SAN JOSE – Reyes Daniel Ruiz pleaded guilty in federal court in San Jose today to hacking into the accounts of thousands of Yahoo users in search of private and personal records, primarily sexual images and videos of the account holders, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. 

In pleading guilty, Ruiz, a former Yahoo software engineer, admitted to using his access through his work at the company to hack into about 6,000 Yahoo accounts.   Ruiz cracked user passwords, and accessed internal Yahoo systems to compromise the Yahoo accounts.  Ruiz admitted to targeting accounts belonging to younger women, including his personal friends and work colleagues.  He made copies of images and videos that he found in the personal accounts without permission, and stored the data at his home.  Once he had access to the Yahoo accounts, Ruiz admitted to compromising the iCloud, Facebook, Gmail, DropBox, and other online accounts of the Yahoo users in search of more private images and videos.  After his employer observed the suspicious account activity, Ruiz admitted to destroying the computer and hard drive on which he stored the images.  

Ruiz, 34, of Tracy, California, was indicted by a federal Grand Jury on April 4, 2019.  He was charged with one count of Computer Intrusion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1030(a)(2)(C), and one count of Interception of a Wire Communication, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2511(1)(a) and (4)(a).  Under the plea agreement, pled guilty to the count of Computer Intrusion.

Ruiz is currently on release pursuant to the conditions of an unsecured $200,000 bond.     

Ruiz’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 3, 2020 at 1:30 p.m. before The Honorable Edward J. Davila, U.S. District Court Judge, in San Jose.  The maximum statutory penalty for each count in violation of Computer Intrusion, 18 U.S.C. § 1030(a)(2)(C), is five years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution.  However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Daniel Kaleba is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Tong Zhang.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 
 

            BIRMINGHAM – The first of three sisters indicted late last month on charges that they conspired to kill a Florida resident and his wife were arraigned today in federal court, announced United States Attorney Jay E. Town and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.

            U.S. Magistrate Judge John E. Ott today arraigned CHARIS MAPSON, an Oklahoma resident, on charges of conspiracy, two counts of interstate domestic violence, two counts of stalking, and one count of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.  The six-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court also charges her sisters Tierzah Mapson and Elisa Mapson with the same charges.   According to the indictment, the three sisters plotted to kill the father of Tierzah Mapson’s child, by luring him and his wife to a rural crossroads in Eldridge, Alabama, on June 18, 2018.

            Defendants Tierzah Mapson and Elisa Mapson were arrested at a campground in northern California.

            “This case took an enormous amount of investigative coordination between a multitude of agencies, both here and outside the district,” Town said.  “I commend the FBI, the Walker County Sheriff’s Office, and District Attorney Bill Adair for their diligent work on this investigation. There is give and take to everything, and defendants that take off after their criminal activities here in Alabama will be given their day in federal court to account.”

            The maximum prison sentence is five years for a conviction on the conspiracy count and 10 years for each of the interstate domestic violence and stalking charges.  The count alleging the use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence carries a mandatory 10 years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed for the crime.

            FBI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alan Baty and Jonathan Cross are prosecuting.

            An indictment contains only charges.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Mr. Shannon Robert Bell, 53, has been indicted on charges of possession and distribution of child pornography.  Bell was arraigned this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah M. Smith, and is a resident of Anchorage, Alaska, where he was employed as a clinical therapist at multiple inpatient treatment facilities for children.

The indictment alleges that on Sept. 29, 2018, Bell knowingly distributed child pornography involving prepubescent minors, or minors who have not attained 12 years of age, by any means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce. Additionally, allegations state that on July 1, 2019, Bell knowingly possessed and accessed child pornography with intent to view material that contained images of child pornography, including images involving prepubescent minors.

If the public has any further information regarding Bell,

please contact Anchorage FBI at (907) 276-4441.

