Roanoke, VIRGINIA – A Roanoke man, who worked while receiving disability benefits from the Railroad Retirement Board, pled guilty yesterday in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Roanoke, Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced.

James Sexton, 66, pled guilty yesterday to one count of theft of government money. At sentencing, Sexton faces a maximum possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution.

According to evidence presented at yesterday’s guilty plea hearing, Sexton began receiving disability benefits from the Railroad Retirement Board in 1997 and acknowledged that he was required to report any work he performed or earnings to the government. However, he admitted yesterday that he failed to report $475,645 in income earned through employment with various financial companies.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Railroad Retirement Board, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Charlene R. Day prosecuted the case for the United States.

            CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced yesterday that Wilfredo Tanon Rodriguez, 54, formerly of Nashua, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute more than a quarter kilogram of cocaine.

            According to court documents and statements made during earlier court proceedings, on July 1, 2016, the Nashua Police Department dispatched several officers to the parking lot of a city apartment complex. The officers were dispatched to that location in response to a citizen complaint about drug dealing activity there. After conducting surveillance, police later conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Tanon Rodriguez was riding in the front passenger seat.

            Tanon Rodriguez consented to a police inspection of a bag at his feet as well as a container found inside the bag. Inside the container, the police found approximately 279 grams of cocaine. After his arrest, Tanon Rodriguez admitted that, at the time of the traffic stop, he had been delivering the cocaine to a third party and that he had engaged in a similar transaction once before. Two firearms were found in a car belonging to Tanon Rodriguez, which was parked in the apartment complex that was the subject of the original police surveillance.

            After serving the 30-month prison sentence, Tanon Rodriguez will serve three years of supervised release.

            Luis D. Capo-Nieves -- the driver of the car – will be sentenced on a related charge on June 12, 2017. Capo-Nieves is also a former resident of Nashua.

            This matter was investigated by the Nashua Police Department. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also provided assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Morse prosecuted the case.

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            CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced yesterday that Patrick J. Brooks, II, 37, formerly of Boscawen, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for possession of oxycodone with the intent to distribute.

            According to court documents and statements made during earlier court proceedings, in June and July 2016, a Concord, New Hampshire, undercover officer made a series of purchases of oxycodone from an individual who, during those transactions, told the undercover detective that Brooks had been selling oxycodone to her for eleven years. On July 20, 2016, police officers executed a search warrant on Brooks’ Boscawen home. The execution of the warrant yielded nearly 2,000 30-milligram oxycodone pills and approximately $20,000 in cash. The cash recovered from Brooks’ home included currency that the undercover detective had used to buy oxycodone in one of the undercover transactions.

            After completing his prison term, Brooks will be on supervised release for three years. The cash and other drug proceeds are the subjects of a pending state forfeiture proceeding.

            “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who are responsible for distributing opioids,” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said. “All too often, the road to heroin or fentanyl addiction begins with the misuse of oxycodone pills. Those who profit from the illicit sales of these pills are contributing to the opioid crisis in the Granite State. We will continue to devote our efforts to putting drug distributors out of business. I commend the efforts of the law enforcement officers in this case for their success in dismantling this significant drug distribution operation.”

            This matter was investigated by the Concord and Boscawen police departments. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Morse prosecuted the case.

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HARRISBURG –The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Dane Robert Pollock, age 33, a resident of McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday, May 31, 2017, for sexual exploitation of children involving the production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

According to U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that Pollock took sexually explicit, nude photographs and videos of at least one female student who was under the age of 18 years of age in 2016.

United States Magistrate Judge Martin C. Carlson arraigned Pollock on these charges on June 1, 2017, and ordered Pollock detained until his trial date, August 7, 2017. This case is assigned to United States District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Meredith A. Taylor is prosecuting the case.

If you have additional information about this case, please contact the FBI office in State College, Pennsylvania at (814) 234-0341.

