MADISON, WIS. -- John W. Vaudreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that David Wenzel, 58, Beloit, Wis., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Barbara B. Crabb to 25 years in federal prison for producing child pornography.  This prison term will be followed by 20 years of supervised release.  Wenzel pleaded guilty to this charge on October 28, 2015.  

On March 26, 2015, members of the Rock County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Wenzel’s residence after receiving a report that he had a video camera hidden in his bathroom.  Among the items seized were DVDs and mini VHS tapes.  Officers viewed these items and found eight videos of Wenzel sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl who appeared to be drugged.  They also found videos of adults that had been recorded by the camera hidden in the bathroom. 

In addition to his term of imprisonment, Judge Crabb ordered that Wenzel’s home be forfeited to the government, because that is where he committed and filmed the assaults.  The property is valued at approximately $260,000. 

The charge against Wenzel was the result of an investigation conducted by the Rock County Sheriff’s Office.  The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman. 

This morning, authorities arrested five current and former Crystal City, TX, officials and a Texas businessman on federal bribery charges in a scheme involving city contracts announced United States Attorney Richard Durbin, Jr., and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division. 

A federal grand jury indictment, returned yesterday and unsealed today, charges City Manager and City Attorney William James Jonas, III, age 54; Mayor Ricardo Lopez, age 40; Mayor Pro-Tem Rogelio Mata, age 43; City councilman Roel Mata, age 44, and former City Councilman Gilbert Urrabazo, age 45; and, Ngoc Tri Nguyen, age 38, with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery involving an entity receiving over $10,000 in federal funds.  Jonas is also charged with three substantive federal programs bribery charges; the remaining defendants, with one substantive federal programs bribery charge each.

The indictment alleges that since February 2015, Jonas, Lopez, Rogelio Mata, Roel Mata and Urrabazo used their official positions to enrich themselves by soliciting and accepting bribes from persons seeking to do business in Crystal City.  According to the indictment, Jonas managed the bribery scheme, in which a contractor provided bribes totaling more than $12,000 to Jonas, Rogelio Mata, Roel Mata, and Urrabazo, in exchange for their votes for a City contract.  The indictment also alleges that Nguyen provided payment directly to Lopez, including $6,000, in exchange for various official acts from Lopez and Jonas.  The indictment further alleges that Jonas proposed a kickback scheme to an attorney, in which that attorney would pay Jonas a portion of the legal fees paid by an entity seeking a contract with the City.  In exchange for Jonas securing these bribes, Lopez, Rogelio Mata, Roel Mata, and Urrabazo allegedly voted to award Jonas a lucrative contract to serve as both City Manager and City Attorney. 

“This case represents our continuing commitment to investigate and punish those who corrupt the process of fair and open government, and to root out the corrosive effect of government officials who sell their office and the public trust they hold for their personal gain,” stated United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr.

“While most public officials faithfully promote the interests of the communities they serve, today’s arrests should serve as a powerful reminder that officials who abuse their authority will be held accountable,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs.  “Public corruption is one of the most insidious crimes confronting our communities today. It contributes to the cynicism we are seeing from members of the public who often feel as though all politicians are corrupt and the government does not serve the needs of those citizens who can’t pay for access to their elected officials.”

“Public corruption erodes the trust that citizens place in government officials. We are glad to work together with our federal partners to investigate and arrest those who violate that trust,” stated San Antonio Police Chief William McManus.

Upon conviction, each defendant faces up to ten years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine.  All of the defendants, with the exception of Jonas, Urrabazo and Nguyen, were arrested this morning in Crystal City without incident and taken to the federal courthouse in Del Rio for their initial appearance.  Jonas and Urrabazo were arrested this morning in San Antonio.  Nguyen was arrested this morning in Keller, TX.

This ongoing joint investigation is being conducted by the FBI and the San Antonio Police Department with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigative Division and the Texas Rangers.  Individuals who have first-hand information about corruption, fraud, or bribery related to Crystal City are urged to contact the FBI at (210) 225-6741.

Assistant United States Attorneys Jay Hulings and William R. Harris are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government. 

An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Madison, Wis. - John W. Vaudreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Joseph Glinski, 37, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James Peterson to 135 months in federal prison for possessing child pornography.  Glinski pleaded guilty to this charge on October 23, 2015.  His term of imprisonment will be followed by ten years of supervised release and is to run concurrently to a nine-year sentence the defendant is currently serving for sexual assault of a child. 

On June 23, 2015, a search warrant was executed at Glinski’s home.  As part of the warrant, a cell phone was seized from the defendant.  The phone was analyzed and contained numerous pictures and videos of child pornography. 

When interviewed following the execution of the warrant, Glinski admitted to looking at child pornography for 20 years.  He has three convictions for exposing his genitals to minors and admitted to doing that on other occasions and not getting caught.  Additionally, he has a conviction for first degree sexual assault of a child. 

The charge against Glinski was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wood County Sheriff’s Department, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Marshfield Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman.

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Caroline D. Ciraolo, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and Richard Weber, Chief, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, (“IRS-CI”), announced the filing of criminal charges against Bank Julius Baer & Co., Ltd. (“JULIUS BAER” or the “Company”), a financial institution headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.   JULIUS BAER is charged with conspiring with many of its U.S. taxpayer-clients and others to help U.S. taxpayers hide billions of dollars in offshore accounts from the United States Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) and to evade U.S. taxes on the income earned in those accounts. 