If convicted, Bell faces a statutory minimum of five years in prison and guideline sentence of the statutory maximum of 20 years in prison.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood.  In May 2006, DOJ launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines 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 about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

HONOLULU, Hawaii – Thelma Pascua-Suyat, 64, of Maui, Hawaii, was sentenced today in federal court by Senior United States District Judge Susan Oki Mollway to 43 months of imprisonment for wire fraud. As part of her sentence, Pascua-Suyat must serve three years of supervised release, and pay $1,167,895.47 in restitution.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii Kenji M. Price announced that, according to court documents and information presented in court, from 2008 to 2016, Pascua-Suyat used her position as the bookkeeper for Ki-Hana Nursery, a Maui County nursery business, to falsify electronic bookkeeping records and steal over $1.3 million dollars from the Nursery. Pascua-Suyat’s scheme to defraud Ki-Hana Nursery lasted over the course of 7 years and that during that time she used the funds of Ki-Hana to pay over $1 million dollars in personal credit card debt and to make over $65,000 in payments on her home mortgage.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson.

HONOLULU, Hawaii – Thelma Pascua-Suyat, 64, of Maui, Hawaii, was sentenced today in federal court by Senior United States District Judge Susan Oki Mollway to 43 months of imprisonment for wire fraud. As part of her sentence, Pascua-Suyat must serve three years of supervised release, and pay $1,167,895.47 in restitution.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii Kenji M. Price announced that, according to court documents and information presented in court, from 2008 to 2016, Pascua-Suyat used her position as the bookkeeper for Ki-Hana Nursery, a Maui County nursery business, to falsify electronic bookkeeping records and steal over $1.3 million dollars from the Nursery. Pascua-Suyat’s scheme to defraud Ki-Hana Nursery lasted over the course of 7 years and that during that time she used the funds of Ki-Hana to pay over $1 million dollars in personal credit card debt and to make over $65,000 in payments on her home mortgage.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson.

OKLAHOMA CITY – KIRANKUMAN GANDHI, 49, has pleaded guilty to soliciting arson, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing.

A federal grand jury indicted Gandhi on July 2, 2019, for attempting to destroy by fire a building at 1004 West 11th Street in Hobart, Oklahoma, where Gandhi owned the Hiway Inn.  According to the indictment, the property was being rented and thus affected interstate commerce.

Today, Gandhi pleaded guilty to a superseding information that charges the related crime of solicitation to commit a crime of violence, in particular arson.  During a hearing before U.S. District Judge David L. Russell, he admitted that between June 14, 2018, and June 12, 2019, he paid an undercover federal agent to burn down property affecting interstate commerce.

Gandhi faces a maximum potential penalty of ten years in prison and a fine of $125,000.  He could also face up to three years of supervised release after any prison sentence.

This case is a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Kiowa County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark R. Stoneman and Jacquelyn M. Hutzell are prosecuting the case.

Reference is made to public filings for more information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – SAGE ATHEAKEE GOMEZ, 23, a member of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma, has been sentenced to five years in prison for involuntary manslaughter, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing.

According to court documents, on September 15, 2018, Gomez stabbed B.L.W., a member of the Tonkawa Tribe, at a rural residence on Indian land near Ponca City.  The victim died of his wounds on October 2.  Gomez has been in federal custody since his arrest in late September 2018.

On October 16, 2018, a federal grand jury charged Gomez with three federal crimes: voluntary manslaughter "upon sudden quarrel and heat of passion" in Indian Country, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country, and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country.  On March 8, 2019, Gomez pleaded guilty to a superseding information that charged him with involuntary manslaughter.  In particular, the new charge alleged that when he stabbed the victim during an altercation, Gomez committed a reckless act "without due caution and circumspection, which might produce death."

After a lengthy hearing today, U.S. District Judge Charles B. Goodwin sentenced Gomez to five years in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by three years of supervised release.  This prison sentence is above the advisory imprisonment range under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.  The court also ordered Gomez to pay $6,890.27 in restitution to cover funeral expenses.  Of that amount, $5,500 will go to the Tonkawa Tribe and $1,390.27 will go to the Oklahoma Crime Victims Fund.

This case is result of an investigation by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arvo Q. Mikkanen and Matthew Anderson.

Reference is made to public filings for further information.

Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today has Jose Mario Moreno Parada (37, Naples) to eight years and four months in federal prison for smuggling goods from the United States, possessing firearms with obliterated serial numbers, and making false statements to federal agents. The court also ordered Parada to forfeit the firearms involved in the offenses. 

Parada had pleaded guilty on May 10, 2019. 

According to court documents, Parada and his coconspirators purchased rifles in southwest Florida, obliterated their serial numbers, concealed them in vehicles, and then arranged to export the loaded vehicles to South America. In 2018, in connection with this case, 133 firearms, concealed in three vehicles and destined for Bolivia, were intercepted by law enforcement in south Florida.   

