SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A former emergency medical technician at Mercy Medical Center pleaded guilty in federal court today to stealing fentanyl and hydromorphone from dozens of vials used by ambulances in Carthage and Mount Vernon, Missouri, and replacing the drugs with saline or water solution.

“A former paramedic abused his position of trust by stealing and diluting drugs that were meant to ease the pain of those he was responsible to aid in an emergency,” Garrison said. “He should rightly be held to a high standard, and will be held accountable for his criminal actions.”

“The FDA oversees the U.S. drug supply to ensure that they are safe and effective, and those who knowingly tamper with medicines put patients’ health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to protect the public health and bring to justice health care professionals who take advantage of their unique position and compromise their patients’ health and comfort by tampering with needed drugs.”

James Poole, 37, of Webb City, Missouri, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to a federal information that charges him with one count of tampering with a consumer product.

On Jan. 23, 2020, paramedics with Mercy Medical Center in Carthage, Mo., noticed what appeared to be puncture marks on a fentanyl vial that was being used to administer the pain-killing medication to a patient. Paramedics then reported a second incident in which they drew fentanyl from a vial, into a syringe, and observed that there was not enough fluid in the vial to administer a dose to the patient.

The remaining narcotics in the ambulances and the office stock were examined by officials at Mercy Carthage EMS, who observed that the fentanyl and hydromorphone on the ambulances and in the office stock appeared to have visible signs of tampering. The Mount Vernon Mercy EMS facility supplies were also examined since the facility is a sister ambulance location to the Carthage facility, with the same paramedics working at both locations. Officials observed signs of tampering for one fentanyl vial that were similar to those observed at the Carthage facility.

On the same day, officials with Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, Mo., contacted the Federal Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations. Mercy Medical Center officials reported that 26 fentanyl and 43 hydromorphone vials appeared to have physical signs of tampering. Officials with Mercy Medical Center had the vials that were identified as being tampered with tested, and lab reports revealed that the vials had some of their original contents replaced with either saline or water solution.

Supervisors and other personnel were drug tested on the date the tampering was discovered, and Poole tested positive for norfentanyl, an analog of fentanyl. 

Poole admitted that he was an opioid addict and had been since he was injured in an ambulance accident in December 2018. Poole admitted that he tampered with and stole 50mcg fentanyl on an EMS call that he responded to approximately three weeks earlier, on Jan. 1, 2020, before the additional tampering was discovered and he was drug tested. Poole admitted he documented giving a patient with abdominal pain 100 mcg of fentanyl, but tampered with the dosage by only administered 50 mcg to the patient. Poole stole the syringe with the remaining narcotic and injected himself with the remaining fentanyl after his shift.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations.

BILLINGS—A Laurel man was arraigned today on an indictment alleging he attempted to illegally obtain $35,000 from the Paycheck Protection Program, a federal loan program created through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to help businesses struggling with the financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said today.

Matthew Jason Welch, 38, pleaded not guilty to two counts of wire fraud as charged in an indictment filed on Aug. 21. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

The indictment against Welch is the first PPP fraud case to be charged in Montana.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. Welch was released pending further proceedings.

The indictment alleges Welch attempted to unjustly enrich himself by submitting an application on April 23 to obtain a PPP loan under false and misleading pretenses by making false statements about his criminal history. It is also alleged he intended to use the loan proceeds to pay for restitution and other costs related to pending criminal cases against him. The indictment further alleges that Welch, in the name of Welch Sole Proprietorship, sought $35,000 in PPP funds to support payroll, lease and mortgage-interest costs and utility costs and that he falsely certified he was not subject to criminal charges.

The U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-103.

The progress of this case may be monitored regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Catherine Perry sentenced Abayomi Martin to 15 months in prison and ordered restitution totaling $261,194.71. The 43-year-old Lake St. Louis resident pleaded guilty, in March, to one count of wire fraud relative to a scheme to defraud and obtain money from Baltimore Ravens player Brandon Carr. 

Martin owned and operated a company known as NUCO Group Holdings. Martin solicited an investment from Brandon Carr and Carr’s business manager for a purported part ownership in a separate clothing company known as Famous Nobodys. Martin falsely represented to Carr and his business manager he had an ownership interest in Famous Nobodys. , and Carr’s investment in NUCO Group Holdings would provide Carr a 17.5% ownership interest in NUCO, which would own and operate Famous Nobodys.

On September 12, 2016, after Martin presented him with what appeared to be a legitimate operating agreement setting out Carr’s purported ownership interest and NUCO’s interest in Famous Nobodys, Carr wired $250,000 to Martin for the purpose of owning as an equity holder and operating Famous Nobodys. However, the true owner of Famous Nobodys never knew of this purported agreement by Martin, never received any of Carr’s investment money and never agreed to turn over any ownership interest in Famous Nobodys to Martin or NUCO.  Instead, Martin used the investment funds provided by Brandon Carr for his own personal use and expenses, including cash withdrawals and personal credit card payments.  Martin also used a portion of Brandon Carr’s funds to pay for the expenses and training costs of several professional boxers in Las Vegas, Nevada, all without the knowledge and authority of Carr. 

