Assistant U. S. Attorney Larry Casper (619) 546-6734

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY– October 14, 2021

SAN DIEGO – A money launderer for the Sinaloa Cartel was sentenced in federal court yesterday to 120 months in prison and a $50,000 fine for laundering approximately $15 million from the sale of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin that were smuggled into the United States by the Sinaloa Cartel.

Bianca Acedo-Ojeda, 34, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was extradited from Mexico to San Diego in November 2019, and on March 10, 2021, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to court documents, Acedo-Ojeda agreed with others to and did arrange for the drug proceeds in the form of U.S. bulk currency to be smuggled into Mexico through ports of entry in Southern California in vehicles with hidden compartments. She also agreed with others to and did arrange for much of the U.S. bulk currency to be converted into Mexican pesos and transferred to drug traffickers.

“Those who launder funds in support of the Sinaloa Cartel’s efforts to flood our borders with deadly drugs will face justice in this district,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman for the Southern District of California. “Stopping the flow of funds to one of the most violent criminal organizations in the world is essential to disrupting their narcotics trafficking and other criminal efforts.”

“Money launderers are the lifeblood of criminal organizations,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We will continue to vigorously prosecute money launderers associated with violent transnational drug trafficking organizations such as the Sinaloa Cartel. I want to thank the Government of Mexico for extraditing Acedo-Ojeda to the United States to face criminal charges. Through such partnerships, we will attack and work to dismantle dangerous drug cartels and their money laundering facilitators.”

“This investigation and prosecution serve as a prime example of how Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and federal prosecutors work together to bring down those involved in large scale money laundering in support of international drug trafficking organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz for HSI San Diego. “HSI will continue to identify and investigate criminal organizations who seek to exploit our borders in furtherance of their illicit activity – if you engage in illegal finance activity to aid drug cartels, you will be caught and prosecuted.”

Six other defendants, including Acedo-Ojeda’s brother, have previously pleaded guilty in this case and been sentenced (Omar Ayon-Diaz; Osvaldo Contreras-Arriaga; Joel Acedo-Ojeda; Cesar Hernandez-Martinez, Gibran Rodriguez-Mejia, and Oscar Rodriguez-Guevara). Another defendant, Robert Gallegos-Lechuga, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and is pending sentencing. In addition, approximately 20 other individuals linked to the conspiracy who served as drug and money couriers and drug stash house operators have entered guilty pleas and been sentenced in related cases. 

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extraditio of Acedo-Ojeda in Mexico.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Casper of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California and Senior Trial Counsel Mark Irish of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.

DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 15cr950-BEN                           

Bianca Acedo-Ojeda                                      Age: 34                       Sinaloa, Mexico

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Money Laundering Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h)

Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine

AGENCY

Homeland Security Investigations

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court in Johnstown to charges of making false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer, and immediately following, was sentenced to one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.

Paul Gregory Williams, Jr., 27, pleaded guilty to Counts One and Three of the indictment before United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.

In connection with the guilty plea, on or about July 6, 2019, and December 14, 2019, Williams, acting as a straw purchaser, purchased firearms from Gander Outdoors, Sporting Goods Discounters, and Dunham’s Sports, federally licensed firearms dealers, stating he was purchasing the firearms for himself, when, in truth and fact, he was not the actual buyer, but was purchasing the firearms on behalf of another person.

Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Mr. Kaufman commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Williams.

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Sean Fiore, 37, of Burlington, Vermont, pleaded guilty on October 14, 2021, in United States District Court in Burlington, Vermont, to: murder for hire, conspiracy to kidnap and murder a person overseas, conspiracy to produce child pornography, and possession of child pornography.  U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss set a sentencing date of March 1, 2022.
     
In his plea agreement with the government, Fiore admitted to the following:

In September 2018, Fiore, in Vermont and using the alias “Marcus,” had communicated over WhatsApp with co-defendant Moraima Escarlet Vasquez Flores in Venezuela who was using the alias “Johana,” about Fiore’s interest in purchasing a video from Vasquez Flores depicting the kidnapping and torture of a “slave.”  Vasquez Flores agreed to make the video to Fiore’s specifications for $600, which Fiore ultimately delivered in the form of Amazon gift cards.  Fiore and Vasquez Flores discussed that Vasquez Flores was going to use a child to make the video.  On October 3, 2018, Vasquez Flores sent Fiore a hyperlink to a video file, depicting sadistic abuse of a prepubescent boy consistent with Fiore’s specifications.  In the video, Vasquez Flores inflicted pain on the child for the sexual arousal of the viewer of the video.   

Fiore and Vasquez Flores subsequently used WhatsApp to discuss Fiore’s desire to purchase another video from Vasquez Flores which showed Vasquez Flores torturing and killing a “slave” she would kidnap in her home country of Venezuela.  Vasquez Flores told Fiore that she intended to kidnap a slave by enticing a man to leave with her from a party with the promise of sex.  Fiore sent Vasquez Flores specifications for the types of physical abuse, humiliation, and manner of death he wished to see in the video.  

