United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on March 7, 2017, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Grede, LLC, and Grede II, LLC (also known as Grede Wisconsin Subsidiaries, LLC), the corporate owners and operators of the former Grede Foundry in Berlin, Wisconsin. Also charged were Peter J. Mark (age: 53) of Ixonia, Wisconsin, the corporate safety and environmental director; and Steven G. O’Connell (age: 51) and Christy L. McNamee (age: 40), both of Zanesville, Ohio, who were formerly employed at the now shuttered facility.

The seven-count indictment alleges charges of conspiracy, obstruction of a federal investigation, the making of false statements, violations of the federal Clean Air Act and negligent endangerment.

According to the indictment, in January of 2012, workers at the foundry were ordered to assist in the refurbishment of a heat-treat oven which contained dangerous amounts of chrysotile asbestos. Proper asbestos abatement procedures were not implemented by the corporation or its managers. Workers were provided with inadequate safety equipment and were not told that the material they were removing contained asbestos. This contaminated material was then hauled away to a landfill by unsuspecting trash collectors.

The indictment further alleges that Mark, O’Connell, McNamee, and the corporate defendants conspired to obstruct state and federal investigators during subsequent inquiries into the presence of asbestos during the refurbishment of the oven.

If convicted of these offenses, Mark, O’Connell, and McNamee face maximum penalties ranging from 11 to 41 years imprisonment and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. The corporate defendants face millions of dollars in criminal penalties.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Warden’s Service.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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For Additional Information Contact:

Public Information Officer Dean Puschnig 414-297-1700

CHICAGO — Two convicted felons from the Chicago area were sentenced to federal prison terms today for illegally possessing semiautomatic weapons.

THADDEUS JIMENEZ, 38, of Des Plaines, was sentenced to nine years and two months for illegally possessing a loaded .380-caliber semiautomatic pistol. Jimenez admitted in a plea agreement that he used the gun to shoot a man once in each leg. The shooting occurred on Aug. 17, 2015, in the 3500 block of West Belle Plaine Avenue in the Irving Park neighborhood of Chicago.

At the time of the shooting Jimenez was sitting in the driver’s seat of his Mercedes convertible, and in the passenger seat was JOSE ROMAN, 24, of Chicago. Roman was armed with a loaded .22-caliber semiautomatic rifle. After the shooting Jimenez and Roman sped off, but Chicago Police officers apprehended them nearby. The wounded man survived.

Roman was sentenced to seven years and one month for illegally possessing the rifle. Both Jimenez and Roman had previously been convicted of a felony.

U.S. District Judge Harry D. Leinenweber imposed the sentences in federal court in Chicago.

The sentencings were announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Celinez Nunez, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Michael J. Anderson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Eddie Johnson, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office provided valuable assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Malizia and Michelle Petersen.

Gulfport, Miss – Philip Joseph Spear, age 59, of Ocean Springs, entered a guilty plea in U.S. District Court today to a criminal information charging him with production, transportation, distribution and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze.

Spear was charged after a federal search warrant was executed at his residence in Ocean Springs and numerous electronic devices including computers, a camera and hard drives were seized. A forensic examination revealed numerous images and videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

Today, Spear pled guilty to two counts of production of child pornography, one count of production of child pornography by a person who has custody of a minor, one count of transportation of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He will be sentenced on June 7, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. before Chief U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. The maximum penalties for the crimes charged are as follows:

Production of child pornography - 30 years and a $250,000 fine on each count;

Production of child pornography by a person who has custody of a minor – 30 years and a $250,000 fine;

Transportation of child pornography - 30 years and a $250,000 fine;

Distribution of child pornography 20 years and a $250,000 fine; and

Possession of child pornography- 20 years and a $250,000 fine.

This case was investigated by the FBI Jackson Division’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which is made up of agents from the FBI and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and prosecutors from the United States Attorney’s Offices in Oxford and Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones is prosecuting the case for the government.

