BOSTON – A Chicopee man was charged yesterday in federal court in Springfield with child pornography offenses.

Thomas Stemmer, 57, was indicted on one count each of receipt and possession of child pornography. The indictment alleges that Stemmer received and possessed child pornography during 2015.

The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

PITTSBURGH, Pa – A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of deprivation of civil rights, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The one-count Indictment, returned on September 19 and unsealed today, named Ronald Williams, 40, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on or about April 23, 2018, Williams, at the time a police officer of the New Castle Police Department, willfully deprived an individual identified as P.L. of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure by repeatedly slamming P.L.’s face into a floor surface, without justification, thereby causing bodily injury to P.L.

The law provides for a maximum sentence of not more than 10 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 offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

           WASHINGTON – Victor A. Brown, Jr., 29, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury yesterday of federal firearm and narcotics charges following a law enforcement search that uncovered drugs, a weapon, and ammunition in a residence located in the Petworth Neighborhood in Northwest Washington.

           The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

           Brown was found guilty of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base on September 19, 2019. The verdict followed a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he could face a sentence of up to life in prison. He will be sentenced on December 11, 2019 by the Honorable Thomas F. Hogan.

           According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of March 22, 2019, officers from MPD’s Fourth District Crime Suppression Team executed a search warrant at a rowhouse in the Petworth neighborhood. At the time the officers entered the residence, Brown was flushing marijuana down a toilet in a bathroom on the first floor of the residence. Inside of Brown’s bedroom nightstand, officers located a 9 millimeter pistol with an extended magazine loaded with ammunition. Officers also recovered fentanyl and cocaine base from on top of Brown’s bed and recovered various items used for drug distribution throughout his bedroom (including digital scales, ziplocs, a tray with residue, cutting agents, and razor blades). Officers also recovered more than $2,800 in U.S. currency on Brown.

           “My Office’s top priority is the safety of the people who live in, work in, and visit Washington, D.C., and that means protecting them from the danger posed by illegal firearms. This case shows our commitment to doing just that. This defendant previously had been convicted of a serious crime and had no business possessing a firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Liu.

           In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of the MPD officers involved in the arrest and prosecution of Brown.  They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Wasserman and Laura Crane of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section, and Paralegal Specialist Rommel Pachoca.

           WASHINGTON – Justin Quentin Taylor, 20, of the District, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for sexually assaulting a stranger after the two got off a Metrobus, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.

           Taylor pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in March 2019, to attempted third degree sexual abuse. He was sentenced by the Honorable Danya A. Dayson to 18 months in prison. Following his prison term, he will be placed on supervised release for seven years and will have to register as a sex offender for ten years.

           According to the government’s evidence at the plea hearing, in the early morning hours of December 10, 2018, both the Taylor and the victim were passengers on the same city bus.  They did not know one another. They both got off the bus on 48^th Street, N.E. in the District.  While in the 1300 block of 48^th Street N.E., the Taylor walked past the victim, then stopped directly in front of her and asked her for directions, asked whether he could use her phone and asked the woman whether she could help him with his “button.” Taylor then grabbed the woman, took down his pants and attempted to sexually assault her. She escaped and immediately notified the police. Taylor was stopped by Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers nearby a short while later, where they arrested him.

           After his arrest, Taylor told detectives from MPD’s Sexual Assault Unit that he had intended to rape the victim. Taylor told the detective that he had done something similar in Prince George’s County, Maryland, when he was 18-years-old, and that he had served time in Maryland for that other incident.

           In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, including MPD’s Sexual Assault Unit.  She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Brenda C. Williams and Victim/Witness Assistance Unit Supervisor Dr. Lorraine Chase.  Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Taylor, who investigated and prosecuted this case. 

            CONCORD - Ryan Burns, 39, of Nashua, pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 4, 2018, Burns purchased a .45 caliber firearm from an undercover federal enforcement officer for $100 cash, a box of .22 caliber ammunition, and an antique firearm. As explained in court documents and stated during the hearing, Ryan’s possession of the gun was unlawful due a previous involuntary commitment to a mental health facility.

            Burns will be sentenced on January 14, 2020.

            “In order to maintain public safety, we are striving to prevent gun crime in New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “We will work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who seek to obtain guns unlawfully.”

            The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manchester Police Department investigated the case.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert M. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.

            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. 

