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

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Matthew C. Ostrowski, 48, of North Tonawanda, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of child pornography. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Higgins, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, after receiving a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the North Tonawanda Police Department executed a search warrant at the defendant’s North Tonawanda residence on December 17, 2019.

A total of seven digital items were seized during the search. A forensic examination recovered 12 image files of suspected child pornography on a desktop computer. In total, 4,204 image files of suspected child pornography, and an additional 8,523 image files of child exploitative material, were recovered on the desktop computer. A vast majority of the suspected child pornography files depict minors under the age of 12, approximately 101 images depict infants or toddlers, and another approximately 48 images depict violence against minors. In addition, Google searches for child pornography were also recovered. 

Following the execution of the search warrant, Ostrowski turned his iPhone over to investigators. A forensic examination of the defendant’s phone recovered text conversations that appeared to be sexually explicit conversations with minors. The first conversation spanned two days in January 2019. During this conversation, Ostrowski and a minor he believes is 16 years old discuss a sexual relationship the minor is purportedly having with his/her adult teacher. The minor corrected the defendant, telling him that he/she was 17 years old, not 16 as Ostrowski believed. In response, the defendant wrote, “Omg you where [sic] 14 When we started talking and play Im [sic] such a scumbag. A second sexually graphic conversation between Ostrowski and an unidentified individual occurred in March 2019. At one point in the conversation, the defendant references “your fertile teen age womb.”

On February 5, 2020, HSI and the North Tonawanda Police once again executed federal search warrants, seizing a new iPhone the defendant possessed, and a laptop computer. Following a forensic examination, no images of child pornography were found on the phone. However, 178 image files and five videos of suspected child pornography were found on the laptop computer. A vast majority of the suspected child pornography files depict minors under the age of 12.

The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was released.

The complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly, and the North Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief Randy Szukala.

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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On August 25, 2020, Shayne Yates, 49, from Hinton, Iowa, pled guilty to possessing child pornography and was sentenced to more than 2 years in federal prison. 

Evidence at the hearing showed that from August 2017 through February 2019, Yates possessed over 150 images of child pornography on a Kindle Fire Tablet.  The pornography contained visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including a depiction involving a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.

Yates was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Yates was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Yates is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mikala Steenholdt and investigated by Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 19-4092. 

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A man who was prohibited from possessing a gun was sentenced on August 25, 2020, to 7 years in federal prison.

Meher Aboolian, 32, from Glendale, California, pled guilty on March 17, 2020, to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  Aboolian was previously convicted of crimes which prohibited him from possessing guns. These crimes included Burglary, False Checks, and Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance for Sale.

At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that on November 3, 2019, the vehicle Aboolian was driving was stopped by law enforcement.  During a search of Aboolian, officers found drug paraphernalia and pills, which Aboolian admitted he did not have a prescription for, concealed under his hat.  A search of the vehicle revealed additional drug paraphernalia, and items to mask the smell of illegal drugs.  Officers also located a stolen gun, namely a Smith & Wesson Model 669, 9mm pistol, with no visible serial number, and a loaded magazine.

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Aboolian was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a term of 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Aboolian is being held in the US Marshals custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

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

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from Project Guardian partners. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/ag/page/file/1217186/download.

The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.   

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 20-4003. 

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A Mexican man who possessed false identification documents was sentenced today to five months in federal prison.

Gandhi Rojas-Lopez, age 33, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and living in West Liberty, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to one count of unlawful possession of identification documents.

In a plea agreement, Rojas-Lopez admitted that in February 2016, he possessed and used a fraudulent social security card and a fraudulent permanent resident card, also known as a “green card,” when completing paperwork to obtain employment in Stanwood, Iowa.  The account numbers on the identification documents were assigned to other people.

Rojas-Lopez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Rojas-Lopez was sentenced to five months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Rojas-Lopez [was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on September 9, 2020.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.       

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 19-CR-76.

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In Waco, U.S. District Judge Alan Albright sentenced two men to lengthy federal prison terms for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash.   