Mr. Bharara also announced a deferred prosecution agreement with JULIUS BAER (the “Agreement”) under which the Company admits that it knowingly assisted many of its U.S. taxpayer-clients in evading their tax obligations under U.S. law.  The admissions are contained in a detailed Statement of Facts attached to the Agreement.  The Agreement requires JULIUS BAER to pay a total of $547 million by no later than February 9, 2016, including through a parallel civil forfeiture action also filed today in the Southern District of New York.              

The criminal charge is contained in an Information (the “Information”) alleging one count of conspiracy to (1) defraud the IRS, (2) to file false federal income tax returns and (3) to evade federal income taxes.  If JULIUS BAER abides by all of the terms of the Agreement, the Government will defer prosecution on the Information for three years and then seek to dismiss the charges.

In addition, two Julius Baer client advisers, DANIELA CASADEI and FABIO FRAZZETTO, pled guilty in Manhattan federal court today.  CASADEI and FRAZZETTO were originally charged in 2011 and remained at large until February 2, 2016, when they each made initial appearances before the Honorable Gabriel W. Gorenstein, United States Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of New York. 

CASADEI and FRAZZETTO each pled guilty to an Information (collectively, with the JULIUS BAER Information, the “Informations”) before U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain charging them with conspiring with U.S. taxpayer-clients and others to help U.S. taxpayers hide their assets in offshore accounts and to evade U.S. taxes on the income earned in those accounts. 

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said:  “Bank Julius Baer not only turned a blind eye to tax avoiders, but actually conspired with them to break the law.  Together with our partners at the IRS, we will continue to prosecute financial institutions and individuals who facilitate tax evasion.”

Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo said:  “Today’s resolution with Bank Julius Baer and the guilty pleas entered by two bank employees reflect the department’s continued commitment to hold accountable those financial institutions who conspired with U.S. taxpayers to conceal assets abroad and evade U.S. tax obligations, as well as those individuals responsible for such crimes.  The deferred prosecution agreement filed today makes it clear that there is a heavy price to pay for this conduct, and that there is a significant benefit in fully cooperating with the department.”

IRS Chief Richard Weber said:  “In taking responsibility for their actions, Bank Julius Baer has agreed to cooperate and pay a substantial penalty for their role in circumventing offshore disclosure laws.  The agreement – as well as the guilty pleas of client advisors Daniela Casadei and Fabio Frazzetto – sends a strong message to the international banking community as well as U.S. taxpayers who think they can outsmart the system by hiding their money in these international banks.  The consequences of not reporting your foreign accounts and paying the taxes you owe will be significant for those who do not heed the warnings that agreements like this yield.”

According to the Informations, statements made during the proceedings today, and other documents filed in Manhattan federal court, including the Statement of Facts to the Agreement:

The Offense Conduct

From at least the 1990s through 2009, JULIUS BAER helped many of its U.S. taxpayer-clients evade their U.S. tax obligations, file false federal tax returns with the IRS, and otherwise hide accounts held at JULIUS BAER from the IRS (hereinafter, “undeclared accounts”).  JULIUS BAER did so by opening and maintaining undeclared accounts for U.S. taxpayers and by allowing third-party asset managers to open undeclared accounts for U.S. taxpayers at JULIUS BAER.  CASADEI and FRAZZETTO, bankers who worked as client advisers at JULIUS BAER, directly assisted various U.S. taxpayer-clients in maintaining undeclared accounts at JULIUS BAER in order to evade their obligations under United States law.  At various times, CASADEI, FRAZZETTO, and others advised those U.S. taxpayer-clients that their accounts at JULIUS BAER would not be disclosed to the IRS because JULIUS BAER had a long tradition of bank secrecy and no longer had offices in the U.S., making JULIUS BAER less vulnerable to pressure from U.S. law enforcement authorities than other Swiss banks with a presence in the U.S.    

In furtherance of the scheme to help U.S. taxpayers hide assets from the IRS and evade taxes, JULIUS BAER undertook, among other actions, the following:

• Entering into “code word agreements” with U.S. taxpayer-clients under which JULIUS BAER agreed not to identify the U.S. taxpayers by name within the bank or on bank documents, but rather to identify the U.S. taxpayers by code name or number, in order to reduce the risk that U.S. tax authorities would learn the identities of the U.S. taxpayers.
• Opening and maintaining accounts for many U.S. taxpayer-clients held in the name of non-U.S. corporations, foundations, trusts, or other legal entities (collectively, “structures”) or non-U.S. relatives, thereby helping such U.S. taxpayers conceal their beneficial ownership of the accounts.

JULIUS BAER was aware that many U.S. taxpayer-clients were maintaining undeclared accounts at JULIUS BAER in order to evade their U.S. tax obligations, in violation of U.S. law.  In internal JULIUS BAER correspondence, undeclared accounts held by U.S. taxpayers were at times referred to as “black money,” “non W-9,” “tax neutral,” “unofficial,” or “sensitive” accounts. 

JULIUS BAER also advised its bankers to take certain steps to avoid scrutiny from U.S. authorities when travelling to the U.S., as well as steps to avoid U.S. law enforcement identifying JULIUS BAER clients.  In a memo entitled “U.S. Clients Do’s & Don’ts,” circulated internally in 2006, a JULIUS BAER employee provided client advisers with advice regarding travel to the U.S., including:

• “At Immigration . . . When asked by Officer what will you do while in the USA, say Business and of course some leisure, trying to take some time to enjoy your beautiful country. Proud government employees usually love this type of statement.One can throw in skydiving or another fun sport/activity.This tends to shift the questioning away from the business purpose to the ‘fun time’ part of the trip (carrying a tennis racket also puts the emphasis on “fun and games,” and not on business).”
• "In regard to communicating while in the U.S.:“Only use mobile phone[s] registered in and operating from Switzerland.Avoid phone calls from hotel to clients.It is recommended to purchase a telephone calling card from the post office, grocery stores, or electronic shops.This allows you to use practically any phone with no specific link left behind.The best is to pay for the calling card in cash.For ex: a 400 minutes local calling card costs less than $50, but the rates can vary.Most cards can also be used to call anywhere abroad.”

