BEAUMONT, Texas - A 43-year-old Beaumont, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Deshawn Paul Hall, also known as Deshawn Paul Davis, was convicted at trial on Aug. 31, 2016, of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of crack cocaine and was sentenced to 155 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.

According to information presented in court, Hall was found to be distributing crack cocaine out of a home on Magnolia Street in Beaumont, Texas for over a year. During the investigation it was also revealed that Hall was a convicted felon having been previously convicted in Jefferson County, Texas of sexual assault in 1993; failure to comply with sex offender registry in 2007; and possession of a controlled substance in 2012. When detectives and officers with the police department executed a search warrant at the residence where Hall was living illegally, investigators discovered that Hall was also living with a juvenile female. Hall was also in possession of three firearms and crack cocaine on that same occasion. Hall was indicted by a federal grand jury on Sep. 5, 2015.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, aimed at reducing gun and gang violence, deterring illegal possession of guns, ammunition and body armor, and improving the safety of residents in the Eastern District of Texas. Participants in the initiative include community members and organizations as well as federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods.

Led law enforcement officials on high speed chase trying to escape

PRESS RELEASE

Indianapolis – United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today that three men were convicted in federal court on bank robbery charges after a five-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Duprece Jett 38, Indianapolis, Damion McKissick, 38, Fort Wayne and Earl Lee Walker, 38, Fort Wayne were all convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery and attempted bank robbery.

“The reign of terror for these three men is over,” said Minkler. “Those who put our citizens in harm’s way and disrupt commerce in Central Indiana will be held accountable.”

Jett and McKissick, dubbed the Rick James robbers due to their long hair and sunglasses disguise, began their conspiracy in September of 2015, with the robbery of the Advanced America Check Cashing Service in the 5600 block of Georgetown Road in Indianapolis. That incident was followed by the robberies of the Indiana Members Credit Union (IMCU) on Wesleyan Road in Indianapolis on September 19, 2015, and in Avon, Indiana on November 19, 2015.

On December 12, 2015, Jett, McKissick and Walker attempted to rob the IMCU near East 96th St and Grey Road in Carmel but law enforcement officials intervened. The trio fled, setting off a car chase that went into Hamilton, Marion and Boone counties reaching speeds in excess of 100 mph, swerving in and out of traffic and running traffic signals. The pursuit ended near the intersection of US 421 and IN 32, where all were apprehended.

Sentencing for all three is scheduled for May 2017.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley P Shepard and Peter Blackett, who both prosecuted this case for the government, all defendants could face up to 40 years’ imprisonment.

BILLINGS—David Crosby, 44, of Forsyth, was convicted of failure to register as a sex offender following a one-day jury trial.  United States District Judge Susan Watters presided over the trial.  Sentencing has been set for June 14, 2017.

A February 2016 indictment alleged that Crosby failed to register as a sex offender from in or about September 2015 until November 11, 2015.  During that same time period, Crosby committed felony offenses for assault with a weapon and sexual abuse of children, for which he was later prosecuted by the Rosebud County Attorney’s Office.  In September 2016, the Montana Sixteenth Judicial District Court, Rosebud County, sentenced Crosby to a 50-year term of imprisonment at the Montana State Prison for those offenses. 

In 2007 in Colorado, Crosby was convicted of sexual assault of a child by a person in a position of trust.  As a result, Crosby is required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.  At trial, the government introduced evidence that in May 2015, Crosby informed law enforcement in Fort Morgan, Colorado, of his intention to de-register as a sex offender in Colorado and move to New York.  In September 2015, however, Crosby’s vehicle broke down in Forsyth, Montana.  While in Forsyth, Crosby began working full-time as a welder’s helper.  He and his family also rented a home, where they lived until November 11, 2015, when Crosby was arrested by the Rosebud County Sheriff’s Office for the sexual and violent assaults, for which he was later charged and convicted.