Today, Judge Albright sentenced 34-year-old Derek Loyd Ward of Whitney, TX, to 240 months in federal prison followed by ten years of supervised release.  Judge Albright also ordered that Ward pay $10,000 in restitution.  On October 8, 2019, Ward pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.  On May 30, 2019, authorities executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence and seized his personal computer and related media.  A forensics review of the seized materials revealed the presence of approximately 550 videos and 875 images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Yesterday, Judge Albright sentenced 28-year-old Tyler Christopher Benson of Killeen, TX, to 110 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release.  On October 15, 2019, Benson pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.  On October 26, 2017, authorities executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence and seized his laptop computer and cellular telephone.  A forensics review of the computer and cell phone revealed the presence of approximately 775 videos and 360 images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

“Those who possess child pornography sustain the market for the abuse of children. Today’s sentence was richly deserved,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.

The Child Exploitation Division of the Texas Attorney General’s Office investigated these cases.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff prosecuted these cases on behalf of the government.

These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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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.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Federal charges were unsealed today in a case involving a Hampton-based business, its owner and employees, and their alleged involvement in an extensive procurement fraud scheme involving millions of dollars in government contracts targeting the Department of Defense and other federal government agencies.

According to allegations in the unsealed indictment, from at least 2011 through at least 2018,  Iris Kim, Inc., (aka I-Tek), owner Beyung S. Kim, 61, of Newport News, and employees Seung Kim, 30, of Newport News, Dongjin Park, 53, of Yorktown, Chang You, 61, of Yorktown, Pyongkon Pak, 53, of Toano, and Li-Ling Tu, 57, of China, engaged in a conspiracy and scheme related to certain government contracts for which I-Tek acted as a supplier of goods, including items for the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, and the National Guards of various states, among other agencies.

Based on the invoices submitted related to the contracts in this indictment, the United States paid I-Tek approximately $8.1 million from around January 2012 through about December 2018. The United States paid I-Tek approximately $24 million for the entirety of the contracts I-Tek supplied during this same time period, with over $20 million in revenue resulting from contracts where I-Tek obtained goods from China.

According to the indictment, these government contracts had certain set-aside preferences and source of good requirements. The indictment alleges that the defendants acted to defraud the United States by fraudulently importing goods into the United States that were made in China, in violation of the terms of these contracts.  The defendants then falsely relabeled these goods as if they were made in the United States. The indictment further alleges that the defendants acted through a separate nominee company to conceal the importing of goods from China and installed a nominee officer of I-Tek in order to be able to fraudulently qualify for certain set-aside contracts.

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; Robert E. Craig, Special Agent in Charge for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office; and Gregory Scovel, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Mattis are prosecuting the case.

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Department of State provided significant assistance to this 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. 4:20-cr-57.

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

SAN FRANCISCO – Fares Abdo Al Eyani and Saba Mohsen Dhaifallah have been charged in a criminal complaint with attempting to ship export-controlled night vision rifle scopes from the United States to the Sultanate of Oman.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney for the Northern District of California David L. Anderson; Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers; Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Francisco Division, Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett; and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King.

The criminal complaint was filed August 5 and unsealed earlier today.  According to the complaint, Al Eyani, 37, and Dhaifallah, 38, of Oakland, worked together to purchase numerous devices with night vision capabilities over the last half of 2019.  The defendants then allegedly attempted to send those items and firearms to the Sultanate of Oman in shipping containers departing from the Port of Oakland.  

The commercial export of arms, ammunitions, implements of war, and defense articles and services from the United States is governed by the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), 22 U.S.C. § 2778.  Under the AECA, the President is authorized, among other things, to identify items deemed critical to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States and to designate such items as “defense articles.”  Further, the AECA authorizes the President to promulgate regulations for, and to require a license for the export of, items deemed defense articles.  By executive order, the President has delegated this authority to the United States Department of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC).  The DDTC promulgated regulations, codified at 22 C.F.R. §§ 120-130, known as the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations, or ITAR.  Under the ITAR, a defense article includes any item on the United States Munitions List (USML).  In addition, under the ITAR, a person who desires to export from the United States an item appearing on the USML must first register with the DDTC and obtain a license for the shipment prior to the export.  

