Ten of the alleged drug dealers arrested in yesterday’s “Operation 50/50 Love” have been federally charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and other drug crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah.

The operation – which involved more than 400 agents from the FBI, Dallas Police Department, DEA, and ATF – was announced at a press conference Thursday. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized 36 weapons, more than $58,000 cash, six vehicles, and more than 18 kilograms of drugs, including suspected powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, and PCP.

Defendant initial appearances began Friday morning.

According to court documents unsealed today, a number of defendants allegedly used so-called “trap room” on Meyers Street in Park Row, one of the most consistently violent areas in the city of Dallas, to distribute drugs.

The defendants – many of them gang members known for their involvement in various criminal activities, from illegal weapons trafficking to aggravated assault – operated out of an apartment complex made up of parallel two-story buildings. 

Each trap room sold a specific type of controlled substance, and was equipped with a counter where sellers cut, packaged, and distributed drugs. Occasionally, when they ran low, sellers would “re-up” with controlled substances stored in vehicles parked on the property.  For a small fee, dealers permitted customers to use drugs in a “party” unit onsite.

Competing factions dealt cocaine and other narcotics out of the “left side” and “right side” of the apartments, but were known to do so without retribution against the opposite side. Occasionally, when one side unexpectedly ran out of drugs, the opposing side would “loan” them drugs to sell. At one point, the “right side” permitted the “left side” to operate out of the “right side” due to a shooting at a trap house on the “left side.”  

To secure drugs and maintain control, sellers on the “left side” possessed firearms, which they often kept in plain view near the drug counter.

“Like many cities across the country, Dallas is bracing for a surge in violent crime this summer. Violence almost always spikes in the summer months. But the chaos and frustration surrounding the pandemic has only made things more unpredictable and more volatile,” Acting U.S. Attorney Shah said during Thursday afternoon’s press conference (watch here). “The agencies and the people here today analyzed which areas and identified which people and groups were the drivers of violent crime, the types of crime that devastate communities, and then took decisive action against those individuals…  The law enforcement action you saw today actually serves two purposes: first, to take some of our city’s most violent criminals off the streets, but also, to signal to the rest of the city that the feds are watching, we’re working with Dallas Police Department, and we’re ready to take action. Our efforts to stop violent crime in this city are only starting.”

“Fighting violent crime is a responsibility that we all share, and the Dallas FBI is proud to work alongside the Dallas Police Department, DEA, ATF and others as we deploy our collective strength to ensure the safety and security of our neighborhoods,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno. “This FBI Dallas Safe Streets Task Force investigation combined traditional law enforcement techniques with intelligence resources which led to Thursday’s successful operation to remove criminal elements from our streets and protect the residents of Dallas.”

“The message today for the residents of Dallas is simple: the Dallas Police Department is not alone in keeping our community safe. The Dallas Police Department is not alone in weeding the criminal element off of our streets and the Dallas Police Department is not alone in seeding our communities with hope,” said Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia.

Some defendants were charged via indictment, others via criminal complaint.

Those charged via indictment include:

• Sataurus Joe Jackson, aka “Slicc,” charged  with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
• Ardairus DeQuall Vatin, aka “Decc,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (crack cocaine)
• Antuan Fulce, aka “Fatboy” or “Big Homie,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base
• Daymion Savannah-Womack, aka “Boulevard,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute marijuana
• Terry Lee Hicks, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base
• Exie Denise Alexander, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base
• Aretha Lashun Minter, aka “Shun,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance

Those charged via criminal complaint include:

• David Antwon Ricks, aka "Coogi," charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base
• Mark Antony White, charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine
   

Additional name(s) will become available as they are unsealed by the court.

Indictments and complaints are merely allegations of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

If convicted, they face up to 20 years per count in federal prison.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Safe Streets Task Force, along with the Dallas Police Department, headed up the investigation, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Beran and Nicole Dana are prosecuting the case.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew has sentenced John Dixon (76, Tampa) to five years in federal prison for possessing images and videos depicting children being sexually abused. Dixon was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release, register as a sex offender, and forfeit the electronic devices that he had used to commit his offense.

Dixon had pleaded guilty on December 20, 2020.