The defendants and the sentences imposed in this investigation so far are:

1. Andy Nelson, 32, Merrill, sentenced December 7, 2016 to 4.5 years;

2. Karen Zais, 49, Merrill, sentenced November 29, 2016 to 6 years;

3. Anthony Rogers, 24, Athens, sentenced March 7, 2017 to 13.5 years;

4. Joe Kujawa, 37, Oakdale, Minn., sentenced March 3, 2017 to 18 years;

5. Kyle Quintana, 24, Wausau, sentenced March 6, 2017 to 13 years;

6. Jacob Loose, 25, Wausau, sentenced January 9, 2017 to 15 years;

7. Pat Keenan, 30, Wausau, sentenced March 8, 2017 to 15 years;

8. Jamie Pankow, 33, Wausau, sentenced February 10, 2017 to 7 years;

9. Paul Rasmussen, 35, Osseo, sentenced January 10, 2017 to 15 years;

10. Chris Schmeltzer, 46, Merrill, sentenced February 9, 2017 to 6 years;

11. David Brandenburg, 26, sentenced February 24, 2017 to 9 years;

12. Matt Drake, 26, Merrill, sentenced February 8, 2017 to 12 years;

13. Ryan Thomas, 24, Wausau, sentenced February 9, 2017 to 12.5 years;

14. Jonas Ellwart, 24, Wausau, scheduled to be sentenced April 12;

15. Danny Graap, 50, Merrill, scheduled to be sentenced April 24;

16. Josh Graap, 32, Merrill, scheduled to be sentenced April 12;

17. Christina Abbott, 34, Merrill, scheduled to be sentenced May 10;

18. David Vance-Bryan, 30, St. Paul, Minn., sentenced February 16, 2017 to 11.5 years; and

19. Mike Kjonaas, 41, St. Paul, scheduled to be sentenced April 27.

This was the second federal felony drug conviction for methamphetamine distribution for Joe Kujawa, Paul Rasmussen, and Chris Schmeltzer.

All 19 defendants pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge and were sentenced before U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson in Madison. At the respective sentencing hearings, Judge Peterson repeated some common themes.

First, even though all of the defendants were drug addicts, Judge Peterson noted that their addictions did not “alleviate them from responsibility” for their crimes. The Judge explained that methamphetamine addiction did not take away their ability to choose to become drug dealers, and they all chose to become high-level wholesalers and dealers of large amounts of methamphetamine for profit.

Second, Judge Peterson stressed that the sentences were designed, in part, to send a message to the communities impacted by this crime. Judge Peterson explicitly stated that these defendants “did a horrible thing” and “inflicted serious damage” on these communities; that it was “nothing short of a plague that took advantage of people who were addicts;” and that these defendants “took advantage of other people’s diseases” to make a profit. Judge Peterson said that his sentences were intended to reflect “the sense of outrage and condemnation” for the harm caused to the affected communities.

In sentencing Jacob Loose on January 9, Judge Peterson commented that Loose was a “dangerous person who is capable of violence and I don’t see this getting better.” The Judge added, “This is a crime with a very, very dangerous drug. You are a different category of offender. You dealt vast quantities that were spread over a large part of Wisconsin. You played a significant role in a big deal drug conspiracy.”

In sentencing Chris Schmeltzer on February 9, Judge Peterson told Schmeltzer he needed to impose the 72-month sentence because, “I have to protect the public and provide adequate punishment. You are not evil, but I want everyone to know the court takes this crime seriously and it will punish everyone involved. The community should know you did not get the mandatory minimum. You are a repeat offender and you did this while you were on supervision.”

In sentencing Joe Kujawa on March 3, Judge Peterson told Kujawa he was responsible for distributing over 58 kilograms of methamphetamine, which translated to 2.3 million individual doses. The judge noted there were only 166,000 people living in Lincoln and Marathon counties combined, and that Kujawa’s actions had an enormous impact because of his marketing plan in those communities. The judge found that Kujawa took “the meth market to a new level in Lincoln County and Merrill.”