Representatives of the Rosebud County Sheriff’s Office and the Montana Sexual Violent Offender Registry testified at trial that Crosby did not register as a sex offender at any point while living in Forsyth.  Crosby also testified at trial.  He admitted that he did not register as a sex offender while in Montana, stating instead that he believed he had 90 days in which to do so.  Under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, however, Crosby was required to register within three working days after a change in residence or employment.

The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sullivan.

Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on February 13, 2017, Ross A. Bertucci (age: 32) of New York State, was sentenced in Federal Court in Green Bay to 72 months in prison for the crime of attempted bank robbery in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a).

As a condition of the plea agreement, Bertucci acknowledged that he was responsible for attempting to rob while armed with a loaded firearm, the State Bank of Florence and Stephenson National Bank both located in the Town of Wausaukee, in Marinette County. Bertucci’s attempts were thwarted when an observant citizen notified law enforcement of Bertucci’s strange behavior and manner of dress. Workers at both banks were able to secure their entry doors just prior to Bertucci’s arrival.

While handing down his sentence, Chief United States District Judge William C. Griesbach noted Bertucci’s criminal history and his pattern of committing crimes for financial gain. Judge Griesbach called the robberies “very serious” and highlighted the lasting impact that the defendant’s actions had on his victims, several of whom addressed the court at the hearing.

The case was investigated by the Marinette County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Marinette County District Attorney. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.

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For Additional Information Contact:

Public Information Officer Dean Puschnig 414-297-1700

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Fauquier County has agreed to resolve an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance review of its polling locations to ensure that its polling locations comply with the ADA.

“Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy,” said Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Under this agreement, voters with disabilities in Fauquier County can vote at the polling place near their home and alongside their neighbors and friends.”

As part of a nation-wide Department of Justice voting rights initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office conducted an ADA compliance review of Fauquier County’s polling locations. The review revealed that many polling places in Fauquier County have architectural barriers that make them inaccessible to voters who use wheelchairs or have mobility impairments.

Pursuant to the settlement agreement, Fauquier County will make temporary and permanent changes to its polling places to make the locations accessible to voters who use wheelchairs or have mobility impairments. Fauquier County also has the option of relocating these polling locations to alternate accessible locations. Going forward, the county will only select new polling place locations that are accessible on election day. The county will also provide training to poll workers and file reports with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on its compliance.

This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Gordon, who is the Civil Rights Enforcement Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Title II of the ADA prohibits public entities from discriminating against people with disabilities in their programs, services and activities. With respect to polling places, public entities are required to select and use polling places that are accessible. To learn more about ADA requirements for polling place accessibility or about the ADA and other laws protecting the rights of voters with disabilities, visit www.ada.gov/ta-pubs-pg2.htm. For more information on the ADA and to access this publication, visit http://www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD).

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Justin Green, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), Miami Field Office, Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office, and Juan J. Perez, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), announced the arrest today of Maribel Jimenez and Magaly Del Rosario, both Miami-Dade residents, on charges contained in a twenty-count federal indictment.

According to allegations contained in the indictment:

Jimenez and Del Rosario are charged with conspiring, from 2008 through August 2015, to receive and deliver an adulterated and misbranded medical device in connection with their unlawful receipt and use of silicone smuggled into the U.S. from Colombia and eventually injected into hundreds of clients seeking augmentation of their buttocks, as well as their administration of injections of misbranded prescription drugs, including lidocaine and Botox, at Bella Beauty Spa (“Bella Beauty”), a business owned by Jimenez, located at 8360 West Flagler Street, Miami, Florida (Count 1). The defendants are also charged with conspiring to commit wire and mail fraud arising from their fraudulent misrepresentations to these same clients regarding the true nature of the substance which would be utilized in the clients’ buttocks injections and concealing the fact that the injected substance was, in fact, health-threatening silicone (Count 2). In addition, the defendants are charged with delivery for pay of a misbranded and adulterated medical device with intent to defraud and mislead (Counts 3-9). Jimenez is also charged with smuggling offenses (Counts 10-14) and false statement offenses (Counts 15-20).