According to court documents, on January 26, 2019, Dixon uploaded 32 child sex abuse images to his cloud storage account. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children then received information from the company hosting Dixon’s account that Dixon had uploaded these contraband images and referred the information to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). On January 29, 2019, HCSO detectives and other officers executed a search warrant at Dixon’s residence in Tampa.

Several electronic devices were seized from Dixon. A forensic examination of these devices revealed that they contained more than 2,000 images and 100 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, some of whom were under the age of 12. Additionally, some of these videos depicted children to whom Dixon had access and who were as young as three and five years old at the time the videos were created.

This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Candace Garcia Rich.

This is another case brough as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Michael Goldner, 51, of Paoli, PA, was charged by Indictment on a charge of tax evasion. The defendant made his initial appearance in federal court this afternoon.

The Indictment alleges that Mr. Goldner accrued a tax liability of approximately $1,858,740 for the years 2013 through 2017, and that beginning in 2016 he engaged in a scheme to evade the payment of those taxes. Goldner’s tax evasion scheme involved having his employer make payments to Goldner’s wife for payment of personal expenses, including the mortgage on the house where his family resided, rent for an apartment where he resided, service for his pool, dance classes for his daughter, and a vacation for his family. The defendant also had his employer make some payments toward a nearly $5 million restitution judgment that Goldner owed from a 2016 wire fraud and tax evasion conviction in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The Indictment further alleges that Goldner failed to report this additional income on his 2016 and 2017 tax returns.

“Goldner’s alleged scheme to hide his true income victimized honest taxpayers in two ways: first, by evading more than $1.8 million in tax liability to the IRS, and second, by avoiding having to make additional payments towards the large balance (more than $4 million) he still owed in court-ordered restitution from his previous conviction on similar charges,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “Clearly this defendant has not learned that you cannot outrun the IRS. Anyone who is contemplating similar fraud should view this case as a warning that it will not succeed.”

“If you keep breaking the law, the FBI and our partners will keep coming after you,” said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Willfully defrauding the government and cheating honest taxpayers isn’t ‘creative accounting.’ It’s a federal crime.”

“The American tax system provides government services critical to our people,” said Joleen Simpson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation. “Every time someone cheats the tax system, the burden of providing vital services increases on taxpayers who pay their fair share.”

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, a three years period of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Ignall.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

CHICAGO — A man has pleaded guilty to a federal criminal charge for using an explosive device in an attempt to damage a suburban Chicago restaurant last year.

On June 1, 2021, DIEGO VARGAS threw a lit explosive device through the window of Egg Harbor Cafe in Naperville, Ill., resulting in two explosions.  Vargas, 26, of Aurora, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of maliciously attempting to damage and destroy a building by means of an explosive device.  The charge is punishable by a minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years.  U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo set sentencing for Sept. 2, 2021. 

The guilty plea was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.  The Naperville Police Department and Aurora Police Department provided valuable assistance.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barry Jonas and Kate McClelland.

In addition to the restaurant incident, Vargas admitted in a plea agreement that a night earlier he tried to steal cash from an ATM in Aurora.  Vargas admitted that he struck the ATM with a baseball bat and a metal pole from a street sign to try and pry it open.  The ATM, located in the drive-through area of a First Midwest Bank branch in the first block of South Broadway, held more than $50,000 at the time of the attempted theft.

A man who was a self-described father figure, youth pastor, and Cub and Boy Scouts volunteer has been indicted by a federal grand jury this week for sexually abusing five children, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Joe Cheater Jr., 48, formerly of Porter, was charged with three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor by force and threat in Indian Country, aggravated sexual abuse in Indian Country, abusive sexual contact with a minor in Indian country, and coercion and enticement of a minor in Indian Country.

Cheater Jr. was charged in federal court in anticipation that his state conviction could be overturned. On Thursday, Cheater’s appeal was stayed for approximately 30 days in Rogers County District Court. At that time, the Court will determine which entity has criminal jurisdiction over the case. The defendant is currently serving his state sentence in an Oklahoma Department of Corrections facility.

As the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to prepare, anyone with information about the crimes or who may have been sexually abused by the defendant are encouraged to contact Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd at 918-382-2791.