###

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that LORRAINE SHANLEY pled guilty today to bank fraud and subscribing to false and fraudulent individual income tax returns in connection with fraudulently obtaining over $400,000 from a charity providing support to the families of New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) officers killed in the line of duty.  SHANLEY also agreed to forfeit more than $400,000 in criminal proceeds.  SHANLEY pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As she admitted today, Lorraine Shanley exploited the NYPD officers and employees who generously made charitable donations to support the survivors of fallen officers.  Thanks to the investigative work of the IRS and special agents from our Office, Shanley will be held responsible for her actions, and will forfeit her ill-gotten gains.”

According to the allegations in Information to which LORRAINE SHANLEY pled guilty, public court filings, and statements made in court:

For many years, from 2010 to 2017, SHANLEY served as a volunteer treasurer for a charity that provides financial support to the families of NYPD officers killed in the line of duty (“Charity-1”).  During that time period, Charity-1 received approximately $1.9 million in donations, over 99% of which came from NYPD employees, from an average of 5,500 NYPD employees per year. 

SHANLEY was an authorized signatory on Charity-1’s bank account and credit card, and was authorized to use them for Charity-1’s operations.  But SHANLEY also used the bank account and credit card to benefit herself and her family members.  From 2010 to 2017, SHANLEY fraudulently obtained over $400,000 from Charity-1’s coffers, taking money for herself and relatives, and paying for various personal expenditures such as private school tuition for her grandchild, legal services, dental bills, landscaping, and entertainment.

*                *                *

SHANLEY, 69, of Staten Island, New York, pled guilty to one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and six counts of subscribing to false and fraudulent individual income tax returns, which each carry a maximum term of 3 years in prison.  As a condition of her plea, SHANLEY also agreed to forfeit $406,851 and to pay restitution of $406,851 to Charity-1 and $103,983 to the IRS.

SHANLEY is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Stein on December 19, 2019 at 3:00 p.m.

Mr. Berman praised the Internal Revenue Service and special agents with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their outstanding work.

The maximum and mandatory minimum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant United States Attorney Brett M. Kalikow is in charge of the prosecution. 

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jason Yelder, 37, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40, and $5,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who is handling the case, stated in May 2017, Yelder pleaded guilty to a federal charge of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, five grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced to serve 20 months in prison and five years post-release supervision. The defendant was released from custody and supervision began on May 25, 2018.

On February 12, February 21, and April 23, 2019, Yelder was tested by U.S. Probation for drug screening. On each date, he tested positive for amphetamine. The defendant was instructed to report for further testing on April 29 and May 2, 2019. Yelder failed to report as directed and further broke off all contact with probation personnel. On April 26, 2019, a probation officer contacted the defendant’s mother who advised she did not know the whereabouts of her son. On May 3, 2019, an arrest warrant was issued for Yelder for a violation of supervised release.

On July 15, 2019, the defendant was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Serve and Buffalo Police at a hotel in downtown Buffalo. Yelder was found with 21 bags of suspected crystal methamphetamine, as well as numerous additional suspected controlled substances.

The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division, and the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

# # # #

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -A former resident of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to a term of imprisonment of 12 years and seven months (151 months), to be followed by three years of supervised release on his conviction of bank robbery and Hobbs Act robbery, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Senior Judge Reggie B. Walton of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia imposed the sentence on Glenn Ford, age 60.

According to information presented to the court, on September 15, 2017, Ford robbed the Huntington Bank, on Smithfield St. wearing a long black curly wig, a long leather coat, and a sticker on his face covering his nose and mouth. He demanded $100 and $50 bills and received $2,340. On September 28, 2017, Ford robbed the same Huntington Bank. He attempted to conceal his face as he approached the same teller. Ford demanded $100, $50 and $20 bills and received $2370. The teller recognized Ford from the prior bank robbery and placed a dye pack with the money, which exploded as he fled.

On September 20, 2017, Ford, wearing a hat, a dress, a trench coat and caramel colored dress shoes, entered the Citizens Bank located on East Carson St. with a white plastic bag covering part of his face. He demanded money and received $2,950. He discarded his clothing after he exited the bank. The Court was further advised that on October 4, 2017, wearing a Darth Vader mask and black hoodie, Ford robbed the CoGo’s on East Carson Street with a knife and took $186.

Ford confessed to committing the robberies to support his crack addiction. He told officers about his efforts to clean and use the money damaged from the dye pack explosion. Ford took officers to recover the damaged money, as well as clothing and shoes from an abandoned house in Wilkinsburg, a short distance from his house.