According to the complaint, Al Eyani and Dhaifallah were engaged in a scheme to export a set of night vision rifle scopes without a license.  The AECA and the ITAR prohibit export of the scopes without a license and registration with the DDTC.  The complaint describes how Al Eyani and Dhaifallah allegedly worked together to purchase the rifle scopes from a Bay Area gun store in August and September 2019 and then, in December 2019, attempted to export the rifle scopes by hiding them inside a shipping container at the Port of Oakland.  In addition, the complaint alleges the unlawful scheme was thwarted when law enforcement officers searched the container and seized the rifle scopes.  

Al Eyani and Dhaifallah were arrested yesterday at their residence in Oakland and made their initial appearance this morning in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas S. Hixson.  Magistrate Judge Hixson released Al Eyani and Dhaifallah on a $100,000 bond and with travel restrictions. Al Eyani and Dhaifallah’s next hearing has been scheduled for Friday, August 28, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Illman, for identification of counsel.

A complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Al Eyani and Dhaifallah both face a maximum sentence of twenty years’ imprisonment and a fine of $1,000,000.  In addition, the court may order the defendant to serve an additional period of supervised release and restitution, if appropriate.  However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.  

The Special Prosecutions Section of the United States Attorney’s office is prosecuting the case in consultation with the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division at the Department of Justice.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Customs and Border Protection.
 

SAN FRANCISCO – Ryan Michael Kannett appeared in federal court today on a criminal complaint alleging that he possessed child pornography, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. 

An affidavit filed by an HSI agent in connection with the criminal complaint alleged that Kannett, 36, of Fairfax, used the handle “Sir Sicko,” among others, to engage online with an individual whom he believed to be interested in child pornography, but who in fact was an undercover agent.  Kannett allegedly provided the agent with several videos and images depicting sexual acts with minors.  Agents then traced the IP addresses from which those files were sent and found the IP addresses were linked to Kannett’s residence in Fairfax.  Agents executed a search warrant at that residence and recovered a tablet device that allegedly contained approximately 454 videos depicting child pornography, including videos depicting minors forced to engage in bestiality and bondage.  One video in particular was approximately 8 minutes long, and showed an adult female sexually and physically abusing a girl who appeared to be approximately 2 to 5 years old. 

Kannett was arrested on December 17, 2019 in Fairfax, Calif., and made his initial appearance in federal court in San Francisco this morning before the Honorable U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas S. Hixson.  Kannett is currently detained pending further proceedings.   His next scheduled appearance is at 10:30 a.m. on October 12, 2020, for status before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas S. Hixson.      

A complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution for each violation of Title 18 United States Code § 2252.  However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly A. Smolen is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Senna Milstead.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. 
 

OAKLAND – John Vicencio Vinoya was sentenced today to six years in prison, to be followed by twenty years of supervised release, for attempted receipt of child pornography, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King.  The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr.

Vinoya, 48, of Richmond, California, pled guilty to the charge on September 30, 2019.  According to the plea agreement, Vinoya admitted that, in July 2018, when he was 46 years old, he texted a girl that he knew to be fourteen years old.  When he learned that the minor was about to take a shower, he requested that she send him a “half body pic.”  Vinoya admitted that he hoped and intended that the minor would send him a naked photograph that would have constituted child pornography.  

Vinoya further admitted that, two weeks later, he sent sexually explicit text messages to the minor’s cell phone.  He attempted to persuade and entice the minor to have sexual intercourse with him.  On August 2, 2018, Vinoya drove to the minor’s home at a time when he believed that her parents were out of town.  He brought condoms and lubricating oil with him to the meeting.  He was stopped by law enforcement when he reached the minor’s home.  

Vinoya was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 13, 2018.  He was initially charged with online enticement of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b).  He ultimately pled guilty to a violation of 18 U.S.C §§ 2252(a)(2) and (b), attempted receipt of child pornography.  Vinoya has been in custody since his arrest by officers of the El Cerrito Police Department on August 2, 2018.

Katherine Lloyd-Lovett is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kay Konopaske.  The prosecution is the result of the collaborative investigative efforts of the El Cerrito Police Department, the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations HSI.
 

          RIVERSIDE, California– A federal grand jury today indicted an Orange County man for allegedly selling pound quantities of methamphetamine while he was on supervised release following a 2009 terrorism conviction.

