BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to drug and firearm charges.

Melvin Difo, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and oxycodone; one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone; and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for Sept. 6, 2017.

In the fall of 2015, federal investigators learned that Difo was receiving oxycodone from a supplier. Investigators arranged to have two sources make numerous controlled purchases of narcotics from Difo. In August 2016, two federal search warrants were executed, one at Difo’s home where a firearm was recovered, and one at his business, where approximately 40 grams of heroin, 100 grams of cocaine, and 860 oxycodone pills were recovered.

The charge of possession with intent to distribute provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million. The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million. The firearm charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement today. The Massachusetts State Police and Lawrence Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Rosen of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

ALBUQUERQUE – Candace Tapia, 22, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to a methamphetamine trafficking charge under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office

Candace Tapia and her codefendants Gaspar Leal, 47, Bernadette Aurora Tapia, 49, and Brandon Candelaria, 22, were charged as the result of an ATF-led investigation that resulted in the filing of 59 federal indictments and a federal criminal complaint charging 104 Bernalillo County residents with federal firearms and narcotics trafficking offenses. The investigation began in mid-April 2016, when ATF personnel from throughout the country joined forces with federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies in New Mexico to combat the high rate of violent crime in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. The investigators utilized a number of investigative techniques, including undercover operations, historical investigation and targeting of multi-convicted felons in possession of firearms.

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

Candace Tapia and her co-defendants were charged by indictment on July 12, 2016, with conspiracy and distribution of methamphetamine on June 8, 2016, in Bernalillo County.

During today’s proceedings, Candace Tapia pled guilty to an information charging her with distribution of methamphetamine and admitted that on June 8, 2016, she distributed methamphetamine to another person. At sentencing, Candace Tapia faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

To date, 52 of the 104 defendants have entered guilty pleas and 18 have been sentenced, including Bernadette Aurora Tapia. The remaining defendants, including Leal and Candelaria, have entered not guilty pleas. Charges in indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.

These cases were investigated by the Albuquerque office of ATF. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel A. Hurtado.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Karen Mathews Davis, 68, of Lodi, pleaded guilty today to making false statements to federal agents during the course of a criminal investigation into the mailing of threatening letters, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between December 23, 2013, and February 12, 2015, Davis falsely claimed to federal law enforcement agents that she had received two letters in the mail from unknown individuals threatening her with death. At the time she received the letters, she was running for a U.S. Congressional seat. Davis provided information to federal law enforcement agents about three individuals who she suggested could have mailed the two threatening letters. In actuality, Davis wrote both letters, placing the first in her own mailbox and mailing herself the second.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Heiko P. Coppola is prosecuting the case.

Davis is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on September 28, 2017. Davis faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Boston - A Fall River man was found guilty and sentenced today in federal court in Boston for violating the terms and conditions of his supervised release.    

Scott Baptista, 42, was found to have violated his conditions of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Denise J. Casper by allegedly raping a woman and taking an un-prescribed suboxone pill.  Baptista admitted to having sex with the victim, claiming that it was consensual.  The victim died nine days after the incident of a drug overdose, and because the victim could not testify, the Commonwealth had to dismiss the related state criminal charges against Baptista.  Revocation proceedings require that the government only prove that the alleged violation occurred by a preponderance of the evidence. 

Judge Casper revoked Baptista’s supervised release and sentenced Baptista to two years in prison, the maximum period permitted by statute for his supervised release violation, and 12 months of supervised release to follow.  In July of 2012, Baptista pleaded guilty to selling a stolen firearm and was sentenced to 55 months in federal prison followed by 36 months of supervised release.

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Kanwit of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.

Dennis J. Northover, II, 27, of Mansfield, was charged with one count of receiving and distributing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. McDonough following an investigation by the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Kevin Simons, 28, of Bedford, with one count of bank robbery, said David A. Sierleja, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Simons, aided and abetted by Alyssa Jarrae Williams and another person, robbed a U.S. Bank in Maple Heights on July 25, 2016. The robbers stole approximately $2,893 from the bank, according to the indictment.