Cheater Jr. had children approximately the same ages as the victims, and it was common for neighborhood children to be present or have sleepovers at his home. Known victims were sexually assaulted starting in 2005 while others were abused as late as 2009. Some victims were younger than 12-years-old when they were victimized.

The FBI and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd is prosecuting the case.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA– This morning a federal jury in Tallahassee convicted Jirard Quin Kincherlow, 39, of Tallahassee, on the sole count of coercing or enticing a minor to engage in prostitution. The conviction, which followed a three-day trial that began on Wednesday, was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

“The jury’s verdict provides justice for this child victim and affirms our commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “Through concerted efforts like Operation Stolen Innocence, we will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who prey upon our children.”

The Tallahassee Police Department is pleased to learn about the latest conviction in the cases related to Operation Stolen Innocence,” said Chief Lawrence Revell. “Our investigators worked tirelessly with our partners at United States Attorney’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigations, to bring justice to the victims in this case and this is just the next step in the right direction. Additionally, this conviction serves as a reminder that this type of activity has no place in our community.”

“The effects of Operation Stolen Innocence continue to net results across our communities, making them safer for everyone,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Micah McCombs.

Kincherlow’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 22, 2021, at 10:00 am, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before the Honorable Mark Walker. Kincherlow faces a mandatory minimum term of ten years imprisonment to Life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a maximum term of Life on supervised release.

This conviction was the result of a collaborative investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations as part of Operation Stolen Innocence, a multi-agency coordinated effort by the United States Marshals Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Office of State Attorney, Second Judicial Circuit, to combat human trafficking in the Tallahassee area.  Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Spaven prosecuted this 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.

DAYTON, Ohio – A federal grand jury has charged a Dayton man with distributing fentanyl and cocaine that resulted in five overdoses in the late hours of New Year’s Eve and into the early hours of New Year’s Day 2019.

Kelsey V. Williams, Jr., 40, was arrested on Tuesday in Minnesota. He appeared in federal court in Minnesota today for a detention hearing and his case was unsealed here this afternoon.

According to the indictment returned on May 25, on New Year’s Eve 2018 and New Year’s Day 2019, the defendant allegedly distributed a fentanyl and cocaine mixture responsible for three fatal and two nonfatal overdoses.

Distributing a controlled substance that results in death or serious bodily injury is a federal crime punishable by 20 years up to life in prison.

Vipal J. Patel, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Amy M. Smith and Ryan A. Saunders are representing the United States in this case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

This case is being prosecuted as part of Operation S.O.S. In July 2018, the Department of Justice announced the launch of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S), a program aimed at reducing the supply of synthetic opioids in 10 high impact areas and identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers.

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Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Thomas Coelho (52, St. Petersburg), formerly Thomas Jurewicz, with two counts of wire fraud. If convicted, Coelho faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Coelho that the United States is seeking a money judgment of approximately $1.8 million, the proceeds of the wire fraud scheme.

According to the indictment, Coelho recruited investors for a business opportunity that purportedly involved purchasing event tickets and reselling those tickets to third parties for a profit. Coelho used his association with persons and entities in the entertainment industry to give the appearance of the means and ability to acquire tickets to certain high-profile events. Instead of using investors’ money to buy event tickets, however, Coelho primarily used the funds for personal expenses, entertainment, and cash withdrawals.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Jones and David Chee.

BOSTON – Two alleged Boston gang member were sentenced this week in federal court in Boston for cocaine conspiracy and firearm charges.

Winston McGhee, 36, of Dorchester, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 115 months in prison, six years of supervised release and ordered to pay forfeiture of $24,984.

Eric Davis, 37, of Mattapan, was sentenced on Wednesday, June 9, 2020 by Judge Stearns to 105 months in prison, four years of supervised release and ordered to pay forfeiture of $49,000.

In February 2021, both men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

In June 2020, Davis and McGhee were charged along with 22 others as part of Operation Snowfall. According to the charging documents, beginning in November 2018, law enforcement conducted an investigation into drug trafficking activities by Boston-based street gang members and associates in the Commonwealth Development in Brighton, Mass., formerly known as Fidelis Way, a multi-apartment public housing development. It is alleged that the defendants, through their drug trafficking activities, assumed control over multiple apartments, where they stored, cooked, packaged and sold drugs. As a result, their activities caused a blight of the development and reduced the quality of life of the other residents.