          Ahmed Binyamin Alasiri, also known as Kevin Lamar James, a 44-year-old Garden Grove resident, was charged in an indictment with two counts of distribution of methamphetamine.

          Alasiri was arrested in this case on August 21, pursuant to a criminal complaint that accused him of narcotics trafficking. At a hearing on August 24, he was ordered detained pending the outcome of the case.

          According to court documents, on July 24, Alasiri sold approximately one pound of methamphetamine – which later was determined to be 96 percent pure – to a buyer for $3,700. On August 6, Alasiri allegedly again sold one pound of methamphetamine to the same buyer for $3,700. Laboratory analysis of the second purchase showed that the methamphetamine was 98 percent pure.

          Alasiri is currently on supervised release after completing a 16-year federal prison sentence for conspiracy to levy war against the United States through terrorism. Alasiri’s co-conspirators committed numerous armed robberies of gas stations to raise money for attacks Alasari had planned on U.S. military operations and Israeli and Jewish facilities in Southern California. Alasiri completed his prison sentence in September 2019.

          Alasiri is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on September 14.

          An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

          Each count of distribution of methamphetamine carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

          This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) in Orange County, with assistance from the following JTTF agencies and other partners: the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the United States Probation Office, the United States Bureau of Prisons, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Garden Grove Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, the California Highway Patrol, the United States Department of Defense, and the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center.

          This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dennise D. Willett of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section.

Matthew D. Krueger, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Eric S. Dreiband, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, confirmed this evening that, as indicated in a press conference held earlier today by Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul and Kenosha County District Attorney Michael D. Graveley, a federal investigation has been opened into the shooting of Jacob Blake by an officer of the Kenosha (Wisconsin) Police Department.  The investigation will be conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation and other state authorities, and will be overseen by prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division.  The federal investigation will run parallel to, and share information with, state authorities to the extent permissible under law.

Federal authorities are committed to investigating this matter as thoroughly and efficiently as possible.  Along with Attorney General Kaul and District Attorney Graveley, United States Attorney Krueger and Assistant Attorney General Dreiband urged all members of the community to allow the investigation processes to develop all available evidence before rendering judgment.  They also encouraged everyone to act peacefully and abide by the law.

Federal law enforcement is joined with state and local authorities to address further violence in Kenosha and beyond.  Federal law imposes stiff penalties for arson, rioting, firearms offenses, and other violent crimes, which United States Attorney Krueger pledged to prosecute to the fullest extent possible.

If individuals have firsthand information to report regarding the shooting of Mr. Blake, they should contact FBI Milwaukee at (414) 276-4684.

For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales (414) 297-1700.

United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on August 25, 2020, a federal grand jury returned a twenty-three count indictment against David Guerrero (age: 41) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Alexander Shister (age: 51) of Mequon, Wisconsin. 

The indictment charges Guerrero and Shister with paying and receiving illegal kickbacks relating to the provision of items and services payable by federal health care programs. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Shister, who owned several pharmacies in the Milwaukee area, paid kickbacks to Guerrero, who worked at two Milwaukee clinics, in exchange for Guerrero routing prescriptions for compounded pain cream medication to Shister’s pharmacies. Shister's pharmacies then sought and received reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid for filling these prescriptions. If convicted, the defendants face up to 5 years in prison for each count. The indictment also charges Guerrero with health care fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison, and aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory minimum of 2 years in prison.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Medicaid Fraud Control and Elder Abuse Unit. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin Proctor and Michael Carter. 

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 Kenneth Gales 414-297-1700

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ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke woman, who conspired with others to enrich themselves by obtaining federal income tax refunds from the IRS to which they were not entitled, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Roanoke, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced.

Michelle Coppola, 59, a resident of Roanoke, Va., pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of conspiring to knowingly and willfully commit the offense of theft of public money. Coppola will be sentenced November 13, 2020.

Coppola admitted today to conspiring with Osazuwa Peter Okunoghae, and others, from August 2012 through April 2014 in the Western District of Virginia and Eastern District of Texas to steal IRS tax refunds that were not their own.

