SALT LAKE CITY – The lead defendant in a methamphetamine trafficking ring responsible for distributing more than 99 pounds of methamphetamine in Utah, Idaho, and other locations, will spend 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

According to documents filed in court, Tiffany Scott Spevak, age 39, of Salt Lake City,   agreed that she conspired with others from about January 2014 through October 2016, to procure methamphetamine in Arizona and California and distribute it to customers in Utah, Idaho, and other locations.

She admitted that more than 99 pounds of methamphetamine were distributed during the conspiracy period.  Spevak admitted that she directed other individuals to get the methamphetamine and to distribute it during conspiracy period. Investigators involved in the case estimate that the group distributed between 250-500 pounds of methamphetamine.

She also admitted that those involved in the conspiracy engaged in financial transactions, knowing the property involved in the financial transactions represented proceeds of unlawful activity – distribution of methamphetamine in this case – with the intent to continue the unlawful activity.

Acting on information provided by an individual arrested in Washington, special agents with U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations interviewed Spevak at her home in January 2016.  Agents found $37,000 in case during a search of her residence. A narcotics K-9 alerted on items in the home.  Agents found postal express mail envelopes and a small roll of green shrink wrap in a closet.  Spevak initially told them the materials were from 2012 and were used by her significant other, Hugo Tapia-Mendoza, who is currently incarcerated in another federal drug case.  During a later interview, Spevak told agents that after Tapia was arrested, she began to contact individuals who worked for Tapia who connected her with individuals who sold her methamphetamine.

Cases are pending for four other defendants in the case. Carlos Rafael Cota-Escalante, age 53, of Phoenix, Arizona, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering in the indictment.  He is in custody. Stephen Scott Spevak, 62, of Idaho, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and three counts of money laundering. He is on pretrial release. An arrest warrant is pending for Carlos Rafael Cota-Llanes, age 31, of Phoenix, who is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Shanna Walter, age 42, of Salt Lake County, is charged with money laundering and is on pretrial release.  (Stephen Scott Spevak is Tiffany Scott Spevak’s father.)

In a related case in Idaho, Ryan Dalley of Pocatello, Idaho, who worked with Tiffany Spevak to get methamphetamine in Los Angeles and Phoenix for distribution in Idaho and Montana, was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison in September. At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill noted he has presided over a significant share of the drug sentencings in federal court in Pocatello in the past 24 years, and he believed Dalley’s drug trafficking organization is “one of, if not the largest, drug trafficking operation in Eastern Idaho.”

Federal prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Utah are prosecuting the case.  Special agents of the DEA, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case along with the Idaho State Police.

Dozens of Minor Victims who were Being Actively Abused by Users of Site Rescued

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Jong Woo Son, 23, a South Korean national, was indicted by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia for his operation of Welcome To Video, the largest child sexual exploitation market by volume of content. The nine-count indictment was unsealed today along with a parallel civil forfeiture action. Son has also been charged and convicted in South Korea and is currently in custody serving his sentence in South Korea. An additional 337 site users residing in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington State and Washington, D.C. as well as the United Kingdom, South Korea, Germany, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the Czech Republic, Canada, Ireland, Spain, Brazil and Australia have been arrested and charged.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, Chief Don Fort of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and Acting Executive Associate Director Alysa Erichs of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.

“Darknet sites that profit from the sexual exploitation of children are among the most vile and reprehensible forms of criminal behavior,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This Administration will not allow child predators to use lawless online spaces as a shield. Today’s announcement demonstrates that the Department of Justice remains firmly committed to working closely with our partners in South Korea and around the world to rescue child victims and bring to justice the perpetrators of these abhorrent crimes.”

“Children around the world are safer because of the actions taken by U.S. and foreign law enforcement to prosecute this case and recover funds for victims,” said U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu. “We will continue to pursue such criminals on and off the darknet in the United States and abroad, to ensure they receive the punishment their terrible crimes deserve.”