At its high-water mark in 2007, JULIUS BAER had approximately $4.7 billion in assets under management relating to approximately 2,589 undeclared accounts held by U.S. taxpayer-clients.  From 2001 through 2011, JULIUS BAER earned approximately $87 million in profit on approximately $219 million gross revenues from its undeclared U.S. taxpayer accounts, including accounts held through structures. 

Julius Baer’s Blocked Effort to Self-Report, Acceptance of Responsibility, and

Cooperation in the Government Investigation

Notwithstanding its lucrative criminal conduct, by at least 2008, JULIUS BAER began to implement institutional policy changes to cease providing assistance to U.S. taxpayers in violating their U.S. legal obligations.  For example, by November 2008, the Company began an “exit” plan for U.S. client accounts that lacked evidence of U.S. tax compliance.  In that same month, JULIUS BAER imposed a prohibition on opening accounts for any U.S. clients without an IRS Form W-9.

Additionally, in November 2009, before JULIUS BAER became aware of any U.S. investigation into its conduct, JULIUS BAER decided proactively to approach U.S. law enforcement authorities regarding its conduct relating to U.S. taxpayers.  Prior to self-reporting to the United States Department of Justice, JULIUS BAER notified its regulator in Switzerland of its intention to contact U.S. law enforcement authorities.  This Swiss regulator requested that JULIUS BAER not contact U.S. authorities in order not to prejudice the Swiss government in any bilateral negotiations with the U.S. on tax-related matters.  Accordingly, JULIUS BAER did not, at that time, self-report to U.S. law enforcement authorities.

After ultimately engaging with U.S. authorities, JULIUS BAER has taken exemplary actions to demonstrate acceptance and acknowledgement of responsibility for its conduct.  JULIUS BAER conducted a swift and robust internal investigation, and furnished the U.S. Government with a continuous flow of unvarnished facts gathered during the course of that internal investigation.  As part of its cooperation, JULIUS BAER also, among other things, (1) successfully advocated in favor of a decision provided by the Swiss Federal Council in April 2012 to allow banks under investigation by the United States Department of Justice to legally produce employee and third-party information to the Department, and subsequently produced such information immediately upon issuance of that decision; and (2) encouraged certain employees, including FRAZZETTO and CASADEI, to accept responsibility for their participation in the conduct at issue and cooperate with the ongoing investigation.     

*                *                *

CASADEI, 52, a Swiss citizen, and FRAZZETTO, 42, an Italian and Swiss citizen, each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS, to evade federal income taxes, and to file false federal income tax returns.  CASADEI and FRAZZETTO each face a maximum sentence of five years in prison.  The statutory maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentences imposed on the defendants will be determined by the judge. 

CASADEI and FRAZZETTO are each scheduled to be sentenced before Judge Swain on August 12, 2016.

Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of IRS-CI, and thanked the Justice Department’s Tax Division for their significant assistance in the investigation.  Mr. Bharara also thanked the Department of Homeland Security for their assistance with the case.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason H. Cowley and Sarah E. Paul are in charge of the prosecution. 

FRESNO, Calif. — After a two–day trial, a federal jury found John Torres, 28, of Firebaugh, guilty today of one count of enticement of a minor, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. The trial was held before United States District Judge Anthony W. Ishii.

According to evidence presented at trial, Torres was the director of the Firebaugh Boys and Girls Club. Torres was supervising a 14 year-old boy who often came to that Boys and Girls Club after school, and who was volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club to complete 120 hours of community service. Torres sent the boy messages over Facebook that offered to shortcut his community-service-hours requirement if the boy would agree to sexual acts with Torres. The boy reported the messages to law enforcement.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Firebaugh Police Department, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Tierney and Vincenza Rabenn prosecuted the case.

Torres is presently in state custody on other charges. Torres is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Ishii on May 9, 2016. He faces a statutory penalty of no less than 10 years and up to life in prison years in prison and a $250,000 fine. 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.

            LOS ANGELES– A medical doctor who served as the face of a sham Los Angeles clinic pleaded guilty today to federal drug trafficking and money laundering charges connected to her illegal distribution of the powerful painkiller best known by the brand name OxyContin.

            Dr. Madhu Garg, 64, of Glendora, pleaded guilty to one count of illegally distributing oxycodone and one count of money laundering for transferring the proceeds of criminal activity to a Malaysian bank account.

            Garg pleaded guilty before Untied States District Judge John A. Kronstadt, who scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 26. As a result of today’s guilty pleas, Garg faces a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.

            Garg was arrested in January 2015, along with the other operators of the now-defunct Southfork Medical Clinic in Los Angeles. A federal grand jury indictment charged seven defendants with conspiring to sell medically unnecessary prescriptions for drugs that included oxycodone, hydrocodone (commonly sold under the brand names Vicodin, Norco and Lortab), alprazolam (best known by the brand name Xanax), carisoprodol (a muscle relaxant sold under the brand name Soma) and promethazine with codeine (a cough syrup sold on the street as “purple drank” and “sizzurp”).

            As part of her guilty plea, Garg admitted that she issued prescriptions for those drugs to Southfork “patients” at the instructions of the owner of the clinic, Jagehauel Gillespie, and that she knew the “patients” did not actually need the drugs. In a plea agreement filed in United States District Court, Garg “acknowledges that she intentionally prescribed the drugs outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.”