Assistant United States Attorney Shanicka L. Kennedy prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Ford through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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.

OKLAHOMA CITY – JAMES DEAN LAMAR LaFOUNTAIN, 25, of Seiling, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for wounding his wife and later calling her from jail to instruct her not to testify against him, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing.

According to a two-count superseding indictment, LaFountain assaulted his wife with a knife with the intent to do bodily harm and also attempted to strangle and suffocate her, all on November 25, 2018.  The case was charged in federal court because LaFountain is an Indian and the alleged crimes took place in Indian Country.  Originally arrested on tribal charges, LaFountain has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since January 3, 2019.

On April 25, 2019, LaFountain pleaded guilty to a two-count superseding information.  At his plea hearing, he admitted he held his wife down and wounded her in Indian Country on November 25, 2018.  He also admitted he committed the crime of tampering with a witness by calling his wife from jail in an attempt to get her not to testify against him.

At sentencing today, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced LaFountain to five years in the Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by three years of supervised release.  The court took into account reports that LaFountain, while intoxicated, put a knife to his wife’s throat, attempted to strangle her, and threatened their children.   The court also considered episodes of LaFountain’s escalating physical violence toward his wife, as well as his having placed numerous phone calls to her in early 2019 with instructions not to testify against him.

This sentence is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, with assistance from the Dewey County Sheriff’s Office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Cárdenas.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

BOSTON – A Chicopee man was charged yesterday in federal court in Springfield with child pornography offenses.

Herve Plasse, 65, was charged in an indictment with one count each of receipt and possession of child pornography. The indictment alleges that Plasse received and possessed child pornography during 2015.

The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of 10 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Willie C. Graham 38, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmanuel Ulubiyo, who is handling the case, stated that on October 8, 2018, during the execution of a state search warrant at the defendant’s residence on Foote Avenue in Jamestown, law enforcement officers recovered two firearms, ammunition, two magazines, a scope, a Kevlar vest, and a quantity of methamphetamine.

At the time of the search warrant, Graham was a two-time convicted felon, and as a result, he was legally prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. 

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Harry Snellings.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 29, 2020, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Arcara.  

# # # #

           WASHINGTON – Attorney General William P. Barr today announced the appointment of the following nine U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC): David Anderson, Northern District of California; Scott Brady, Western District of Pennsylvania; Maria Chapa Lopez, Middle District of Florida; Halsey Frank, District of Maine; Erica MacDonald, District of Minnesota; Christina Nolan, District of Vermont; Zach Terwilliger, Eastern District of Virginia; Tom Kirsch, Northern District of Indiana; and Nicholas Trutanich, District of Nevada.

           “I am pleased to appoint these nine outstanding U.S. Attorneys to this key advisory committee. I am confident that they will serve with distinction,” Attorney General William P. Barr said. “The U.S. Attorneys who comprise the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee play a critical role in carrying out the Department of Justice’s important work, including its efforts to reduce violent crime, combat the opioid crisis, protect the most vulnerable, and enforce the rule of law.”

           The Attorney General also thanked the following U.S. Attorneys who have completed their terms and are rotating off the committee: Louis Franklin, Middle District of Alabama; Robert Higdon, Eastern District of North Carolina; John Huber, District of Utah; Rob Hur, District of Maryland; Jeff Jensen, Eastern District of Missouri; Andrew Lelling, District of Massachusetts; Joshua Minkler, Southern District of Indiana; Richard Moore, Southern District of Alabama; Bryan Schroder, District of Alaska; and David Weiss, District of Delaware.  

           Chaired by U.S Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jessie K. Liu, the AGAC represents the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General on policy, management, and operational issues impacting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.

           Attorney General Barr also announced that U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox, a current member, will replace U.S. Attorney John Huber as the Vice Chair of the AGAC.

           The bios of all U.S. Attorneys are available here.

Lexington, KY- Two Mexican Nationals, illegally residing in the U.S., and one Nicholasville, Ky., man, who previously admitted to transporting more than 100 kilograms of marijuana from Phoenix, Az., to Nicholasville, Ky., were sentenced on Thursday.

 U.S. District Court Judge Karen Caldwell sentenced, Fabian Zavala-Romero, 42, Jonathan Mendoza-Ricardo, 30, and Jesus Sabino Castro-Quinones, 38, to 68 months, 68 months, and 60 months respectively. Another defendant involved in the case, Fabian Noperi, 35, is scheduled for sentencing in October.