Assistant United States Attorney Megan R. Miller is prosecuting the case following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Maple Heights Police Department.

If convicted, the court will determine the defendant’s sentence after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum. In most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

ALBUQUERQUE – Marcus Bernard Harris, 22, of Detroit, Mich., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to a methamphetamine trafficking charge under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
 

Harris and his codefendants Lewayne Deray Jennings, 28, of Southfield, Mich., and Jerrell Leveine Whitman-Crutcher, II, 31, of Warren, Mich., were arrested on Dec. 28, 2016, and charged with methamphetamine trafficking offenses after the DEA and New Mexico State Police (NMSP) seized a total of 9.8 kilograms (21.6 pounds) of methamphetamine during an interdiction investigation at the Greyhound Bus Station. The methamphetamine was allegedly concealed in various bundles inside luggage.

Harris and his codefendants were subsequently indicted on Jan. 24, 2017, and charged with conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Dec. 28, 2016, in Bernalillo County, N.M.

During today’s proceedings, Harris pled guilty to a felony information charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and admitted transporting methamphetamine to Albuquerque on a Greyhound bus by concealing the methamphetamine in his luggage.

At sentencing, Harris faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

Jennings and Whitman-Crutcher have entered pleas of not guilty to the charges against them. Criminal charges are merely accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Walsh is prosecuting the case.

Six people from Greater Cleveland were indicted in federal court for firearms crimes, said David A. Sierleja, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Indicted are: Donte L. Harris, 35, of Cleveland; Michael T. Tarter Jr., 36, of Cleveland; Creason Graham, 22, of Cleveland; Deon McGregor, 32, of Cleveland Heights; Lamar Brownlee, 18, of Cleveland, and Christopher Howse, 26, of Elyria.

Harris was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and with possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

Harris on May 4 possessed a Charter Arms, Model Undercover 38 Special, .38 caliber revolver, which had an obliterated serial number, and 28 rounds of 9mm ammunition, after having been convicted in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas of attempted robbery, aggravated assault, drug trafficking and burglary, according to the indictment.

The Harris case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Cleveland Division of Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Morrison.

Tarter was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Tarter on April 18 possessed a Taurus .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol and ammunition, after having been convicted twice of drug trafficking in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas and trafficking in heroin and trafficking in cocaine in the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas. He also possessed with the intent to distribute cocaine, according to the indictment.

The Tarter case was investigated by the ATF and the Middleburg Heights Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Morrison.

Graham was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. On May 15, Graham possessed a Sturm Ruger, Prescott, 9mm pistol, and ammunition, after having been previously convicted of aggravated robbery and having a firearm under disability in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.

The case was investigated by ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ranya Elzein.

McGregor on April 29 possessed five round of 9 mm ammunition after having twice been convicted of drug trafficking and once having been convicted of aggravated assault in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, according to the indictment.

The McGregor case was investigated by ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Miller.

Brownlee was charged with theft of a firearm from a federal firearms licensee. Brownlee stole a Glock, Model 43, 9mm pistol from a federal firearms licensee located in Lyndhurst on April 19, according to the indictment.

The Brownlee case was investigated by the ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ranya Elzein.

Howse on March 9 possessed a Taurus 9 mm handgun despite prior convictions in Lorain County Common Pleas Court for aggravated robbery and kidnapping, according to the indictment.

The Howse case was investigated by the Elyria Police Department and FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Corts and Vasile Katsaros.

The cases are unrelated.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

An eight-count indictment was filed charging an Akron man with possession and distribution of heroin, carfentanil, furanyl fentanyl and other drugs, said David A. Sierleja, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Glen Sheffield, 32, was arrested on May 3 and found to possess more than a kilogram each of methamphetamine and cocaine, as well as nearly 400 grams of heroin, 107 grams of carfentanil, 2 grams of furanyl fentanyl and 107 grams of a substance containing both carfentanil and furanyl fentanyl, according to the indictment.