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

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Receiving child pornography carries a five year mandatory minimum prison sentence. Exploiting a child in order to create child pornography carries a penalty requiring a mandatory minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment. The maximum penalty under federal law is 60 years of imprisonment, a lifetime term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

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Four people were indicted for their roles in a conspiracy to mail heroin from California to the Warren area, said David A. Sierleja, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Named in the seven-count indictment are: Derrick Eggleston, 31; Rachael Sherman, 38, both of Warren; Alexander Zamudio, 43; and Zoany Zamudio, 38, both of Victorville, California. All four are charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute heroin.

The defendants conspired to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin. This took place beginning as early as September 2015 through November 2015. It was part of the conspiracy that Alexander Zamudio sent heroin through the U.S. mail from California to Sherman’s residence in Warren. Eggleston then picked up the heroin from that residence and compensated Sherman, according to the indictment.

Eggleston sent money through the U.S. mail from Warren to Alexander in California. Zoany Zamudio later replaced Alexander Zamudio as Eggleston’s point of contact when Alexander was incarcerated and unable to send heroin through the mail or receive drug payments, according to the indictment.

On Sept. 9 and Oct. 7, 2015, Alexander Zamudio used the U.S. mail to send heroin to Sherman and Eggleston. Eggleston and Sherman attempted to possess with the intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin on Sept. 10, 2015. Zoany Zamudio used the U.S. mail to send heroin to Sherman and Eggleston on Oct. 26, 27 and Nov. 2015, according to the indictment.

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

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. States Attorney David M. Toepfer.

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

PROVIDENCE – David H. Bentz, 46, of Norwell, MA, is scheduled to be sentenced in U.S. District Court in Providence on September 8, 2017, having pleaded guilty to traveling interstate for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. Bentz pleaded guilty on June 2, 2017, before U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith.

According to information presented to the court, on July 2, 2016, Bentz responded to an online posting and began a series of communications with a person he believed to be a 15-year-old female. The conversation quickly became sexually explicit. On July 6, 2016, Bentz arranged to meet with the 15-year-old in Rhode Island to engage in sexual activity. When Bentz arrived at a pre-arranged location in Rhode Island he was arrested by members of the Rhode State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Traveling interstate for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 30 years in federal prison; a fine of up to $250,000; and a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life.

Bentz’s guilty plea is announced by Acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch; Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police; and Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations for New England.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard B. Myrus.

BIRMINGHAM – The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the City of Pinson have reached a comprehensive settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to city facilities and programs, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey.

13031. agreement, which went into effect Monday, resolves a number of complaints filed by a Pinson resident who claimed that various city facilities and programs were inaccessible to individuals with mobility impairments, in violation of the ADA.

“The City of Pinson cooperated with our office to work out a solution that resolves these alleged ADA violations,” Posey said. “With this agreement, Pinson commits to ensuring that individuals with disabilities will have an equal opportunity to access and participate in their city government’s programs.”

As a public entity subject to the requirements of Title II of the ADA, Pinson must ensure that its facilities and programs are readily accessible to individuals with disabilities. This includes ensuring that all new construction and alterations to buildings or facilities meet the physical accessibility requirements of Title II. Title II also requires that a public entity make participation in it services, programs and activities available to any qualified individual, regardless of a disability.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the ADA may visit the U.S. Department of Justice’s ADA website at www.ada.gov. To make complaints about potential civil-rights violations, including complaints about discrimination based on race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability or veteran status, please call or e-mail the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Intake Specialist at (205) 244-2001 or usaaln.civilrights@usdoj.gov.

To file a written complaint, mail the complaint to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama, ATTN: Civil Rights Intake Specialist, 1801 Fourth Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203.

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RALEIGH– United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce announced that today in federal court, the Honorable James C. Dever III, Chief United States District Judge, sentenced KAY WEEKS FISHER, 67, of Whitakers, North Carolina, to six-months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release and a $25,000 fine for making material false statements.

According to the Criminal Information and information in the public record, KAY WEEKS FISHER, being aware of an on-going federal grand jury investigation, took steps to help another farmer conceal the sales of hidden tobacco and encouraged the farmer to provide false testimony to federal agents. The farmer, who was also prosecuted by this office, eventually told the truth. FISHER’s criminal conduct, however, obstructed the investigation and ultimately judicial proceedings.