In December 2018, Fiore agreed to pay Vasquez Flores $4,000 for the second video.  In April 2019, Vasquez Flores sent Fiore a hyperlink to a 58-minute video file depicting the requested sadistic abuse and possible death of an adult male. 

At sentencing, Fiore faces up to 20 years of imprisonment for murder for hire; up to 10 years of imprisonment for possession of child pornography; up to lifetime imprisonment for conspiring to kidnap or murder a person in a foreign country; and up to 30 years of imprisonment with a mandatory minimum term of 15 years for conspiracy to produce child pornography. The Court will determine Fiore’s ultimate sentence after considering the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines, the sentencing factors set forth at 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), and the impact of the mandatory minimum prison terms applicable to any count of conviction.  

The woman who sent Fiore the videos, Vasquez Flores, is charged with conspiracy to murder and kidnap a person in a foreign country, conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, and aiding and abetting the receipt of child pornography. Vasquez Flores was arrested in Colombia pursuant to an Interpol Red Notice on Sept. 18, 2020. The United States is seeking her extradition from Colombia to the United States to face these charges. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt makes this announcement with Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston.  Acting U.S. Attorney Ophardt commended the efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and is grateful for the expertise contributed to the prosecution by the Department of Justice (DOJ) Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and DOJ Office of International Affairs.

Barbara A. Masterson, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont, Patrick Jasperse, Trial Attorney with the Department of Justice’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and Eduardo Palomo, Trial Attorney with the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, represent the government.  Maryanne E. Kampmann, Esq. and Robert L. Sussman, Esq. of Stetler, Allen, Kampmann & Sussman, PLLC, represent Fiore.
  
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Child Exploitation Obscenity Section, Criminal Division (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals  who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Memphis, TN – Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr., along with stake holders in the Frayser Community announced the “Better Community Summit” effort to reduce violent crime throughout our city. Organizers and participants in initial summit include the Memphis Police Department, represented by Deputy Chief Paul Wright, Pursuit of God Transformation Center, represented by Pastor Ricky Floyd, and Charles Caswell, Executive Director of Legacy of Legends, CDC.

The U.S. Department of Justice is committed to work with law enforcement and other stakeholders to reduce violent crime in Memphis and West Tennessee. To achieve this goal, the department has directed every U.S. Attorney’s Office to formulate a strategic plan designed to reduce violent crime. To that end, our office convened meetings with over 40 clergy leaders across the greater Memphis area to discuss violent crime and recommend possible solutions.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Memphis Police Department, non-profit organizations, clergy leaders, and other community stakeholders are pleased to announce the first of five “Better Community Summits” will be held at The Pursuit of God Transformation Center, 3759 North Watkins Street beginning on Saturday, November 6, 2021, at 10 a.m. The summit is tailored to address the needs of parents and children. Topics covered will include domestic violence prevention, gang talk, community conflict resolution, and de-escalation training.

Beginning in 2022, the remaining four workshops will be held quarterly in the areas of North Memphis; Whitehaven/Westwood; Hickory Hill/East Memphis and Orange Mound/South Memphis.

###

NEWARK, N.J. – A Suffolk County, New York, man was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.

Keith Richter, a/k/a “Conan,” 62, of Bay Shore, New York, previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  Judge McNulty imposed the sentence today by videoconference.   

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

Richter is the national president of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club (the “Pagans”)—an outlaw motorcycle gang known by law enforcement to engage in illegal activity including narcotics trafficking, weapons trafficking, and violent crimes. 

On or about February 20, 2021, the Pagans hosted a party in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  While Richter was traveling from the party to his home in Suffolk County, New York, law enforcement pulled the vehicle over in Mercer County, New Jersey.  Law enforcement recovered a loaded Ruger P345 .45 caliber handgun from a front-seat compartment in the vehicle.  As a result, law enforcement obtained a warrant for Richter’s arrest, which was executed on February 26, 2021. 

Richter was previously convicted of felony offenses, including conspiracy to commit murder and aggravated assault in aid of racketeering, for which he served a 16-year term of imprisonment.

In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty sentenced Richter to three years of supervised release.

Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews; special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson; the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Timothy D. Sini; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of William A. Daniel; and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Frazer, R. Joseph Gribko, and Samantha C. Fasanello, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark.

NASHVILLE – A Nashville, Tennessee man convicted earlier this year of drug distribution and firearms offenses was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Mary Jane Stewart for the Middle District of Tennessee.

Gary Edmiston, 33, was indicted in October 2019 and pleaded guilty in April to four counts of distributing heroin, possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine; possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Edmiston, a member of the Rollin’ 40s Street Gang, was on state parole for conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery and a drug trafficking crime when he began selling heroin in front of his North Nashville residence in September 2018. After numerous sales of heroin to an informant and others in front of the residence, state parole officers made a surprise visit to his home and a search of Edmiston’s bedroom resulted in the seizure of approximately 36 grams of heroin, 17 grams of cocaine, a loaded assault rifle, a loaded handgun, and over $3,000 in cash. 