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.

Memphis, TN – After a week-long federal jury trial, James Jackson, 58, of Memphis, Tennessee was found guilty of 13 counts of mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud and theft of mail. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the conviction today.

According to the information presented in court, in 2014-2015, Jackson devised a scheme to steal money from banks, financial companies and other individuals. Jackson obtained the personal identifying information of numerous individuals, most of whom were deceased, and used this information to take over the victims’ financial accounts (stock, credit card, and bank accounts). Jackson would search online obituaries and noteworthy articles to discover the identities of recently deceased individuals and then he would research the individuals to determine if they had any credit accounts or financial investment accounts. He would then impersonate the victims (both male and female) and use their information when contacting customer service representatives of banks, credit card and financial firms. Jackson would convince the businesses to mail new bank/credit cards to other addresses (vacant homes and hotels in Memphis area) and also caused the sale of over $340,000 of stock out of one victim’s investment account. Jackson recruited another individual to use the cards to withdraw funds from the victim accounts and to purchase gift cards.

On February 27, 2015, Jackson called the Cordova Post Office claiming to be a Charles Fulks and inquired about a credit card package that should have been delivered the day before to 10022 Cameron Ridge Trail. United States Postal Inspectors and members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol Identity Crimes Unit determined this was an imposter because the true Charles Fulks had died on February 2, 2015 and the 10022 Cameron Ridge Trail address was a vacant house at the time. Later, agents watched the package containing credit cards be delivered to the mailbox at 10022 Cameron Ridge Trail. Twelve hours later, agents observed Jackson emerge from a house at 10027 Cameron Ridge Trail and walk across the street to retrieve the credit card package from the mailbox and then went back into his residence. No one answered the door when agents announced their presence. Later, agents noticed smoke coming out of the home. Agents eventually located Jackson in the house pretending to be asleep. Numerous small fires had been set throughout the house in what appeared to be an attempt to destroy evidence.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Aggravated identity theft and schemes to defraud or compromise the personal and financial security of vulnerable and deceased victims will not be tolerated. This case demonstrates our commitment to protect the personal and financial information of citizens and institutions, and to hold offenders accountable for these disturbing crimes of dishonesty. We are pleased to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to achieve justice for the victims in this case."

In the home, agents located items associated with identity theft, including documents and a guide entitled "How to Find Anyone and Anything" and computers. A search of Jackson’s computers revealed that he had been researching the deceased victims. This was done through use of numerous online obituary sites and nationwide news articles. In a subsequent search of Jackson’s mother’s house, agents found a box of Jackson’s business cards, wherein he claimed to be the "Father of Identity Theft." A copy of the business card was introduced by the government as an exhibit at trial, and a copy of the same is included below in this release.

Based upon this conviction and his prior federal convictions for mail fraud, credit card fraud and bank fraud from the Southern District of New York, and mail fraud, credit card fraud and social security fraud from the Western District of Tennessee, Jackson is facing up to 30 years in prison.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 13, 2019, before U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr.

The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Memphis Police Department investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hall prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

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LAREDO, Texas – Two men are set to appear in federal court to answer separate, but similar charges for allegedly trying to smuggle drugs into the country, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

Alondra Pliego, 21, Houston, and Mexican citizen Jose Antonio Garza Gutierrez, 28, Vallecillo, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, were both originally charged by criminal complaints. A federal grand jury returned the indictments Sept. 24 for conspiracy to import methamphetamine and cocaine, respectively. They are expected to appear for their respective arraignments today at 1 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam Sheldon.

On Aug. 29, 2019, Pliego attempted to enter the United States through the Colombia Solidarity International Bridge Port of Entry in Laredo driving a Chrysler sport utility vehicle.

The charges allege that during inspection, authorities conducted an x-ray examination of the vehicle which revealed anomalies within the rear area. A k-9 inspection allegedly alerted the possible presence of narcotics. Authorities then soon discovered a non-factory compartment within the rear cargo floor area concealing 65 packages, according to the charges. The white crystal-like substance allegedly field-tested positive for methamphetamine and had a total weight of approximately 66.95 kilograms.

