United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that Michael Ernesti of Sioux Falls, Melissa Herrboldt of Harrisburg, Preston Langeland of Yankton, and Kane Marshall of Harrisburg, all of whom were convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.

Ernesti, age 30, was sentenced to 95 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.  Herrboldt, age 25, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.  Langeland, age 31, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.  Marshall, age 25, was sentenced to 55 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.  They were also all ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Ernesti, Herrboldt, Langeland, and Marshall were indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on June 6, 2019.  Ernesti pled guilty on October 10, 2019, Herrobldt pled guilty on November 4, 2019, Langeland pled guilty on March 5, 2020, and Marshall pled guilty on April 6, 2020.

These four defendants worked together to distribute fentanyl, which was received through the mail, throughout the Yankton area and elsewhere. 

This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, and the Yankton Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer D. Mammenga prosecuted the case.

All defendants were immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after their sentencing.

NEWARK, N.J. – Three members of allied Jersey City gangs were charged with the July 7, 2020, shooting of a 12-year old child, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today. 

Marc Taylor, a/k/a “Bando,” 18, Jashawn Tate, a/k/a “Trilly,” 18, and Damari Blackwell, a/k/a “Juggy,” 18, all of Jersey City, are each charged by complaint with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. They are scheduled to make their initial appearances July 16, 2020, by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III.

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

Taylor, Tate, and Blackwell are associated with three violent street gangs, which have operated pursuant to an alliance since at least September 2019. These gangs historically were associated with specific neighborhoods in Jersey City: the Marion Gardens Housing Complex, Rutgers Avenue, and the Curries Woods Housing Projects. Since the inception of this alliance, members and associates of Marion, Rutgers, and Curries Woods have operated as a cohesive unit, particularly with respect to their retaliatory acts of violence against rival gangs.

On July 7, 2020, Taylor, Tate, and Blackwell drove to rival gang territory and approached a group of individuals. Taylor fired numerous rounds with a .45 caliber handgun through the front passenger seat window of a vehicle while Blackwell simultaneously attempted to fire a Tec-9 assault pistol through the sunroof. A 12-year-old was shot in the leg. Following this assault, Tate attempted to evade law enforcement by fleeing Jersey City in a stolen car and crashed, which resulted in the apprehension of the three defendants. This targeted assault in rival gang territory appears to be a retaliation for a previous shooting.

On the count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity, Taylor, Tate, and Blackwell each face up to 20 years in prison. For their respective charges for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, Taylor, Tate, and Blackwell each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, which must run consecutively to any term of imprisonment imposed on any other charges.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea; the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez; special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson, Newark Field Division; and special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Joe Denahan in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges and arrests. 

This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace Latzer of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Sanh Sunni Thampithak, a/k/a “Allysia” or “Ally”, 54, of Anchorage, has been charged with fraud and false statements for preparing fraudulent income tax returns on behalf of other individuals.

The criminal complaint alleges that Thampithak had been filing fraudulent tax returns, as an informal tax preparer, for tax years 2015-2017.  Specifically, it is alleged that Thampithak did taxes for the Lao community and others in Anchorage, charging them $100$300 per return, but would obtain unwarranted refunds for her clients by inflating certain Schedule A deductions and expenses, unbeknownst to her clients.  It is alleged that Thampithak consistently fabricated the figures in order to generate refunds for her clients, which, in turn, grew her business as a tax preparer.

Thampithak became the subject of a federal investigation after her IP addresses were linked to questionable Forms 1040 that had been referred to IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).  During the course of the investigation, Thampithak knowingly prepared a fraudulent return for an IRS-CI undercover agent, and then lied to investigators to conceal the criminal conduct.  Her alleged scheme entailed the filing of at least 13 fraudulent returns that reported approximately $250,000 in false claims, resulting in her clients receiving refunds up to 1,575 percent more than what they were due.

Thampithak routinely misrepresented herself to her clients as a legitimate tax preparer.  Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’s Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant.  The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers.

If convicted, Thampithak faces a maximum sentence of up to three years in federal prison, and a fine of up to a $100,000.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.

The charges in the criminal complaint are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal indictment has been unsealed charging an MS-13 leader in El Salvador with a racketeering conspiracy and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists based on his role as a leader of La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13).

The defendant, Armando Eliu Melgar Diaz, 30, is the first MS-13 leader to face terrorism charges in the United States.

“In 2017, the President directed the Department of Justice to go to war against MS-13, and we did just that,” said Attorney General Barr. “In coordination with our partners at the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department’s law enforcement components have successfully investigated, charged, and arrested command and control elements of MS-13 responsible for murder. Joint Task Force Vulcan’s operations have significantly degraded MS-13’s capabilities. While there is still work to be done, the Department of Justice remains committed to protecting Americans threatened by MS-13, and we will not rest until we have successfully defeated this transnational criminal organization.”

“Today’s announcements are the result of tremendous teamwork and coordination between prosecutors and law enforcement officers across the United States and Central America,” stated JTFV Director John Durham. “MS-13 is a violent transnational criminal organization, whose criminal activities respect no boundaries. The only way to defeat MS-13 is by targeting the organization as a whole, focusing on the leadership structure, and deploying a whole-of-government approach against a common enemy.”

“MS-13 is a transnational gang of vicious predators that primarily preys on people and businesses in our nation’s vibrant immigrant communities,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Members of those communities should feel confident, as demonstrated today with this announcement, that members and associates of MS-13 that commit violent acts here will be held accountable.”

MS-13 has tens of thousands of members located in the United States, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and elsewhere. The organization is responsible for murders, extortion, violence, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and other crimes, and has been designated as a terrorist organization by the government of El Salvador.

According to court documents, Melgar Diaz moved to the United States from El Salvador in 2003, and settled in Virginia. After moving to Virginia, he joined the Gangster Locos Salvatruchas, also known as GLS, a clique of MS-13. In February 2013, Melgar Diaz was deported to El Salvador, but illegally returned to the United States in approximately August of 2013. In November 2016, Melgar Diaz was once again deported to El Salvador. He has resided in El Salvador since 2016.

“This enforcement action sends a clear message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners represented on the Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Forces remain aggressive in investigating and dismantling gang activity that brings violence and fear into our communities,” said Timothy R. Slater, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. “We will use all available tools in our investigative and legal arsenal to disrupt MS-13’s leadership, take these violent offenders off the streets, and ultimately bring justice to the victims of these brutal acts.”