            “Doctors are duty-bound to do everything they can to protect the health of their patients,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “Issuing prescriptions for powerful and addictive drugs for no medical purpose undermines this basic principle. Medical professionals who violate federal law by trafficking narcotics put lives at risk and compromise our health care system.”

            Records maintained by the State of California show that Garg issued more than 10,000 prescriptions for controlled drugs – the vast majority of which were for hydrocodone or alprazolam – over the year-long period that she worked at Southfork.  Financial records show that, over the same time period, Garg received more than $300,000 in cash and transferred more than $90,000 to bank accounts held in Thailand and Malaysia.

            “When doctors abuse their professional license for financial gain they put the public at risk, in this case by dispensing highly addictive controlled substances,” stated IRS Criminal Investigation’s Special Agent in Charge Erick Martinez.  “IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to contribute our financial expertise in an effort to halt the illegal sale and distribution of prescription drugs.”

            During the investigation, Garg issued prescriptions for oxycodone and promethazine with codeine to undercover agents on eight occasions. During one of the meetings, Garg gave a prescription to an undercover witness, and then Garg agreed to issue a new prescription to the witness the following week under a false name.

            “The abuse of prescriptions drugs continue to take a horrific toll on public health and safety in our communities,” said Stephen G. Azzam, Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division. “The DEA will continue to work with our partner agencies to identify and investigate doctors who are using their medical licenses to illegally deal drugs.”

            The conspirators also used Los Angeles as a base of operations to acquire and deliver bulk shipments of prescription drugs to Texas, according to court documents. Furthermore, according to court records, Garg continued to assist Gillespie in acquiring oxycodone from international wholesalers even after the Medical Board of California revoked Garg’s license in December 2013.

            Previously in this case, five of the other defendants have pleaded guilty, including Gillespie, who was sentenced by Judge Kronstadt in November to six years in federal prison. One other defendant is pending trial, which is scheduled for later this year.

            The investigation into Garg was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Los Angeles and Houston field divisions, IRS - Criminal Investigation, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the California Department of Justice, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

OAKLAND – Michael Anthony Martin was convicted by a federal jury today of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce and robbery affecting interstate commerce announced Acting United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge David J. Johnson.  The jury found that Martin robbed victims on four separate occasions and conspired to rob victims selling jewelry on Craigslist.org. 

The guilty verdict followed a jury trial before the Honorable Jeffrey S. White, U.S. District Judge.  Evidence at trial showed that Martin, 42, of Tracy, was part of a robbery crew that targeted individuals selling high-end jewelry, such as diamonds and Rolex watches, on Craigslist.  The robbery crew targeted victims located nationwide and was responsible for numerous robberies and attempted robberies between November 2012 and December 2013. 

Crew members frequently posed as music producers or pretended to be in the market for diamond engagement rings when they contacted their intended victims.  In each case, a crew member contacted their victims by e-mail or cell phone and negotiated a price to purchase the jewelry item.  The conspirators then lured their victims to the Bay Area, sometimes by paying for the victim’s airplane ticket or promising to reimburse the victim for travel.  Often, a robbery crew member posed as an airport limousine driver and picked up the victim at the airport using a rented SUV.  The victims, believing they were going to meet the buyer at a jewelry store or bank to complete the sale, were instead delivered to a different, predetermined location where two or more additional crew members robbed them.  Crew members used guns and physical violence to rob their victims of jewelry items and other personal property.  It is estimated the robbery crew stole more than $500,000 worth of jewelry from victims traveling from more than six states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Martin was indicted by a grand jury on April 10, 2014.  He was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), and four counts of interference with interstate commerce by robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 18 U.S.C. 1952(a) and 2.   

Martin is currently in federal custody.  His sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 19, 2016, before Judge White in Oakland.  The maximum statutory penalty for each of the five counts for which Martin was found guilty is 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.  Additional fines, restitution and periods of supervised release also may be imposed. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brigid S. Martin and Claudia A. Quiroz are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Melissa Dorton, Katie Turner, and Patty Lau.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (San Francisco Division, assisted by Sacramento, St. Louis, San Antonio, and Mobile, Alabama Divisions); U.S. Bureau of Prisons; Fremont Police Department; California Department of Corrections; El Cerrito Police Department; Richmond Police Department; San Francisco Police Department; Alameda County Sheriff’s Office; Oakland Police Department; Berkeley Police Department; Danville Police Department; Concord Police Department; Livermore Police Department; Manteca Police Department; Tracy Police Department; Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office; Hayward Police Department; Burlingame Police Department; San Leandro Police Department; Berkeley, Missouri Police Department; Olivette, Missouri Police Department; and the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center (NICRIC).

            SALT LAKE CITY – Nghia Thi Sabol, age 65, a Vietnamese citizen living in Salt Lake County, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in U.S. District Court Wednesday afternoon in connection with a fraudulent auto leasing program.  Most of the investors in the scheme were promised returns of 4-5 percent per month on their investment, however they lost all or a majority of the funds they invested in the scheme.  Restitution owed to victims in the case is $943,250.

            Sabol, also known as Nia Sabol, Nghia Cano, Nghia Thi Nguyen, Nghia Wynn Sabol, and Nghia Wynn, is currently incarcerated in the Utah State Prison on unrelated securities charges.  She was charged in a federal indictment returned in November with four counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering following an investigation by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation.