Jimenez, with assistance from Del Rosario, a manager of Bella Beauty, administered deep tissue buttock injections of substantial quantities of silicone, an adulterated medical device when used and intended to be used in this manner, to hundreds of Bella Beauty clients.

The silicone which was unlawfully injected into Bella Beauty clients was clandestinely smuggled into the United States by Jimenez and co-conspirators by means of approximately 170 separate DHL air carrier shipments. To avoid the scrutiny of Customs and Border Protection, upon importation into the United States, each bottle contained false labelling stating in Spanish that the contents consisted of “Depilatory Wax” and alleged instructions on how to apply this purported rosin-based substance in a manner consistent with hair removal.

After the injections, Jimenez had been informed by a number of Bella Beauty Spa clients that they were experiencing adverse health related symptoms. Jimenez and Del Rosario failed to advise the clients that silicone had been injected into their bodies. The defendants also intentionally concealed the potential health consequences arising from the injection of silicone into their clients’ bodies.

Attorney Ferrer stated, “Criminal conduct that poses a significant health risk to the general public is of grave concern to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Federal prosecutors and our law enforcement allies are committed to disrupting illicit operations that hold themselves out to be legitimate medical facilities while endangering lives for profit. To best protect yourself, individuals who are considering body augmentation should do their due diligence to ensure that the procedures are performed by reputable persons and do not contain hazardous materials.”

“Serious harm, including death, can occur when individuals have liquid silicone or other substances injected into their buttocks to increase their size. The FDA has not approved liquid silicone or other injectable substances to increase the size of the buttocks,” said Justin D. Green, Special Agent in Charge, FDA-OCI Miami. “Our office will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who offer this hazardous procedure to the public.”

“The suspects in this investigation put their own financial enrichment well above the health and safety of the hundreds of people who trusted them,” said Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Miami. "At HSI we will continue to work with our federal, international and local law enforcement partners to put an end to this dangerous practice."

Defendants Jimenez and Del Rosario appeared in court today for their initial hearings. Jimenez is scheduled for a pre-trial detention hearing on Friday, February 17, 2017.

Individual clients of Bella Beauty Spa who have undergone buttocks injection procedures, regardless of how far in the past, are urged to contact bellabeautyinjections@fda.hhs.gov in order to receive additional information, address individual concerns, and to receive information concerning their status and rights as potential victims.

An indictment is a formal charging documents notifying the defendant of the charges. All persons charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of each of FDA, MDPD and ICE-HSI. Mr. Ferrer thanked Christopher D. Maston, Port Director for Miami International Airport, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Luis Sierra, Country Attaché HSI Andean Region, HSI International Operations, and the Colombian National Police for their assistance with the investigation. This case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter Outerbridge and Brooke Watson.

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

Julius Lorenzo George Jackson, 32, of Palm Beach County, was sentenced to eighteen months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Judge William J. Zloch for his role in a Jamaica-based fraudulent lottery scheme. Jackson previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Antonio J. Gomez, Postal Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division, and Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), made the announcement.

According to court documents, including the criminal information and factual proffer, individuals throughout the United States were contacted and falsely informed that they had won millions of dollars in a lottery. The victims were persuaded to pay bogus fees of several hundred to several thousand dollars in order to collect their purported lottery winnings. During the course of the lottery scheme, Jackson would receive money from the victims, either directly into his bank account or through a wire transfer of funds. Jackson would keep a portion of the victims’ money and would wire transfer the remaining portion to a co-conspirator in Jamaica.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of USPIS and ICE-HSI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertha R. Mitrani

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.

Roanoke, VIRGINIA – A Roanoke man, who used a peer-to-peer file sharing network that allowed others to access his images of hard core child pornography, pled guilty today in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia, Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced.