In sentencing Anthony Rogers on March 7, Judge Peterson stated that Rogers “stepped up to the big leagues in drug dealing,” and that Rogers “made a difference by flooding the meth market with cheap meth.” The judge also told Rogers “you were good at it and you had a big impact on others.”

Finally, in sentencing Patrick Keenan on March 8, Judge Peterson told Keenan that Keenan’s “code of silence” by not “snitching” on his co-defendants, and by having them listen to the song “Duck Tape” was part of a “perverted and destructive ideology.” The judge noted that such conduct allows criminal acts to continue and “the idea this is somehow honorable is incorrect.” Judge Peterson also explained to Keenan that Keenan was not there because of the prosecutor, or the police, or the pharmaceutical industry, but because of what Keenan did. The judge said, “You stepped up and embraced the role of being a drug dealer. You are being punished because of that. You made addicts worse in your community. You degraded that community by flooding the market with cheap meth.”

The charges against these defendants are the result of an investigation conducted by the Wausau office of the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation; the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office; the Wausau office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Marathon County Sheriff’s Department, Special Investigations Unit; the Wausau Police Department; and IRS Criminal Investigation. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Graber.

COEUR D'ALENE – Kyle Eugene Goddard, 28, of Plummer, Idaho, was sentenced yesterday in United States District Court to 15 months in prison followed by three years supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael Gonzalez announced. Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Goddard to pay $900 in restitution. Goddard pleaded guilty to theft of firearms and possession of stolen firearms on November 16, 2016.

According to Goddard’s admissions at the plea hearing, on July 23, 2016, Goddard stole two firearms, a Taurus 709 Slim 9mm and a Springfield Armory XD 40, from Bargain Barn, a local business in Plummer, Idaho.

The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The case was prosecuted as part of Idaho’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Program, which seeks to reduce gun violence in Idaho.

PROVIDENCE – Former Rhode Island House Finance Chairman Raymond E. Gallison, Jr., 64, of Bristol, R.I., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Providence to federal mail fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and tax charges, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin.

Appearing before U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith, Gallison admitted to orchestrating wide-ranging fraudulent and deceptive schemes to steal private money and hide his misuse of public money. Gallison admitted to the theft of funds from the estate of a deceased individual to which he was appointed executor; theft of funds from a Special Needs Trust established to protect the long-term welfare of a disabled individual to which he was appointed trustee; providing false information on tax documents, including vastly inflating the number of students assisted by a non-profit organization funded by public money while failing to disclose amounts paid by that organization to him; and failure to pay taxes on income derived from his criminal actions.

Gallison pleaded guilty to four (4) counts of mail fraud; one (1) count of wire fraud; one (1) count of aggravated identity theft; one (1) count of aiding the filing of a false tax document; and two (2) counts of filing a false tax return.

At the time of his guilty plea, Gallison admitted to the court that:

As executor of an estate of an individual from Barrington, R.I., who passed away in February 2012, he devised and executed various schemes to steal or transfer to his own name and bank accounts, cash, checks, stocks and real property belonging to the deceased person and/or his estate, valued at a total of $677,454,10. Gallison will admit that he fraudulently used the name and social security number of the deceased person to execute a scheme to cause the liquidation of certain stocks belonging to the deceased person;

He caused the filing of a false tax document on behalf of Alternative Education Programming (AEP), a non-profit organization which provided educational programs to students who may need assistance with course work, and/or minority and/or disadvantaged students who may need financial or other assistance to gain an education, and of which Gallison was listed as Assistant Director. The tax document listed that $77,957 in tuition and related fees and expenses were paid for 47 students from July 1, 2012, through June 30, 2013. In fact, on behalf of AEP, Gallison paid only $3,137.29 to assist 2 students during that year and paid approximately $64,575 to himself and another person in wages and consulting fees for no work undertaken on AEP’s behalf;

As trustee for a disabled person’s Special Needs Trust, he defrauded the Trust by writing a check from the Trust account for $8,900, which he deposited into an AEP account. Gallison then wrote a check for $8,800 from the AEP account to pay an outstanding bill at the Community College of Rhode Island; and

He failed to claim a total of $622,286.17 in income on joint IRS tax returns for tax years 2012 and 2013, and, as a result of his relevant conduct from 2012-2015, Gallison failed to pay a total of $226,332.31 in taxes.