 According to plea agreements, Zavala, Castro, Noperi, and Mendoza, admitted that they conspired to transport marijuana from Phoenix to Nicholasville for the purpose of distributing the marijuana in Kentucky. The amount of marijuana they intended to distribute was more than 100 kilograms.

Under federal law, Zavala, Castro, and Mendoza must serve 85 percent of their prison sentence and will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 4 years.

Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Steven L. Igyarto, Resident Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations, and Todd Justice, Chief of Police for Nicholasville Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Nicholasville Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Tanner Bradley.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The PSN program was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

— END —

WASHINGTON – Attorney General William P. Barr today announced the appointment of the following nine U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC): David Anderson, Northern District of California; Scott Brady, Western District of Pennsylvania; Maria Chapa Lopez, Middle District of Florida; Halsey Frank, District of Maine; Erica MacDonald, District of Minnesota; Christina Nolan, District of Vermont; Zach Terwilliger, Eastern District of Virginia; Tom Kirsch, Northern District of Indiana; and Nicholas Trutanich, District of Nevada.

“I am pleased to appoint these nine outstanding U.S. Attorneys to this key advisory committee. I am confident that they will serve with distinction,” Attorney General William P. Barr said. “The U.S. Attorneys who comprise the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee play a critical role in carrying out the Department of Justice’s important work, including its efforts to reduce violent crime, combat the opioid crisis, protect the most vulnerable, and enforce the rule of law.”

U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II said, “I am honored that Attorney General Barr has appointed me to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee.  The Committee plays a central role in implementing new programs and policies for the Department of Justice.  It is a privilege for me to be able to serve the Department and Attorney General in this manner.”

The Attorney General also thanked the following U.S. Attorneys who have completed their terms and are rotating off the committee: Louis Franklin, Middle District of Alabama; Robert Higdon, Eastern District of North Carolina; John Huber, District of Utah; Rob Hur, District of Maryland; Jeff Jensen, Eastern District of Missouri; Andrew Lelling, District of Massachusetts; Joshua Minkler, Southern District of Indiana; Richard Moore, Southern District of Alabama; Bryan Schroder, District of Alaska; and David Weiss, District of Delaware.  

Chaired by U.S Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jessie K. Liu, the AGAC represents the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General on policy, management, and operational issues impacting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.

Attorney General Barr also announced that U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox, a current member, will replace U.S. Attorney John Huber as the Vice Chair of the AGAC.

The bios of all U.S. Attorneys are available here.

U.S. Attorney Kirsch’s Bio can be found at this link:

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndin/meet-us-attorney

Scott Allan Smith was arraigned today before United States District Judge Raymond J. Dearie on an indictment charging him with threatening to murder the former state prosecutor who handled his criminal case.  Smith was arrested on a complaint on August 6, 2019, and was remanded pending trial.  If convicted, Smith faces up to five years’ imprisonment.

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, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges. 

“As alleged, six months after he was released from prison, the defendant began threatening to kill the former state prosecutor who had handled a criminal case against him,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “Threats against members of the criminal justice system who work to protect our communities will never be tolerated and those who commit such crimes will face the consequences.”

“A threat against anyone's life is unacceptable.  However, when you threaten the life of an official who was representing the public and enforcing the law on behalf of law abiding citizens, as we allege Mr. Smith did here, you are attacking all of society,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.  “The consequence is prison, something Mr. Smith knows all too well.”

As alleged in court filings and proceedings, Smith was sentenced in Missouri to seven years in prison in October 2015 after pleading guilty to assault and felony restraint.  Smith was released from the custody of the Missouri Department of Corrections on February 22, 2019.

On or about August 3, 2019, Smith called the former Callaway County, Missouri prosecutor in his criminal case and stated, in sum and substance, “You remember me, don’t you?  I just want to tell you, you are about to die.” 

Later that day, Smith sent the victim a series of threatening text messages, stating, in part, “5 years I’ve been waiting for what’s about to happen.  I’ve fantasized about it every single night for years…  My life for your life” and “I am a martyr for this.”

The defendant then concluded with a voicemail left on the victim’s telephone, stating he would “get the needle,” make “national news” and “every prosecutor in the United States would think twice about telling a lie in this country.”