“Through the sophisticated tracing of bitcoin transactions, IRS-CI special agents were able to determine the location of the Darknet server, identify the administrator of the website and ultimately track down the website server’s physical location in South Korea,” said IRS-CI Chief Don Fort. “This largescale criminal enterprise that endangered the safety of children around the world is no more. Regardless of the illicit scheme, and whether the proceeds are virtual or tangible, we will continue to work with our federal and international partners to track down these disgusting organizations and bring them to justice.”

“Children are our most vulnerable population, and crimes such as these are unthinkable,” said HSI Acting Executive Associate Director Alysa Erichs. “Sadly, advances in technology have enabled child predators to hide behind the dark web and cryptocurrency to further their criminal activity. However, today’s indictment sends a strong message to criminals that no matter how sophisticated the technology or how widespread the network, child exploitation will not be tolerated in the United States. Our entire justice system will stop at nothing to prevent these heinous crimes, safeguard our children, and bring justice to all.”

According to the indictment, on March 5, 2018, agents from the IRS-CI, HSI, National Crime Agency in the United Kingdom, and Korean National Police in South Korea arrested Son and seized the server that he used to operate a Darknet market that exclusively advertised child sexual exploitation videos available for download by members of the site. The operation resulted in the seizure of approximately eight terabytes of child sexual exploitation videos, which is one of the largest seizures of its kind. The images, which are currently being analyzed by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), contained over 250,000 unique videos, and 45 percent of the videos currently analyzed contain new images that have not been previously known to exist.

Welcome To Video offered these videos for sale using the cryptocurrency bitcoin. Typically, sites of this kind give users a forum to trade in these depictions. This Darknet website is among the first of its kind to monetize child exploitation videos using bitcoin. In fact, the site itself boasted over one million downloads of child exploitation videos by users. Each user received a unique bitcoin address when the user created an account on the website. An analysis of the server revealed that the website had more than one million bitcoin addresses, signifying that the website had capacity for at least one million users.

The agencies have shared data from the seized server with law enforcement around the world to assist in identifying and prosecuting customers of the site. This has resulted in leads sent to 38 countries and yielded arrests of 337 subjects around the world. The operation has resulted in searches of residences and businesses of approximately 92 individuals in the United States. Notably, the operation is responsible for the rescue of at least 23 minor victims residing in the United States, Spain and the United Kingdom, who were being actively abused by the users of the site.
In the Washington, D.C.-metropolitan area, the operation has led to the execution of five search warrants and eight arrests of individuals who both conspired with the administrator of the site and were themselves, users of the website. Two users of the Darknet market committed suicide subsequent to the execution of search warrants.

Among the sites users charged are:

• Andrew C. Chu, 28, of Garwood, New Jersey, was arrested and charged with receipt of child pornography. Those charges remain pending;
• Nader Hamdi Ahmed, 29 of Jersey City, New Jersey, was arrested in the District of New Jersey, for sexual exploitation or other abuse of children. Ahmed pleaded guilty to an information charging him with one count of distribution of child pornography. He was sentenced Oct. 1, 2019, to 78 months in prison;
• Charles Wunderlich, 34, of Hot Springs, California, was charged in the District of Columbia with conspiracy to distribute child pornography;
• Brian James LaPrath, 34, of San Diego, California, was arrested in the District of Columbia, for international money laundering; and was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release;
• Ernest Wagner, 70, of Federal Way, Washington, was arrested and charged in the District of Columbia with conspiracy to distribute child pornography;
• Vincent Galarzo, 28, of Glendale, New York, was arrested and charged in the District of Columbia with conspiracy to distribute child pornography;
• Michael Ezeagbor, 22, of Pflugerville, Texas, was arrested and charged in the District of Columbia with conspiracy to distribute child pornography;
• Nicholas Stengel, 45, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography and money laundering and was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release;
• Eryk Mark Chamberlin, 25, of Worcester, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and is pending sentencing;
• Jairo Flores, 30, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in the District of Massachusetts to receipt and possession of child pornography and was sentenced to serve five years in prison followed by five years of supervised release;
• Billy Penaloza, 29, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in the District of Massachusetts to possession and receipt of child pornography. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 22, 2019;
• Michael Armstrong, 35, of Randolph, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in the District of Massachusetts, to receipt and possession of child pornography. He was sentenced to serve five years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Restitution will be determined at a future date;
• Al Ramadhanu Soedomo, 28, of Lynn, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and was sentenced in the District of Massachusetts (Boston), to serve 12 months and one day followed by five years of supervised release;
• Phillip Sungmin Hong, 24, of Sharon, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in the District of Massachusetts (Boston), to receipt and possession of child pornography and is pending sentencing;
• Eliseo Arteaga Jr., 28, of Mesquite, Texas, pleaded guilty in the Northern District of Texas to possession of prepubescent child pornography. He is pending sentencing;
• Richard Nikolai Gratkowski, 40, of San Antonio, Texas, a former HSI special agent, was arrested in the Western District of Texas. Gratkowski pleaded guilty to the indictment charging one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of access with intent to view child pornography. Gratkowski was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $35,000 in restitution to seven victims and a $10,000 assessment;
• Paul Casey Whipple, 35, of Hondo, Texas, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent, was arrested in the Western District of Texas, on charges of sexual exploitation of children/minors, production, distribution, and possession of child pornography. Whipple remains in custody awaiting trial in San Antonio;
• Michael Lawson, 36, of Midland, Georgia, was arrested in the Middle District of Georgia on charges of attempted sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography. He was sentenced to serve 121 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release following his plea to a superseding information charging him with one count of receipt of child pornography;
• Kevin Christopher Eagan, 39, of Brookhaven, Georgia, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in the Northern District of Georgia;
• Casey Santioius Head, 37, of Griffin, Georgia, was indicted in the Northern District of Georgia for distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography;
• Jeffrey Lee Harris, 32, of Pickens, South Carolina, pleaded guilty in the District of South Carolina for producing, distributing, and possessing child pornography;
• Laine Ormand Clark Jr., 27, of Conway, South Carolina, was arrested and charged in U.S. District Court in South Carolina Division for sexual possession of child pornography;
• Jack R. Dove III, 38, of Lakeland, Florida, was arrested in the Middle District of Florida for knowingly receiving and possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct;
• Michael Matthew White, 39, of Miami Beach, Florida, was arrested in the Southern District of Florida for coercion and enticement;
• Nikolas Bennion Bradshaw, 24, of Bountiful, Utah, was arrested in the State of Utah, and charged with five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, and was sentenced to time served with 91 days in jail followed by probation;
• Michael Don Gibbs, 37, of Holladay, Utah, was charged in the District of Utah with receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography;
• Ammar Atef H. Alahdali, 22, of Arlington, Virginia, pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Virginia to receipt of child pornography and was sentenced to serve five years in prison and ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution;
• Mark Lindsay Rohrer, 38, of West Hartford, Connecticut, pleaded guilty in the District of Connecticut to receipt of child pornography and was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release;
• Eugene Edward Jung, 47, of San Francisco, California, was indicted in the Northern District of California on possession of child pornography and receipt of child pornography;
• James Daosaeng, 25, of Springdale, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and was sentenced in the Western District of Arkansas (Fayetteville) to serve 97 months in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release;
• Alex Daniel Paxton, 30, of Columbus, Ohio, was arrested and indicted in Franklin County Ohio Court of Common Pleas for pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor;
• Don Edward Pannell, 32, of Harvey, Louisiana, pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Louisiana for receipt of child pornography. He is pending sentencing;
• Ryan Thomas Carver, 29, of Huntsville, Alabama, was arrested and charged under Alabama State Law. He was charged federally in the Northern District of Alabama with possession of child pornography. His case is pending in Huntsville, Alabama;
• Andrew Buckley, 28, of the United Kingdom, pleaded guilty to 10 offences in the UK of possession and distribution of indecent images of children, possession of extreme and prohibited images and possession of a class A drug. He was sentenced to serve 40 months in prison for the distribution of indecent images and possession of class A drugs. Buckley is also subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order;
• Kyle Fox, 26, of the United Kingdom, pleaded guilty to 22 counts including rape, sexual assault, and sharing indecent images, and was sentenced to serve 22 years in prison; and
• Mohammed Almaker, 26, of Fort Collins, Colorado, was arrested in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), charged with KSA Law involving the endangerment of children. He is awaiting judicial proceedings in furtherance of criminal charges.