The investigation also targeted large-scale drug suppliers and their associates. It is alleged that the targets continued to distribute cocaine and cocaine base throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown. Davis even traveled to California in April 2020 to try to obtain kilograms of cocaine.

At the conclusion of the investigation, law enforcement executed search warrants at Davis’s residence, a hotel room in Canton where Davis was arrested, McGhee’s residence and  a “stash house” and recovered approximately two kilograms of cocaine, firearms, ammunition and nearly $75,000 in cash.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; John Gibbons, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement. Assistance with the investigation was provided by the Braintree, Cambridge, Canton, Randolph and Weymouth Police Departments; the Suffolk, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorneys’ Offices; and the Suffolk, Plymouth and Norfolk County Sheriffs’ Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin O’Donnell and Timothy Moran of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.

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

Fairview Heights, Ill. – An Omaha, Nebraska man pled guilty and was sentenced yesterday to 239
months in prison for attempting to rob a Walgreens in Swansea, Illinois.

According to court documents, on Sept. 15, 2019, Christopher Easterling, 23, entered the Walgreens
located at 2532 N. Illinois Street, approached the cashier, brandished a firearm, and said “let’s
get this going, babe.” The cashier immediately ran away. After stepping behind the counter and
briefly surveying the scene, Easterling left the store without taking anything. He was apprehended
minutes later by the Swansea Police Department.

Easterling pled guilty to a three-count indictment charging him with attempted armed robbery of the
Walgreens, brandishing a firearm during the crime, and unlawful gun possession by a convicted
felon.

In handing down the nearly 20-year sentence, Chief U.S. District Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel noted
as aggravating factors that Easterling had committed the offense while on parole for another
attempted robbery in Nebraska in 2016, and that he has another robbery conviction from Nebraska in
2014.

Upon his release from prison, Easterling will serve 5 years on supervised release. The ATF and the
Swansea Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Reppert prosecuted the case.

East St. Louis, Ill. – A convicted felon from the Metro East is headed to prison for possessing a
loaded rifle. Fernandez White, 28, of East St. Louis, Illinois, was sentenced on Thursday to the
statutory maximum term of 10 years in prison. White previously pled guilty to the offense in
February.
According to court documents, the case against White began on Oct. 31, 2020, when a woman notified
the East St. Louis Housing Authority that she had been stopped by a man asking for a ride. When the
woman  refused,  the  man  reportedly  grew  angry,  brandished  a  rifle,  and  walked  away. 
Officers approached the man, later identified as White, and took him into custody without incident.
The rifle was recovered and determined to be stolen. It was loaded with 26 rounds of ammunition.

At the sentencing hearing, the district court heard evidence that at the time of the offense White
was on  probation  for  robbery  and  out  on  bond  for  three  separate  felony  offenses.  In 
fact,  White  was wearing an electronic location monitor on his ankle when he was arrested.

The case was investigated by the Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG), the East St. Louis Police
Department, the East St. Louis Housing Authority Police, and the ATF. PSEG is a newly formed
Illinois State Police unit embedded in and working in direct partnership with the East St. Louis
Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Reppert prosecuted the case.

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

Fairview Heights, Ill. – Two Nebraska men were sentenced this week to lengthy prison terms for
committing a series of armed robberies in Effingham, Illinois, and the Metro East in April 2017.
Allen McCray, 23, and Victor Linton, 27, of Omaha, Nebraska, appeared in federal district court in
the Southern District of Illinois this week and were sentenced to 26 years and 24 years,
respectively.

According to court documents, McCray, Linton, and a third man – Brandon D. English, Jr., 21 – stole
a Hyundai Santa Fe out of a Nebraska driveway and went on a week-long, multi-state crime spree. The
 first  robbery  took  place  on  April  13,  2017,  in  Raytown,  Missouri,  where  they  held  up
 a convenience store. Receipts recovered later from the Santa Fe show they used the proceeds from
the robbery to make cash purchases at Dollar General, Rally House, Foot Locker, and TJ Maxx
locations in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Two nights later, the trio covered their hair and faces and entered a Moto Mart in O’Fallon,
Illinois, where English put a gun to the cashier’s head and demanded money. They also struck the
cashier with her own purse before taking money out of her cash register and leaving. Less than an
hour later, the men used similar methods to rob a Circle K in Troy, Illinois, and a Casey’s General
Store in Maryville.