            According to documents filed in federal court, Sabol established a company called W.A.V.E., LLC (WAVE) with headquarters in Midvale. She claimed WAVE offered an automobile leasing program referred to as “WAVE’s American Evaluation Program” and solicited individuals to participate in the leasing program, promising returns of approximately 4 to 5 percent per month.  She also sold investments in WAVE.  Sabol represented that participants in WAVE’s automobile leasing program would receive a new automobile of their choice manufactured by one of the three major U.S. automobile manufacturers to “test drive” for one year with unlimited mileage.  In return, they were required to pay a one-time, non-refundable fee of about $300, pay 10 percent of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the vehicle chosen, and were required to complete vehicle evaluation forms to be furnished to the manufacturer.

            As a part of a plea agreement reached with federal prosecutors, Sabol admitted that she represented to investors that WAVE had contracts with three major U.S. automobile manufacturers and that WAVE would be paid a subsidy in exchange for vehicle evaluations provided by their participants, when in fact, she knew WAVE had no contracts with automobile manufacturers.  She also admitted that she represented to investors that WAVE had purchased vehicles for WAVE’s auto leasing program with funds received from major automobile manufacturers, when in fact, the funds were obtained from WAVE investors. She also represented to investors that WAVE attorneys had received millions of dollars from automobile manufacturers and were awaiting distribution to WAVE, when in fact, no such funds had been provided to WAVE.

            Sabol also concealed from investors that she had a previous felony conviction for fraud and was on parole, that the terms of her parole prohibited her from dealing in investments or being employed in a fiduciary position, and that most investors lost all or a majority of the funds they invested in WAVE.

            Sabol’s plea to wire fraud involved the transfer of $160,000 from a victim of the fraud to WAVE’s account at a bank in Utah.

            The plea agreement executed Wednesday includes a stipulated sentence of 24 months to be followed by 36 months of supervised release.  The sentence is subject to the approval of and acceptance of the Court.  The sentence would run concurrent with any indeterminate sentence imposed in a separate state case.

            U.S. District Judge Clark Waddoups presided at the plea hearing Wednesday and is scheduled to impose the sentence in the case on April 14 at 3 p.m.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III sentenced Dominic Evans, a/k/a “FlatLine,” age 25, of Baltimore, today to 30 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise in connection with his gang activities as a member of the UDH organization, which operates in the Cherry Hill section of Baltimore.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.

“Many of the shootings and murders in Baltimore City result from disputes between rival drug gangs,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein.  “Thanks to a lengthy and intensive investigation, we will hold accountable the criminals who turned Cherry Hill into a war zone.”  

According to his plea agreement, from at least 2007 to 2013 Evans was a member of the UDH organization, which operates in the area of Cherry Hill known as “Up the Hill” or “Up da Hill.”  UDH members and associates have been in a long-running dispute with members of an organization known as “Coppin Court” that is involved in criminal activity in the part of Cherry Hill known as “Down the Hill,” and since at least January 2011, have been in a dispute with members of “Little Spelman,” another organization that is involved in criminal activity in the Down the Hill section of Cherry Hill. UDH members and associates used violence and intimidation to protect themselves, the organization, and their control of the drug trade in part of Cherry Hill.

Evans admitted that as a member of UDH he sold crack cocaine, heroin and other narcotics with UDH members.  In addition to selling drugs, Evans admitted that he participated in a robbery on January 15, 2007, in which the victim was stabbed.  Evan also admitted that on October 5, 2010, he and a co-defendant committed an armed robbery of two individuals who were selling marijuana in the area, but who were not UDH members.  After stealing $150 from one of the victims, Evans’ co-defendant began to shoot at the two individuals.  One of the victims was shot once and survived his wound, but the other victim, who was shot at least three times, died from her wounds.  The murder was captured on CCTV.  A Baltimore City jury acquitted Evans and his co-defendant of this murder.

Finally, Evans admitted that November 11, 2013, in the 100 block of South Monroe Street in Baltimore, he started a fight with another individual, produced a large 10 inch kitchen knife and began stabbing and slicing at the victim.  Evans took $50 from the victim.  The victim was taken to Shock Trauma with stab wounds to his head, upper back and hands.   The knife was recovered at the scene.  CCTV captured the assault. Approximately seven minutes later, Evans walked into a hospital four blocks away, complaining of a slice wound to the palm of his left hand.  Evans pleaded guilty to this first degree assault in Baltimore City Circuit Court and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Throughout the course of Evans’ involvement in the UDH drug conspiracy Evans knew that the conspiracy involved between 840 grams and 2.8 kilograms of crack cocaine and between three and 10 kilograms of heroin

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the ATF, Baltimore Police Department, and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Andrea L. Smith, Seema Mittal, and Patricia C. McLane, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.

PHILADELPHIA – Herbert Sudfeld, 64, of Doylestown, PA, was convicted today on charges of insider trading and making a false statement.  He faces a maximum possible sentence of 25 years in prison, a three-year period of supervised release, and a possible fine.

Sudfeld was a partner in a Pennsylvania law firm that represented Harleysville Group, Inc., in its merger with Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.  According to court testimony, Sudfeld knew the merger was imminent and knew he had a fiduciary duty to keep it confidential.  On September 28, 2011, prior to the public announcement of the merger agreement, Sudfeld contacted his stock broker to purchase Harleysville stock.  On September 29, 2011, Harleysville and Nationwide publicly announced the merger and Harleysville stock rose by approximately 85 percent over the prior day’s trading.   Sudfeld then sold the shares he had bought a day earlier, netting personal profits of approximately $75,530. 

Sudfeld falsely told FBI agents, who were investigating insider trading, that he was not aware of the Harleysville stock transactions until several days to a week later.  Sudfeld also falsely told investigators that he had informed his broker that he could not be involved in trades of Harleysville stock due to his position at his law firm.  He further stated that he did not discuss Harleysville trades with his broker until after they were completed, which was also false.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise S. Wolf.