After his return to El Salvador, Melgar Diaz allegedly continued to be an active member of MS-13. In approximately May 2017, Melgar Diaz allegedly became the Corredor, or leader, of the MS-13 East Coast Program. As Corredor, Melgar Diaz oversaw the activities of approximately 20 MS-13 cliques in the United States, including in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, California, Ohio, Rhode Island, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and the District of Columbia.  Melgar Diaz allegedly also oversaw MS-13 activities internationally in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico. Melgar Diaz allegedly coordinated financing for MS-13 by collecting dues and drug trafficking proceeds, aided in trafficking cocaine and marijuana, facilitated communications between MS-13 leaders in El Salvador and cliques in the United States, and  authorized acts of violence in the United States, including murder. The money Melgar Diaz allegedly received from members in the United States was used to support MS-13’s violent activities in El Salvador, including by purchasing weapons.

Melgar Diaz is currently in custody El Salvador, where he is facing drug trafficking and conspiracy to commit murder charges. 

In August 2019, Attorney General Barr created Joint Task Force Vulcan to carry out the recommendations of the MS-13 subcommittee formed under the Attorney General’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, which was the result of President Trump’s February 2017 Executive Order directing the Departments of Justice, State, and Homeland Security, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to coordinate a whole-of-government approach to dismantle transnational criminal organizations, such as MS-13, and restore safety for the American people. The principal purpose of JTFV is to coordinate and lead the efforts of the Justice Department and U.S. law enforcement agencies against MS-13 in order to dismantle the group.

The JTFV has successfully implemented the whole-of-government approach to law enforcement relating to MS-13; increased coordination and collaboration with foreign law enforcement partners, including El Salvador, Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala; designated priority MS-13 programs, cliques and leaders, who have the most impact on the U.S., for targeted prosecutions; and coordinated significant MS-13 indictments in United States Attorney’s Offices across the country, such as the Eastern District of New York, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Nevada.

Federal prosecutors from the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division, as well as 10 United States Attorney’s Offices have been assigned to serve the JTFV in full-time capacities: the Eastern District of New York; the Eastern District of Virginia; the District of Nevada; the Southern District of California; the District of Massachusetts; the Northern District of Ohio; the District of New Jersey; the Eastern District of Texas; the District of Utah; and the District of Columbia. In addition, all Department of Justice law enforcement agencies are involved in the effort – the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; and the Bureau of Prisons. The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations has also played a critical role in JTFV.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; John Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; Brian Rabbitt, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division; Timothy R. Slater, Assistant Director in Charge, FBI Washington Field Office; and Jerry Templet, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, made the announcement after the indictment was unsealed.

Terwilliger would like to thank the following U.S. Attorneys for their assistance in this prosecution: Donald Q. Cochran, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee; Ryan K. Patrick, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas; Erin Nealy Cox, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas; and R. Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Terwilliger would also like to thank Attorney General Raul Melara of El Salvador for the assistance of his office in the investigation, as well as investigators from El Salvador’s Policia Nacional Civil (“PNC”) Centro Antipandilla Transnacional (“CAT”) unit for their assistance.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin L. Rosenberg and Matthew W. Shepherd, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Patterson are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-103.

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Matthew G.T. Martin, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, announced today that DARTAGNAN BLAZE SURRATT, age 21, of Winston-Salem, NC, was charged with violations of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), felon in possession of a firearm, Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(D), possession with intent to distribute marihuana, and Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(i), possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

The Complaint alleges that on June 7, 2020, at approximately 2:30 a.m., a Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office deputy attempted to stop a black 2019 Buick Cascada convertible for speeding on U.S. Highway 421 southbound in Lewisville, NC. The driver failed to stop, resulting in a high speed chase that ended in a crash, when the driver of the Buick failed to effectively reduce speed while exiting the highway and collided with a raised concrete median. The driver fled from the car, was caught nearby, and was identified as SURRATT.

According to the Complaint, when officers checked on a female passenger in the vehicle, the convertible top was down and officers could see an unsealed bottle of liquor on the floorboard and smell an odor of marihuana coming from the vehicle. Inside the car, officers found several ounces of marihuana, more than $7,000 in U.S. currency, and four firearms: a Ruger, model EC9, 9mm pistol, loaded with ammunition; a Romarm/Cugir Arms Factory, model WASR 10, 7.62x39mm caliber rifle; a Volunteer Enterprises Incorporated, model Commando Mark V, .45 caliber rifle, made into a pistol by taking the stock off, with an attached 30 round stick magazine; an Anderson Manufacturing, model AM-15, 5.56mm caliber rifle loaded with ammunition; and, three additional magazines. Officers also found fireworks, a digital scale and other items of drug paraphernalia, a set of handcuffs, a handcuff key, and an apparent protest sign inside the car. The investigation also developed photographic evidence of SURRATT posing with the Anderson Arms AM-15 rifle.

The Complaint also alleges that SURRATT has previously been convicted of a felony offense, punishable by more than one year imprisonment, and therefore could not lawfully possess a firearm. He was on state supervised probation for that prior felony at the time of these alleged offenses.

A detention hearing and preliminary hearing were held on July 14, 2020, and SURRATT was ordered detained while awaiting further proceedings in the case.

If convicted under Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), felon in possession of a firearm, SURRATT may be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $250,000.00, or both, and 3 years of supervised release. If convicted of the drug charge under Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(D), SURRATT may be sentenced to not more than 5 years imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $250,000.00, or both, and not less than 2 years of supervised release. If convicted under Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(i), possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, SURRATT may be sentenced to imprisonment for not less than 5 years and not more than life (to run consecutively with any other term of imprisonment), a fine not to exceed $250,000.00, or both, and not more than 5 years of supervised release.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case has been investigated by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

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The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri remind taxpayers of the July 15 filing and payment deadline and warn against an increase in tax and COVID-19 scams.

Due to COVID-19, the original filing deadline and tax payment due date for 2019 was postponed from April 15 to July 15. Taxpayers filing Form 1040 series returns must file Form 4868 by July 15 to obtain the automatic extension to Oct. 15.

“Although the extension provides additional time to file the tax return – it is not an extension to pay any taxes due”, said Adam Steiner, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation division in the St. Louis Field Office. “For people facing hardships who cannot pay in full, including those affected by COVID-19, the IRS has several options available to help. The IRS encourages taxpayers to visit IRS.gov as soon as possible to explore these options and avoid accruing interest and penalties after the July 15 deadline.”

As the filing deadline is today, taxpayers should beware of tax and COVID-19 related scams. “Criminals use the tax filing deadline as an opportunity to steal personal and financial information”, said U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen for the Eastern District of Missouri. “Taxpayers should remain vigilant and know that the IRS will not initiate contact with them via phone, email or social media to request personal or financial information.”

In the last few months, the IRS Criminal Investigation division (CI) has continued to see a tremendous increase in a variety of Economic Impact Payment scams and other financial schemes. CI continues to work with its law enforcement partners to put a stop to these schemes and bring criminals to justice.

Taxpayers can report COVID-19 scams to the National Center for Disaster Fraud. Taxpayers can also report fraud or theft of their Economic Impact Payments to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Unsolicited (phishing) e-mails that appear to be from the IRS should be forwarded to phishing@irs.gov.