Gallison is scheduled to be sentenced on June 16, 2017. Based on statutory penalties, Gallison will serve, at a minimum, two years in federal prison.

During the course of the investigation law enforcement recovered more than $515,000 in assets stolen by the defendant from the estate for which he served as executor. Prior to the start of today’s change of plea hearing, the defendant provided to the court a check in the amount of $162,063.95, reflecting the balance of restitution due to the estate.

Restitution due to the IRS in the amount of $226,332.31 has not been paid.

Joining United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin in announcing Gallison’ s guilty plea is Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division; Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation; and Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police.

The matter was investigated by the United States Attorney’s Office, FBI, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General, and the Rhode Island State Police.

The case is being prosecuted in federal court by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dulce Donovan and William J. Ferland, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Baum of the Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General.

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Contact:

Jim Martin (401) 709-5357

email: USARI.Media@usdoj.gov

on Twitter @USAO_RI

            WASHINGTON – Takisha Brown Dorsey, a former union official with the Fraternal Order of Police, pled guilty today to a federal charge stemming from the theft of more than $180,000 from the organization, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

            Brown Dorsey, 41, of Waldorf, Md., pled guilty to a charge of wire fraud, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and potential financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, she faces a likely range of 15 to 21 months in prison and a fine of up to $75,000. She is to be sentenced on June 1, 2017, by the Honorable Reggie B. Walton. The plea agreement calls for Brown Dorsey to pay $183,590 in restitution and an identical amount in a forfeiture money judgment.

            According to a statement of offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, Brown Dorsey took office in January 2012 as the elected chairperson of the union representing correctional officers employed by the District of Columbia Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS). She led the Fraternal Order of Police-DYRS, which has approximately 240 members, through December 2015. As chairperson, Brown Dorsey, who also was a correctional officer, had access to union funds and was authorized to spend union money in accordance with bylaws.

            In 2014, Brown Dorsey removed a safeguard requiring a second signature on all union checks, making herself the only required signatory. She also was the only one who had access to the union’s bank account and the ATM card that was associated with it. On Nov. 24, 2015, the union took a vote of no confidence in Brown Dorsey, and soon after that, members of the union’s executive board visited the Bank of America to inquire about the union’s finances. The balance was only $277, even though more than $100,000 in union dues were deposited into the account in calendar 2015. At the time that Brown Dorsey resigned, in December 2015, the union was about $92,000 in debt; at the beginning of her tenure, the union had a balance of $49,100.

            A subsequent investigation determined that, from April 2013 through December 2015, Brown Dorsey withdrew, debited, or transferred approximately $183,590 from the union’s bank account for her personal use or for deposit into her personal account.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Assistant Director in Charge Vale commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Aisha Keys and Kristy Penny, former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Vesna Harasic-Yaksic, who assisted with forfeiture issues, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendra D. Briggs, who is prosecuting the matter.

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Unregistered Firearms was sentenced on March 6, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.

Darren Stepp-Zafft, age 30, was sentenced to 37 months in custody, followed by 3 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $300 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Stepp-Zafft was indicted for Possession of Unregistered Firearms by a federal grand jury on May 10, 2016. He pled not guilty on May 23, 2016.

On December 10, 2015, law enforcement officers searched Stepp-Zafft’s Sioux Falls residence looking for evidence of a firearm that discharged into an adjoining neighbor’s apartment. During the search, officers found the defendant to be in possession of two illegal firearm silencers, five illegal short rifles, and nine illegal destructive devices that could be readily assembled into grenades. Zafft went to trial and the jury convicted him of all counts.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Sioux Falls Police Department, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.

Stepp-Zafft was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a White Horse, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury was sentenced on March 7, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.

Shawn Traversie, age 32, was sentenced to 5 months in custody, followed by 2 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Traversie was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 17, 2016. He pled guilty on December 12, 2016.