William Rhodes, a.k.a. “Billy Rhodes,” a.k.a. “BillRho,” a.k.a. “hel_yeh1,” age 26, of Roanoke, Va., pled guilty today to one count of knowingly distributing or receiving or attempting to distribute or receive child pornography.

“Mr. Rhodes made available vile images of child pornography and chatted with others who shared in his perverse interest in such material,” Acting United States Attorney Mountcastle said today. “I am thankful to the investigators in Texas and Virginia for working quickly and cooperatively in locating this defendant. I am also grateful to the prosecutors in this case for bringing this defendant to justice before he could hurt any more children through further distribution of these disturbing images.”

According to a factual statement filed today in court by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy S. Healey, on March 23, 2014, an undercover task force officer with the Federal Bureau of Investigation working in Texas, accessed a peer-to-peer file sharing network, and identified a computer with a particular IP address as a potential source of files associated with hash values previously known to belong to images of child pornography. The undercover agent successfully downloaded 1,432 images from this torrent, the vast majority of which depicted prepubescent females engaged in sexually explicit conduct and sadistic abuse, including depictions of infants and toddlers.

On September 10, 2014, an FBI task force officer working in Richmond downloaded approximately 320 images from the same torrent from a different IP address. The investigation revealed that the downloads were associated with the same Roanoke, Virginia address.

A search warrant was executed at that Roanoke residence in the early morning hours of February 2, 2015. The defendant, William Rhodes, was the adult son of the homeowners and was living at the home. He was briefly interviewed during the search and told investigators he knew why there were there, without specifically mentioning the downloading of child pornography.

A forensic examination of the defendant’s computer conducted by the Virginia State Police revealed substantial corroborating evidence that proved the defendant was the person responsible for the downloads conducted by the task force officers, including Skype chat evidence suggesting that the defendant had transferred videos from the same torrent to another individual.

The investigation of the case was conducted by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Virginia State Police and the Roanoke City Police. Assistant United States Attorney Nancy S. Healey and Jessica Urban, U.S. Department of Justice, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, are prosecuting the case for the United States.

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a St. Francis, South Dakota, man charged with Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding pled guilty and was sentenced on February 10, 2017, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno.

Ray Mcfarland, age 41, was sentenced to four days in custody, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $25.

Mcfarland was charged by criminal complaint on January 20, 2017.

The conviction stemmed from an incident that took place on January 19, 2017, when Mcfarland struck his girlfriend.

This investigation was conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.

Mcfarland was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that COLLIN FLETCHER, 52, last residing in Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, MDA and MDMA.

MDA (Methylenedioxyamphetamine) is an analogue of MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine), and they are both commonly known as “ecstasy”.

According to court documents and statements made in court, FLETCHER conspired with others to sell ecstasy to customers in Connecticut, New York and elsewhere. On October 27, 2016, and again on November 1, 2016, investigators made two controlled purchases of ecstasy from FLETCHER.

FLETCHER was arrested on November 18, 2016, after he attempted to sell approximately 10,000 capsules of ecstasy to an undercover officer. The capsules had a combined weight of approximately 923 grams of MDA.

Chief Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for May 12, 2017, at which time FLETCHER faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. FLETCHER, a citizen of Jamaica, has been detained since his arrest.

This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, which includes officers from the Bristol, Greenwich, Hamden, Milford, New Haven, Shelton, Vernon and Wilton Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Perry.

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Marty, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Sexual Abuse.

Burton Wayne Rainbow, Jr., age 34, was indicted on February 7, 2017. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica Duffy on February 10, 2017, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years and up to life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

According to the Indictment, in August 2015, Rainbow engaged in a sexual act with a juvenile female. To perpetrate the sexual assault, Rainbow placed the juvenile female in fear.

The charge is merely an accusation and Rainbow is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Yankton Sioux Tribe’s Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri is prosecuting the case.