For the most up-to-date information about the tax filing deadline and IRS impersonation scams, taxpayers can visit IRS.gov.

PITTSBURGH – A suburban Pittsburgh man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on charges of violating federal firearms and explosives laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The five-count Indictment, returned on July 14, named Kurt Cofano, 32, of Whitehall, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on June 9 and June 10, 2020, Cofano was found to be in possession of unregistered destructive devices. Also, the Indictment alleges that on those same dates, Cofano, an unlawful user of a controlled substance, was in possession of a firearm. Federal law prohibits the possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. The Indictment further alleges that from May 2020 through July 2020, Cofano knowingly and unlawfully and without registering and obtaining approval made destructive devices.

"Kurt Cofano stands accused of illegally possessing multiple completed destructive devices, the components for making additional destructive devices, and a dozen firearms all in violation of federal law," said U.S. Attorney Brady. "I commend the excellent work of the investigators and the prowess of our prosecutors to take this case from incident to indictment in just five days. In serious cases like this, justice will be certain and swift."

"We are committed to keeping our communities safe," said acting Special Agent in Charge John Schmidt, ATF Philadelphia Field Division. "This investigation is a perfect demonstration of how ATF combats violent crime by partnering with our local, state and federal counterparts in this case the Whitehall and Mt. Lebanon Police Departments, the Allegheny County and Pittsburgh Police Bomb Squads and the Federal Bureau of Investigation."

"This investigation successfully disrupted a very real threat," said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Christman. "A mix of unstable, homemade manufactured explosives, large amounts of ammo and a person who has already made threats to inflict harm is an extremely dangerous combination. The FBI will always rally together with the ATF and our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to take anyone who presents a threat to our community off our streets."

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 50 years in prison, a fine of not more than $750,000, a term of supervised release of not more than three years, or a combination thereof. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorneys Cindy K. Chung and Jonathan D. Lusty are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. The Mt. Lebanon Police Department, the Whitehall Police Department, the Allegheny County Police Department and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police provided substantial assistance with the investigation.

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

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

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A 21-count indictment was unsealed yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, charging 13 leaders, members, and associates of the violent transnational criminal organization Mara Salvatrucha, also known as “MS-13,” with violation of the federal “Kingpin” statute and multiple drugs and firearms offenses, including transporting bulk quantities of methamphetamine from Los Angeles, California to Las Vegas, Nevada.

The indictment was returned under seal on July 8, 2020 by a federal grand jury sitting in Las Vegas. Yesterday morning, 11 of the 13 defendants were taken into custody: four defendants were arrested in the Los Angeles area, and seven defendants were arrested in Las Vegas. Those arrests were part of a national takedown coordinated between law enforcement agencies in the District of Nevada, Central District of California, Eastern District of New York, and Eastern District of Virginia.

Two other defendants — Juan Angel Reyes (also known as “Angel” and “Mysterio”) and Eder Cruz-Salguero (also known as “Edgar Manolo Ramirez-Salguero” and “Venado”) — are considered fugitives and a warrant remains outstanding for their arrests. Anyone with information as to their whereabouts is asked to contact your local law enforcement office or the Department of Homeland Security by calling 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.

This morning, Attorney General William P. Barr led a Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV) briefing to President Donald J. Trump in the Oval Office, which included several U.S. Attorneys and heads of law enforcement agencies. Following that briefing, the charges in Nevada were announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Francisco Burrola of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

“In 2017, the President directed the Department of Justice to go to war against MS-13, and we did just that,” said Attorney General Barr. “In coordination with our partners at the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department’s law enforcement components have successfully investigated, charged, and arrested command and control elements of MS-13 responsible for murder. Joint Task Force Vulcan’s operations have significantly degraded MS-13’s capabilities. While there is still work to be done, the Department of Justice remains committed to protecting Americans threatened by MS-13, and we will not rest until we have successfully defeated this transnational criminal organization.”

“Today’s announcements are the result of tremendous teamwork and coordination between prosecutors and law enforcement officers across the United States and Central America,” stated JTFV Director John Durham. “MS-13 is a violent transnational criminal organization, whose criminal activities respect no boundaries. The only way to defeat MS-13 is by targeting the organization as a whole, focusing on the leadership structure, and deploying a whole-of-government approach against a common enemy.”

“As a result of the hard work and substantial resources dedicated by our local and federal law enforcement partners, this collaborative effort has disrupted MS-13’s leadership and significantly undermines the gang’s ability to engage in violence and other criminal conduct in Nevada, California, and elsewhere throughout the country,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “Our office is proud to contribute to making our streets safer and stopping MS-13 from using a well-worn path between Los Angeles and Las Vegas to develop a greater presence in Las Vegas. We are grateful to HSI, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and ATF: without their bravery, this prosecution would not be possible.”

“Gangs threaten the safety of our communities, not just in major metropolitan areas but in our suburbs and rural areas, too,” said Francisco Burrola, Special Agent in Charge for the HSI Las Vegas office. “Gang-related violence and criminal activity present an ongoing challenge for law enforcement everywhere. Our efforts to dismantle gangs are much more effective in areas where partnership with local law enforcement is strongest.”

“The magnitude of this operation will have a huge ripple effect on this criminal enterprise. Dangerous gangs like these contribute to the decay of our communities by bringing drugs and other violent crime to our streets. They threaten the safety of our neighborhoods and our way of life. These arrests are a real victory against gang violence,” said Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo.

“Gangs are one of the nation’s key distributors of narcotics and are flagrant in their use of firearms to carry out violence and intimidation,” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman, San Francisco Field Division, ATF. “Through ATF’s collaborative Crime Gun Intelligence Model, local, state, and federal partners diligently pursue violent criminals and the sources of their crime guns to remove them from our communities. Throughout this investigation, ATF has worked side by side with our partners to fulfill ATF’s mission of protecting the public by investigating the criminal misuse and trafficking of firearms in Las Vegas. ATF remains committed to working hard and doing our part to make this city a safer place.”

As detailed in the indictment, MS-13 originated in Los Angeles and has since spread across the country. MS-13 is organized by subsets known as “cliques,” such as “Hollywood Locos” and “Fulton.” In the southwestern United States, the Hollywood Locos clique operates in several major cities, including Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

The organizational hierarchy of MS-13 cliques in Nevada is generally comprised of different ranks. A “Homeboy” is a fully initiated gang member who has undergone a “jumping in” ceremony. That ceremony involves passing a “beating test” where the prospective MS-13 member must survive a group of existing gang members beating him for 13 seconds. Once jumped in, MS-13 members are expected to participate in the gang’s criminal activities. Certain “Homeboys” also operate as “Palabreros” or “shot callers,” making the ultimate decisions affecting the clique.