After purchasing ammunition and attempting to purchase another gun, the three robbers left the
Metro East, driving first to the Chicago area and from there to Indianapolis. They returned to
Illinois on April 19, 2017, where McCray and Linton stopped in a Prime Sole shoe store in
Effingham. When they tried to take merchandise without paying, a store employee confronted them.
McCray pulled out a gun and fired a shot at the clerk. The two men then fled the scene with the
stolen items.

McCray and Linton eventually abandoned the Santa Fe in Booneville, Missouri, when they missed the
turn into the Break Time gas station just after midnight on April 21, 2017. The men spotted a truck
in the parking lot and fired six shots into the vehicle, striking the driver four times.
Eventually, they stole another vehicle and led law enforcement on a chase through Lafayette County,
Missouri. Spikes were used to stop the vehicle, and the pair were taken into custody.

All three defendants entered guilty pleas to conspiracy, robbery (three counts), and brandishing a
firearm during a crime of violence. McCray and Linton also pled guilty to a fourth robbery count
and to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
English was sentenced in December 2018 to 20 years in prison.

In addition to their terms of imprisonment, McCray and Linton will both serve 5 years of supervised
release and pay $793.51 in restitution.

The  FBI  led  the  investigation,  with  assistance  from  state  and  local  law  enforcement 
agencies, including  the  O’Fallon  Police  Department,  the  Maryville  Police  Department,  the 
Troy  Police
Department, Illinois State Police, and the Missouri Highway Patrol.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Glen Allen woman pleaded guilty today to mail fraud for her role in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain pandemic-related unemployment benefits for 22 prison inmates, which she shared with the inmate beneficiaries.

“These critical unemployment funds were intended for deserving members of our communities to help alleviate their economic hardship during the pandemic,” said Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This prosecution and the defendant’s guilty plea send a clear message that EDVA will bring to justice those who unlawfully exploit taxpayer-funded assistance for personal gain.”

According to court documents, Virginia Smith, 37, conspired with an inmate at Baskerville Correctional Center to collect the personally identifiable information of inmates to fraudulently apply for Virginia unemployment benefits from around June 2020 to January 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Smith, with the assistance of the inmate co-conspirator, submitted successful applications for Virginia unemployment benefits for at least 22 inmates at Baskerville Correctional Center, resulting in the dispersal of at least $223,984.72 in fraudulent benefits.

“Smith and her co-conspirators used the identities of prisoners housed at the Baskerville Correctional Center to file fraudulent unemployment claims and unlawfully collect more than $223,000 in resulting benefit payments,” said Derek Pickle, Special Agent-in-Charge, Washington Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. “As the primary law enforcement agency responsible for investigating unemployment insurance fraud, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General is committed to supporting the prosecution of individuals who take advantage of unemployment insurance programs. We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Virginia Employment Commission, and our law enforcement partners for their invaluable support of our mission.”

“Intentional abuse of COVID-19 unemployment benefits for personal gain is appalling,” said Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security. “Today’s sentencing illustrates that DHS OIG and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to dismantle these greed-driven schemes.”

As part of their scheme, Smith’s co-conspirator would provide her with the names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers of inmates serving a sentence at Baskerville Correctional Center. Smith would then file unemployment claims with the Virginia Employment Commission using that information. Once the applications were approved, Smith would share the proceeds of the crime with the inmates whose personal information she used to file the fraudulent claims, keeping a portion of the proceeds for herself. The applications contained several false statements such as a false physical address, rather than the address of the correctional facility at which the inmates were actually living; a false last employer; and a false certification that the inmates were ready, willing, and able to work in the event employment became available.

Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on September 9. She faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek Pickle, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Washington, DC Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security; Jerald W. Page, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Richmond Field Office; and Eric D. English, Chief Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. accepted the plea.