In the other case, Gutierrez allegedly drove a semi-truck and trailer combination through the World Trade Bridge Port of Entry in Laredo on Sept. 3, 2019. During inspection, authorities noticed an unusual hidden compartment in the sleeper area of the vehicle, according to the charges. Soon after, the charges allege they discovered 14 tightly wrapped bundles containing more than 16.94 kilograms of cocaine.

If convicted, both face a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison as well as a possible $10 million maximum fine.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted both investigations with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Scott Bowling and Paul A. Harrison are prosecuting the Pliego and Gutierrez cases, respectively.

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

Memphis, TN – Two Illinois men have been sentenced to a total of 109 months in federal prison for transporting and possession of stolen firearms. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, on September 30, 2018, at approximately 3:45a.m., Memphis Police responded to a theft at the United Parcel Services ("UPS") facility located at 1803 E. Brooks Road. Three hundred and twenty-two (322) Ruger .380 caliber pistols and forty-four (44) Ruger .22 caliber pistols were stolen from a shipment of firearms. Roland Jackson, 25, and Taveyon Turnbo, 19, both from Chicago, Illinois, removed the firearms from a tractor-trailer and loaded them onto a U-Haul van. They fled the scene in the U-Haul van when police arrived and drove back to Illinois.

At approximately 3:05 p.m., the Midlothian, Illinois Police Department received a suspicious vehicle call involving a U-Haul at a Walgreens located on W. 148th Street in Midlothian. When officers arrived, they located Jackson in the driver’s seat and Turnbo in the front passenger’s seat of the U-Haul. After obtaining their identification, officers determined that Jackson’s driver’s license was suspended. Officers then observed a gun box with the "Ruger" logo on it.

When officers ordered Jackson and Turnbo from the vehicle, they locked the vehicle and attempted to start it. After an officer struck the window of the vehicle to detain the suspects, they exited the vehicle and ran. Turnbo was subsequently located and arrested. Jackson was able to escape. On October 3, 2018, Jackson surrendered to police in Chicago, Illinois. Law enforcement recovered three hundred and sixty-two (362) of the three hundred sixty-six (366) stolen firearms from the U-Haul van in Midlothian.

Law enforcement determined that the U-Haul van was rented on September 26, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. Surveillance video from the U-Haul store showed Jackson entered the store with a female and rented the van with stolen identification.

Roland Jackson pled guilty to transporting stolen firearms in interstate commerce, possessing stolen firearms, and being a convicted felon in possession of firearms.

Taveyan Turnbo pled guilty to transporting stolen firearms in interstate commerce and possessing stolen firearms.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Cargo theft from shipping facilities that interrupts and threatens interstate commerce must be dealt with swiftly and certainly. Cargo theft of hundreds of firearms is especially dangerous, and threatens the lives of countless citizens. We are thankful that almost all of the stolen firearms were recovered due to the quick action and outstanding investigation by local and federal law enforcement, and we appreciate the coordination and partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois in this disturbing case. Interstate trafficking of stolen firearms will be met with aggressive prosecution in order to protect public safety."

ATF Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson said, "Reducing the potential for violent crime that have negative effects to the neighborhoods throughout the region was critical due to ATF partnering with our state, local and federal counterparts. The sentencing illustrates the effective partnerships with law enforcement, the private sector and the community."

"The sentencings today were the culmination of a collective effort between federal and local law enforcement that ultimately kept stolen weapons off the streets and prevented their use in future violence," said M.A. Myers, Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Field Office of the FBI. "The FBI, through strong partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement via task forces and other relationships will continue to work to ensure the safety of our communities."

On September 27, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced both men to a total of 109 months followed by 3 years supervised release.

This case was investigated by the ATF; FBI Cargo Theft Task Force; Midlothian, Illinois Police Department and the Memphis Police Department, during which all of the stolen firearms were safely and successfully recovered.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marques T. Young prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

###

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on September 30, 2019, United States Senior District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo sentenced Al Dunlap, age 29, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to 108 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, for heroin trafficking and firearms offenses.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, between November 2015 and February 2016, Dunlap was a member of a drug ring that distributed heroin and crack cocaine in the Wilkes-Barre area.  Dunlap sold narcotics on several occasions to confidential informants, and a search warrant of his residence recovered significant quantities of narcotics and several firearms.  Dunlap admitted to distributing over 100 grams of heroin, which is equivalent to approximately 4,000 potentially fatal doses of heroin, and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug dealing activities.  Dunlap also was held responsible for being a manager and supervisor of the drug ring.  As part of the sentence, Judge Caputo forfeited Dunlap’s interest in the firearms and ammunition seized from his residence.