Martin continued the fraud by sending Carr and Carr’s business manager false, fraudulent email communications, and text messages purporting to update them on Carr’s purported investment in Famous Nobodys.  Brandon Carr had intended to use any profits from his investment in Famous Nobodys to fund his broad based charitable foundation, Carr Cares.  Instead, Carr never received any funds back from Martin, who fraudulently used Carr’s entire investment for personal expenses and uses unrelated to any true investment in NUCO or Famous Nobodys.           

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Hal Goldsmith is handling the case for the United States Attorney’s Office.

NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man made his initial appearance today on charges of illegally possessing a handgun and possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Antoine Hawkins, 31, of Newark, is charged by complaint with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. He made his initial appearance today by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Falk and was detained.

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

On Sept. 16, 2020, law enforcement officers conducted a surveillance operation in connection with a shooting on Aug. 18, 2020. An officer approached Hawkins, who appeared to be the person of interest in the shooting incident. During a conversation between the law enforcement officer and Hawkins, the law enforcement officer observed what appeared to be the imprint of a firearm on Hawkins’s jacket. The law enforcement officer frisked Hawkins and seized a 9mm Springfield Armory XDM pistol, which was loaded with 19 rounds of ammunition.

After Hawkins was arrested for possessing the pistol and the ammunition, law enforcement executed a search warrant inside of Hawkins’s residence, which revealed 626 glassine envelopes containing suspected heroin and three 9mm magazines.

The firearm offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. The narcotics offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison, and a fine of $2 million.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; members of the Newark Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose; special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark; and special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina, with the investigation leading to the charges.

This investigation is part of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Newark. The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around the Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI includes the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole Board, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, and New Jersey Department of Corrections.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violent Crimes Unit in Newark.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, man was indicted today on charges of conspiring to produce and distribute, and producing, distributing, receiving, and possessing, images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Ramon Zelaya, 36, of Union City, is charged by superseding indictment with one count of conspiring to produce and distribute child pornography, two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of distributing child pornography, two counts of receiving child pornography, and two counts of possessing child pornography. Zelaya was initially charged by complaint in March 2019 and by indictment in November 2019.

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

On April 21, 2018, Zelaya used Facebook to conspire with an individual in the Dominican Republic to sexually abuse the individual’s minor child, create images of that abuse, and send the images to Zelaya, who then distributed the images among various Facebook accounts he controlled.

Between Aug. 20, 2018, and Sept. 20, 2018, Zelaya, representing himself as a teenaged boy, used Instagram communications to persuade a child to send him a revealing photograph. He then threatened to reveal that photograph as a means of coercing the child into sending him sexually explicit images. Zelaya subsequently distributed the images via Facebook.

The production charges each carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine. The distribution charges each carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine. The possession charges carry maximum penalties of 20 years in prison and 10 years in prison, respectively, as well as a $250,000 fine for each. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Union City, New Jersey, Police Department, under the direction of Chief Nichelle Luster, the Bayonne Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Robert Geisler, and the Public Prosecutor’s Office of San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic, for assistance in the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah A. Sulkowski of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.

The charge and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

SAN FRANCISCO – Brooke Campbell Solis appeared today in U.S. Magistrate Court for arraignment and an initial federal court appearance on a criminal complaint charging her with wire fraud in connection with a scheme to embezzle funds from her former employer announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and FBI Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett.  She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Virginia K. DeMarchi.

According to the complaint, Solis, 49, of Austin, Texas, is a licensed attorney.  From January 2018 until July 2019, Solis was the General Counsel and then Chief Business Officer of a financial technology company registered to do business in the State of California.  While employed with the technology company, Solis telecommuted from her home in Austin to her employer’s principal place of business in San Francisco. 

The complaint describes how Solis allegedly diverted funds from her employer and paid the diverted funds to shell companies and entities controlled by Solis and her husband.  For example, Solis controlled a shell company named The Paralegal Group LLC. The company was incorporated in Delaware and Solis was listed as the sole member.  Bank records and additional vendor records identify Solis as the person controlling The Paralegal Group.  The complaint alleges Solis submitted fraudulent invoices in the name of The Paralegal Group and then arranged for her employer to pay the invoices to the shell company.  According to the complaint, there is no evidence The Paralegal Group ever provided any services to Solis’s employer and certain records typically associated with running a true business do not exist for The Paralegal Group.