Sheffield also possessed a Sturm Ruger semi-automatic 9 mm handgun, a Springfield Armory D9 semi-automatic handgun, a Sig Sauer semiautomatic handgun, and ammunition, despite prior felony convictions for possession of heroin and cocaine in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas, according to the indictment.

These firearms were used in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, according to the indictment.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Teresa Riley following an investigation by the Akron Police Department Narcotics Unit and Ohio Adult Parole Authority.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

A former Detroit Public Schools principal was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay restitution to the Detroit Public Schools in the amount of $45,775, as a result of having been convicted by a federal jury in an illegal bribery and kickback scheme, announced Acting United States Attorney Daniel L. Lemisch.

Joining Lemisch in the announcement were David P. Gelios, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Manny Muriel, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.

Josette Buendia, 51, of Garden City, Michigan, the principal at Bennett Elementary School, was found guilty on all three charges of conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery charges, after a five-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge George Caram Steeh.

According to the evidence presented at trial, Buendia conspired with Norman Shy, 75, owner of Allstate Sales, a vendor of school supplies. From November 2011 through January 2015, Buendia knowingly certified and submitted fraudulent invoices to DPS, causing DPS to pay Shy for materials that the school did not receive, or that the school only received a portion of the materials. Invoiced supplies included supplemental teaching materials and raised line paper. In exchange, Shy paid bribes and kickbacks to Buendia in the form of gift cards and cash, using a portion of the payments he received from DPS from the fraudulent invoices. The bribes and kickback Buendia received totaled approximately $46,000.

"Following years of investigation, the FBI’s Detroit Area Public Corruption Task Force was able to expose and end a disturbing culture of corrupt activity involving 13 Detroit Public School Principals to include an Assistant Superintendent, said David P. Gelios, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Division of the FBI. “These principals, including an Assistant Superintendent, used their positions as educators and leaders to enrich themselves at the expense of their students and the Detroit Public Schools system. Today’s sentencing of Principal Josette Buendia, the last in this investigation, should provide a sense of closure for the parents, students and the honest and dedicated DPS employees and underscores this community’s commitment to integrity in the operation of our schools”.

Manny Muriel, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation stated, “No matter what your position, it is unacceptable to help yourself to other people’s money and violate their trust. If you commit a crime, status as an educator or leader will not protect you from federal prosecution. Today's action demonstrates our collective efforts to enforce the law and ensure public trust.”

This case was investigated by agents of the FBI and IRS-CI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Michael Buckley and Frances Carlson.

The FBI Detroit Area Corruption Task Force (DACTF) is led by the FBI Detroit Field Office, and consists of Special Agents and law enforcement officers with the FBI Detroit; the Detroit Police Department; the Michigan State Police; the Michigan Attorney General’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division; the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development–Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency–Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Transportation–Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security–Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Education–Office of Inspector General; and the U.S. Department of Labor–Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations

Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that RAHEEM J. BRENNERMAN, a/k/a “Jefferson R. Brennerman,” a/k/a “Ayodeji Soetan,” has been charged with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, and visa fraud in connection with a wide-ranging international scheme to fraudulently obtain multimillion-dollar business loans for several companies controlled by BRENNERMAN, including The Blacksands Pacific Group, Inc. BRENNERMAN was arrested yesterday in New Jersey, presented today before United States District Judge Richard Sullivan, and ordered detained.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “As alleged, for years Raheem J. Brennerman conned financial institutions and investors into extending loans to his phony businesses. Instead of using that money on actual business deals, Brennerman spent millions on himself, paying personal expenses including on international travel, luxury hotels and fine jewelry. Having perpetrated this multi-million dollar fraud, Brennerman allegedly took elaborate steps to cover it up. We thank our law enforcement partners for their excellent work in uncovering this fraud.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:

BRENNERMAN, from at least in or about 2011, has orchestrated a scheme to defraud financial institutions through his operation of a purported oil and gas company called The Blacksands Pacific Group, Inc. (“Blacksands Pacific”), as well as several subsidiaries and associated corporate entities. BRENNERMAN sought financing for purported business deals by falsely representing that Blacksands Pacific had significant worldwide involvement in the exploration and development of oil and gas reserves, produced over 10,000 barrels of oil per day, had over $1 billion in long-term assets and over 100 million barrels of proved oil reserves, and employed approximately 100 employees, when, in fact, BRENNERMAN knew that Blacksands Pacific lacked any long-term assets, and had, at most, a few employees and minimal involvement in the oil and gas industry. As part of the fraudulent scheme, BRENNERMAN also lied about his name, place of birth, citizenship, and finances, and invented fake employees. Once BRENNERMAN received financing from victims based on his false statements, BRENNERMAN used significant amounts of the money to pay his own personal expenses, including the lease of a luxury condominium in Las Vegas, Nevada, and stays at expensive hotels (including thousands of dollars’ worth of in-room dining service), as well as the purchase of international flights to Europe, chartered car services, fine jewelry, high-end designer clothing, and spa treatments. In total, BRENNERMAN attempted to defraud financial institutions of more than $300 million.

* * *

BRENNERMAN, 39, of Las Vegas, Nevada, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud and one count of bank fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of visa fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the Criminal Investigators for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. He also thanked the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada for their assistance.

On March 3, 2017, BRENNERMAN and Blacksands Pacific were charged in a separate case in Manhattan federal court with criminal contempt of court. That case is pending before United States District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan and is scheduled for trial on September 7, 2017.

* * *

If you have any information regarding BRENNERMAN, please report it by phone at 212-637-2267 or by email at justin.ellard@usdoj.gov.

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicolas Landsman-Roos and Robert B. Sobelman are in charge of the prosecution.

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Cedarcreek, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.

Sean L. Myers, 49, of Cedarcreek, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Myers was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions. The court ordered today’s sentence to be served consecutively to his 1991 Camden County convictions for first degree assault and armed criminal action (a sentence of 50 years) and his 2010 Taney County conviction for distributing and manufacturing a controlled substance (a sentence of 15 years).

On Nov. 15, 2016, Myers pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

After law enforcement was contacted by a person who reported that Myers had attempted to shoot someone, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Myers on Feb. 1, 2016. During the traffic stop, Myers acted as if he were hiding an item. Troopers observed a loaded Ruger .22-caliber rifle on the front passenger seat of the vehicle. Troopers also located an aluminum can wedged between the passenger seat and the center console. The can contained a dried substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine.

Investigators later determined that the rifle was registered to Myers’s mother. When law enforcement contacted Myers’s mother, she indicated that the rifle found in Myers’s possession belonged to her and he did not obtain her permission before taking the firearm.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Myers has seven prior felony convictions for stealing, as well as prior felony convictions for assault, armed criminal action, attempted manufacture of a controlled substance and burglary.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA– Benjamin Guerrero-Lantz, 21, of Destin, was sentenced yesterday to 65 months in prison. In March, he pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, as well as conspiracy to commit money laundering. Co-defendant Andres A. Barrios, 27, also of Destin, was sentenced on May 18, 2017, to 120 months in prison. In March, he pled guilty to both conspiracy charges and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentences were announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Barrios and Guerrero-Lantz were funneling proceeds of a California-based drug trafficking operation through at least eight bank accounts containing more than $350,000, and illicitly obtained dozens of $500 money orders and multiple vehicles under nominee names.

In July 2016, law enforcement officers searched Guerrero-Lantz’s condominium after receiving complaints about the smell of marijuana. They found $17,000 in cash, handwritten ledgers recording drug debts, marijuana, vacuum-sealed bags, money order receipts, and vehicle titles. Guerrero-Lantz’s vehicle contained additional money order receipts and a bank transaction receipt for $9,000.