Rainbow was ordered detained pending trial. A trial date has been set for April 18, 2017.

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that FRANK JENKINS, 23, pled guilty today before the Honorable John G. Koeltl to shooting and killing Rashaun Nicholson on or about December 28, 2014, in furtherance of a narcotics distribution conspiracy. The charges to which JENKINS pled guilty are set forth in a seven-count superseding indictment (the “Indictment”), which was filed in December 2015.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “Frank Jenkins not only supplied a large part of the New York City-to-Bennington pipeline of crack and heroin, but as part of that drug business, he shot and killed a man in lower Manhattan, just a few blocks from the Manhattan federal courthouse. Today, in that courthouse, Jenkins pled guilty to his crimes and faces a lengthy prison sentence.”

As alleged in the Superseding Indictment and in other documents previously filed in Manhattan federal court and in statements made during court proceedings:

On December 28, 2014, in connection with a narcotics trafficking offense, FRANK JENKINS shot and killed Rashaun Nicholson in the vicinity of 78 Catherine Street, New York, New York. The narcotics trafficking conspiracy in which JENKINS was a participant involved the sale of controlled substances, including crack cocaine and heroin, in Vermont and elsewhere. Specifically, between 2014 and 2015, JENKINS, together with other members of the conspiracy, obtained crack and heroin from locations in New York City, including Manhattan and the Bronx, and then transported the crack and heroin to Vermont, for distribution in and around Bennington, Vermont.

As a result of his plea, JENKINS faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, and a maximum sentence of life. JENKINS is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Koeltl on June 2, 2017, at 10:00 a.m.

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Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New York City Police Department, the United States Marshals, the Vermont State Police, and the Bennington Police Department. Mr. Bharara also thanked the United States Attorney’s Office for District of Vermont for assisting his Office at all stages of the investigation.

The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Gerber, Hadassa Waxman, Andrew Adams, and Margaret Graham are in charge of the prosecution.

CONTACT: Barbara Burns

PHONE: (716) 843-5817

FAX #: (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Waqar Ghumman, 27, and Mohsin Zamir, 31, with bank robbery, entering a bank with intent to commit a larceny, and bank larceny. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 25 years and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Adler, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, on January 8, 2016, the defendants robbed the Evans Bank located at 2800 Niagara Falls Boulevard in Tonawanda, NY. Ghumman and Zamir were aided by Nicholas Graham who drove the individuals to the bank in a 2007 Infiniti around 5:45 p.m. Graham remained in the vehicle and acted as both the lookout and the getaway driver.

During the robbery, Ghumman and Zamir were masked and wore nearly identical uniforms including dark tan jackets with hoods, dark colored baseball caps, dark colored masks, and tan pants. Once inside the bank, the defendants aimed BB guns, that appeared to be real pistols, at customers and employees telling them “get down on the ground and no one gets hurt,” “everyone wants to go home tonight,” “hands where I can see them,” and “don’t look at me.”

Following the robbery, law enforcement officers tracked Ghumman, Zamir, and Graham to the Scottish Inn Motel on Niagara Falls Boulevard. Officers found items at the motel including cash, clothing worn by the robbers, the BB guns, receipts for the purchase of the guns, and several identification cards.

Graham was detained at the motel, while Ghumman and Zamir fled. Graham was convicted and will be sentenced on April 20, 2016. Law enforcement officers continue to search for Ghumman and Zamir.

Today’s indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen and the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jerome C. Uschold.

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.

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HAMMOND- United States Attorney David A. Capp announced that Manuel Ramos, 42, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced on February 14, 2017 by District Court Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.

Ramos was sentenced to 40 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release.

According to Court filings, in May and June of 2016, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted an investigation that revealed that Ramos acquired and possessed firearms for the purpose of selling them for profit within the Northern District of Indiana.

This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath.

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ALBUQUERQUE – Guillermo Ortega, 44, of Las Cruces, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to 120 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release for his conviction on drug trafficking and firearms charges.