In another aspect of the embezzlement scheme, Solis used “super administrative privileges” to receive an illegitimate reimbursement payment from her employer.  The super administrative privileges had been granted by her employer to assist Solis to exercise her legitimate job responsibilities.  Nevertheless, Solis used the privileges to improperly submit and approve payment for expenses without review from other employees or executives working for the employer.  For example, in July of 2019, two days after Solis’s employment was terminated, she submitted a personal expense of $4,575 for “Jackson and Oliver boarding.”  In this example, Solis self-approved expenses for 61 days of dog boarding.  The criminal complaint explains that Solis used her access to her employer’s expense approval software even after her employment was terminated and, as of the signing of the complaint, no records for the boarding company could be found.

In sum, Solis is charged with two counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.

Solis pleaded not guilty.  Magistrate Judge DeMarchi ordered Solis released on a $150,000 bond and scheduled her next court appearance for October 22, 2020, at 10:30, for a preliminary examination.

A complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Solis faces a maximum statutory penalty of twenty years in prison for each count of wire fraud. The court also may order an additional term of supervised release, fines and restitution.  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 case is being prosecuted by the Corporate Fraud Strike Force. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.  

LAS VEGAS, Nev.— U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Marshal Gary Schofield, and Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) announced today that five individuals are facing federal charges for causing damage to the Foley Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse on May 30, 2020.

“Agitators at the May 30 protest in downtown Las Vegas allegedly damaged a federal courthouse and threatened to attack a law enforcement officer,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “These cases should reinforce that our office will protect lawful First Amendment activity — while also upholding the rule of law by prosecuting those who would incite and escalate violence, vandalism, and destruction.”

“The FBI’s mission is to uphold the Constitution, which includes freedom of speech and the right to assemble,” said Special Agent in Charge Rouse. “A line was crossed in what was intended to be a peaceful protest in Las Vegas and federal property was destroyed as a result of the alleged actions of these subjects. We will continue working with our federal, state and local partners to ensure that those that destroy parts of our city are held accountable."

“The United States Marshals have protected the Federal Judiciary since 1789. This investigation is part of a joint effort by many agencies,” said Marshal Schofield. “These arrests ensure that the community continues to have unfettered access to Justice.”

Alejandro Avalos (28), Alexander Kostan (21), Reginald Lewis (19), Kelton K. Simon (34), and Jeanette R. Wallace (24), all of Las Vegas, have been each charged in separate criminal complaints with one count of depredation against property of the United States.

As alleged in court documents, on the evening of May 30, 2020, a protest in front of the federal buildings in downtown Las Vegas following the May 25th death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN became boisterous. Fireworks were set off, walls were spray painted with obscenities and graffiti, and small bushes were lit on fire. Several individuals went to the east entrance of the Foley Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse (FFB), threw paint on the windows, and kicked and struck the windows with objects. According to an off-duty Federal Protective Service Protection Security Officer who was stationed inside the FFB that night, the crowd could see him inside the building and he could hear persons saying, “Get him!” and “Get the cop!”

Additional police units arrived at the FFB and the crowd was ultimately dispersed. The cost of repairing and cleaning up the damage done to the FFB was estimated to be about $71,335.72.

With respect to the five individuals facing federal charges:

• Footage captured by surveillance cameras at the FFB, as well as social media videos, show Avalos striking the building’s windows with a blue metal bar, and breaking at least one window.

•  Kostan repeatedly kicked the FFB’s windows.

• Simon repeatedly threw what appears to be a metal object, in the shape of the letter “N,” at the FFB windows. Metal letters that had been attached to the FFB’s exterior were torn off by the crowd.

• Wallace picked up and threw what appeared to be rocks and a paint can at FFB windows.

• Lewis repeatedly kicked FFB windows and doors.

Avalos, Kostan, Lewis, Simon, and Wallace have all been arraigned in federal court. If convicted, each defendant faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The sentencing of a defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct for purposes of establishing probable cause, not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. 

These five cases are the product of an investigation by the FBI's Las Vegas Violent Crimes Task Force and LVMPD. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa Cartier-Giroux and Kimberly Sokolich are prosecuting the cases.

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DETROIT - The United States Attorney’s Office will convene a community webinar on Friday, September 18, 2020.  Speakers at the webinar will talk about Sextortion.  Sextortion is a type of online child exploitation where victims are coerced into providing sexually explicit images or videos often in compliance with a threat being made against them or their families. Sextortion crimes have been on the rise in recent years.  With children occupying their time with internet activities during the pandemic, this increases their vulnerability to being targeted. 

“The crime of sextortion begins on children’s smartphones, computers and other electronic devices,” stated United States Attorney Matthew Schneider.  "“Parents, please speak with your children about the dangers of chatting online so we can keep all of our children safe.  We hope this webinar will provide parents and children with helpful information so others don’t fall victim to this heinous crime.”

Join us for a webinar in which survivors of sextortion and their parents will share their experiences and advice.  The webinar will also include general information about sextortion and supporting victims in court.  Carol Todd and Dan Cojanu from the Canine Advocacy Program will both speak at the event.  Carol Todd’s story and website can be found here https://www.amandatoddlegacy.org/about-carol.html

Parents, teachers, students, law enforcement, and community leaders are encouraged to attend.