Memphis, TN – A former corrections officer for a federal correctional institution in Arkansas has pled guilty to attempting to smuggle contraband into the facility. Edward L. Stanton III, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the plea today.

In September 2015, John Brooks, 28, of Jonesboro, Arkansas, was employed as a corrections officer at Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Forrest City, Arkansas when he accepted money in exchange for agreeing to smuggle marijuana into the facility and to inmates.

On Thursday, February 4, 2016, Brooks pled guilty to one count of accepting money in exchange for agreeing to smuggle marijuana into the institution, in violation of his official duties.

Brooks is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman on Thursday, May 5, 2016. He faces up to 15 years imprisonment when sentenced. Brooks also faces a fine of up to $250,000.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.

          A 59–year old enrolled member of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to life imprisonment for five counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor.  In October 2015, a jury convicted LEROY CHARLES following a five day trial.  At sentencing U.S District Judge Ronald B. Leighton said, “Mr. Charles is in every sense an evil man…. Because of the awful offenses and fallout from those offenses, the pain and hurt he has inflicted makes these very serious offenses…This  (sentence) deters Mr. Charles from ever inflicting pain and hurt on anyone again.”

            “For years, this defendant raped and abused helpless children, and threatened them and their families with further violence,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes.  “I commend the strength and perseverance shown by these now young adults in coming forward and seeking justice in this case.  Because of the victims’ courage, they have ensured that the defendant will never again have the opportunity to victimize children or other members of their community.”

          According to testimony at trial, between 1999 to 2005, CHARLES viciously raped his minor relatives when they were adolescents or young teenagers at various times and places on the Port Gamble S’Klallam reservation.  CHARLES overpowered the victims -- in one instance, drugging and then raping the child, and in another instance, tying up and raping the child.  CHARLES threatened to kill each of the victims and their families if they disclosed the abuse.  When one of the victims left the reservation, CHARLES traveled to the victim’s out-of-state residence, again threatening the victim and saying he would be able to find the victim anywhere.  Trial testimony also established that CHARLES raped two other minor aged relatives, in the mid 1980’s, when they were 5 and 6 years old.  For one of the relatives, the sexual assaults continued for years until the child was nearly 11 years old. 

            Writing to the court the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribal Council told Judge Leighton, “The Council is worried that the tribe’s well-being would be jeopardized if the defendant is released.”

          The case was investigated by the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribal Police and the FBI.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ye-Ting Woo and Bruce Miyake.

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Kenel, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer.

Dylan Demery, age 23, was indicted on January 21, 2016.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on February 4, 2016, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on or about January 1, 2016, Demery forcibly resisted, opposed, impeded, intimidated, and interfered with an officer from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  The incident happened while that officer was employed as a federal law enforcement officer with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, assigned to perform law enforcement functions and was also engaged in the performance of his official duties. 

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

The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Standing Rock Agency.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.   

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

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Wakpala, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor.

Charles Edward Gabe, age 19, was indicted on January 21, 2016.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on February 4, 2016, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in custody and/or a $500,000 fine, up to life of supervised release, a mandatory special assessment of up to $10,000, and $200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on or about January 4, 2016, Gabe knowingly engaged in, and attempted to engage in a sexual act, by the use of force, with a minor who had attained the age of 12 years, but had not attained the age of 16 years.

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

The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Standing Rock Agency.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.   

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

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Aggravated Sexual Abuse, Kidnapping, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.

Jason Martinez, age 40, was indicted on January 21, 2016.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on February 4, 2016, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in custody and/or a $1,000,000 fine, up to life of supervised release, a mandatory special assessment of $5,000, and $400 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on or about December 9, 2015, Martinez caused and attempted to cause his intimate partner to engage in a sexual act by the use of force.  Martinez is also accused of willfully kidnapping the same victim, as well as assaulting her with a shovel which caused serious bodily injury.

The charges are merely accusations and Martinez 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, Standing Rock Agency.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.   

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

            LOS ANGELES– A Porter Ranch man who allegedly operated a “document mill” in Sylmar that produced fake IDs – including the credentials used to access secure areas of the Port of Los Angeles – has been arrested on federal charges of illegally manufacturing the counterfeit documents.

            Brian Allen Dunmore, 54, was arrested Wednesday by special agents with the United States Coast Guard Investigative Services (CGIS), which is involved in an ongoing investigation into document mills that manufacture fraudulent identification, such as Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWICs), which are needed to access secure areas of the Port of Los Angeles.

            Dunmore was arrested pursuant to a criminal complaint filed on Monday that charges him with one count of unlawfully possessing and producing an authentication feature. At his initial appearance Wednesday afternoon in United States District Court, Dunmore was ordered detained (held without bond), in part because he is a previously convicted felon who had a cache of firearms at his Porter Ranch residence.

            “Our national security depends in part upon our ability to restrict access to sensitive areas, including significant transportation hubs such as the Port of Los Angeles,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “Here, false identification documents were given to unauthorized individuals by a person who also illegally possessed an arsenal of high-powered weapons, making this crime extremely serious.”

            Special agents with CGIS yesterday arrested a second man allegedly involved in the trafficking of counterfeit documents. A man charged in a second criminal complaint under the name Ricardo Gama-Diaz, also known as “Coy,” appeared in federal court yesterday afternoon and said his true name was Ricardo Rios-Gama.

            Rios-Gama, 51, who resides in South Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, is charged with producing a false identification document. An affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint alleges that Rios-Gama sold undercover agents counterfeit identification documents – including bogus TWICs, California driver’s licenses, Social Security cards and “Green Cards” – on three occasions.