According to court documents, Coppola knew the IRS tax refunds she was receiving were not her own and that it was therefore illegal for her to receive them. Throughout the course of the scheme, Coppola received approximately $53,470 is fraudulent IRS tax refunds to which she was not entitled.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service. The prosecution of Coppola and her co-conspirators is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Charlene R. Day for the Western District of Virginia and Assistant United States Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld for the Eastern District of Texas.

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury in Maryland returned an indictment yesterday charging Jimmie Martin, aka Doodles, of Baltimore City, Maryland, with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person; possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) - Baltimore Field Division; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby of the State’s Attorney’s Office for Baltimore City; and Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh.

According to the three-count indictment, on March 6, 2020, Martin, who was previously convicted of a felony offense, knowingly possessed a handgun and an extended magazine with the capacity to hold 30 cartridges of ammunition, and 29 cartridges of ammunition. The firearm and ammunition were in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce. Martin also possessed cocaine with the intention to distribute.

If convicted, Martin faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  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. 

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. 

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

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.  For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.        

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF, BPD, the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, and the Maryland Attorney General’s Office for their work in this investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Loveland, Jr. and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Gallena, who are prosecuting the case.

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Miami, Fl. – A federal judge in Miami sentenced Roberto Murillo, 44, of North Port, Florida, to 105 months in prison for his role in a massive health care fraud and wire fraud scheme involving fraudulent physical therapy claims. Senior U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Seitz imposed the sentence, which came after a Miami jury found Murillo guilty in January 2020 of all counts charged, including conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, and several counts of health care fraud.

Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

The evidence at trial revealed that during the illegal scheme, Murillo had a legitimate job at a Miami telecommunications call center, and he received private insurance coverage through that job. As part of the fraud, Murillo used his position to recruit dozens of his colleagues, many of whom who he knew were suffering various financial and personal hardships, to Friv MD, PLLC, a fraudulent Miami physical therapy clinic in exchange for cash bribes.  Murillo also forced family members living under his roof to allow Murillo and his co-conspirators to use their insurance information to submit additional fraudulent claims.  The clinic, in turn, submitted over $16 million in claims to United Healthcare for services that were not performed or not medically necessary. 

Trial evidence established that Murillo’s role in the lengthy scheme did not stop at recruiting others to Friv MD.  Murillo also instructed the recruited “patients” to fill out paperwork for dates they did not receive services, to describe ailments they did not have to the therapists at the clinic, and to lie when questioned by investigators about the illegal scheme.  In some instances, Murillo also failed to pay the cash that he had promised to give recruited “patients” in exchange for their signatures, keeping it instead for himself.

U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne P. McNamara and Fraud Section Trial Attorney Drew Bradylyons.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrienne E. Rosen handled asset forfeiture.         

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under Case No. 19-CR-20436-PAS.

David Herron, 49, of Centralia, Illinois, has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for 
trafficking heroin and methamphetamine and a concurrent 10-year prison term for unlawful gun 
possession. Herron entered a guilty plea last September to a three-count indictment charging him 
with participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute 
methamphetamine, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The charged conspiracy 
took place from March 12, 2018, to April 24, 2019, in Centralia.

In handing down the sentence, Chief United States District Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel observed 
that a majority of the court’s criminal docket now comes from Centralia.

The case arose after an FBI task force investigated Herron’s narcotics trafficking activities for 
several months in early 2019. During that time, Herron was on bond for two separate drug- related 
cases in Marion County. Herron sold methamphetamine and heroin from a Centralia residence on North 
Elm and from a mobile home on North Sycamore. On April 24, 2019, task force members arrested Herron 
as he left his home on Hardin Street and found him in possession of methamphetamine and heroin 
packaged for sale. A search of his home revealed over 200 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine and a 
loaded gun. Herron has a prior felony conviction that prohibits him from knowingly possessing a 
firearm or ammunition.

Herron has been in custody since his arrest. As part of his sentence, he was ordered to serve a 
five-year term of supervised release and pay a $600 fine. Several of Herron’s alleged co- 
conspirators were charged in a separate case. Danny Lee DeShane, 45, was sentenced in June to 54 
months imprisonment. Earlier this month, Curtis Phelps, 38, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment 
for his role in the conspiracy. A third man, Cloyd “Rick” Culver, 69, has pleaded not guilty but is 
scheduled for a change of plea hearing tomorrow.