A forfeiture complaint was also unsealed today. The complaint alleges that law enforcement was able to trace payments of bitcoin to the Darknet site by following the flow of funds on the blockchain. The virtual currency accounts identified in the complaint were allegedly used by 24 individuals in five countries to fund the website and promote the exploitation of children. The forfeiture complaint seeks to recover these funds and, ultimately through the restoration process, return the illicit funds to victims of the crime.

The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The international investigations were led by the IRS-CI, HSI and the NCA. The Korean National Police of the Republic of Korea, the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom and the German Federal Criminal Police (the Bundeskriminalamt), provided assistance and coordinated with their parallel investigations. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs of the Criminal Division provided significant assistance.

The cases are being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zia M. Faruqui, Lindsay Suttenberg, and Youli Lee, Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers and Diane Brashears, Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick, and Records Examiner Chad Byron of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney C. Alden Pelker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. Additional assistance has been provided by Deputy Chief Keith Becker and Trial Attorney James E. Burke IV of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and former U.S. Attorney’s Office Paralegal Specialists Toni Anne Donato and Ty Eaton.

Gulfport, Miss. – David Quevedo Martinez, 40, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola to life in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley with the Drug Enforcement Administration.   Martinez was also ordered to pay a $15,000 fine.

“This defendant rightfully deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison for the innocent lives he has damaged or destroyed. I applaud the hard work of our law enforcement partners and our prosecutors, ensuring that this criminal will no longer threaten our people or the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  Because of their diligence and courageous actions, our kids and communities are safer today,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst.

On June 26, 2019, Martinez was found guilty by a jury in federal court of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Judge Guirola presided over the three-day trial.

Trial testimony revealed that Martinez sold numerous kilograms of methamphetamine to co-conspirators in Houston, Texas. Those co-conspirators brought the methamphetamine back to the Mississippi Gulf Coast and distributed it throughout Gulfport and Moss Point.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pasadena, Texas, Police Department.  It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk and John Meynardie. 

FRANKFORT, Ky. –Adlie Penman, 40, of Lexington, Kentucky, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison on Wednesday, by United States District Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove, after pleading guilty to one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

On November 19, 2018, officers with the Lexington Police Department responded to a residential noise complaint. While at the scene, officers observed Penman emerge from a tree line next door. Upon seeing police, Penman immediately tossed a loaded .22 caliber pistol, which was later recovered. Penman was a convicted felon, with multiple prior felony convictions including burglary and drug trafficking.

Under federal law, Penman must serve 85 percent of his 72 month sentence. Upon completion of his sentence, he will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for a period of three years.

Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Tommy Estevan, Acting Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Lawrence Weathers, Chief of Police, Lexington Police Department, jointly made the announcement.

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 –

DAYTON – The owner of a Springfield gun store whose falsified records showed he was selling guns to a deceased individual was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 18 months in prison.

James A. Mayhugh, Jr., 61, of Springfield, Ohio, falsified firearms sales records for more than 200 gun sales. Mayhugh lied in his records concerning the identity of the purchaser and then actually sold the firearms to unknown individuals on the black market. A least two of the 248 weapons were later discovered by law enforcement officers out of state while executing search warrants.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice.