Guillermo Ortega and co-defendants Salvador Ortega, 36, and Steven Roman, 29, both of Las Cruces, were charged with methamphetamine trafficking offenses in a four-count indictment filed on June 18, 2014. The indictment charged Salvador Ortega and Guillermo Ortega with distributing methamphetamine on April 2, 2014; Guillermo Ortega and Roman with distributing methamphetamine on April 2, 2014; and Guillermo Ortega with distributing methamphetamine on April 2, 2014. It also charged Guillermo Ortega with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition on April 14, 2014. According to the indictment, the three men committed these crimes in Doña Ana County, N.M.

2147483647. Ortega pled guilty on Sept. 3, 2015, and admitted that on April 2, 2014, he and his co-defendants distributed 95 grams of methamphetamine to a person working with law enforcement. further admitted that on April 14, 2014, he was prohibited from being in possession of firearms or ammunition because of his status as a convicted felon.

On Jan. 21, 2016, Salvador Ortega entered a guilty plea to Count 1 of the indictment without the benefit of a plea agreement. Salvador Ortega was sentenced on Dec. 1, 2016, to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Roman pled guilty to Count 2 of the indictment on Sept. 23, 2015, and admitted distributing 57 grams of methamphetamine to a person working with law enforcement on April 2, 2014. Roman admitted that, after being contacted by an individual who wanted to purchase methamphetamine, he contacted Guillermo Ortega and arranged the deal. Roman was sentenced on May 9, 2016, to 77 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release.

This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office prosecuted the case.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Kanawha County man was sentenced today to four and a half years in federal prison and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine for his role in a California-to-West Virginia methamphetamine conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Brian Ashby, 38, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Ashby admitted that in December 2015, he received approximately five pounds of crystal methamphetamine that he acquired from a source in California. Ashby further admitted that he distributed the methamphetamine in the Charleston area. On January 11, 2016, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Ashby’s property and located over 15 grams of crystal methamphetamine. Ashby also admitted that near the end of February 2016, he traveled to Louisville to obtain 10 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and paid approximately $40,000 to an individual for the drugs. Ashby additionally admitted that he attempted to obtain another 10 pounds of crystal methamphetamine in March 2016. Law enforcement later seized $70,000 in cash from Ashby that he intended to use in that drug deal.

This prosecution is the result of a multi-agency investigation that led to an eight-count indictment implicating several defendants, some of whom have already been sentenced to prison. Velarian Sylvester Carter, of Beckley, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Daniel Ortiz-Rivera, a Mexican national, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Miguel Tafolla-Montoya, a Mexican national, was sentenced to 10 years and 11 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute more than 50 of methamphetamine. Kelly Newcomb, of Nevada, and Danielle Dessaray Estrada, of Los Angeles, were both sentenced to a year and a day in prison for interstate travel in furtherance of a drug crime. Marco Antonio Bojorquez-Rojas, a Mexican national residing in California, was sentenced to a year and a half in prison for interstate travel in furtherance of a drug crime.

Three other defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Rafael Garcia Serrato, of Los Angeles, Cesar Garcia, also of Los Angeles, and Miguel Alejandro Robles-Ibarra, a Mexican national, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.

The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Charleston Police Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is in charge of these prosecutions. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentence and is presiding over these cases.

These cases are being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of illegal drugs, including methamphetamine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of illegal drugs in communities across the Southern District.

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ALEXANDRIA, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced last week that three prisoners at the U.S. Penitentiary in Pollock pleaded guilty to the assault of an inmate that resulted in injuries requiring hospitalization.