The FBI’s task force continues its investigation into drug trafficking and related activities in 
the Marion-Clinton-Washington County areas. Law enforcement agencies participating in the task 
force include the Centralia Police Department, the Carlyle Police Department, and the Marion,
Clinton, and Washington County Sheriffs’ Offices.
 

Baltimore, Maryland –Former Baltimore Police Officer Victor Rivera, age 48, of Nottingham, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to making false statements to a federal law enforcement officer in connection with a scheme to sell three kilograms of cocaine seized during a Baltimore Police Department investigation.  

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

Victor Rivera joined the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) on July 11, 1994 and November 21, 1999, respectively.  In February 2009, Rivera served on a squad with I.L., W.J., C.J., P.G., and K.G., that was supervised by W.K. 

According to his plea agreement, prior to February 19, 2009, W.J. and C.J. told Rivera they had received information from a confidential informant about a large-scale narcotics trafficker operating out of a residence on the 1400 block of Ellamont Street, in Baltimore, Maryland.  On February 19, 2009, Rivera, I.L., and other members of the squad were conducting surveillance at the residence of the alleged narcotics trafficker, an individual whose initials are T.M.  Rivera and another member of his squad, W.K., followed a car from that residence to a nearby school where Rivera saw the driver throw something into a trash container.  Once the driver left, Rivera and W.K. recovered the trash and found it to be empty kilogram drug wrappers.  During this time other officers claimed to have followed a second individual who left the residence who threw trash from the car window, which was found to contain cocaine residue.  Rivera, and other officers remained at the house until W.J. and C.J. obtained a search warrant from a Baltimore City District Court judge. 

As detailed in his plea agreement, Rivera ultimately participated in the search of the residence.  While no drugs were found in the house, officers found car keys, including a key that had the ability to activate an alarm in a vehicle remotely.  A BPD officer activated the alarm and officers heard the alarm sound in a pickup truck that was parked nearby.  Rivera learned that drugs were found in the truck.  Other officers waited with the cocaine until a SWAT team arrived to provide protection during the transportation of the cocaine to BPD headquarters because it was such a large quantity.  In order to transport the cocaine from the scene to BPD headquarters, it was loaded into a BPD surveillance van driven by K.G.  After the cocaine was loaded into the surveillance van, officers followed the SWAT team to BPD headquarters to maintain chain-of-custody over the cocaine.  Forty-one kilograms of cocaine were turned in to the BPD’s Evidence Control Unit on February 20, 2009.  Later that day, a criminal complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland charging T.M. with possessing with intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine.

Rivera discovered three additional kilograms of cocaine in the surveillance van that had been used to transport the cocaine to BPD.  These kilograms of cocaine had come from the seizure from T.M.’s pickup truck on February 19 and 20, 2009, but had not been turned in to the BPD on February 20, 2009.  Rather than turn this cocaine in to BPD, Rivera, and others agreed to sell the cocaine and split the proceeds from its sale. 

Rivera sold the cocaine to a confidential informant of his, who trafficked in cocaine.  The source sold the cocaine in Baltimore City.  Rivera received the proceeds of the sale from his source and then shared them with other officers.  Ultimately, Rivera received $20,000 in drug proceeds from the sale of the cocaine seized from T.M.’s pickup truck that had not been turned in to BPD.

On November 1, 2019, Rivera agreed to participate in a voluntary interview with FBI task force officers (“TFOs”).  Rivera was told it was a crime to lie to the FBI TFOs interviewing him and he acknowledged he understood.  In that interview, Rivera made a number of false statements and material omissions.  An example being, the FBI TFO asking, “Did you ever hear of anybody taking any drugs or any money or anything like that from the incident?” to which Rivera replied, “No sir. No.”

Rivera faces a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment for making false statements to federal agents.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo J. Wise, who is prosecuting the case.

# # #

BRUNSWICK, GA– The final remaining defendant among two dozen people indicted for operating a drug distribution ring in south Georgia and northern Florida has been sentenced to federal prison.