Mayhugh owned and operated Jim’s Sports in Springfield. According to court documents, ATF Industry Operation Investigators (IOI) noticed unusual trends in Mayhugh’s sales records. Identical firearm sales to an identical group of individuals had been recorded between 2008 and 2018. Also, while federal law required the purported purchaser to personally complete and sign forms before acquiring a firearm, each document instead bore Mayhugh’s handwriting.

While further reviewing Mayhugh’s records, ATF IOIs discovered one customer had died in 2014, even though Mauhugh’s records reflected gun purchases as recently as early 2018. Other customers had actually purchased from Mayhugh on one occasion 15 to 20 years ago, but records showed repeated buys in recent years.

Subsequent to a court-authorized search, agents discovered documents reflecting more than 200 firearm sales to fictitious customers.

Mayhugh pleaded guilty in May to willfully violating federal requirements to provide the name, age and address of firearms purchasers.

Mayhugh also agreed to surrender his federal firearms license and no longer operates a business.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by ATF and Assistant United States Attorney Brent G. Tabacchi, who is representing the United States in this case.

# # #

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The lead defendant in a racketeering conspiracy involving five murders was sentenced in U.S. District Court here today.

Martin Neftali Aguilar-Rivera (a/k/a Momia), 34, of Columbus, was sentenced to life in prison by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. for conspiring to commit racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering. Aguilar-Rivera accepted responsibility in July for participating in five murders.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Todd A. Wickerham, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Rebecca Adducci, Detroit Field Office Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations, Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Interim Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced the sentence imposed this afternoon.

“This defendant’s ties to MS-13 in the Southern District of Ohio stretch back to the mid-2000s,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “From 2015 to the date of his arrest in August 2017, he was the unquestioned leader of the Columbus clique of MS-13. Under Aguilar-Rivera’s leadership, MS-13 members in Columbus became more organized, more violent, and more ruthless. He deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison.”

In February 2018, 23 individuals were charged in a second superseding indictment and alleged to be members and associates of MS-13 in Columbus.

The defendants are charged in a racketeering conspiracy, which includes five murders as well as attempted murder, extortion, money laundering, drug trafficking, assault, obstruction of justice, witness intimidation, weapons offenses and immigration-related violations.

The second superseding indictment alleges that the defendants committed a host of overt acts in furtherance of the conspiracy, including: 1) the December 2006 murder of Jose Mendez, a suspected confidential informant, in Perry County; 2) the November 2008 murder of Ramon Ramos on Lockbourne Road in Columbus; 3) the mid-2015 murder of Carlos Serrano-Ramos, a suspected rival gang member, near Innis Road in Columbus; 4) the November 2015 murder of Wilson Villeda near Innis Road in Columbus; and 5) the December 2016 murder of Salvador Martinez-Diaz, a suspected rival gang member, on Melroy Avenue in Columbus.

The murders sometimes involved defendants using weapons like machetes, knives and hammers to attack and beat their victims to death. In two of the charged murders, the victims were stabbed and slashed with bladed weapons before being buried in a nearby park.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, ICE, Columbus Division of Police and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the assistance of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Brian J. Martinez and Jessica H. Kim, who are prosecuting the case.

# # #

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Alabama man pleaded guilty in federal court today to enticing a 16-year-old victim, whom he met through the “Game of War” application on her cell phone, to engage in illegal sexual activity.

James Reece Vance, 46, of Madison, Ala., pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips.

The investigation began when the child victim’s father discovered emails between Vance and his daughter. The emails, from March 7 through May 8, 2017, contained numerous exchanges where she and Vance discussed getting together, having sexual intercourse, and future plans to get married. The child victim told investigators she met Vance through the “Game of War” application on her cell phone. Vance drove to Kansas City twice during April 2017 to meet the child victim for sex.

Under federal statutes, Vance is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

Portland, Maine:  A Lewiston woman was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for conspiring to manufacture marijuana, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Stephanie Beck,41, to 60 days in prison and three years of supervised release. Beck pleaded guilty on April 8, 2019.