The indictment charges three defendants who were “Homeboys” in the MS-13 Hollywood Locos and Fulton cliques:

• Adali Arnulfo Escalante-Trujillo, also known as “Buchaca,” 43, of Las Vegas, is charged with one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise (commonly referred to as the “Kingpin” statute), one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, 15 counts of distribution of a controlled substance, and one count of conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license.

As alleged, Escalante-Trujillo was the Las Vegas-based “shot caller” of the Hollywood Locos clique, leading the Las Vegas sector of the gang, which was involved in narcotics and firearms distribution. He bragged about the violent acts committed by MS-13, boasted of connections between MS-13 and the Mexican Mafia, and bragged that MS-13 had come to work with nearly all Mexican Cartels. Reflecting his senior position within MS-13’s hierarchy, Escalante-Trujillo was in direct contact with an MS-13 founding member living in El Salvador.

Escalante-Trujillo brokered nearly every narcotics and firearms trafficking charge alleged in the indictment. Among other things, Escalante-Trujillo hosted MS-13 members from Los Angeles at his Las Vegas home, to enable their transportation of bulk quantities of methamphetamine from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.

• Jose Alfredo Ayala-Flores, also known as “Blackie,” 39, of Inglewood, California, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, five counts of distribution of a controlled substance, and one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

As alleged, in addition to being a “Homeboy,” Ayala-Flores is a “shot caller.” He led the MS-13 “Los Angeles Program,” a leadership group that seeks to unify MS-13 decision-making throughout the United States.

In early 2020, Ayala-Flores and Escalante-Trujillo arranged numerous bulk methamphetamine deals in Las Vegas. Additionally, Ayala-Flores sent bulk pills, laced with fentanyl, through the mail. Ayala-Flores also possessed three rifles (bearing no serial numbers) illegally, due to his prior conviction for attempted murder.

• Alvaro Ernesto Perez Carias, also known as “Toro,” 50, of Los Angeles, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distribution of a controlled substance

As alleged, Perez Carias is a “shot caller” and a founding member of the Hollywood Locos clique. Due to supply issues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Perez Carias personally delivered large quantities of methamphetamine from Los Angeles to Las Vegas this year.

Aside from Escalante-Trujillo, Ayala-Flores, and Perez Carias, the remaining ten defendants are charged with conspiring to distribute drugs (between July 2019 and the present) and conducting individual drug deals over the past 12 months. The indictment also charges defendants with illegally possessing and selling silencers, semiautomatic rifles, and semiautomatic handguns:

• Sebastian Ocadiz-Castro, 20, of Las Vegas, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, three counts of distribution of a controlled substance, and one count of conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license.

• Juan Luis-Rico, also known as “Pelon,” 46, of Las Vegas, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distribution of a controlled substance.

• Juan Angel Reyes, also known as “Angel” and “Mysterio,” 21, of Van Nuys, California, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distribution of a controlled substance.

• Miguel Angel Nieto-Romero, also known as “Flaco,” 26, of Los Angeles, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and three counts of distribution of a controlled substance.

• Rosalio Andres Siguenza-Romero, also known as “Tweety,” 40, of Las Vegas, is charged with one count of conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license, one count of dealing in firearms without a license, and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm.

• Daniel Enrique Perez-Torres, also known as “Maliente,” 30, of Las Vegas, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and two counts of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

• Jose Gerardo Cortez-Diaz, also known as “Christian Axel Lopez-Cortez” and “Chiquilin,” 20, of Los Angeles, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distribution of a controlled substance.

• Eder Cruz-Salguero, also known as “Edgar Manolo Ramirez-Salguero” and “Venado,” 26 (city of residence unknown), is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distribution of a controlled substance.

• Carlos Lopez-Guzman, also known as “Troso,” 41, of Los Angeles, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and three counts of distribution of a controlled substance.

• Pedro Ernesto Montalvo, also known as “Cuba,” 35, of Hawthorne, California, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distribution of a controlled substance.

All defendants except Angel Reyes and Cruz-Salguero are in federal custody and awaiting their respective initial appearances. The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shaheen Torgoley and Brett Ruff are prosecuting this case.

The maximum statutory sentences for each charge in the indictment are: (a) life imprisonment and a $2 million fine for engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise; (b) life imprisonment and a $10 million fine for distribution of controlled substance; (c) life imprisonment and a $10 million fine for conspiracy to distribute controlled substance; (d) five years imprisonment for conspiracy – deal in firearms without a license; (e) five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for dealing in firearms without a license; (f) ten years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for prohibited person in possession of a firearm; and (g) ten years imprisonment for possession of unregistered firearm. The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only. If convicted of any federal offense, the sentencing of a defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The charges are the result of a joint investigation by the HSI, ATF, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and coordinated at a national level by Joint Task Force Vulcan. In August 2019, Attorney General Barr created JTFV to carry out the recommendations of the MS-13 subcommittee formed under the Attorney General’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, which was the result of President Trump’s February 2017 Executive Order directing the Departments of Justice, State, and Homeland Security, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to coordinate a whole-of-government approach to dismantle transnational criminal organizations, such as MS-13, and restore safety for the American people. The principal purpose of JTFV is to coordinate and lead the efforts of the Justice Department and U.S. law enforcement agencies against MS-13 in order to dismantle the group.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – A Goldsboro man was sentenced today to 240 months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fifty (50) grams or more of methamphetamine and distributing fifty (50) grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, James Nathan Crawford, Jr., also known as “Stacks,” 25, had engaged in a multi-year conspiracy to distribute large amounts of crystal methamphetamine and heroin throughout Goldsboro, Kinston, and Sampson County.  At sentencing, the judge held Crawford accountable for over 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine and over 500 grams of heroin, noting that Crawford had been in charge of others involved in the conspiracy.  Crawford was a known leader in a local set of the United Blood Nation gang.

The investigation was part of OCDETF Operation Carolina’s Ice Fall, which targeted large-scale methamphetamine dealers operating in and around Goldsboro.  An Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.  To date, Operation Carolina’s Ice Fall has resulted in the prosecutions of 26 individuals for their role in methamphetamine distribution and other crimes.

Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Goldsboro Police Department, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura S. Howard  prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-CR-356-D-1.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

WASHINGTON – Today, President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General William P. Barr announced significant cases related to Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), an initiative launched in August 2019 aimed at disrupting, dismantling, and ultimately, destroying MS-13.

President Trump and Attorney General Barr announced a number of significant cases associated with JTFV, including the first time an MS-13 member has been charged with terrorism-related offenses, a coordinated multi-district takedown of the leadership of the Hollywood clique of MS-13, and the Attorney General’s decision to seek the death penalty against an MS-13 defendant.

“In 2017, the President directed the Department of Justice to go to war against MS-13, and we did just that,” said Attorney General Barr. “In coordination with our partners at the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department’s law enforcement components have successfully investigated, charged, and arrested command and control elements of MS-13 responsible for murder. Joint Task Force Vulcan’s operations have significantly degraded MS-13 capabilities. While there is still work to be done, the Department of Justice remains committed to protecting Americans threatened by MS-13, and we will not rest until we have successfully defeated this transnational criminal organization.”