In December 2016, Guerrero-Lantz and others were stopped in Jackson, Mississippi, with more than $10,000 in cash, bank deposit slips, money orders, and cellular telephones. Law enforcement searched a Destin residence where they found Barrios. Inside, they found 13 one-pound bags of marijuana, more than $10,000 in cash, and other evidence of the drug trafficking conspiracy. Barrios also possessed a firearm and body armor.

This case resulted from an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Pensacola Police Department; and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), George P. Beach II, the Superintendent of the New York State Police (“NYSP”), and Peter J. Graziano Jr., Chief of the Village of Chester Police Department (“Chester PD”),announced the arrest of JOSEPH BIGGS, a security guard at a school in Hastings-On-Hudson, New York, for a quadruple murder committed in Chester, New York in April 2016. BIGGS was charged in a 17-count Superseding Indictment, along with NICHOLAS TARTAGLIONE, a retired police officer who was previously arrested and charged in this case, for their participation in a conspiracy to distribute five kilograms and more of cocaine and for the murders of Martin Luna, Urbano Santiago, Miguel Luna, and Hector Gutierrez in furtherance of that conspiracy. The new indictment also includes firearms and kidnapping charges against both defendants in connection with the murders.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim stated: “As alleged, Joseph Biggs, a school security officer, participated in the brutal drug-related kidnapping and murder of four people in a bar in Chester, New York. Biggs allegedly committed these cold-blooded crimes with Nicholas Tartaglione, a retired police officer. Murders are always frightening, but when allegedly committed by people entrusted with the safety of others, it is all the more disturbing.”

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. stated: “The FBI and our law enforcement partners in this investigation are following leads wherever they take us, and we will continue to search out any information that will help us solve the case. We are purposefully methodical, and careful about gathering facts and evidence, and we won’t stop until we bring to justice all of those responsible for the murders of these four men.”

NYSP Superintendent George P. Beach II said: “I praise the work of law enforcement in bringing these two suspected men to justice. Illicit drugs can not only be fatal to their users, but the crimes that surround these illegal operations are deadly and dangerous to our communities. With these two alleged actors charged, dangerous drugs are not making it to our streets, and those streets are now safer. The State Police pledge to continue to work and partner with other law enforcement agencies. The work we are doing will make a difference in the lives of the people we serve.”

Village of Chester Police Chief Peter J. Graziano Jr. said: “We are fortunate and humbled to be able to work with such talented people as a team in the arrest of Mr. Biggs in connection with the unspeakable and callous murder of these victims. That Mr. Bigs is alleged to be involved in a case such as this and be entrusted with the safety of children defies explanation.”

As alleged in the Indictment filed today in White Plains federal court[1]:

From at least in or about June 2015 up to and including April 2016, NICHOLAS TARTAGLIONE, JOSEPH BIGGS, and others conspired to sell five kilograms or more of cocaine. In April 2016, NICHOLAS TARTAGLIONE and JOSEPH BIGGS participated in the killing of Martin Luna, Urbano Santiago, Miguel Luna, and Hector Gutierrez in furtherance of that cocaine distribution conspiracy. Specifically, on April 11, 2016, TARTAGLIONE and BIGGS lured Martin Luna to a bar called the Likquid Lounge in Chester, New York under false pretenses, where he was held captive and killed. The other three victims – Urbano Santiago, Miguel Luna, and Hector Gutierrez – accompanied Martin Luna to the bar, where they were then held captive, shot, and killed.

* * *

JOSEPH BIGGS, 55, of Nanuet, New York, was taken into federal custody this morning. BIGGS was presented in White Plains federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith McCarthy and ordered detained. His case has been assigned to United States District Judge Kenneth M. Karas. NICHOLAS TARTAGLIONE was previously arrested on December 19, 2016, and has been detained in federal custody since that date.