According to court records, Beck was licensed by the State of Maine Department of Professional & Financial Regulation as a Certified Clinical Supervisor and an Alcohol and Drug Counselor.  Between December 1, 2017, and February 27, 2018, she provided patient names (including the names of MaineCare recipients) to a nurse practitioner, who in turn created fraudulent medical marijuana certifications. These certifications allowed a marijuana trafficking conspiracy to illegally cultivate marijuana plants under the cover of the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Program.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the Healthcare Crimes Unit of the Maine Office of Attorney General; and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case.

Seattle – U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran announced Department of Justice grants for four organizations in Western Washington who are working to rescue and support victims of human trafficking.  The organizations work with young people and one has a special focus on Native American victims.

“I’m pleased that the Seattle Indian Health Board received funding under DOJ’s Project Beacon – designed to increase services for Native Americans living in urban areas,” said U.S. Attorney Moran.  “As we work to address the problem of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, developing services and informing the community about the scourge of sex trafficking is critically important.”

The Seattle Indian Health Board received a $450,000 grant to build a referral network for sex trafficking victims, to educate the public and to train providers about culturally appropriate treatment for Native victims of sex trafficking.

YouthCare in Seattle received a $571,307 grant to support victims of human trafficking.   YouthCare works with homeless, street-involved and sexually exploited youth ages 12-24. These funds are to provide case management, training and coordination among a variety of organizations serving young people.

Real Escape from the Sex Trade in Seattle’s Rainier Valley will receive a $500,000 grant to launch the Economic Leadership and Empowerment Academy to provide training in a job readiness program.  The program will be designed specifically for victims of sex trafficking, providing internships and employment placement as well as monthly leadership development workshops.

In Everett, Cocoon House received a $500,000 grant.  The grant will expand services for Snohomish County trafficking victims under age 18.  The organization plans to add a Human Trafficking Advocate and Program Coordinator so that it can provide services to at least 100 trafficked or at-risk youth.

For additional information on individual grants, please contact the recipient organizations.

Bangor, Maine:  A Rochester, New York man was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for conspiring to distribute cocaine base, heroin and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Jamie Betances, a/k/a “Booger,” 33, to 126 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Betances pleaded guilty on October 16, 2018.

According to court records, between June 2015 and March 2017, Betances conspired with others to acquire crack, heroin and fentanyl in Rochester and transport it to central Maine for distribution. Betances traveled from Rochester to manage the Maine operation, overseeing distribution of drugs from 12 to 15 area “trap houses.”

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, with assistance provided by the Augusta Police Department. This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine.

Alfredo Soto-Contreras, also known as “Antonio,” 35, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to use firearms during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime.

This investigation into a conspiracy to traffic large quantities of methamphetamine ended on Dec. 18, 2018, when four co-conspirators were arrested in possession of approximately 25 pounds of methamphetamine during an undercover operation. Conspirators sold (or attempted to sell) a total of approximately 13 kilograms of methamphetamine to an undercover agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Conspirators also sold eight firearms to the undercover agent, including several that had been reported as stolen.

Soto-Contreras is the third defendant to plead guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy, which lasted from May 2018 to Dec. 18, 2018.

Under federal statutes, Soto-Contreras is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Samuel Lopez-Lopez (29, Atlanta) to 24 months in federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States after previously being deported. Lopez-Lopez had pleaded guilty on July 2, 2019. 

According to the facts described in court, on February 18, 2019, Lopez-Lopez was convicted of battery on a law enforcement officer and grand theft in Columbia County. The charges arose out of an incident at a hotel in Lake City that had occurred on December 28, 2018. After Lopez-Lopez was booked on the charges, immigration agents ran his fingerprints and found that he was a citizen of Honduras who was illegally present in the United States. Lopez-Lopez also had been previously deported from the United States three times.

Lopez-Lopez had previous convictions for domestic battery, use of a controlled substance, transportation of a controlled substance, and possession of a controlled substance. After Lopez-Lopez serves his prison sentence, he will be deported from the United States.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.