“Today’s announcements are the result of tremendous teamwork and coordination between prosecutors and law enforcement officers across the United States and Central America,” said JTFV Director John Durham. “MS-13 is a violent transnational criminal organization, whose criminal activities respect no boundaries. The only way to defeat MS-13 is by targeting the organization as a whole, focusing on the leadership structure, and deploying a whole-of-government approach against a common enemy.”

“This multi-district takedown of a number of high profile MS-13 leaders and members is a blow to this violent gang throughout the United States.  While we are thankful that MS-13 does not have a significant presence in Utah, we do have prosecutors with significant experience investigating and prosecuting violent gangs.  We are honored to have a prosecutor from our office participating in this targeted nationwide effort,” Utah U.S. Attorney John W. Huber said today.

In an indictment unsealed yesterday, Melgar Diaz was charged in the Eastern District of Virginia with conspiring to provide material support to terrorists; conspiring to kill or maim persons overseas; conspiring to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries; conspiring to finance terrorism, and; conspiring to engage in narco-terrorism, in addition to racketeering conspiracy and drug trafficking. This is the first time that an MS-13 member has been charged with terrorism-related offenses.

Alexi Saenz was indicted in 2017 in the Eastern District of New York. It is alleged that between 2016 and 2017 he committed seven murders: the Jan. 28, 2016, murder of Michael Johnson; the April 29, 2016, murder of Oscar Acosta; the Sept. 13, 2016, murders of Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens; the Oct. 10, 2016, murder of Javier Castillo; the Oct. 13, 2016, murder of Dewann Stacks, and; the Jan. 30, 2017, murder of Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla. Two of the victims were Brentwood high school students killed with a machete and baseball bat. The Attorney General has filed a Notice of Intent to Seek the Death Penalty for Saenz.

In a 24-count indictment unsealed yesterday, the Eastern District of New York, charged eight MS-13 members, including leaders of the East Coast Hollywood Program, with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) and Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR) charges related to six murders, two attempted murders, kidnapping, narcotics, and related firearms offenses.

In a 21-count indictment unsealed yesterday in the District of Nevada, 13 MS-13 members, including leaders of the “Hollywood Locos” clique and “Los Angeles Program,” were charged with various offenses including Continuing Criminal Enterprise (CCE), narcotics distribution and weapons charges.

In August 2019, Attorney General Barr created JTFV to carry out the recommendations of the MS-13 subcommittee formed under the Attorney General’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, which was the result of President Trump’s February 2017 Executive Order directing the Departments of Justice, State, and Homeland Security, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, to coordinate a whole-of-government approach to dismantle transnational criminal organizations, such as MS-13, and restore safety for the American people. The principal purpose of JTFV is to coordinate and lead the efforts of the Justice Department and U.S. law enforcement agencies against MS-13 in order to dismantle the group.

JTFV has successfully implemented the whole-of-government approach to law enforcement relating to MS-13; increased coordination and collaboration with foreign law enforcement partners, including El Salvador, Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala; designated priority MS-13 programs, cliques and leaders, who have the most impact on the U.S., for targeted prosecutions; and coordinated significant MS-13 indictments in U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, such as the Eastern District of New York, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Nevada.

Federal prosecutors from the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division, as well as 10 U.S. Attorney’s Offices have been assigned to serve JTFV in full-time capacities: the Eastern District of New York; the Eastern District of Virginia; the District of Nevada; the Southern District of California; the District of Massachusetts; the Northern District of Ohio; the District of New Jersey; the Eastern District of Texas; the District of Utah, and; the District of Columbia. In addition, all Department of Justice law enforcement agencies are involved in the effort – the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service, and; the Bureau of Prisons. The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations has also played a critical role in JTFV.

Attorney General Barr would also like to thank Attorney General Raul Melara of El Salvador for the assistance of his office, as well as investigators from El Salvador’s Policia Nacional Civil, Centro Antipandilla Transnacional unit for their assistance.

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

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that two more defendants have been charged federally in two separate criminal complaints arising from May 30, 2020, violent protests held in the City of Rochester. SHAKELL SANKS, 26, and JAVON HARDY, 24, both of Rochester, NY, have been charged with arson and each face a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie M. Kocher, who is handling the prosecutions of both SANKS and HARDY, stated that on May 30, 2020, Rochester Police Department (RPD) officers were assigned to assist with crowd control during protests scheduled at the Public Safety Building (PSB) on Exchange Boulevard. During the late-afternoon/early evening, those protests, being held in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, turned violent and resulted in vandalism, damaged property, looting, and fires.

At approximately 6:00 p.m. on May 30th in downtown Rochester, defendant SANKS, assisted others in attempting to light fabric on fire. The fabric was stuffed into the gas tank of a parked car belonging to the City of Rochester Family Crisis Intervention Team (FACIT). At approximately 6:20 p.m., the FACIT car began to smoke and shortly thereafter became engulfed in flames. The car was a total loss. Defendant SANKS was eventually identified as one of several individuals involved in starting the fire and was arrested. Today, SANKS made his initial appearance in federal court. Another individual, Mackenzie Drechsler, 19, of Ontario, NY, was previously charged by criminal complaint for her role in the arson of the FACIT car.

That same day, at approximately 6:28 p.m., a 32-foot by 8-foot mobile office/construction trailer, also located in downtown Rochester and rented by the Michels Corporation of Wisconsin, was also set on fire and rendered a total loss. The mobile office contained work equipment, tools, a printer, camera, and wi-fi device. As alleged in the criminal complaint filed against him, Facebook Live video footage posted by various users shows defendant HARDY carrying a milk jug at the back door of the trailer. HARDY is then seen walking down the trailer steps and heard yelling, “Let that (expletive) burn,” and “If it’s not on fire, I didn’t do my job.” A second individual, Marquis Frasier, 27, of Rochester, was also previously charged with arson for allegedly using a Molotov Cocktail to help start the same trailer on fire. 

A total of 11 defendants have now been charged federally for their roles in violent protests in Rochester and Buffalo in May and June, 2020. In Rochester, in addition to SANKS, HARDY, Drechsler, and Frasier, Dyshika McFadden, 26, and Miguel Ramos, 19, both of Rochester, were previously charged with conspiracy to commit arson and arson, for their alleged role in burning a Rochester Police Department patrol car during the May 30, 2020, protests. In Buffalo, Keyondre Robinson,18, of Buffalo, was previously charged with assault of a federal officer, for his alleged role in throwing a bottle that struck a Deputy United States Marshal in the face during violent protests outside of the Robert H. Jackson Federal Courthouse in Buffalo on May 30, 2020; Courtland Renford, 20, of Buffalo, has been indicted and charged with arson in connection with his alleged attempt to burn down Buffalo City Hall during the May 30, protests; and Deyanna Davis, 30, Semaj Pigram, 25, and Walter Stewart, 28, all of Buffalo, were each previously indicted and charged with being felons-in-possession of a firearm, after the SUV in which they were traveling struck and seriously injured a Buffalo Police Officer and a New York State Trooper in connection with civil unrest in Buffalo, on June 1, 2020. After striking the officers, a chase ensued, and once the three were arrested, a loaded firearm and spent shell casings were discovered inside the SUV.