The charge in the indictment is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section.  Assistant United States Attorney John Vagelatos is in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

SCOTT ALLAN SMITH
Age:  38
Brooklyn, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-421 (RJD)

On Thursday, a federal jury convicted Ira Lee Wilkins, 38, of Tulsa, for being a felon in possession of a Hi-Point C9 9 mm pistol and associated ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

“Felons who possess firearms pose a threat to the safety and security of our community. This prosecution was a part of our Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. I am thankful for the service of the jurors. They rendered their verdict, and Mr. Wilkins was found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” said U.S. Attorney Shores. “The evidence in this case was strong, including a Tulsa Police officer’s body-worn camera. I commend the work of the investigative agencies and federal prosecutors who pursued justice in this case.”

In May 2019, a local business contacted authorities after a disturbance involving the defendant. Officers from the Tulsa Police Department answered the call and discovered that Wilkins had outstanding warrants and was previously convicted of multiple felonies. Upon his arrest, officers found the loaded pistol in his front pants’ pocket.

The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Proctor and Shannon Cozzoni prosecuted the case.

Fayetteville, Arkansas - Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Rachael Shackelford, age 30, of St. Paul, Arkansas was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $2,500.00 in fines for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.

According to court records, beginning around November of 2018, law enforcement officers received information that Shackelford was distributing methamphetamine from her residence in St. Paul, Arkansas. During the investigation, deputies with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office applied for and executed a search warrant on Shackelford's residence on January 9, 2019. Inside the residence, deputies located Shackelford along with syringes, digital scales, drug packaging materials, approximately 238 grams of methamphetamine and several firearms.  

The DEA crime lab tested the seized methamphetamine and determined that it contained 190.89 grams of actual methamphetamine.

A federal grand jury indicted Shackelford in March 2018, and she entered a guilty plea in April 2019.

This case was investigated by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the Arkansas State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant United States Attorney Denis Dean prosecuted the case for the United States.

On September 20, 2019, in the District of Wyoming, JUSTIN DAVID BROWN, age 27 of Riverton, Wyoming was sentenced to seven hundred twenty months in prison followed by lifetime-supervised release after pleading guilty to two counts of Production of Child Pornography.  On January 4, 2019, the US Department  Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Casper, Wyoming office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Lander, Wyoming office and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), Riverton and Casper, Wyoming offices arrested Justin David Brown, a registered sex offender, for federal violations of Production and Distribution of Child Pornography in Riverton, Wyoming. 

On January 4, 2019, FBI Lander requested the assistance of HSI and DCI on an investigative lead they received from another FBI Field Office. Initial information indicated that Brown had produced and distributed child pornography to at least one suspect on the east coast. Within hours of receiving the initial lead information, Agents from HSI, FBI and DCI worked collaboratively to rescue a victim and apprehend Brown. During a post arrest interview, Brown admitted to sexually abusing a young toddler, producing images and videos of the abuse, and distributing those to others with an interest in the sexual exploitation of children.  In addition, Brown admitted to seeking out and communicating with numerous other individuals about the sexual abuse of children.

Brown consented to law enforcement assuming his online identity and as a result, Agents identified offenders within Wyoming and other jurisdictions who committed crimes against children and were charged and sentenced in U.S. District Court, including:

ROBERT WILLIAM COTTER, 35, of Casper, Wyoming, who was sentenced on July 17, 2019, for Production of Child Pornography. Cotter was sentenced to two hundred ten months of imprisonment, to be followed by lifetime-supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,500, a $100 special assessment and $500 special assessment pursuant to the Victims of Sex Trafficking Act.

DAVID THOMAS WILLIAMS, 36, of Laurel, Montana, who was sentenced on August 13, 2019, for Attempted Online Enticement of a Minor. Williams was sentenced to one hundred fifty months of imprisonment, to be followed by 120 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $138 and a $100 special assessment.

WILLIS STEVEN SMITH, 24, formerly of Lyman, Wyoming, who was sentenced on September 18, 2019 for Aiding and Abetting the Production of Child Pornography. Smith was sentenced to one hundred eighty months of imprisonment, to be followed by one hundred twenty months of supervised release,  and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $138.00, a $100.00 special assessment, and a $400 special assessment pursuant to the Victims of Sex Trafficking Act.   

Assistant United States Attorneys Stephanie A. Hambrick and Timothy J. Forwood and the United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming, Mark A. Klaassen, prosecuted these cases. In regards to the investigation and sentences Klaassen stated, “My office remains committed to protecting our communities from individuals like these, who are involved in the production and sharing of child pornography.  Their conduct victimizes innocent children, the most vulnerable among us, and we must do all we can to prevent and deter this crime.”