A chart containing the charges and maximum penalties the defendants face is attached. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.

Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, the New York State Police, and the Village of Chester Police Department. Mr. Kim also thanked the City of Middletown Police Department for its assistance in the case.

This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Maurene Comey and Michael Gerber are in charge of the prosecution.

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

United States v. Nicholas Tartaglione and Joseph Biggs, S3 16 Cr. 832 (KMK)

BOSTON – A man dubbed the “Incognito Bandit” has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for armed bank robbery.

Albert Taderera, 36, of Brighton, was indicted for the Oct. 7, 2016 robbery of a branch of the TD Bank in Wayland, Mass.  In March 2017, Taderera was arrested at Dulles International Airport in Virginia as he attempted to board an international flight, and charged in U.S. District Court in Boston by criminal complaint.

The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the US sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney William Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; William Ferrara, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Wayland Police Chief Robert Irving; and Concord Police Chief Joseph F. O’Connor, made the announcement today. The Wayland Police Department assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HOWARD HAMMER, 45, of New Milford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in an extortion scheme.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in late December 2015 to early January 2016, James Broderick, of New Milford, lent an individual approximately $1,500 with an understanding that the individual was required to pay Broderick $1,500, plus an additional $500 in interest, within four days of the initial loan. When the individual failed to pay the loan within four days, Broderick asked HAMMER to assist him in collecting on the loan. HAMMER then sent text messages to the victim that threatened harm to the victim if he failed to pay his debt. HAMMER took screen shots of the threatening text messages and forwarded them to Broderick. HAMMER and Broderick also discussed taking the victim’s car either as payment for the debt or as punishment for failure to pay the debt.

On January 25, 2016, members of the New Milford Police Department received a 911 call and responded to a local hotel where they found the victim of this extortion scheme, beaten and bloodied, in a room at the hotel. The victim had been stabbed eight times in back, causing internal injuries, and had suffered severe fractures to his skull and facial bones. The investigation revealed that members of the Hells Angels motorcycle club had stabbed the victim and beaten him with a hammer in connection with this extortion scheme.

HAMMER has been detained since his arrest on May 27, 2016. On December 2, 2016, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to participate in the collection and attempted collection of an extension of credit by extortionate means.

Broderick pleaded guilty to the same charge on December 7, 2016. He awaits sentencing.

This matter has been investigated by the FBI Violent Crime Task Force, New Milford Police Department and Connecticut State Police Western District Major Crime Squad. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.

          The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a settlement agreement with Pierce County Transportation Benefit Area Corporation of Pierce County, Washington. The settlement resolves allegations that Pierce Transit violated the employment rights of Washington Army National Guard Member Lieutenant Colonel C. Van Sawin guaranteed by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. USERRA safeguards the rights of uniformed servicemembers to retain their civilian employment following absences due to military service obligations.

           Pierce Transit, headquartered in Lakewood, Washington, is a municipal corporation and an operator of public transit in Pierce County, Washington, located south of Seattle. According to allegations brought by LTC Sawin, and independently investigated by the DOJ, Pierce Transit violated USERRA by failing to reemploy LTC Sawin in September 2016 after he returned from active duty military service. Pierce Transit worked cooperatively with DOJ during its investigation and worked to reach a settlement that addressed the USERRA violation found by the Department.

              LTC Sawin is a United States Military Academy graduate, who served on active duty as a U.S. Army Battalion Maintenance Officer. LTC Sawin has also served as a reservist and, between 2005 and 2006, deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. LTC Sawin was hired by Pierce Transit in 2007 and rose to become its Business Development Officer. In November 2015, LTC Sawin was activated to help lead the Washington National Guard’s earthquake readiness exercise, code named “Evergreen Tremor” – a weeklong exercise involving more than 1000 Washington National Guard soldiers and airmen across the state, as well as local, state and federal emergency response agencies. The drill took place in the Summer of 2016. Following the drill, LTC Sawin re-applied for his position in September 2016. Pierce Transit declined to re-employ LTC Sawin, stating that, while he was on active duty (in March 2016), it had laid him off following a reorganization that eliminated his position.