            “Transportation Worker Identification Credentials are an important component of our overall port and transportation security system,” said Rear Admiral Joe Servidio, Commander of the Eleventh Coast Guard District. “Taking swift and decisive action sends a strong message deterring future criminal activity.”

            Dunmore operated a document mill in Sylmar, according to an affidavit filed in his case. Dunmore allegedly agreed to sell to undercover agents a computer program, printer, and card stock with microchips to produce and manufacture TWIC cards and other government identification documents, such as Social Security cards, Mexican identification cards, and California driver’s licenses. According to the case affidavit, Dunmore himself produced a TWIC card and Mexican identification card for the agents.

            A TWIC is a worker identification card issued by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that allows individuals to access secure areas of the Port of Los Angeles. Those who are issued TWICs undergo a security background check. Because some people are ineligible to obtain a TWIC, due to a lack of immigration status or another reason, a black market for these documents has developed, according to the USGIS investigation.

            “The fraudulent manufacturing and sales of official identification documents required to gain access to secure areas directly threatens and undercuts efforts in maintaining security within our nation's ports” said CGIS Special Agent in Charge Jon Finnegan. “The United States Coast Guard Investigative Service shall continue to aggressively pursue those violators and work with the United States Attorney's Office seeking prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.”

            In conjunction with Dunmore’s arrest, CGIS agents executed a search warrant at his residence and recovered equipment that appeared to be used to create false identifications. The agents also recovered as a small arsenal of weapons and ammunition, including a fully-automatic Tec-9, two AR-15 rifles with over 2,000 rounds of ammunition, and an AK-47. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is assisting with this part of the investigation. At the court hearing on Wednesday, federal prosecutors successfully argued that Dunmore posed a danger to the community because he was a felon illegally in possession of a host of weapons.  Eleven of the guns were unregistered and among the thousands of rounds of ammunition, agents recovered at least 15 high capacity magazines.

            A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

            At Dunmore’s court appearance on Wednesday, a United States Magistrate Judge scheduled a preliminary hearing for February 17 and an arraignment February 23.

            At his court hearing yesterday, Rios-Gama was ordered freed on a $10,000 bond, but he will be subject to electronic monitoring. Rios-Gama was ordered back to federal court on February 25 for a preliminary hearing and on March 2 for an arraignment.

            If they are convicted of the charges against them, each defendant would face a statutory maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.

            This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a Fairbanks woman was sentenced on Friday, February 5, 2016, in federal court in Fairbanks after being found guilty of converting federal government and tribal funds to her own use.

JoAnn Polston, 60, of Fairbanks, Alaska, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline to three years’ probation with special conditions including 90 days home confinement and cooperation with representatives of the Healy Lake Tribe concerning whereabouts and disposition of tribal funds, and payment of restitution of $4,577.61 to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and $102,860.20 to the Healy Lake Tribe.  Polston had pled guilty in September 2015. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Yvonne Lamoureux, who prosecuted the case, noted that according to filings with the court, between 2009 and 2012, Polston knowingly converted to her own use money belonging to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Healy Lake Tribe.  Specifically, Polston, as the First Chief and Tribal Administrator for the Healy Lake Tribe, abused her position of trust to write herself checks and transfer money from the Tribe’s bank accounts to her personal bank account.  Polston also submitted and received per diem payments from the BIA in the amount of $4,577.61 to which she was not entitled because Polston had previously paid herself per diem payments from the Healy Lake Tribe’s bank accounts for the same trips.  Between August 2009 and May 2012, Polston knowingly converted the Tribe’s money to her own use by writing herself checks and transferring money into her account in the amount of at least $10,914.20.  Between May 2009 and June 2013, Polston also paid herself $91,946.00 without backup documentation, above and beyond her salary payments or other authorized payments. 

In sentencing Polston, Judge Beistline noted that misuse of federal funds jeopardizes other native and rural communities that receive federal funds.

“The results of this prosecution reflect the Department of Interior Office of Inspector General’s commitment to pursue fraud involving the Department’s programs and its commitment to its trust responsibility to Native Americans,” said U.S. Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge David House.  “Public corruption in Native American communities is especially egregious because it usually comes at the expense of vital tribal programs intended for the benefit of the entire tribal community.”

Ms. Loeffler commends the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General for conducting the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Polston.

            SANTA ANA, California– A federal jury today convicted an Orange County man for leading a “builder bailout” real estate scheme that resulted in the fraudulent purchase of more than 100 condominium units around the country with mortgages that mostly went into default, resulting in foreclosures and millions of dollars in losses.

            Momoud Aref Abaji, 34, of Huntington Beach, was convicted this afternoon in United States District Court of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, five counts of wire fraud, and two counts of tax evasion. Five of Abaji’s co-conspirators have already been convicted, and one, Wajieh Tbakhi, remains a fugitive.

            “Abaji’s fraud cost these financial institutions millions of dollars and put taxpayer funds at risk,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “The Department of Justice is dedicated to protecting the public fisc from this type of fraud.”

            Abaji and his co-conspirators operated the scheme through Excel Investments and related companies in Santa Ana and then Irvine. In the scheme, Abaji and his co-conspirators identified condominium developments in which the developers were struggling to sell units and then arranged with the developers to purchase the units in return for large commissions. The developers benefitted by making it appear that their condos were selling and maintaining their value, while Abaji and his co-conspirators benefitted from the hefty commissions that they received, which were concealed from the mortgage lenders. The defendants recruited a number of straw buyers to purchase the properties as “investors,” and ensured that they qualified for financing by filing false loan applications on their behalf.