“The arsons, assaults, and weapons violations alleged to have been committed by these defendants are not part of any sort of righteous crusade; they are—plain and simple—criminal acts,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “This sort of behavior, combined with the recent and marked increase in violent crime and shootings across both our Nation and our District, suggests that some among us believe that violence, chaos, and lawlessness represent an appropriate path forward. They, however, are wrong. These charges reinforce the message that as Americans, we favor unity over entropy and that our greatest strength—that our very identity comes from our shared humanity and from the values and ideals we choose to uphold. Only by uniting, coming together as one, and rejecting this sort of divisive and damaging conduct can we ever hope to achieve the full promise of those values and ideals—expressed so eloquently in our Declaration of Independence—of a people who are all ‘created equal, [and] endowed by [our] Creator with certain unalienable rights, [including] life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’”

The most recent complaints are the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division; the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief La’Ron Singletary; the Gates Police Department, under the direction of Chief James VanBrederode; the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eric Laughton; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Sandra Doorley; the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team; and the Rochester Fire Department, under the direction of Fire Chief Willie Jackson.

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

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PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Eduardo Gregorio Azocar, 48, of Venezuela was sentenced to more than 12 years (151 months) in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Harvey Bartle, III, for the attempted distribution of more than 30 kilograms of cocaine for purpose of unlawful importation to the United States, and the distribution of more than 4 kilograms of cocaine for purpose of unlawful importation to the United States.

Azocar, who resided in Venezuela, used the Caribbean country of Trinidad and Tobago to facilitate his distribution of kilogram quantities of cocaine. In the summer of 2015, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Trinidadian law enforcement received information that Azocar had 50 kilograms of cocaine that he wanted to sell to a U.S. buyer. On August 26, 2015, Trinidadian law enforcement agents watched the defendant access a locked storage container in Trinidad to inspect his cocaine. On August 27, 2015, an undercover detective in the United States made a series of telephone calls to Azocar. Posing as a Philadelphia-area resident, the undercover detective said he was interested in buying kilogram quantities of cocaine and negotiated the purchase price with the defendant. Before those negotiations were completed, Trinidadian law enforcement agents searched the storage container and seized a total of 30.4 kilograms of cocaine.

The undercover detective also introduced a confidential source to Azocar. The confidential source traveled from the United States to the island of Trinidad on multiple dates, meeting with Azocar in person in Trinidad. On October 4, 2015, at Azocar’s direction, an associate of Azocar sold to the confidential source 4.1 kilograms of cocaine which was destined for the United States. On October 26, 2015, the confidential source met Azocar in a Trinidadian hotel and paid him $22,500 for the previously negotiated cocaine sale. In a recorded conversation, the defendant told the confidential source: “I’ve been looking for a contact just like you and I found you. I am really happy.” In that same conversation, the confidential source and Azocar discussed the cost of moving the cocaine from Trinidad to Philadelphia, the price of a kilogram of cocaine in Philadelphia, and the price of a kilogram of heroin in Philadelphia.

Azocar was indicted in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and arrested in Trinidad on June 16, 2016. He fought extradition for years in Trinidadian courts, but was eventually extradited to Philadelphia, PA, on July 23, 2019 to face justice. The defendant pleaded guilty in February 2020.

“Drug trafficking preys on individuals in addiction and makes our entire city less safe,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Narcotics don’t just magically appear on Philadelphia streets -- they are smuggled in by people like Azocar, seeking to profit off the suffering of our people and communities. My Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners at all levels, and in other jurisdictions and nations, to investigate and convict those who are poisoning our neighborhoods with deadly drugs and put them behind bars, where they belong.”

“Azocar mistakenly thought that he could elude the reach of United States law by remaining outside the US as he sold multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine destined for Philadelphia.  As a result of the coordinated efforts of DEA and prosecutors in the US and Trinidad, Azocar was arrested in Trinidad and extradited to Philadelphia to face US justice,” said Jonathan A. Wilson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division.  “The DEA is most appreciative of the cooperation and support provided by Trinidadian police and prosecutors.  DEA has offices around the world and will continue to work tirelessly to extradite significant drug-traffickers like Azocar who pose the greatest threat to our country.” 

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Adminstration, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason P. Bologna.

PROVIDENCE – A Cumberland man who previously admitted to robbing banks in Providence and Pawtucket within a month of one another in mid-summer 2019 was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison.

Christopher S. Oladapo, 29, admitted to the court that he robbed a Providence branch of Citizens Bank on July 27, 2019, of $3,286, and that he robbed a Citizens Bank branch in Pawtucket on August 31, 2019, of $2,031. In both instances, he handed tellers threating notes demanding cash.

Oladapo admitted that in the first robbery he handed a note to a teller that read “Don’t be a hero there’s two of us in here Give me all the money in your draw Call police 15 mins after I walk out Your being watched keep your hands where I can see.”

In the second robbery he passed a note to a teller that read, “act normal give me all the money you have, you are being watched.  Give me the note back and don’t call the police for 20 minutes.” 

Oladapo pleaded guilty on February 3, 2020, to two counts of bank robbery. At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith sentenced Oladapo to 30 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Additionally, Oladapo was ordered by the court to pay restitution to Citizens Bank totaling $5,299.

Oladapo’s sentence is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Providence Police Chief Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Jr., Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves, and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and Sandra R. Hebert.

The robberies were investigated by the Providence and Pawtucket Police Departments, with the assistance of the FBI.

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John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARK FELNER, 31, of Clinton, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to one count of receipt of child pornography stemming from his interactions with an underage victim in 2015 and 2016.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on multiple occasions in 2015, Felner, who was 26 at the time, traveled from Connecticut to North Carolina to engage in illegal sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl.  In 2015 and 2016, when Felner and the minor victim were not physically together, the victim, at Felner’s instruction, sent pornographic images of herself through social media messaging services.

Felner was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on October 8, 2019.  A memory card seized from Felner at the time of his arrest revealed pornographic images that he had received from the minor victim.

Judge Thompson scheduled sentencing for October 7, 2020, at which time Felner faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  Felner will also be required to register as a sex offender as a result of his conviction.

Felner is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.

This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New London and East Lyme Police Departments.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Donovan and Neeraj Patel.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

Indianapolis – United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today that Krystal Cherika Scott, 19, Kokomo, Ind. was arrested and charged with two counts of Making and Distributing Animal Crush Videos, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 48 (the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act).  