The investigation of this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations, the United States Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, and Risk Management Agency - Special Investigations Branch. Assistant United States Attorney Banumathi Rangarajan represented the government.

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ARTURO CASTRO, 52, of Wilmette, Illinois, pleaded guilty yesterday in Bridgeport federal court to one count of use of an interstate facility to persuade a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in approximately December 2013, CASTRO began communicating with a 15-year-old female in Connecticut through “Chess with Friends,” and online app. Using the app’s chat option, CASTRO asked the minor victim to send him naked photographs of herself, and subsequently enticed the minor victim to create videos depicting the minor victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct and send those videos to CASTRO. In March 2014, CASTRO traveled from Illinois to Connecticut and engaged in illicit sexual activity with the minor victim.

CASTRO has been detained since his arrest on December 13, 2016.

CASTRO is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill on August 28, 2017, at which time he faces a minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

CASTRO is a citizen of Mexico and a lawful permanent resident of the U.S.

This investigation has been conducted by Homeland Security Investigations in New Haven and Chicago, and the Clinton (Conn.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacabed Rodriguez-Coss.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Dieuny Pasius, 26, an inmate at FCI-Berlin pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to possess a prohibited object within a federal prison. Pasius admitted the prohibited object he was attempting to possess was Alpha-PVP, known by the street name Flakka, a synthetic cathinone that is a Schedule I controlled substance. Synthetic cathinone is commonly referred to as bath salts.

          According to documents filed with the court and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Pasius placed a letter in the institution mailbox at FCI-Berlin on January 14, 2017. The letter was reviewed by a staff member at the prison who noticed that certain words were emphasized. The staff members then placed the words in the order they appeared in the letter and a coded message was revealed. That coded message directed the letter’s intended recipient to obtain a quantity of Flakka and sent it to Pasius through covert means.

          A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 22, 2017. According to federal law, any sentence imposed in connection with this charge must be served consecutively to any sentence currently be served by Pasius.

          The Bureau of Prisons led the investigation of this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Feith.

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RALEIGH– The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina John Stuart Bruce announced that today in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III, sentenced SHAMIEKA GOODALL, a/k/a Donna Diva, 30, of Covington, Georgia to life imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release. On January 23, 2017, a jury found GOODALL guilty of Conspiracy to Kidnap a relative of a North Carolina state prosecutor and of a separate substantive count of Kidnapping relating to the same.

In October of 2012, Kelvin Melton, one of the founding members of the United Blood Nation, was convicted by a Wake County jury on two counts pertaining to a gang-related shooting that occurred in Raleigh in September of 2011. As a result of this conviction, Melton was sentenced to life imprisonment and incarcerated in the maximum security unit at Polk Correctional Institution (“Polk”) in Butner, North Carolina. Melton concocted a plan under which he arranged for various low ranking gang members located in the vicinity of Atlanta, Georgia, to kidnap a person related to the North Carolina state prosecutor. Melton planned touse such hostage to extort dismissal of his life imprisonment sentence.

During the early morning hours of Saturday, April 5, 2014, Melton held a conference call with various gang members located at GOODALL’s home in Covington, Georgia, during which he generally discussed the mission. The kidnapping team (which included a member that had been recruited by GOODALL) assembled at GOODALL’s house and GOODALL provided the team with funds to use during the course of the kidnapping mission. After traveling from Covington, Georgia, to Wake Forest, North Carolina, the kidnapping team arrived at the home of Frank Janssen (the state prosecutor’s father) just prior to noon on April 5, 2014. The kidnapping team used the ruse of delivering lost mail, to get Frank Janssen to open his front door. Mr. Janssen was then pistol whipped, tazed, and taken from his home against his will.