This event is free and open to the public. The meeting will take place on Friday, September 18 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

To attend, please click on the following link 

https://usao.webex.com/usao/onstage/g.php?MTID=eb7fb7cf39cdcdba69ef68d1bbad12779   and type in Detroit313!   Attendance is limited to the first 1,000 users.

NOTE: This event is open press.

OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal jury has found DOMINIC EUGENE HUNT, 26, of Oklahoma City, guilty of numerous firearms, ammunition, and drug-related charges after five years of criminal conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing.

On November 6, 2019, a third superseding indictment charged Hunt with nine counts of various firearms, ammunition, and drug-related charges from four separate episodes of criminal conduct spanning from 2014 to 2019. The Third Superseding Indictment charged Hunt with the following: Counts 1 & 5) Drug User in Possession of a Firearm; Count 2) Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Counts 3 & 6) Possession with Intent to Distribute; Counts 4 & 7) Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Counts 8 & 9) Felon in Possession of Ammunition.

On September 4, 2020, Hunt pleaded guilty to Counts 1-3 before the case went to trial. On September 11, 2020, after a four-day trial, the jury returned guilty verdicts on the remaining six counts.

Evidence at trial showed that Hunt, also known as "Dime Sack," illegally possessed three different firearms, including an assault rifle, in furtherance of his possession of marijuana with intent to distribute on at least two different occasions in 2014.  Evidence also showed the ammunition Hunt illegally possessed in Count 8 was the ammunition used to shoot a victim on January 20, 2019, during a confrontation about a possible stolen car.  That victim survived.  Finally, evidence showed that the ammunition Hunt illegally possessed in Count 9 was shot from the same gun as the ammunition in Count 8 and was used in a drive-by shooting on February 2, 2019, that resulted in the death of one victim.

Hunt’s prosecution highlights the resources that the United States Attorney’s Office can bring to bear in addressing violent crimes.  The prosecution of Counts 8 and 9 was based on work by the Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD), but also depended heavily on ballistics expertise from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives (ATF), as well as cell phone location analysis provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). 

Hunt is expected to be sentenced within the next few months.  Due to his convictions on Counts 4 and 7 alone, Hunt faces a minimum of 10 years in prison, and up to life, as well as possible fines and a period of supervised release.

This case is the result of investigations by the OCPD, ATF, and FBI.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacquelyn M. Hutzell and David McCrary prosecuted the case.  This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.  To download a photo of U.S. Attorney Downing, click here.

OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal indictment has been unsealed charging BOBBY CHRIS MAYES, 28, CHARLES GOOCH, 61, and COURTNEY WELLS, 35, all residents of Norman, with 25 counts of wire fraud, conspiracy, issuing forged securities, and aggravated identity theft, announced Timothy J. Downing, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.

On September 16, 2020, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging that from January 2014 to March 2019, Mayes, Gooch, and Wells utilized their positions as co-owners of the Big Red Dealerships (Big Red Sports/Imports, Big Red Kia, Norman Yamaha, Norman Mitsubishi, and Mayes Kia) to engage in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud in which they sought to obtain millions of dollars of loan proceeds.  The indictment further alleged the defendants made materially false statements and omissions to the lenders about the type, source, and amount of borrowers’ down payments or vehicle trade-ins, and bribed at least one loan officer.

According to the indictment, the Big Red Dealerships used advertisements to target potential customers with poor credit. Mayes, Gooch, and Wells fraudulently induced lenders to approve loans for such customers by documenting that the customers provided cash down payments or trade-in vehicles, even when neither transaction took place.  The indictment alleges at least one lender approved questionable loans after being provided with cash bribes from a Big Red Dealership manager.  It is alleged that, on the defendants' instruction, Big Red Dealership employees covered the ongoing criminal conduct, even forging the signatures of customers who supposedly provided cash down payments.

The indictment alleges approximately 476 loans were approved based on false cash down payments, and roughly 636 loans were approved based on false vehicle trade-ins. 

Count 1 charges all three defendants with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  Counts 2-13 charge all three defendants with wire fraud based on 12 loan packages sent to lenders for specific customers.  If convicted of any of Counts 1-13, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.

Counts 14-19 charge all three defendants with uttering forged securities based on checks forged by Big Red Dealership employees.  If convicted of any of Counts 14-19, each defendant faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. 

Counts 20-25 charge all three defendants with aggravated identity theft against the customers whose signatures were forged.  If convicted of any of Counts 20-25, each defendant faces a mandatory term of imprisonment of 2 years to run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

The public is reminded these charges are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  Reference is made to court filings for further information.  Attached is the indictment the federal grand jury returned in this matter.  To download a photo of U.S. Attorney Downing, click here.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys K. McKenzie Anderson and Tom Snyder.

             ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Jose Armijo, 36, of Albuquerque made an appearance in federal court today facing two counts of robbery by threats and violence. Armijo remains in custody.

            According to a criminal complaint, on Dec. 30, 2018, Armijo allegedly entered a retail store with several accomplices and began placing high-value items into backpacks and laundry bags. As Armijo and his accomplices approached the store exit, Armijo allegedly brandished a firearm to threaten the store manager and security guard and left the store with stolen merchandise.

            On July 16, according to the complaint, Armijo and two accomplices allegedly entered another retail store and began collecting a large amount of merchandise. Armijo allegedly became verbally aggressive to a store employee at the same time his accomplices were leaving the store with stolen items. As Armijo attempted to leave the store with several items, including the cellular phone of a second store employee, he allegedly assaulted and threatened to shoot the first employee, who sustained injuries during the incident.

            If convicted, Armijo faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. A criminal complaint is only an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

            The FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Mote is prosecuting the case as part of the Department of Justice's Operation Legend, a coordinated federal and local law enforcement initiative to fight gun and dangerous crime.

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PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Jerry Zweitzig, 71, of Hatboro, PA, was sentenced to 200 years in prison and lifetime supervised release by United States District Court Judge Wendy Beetlestone for manufacturing and attempted manufacturing of child pornography. The charges stemmed from the defendant’s sexual abuse of an infant and a young girl under ten years of age, both of whom were in the defendant’s care at the time of the abuse. Zweitzig was a pastor at the Horsham Bible Church at the time of the abuse. He was sentenced for the charges in both cases today.

In the case involving the young girl, Zweitzig pleaded guilty to five counts of manufacturing and attempted manufacturing of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The charges arose from the defendant’s sexual exploitation of the girl over a period of years, his photographing and videotaping of this sexual abuse, and his collection of more than 10,000 images of child pornography involving thousands of other children on four different hard drives found in his home. According to court documents, the collection included disturbing images of prepubescent children being raped by adult males, forced oral sex on babies and young girls by adult men and women, and insertion of objects into children – many of which show children crying and clearly in pain.

In the case involving the infant, Zweitzig pleaded guilty to one count of manufacturing and one count of attempted manufacturing of child pornography. The charges were based on a video that the defendant made in 2010 that depicts an infant under six months of age being coaxed to suck on adult male genitalia. In the video, Zweitzig’s voice can be heard repeatedly saying: “that’s a good boy.”

“The level of depravity in these cases leaves me almost speechless,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “I will simply say this: today’s sentence ensures that Zweitzig will die in prison, which is probably a better fate than he deserves.”

“Safeguarding children from being victimized by predators is a top priority for Homeland Security Investigations,” said Brian A. Michael, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia. “Mr. Zweitzig’s behavior is deplorable, and the exploitation of children is inexcusable. HSI special agents and our law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue child predators, in every form, and ensure those who commit these atrocious crimes are brought to justice.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (“CEOS”), 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.

The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Horsham Police Department, and the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric L. Gibson.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Matthew R. Osuba, age 35, of Saugerties, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 840 months in prison for sexually exploiting a child, and distributing and possessing child pornography. 

The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

During Osuba’s August 2019 jury trial, evidence demonstrated that Osuba created and appeared in a video depicting sexually explicit conduct with a sleeping child.  He was also convicted of sending pornographic images of children over the internet, and possessing additional child pornography on his cell phone.     

At sentencing, Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy found that Osuba had engaged in a pattern of sexual exploitation of children. Judge McAvoy found by a preponderance of the evidence that Osuba had sexually abused two additional children, each under the age of 5. 

Judge McAvoy stated that Osuba’s 70-year term of imprisonment – the maximum permitted by law – was necessary to protect children and the public, because Osuba posed a significant risk of committing future child pornography offenses and “hands-on” child sexual abuse.  Judge McAvoy also imposed a 25-year term of supervised release to follow Osuba’s term of imprisonment, and ordered him to pay $3,000 in restitution to one of his victims. 

This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes investigators from the New York State Police, Town of Colonie Police Department, and Warren County Sheriff’s Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Kopita and Shira Hoffman.  

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorney’s offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Corey Baker, age 25, of Clintondale, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 100 months in prison for distributing child pornography.

The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Baker pled guilty on January 15, 2020.  As part of his guilty plea, Baker admitted that, between June 2017 and August 2018, he used a cell phone and laptop, equipped with various Internet-based instant messaging and file-sharing applications, to trade child pornography with others.  He also admitted to using a peer-to-peer file-sharing application on the laptop to search for and download child pornography.  Baker’s phone and laptop computer contained approximately 671 video files and 115 image files depicting the sexual exploitation of children.

Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy also sentenced Baker to a 15-year term of supervised release, to begin following his term of imprisonment, and ordered him to pay $6,000 in restitution to the victims depicted in the materials he possessed.  Baker will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison

This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the New York State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorney’s offices, 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 identify and rescue victims, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Scott McMahon, age 52, of Queensbury, New York, pled guilty today to distributing controlled substances outside the course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose, and to misusing personal information in the course of fraudulently obtaining controlled substances from pharmacies.  McMahon also agreed to pay $43,225.24 to settle civil penalty claims arising from his improper prescribing of ketamine and failure to keep proper records of ketamine treatment.                                                                                                             

The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.

In 2019, McMahon had a medical practice in Clifton Park, New York, having previously maintained offices in Albany and other locations in the Capital Region. He specialized in psychiatry and addiction treatment.

In pleading guilty, McMahon admitted that from at least December 2018 through August 2019, he provided certain patients with prescriptions for the Schedule II controlled substance methylphenidate – the generic of Ritalin – with the intent of having them kick back a portion of each prescription to him for his own personal use.  As part of the scheme, McMahon obtained the names and birthdates of the children of a patient. McMahon used that information to issue methylphenidate prescriptions in the children’s names, and fraudulently induced pharmacies in New York and Vermont to dispense controlled substances under the pretense that the medication was for the children. The patient picked up these prescriptions in his children’s names, and split the methylphenidate with McMahon.

In the civil case, McMahon admitted that he improperly prescribed ketamine intranasal spray to an individual who had no legitimate medical need for it.  A sampling of McMahon’s records showed that he failed to record the amount of ketamine injected for each patient on each treatment date, the name of each patient who was injected, and the person who injected the ketamine.  McMahon also failed to conduct an initial inventory when he began dispensing ketamine.  The civil penalty is based, in part, on McMahon’s inability to pay a higher amount. 

McMahon is in custody.  Sentencing is scheduled for January 13, 2021 before Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy.  On the aggravated identity theft conviction, McMahon must serve 2 years in prison.  On the drug conviction, he faces up to an additional 20 years in prison, and will also be ordered to serve at least 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

McMahon’s plea agreement requires that he surrender his New York State medical license, and forfeit $6,774.76 seized by the Government as part of the criminal case.

The criminal case was investigated the DEA Albany District Office’s Tactical Diversion Squad and its Capital District Drug Enforcement Task Force, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett. 

The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad also investigated the civil case, in which Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Moran represented the United States.

Also assisting in the investigations were the New York State Police, the New York State Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, and the DEA Resident Office in Burlington, Vermont.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Five men arrested in Syracuse yesterday are alleged to be members of a conspiracy to traffic in cocaine and heroin operating between Puerto Rico, New York City, and Syracuse, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon, Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division, and Chief Kenton Buckner, City of Syracuse Police Department.  Yesterday’s takedown follows a series of previous arrests by the multi-agency investigation that now includes 15 defendants.

The five men arrested yesterday appeared today in court on federal criminal complaints alleging a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, which operated from May 2020 to September 16, 2020.  Thirteen of the defendants are residents of Onondaga County, one defendant is a resident of the Bronx, New York, and one defendant is a resident of Puerto Rico.

As part of this investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 4.5 kilograms of cocaine, 1,140 bags of heroin (approximately 44 grams), $75,000, a ghost gun, and three handguns – a  Taurus PT 809 9mm handgun, a Ruger revolver, a Highpoint .40 caliber, and the lower part of a Glock pistol.

“These arrests confirm that even during this unprecedented global pandemic, federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies are working together to protect our communities from drug trafficking.  Our commitment will never waver,” said Antoinette T. Bacon, Acting United States Attorney.

“A major drug pipeline from Puerto Rico to Syracuse has been dismantled as a result of this homegrown investigation,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan. “Not only did we identify this drug network’s operations, we targeted the local dealers, taking guns and drugs off the streets of Syracuse. I applaud our law enforcement partners for their hard work and determination in keeping our cities safe.”

“The Syracuse Police Department is pleased to report a major drug operation has been removed from our city.  We accomplished the mission by coordination with our federal partners at the US Attorney's Office and the DEA.  We will continue these collaborations in our efforts to pursue individuals responsible for drug trafficking and gang violence in our city.  It is our sincere hope this progress will improve the quality of life in some of our challenged communities,” said Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner.

The charges resulting from the arrests are summarized below.

June/July Arrests

In June and July 2020, DEA and Syracuse Police arrested three (3) defendants alleged in federal criminal complaints to be members of a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute heroin and cocaine.

On June 24, 2020, Jikeya McBride, 31, of Syracuse, NY was arrested and charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin. If convicted, McBride faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000 and a term of supervised release of at least three years and up to life.

On June 24, 2020, Aaron Acevedo, 27, of Syracuse, NY was arrested and charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, following the execution of a federal search warrant at his Syracuse, New York residence. If convicted, Acevedo faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000 and a term of supervised release of at least three years and up to life.   