              Under the terms of the settlement agreement, which is not an admission of liability by Pierce Transit, Pierce Transit must pay LTC Sawin $105,000 to compensate him for lost and/or reduced wages and benefits, and other damages. Additionally, the settlement seeks to reduce the likelihood of future USERRA violations by requiring Pierce Transit to adopt a USERRA policy, to provide training to its high-level officials and human resources staff on the USERRA rights and obligations of employers and covered employees, and to report allegations of violations of USERRA and certify its compliance therewith to the DOJ for a period of two years. Pierce Transit also agreed to resolve any dispute about the agreement in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington.

               “Failure to reemploy a person who leaves their job because of military deployment, service, or training is a violation of the law,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will ensure that service members like LTC Sawin, who was called away from his job in order to serve the country in the National Guard, can complete their military obligations without fear that by doing so, they will lose their civilian jobs.”

           “We are fortunate to have many National Guard servicemen and women who live in western Washington who are prepared to sacrifice time with their families and civilian jobs to serve our country,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “Our job in the United States Attorney’s Office is to protect the rights of these citizen soldiers and to hold accountable employers who fail to meet their duties under the law.”

            Subject to certain conditions, USERRA requires employers to promptly reemploy returning service members in the positions they would have held had their employment been not interrupted by military service, or in a position of like seniority, status and pay. Following a referral from the Department of Labor, the United States Department of Justice is authorized to bring claims on behalf of the men and women of our nation’s Armed Forces and veterans to recover employment rights including back pay, benefits and injunctive relief.

            The matter was investigated and resolved by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Civil Rights Program Coordinator, J. Michael Diaz and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Morehead in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, in collaboration with Andrew Braniff, USERRA/USAO Program Coordinator, in the Employment Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department.

           The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division have given a high priority to the enforcement of service members’ rights under USERRA. Additional information about USERRA can be found on the Justice Department’s websites at www.usdoj.gov/crt/emp and www.servicemembers.gov, as well as on the Labor Department’s website at www.dol.gov/vets/programs/userra/main.htm.

Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DAVID HOPE, a/k/a “Capo,” was sentenced yesterday to 18 years in prison for running a criminal sex trafficking and prostitution enterprise involving minor girls, as well as possession of child pornography and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. In addition, KEMAR WILLIAMS, a/k/a “K-bag,” a co-defendant in the case, was sentenced yesterday to 42 months in prison for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors with Hope. HOPE and WILLIAMS pled guilty on December 1, 2016, and December 8, 2016, respectively, before United States District Judge Sidney H. Stein, who also imposed yesterday’s sentences.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “David Hope sexually exploited and trafficked vulnerable women and minor girls, and Kemar Williams assisted in the exploitation. Hope and Williams used physical violence, weapons, coercion, and intimidation to exert control over their trafficking victims. Both have now received the significant sentences that their crimes deserve.”

According to the Indictment, Complaint, and other documents filed in the case, as well as statements made during the plea and sentencing proceedings:

Since at least 2013, HOPE directed and conducted a criminal sex trafficking and prostitution enterprise (the “Enterprise”) that recruited and exploited minor girls and young women, and then prostituted them using an online classifieds website for his own profit. HOPE, who was wheelchair-bound, operated the Enterprise at his apartment in the Bronx, New York (the “Hope Apartment”), Connecticut, and elsewhere. WILLIAMS participated and engaged in the Enterprise and facilitated the prostitution of minor girls.