“As decent human beings, we have a great responsibility to protect and have compassion for the animals that inhabit this earth.” said Minkler. “It is unconscionable to think that any human being could possible bring themselves to such acts upon an animal. We cannot allow this behavior in a decent and moral society. That is why Ms. Scott must face the consequences of her choices.”

Beginning at least on or about May 3, 2020, and continuing until at least July 8, 2020, Scott, began posting images and videos over various social media platforms, that depicted Scott torturing and graphically killing cats and dogs by hanging, skinning and other means. 

Scott’s conduct attracted the attention of several private citizens who began using publicly available information to attempt to identify the perpetrator. The concerned citizens shared and collected information so that they could provide it to law enforcement and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

On June 16, 2020, the Boise, Idaho Police Department received information from some of those concerned citizens, and immediately opened an investigation. After reviewing the videos and images, the officers concluded that they constituted “animal crush videos,” which is a federal violation.

On June 18, 2020, Boise Police Department contacted the FBI who began working to identify the perpetrator. Working in conjunction with the Boise Police Department and the Ada County Idaho Sheriff’s Office, the investigation revealed that Krystal Cherika Scott of Kokomo Indiana, was responsible for torturing and killing the animals, then posting the videos. Scott obtained the animals, at least in part, by responding to online ads from individuals who were seeking to give away their unwanted pets for adoption.

The FBI Indianapolis Field Office joined the investigation, and learned that Kokomo Police Department had recently contacted Scott after receiving similar animal cruelty complaints in May and June. At that time, Kokomo Police were unable to make an arrest and were unaware of the other investigations involving Scott.

As agents worked to gather evidence, Scott continued to post images of dead animals on Instagram and Tik-Tok as late as July 8^th, 2020. On July 9, 2020, the Honorable Doris L. Pryor, Magistrate Judge in the Southern District of Indiana, approved the execution of search warrants seeking additional evidence from Scott’s person, residence, and vehicles, as well as the search and seizure of evidence obtained by the Kokomo Police Department.

On July 14, 2020, Special Agents of the FBI and other law enforcement officers executed the warrants. During the search, the FBI recovered numerous animal parts and skulls that were consistent with the size of cats and dogs. Agents also discovered approximately three live dogs, twelve live cats, and several lizards.

FBI recovered and seized the cellular phone used to produce and distribute the animal crushing videos. A full forensic analysis of the phone is currently underway. Scott told officers that her mother did not participate in acts of animal crushing or posting animal crushing videos.

This case was the result of an investigation by the Boise Police Department, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Resident Agency in Boise, Idaho and the Indianapolis Field Office. The Kokomo Police Department also assisted with this case.

“Animal abusers have total power over that animal and, if someone is willing to be that cruel to an animal, evidence suggests they may target vulnerable humans as well,” said Special Agent in Charge Paul Keenan, FBI Indianapolis. “In November of 2019, the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act was passed to address this issue and to assist law enforcement to better target intervention efforts with respect to animal cruelty and the crimes for which it serves as a marker. Our agents and law enforcement partners will continue to diligently work to identify and investigate those who would perpetrate these crimes.”

“This case is an outstanding example of society’s intolerance to animal cruelty and the public’s willingness to do the right thing,” said Special Agent in Charge Paul Haertel of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office. “Tips poured in from all over the world, assisting in an intense and technically complex investigation to find the alleged perpetrator and put a stop to the senseless and horrific abuse of innocent animals.”

“The Boise Police Department is thankful to have played a role in the investigation into this disturbing crime. We had concerned people from all over the world contact us about the terrible images they were seeing on social media. Our officers and detectives worked hard to investigate leads here in Boise and partnered with the FBI as the investigation grew and moved out of state.” said Boise Police Department Deputy Chief Ron Winegar. “We also want to thank the Ada County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance as well as the public for their many tips and patience as we worked to see this investigation through.”

According to Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany Preston who is prosecuting this case for the government, the defendant faces up to 7 years’ imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $250,000.

A charge is not evidence of guilt. All parties are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in federal court.

In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its public safety challenges. This demonstrates the office’s firm commitment to violent crime and crimes committed using the dark web. See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan Sections 2.3 and 4.6. 

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Jeffrey Lyons, 59, of Lancaster, PA was sentenced to fourteen years in prison, and ordered to pay restitution of $53 million to Fulton Bank and $550,000 to the IRS, by Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl for orchestrating a massive bank fraud scheme over many years.

In October 2019, Lyons, the former CEO of Worley & Obetz, pleaded guilty to one count of defrauding Fulton Bank of over $65 million between 2003 and 2018. Lyons also pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. The defendant admitted that he, along with Worley & Obetz’s two controllers, Karen Connelly and Judith Avilez, committed bank fraud by providing Fulton Bank with dozens of fraudulent financial statements and a fraudulently altered supply agreement between Worley & Obetz and its largest customer, Giant Food. Worley & Obetz was an oil and gas company in Manheim, PA, that provided services and home heating oil, gasoline, diesel, and propane to its customers.

Lyons enlisted the help of the Worley & Obetz controllers to create the fraudulent financial statements, making it appear to the bank and the company’s owners that it had over $55 million in accounts receivable from Giant Food for purported fuel that Giant had supposedly purchased from Worley & Obetz. In truth, Giant rarely purchased fuel from Worley & Obetz after 2011, and when they did, it was in small amounts. The falsified financial statements made Worley & Obetz appear to have millions more revenue and accounts receivable than it did. Each month, for more than fifteen years, Lyons and the company controllers created false Worley & Obetz financial statements, which Lyons presented to Fulton Bank in support of his request for additional loans or extensions on existing lines of credit. Fulton Bank relied on the fraudulent financial statements when it lent Worley & Obetz over $65 million.

Lyons used the Fulton loans to pay Worley & Obetz expenses, which included his annual salary of over $500,000. He also used the borrowed money to make Worley & Obetz appear profitable when it was actually operating at a loss, to pay interest on the earlier loans he borrowed from Fulton, and to fund some of his personal expenses including real estate worth millions. Additionally, from 2012 through 2017, Lyons failed to report over $1.4 million of income to the IRS.

After Lyons’ scheme was discovered, Worley & Obetz and its related companies did not have the assets to repay the massive amount of Fulton loans that Lyons had accumulated. In June 2018, Worley & Obetz declared bankruptcy. It notified its approximately 275 employees that they no longer had jobs and, after 72 years, the family-owned company closed its doors forever. As a result of Lyons’ fraud, many in the Manheim, PA community suffered greatly – both financially and emotionally.

“The scope and duration of the fraud committed by Lyons is simply stunning,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “He stole tens of millions of dollars from bank lenders, all while willfully ignoring his fiduciary duty to the company and the hundreds of people who made their livelihoods working there. This case is a tragedy for the many honest, hardworking people who placed their trust in Lyons. My Office will continue to work aggressively with our law enforcement partners to protect innocent individuals and businesses from being victimized by financial fraud.”