During the course of the trip back to Georgia, GOODALL and others were called upon to determine the location at which Mr. Janssen would be held. The kidnapping team was then instructed to bring Mr. Janssen to an apartment located in Southeast Atlanta. Mr. Janssen was bound to a chair and held in a small closet from the early evening of April 5, 2014, through late on the night of April 9, 2014. Just hours before Mr. Janssen was rescued, Melton called and instructed the kidnapping team (including the team member recruited by GOODALL) to find a location to bury Mr. Janssen and then return to the apartment and kill Mr. Janssen. Through a coordinated effort involving many federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team rescued Mr. Janssen at 11:55 pm on April 9, 2014.

United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce stated, “As I stated when Kelvin Melton was convicted, this crime was monstrously cruel to the victim and his family, including a dedicated public servant who was being targeted for her public service. It was also an attack on our criminal justice system. We must do more to stop convicted prisoners from reaching out from their prison cells to harm witnesses and law enforcement officials, and to continue their criminal enterprises. The convictions in this case are a start.”

“Today is the final chapter in the prosecution of a heinous crime conducted by members of a violent gang. We hope this conviction sends a message that all gang members involved in these crimes will be held accountable. We would like to thank our federal and local law enforcement partners for their incredible cooperation which lead to an innocent man’s rescue and the convictions of those responsible,” said John Strong, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina.

The case was investigated by the FBI Charlotte, FBI Atlanta, the Wake Forest Police Department, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation with assistance by the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, Raleigh Police Department, Durham Police Department, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, Garner Police Department, North Carolina Highway Patrol, RDU Police, City County Bureau of Investigation, the Cobb County Police Department, Alpharetta Police Department, Atlanta Police Department, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina is handling the prosecution of these cases.

Three U.S. Postal employees in Akron and a fourth man were indicted for a conspiracy in which they stole packages containing marijuana from the U.S. mail and then sold the drugs, said David A. Sierleja, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Named in the three-count indictment are: Rabih Kairouz, 29, of Akron; Anton D. Easter, Jr., 26, of Akron; Scott Gay, Jr., 33, of Canton, and Corey Turnbull, 26, of Ravenna.

Kairouz, Gay and Turnbull worked for the U.S. Postal Service. Kairouz and Turnbull worked as a supervisor at the Five Points station in Akron while Gary was a manager at the North Hill station, according to court documents.

Together, intercepted suspected drug parcels at U.S. Post Offices in Akron, opened the parcels, removed marijuana contained inside, sold the marijuana to Easter and shared the profits. This took place between February and May 2017, according to the indictment.

If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the

characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry F. DeBaggis and Teresa L. Riley.

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

          CONCORD, N.H.– Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Justin Gauthier, 39, formerly of Northfield, New Hampshire, has been indicted on charges that he unlawfully possessed methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil with the intent to distribute those controlled substances and for possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

          According to the indictment, on August 5, 2016, Gauthier unlawfully possessed with the intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. The indictment also charges that on March 16, 2017, Gauthier possessed with the intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil. Gauthier is further charged in the indictment with possession of seven firearms in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

          Gauthier is scheduled for an arraignment in federal court at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6, 2017.

          Gauthier faces a possible maximum sentence of twenty years on the drug trafficking charges and a mandatory minimum five- year sentence for the firearms, which must be served consecutively to any term of imprisonment imposed for the drug charges.

          “The aggressive investigation and prosecution of individuals engaged in drug trafficking in New Hampshire remains a top priority of the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners at the local, state and federal level,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Our state already has experienced far too many deaths as a result of drug overdoses. The recent presence of carfentanil - a drug that the DEA has stated is a hundred times more powerful than fentanyl - has the potential to result in an even greater number of overdose deaths here in New Hampshire. It presents an unprecedented public safety concern for law enforcement and first responders. The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to prosecute those who are responsible for distributing these dangerous drugs in our state.”

          "ATF will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts, to vigorously combat drug traffickers and the threat they pose to our citizens by illegally possessing firearms in furtherance of their illegal drug trade", said Lawrence J. Panetta; Acting Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division.

          This case is being investigated by the New Hampshire State Police, Narcotics Investigation Unit, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tilton and Northfield, New Hampshire Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis.

          Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Juan Rojas, 32, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, was sentenced to six years in federal prison for his participation in two conspiracies: (1) a conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, oxycodone and cocaine and (2) a conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

          According to court documents and statements in court, Rojas and others participated in the distribution of cocaine and oxycodone pills in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. During a court-authorized wiretap investigation, law enforcement officers intercepted calls in which Rojas obtained quantities of oxycodone and cocaine, which he then supplied to others, including Franklyn and Mara Morillo. The Morillos then arranged to distribute the drugs to multiple customers. Rojas was arrested on August 18, 2015. Law enforcement officers found approximately 110 grams of cocaine in the vehicle he was operating.

          During the wiretap investigation, officers also intercepted calls indicating that Rojas and another individual (Oscar Rosario) were planning to rob a drug dealer. Intercepted calls showed that Rosario traveled from New Hampshire to Haverhill, Massachusetts, where he obtained a firearm from Rojas. A law enforcement officer later stopped Rosario and recovered the firearm before it could be used to commit the robbery.

          Rojas pleaded guilty to these crimes on January 5, 2017. After his prison sentence, he will be on supervised release for three years.

          Rojas is one of six individuals convicted for participating in this drug trafficking conspiracy. Mara Morillo, 41, of Haverhill, Massachusetts was sentenced to seven years in prison; Franklyn Morillo, 42, of Haverhill, Massachusetts was sentenced to 14 years in prison; Jorge Medina, 25, of Haverhill, Massachusetts was sentenced to two years in prison; Justin Bartimus, 36, formerly of Methuen, Massachusetts was sentenced to 18 months in prison; and Michael Lally, 28, of Salem, New Hampshire is a awaiting sentencing.

          Rojas and Rosario were charged in a separate indictment with conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Rosario previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison.

          “This is another example of the commitment of the United States Attorney’s Office to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who are responsible for distributing opioids and other drugs,” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said. “The road to heroin or fentanyl addiction often begins with the misuse of oxycodone pills. This case was an example of excellent law enforcement cooperation that put an end to a substantial drug trafficking operation that was profiting from the sale of these dangerous pills. Thanks to the hard work of multiple law enforcement agencies, these drug traffickers will no longer be jeopardizing the safety of our community.”

          "The DEA is committed to investigating and bringing to justice those who illicitly distribute oxycodone,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. “Opiate abuse is a major problem in New Hampshire and throughout New England. The diversion of prescription pain killers, in this case oxycodone, contributes to the widespread abuse of opiates, is the gateway to heroin and fentanyl addiction, and is devastating our communities. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts in New Hampshire and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to aggressively pursue any group or individual that traffics these drugs.”

          This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad led the investigation with assistance from the Haverhill, Massachusetts Police Department, the Methuen, Massachusetts Police Department, and the Massachusetts State Police. It was prosecuted by Acting U.S. Attorney Farley.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Kan., man was sentenced in federal court for a carjacking that ended in a multiple-vehicle collision with injuries and the death of the car owner’s dog.

Stephen D. Bagley, 27, of Kansas City, Kan., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 12 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Bagley to pay $1,000 in restitution to the carjacking victim.

On Feb. 10, 2017, Bagley pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Bagley has remained in prison, serving a sentence imposed by the U.S. District Court in the District of Kansas, since he was indicted on July 8, 2015.

Bagley admitted that he stole a 2008 Nissan Altima at gunpoint on June 22, 2014. Bagley brandished a Glock .40-caliber pistol during the carjacking.

According to the plea agreement, the owner of the vehicle was standing near the car talking to some friends at about 2:30 a.m., while parked in front of Express Mart at 3786 Broadway, Kansas City, Mo. A friend was sitting in the passenger’s seat of the vehicle when Bagley grabbed the door handle. The passenger told him “this ain’t your car.” Bagley then pulled a handgun from his waistband and pointed it at her while he got in the driver’s seat. While pointing the gun at her, Bagley told her to get out of the car.