The conviction stems from an incident on December 10, 2015, when Traversie and the victim began to argue. Traversie struck the victim’s right eye with his fist. The victim saw flashes of light from the blow and was knocked off the bed and onto the floor. When the victim was still on the floor, Traversie stuck her a couple of more times on the top of the head. The victim felt that her eye socket might have some damage. In the days following the assault, she continued having headaches and felt nauseated, dizzy, and lost her balance when she stood. The victim had a non-acute fracture to a small bone in the right eye socket.

This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.

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

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Bismarck, North Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Obstruction of Justice and False Statements.

Sherrae Two Hearts, a/k/a Sherrae Twohearts, age 38, was indicted on February 15, 2017. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on March 8, 2017, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and up to $200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on June 28, 2016, Two Hearts knowingly intimidated, corruptly persuaded, and engaged in misleading conduct toward her juvenile son, and attempted to do so by instructing him to falsely report to law enforcement authorities acts of child abuse and neglect. The Indictment also alleges that Two Hearts knowingly and willfully made a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement and representation and told agents with the Bureau of Indian Affairs that her children were being abused and neglected when she knew these statements were not true.

The charges are merely accusations and Two Hearts is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Standing Rock Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.

Two Hearts was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Eagle Butte, woman convicted of Forgery and Failure to Appear was sentenced on February 28, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.

Daryl Eagle Horse, a/k/a Daryl Hawk Eagle, age 29, was sentenced to 2 years of probation on the Forgery charge, and 6 months in custody on the Failure to Appear charge. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $500.00, as well as a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.00.

Eagle Horse was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 12, 2016 on the Forgery charge and on November 8, 2016 on the Failure to Appear charge. She pled guilty on December 12, 2016, to both charges.

Forgery conviction stems from an incident on May 29, 2016, when Eagle Horse, along with two other co-defendants forged 17 checks on the account of the Cheyenne River Management Corporation. Eagle Horse cashed two of those 17 fraudulent checks.

Eagle Horse made her initial appearance for the forgeries on October 14, 2016, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Moreno. She was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond that same day. Eagle Horse’s arraignment was scheduled for Tuesday, November 1, 2016, at 1:15 p.m. She failed to appear for said hearing. The hearing was re-scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 2, 2016. Eagle Horse failed to appear for that hearing as well.

This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.

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

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Robbery, Interference with Commerce by Threats or Violence, and Carrying or Possessing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.

Kobe Houston, age 19, was indicted on February 15, 2017. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 27, 2017, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and up to $300 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on July 2, 2016, Houston aided and abetted others in taking U.S. currency and cigarettes from a clerk at the Eagle Stop Gas Station in Eagle Butte, through the use of force by brandishing a firearm, thus unlawfully obstructing, delaying, and affecting commerce.

The charges are merely accusations and Houston is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.

Houston was released on bond pending trial which has been set for April 18, 2017.

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.

Kirk Johnson, age 47, was indicted on February 15, 2017. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on March 6, 2017, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and up to $200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on January 9, 2017, Johnson unlawfully assaulted an adult male with a firearm. The indictment also alleges that Johnson knowingly carried and used said firearm during a crime of violence.

The charges are merely accusations and Johnson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.

Johnson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Deadwood, South Dakota, man was charged in federal district court with Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Distribution of a Controlled Substance.

Michael Mamola, age 36, was charged on January 24, 2017. Mamola appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on February 27, 2017, and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The penalty upon conviction is a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years of imprisonment and/or a $5,000,000 fine, up to lifetime supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

The charges relate to Mamola conspiring with another person to distribute and distributing methamphetamine near Deadwood. The charges are merely an accusation and Mamola is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Patterson is prosecuting the case.

Mamola was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.

