, Maine County’s Sheriff’s Office, the Effingham, New Hampshire Police Department and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Davis.   

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            CONCORD – Darrius Weekly, 25, of Manchester, pleaded guilty in federal court to distributing cocaine base, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, between September 17, 2018 and November 7, 2018, law enforcement officers made five separate controlled purchases of cocaine base (also known as crack cocaine) from Weekly in and around Manchester. 

            Weekly is scheduled to be sentenced on January 10, 2020.

            “Crack cocaine endangers the health and safety of our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “We are committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners to stop the distribution of this dangerous substance in the Granite State.”

            This matter was investigated by the Manchester Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.        

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