The vehicle owner’s dog, Mister, was left inside the vehicle when Bagley backed out of the station and sped off. The owner and his friend got into another friend’s car and attempted to follow the Altima as they last saw it speeding northbound on Interstate 35. They returned to the Express Mart and contacted police to report the carjacking.

A few minutes later, officers were dispatched to a multi-vehicle crash with injuries on Interstate 35, in the northbound lanes near West Pennway, in Kansas City, Mo. The Altima had crashed into multiple vehicles and Bagley had fled from the crash site. Mister was found dead inside the Altima.

Detectives obtained the surveillance video from the Express Mart during the time of the carjacking. Bagley’s U.S. probation officer, who had supervised Bagley since his release in April 2014 from the Bureau of Prisons, identified him as the assailant. In August 2014, an ATF agent interviewed a woman who was involved in a domestic dispute with Bagley in which Bagley fired six shots with a .40-caliber pistol. The .40-caliber spent shell casings were recovered as evidence, and the victim identified Bagley in photos taken from the surveillance video.

U.S. Marshals had arrested Bagley on July 29, 2014, for violating his supervised release in the District of Kansas case. Marshals executed a search warrant at Bagley’s residence at the time of his arrest and recovered the Glock .40-caliber pistol, an extended magazine and multiple rounds of ammunition.

A forensic scientist determined that the Glock pistol recovered from Bagley’s residence was the pistol that fired a spent shell casing recovered from inside the Altima on June 22, 2014. The ballistics also matched the spent shell casings recovered from the domestic dispute involving Bagley.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jess E. Michaelsen. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Abingdon, VIRGINIA – A California man, who was previously found guilty following a five-day jury trial on conspiracy and mail fraud charges in relation to his role in a conspiracy to defraud the United States Food and Drug Administration by misbranding synthetic steroids was sentenced today in federal court, Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced.

Sitesh Bansi Patel, 33, of Irvine, Calif., was sentenced today to imprisonment for a term of eight months, ordered to forfeit $77,000, and fined $50,000. He was convicted following a five-day jury trial of one count of conspiracy to defraud the FDA, one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and three counts of mail fraud.

Patel, who holds a Pharm.D degree and is a licensed pharmacist, is the vice president of SK Labs, a California-based supplement manufacturer. In 2008 and 2009, Patel used SK Labs to produce H-Drol and M-Drol. The products labeled M-Drol and H-Drol contained prohormones, a/k/a synthetic steroids. The products were misbranded because the labels identified them as “dietary supplements” when, in fact, they were drugs. The active ingredients in H-Drol and M-Drol are now classified by the DEA as anabolic steroids. In 2009, when it became widely known in the supplement industry that these types of products were being actively investigated by the FDA, SK Labs quit producing H-Drol and M-Drol. However, beginning in December 2010, Patel arranged for the manufacture of H-Drol and M-Drol by others at another facility in California. Patel, working as go-between, received, at his home, shipments of raw powder, labels, and money. Patel transported those items to a shopping mall parking lot. Patel then arranged for the finished product to be shipped to Virginia.

The raw powder used to manufacture these products was imported from Xinli “Eric” Li, a Chinese national, who pleaded guilty in federal court in Abingdon on December 4, 2015. Li forfeited $1.6 million and served five months in prison prior to being deported to China.

M-Drol listed its single active ingredient as 2a, 17a di methyl etiocholan 3-one, 17b-ol, a chemical nomenclature for methasterone, also known as “Superdrol.” The FDA has identified methasterone as a “designer steroid” or “designer drug”, a structural or functional analog of a controlled substance designed to mimic the pharmacological effects of the original drug. H-Drol listed its single active ingredient as 4-chloro-17a-methyl-androst-1,4-diene-3-17b-diol, the nomenclature for a designer drug identified as halovar, a clone of halodrol. Both products were deemed to be misbranded drugs because the label was false, that is, the product was labeled as a “dietary supplement” but contained a “steroid” or drug. Therefore, neither product met the definition of a dietary supplement. Both products were popular among those seeking an increase in muscle mass and loss of body fat and were distributed widely in the U.S. and overseas, both at retail stores and via the internet. The use of anabolic steroids or dietary supplements that contain anabolic steroids or designer steroids may trigger numerous adverse health effects in the human body.