Three other members of the drug ring previously were sentenced by Judge Caputo:

• Davon Beckford, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to time served of approximately 13 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release.  After violating the terms of his supervised release, Beckford was sentenced to an additional six months of imprisonment.
• Jaquan Henderson, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release.
• Stephanie Walter, of Sugar Notch, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to two years of probation.

Two remaining defendants, Truman Jones and Na’Deardra Mayhams, are scheduled for trial on December 9, 2019.

The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and by the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant United States Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.

The 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 Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

The case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.

# # #

WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on September 30, 2019, Ruben Esparza, an inmate formerly of the United States Penitentiary Allenwood, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Mathew W. Brann for possession of contraband.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, on June 27, 2015, Esparza was found in possession of heroin while he was an inmate at USP Allenwood. The prison sentence runs consecutively to Esparza’s present federal sentence imposed for drug trafficking. 

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur and Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Figgsganter prosecuted the case.

# # #

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – United States Attorney Lawrence Keefe for the Northern District of Florida
today announced the sentencing of Caron Griffis, 44, of Melrose, Florida, after she pleaded guilty
in U.S. District Court in Gainesville to a charge of theft of government money.

Griffis, who was employed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as a supply technician at
the Gainesville VA Medical Center, was responsible for purchasing supplies for the center from
outside vendors. Griffis’ responsibilities required that government purchase cards be issued in her
name. She was also responsible for completing internal purchase orders and reconciliation documents
for each transaction that would be charged to her VA purchase cards.
For over a year, Griffis utilized her VA-issued purchase cards to obtain unauthorized items from
retail stores, including Walmart and Office Depot, both in person and online. She also created
false reconciliation forms in the VA computer system in an attempt to justify the transactions and
avoid being caught.

In addition to receiving a sentence of one month in federal prison, five months home detention, and
two-half years supervised release, Griffis was ordered to pay restitution to the VA in the amount
of $26,456.11, to Office Depot in the amount of $6,260.47, and to Walmart in the amount of
$3,310.08.

Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the
Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG). David Spilker, Special Agent
in Charge with VA-OIG, said, "Griffis’ deceitful actions violated the public’s trust and stole from
VA’s limited resources, which are needed to care for our nation’s veterans. The Inspector General’s
Office is committed to safeguarding the integrity of VA’s procurement programs."

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.

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

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Demetrius Jackson, 43, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, was sentenced to serve 51 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Moynihan, who handled the case, stated that Jackson was arrested after police officers served a court-authorized search warrant at his residence on Wadsworth Street in Rochester, and found controlled substances and a loaded firearm. 

While searching the location, police officers found a green container with 10 small ziplock bags of cocaine in a bedroom which Jackson later admitted belonged to him.  In the same bedroom, secreted in a crawl space, officers found a Taurus .45 caliber semiautomatic handgun which was loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition. In the living room, officers found a black container with additional quantities of cocaine, heroin and marijuana.  A digital scale, typically used to weigh drugs for distribution, was located on a kitchen counter.

Jackson spoke with officers after he was arrested and admitted he was selling cocaine through a window in the residence. He said he had been selling cocaine for several weeks to earn money and acquired the handgun by exchanging cocaine for it.

The matter was brought by the United States Attorney’s Office as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative.  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.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief La’Ron Singletary, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.

# # # #

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Deyao Chen, Guichun Chen, and Liangtu Pan a/k/a Liang Pan, all of the People’s Republic of China, have been charged by indictment with the following: conspiracy to import controlled substances (one count); conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (one count); and distribution of furanyl fentanyl, U-47700, and methoxyacetyl fentanyl – all powerful synthetic opioids (62 counts). In a news conference at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Attorney McSwain addressed the charges in the indictment and highlighted broader efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and law enforcement to stem the tide of the opioid crisis.

The indictment alleges that from in or about April 2016 through on or about March 22, 2017, Deyao Chen, Guichun Chen, and Liangtu Pan operated through websites located in the People’s Republic of China and offered controlled substances for sale, including furanyl fentanyl, U-47700, and methoxyacetyl fentanyl. The defendants often used the same alias, “Alex,” when using these websites. Customers accessed these websites and selected the controlled substances they wanted to purchase, and the defendants directed the customers to different websites to pay for their orders.