This investigation was conducted under the auspices of “Operation Checkmate,” the Virginia Department of Corrections Inmate Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force. The task force is led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, DOL-OIG, DHS-OIG, and the Virginia Department of Corrections. This investigation included significant assistance from the Virginia Employment Commission.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kashan Pathan is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-60.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge James S. Moody has sentenced Travis Vance (36, Venice) to 15 years in federal prison for distributing, receiving, and possessing images and videos depicting children being sexually abused. Vance was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release, register as a sex offender, and forfeit the electronic devices that he had used to commit his offenses.

Vance had been found guilty by a jury on March 10, 2021.

According to court documents, on July 6, 2018, Vance received child sex abuse images over a social media application on the internet from a Canadian user. Also, on July 6, 2018, Vance distributed similar contraband images over the same social media application to the same user in Canada. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) then received information from the company hosting this social media application that Vance was sharing child sex abuse images online. The RCMP determined that Vance resided within the Middle District of Florida and shared this information with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). On June 12, 2019, HSI agents and other officers executed a search warrant at Vance’s residence. A forensic examination of Vance’s electronic devices revealed that they contained more than 600 images depicting the sexual abuse of children, some of whom were under the age of 12.

“This case is an example of the unique international investigative authorities of HSI special agents,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Hector Colon. “Because of the law enforcement partnership between HSI and the British Columbia Integrated Child Exploitation Unit, our communities will be safer with this child predator behind bars.”

This case was investigated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Candace Garcia Rich.

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

BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Brian Ray, 34, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to distribution of butyryl fentanyl. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremiah E. Lenihan, who is handling the case, stated that in October 2019, law enforcement began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of the defendant and co-defendants Mark Greaman, Damone McNamee, Sr. and Christopher Cook, in the area of Broadway Avenue and Strauss Street in Buffalo. Investigators made 40 controlled purchases of fentanyl, heroin, butyryl fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, and furanyl fentanyl from all four defendant, including five controlled purchases from defendant Ray.

Co-defendants Mark Greaman, Damone McNamee, Sr. and Christopher Cook were previously convicted and are awaiting sentencing.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major James Hall, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.

Sentencing is scheduled for October 12, 2021, before Judge Vilardo.

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

BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned two indictments charging three defendants for their roles in multiple credit union robberies and attempted robberies. 

Anthony D. Wilson, 33, of Buffalo, NY, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank robbery, aggravated bank robbery, brandishing a firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and entering a bank with intent to commit a larceny. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment against defendant Wilson, on October 26, 2017, Wilson and co-defendants Adrian Applewhite and Khalil Holland drove to the Lake Shore Federal Credit Union in Angola. Khalil Holland, wearing a hoodie and a medical facemask, entered the Lake Shore Federal Credit Union, demanded money, and brandished a semi-automatic pistol. The pistol was given to Khalil by defendant Wilson. In October 2007, was convicted in Erie County Court and as a result is legally prohibited from carrying a firearm. 

Adrian Applewhite previously pleaded guilty for his role in the robbery and is awaiting sentencing. Khalil Holland was previously charged and convicted by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.

In a separate, superseding indictment, Myron McCollum, 33, and Ronald Morris, a/k/a Cracks, 46, both of Buffalo, NY, are charged with conspiracy to commit bank robbery, being a felon-in-possession of a firearm, brandishing a firearm, bank robbery and incidental crimes, and aiding and abetting. The charges carry a maximum of life in prison.

• On February 27, 2019, armed with a firearm, defendant Morris and co-defendant Adrian Applewhite entered the Tonawanda Community Federal Credit Union at 315 Delaware Street in Tonawanda, NY, and forcibly stole money from the credit union.
• On July 25, 2019, co-defendant Adrian Applewhite drove defendants Morris and McCollum to the South Towns Community Federal Credit Union at 3040 South Park Avenue in Lackawanna, NY. Armed with pepper spray and at least one firearm, Morris and McCollum entered the credit union, pushed and pepper sprayed employees, and forcibly stole money from the credit union.
• On November 6, 2019, co-defendant Adrian Applewhite drove Morris and McCollum, and another co-defendant to the Clarence Community and School Federal Credit Union on Sheridan Drive in Clarence for purposes of committing a robbery, but determined there were too many people at the credit union to conduct the robbery. That same day, Morris and Applewhite attempted to rob the Good Neighbors Credit Union at 286 Grant Street in Buffalo.
• The following day, on November 7, 2019, Applewhite, Morris and McCollum went back to the Clarence Community and School Federal Credit Union. Armed with firearms, Morris and McCollum forcibly stole money from the credit union.