“Over the course of 15 years, at Jeffrey Lyons’ direction, financial records were repeatedly falsified to inflate his company’s revenue,” said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “This long-running scheme helped prop Lyons up both personally and professionally, as Worley & Obetz amassed millions upon millions in fraudulent loans. In the end, though, his actions bankrupted the business, cost hundreds of innocent people their jobs, and have landed Lyons in federal prison. The FBI is committed to holding accountable anyone engaged in such egregious financial fraud.”  

“Mr. Lyons willfully and intentionally violated his known legal duty to file a correct tax return and pay his fair share of taxes,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso. “His failure to report all of his income is a violation of tax laws; one that the courts do not take lightly, as evidenced by the sentence handed down today.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS Criminal Investigations, and Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiwana Wright.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANTHONY AMATO, 31, of Milford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 21 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl and heroin.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 26, 2019, the Milford Police Department and emergency medical personnel responded to a Milford rooming house on a report of a drug overdose at the location.  Inside the residence, a 28-year-old male was pronounced deceased.  At the scene, investigators interviewed witnesses and collected evidence related to narcotics use, including needles and wax folds, some of which contained suspected heroin.

The investigation revealed that the overdose victim and Amato, who resided in another room in the rooming house, were together in the afternoon of August 24, 2019.  On August 29, 2019, a court-authorized search of Amato’s room revealed multiple ripped wax folds and other narcotics-related evidence.  Some of the wax folds were marked with the same stamp as the wax folds found in the victim’s room.  Laboratory analysis of the wax folds revealed fentanyl and heroin residue.

Subsequent review of text communications between Amato and the victim revealed that Amato provided the victim with heroin in August 24, 2019.

Amato’s criminal history includes multiple convictions for narcotics-related offenses in Connecticut.

Amato has been detained since his federal arrest on September 10, 2019.  On January 3, 2020, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin.

This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and the Milford Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria del Pilar Gonzalez.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax man was arraigned in federal court here today on charges of dealing in firearms without a license and transferring a machinegun.

According to court documents, Davud Sungur, 20, has never had federal firearms license. Sungur allegedly sold weapons on multiple occasions to undercover detectives with the Fairfax County Police Department’s Organized Crime & Intelligence Bureau, who had learned he was selling firearms. Over the course of four separate transactions, Sungur sold detectives ammunition, magazines, and numerous firearms – some of which were “ghost guns” lacking serial numbers that Sungur claimed to have made himself – in exchange for cash.

According to court documents, on two of these occasions, Sungur allegedly also sold detectives devices he claimed to have made using a 3D printer that, after installation, would enable semi-automatic firearms to fire fully-automatically. The ATF tested the machine gun conversion devices and confirmed that they rendered a semi-automatic firearm capable of firing multiple rounds automatically with a single function of the trigger. Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant at Sungur’s residence immediately following his arrest and recovered additional evidence, including a MAC-11 subcompact machine pistol and a 3D printer.

Sungur is charged with dealing firearms without a license, and unlawful transfer of a machinegun. A jury trial is scheduled for November 9. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Blanchard is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-162.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A California man was sentenced today to over 12 years in prison for orchestrating an investment fraud and money laundering conspiracy that caused losses of $25 million.

“Andrew B. Powers stole $25 million from nearly 60 people,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Powers is a con man of the worst sort. His fraud was long-running, well-organized, and relentless. He was motivated by greed and the desire to appear successful, when in fact, he intentionally stole from and deceived his victims for his own self benefit.”

According to court documents, Andrew B. Powers, 45, of Oak Park, and formerly a resident of Virginia, started CommuniClique, a company that he soon claimed had developed an application that allowed businesses to communicate electronically and seamlessly within their businesses, between businesses, and with clients. Powers falsely claimed yearly revenues of $2 million by 2009 and $180 million by 2019. He also falsely claimed to have a number of large corporate clients. In fact, CommuniClique had no revenues and no large corporate clients. In August 2018, after the Virginia State Corporation Commission had prohibited him from soliciting more investments in Virginia, Powers moved his fraud scheme to California. By 2019 he had defrauded investors of approximately $25 million. When he was indicted in July 2019, Powers was using investors’ money to rent a mansion in Palisades, California, overlooking the Pacific Ocean for approximately $35,000 per month.

“Powers created a fake company, cheated investors of tens of millions of dollars, and used it to fund a lavish lifestyle for himself,” said James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division. “The FBI is committed to rooting out fraud in all its forms, including investment fraud and money laundering schemes like the one Powers perpetrated, which can destroy companies, wipe out the life savings of families, and cost investors millions of dollars.”

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Hanly and Kimberly Shartar prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-213.

NASHVILLE, Tenn.– July 15, 2020 – A Nashville man with a history of impersonating a law enforcement officer and firefighter is now facing federal charges, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee. 

A criminal complaint, unsealed today, charged Chandler James Moon, 21, of Nashville, with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.  Chandler was arrested earlier today by FBI agents and Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) officers and will make an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge later this afternoon. 

According to the charging documents, on numerous occasions, beginning in 2018, officers with the MNPD and Kentucky law enforcement officers encountered Moon driving vehicles equipped with emergency lights, a siren and on some occasions a police scanner, radios, a traffic radar unit and handcuffs.  On many occasions, Moon was wearing clothing items which identified him as a member of the Nashville Fire Department (NFD) and on other occasions he identified himself as a volunteer firefighter with the Hopkinsville, Kentucky Fire Department or the NFD.  Many encounters by the MNPD were the result of citizen complaints about Moon’s careless driving behavior and stopping motorists.

On January 31, 2019, Moon was arrested in Warren County, Kentucky for impersonating a police officer and receiving stolen property, after carelessly driving a white Chevrolet Tahoe in which emergency lights had been activated.  Moon entered into an agreement for five years of pre-trial diversion to resolve those charges on February 17, 2020. The pre-trial diversion agreement prohibits access to a handgun or firearm during the pendency of the diversionary period.

In October 2019, MNPD recovered from Moon’s vehicle, a government license plate stolen from a police vehicle the week before and in June 2020, Moon was implicated in the theft of other license plates from MNPD vehicles.  On July 4, 2020, Moon’s vehicle was reported as driving recklessly with blue lights and siren activated on Interstate 24 in Davidson County. His driving caused a vehicle collision.

On July 9, 2020, during the execution of a search warrant at Moon’s house MNPD Crime Gun Unit detectives recovered a .40 Caliber Glock handgun, from Moon’s bedroom on the nightstand.  Moon had been convicted of a felony in 2017, in the State of Georgia, and is prohibited from possessing a firearm. 

If convicted, Moon faces up to 10 years in prison.

This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the FBI.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel M. Stephens is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

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