Upon receipt of payment from the customers, the defendants emailed the customers’ orders to David Landis, charged elsewhere, who was a distributor residing in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and a former Montgomery County Deputy Sheriff. The defendants mailed controlled substances from China to Landis in quantities sufficient to meet the orders from their internet customers. Landis would then mail the controlled substances via the United States Postal Service to customers located throughout the United States and in numerous other countries. In less than a year, Landis mailed approximately 2,900 packages of controlled substances to customers on behalf of the defendants. Landis has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

Of the 62 distribution counts set forth in the indictment, one count alleges distribution of U-47700 to an individual which resulted in serious bodily injury. The remaining 61 distribution counts allege that the defendants distributed U-47700 and/or furanyl fentanyl to numerous individuals, including to five individuals in Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, and Tennessee who received these illegal substances and later overdosed and died with these controlled substances in their systems.

“Make no mistake: China is waging an undeclared war on our country and our American way of life, with deadly drugs serving as its weapon of choice,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “China is supplying the United States with the most potent and deadly fentanyl and other synthetic opioids on the market today. Today’s indictment is an important step in choking the flow of these deadly drugs into the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. International suppliers beware: you cannot hide behind a computer or evade our detection by drug trafficking from a far-away place. Even if you are halfway around the world, you will be held to account for your crimes.”

“This indictment sends a strong message to anyone connected anywhere in the world with production and trafficking of narcotics into the United States that Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners are going to hold you accountable,” said Marlon V. Miller, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, Philadelphia. “Whether you’re selling fentanyl on a corner in Kensington or hiding behind a keyboard in China, Homeland Security Investigations will ensure that justice will be served.”

“The indictments announced today are the result of years of exemplary policework and collaboration at all levels of law enforcement,” said Major Douglas Burig, Director of the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation. “The State Police will continue to work closely with our local, state, and federal partners to investigate and dismantle dangerous drug trafficking organizations that attempt to do business in Pennsylvania.”

“David Landis’ base of trafficking operations may have been Montgomery County, but his reach was global, spreading poison, misery and death far and wide. Because of traffickers like Landis, people are dying across the Commonwealth and across the country,” said Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele. “I am proud to partner with United States Attorney McSwain and our other state and federal partners as we work to take down these dealers, shut down these drug pipelines and get this poison out of our communities.”

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment.

This Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) designated case was supported by the Liberty Mid-Atlantic High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (LMAHIDTA) and investigated by Homeland Security and the Pennsylvania State Police, with assistance from the following law enforcement agencies: Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; United States Postal Service-Office of Inspector General; United States Secret Service; U.S. Customers and Border Protection; the Pennsylvania National Guard; Mentor-on-the-Lake Police Department, Ohio; La Vergne, Tennessee Police Department; Floyd County, Georgia Police Department; Hebron, Ohio Police Department; and the Tri-County, Illinois Drug Enforcement Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Clare Putnam Pozos and Faithe Moore Taylor, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Thompson.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

SHREVEPORT, La. – A man who robbed a Burger King shift manager at gunpoint was sentenced September 30, 2019, to spend 30 years in federal prison announced United States Attorney David C. Joseph.  Ivory Carl Myles, 30, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr., for interference with commerce by robbery and use of a firearm during a crime of violence.  Myles was also sentenced to five years of supervised release following confinement.  The defendant pleaded guilty on December 13, 2018.

On July 21, 2017, around 3:30 a.m., while Ivory Myles was working at a Bossier City, Louisiana, Burger King restaurant, he entered the safe where the shift manager was making a cash drop, turned off the lights and put a gun to her head.  He then told her to give him the money and threatened to kill her.  Myles fled the scene in a vehicle and forced the victim at gun point to leave the Burger King with him.  He made her drive while he sat in the back seat.  On the way to Houston, Texas, he had her stop the vehicle in a parking lot and he sexually assaulted her.  He then had her stop at a hotel where he sexually assaulted her again.  Myles eventually released the victim in Houston, and was later apprehended by police in Beaumont, Texas, following a high-speed chase.

During a search of the vehicle, officers recovered a Walther .22-caliber handgun loaded with 11 hollow-point bullets and one bullet in the chamber. 

The FBI and ATF investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany E. Fields and Allison D. Bushnell prosecuted the case.