ALBUQUERQUE – Noe Urias, 36, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to a methamphetamine trafficking charge under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Urias and his codefendants Angelica Marie Santiesteban, 40, and Patrick Zamora, 22, were arrested during an ATF-led investigation that resulted in the filing of 59 federal indictments and one federal criminal complaint charging 104 Bernalillo County residents with federal firearms and narcotics trafficking offenses. The investigation began in mid-April 2016, when ATF personnel from throughout the country joined forces with federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies in New Mexico to combat the high rate of violent crime in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. The investigators utilized a number of investigative techniques, including undercover operations, historical investigation and targeting of multi-convicted felons in possession of firearms.

The investigation was undertaken in support of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies collaborate with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution primarily based on their prior criminal convictions with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.

Urias and Santiesteban were charged in a four-count indictment filed on June 30, 2016, with methamphetamine trafficking offenses. The indictment was superseded on July 28, 2016, to include Zamora and an additional methamphetamine trafficking charge. The superseding indictment charged all three codefendants with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from May 2, 2016 through June 20, 2016, and distribution of methamphetamine on June 20, 2016; Urias and Santiesteban with distribution of methamphetamine on May 2, 2016 and May 19, 2016; and Urias with distribution of methamphetamine on May 18, 2016. According to the superseding indictment, the offenses took place in Bernalillo County.

During today’s proceedings, Urias pled guilty to Count 3 of the superseding indictment charging him with distribution of methamphetamine and admitted that on May 18, 2016, he sold methamphetamine in exchange for money. At sentencing, Urias faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

To date, 30 of the 104 defendants have entered guilty pleas including Santiesteban and three have been sentenced. The remaining defendants, have entered not guilty pleas. Charges in indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Han.

BOISE – Bernandino Mercado, Jr., 50, of Nampa, Idaho, pleaded guilty yesterday in United States District Court to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael Gonzalez announced.

According to statements made at the hearing, Mercado distributed multiple pounds of methamphetamine out of his Nampa residence between June 2015 and September 2016. Mercado also admitted to trafficking firearms. Mercado was convicted of delivery of a controlled substance in 1997 and 2005.

Sentencing is set for May 25, 2017, before Senior U.S. District Edward J. Lodge. Mercado faces a sentence of not less than 20 years imprisonment and not more than life, a $20,000,000 fine and a term of supervised release of at least ten years and up to life. As part of his plea, Mercado also agreed to forfeit $100,000 in cash proceeds.

This case is the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Boise Police Department and the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), includes the cooperative law enforcement efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and U.S. Marshals Service. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.

Oscar Alexander Moreno, a/k/a “Oscar Alexander Moreno Rodrgiuez,” of Reading, PA, was charged today by Indictment with illegal reentry after deportation, announced Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. The indictment alleges that on or about February 7, 2017, Moreno, an alien, and native and citizen of El Salvador, was found in the United States after having been deported from the United States on or about January 3, 2012.

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of ten years.

The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ERO”), and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel D. Goldstein.

An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

ALBUQUERQUE – Joe Ray Alires, 42, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to unlawfully possessing firearms and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez and Special Agent in Charge Thomas G. Atteberry of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Alires was charged by an indictment filed on Nov. 19, 2014, with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition on June 26, 2014, in Bernalillo County, N.M. Alires was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his status as a convicted felon. According to the indictment, on June 26, 2014, Alires had at least ten felony convictions, convictions for residential and commercial burglary, possession of a controlled substance, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a deadly weapon or explosive by a prisoner.

During today’s proceedings, Alires pled guilty to the indictment under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and admitted to possessing a loaded pistol on June 26, 2014, despite his status as a convicted felon.

At sentencing, Alires faces up to ten years of imprisonment. However, if the court determines that Alires is an armed career criminal, Alires faces an enhanced sentenced of a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum of life in prison. Alires remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the ATF office in Albuquerque and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Walsh as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior criminal convictions for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible. Because New Mexico’s violent crime rate, on a per capita basis, is one of the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community is collaborating to target repeat and violent offenders, primarily based on their prior convictions, from counties with the highest violent crime rates including Bernalillo County under this initiative.