HOPE recruited minors who looked up to him to participate in the Enterprise and other criminal activity. HOPE, who was known to carry a firearm, employed myriad tactics – including manipulation, intimidation, coercion, threats, and violence – to recruit and maintain the girls and young women he sold for sex. For example, on at least two occasions, HOPE physically beat one of the adult women he prostituted, and on at least one occasion, threatened that victim with a firearm. At least four minor victims were exploited by HOPE’s Enterprise.

In or about November 2015 when he was arrested, HOPE also possessed on his cellphone a sexually explicit video of one of the minor girls whom he trafficked.

In or about January 2015, HOPE possessed a defaced firearm (the “Firearm”) after he had been previously convicted of a felony crime. Specifically, on January 16, 2015, when New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) officers were executing a search warrant at the Hope apartment, HOPE instructed a minor female to throw the loaded Firearm out the rear window of the HOPE Apartment. Before it was thrown out the window, the Firearm was in the bed where HOPE was sleeping.

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Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He thanked the NYPD for its assistance throughout the investigation, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut and the Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force for their assistance with investigating HOPE’s operations in Connecticut. Mr. Kim also thanked the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) and the ATF/NYPD Joint Robbery Task Force (SPARTA) for its assistance in the early stages of the investigation.

Any individuals who believe they have information concerning the exploitation of children may contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 1-212-384-1000 or https://tips.fbi.gov/.

The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Sagar K. Ravi is in charge of the prosecution.

Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and Patrick Carroll, the Commissioner of the New Rochelle Police Department (“NRPD”), announced the arrest of and unsealing of an indictment against FRANKIE BEQIRAJ charging him with conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, oxycodone, and alprazolam. The indictment alleges that heroin distributed by BEQIRAJ and his co-conspirators resulted in the deaths of Robert Vivolo and Leonides Madrid.

BEQIRAJ was presented in federal court in Manhattan before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara C. Moses today and ordered detained. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim stated: “As alleged in the Indictment, Frankie Beqiraj worked with others to sell a whole range of drugs, including heroin, cocaine, oxycodone, and alprazolam. As alleged, two young people are dead, victims of Beqiraj’s alleged heroin dealing and of the opioid epidemic that is sweeping the country. Thanks to the exceptional work of our partners at the New York City Police Department, the New Rochelle Police Department, and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, Beqiraj will be held accountable for the drugs he allegedly peddled and the tragic deaths that resulted.”

NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill stated: “The defendant in this case faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison – and a maximum of life behind bars – after investigators linked the heroin that he distributed to two overdose deaths, one in the Bronx and one in New Rochelle. It is the latest example of our commitment to holding drugs dealers criminally responsible. I want to thank the NYPD and the New Rochelle PD investigators, as well as the Southern District, for their work on this case.”

NRPD Commissioner Patrick Carroll stated: “The arrest and indictment of Frankie Beqiraj, holding him accountable for the death of New Rochelle resident Leonides Madrid, is an example of the New Rochelle Police Department’s commitment to fight against the opioids epidemic that our community faces today. Working collaboratively with our law enforcement partners, the NYPD, the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, and the United States Attorney sends a strong message to drug dealers that we will do all we can to arrest and prosecute those selling drugs in our community.”

As alleged in the Indictment against BEQIRAJ [1]:

From July 2016 up to January 2017, in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere, FRANKIE BEQIRAJ and others conspired to sell one kilogram and more of heroin, as well as cocaine, oxycodone, and alprazolam. The use of heroin distributed by BEQIRAJ and his co-conspirators resulted in the deaths of Robert Vivolo, 25, of the Bronx, New York, on October 21, 2016, and of Leonides Madrid, 28, of New Rochelle, New York, on January 9, 2017.

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FRANKIE BEQIRAJ, 27, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a mandatory sentence of 20 years in prison.

The statutory maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for information purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.

Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD, the NRPD, and the Westchester County Overdose Response Initiative. Mr. Kim thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance in the investigation.

This matter is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys David W. Denton Jr. and Elizabeth Hanft are in charge of the prosecution.

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