During the course of the conspiracy, defendants Morris and McCollum, along with co-defendant Adrian Applewhite, scouted or attempted to rob other financial institutions in Bradford, PA, and Rochester, Niagara Falls, and Kenmore, NY.

Adrian Applewhite also previously pleaded guilty to his role in the robberies of the South Towns Community Federal Credit Union and the Clarence Community and School Federal Credit Union and is awaiting sentencing. 

The indictment against Wilson and superseding indictment against Morris and McCollum are the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major James Hall; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Packard; the Evans Police Department, under the direction of Chief Douglas J. Czora; the City of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Strassburg; the Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James P. Stauffiger; and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney John Flynn.

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

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A man who called a United States Congressman’s office and told a staffer that he was going to find someone to assassinate the Congressman was sentenced today to more than a year in federal prison.

Kenneth Brown, age 57, previously living in Cedar Falls, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 4, 2020 guilty plea to one count of transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce.

At the plea hearing, Brown admitted that on December 18, 2019, he called the Washington D.C. office of Congressman Jerrold Nadler of New York.  Brown admitted that he spoke with a staff assistant working in the office and threatened the Congressman.  Specifically, as charged in the indictment, Brown said “I will find someone to assassinate that piece of (expletive deleted) you work for.  Jerry Nadler is going to be assassinated.”

Information at sentencing showed that Brown has prior criminal convictions involving violence and threats of violence.  In 1996, he was convicted of inflicting injury on a spouse and threatening to commit a crime to terrorize the victim.  In 2005, he was convicted of two counts of aggravated battery against a household member using a deadly weapon.  In that case, Brown restrained a woman against her will and used a knife to hurt the victim in a way that caused or could have caused the victim great bodily harm.  In 2010, a warrant was issued for Brown’s arrest because he violated his probation by failing to report to his probation officer, failing to maintain employment, and by incurring new criminal charges.  According to a witness, Brown then fled to Mexico because he knew there was a warrant for his arrest.  Law enforcement ultimately arrested Brown in 2017 and he was sentenced to almost a year in prison.

Brown was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Brown was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Brown is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Waterloo Police Department, and the United States Capitol Police. 

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

The case file number is 20-CR-2042.

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

ROCHESTER, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jeremy Hernandez, 30, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. The charge carries a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that in September and October 2018, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received information from an electronic service provider that a user had uploaded several images of child pornography to a blog on the provider’s platform. The information was forwarded to the New York State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce. Between November 2018 and October 2019, the NYSP identified and located the source of the child pornography at an address in Rochester, NY. 

On October 24, 2019, a search warrant was executed at defendant’s residence.  Defendant, who was present during the search, admitted that he owned the user profile that had uploaded the child pornography to the internet blog. The NYSP seized several digital devices, including two cellular phones that belonged to defendant. A forensic analysis recovered images and videos from the phones which depicted Hernandez sexually abusing a minor less than 13 years old on multiple occasions between 2017 and 2019. The child has since been identified and located. 

The plea is the result of an investigation by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Barry Chase; Monroe County Child Protective Services, under the direction of Director Kathy Cardilli; the Bivona Child Advocacy Center, under the direction of Executive Director Deb Rosen; and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.

Sentencing is scheduled for September 9, 2021, before Judge Siragusa. Hernandez is being held in custody without bail.  

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Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.

Michael Lovejoy, Jr., age 38, was indicted on June 8, 2021.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on June 10, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that between September 28, 2020, and April 29, 2021, Lovejoy, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of conviction under state law, failed to properly register as a sex offender and update his registration.

The charge is merely an accusation and Lovejoy is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.   

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

Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Mobridge, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. 

Luke Newton Mowrer, age 33, was indicted on March 9, 2021.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on June 8, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is ten years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

On October 5, 2019, near McLaughlin, South Dakota, Mowrer assaulted two individuals with a knife.  One of the victims suffered a cut to the neck, while the other victim had her jacket slashed from the assault. 

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

The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook is prosecuting the case.   

Mowrer was released on bond pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.