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

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Robson Gustavo Morales Santos, 31, was sentenced on Monday, September 30, 2019, to 96 months in prison on child pornography charges, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Santos, who is a citizen of Guatemala residing illegally in the United States, was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release and was ordered to register as a sex offender. U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. presided over the sentencing hearing.

According to information contained in filed court documents and yesterday’s sentencing hearing, law enforcement received a cybertip that Santos was uploading child pornography to a cloud application.  A forensic analysis of Santos’ cell phone, and a subsequent search of his cloud account by law enforcement, revealed that Santos possessed more than 600 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, some of whom were prepubescent minors as young as infants.  Santos pleaded guilty on April 29, 2019, to receiving child pornography.

In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department and the FBI for their investigation of this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted 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 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.

           WASHINGTON – Robert E. Little, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to eight and a half years in prison on a charge of voluntary manslaughter in a crash that killed bicyclist, David Salovesh in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).  

           Little pled guilty on July 23, 2019, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.  The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for the eight and a half years prison sentence, which was agreed upon by the government and the defense. The Honorable Craig Iscoe accepted the plea and sentenced Lee accordingly. 

           According to the government’s evidence, the fatal crash occurred on Friday, April 19, 2019, at approximately 10:15 a.m. Uniformed MPD officers in a marked cruiser attempted to stop the van that Lee was driving earlier near the intersection of Bladensburg Road and Benning Road NE, because the van was reported stolen from Maryland the day before. When officers activated their emergency lights behind Little’s van, he fled from police, turning west onto Florida Avenue NE. For safety concerns, officers discontinued their attempt to stop the van, after realizing that the van was not going to stop.

           Continuing to flee, Lee drove at a high rate of speed west in the 1200 block of Florida Avenue NE. He ran a red light at the intersection of Florida Avenue, 12^th Street and Montello Avenue, and struck a vehicle that was driving through the intersection with the green light. The collision caused Lee’s van to be redirected, and it struck the victim, David Salovesh, who had been riding a bicycle and was stopped at the red light waiting to continue east bound on Florida Avenue. During the crash, Lee’s van dragged Mr. Salovesh’s body, struck a tree, a trash can and came to a rest, pinning Mr. Salovesh against a second tree, killing him. 

           The pursuing officers came upon the crash scene while Little was still behind the wheel of the stolen van. Lee, who was injured, was taken to a hospital and treated. His blood taken at the hospital was later analyzed and found to contain PCP. The crash data recorder of the van was downloaded and showed that the Lee was driving at speeds up to 78 miles per hour, in a 25 mile per hour zone, leading up to the crash.    

           In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of the officers and detectives who investigated the case from the Major Crash Investigations Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin, Paralegal Specialists Stephanie Siegerist and Lorce Applewhite, and Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker. 

           Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward A. O’Connell, who prosecuted the case.

CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for recruiting minors on Facebook to participate in sex acts with him and others.

BRYAN OSBORNE, 30, posed as a woman on Facebook to send thousands of messages to intended victims, most of them minors.  Osborne enticed several children to agree to appear in sexually explicit films in exchange for a purported payment of thousands of dollars.  He told the minors that they would first need to engage in sex acts with a male producer named “Trey,” purportedly so that “Trey” could make sure the minors were suitable for filming.  Several of the minors agreed to the arrangement and engaged in sex acts with “Trey,” who turned out to be Osborne. 

Osborne admitted to engaging in sex acts or attempting to engage in sex acts with 14 minor victims.  Osborne often engaged in the sex acts with the minors inside and outside of a building in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side.   He later fabricated various reasons for why the minors could not be paid.

Osborne pleaded guilty in 2017 to sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud or coercion.  U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis on Monday sentenced Osborne to 22 years in prison, to be followed by 12 years of supervised release after imprisonment, and ordered him to pay restitution of $142,481 to the victims.

The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Larry L. Lapp, acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI; Kathy A. Enstrom, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division; and Eddie Johnson, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Superintendent.  Members of FBI Chicago’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force assisted in the investigation.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Petersen.

According to evidence in the case, Osborne used various online personas to target children.  Osborne told some of the minors that they could be paid larger sums if they referred even younger children to him for participation in the purported films, including victims under the age of 12.

If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678, or log on to http://www.missingkids.com.  The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.