The investigation, known as Operation Grasshopper, has resulted in the forfeiture of over $3.5 million and felony convictions for seven different individuals from Virginia, California, Florida, New York and China.

The investigation was conducted by the United States Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations. The Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office provided valuable assistance in the case. Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case for the United States.

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHARLES JERNIGAN, also known as “CJ” and “Snooze,” 23, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 78 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for distributing crack cocaine. Judge Thompson also ordered JERNIGAN to perform 50 hours of community service.

This matter stems from a joint investigation by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and the Hartford Police Vice, Intelligence and Narcotics Unit into gang-related narcotics trafficking in Hartford’s North End. JERNIGAN and others targeted during the investigation were affiliated with groups and gangs who have been involved in acts of violence. The investigation revealed that JERINGAN and others sold crack cocaine in the area of Edgewood Street and Albany Avenue. Between June and August 2015, law enforcement made controlled purchases of crack from JERNIGAN and his associates.

JERNIGAN has been detained since his arrest on September 17, 2015. On November 22, 2016, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 28 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack cocaine”).

JERNIGAN’s criminal history includes multiple drug-related convictions. He also is a victim of two gang-related shootings.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Melfa man who amassed tens of thousands of digital images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release.

John M. Bowen, 56, pleaded guilty on January 19. According to court documents, during the execution of a search warrant at Bowen’s residence, law enforcement recovered several electronic devices that contained at least 1.7 million digital files, tens of thousands of which depicted the sexual abuse of children. The collection included depictions of sexual abuse of children of a wide variety of ages, some as young as babies, and including files of bestiality, and sadistic and masochistic conduct. Bowen’s collection was accumulated over nearly a decade of downloading child pornography. Also recovered during the search of Bowen’s home was a handcrafted doll, the size of a young child, with a silicone adult-sized vagina insert. Contributing to length of Bowen’s prison sentence is his previous conviction of aggravated sexual battery and indecent liberties with a minor in 2001.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar. Assistant U.S. Attorney V. Kathleen Dougherty prosecuted 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:16-cr-160.

PITTSBURGH - An illegal alien found in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty and has been sentenced in federal court to time served subject to deportation, as well as one year of supervised release, on his conviction of Illegal Re-Entry After Deportation, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.

United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence yesterday on Samuel Quib-Chub, age 28, of Mexico.

According to the information presented to the court, Samuel Quib-Chub, a native and citizen of Mexico, was formally removed from the United States by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement on or about June 17, 2015, May 18, 2016, May 26, 2016, and June 1, 2016. Quib-Chub was found to be illegally present in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, on January 24, 2017, when he was arrested by the Penn Hills Police Department for aggravated assault, simple assault, and harassment.

Assistant United States Attorney Adam N. Hallowell prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting U.S. Attorney Song commended the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Quib-Chub.

NORFOLK, Va. – A California man pleaded guilty today to sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion.

According to the statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Naeem Lateef Odums, 39, of Clovis, California, and Portsmouth, forced “Jane Doe” to engage in commercial sex acts in California and Virginia for nearly nine years. Odums used a combination of extreme physical violence, threats of violence, and threats of kidnapping Jane Doe’s children, and other forms of control to cause her to perform commercial sex acts. Odums arranged appointments for Jane Doe using a website known to promote prostitution, and collected all the money Jane Doe earned both from her appointments, as well as from her legitimate jobs. In January 2017, Jane Doe was hospitalized after Odums broke three of her ribs and punctured her lung.

Odums was originally charged by criminal complaint on March 7, and was indicted on March 22. A superseding indictment naming two additional women who Odums posted prostitution advertisements for was returned on April 20. Odums faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on October 6. 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.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk; and Tonya D. Chapman, Chief of Portsmouth Police Department, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen accepted the plea and found Odums guilty. Assistant U.S. Attorney V. Kathleen Dougherty 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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:17-cr-46.