Jacksonville, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has sentenced Lepoleon Spikes (47, Jacksonville) to 21 months in federal prison for wire fraud involving fraudulently obtained FEMA benefits. Spikes was immediately remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. The court also ordered Spikes to pay $57,689.19 in restitution to the United States.

According to court documents, in February 2018, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG) received an allegation that Spikes had provided false information to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in order to receive disaster assistance. Upon receipt of the allegation, DHS-OIG determined that Spikes had submitted applications to receive disaster assistance from FEMA involving Tropical Storm Debby, Hurricane Matthew, and Hurricane Irma. A review by DHS-OIG determined that, in each of the applications submitted to FEMA for disaster assistance, Spikes falsely claimed that his primary residence in Jacksonville was damaged due to a storm. Spikes claimed that, due to the storm damage, he had to relocate and was in need of disaster assistance. Based on his applications for disaster assistance, Spikes fraudulently obtained $57,689.19 from FEMA.

This case is part of the United States Attorney’s Disaster Fraud Task Force, which was announced in September 2017. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.

Members of the public who suspect fraud, waste, abuse, or allegations of mismanagement involving disaster relief operations, or believe they have been the victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, should contact the National Disaster Fraud Hotline toll free at (866) 720-5721. A live operator 24 hours a day, 7 days a week staffs the telephone line. You can also fax information to the Center at (225) 334-4707, or email it to disaster@leo.gov. You may also visit www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl.

BIRMINGHAM – To close the 2019 Fiscal Year, the United States Department of Justice awarded twenty grants, amounting to nearly seven million dollars to support public safety and crime fighting initiatives throughout the Northern District of Alabama, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town. Nine north Alabama counties (Calhoun, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lauderdale, Madison, St. Clair, and Tuscaloosa) will receive funding to enhance public safety services through various Department of Justice grants.

“The Department of Justice has again demonstrated its commitment to Alabama by providing much needed resources to local law enforcement and community partners in order to fight crime, reduce recidivism, and support the recovery of victims of crime,” Town said. “The harm that violent and drug crimes cause our communities, both urban and rural, is profound. This support will assist our local partners in remedying some of that damage by delivering justice to both victims and perpetrators.”

Eight cities (Anniston, Bessemer, Birmingham, Decatur, Florence, Gadsden, Huntsville, and Tuscaloosa) alongside DeKalb and St. Clair counties are receiving funding through the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program. Under the JAG program, the cities will receive a total amount of $1,534,680 to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based for their own state and local needs and conditions.  JAG funds will be used to support all components of the criminal justice system, from multi-jurisdictional drug and gang task forces, to crime prevention and domestic violence programs, courts, corrections, treatment, justice information enforcement, and programs aimed at reducing crime and/or enhancing public/officer safety.

The Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office is receiving funding through the Office of Justice of Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance and BJA’s National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) grant program. Under the SAKI grant, the District Attorney’s Office will receive $876,804 to support the Department’s criminal justice priorities of reducing violent crime and supporting law enforcement officers and prosecutors by providing jurisdictions with resources to address sexual assault kits (SAKs) in their custody that have not been submitted to a forensic laboratory for testing with Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)-eligible DNA methodologies, and improving investigation and prosecution in connection with evidence and cases resulting from the testing process.  The program also provides sites with resources to collect DNA samples from qualifying individuals who should have a sample in CODIS, but from whom a sample has never been collected or submitted to a laboratory for testing. In addition, SAKI will provide investigators with assistance on how to effectively question subjects, which could provide stronger investigative leads and build stronger prosecutorial cases, which in turn could help solve more crimes.

The Link of Cullman County, Inc. (The Link) is receiving funding through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance and Community-Based Adult Reentry with Small or Rural Organizations Program.  Under the Community Based Adult Reentry Grant, The Link will receive $500,000.  The Link will use these funds to provide a comprehensive approach to adult reentry to identify transitional needs of the offender by providing case management, cognitive intervention, and follow-up measures.