On July 13, 2020, Claudio Acevedo-Maquita, 55, of the Bronx, NY was arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin following a traffic stop where forty-four (44) “bricks” of heroin (each “brick” consists of 50 individual bags of heroin) were seized in the vehicle. Acevedo-Maquita was allegedly travelling from New York City to Syracuse, New York, to deliver the heroin to co-conspirator Samuel Matos.  If convicted, Acevedo-Maquita faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000 and a term of supervised release of at least three years and up to life.

August 19, 2020 Arrests

On August 19, 2020, the following defendants were arrested and charged in federal criminal complaints alleging conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine: 

            Luis Mendez, 37, Syracuse, NY

            Samuel Matos, 27, Syracuse, NY

            Hector Santiago, 31, Syracuse, NY

            Helbert Calo-Birriel, 31, Syracuse, NY

            John Resto, 25, Syracuse, NY

            Luis Resto, 25, Syracuse, NY

            Jose Medina, 34, Syracuse, NY

If convicted, these defendants face between 5 years and life in prison, a fine of up to $5,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least four years and up to life.

September 16, 2020 Arrests

On September 16, 2020, the following defendants were arrested and charged in federal criminal complaints alleging conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine:

            Omar Fuentes, 24, Syracuse, NY

            Jobany Tirado, 37, Syracuse, NY 

            Rahfet Shehadeh, 27, Syracuse, NY

            Angel Negron-Collazo, 24, Syracuse, NY

If convicted, these defendants face between 10 years and life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and a supervised release term of at least 5 years and up to life.

Omar Fuentes is also alleged to have possessed a pistol in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime at the time of his arrest.  If convicted of this count, Fuentes faces a mandatory consecutive term of 5 years in prison for the firearm count.

On September 16, 2020, Joel Franco-Ortiz, 34, of Puerto Rico, was arrested during a traffic stop and charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000 and terms of supervised release of at least three years and up to life for the drug-related counts, and a mandatory consecutive term of 5 years in prison for the firearm count.

A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

The charges in the criminal complaints are merely accusations and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Syracuse Police Department, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Investigators from the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the New York State Police, and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sahar L. Amandolare.

MIAMI – Texas resident Uzoamaka Leonard Ohaebosim, 46, has been charged in the Southern District of Florida with federal bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution after allegedly lying about his movie company’s payroll expenses and obtaining $1.2 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds.  

Ohaebosim was arrested in Texas and made his initial appearance in federal court there today. Authorities have seized the money.     

U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan of the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Kyle Myles of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Office of Inspector General (OIG), Office of Investigation’s Atlanta Regional Office, Eastern Regional Office, Gary Smith, Special-Agent-in-Charge, Southern Field Division, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), Special Agent in Charge Michael J. De Palma of the IRS-Criminal Investigation (CI) Miami Office, and Special Agent in Charge Kevin A. Kupperbusch of the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA)-OIG, Investigations Division made the announcement.

The criminal complaint alleges that Ohaebosim sought approximately $1.2 million in PPP loans through applications to an insured financial institution.  The complaint alleges that Ohaebosim submitted a PPP loan application that made numerous false and misleading statements regarding his company’s payroll expenses.  Specifically, as part of the loan application,  Ohaebosim allegedly provided a false IRS payroll tax form indicating that his company, Spite the Movie, LLC (“STM”), had over 100 employees who had received wages of approximately $983,000 with taxes withheld of approximately $122,000 in the first quarter of 2020.  In truth, and in fact, STM had not paid these employees and had not filed this form with the IRS.  Relying on this false IRS form, the financial institution in South Florida approved and funded approximately $1.2 million in PPP loans.  Law enforcement has seized these funds.   

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted March 29.  It is designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.  One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP.  In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.

The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of one percent.  Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities.  The PPP allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spend the proceeds on these expenses within a set time period and use at least a certain percentage of the loan towards payroll expenses.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a  court of law. 

This case was investigated by the FDIC-OIG, TIGTA, IRS-CI, and the SBA-OIG.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Berger of the Southern District of Florida is prosecuting the case. 

Related court documents and information appear 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. 20-cr-03573.

BEAUMONT, Texas – A 23-year-old Joaquin, Texas man has been sentenced for child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox today.

              Alexander Nathan Barter pleaded guilty on Dec. 20, 2019, to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and distribution of child pornography and was sentenced to 480 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale.  Following the completion of his prison sentence, Barter was also ordered to submit to a lifetime of supervised release. 

              As part of his plea agreement with the government, Barter agreed to be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count, with each party reserving the right to request that the terms be sentenced concurrently or consecutively.  Barter’s counsel requested that the Court impose a total term of imprisonment of 20 years; the government requested a sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment.