Jason Dwight Mackenzie, 35; Robert Shipp Jr., 32; and Calvin Skelton, 42, inmates at the U.S. Penitentiary in Pollock, La., pleaded guilty Friday before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. According to the guilty plea, the defendants beat a fourth inmate on October 21, 2015. The defendants jumped and punched the victim while he was reading a newspaper in the cell block causing the victim to fall to the ground. The assailants punched and kicked him in the head, upper body and legs until they appeared winded and tired. Once a guard approached, the defendants went back to their cells. The victim was taken to the prison infirmary then to a hospital where he underwent multiple surgeries to repair severe injuries from the assault.

The defendants face a maximum of 10 years in prison, one to three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set the sentencing date for May 26, 2017.

The FBI and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael O’Mara is prosecuting the case.

MONROE, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Monroe woman pleaded guilty Monday to mail fraud for a scheme where she lied on U.S. Bankruptcy Court filings and insurance documents.

Lasandra Laverne Edwards, 54, of Monroe, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Hayes to one count of mail fraud. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks. According to the guilty plea, Edwards filed for bankruptcy in October 2013 and valued her furniture and clothing at $1,000. In November of 2013, Edwards purchased a renters’ policy that valued her assets at $100,000. Edwards’ house caught fire and burned on December 1, 2013. The defendant attended a creditors’ hearing associated with her bankruptcy case on December 10, 2013. She reaffirmed the information in the previous filings that her furniture and clothing were valued at $1,000. However, the next day on December 11, 2013, Edwards filed a claim under her insurance policy with State Farm falsely stating that her personal property was valued at $116,063.

Edwards faces up to 20 years in prison, one to three years of supervised release, restitution and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of June 1, 2017.

The U.S. Trustee’s Office – Region V, Louisiana State Police and Monroe Fire Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tennille M. Gilreath and Cytheria D. Jernigan are prosecuting the case.

LAFAYETTE, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Honduran citizen was sentenced Monday to 87 months in prison for reentering the United States and illegally possessing firearms.

Hector Alexander Cruz, 37, of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter on one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to the July 25, 2016 guilty plea, Lafayette police responded to a complaint of marijuana odor coming from a residence on University Avenue. Upon contacting the inhabitants, they found Cruz and two others inside the apartment as well as a strong odor of marijuana. After questioning them and obtaining a search warrant, police found a 9 mm pistol, a .22 caliber pistol, a .380 caliber pistol and ammunition. After further investigation, law enforcement agents determined that Cruz had been removed from the country in December of 2011 after being convicted of an aggravated felony.

United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and Lafayette Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert C. Abendroth prosecuted the case.

NEWARK, N.J. – A crack-cocaine wholesaler for the New Jersey set of the Grape Street Crips today admitted his involvement in racketeering and drug trafficking conspiracies operating in Newark, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

James S. Gutierrez, a/k/a “Bad News,” 26, of Newark, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to Count 1 and Count 18 of a sixth superseding indictment charging him with racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute crack-cocaine.

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

The New Jersey Grape Street Crips controlled drug trafficking and other criminal activities in various areas of Newark. Gutierrez and other members of the gang accepted orders for, and distributed, thousands of clips of crack-cocaine to other distributors, including other gang members.

To protect their gang and drug territory, the New Jersey Grape Street Crips operating in the area of 6th Avenue and North 5th Street in Newark used “community guns” that were easily accessible to gang members. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement agents seized numerous firearms, including a .410 caliber assault rifle, a.45 caliber Thompson semi-automatic carbine, a 7.62 caliber assault rifle, and numerous semi-automatic handguns.

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Gutierrez will be sentenced to between 10 years and 14 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for May 22, 2017.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Carl J. Kotowski in Newark, and special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, with the investigation. He also thanked prosecutors and detectives of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray; police officers and detectives of the Newark Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Director Anthony F. Ambrose; and the Essex County Sheriff’s Office under the direction of Armando B. Fontoura, for their assistance in this case.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Osmar J. Benvenuto and Barry A. Kamar of the Criminal Division in Newark.

This case was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.

Defense counsel: Edward J. Plaza Esq., Little Silver, New Jersey