DCI and HSI, along with law enforcement agencies throughout the state of Wyoming, work together as part of the Wyoming Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation an abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by the 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. 

WASHINGTON – Attorney General William P. Barr today announced the appointment of the following nine U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC): David Anderson, Northern District of California; Scott W. Brady, Western District of Pennsylvania; Maria Chapa Lopez, Middle District of Florida; Halsey Frank, District of Maine; Erica MacDonald, District of Minnesota; Christina Nolan, District of Vermont; Zach Terwilliger, Eastern District of Virginia; Tom Kirsch, Northern District of Indiana; and Nicholas Trutanich, District of Nevada.

"I am pleased to appoint these nine outstanding U.S. Attorneys to this key advisory committee. I am confident that they will serve with distinction," Attorney General William P. Barr said. "The U.S. Attorneys who comprise the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee play a critical role in carrying out the Department of Justice’s important work, including its efforts to reduce violent crime, combat the opioid crisis, protect the most vulnerable, and enforce the rule of law."

"It is an honor to be selected by Attorney General Barr to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee," said U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady. "I look forward to working closely with Attorney General Barr to help shape the Department of Justice’s crime fighting policies, and to guarantee the voices of western Pennsylvanians are heard in our nation’s capital."

The Attorney General also thanked the following U.S. Attorneys who have completed their terms and are rotating off the committee: Louis Franklin, Middle District of Alabama; Robert Higdon, Eastern District of North Carolina; John Huber, District of Utah; Rob Hur, District of Maryland; Jeff Jensen, Eastern District of Missouri; Andrew Lelling, District of Massachusetts; Joshua Minkler, Southern District of Indiana; Richard Moore, Southern District of Alabama; Bryan Schroder, District of Alaska; and David Weiss, District of Delaware.

Chaired by U.S Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jessie K. Liu, the AGAC represents the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General on policy, management, and operational issues impacting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices. Attorney General Barr also announced that U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox, a current member, will replace U.S. Attorney John Huber as the Vice Chair of the AGAC.

U.S. Attorney Brady’s bio can be found at this link: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdpa/meet-us-attorney.

          A Bellingham, Washington woman who used her employee access to steal $200,000 from the Lummi Nation’s Silver Reef Casino was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to time-served (approximately 10 months in prison) and two years of supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.  SHANNON MARIE MORRIS is a Lummi Tribal member and was an employee of the casino on November 24, 2018, when she stole $200,000 from the vault at the casino.  Hours after the theft, MORRIS led law enforcement to where she had stashed the cash, but not before making a false report about a bomb in the casino that forced the evacuation of the casino and adjacent hotel.  At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones noted that MORRIS placed her young son in harm’s way and adversely impacted the lives of a lot of people due to the bomb scare.

            According to records filed in the case, it was just before 3:00 AM on November 24, 2018 when MORRIS walked into the employee entrance at the rear of the casino and got another employee to let her into the cash vault.  MORRIS filled a bag with four bricks of cash totaling $200,000 and told the employee in the vault not to push the panic button.  MORRIS ran from the vault, got in her car and drove away.  MORRIS called 9-1-1 claiming that a man with a gun had forced her to rob the casino and that the man claimed to have placed a bomb at the casino which he would trigger if she did not steal the money.  MORRIS claimed the man had jumped out of her car with the money.

            Because of the report of a bomb, law enforcement from the Lummi Nation, Bellingham and Ferndale Police Departments, the FBI and the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Department evacuated the hotel and casino.  No bomb was located.

            While being questioned by law enforcement, MORRIS’ statement changed over time: initially she claimed that a strange man with a gun held her and her child hostage and forced her to steal the money from the casino.  Later she admitted she was alone in the vehicle with her child when she drove to the casino and stole the money.  MORRIS led the investigators to the location in Ferndale where she had hidden the money near a tree at the side of the road.

            While the money was recovered, the Lummi Nation still lost money due to the evacuation of the hotel and casino on a busy holiday weekend.  The funds generated by the hotel and casino are used to provide services to the tribal members and their families.

            On December 12, 2018, MORRIS was indicted for theft by an employee of a gaming establishment on Indian lands.  She pleaded guilty to that charge on June 12, 2019.

            The case was investigated by the Lummi Nation Police Department and the FBI, with assistance from the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office.

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Tate London