Jose Salguero, 32, of Brunswick, Ga., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood to 121 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine, Methamphetamine, MDMA, and Marijuana, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his prison term, Salguero will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Along with his now-convicted and sentenced co-defendants, Jose Salguero was responsible for distributing significant amounts of recreational poison throughout a large area of south Georgia and beyond,” said U.S. Attorney Christine.  “We are committed to coordinating with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to make our neighborhoods safer by eradicating these criminal drug dealers.”

According to court documents and in information shared in court proceedings, the federal, state and local investigation into violent gang and drug trafficking activities in the greater Glynn County area determined that Robert Johnson, 54, of Jacksonville, Fla., supplied Salguero and other members of the conspiracy with illegal narcotics that they in turn distributed throughout the area. Johnson, who has a prior federal conviction in federal court for drug trafficking, is serving a 78-month sentence in federal prison.  

All of the defendants in the conspiracy have now been sentenced in U.S. District Court. Together they have more than 60 previous felony convictions in state court.

“Salguero is the last of more than 20 defendants, part of a major drug trafficking organization, to be sentenced for inflicting a scourge of drugs and crime in our communities,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI’s Safe Streets Gang Task Forces, comprised of federal, state and local law enforcement officers, remain committed to dismantling these types of criminal organizations.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force, along with the Glynn County Police Department and the Brunswick Police Department, and was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kirkland. 

A methamphetamine user found with two firearms in his vehicle was sentenced August 26, 2020, to a term in federal prison.

Lukas Rick, age 24, from Center Point, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 6, 2020 guilty plea to possession of firearms by a drug user.

At the guilty plea, Rick admitted he was driving a car and in possession of both a .30-06 caliber Ithaca rifle and a 12 gauge Remington shotgun.  At the time he possessed these guns, he was an unlawful user of methamphetamine.  Law enforcement stopped Rick’s car because it was missing a license plate.  Law enforcement subsequently discovered that the rifle in Rick’s possession was stolen.

Rick was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Rick was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and fined $100.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Rick was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal; Bureau of Prisons at a later date.

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

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.  For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/ag/page/file/1217186/download.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Liz Dupuich and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 19-CR-0114.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three Kansas City, Missouri, men have been charged in federal court for their roles in an armed carjacking Monday night that led to a high-speed chase and a collision that killed another motorist.

Derrell M. Wade, also known as Derrelle, 19, Curtis R. Daniels, 18, and Michael A. Brown, 18, were charged in a two-count complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Aug. 26. They remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.

The federal criminal complaint charges each of the defendants with participating in a carjacking that occurred on Monday, Aug. 24. The complaint also charges Wade with brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Wade pointed a gun at the victim, identified in court documents as “T.R.,” as he was walking away from his parked vehicle, a gold 2007 Prius, at approximately 10:35 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 24. Wade allegedly pressed the barrel of his gun against T.R.’s forehead, and demanded, “give me your keys.” Another person took T.R.’s cell phone from his hand. T.R. was repeatedly struck in the back with an unknown object by a third person, and told to stay on his knees. The three men then fled in T.R.’s vehicle, the affidavit says.

T.R. immediately contacted law enforcement, and used his wife’s cell phone to track his stolen cell phone, using the Find My Phone app. Police officers saw the stolen Prius driving southbound on Lister Avenue, passing over the main thoroughfare of East 23rd Street, at about 11:09 p.m. Officers pulled behind the vehicle, which the affidavit says was being driven by Wade, and the vehicle accelerated a high rate of speed away from the officers. Officers activated their emergency equipment and initiated a pursuit of the vehicle.

According to the affidavit, Wade drove at speeds up to 75 miles per hour and ran several stop signs during the pursuit. When Wade ran the stop sign at 23rd Street and Lawn Avenue, the Prius collided with another vehicle. This collision resulted in the fatality of an occupant from that vehicle.

Wade left the driver’s seat and attempted to run away. Wade, who appeared to be limping, fell to the ground. As he was falling, the affidavit says, he pulled a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun from his waistband and threw it in the grass.

Brown got out of the passenger side rear door of the Prius and began running toward Elmwood Avenue. He was found hiding near a grill in a residential backyard and arrested.

Daniels, who was sitting in the front passenger seat of the Prius, was arrested without incident.

The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

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

Operation LeGend
Operation LeGend is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.