City of Birmingham Police Department (BPD) is receiving funding through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Body Warn Camera Program.  Under the Body Warn Camera Program, Birmingham Police Department will receive $276,000 to support the implementation of body-worn cameras.  The intent of the program is to help BPD develop, implement, and assess the body warn camera as an additional tool in  their comprehensive problem-solving approach to leverage the evidentiary value of  digital footage; enhance officer and citizen safety, promote mutual trust and civility between officers and the public; and build community trust.

All of these grant monies are in addition to the Project Safe Neighborhoods programs currently underway across the Northern District, along with the DOJ  funding, training, and technical assistance already being provided through the National Public Safety Partnership in the Cities of Birmingham, Anniston, and Oxford.

Announced last week, the Department of Justice awarded the National Children’s Advocacy Center three grants totaling $2,734,498.

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Bonnie Jo Korzun, of Granville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 77 months incarceration for her involvement in a drug distribution operation, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Korzun, age 39, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Heroin” in April 2019. Korzun admitted to selling heroin in Monongalia County in May 2018.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. 

Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Garrett Michael Carrigan, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 18 months incarceration for escaping federal custody, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Carrigan, age 33, pled guilty to one count of “Escape from Constructive Custody” in September 2019. Carrigan, who was incarcerated for a previous child pornography case in the Northern District of West Virginia, escaped when traveling from a federal institution to a residential reentry center in Clarksburg in February 2019.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The United States Marshals Service investigated.

Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Tyler Oliver, of St. Louisville, Ohio, has admitted to a drug distribution charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Oliver, age 33, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute 3,4-Dichloro-N-[2-(dimethylamino) cyclohexyl]-Nmethylbenzamide (“U47700”).” Oliver admitted to working with another to distribute “U47700,” a synthetic opioid, from June 2016 to December 2016 in Ohio County and elsewhere.

Oliver faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Vogrin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – David M. Metz, of New Martinsville, West Virginia, has admitted to maintaining a house to sell drugs, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Metz, age 44, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Maintaining of a Drug-Involved Premises.” Metz admitted to having a house on Veteran’s Highway in New Martinsville for the purpose of distributing and using methamphetamine from July 2018 to June 2019.

Metz faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $500,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the West Virginia State Police investigated.

Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.

Bangor, Maine:  A Newport man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Bangor to stealing a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, Adam Shawley, 33, entered the shop of a licensed dealer in Newport, went behind the counter, and stole at least one firearm. The dealer later received both text messages and phone calls from Shawley acknowledging that he had stolen firearms from the shop.

Shawley faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The Newport Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.

 A federal grand jury returned an indictment in early October charging a Tulsa woman with stealing mail and destroying post office boxes at a U.S. Post Office station located in south Tulsa, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. The indictment was unsealed today after Hillary Victoria Ginn, 42, was arrested by U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspectors and she made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court.

Ginn allegedly stole mail or attempted to steal mail from mailboxes located in the Tulsa, Oklahoma, Sheridan Station on six different occasions from Aug. 18, 2019, through Sept. 22, 2019. Ginn is charged with six counts of Theft of Mail and Attempted Theft of Mail and six counts of Destruction of Letter Boxes and Mail.

“Maintaining the integrity of the mail is vital to commerce and communication throughout our country and beyond its borders,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Mail theft is often the first step in other serious crimes such as identity theft and fraud. These white collar crimes can be financially ruinous for victims. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Attorney’s Office will always partner up to stop mail thieves.”

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Fort Worth Division Inspector in Charge Thomas Noyes said, “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting our employees, customers and the U.S. Mail.  The public depends on the sanctity of the mail, and theft of that mail is an attack on the trust the American public has placed in the mail system. Postal Inspectors investigate all reports of mail theft to identify and hold accountable those responsible.  We value our partnerships with our local law enforcement partners in the Tulsa area and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

The Tulsa Police Department and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph F. Wilson is prosecuting the case.

An Indictment is a formal statement of charges or alleged violations of law. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.