            Abaji and his co-conspirators negotiated with condominium developers in California, Florida and Arizona to purchase condominium units in exchange for a hefty commission, which they often misleadingly referred to as “marketing fees” and did not disclose to the lenders. The defendants bought units for themselves, their relatives, and on behalf of “investors” with good credit scores who served as “straw buyers.” They recruited the straw buyers by presenting the scheme as an investment opportunity that required no down payment and would generate income through rental payments.

            To obtain mortgages for the properties, Abaji and his co-conspirators prepared loan applications with false information about the straw buyers – inventing fake employment, income and assets for these individuals to qualify them for loans. They also submitted fabricated and altered W2 forms, pay stubs and bank statements in support of those applications, and they concealed the huge commissions from mortgage lenders by submitting false and misleading purchase and sale agreements and fake HUD-1 settlement statements. Based on these false statements, mortgage lenders funded more than $21 million in loans

            Many of these loans went into default, and mortgage lenders lost millions after foreclosing on the properties, with current losses estimated at approximately $9 million. The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) and the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) purchased dozens of these loans on the secondary mortgage market and suffered losses of at least $2.37 million as a result of delinquencies, defaults and foreclosures on the properties.

            “Whether you call it a marketing fee, commission, or kickback, all forms of income are taxable,” stated IRS Criminal Investigation’s Special Agent in Charge Erick Martinez.  “As today’s verdict shows, the law is clear on the issue of taxable income and who is required to file and pay taxes.”

            United States District Judge Andrew Guilford, who presided over the trial, set sentencing for May 23.  At his sentencing, Abaji faces a statutory maximum sentence of 190 years in prison.

            In addition to the guilty verdicts today, the jury found Abaji not guilty of one count of wire fraud.

            This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of Inspector General, and IRS Criminal Investigation.

NEWARK, N.J. – Five men who were arrested in Passaic County, New Jersey, with a combined 55 kilograms of heroin and cocaine in their possession appeared in Newark federal court today, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Edwin Alamo Jr., 21, of Bronx, New York, Sauro D. Estevez Figueredo, 48, of Miami, Florida, Emmanuel Gonzalez, 31, of Bronx, New York, Alberto Mora, 52, of Morriston, Florida, and Porfirio Peralta-Nunez, 37, of Jersey City, New Jersey, are each charged by criminal complaint with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a kilogram or more of heroin. Figueredo and Mora are also charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

All five defendants appeared this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III and were remanded into custody.

According to the complaint filed today:

On Feb. 5, 2016, law enforcement observed a tractor trailer, driven by Figueredo and Mora, parked at an intersection near a store in Clifton, New Jersey. That afternoon, Gonzalez and Alamo drove to the tractor trailer and left with a suitcase given to them by Mora. Later, Peralta-Nunez arrived at the tractor trailer with two empty bags and left shortly afterwards with the bags filled.

Subsequent traffic stops later revealed 22 kilograms of heroin in Gonzalez and Alamo’s possession and 13 kilograms of heroin in Peralta-Nunez’s possession. Law enforcement also found 20 kilograms of cocaine still remaining at the tractor trailer, resulting in a total of 55 kilograms of seized narcotics. All five defendants were arrested that day.

The drug distribution conspiracy charges each carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Williams and Mary Toscano, Deputy Chief of the General Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Carl J. Kotowski in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s charges.

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

Defense Counsel:

Alamo: Chester Keller Esq., First Assistant Public Defender, Newark

Figueredo: Michael D’Alessi Esq.

Gonzalez: James Murphy Esq., Princeton, New Jersey

Mora: David Schafer Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Trenton

Peralta-Nunez: Brian Neary., Esq., Hackensack, New Jersey

ALBUQUERQUE – Officials from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bernalillo County Commission and University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center will meet with the media at 11:00 A.M. on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2016, to discuss ongoing efforts to educate New Mexico’s youth and young adults about the perils of heroin and prescription drug abuse.  They will be joined by community stakeholders.

WHO: 

U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez

Bernalillo County Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins

Special Agent in Charge Terry Wade, FBI Albuquerque Division

Assistant Special Agent in Charge Sean R. Waite, DEA Albuquerque District Office

Dr. Joanna G. Katzman, Director, UNM Pain Center

Michel Disco, Assistant Dean for External Programs, UNM College of Pharmacy

Ryan P. Cangiolosi, Senior Strategic Advisor & Director of Strategic   Communications at the UNM Health Sciences Center

WHEN:

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2016, 11:00 a.m.

WHERE:      

U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of New Mexico

201 Third Street NW

10^th Floor Multi-Media Room (Reception on Ninth Floor)

Albuquerque, NM 87102

OPEN PRESS

This dialogue with the media, which is presented by the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative, will begin at 11:00 a.m.  It will follow the 10:00 a.m. screening of Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict, a 45-minute documentary film unveiled last week by the FBI and DEA which is aimed at educating students and young adults about the dangers of addiction.  The documentary profiles the stories of several people who either abused opiates or had family members become addicts, and looks at the tragic consequences associated with opioid abuse.  The documentary, which is intended to reach students and young adults before they become addicted, may be viewed at https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2016/february/raising-awareness-of-opioid-addiction.  Note:  the documentary includes profanity which has been muted on the version available at this link.

The HOPE Initiative is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center that is partnering with the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative with the overriding goal of reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in the District of New Mexico.  The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components:  (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning.  This dialogue is part of the prevention and education component of the HOPE Initiative.

NOTE: All media must present government-issued photo I.D. (such as a driver’s license) as well as valid media credentials.  Media may begin to arrive at 10:45 a.m. MDT. Inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Alyssa Ferda at 505-224-1480 or alyssa.ferda@usdoj.gov.