              According to information introduced as part of Barter’s plea and at sentencing, in October 2018, Barter posted an ad on a dark web site stating, “I’d like to try necrophilia and cannibalism, and see how it feels to take a life.  If you’d be willing to let me kill you, are in the US (preferably in the south) and can travel by car, contact me.”  An undercover officer saw the ad and responded, utilizing the persona of a father with a 13-year old daughter.  Between October 9, 2018 and October 19, 2018, Barter and the undercover officer exchanged a series of messages that included Barter’s repeated interest in raping, killing, and eating the 13-year old child.  Barter provided the undercover with instructions on traveling from Florida to Shelby County, Texas, what to tell the child to get her acquiescence to travel, and how to conceal evidence of their crime.  On October 19, 2018, Barter arrived at the designated meet site in Joaquin, Texas with a knife, trash bag, cellular phone, and a tablet.

“As this chilling case demonstrates, online talk is not always just talk.  The constant vigilance of our law enforcement partners has prevented an evildoer from finding a likeminded accomplice and bringing his grisly plan to fruition,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox.  “This case is a sobering reminder of how the brave men and women of law enforcement face down the worst of the worst in the scariest of scenarios.” 

              “In my 23-year-career in law enforcement, this is among the most morally depraved and appalling criminal conspiracies that I have come across,” said Mark Dawson, special agent in charge of HSI Houston. “Without the quick and decisive actions of special agents from HSI Cocoa Beach and HSI Beaumont this disturbed predator would still be out there looking for potential victims to carry out his sick and demented fantasies.”               

              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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.justice.gov/psc.             

This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in Lufkin, Beaumont, and Houston, Texas; Homeland Security Investigations Cocoa Beach, Florida, Child Exploitation Task Force; Brevard County Sheriff’s Office (Florida); Nacogdoches Police Department; Texas Department of Public Safety; Customs and Border Protection Air Units; and Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Miller and U.S. Department of Justice Senior Trial Attorney Jennifer Toritto Leonardo.

BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced yesterday for sex trafficking female victims through a prostitution business.

William Coleman, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 186 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In February 2020, Coleman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and nine counts of sex trafficking. Coleman has been in custody since his arrest on Dec. 23, 2018.  

“This sentence is a stern reminder of the consequences facing those involved in the unconscionable practice of sex trafficking,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “My office, in tandem with our law enforcement partners, remains steadfast in its resolve to eradicate illegal sex trafficking operations that prey on vulnerable victims.”

“This sentencing is yet another success in the fight against the crime of human trafficking in our region,” said Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston. “We applaud this sentence as a measure of justice for the victims who suffered often brutal sexual exploitation at the hands of Coleman through his web of illegal activity which covered multiple states. This case could never have been completed without the expert, close coordination of our concerned community of stakeholders in the Western Massachusetts Human Trafficking Working Group.”

From 2016 to 2018, Coleman ran a prostitution business in the Springfield area, the greater Hartford, Conn., area, and other parts of Connecticut. Coleman used violence and the drug addictions of eight female victims to coerce them into engaging in commercial sex acts with paying customers. The victims were typically required to turn over all of their earnings to Coleman, and their daily lives were tightly controlled by him. Most of the women were not allowed to keep any of the money they earned, and they were only to obtain their drugs – in most cases, heroin – from Coleman. Victims who did not engage in prostitution for Coleman, or who did not follow his rules, were subjected to physical assaults, sexual violence and the withholding of drugs. Coleman used websites to post prostitution advertisements for the victims working for him.

U.S. Attorney Lelling; Hampden County District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni; HSI Boston Acting SAC Shea; Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.

This case is the result of the efforts of the Western Massachusetts Human Trafficking Working Group, which was established in August 2015 to investigate and prosecute crimes involving commercial sex trafficking.

Spokane – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Raymond Zack Guerrero-Garcia, age 29, of Toppenish, Washington, a Sureno Gang Member, and an enrolled member of the Confederated Bands and Tribes of the Yakama Nation, was sentenced today after having pleaded guilty on July 7, 2020, to Discharge of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. Senior United States District Judge Lonny Suko sentenced Guerrero-Garcia to a 10-year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 5-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison.

According to information disclosed during court proceedings, in January 2017, the victim stole drugs from Guerrero-Garcia and damaged his vehicle. In May 2017, the victim learned that Guerrero-Garcia’s mother had passed away. The victim traveled to Guerrero-Garcia’s residence, located within the external boundaries of the Yakama Nation, to offer condolences. Guerrero-Garcia approached the victim, pulled out a firearm, and shot the victim. Guerrero-Garcia then entered the victim’s vehicle and stole property including a stereo.

United States Attorney Hyslop said, “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington commends the law enforcement officers with the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, the Toppenish Police Department, the Yakama Nation Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives who investigated this case. Their seamless partnership resulted in the successful outcome of this matter. The sentence imposed by the court removes a violent gang member from our streets and sends a clear message to others who may choose to engage in such criminal activity.”

This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal prosecution.

This case was investigated by the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, the Toppenish Police Department, the Yakama Nation Police Department, and the Yakima Resident Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Tom Hanlon, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.