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted five men on charges of conspiracy to possess, conceal and sell stolen firearms; conspiracy to commit a commercial robbery; and using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to crime of violence, in connection with the armed robbery of a federally licensed firearms dealer. The indictment was returned on March 8, 2016.

The indictment charges the following defendants, who are all from Baltimore:

David Wise, a/k/a Rambo and Rampage, age 22;
Raymond McCullough, a/k/a Troop, age 33;
Reginald Smith, a/k/a Young Loc and Loc, age 24;
Tavon Hawkins, a/k/a G and Tay, age 34; and
Lerron Sheppard, a/k/a D-Loc, age 23.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department.

“Keeping illegal firearms from hitting the streets of Baltimore is ATF’s number one priority,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board. The men and women of the ATF Baltimore Field Division will relentlessly pursue any criminals who attempt to acquire or distribute stolen weapons and we will utilize all of our resources to ensure that they are held accountable for their violent and dangerous actions.”

According to the seven-count indictment, from August 2016 through September 2016, the defendants conspired to rob a bait, tackle and gun store in Dundalk, Maryland, that was a federally licensed firearms dealer. As part of the conspiracy, the defendants planned to use firearms and a stolen vehicle to commit the robbery. The indictment alleges that on August 5, 2016, the defendants, brandishing firearms, robbed the store, stealing 36 firearms, including three assault rifles and silencers, cash, a computer and monitor, credit cards and a cellular phone. The defendants fled in the vehicle they had stolen to use during the robbery to an apartment in Baltimore, where they divided the cash and firearms among themselves. The indictment alleges that from time of the robbery until March 8, 2017, the defendants possessed, concealed, stored, sold and otherwise disposed of the stolen firearms.

Each of the defendants faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the firearms conspiracy; 20 years in prison for the commercial robbery conspiracy; 20 years in prison for the commercial robbery; and a mandatory minimum of seven years and a maximum of life in prison for using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Wise, McCullough and Smith also face 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, FBI and Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney David Metcalf, who is prosecuting the case.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A total of 10 individuals and associates of the Hermandad de Pistoleros Latinos (HPL) gang are in custody following a coordinated round-up in multiple jurisdictions, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson of the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) and U.S. Attorney Richard L. Durbin Jr. of the Western District of Texas (WDTX).

This three-year investigation focused on drug trafficking and members of the HPL and their associates in the Corpus Christi, Houston and San Antonio areas.

Taken into custody today as a result of indictments returned last week in Corpus Christi include HPL Lieutenant Pacino San Miguel aka “Abuelo,” 40, of Houston; HPL Lieutenant Jacob Gonzales aka “Orbit,” 27, Mario Alberto Ramirez, 30, HPL Lieutenant Oscar Pena aka “OP,” 55, Leroy Rocha aka “Tank,” 26, and Dorothy Babette Cuello aka “Tiny,” 55, all of Corpus Christi. With the exception of San Miguel who is expected to appear in Houston tomorrow morning, all of the defendants made their initial appearance in Corpus Christi today and were temporarily  ordered into custody pending detentions hearings next week.

Miguel, Gonzales, Ramirez and Rocha are all charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, while Pena, and Cuello are charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Also arrested today were HPL Lieutenant Ricardo Aguilar aka “Indio,” 38, Stephanie Pacheco, 31, Jesse Mendoza aka “Chivo,” 42, all of San Antonio. A federal grand jury in San Antonio indicted all three for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Also charged in this case is Robert Hewitty aka “Looney,” 36, who was already in custody. He is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

Aguilar, Pacheco, and Hewitty all face a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison based on the amount of methamphetamine involved in the conspiracy, while Mendoza faces between five years and 40 years in federal prison. If convicted of their charges, the defendants charged in the SDTX face a 20-year-maximum term of imprisonment.

The Texas Department of Public Safety - Criminal Investigations Division and the FBI conducted the investigation together with police departments in San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Houston and Pasadena; Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Office of Inspector General; Harris County Sheriff’s Office; and the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Jeff Miller is prosecuting the SDTX case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.

A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

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