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the Tennessee Department of Correction; and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ahmed A. Safeeullah prosecuted the case. 

# # # # #

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General (“SBA-OIG”), announced today the unsealing of a complaint charging JACOB CARTER, QUADRI SALAHUDDIN, ANWAR SALAHUDDIN, and CHRISTAL RANSOM with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, false statements, and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”), resulting in a loss to the SBA of more than $7.6 million.  The defendants were arrested this morning.  QUADRI SALAHUDDIN and ANWAR SALAHUDDIN will be presented this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause in White Plains federal court.  JACOB CARTER will be presented this afternoon in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.  CHRISTAL RANSOM will be presented later today in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendants schemed to steal taxpayer-funded resources intended for small businesses in need of assistance during the pandemic.  My Office will continue to investigate and prosecute those who would illegally seek to profit from a national emergency.”   

FBI Assistant Michael J. Driscoll said: “Today’s defendants have become the latest in line to be charged for SBA loan fraud as a result of their alleged conduct during the COVID-19 pandemic. As this behavior continues to be uncovered, the FBI will continue to respond to illegal activity with appropriate legal action.”

As alleged in the Complaint:[1]

The SBA is a federal agency of the Executive Branch that administers assistance to American small businesses.  This assistance includes making direct loans to applicants through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) Program.  In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress expanded SBA’s EIDL Program to provide small businesses with low-interest loans of up to $2 million prior to in or about May 2020 and up to $150,000 beginning in or about May 2020, in order to provide vital economic support to help overcome the loss of revenue small businesses are experiencing due to COVID-19.  Applicants seeking a loan under the EIDL program were also now permitted to request and receive an advance of approximately $1,000 per employee, for an amount up to $10,000, which the SBA has generally provided while the loan application was pending.

From March through July 2020, JACOB CARTER, QUADRI SALAHUDDIN, ANWAR SALAHUDDIN, and CHRISTAL RANSOM used the identities of more than 1,000 other individuals (the “Applicants”) to submit more than 1,000 online applications to the SBA, seeking over $10 million of funds through the SBA’s EIDL Program.  (the “EIDL Applications”).  In connection with the EIDL Applications, CARTER, QUADRI SALAHUDDIN, ANWAR SALAHUDDIN, and RANSOM falsely represented to the SBA, among other things, that the Applicants were the owners of businesses with 10 or more employees.  Based on the fraudulent EIDL Applications, the SBA made advance payments of more than $7.6 million to the Applicants, who often then kicked back a portion of the advance payments to CARTER, QUADRI SALAHUDDIN, ANWAR SALAHUDDIN, and RANSOM.

*                *                *

JACOB CARTER, 35, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, QUADRI SALAHUDDIN, 25, and ANWAR SALAHUDDIN, 35, of Mount Vernon, New York, and CHRISTAL RANSOM, 44, of Los Angeles, California, are each charged with (1) conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, (2) wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison, (3) false statements, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and (4) aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence.   

The maximum potential sentences in these cases are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI and the SBA-OIG.

The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey C. Coffman and Courtney Heavey are in charge of the prosecution.

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

FRESNO, Calif. — Raylon Thijay Randle, 24, of Bakersfield, was charged today by a federal grand jury with being a felon in possession of ammunition, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Aug. 19, 2021, law enforcement officers stopped a vehicle in which Randle was a passenger and discovered that he possessed a 9 mm handgun loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition. Randle cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition because he was convicted in 2016 of first degree burglary and in 2018 of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Randle faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charge is only an allegation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

NEWARK, N.J. – A Bronx, New York, man today admitted participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl from a drug mill in the Bronx to locations in New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.

Reimon Genao Rosario, 25, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. Dilson Vazquez Genao, 24, Eddie Urena Rodriguez, 36, Francisco Mercedes Gil, 32, Daury Contreras Ulerio, aka “Majimbou,” 35, and Jose Antonio Vazquez Pena, aka “Tono,” 48, all of the Bronx, all have previously pleaded guilty before Judge Salas to the same charges.

One other individual – Jhan Carlos Capellan Maldonado, 32 – was indicted on the same charge as Rosario in August 2019. His case is pending.

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

In early February 2019, law enforcement officers learned that Maldonado used an apartment in the Bronx to store, mix, and package heroin and fentanyl in distribution quantities. Pena stayed at the apartment in order to safeguard the narcotics and narcotics supplies. Maldonado employed five workers at a time – including Rodriguez, Ulerio, Rosario, Gil, and Genao – to assist in preparing the heroin and fentanyl for distribution, which Maldonado then distributed to customers in New Jersey.

On Feb. 25, 2019, law enforcement officers saw Maldonado drive to a retail store and emerge with several full shopping bags and then drive to the apartment. Genoa came out of the building and met with Maldonado, who got out of his vehicle and gave Genoa the plastic shopping bags. Law enforcement officers later learned that the plastic shopping bags contained materials to package heroin and fentanyl.

Genoa went back inside the building and was followed by law enforcement officers, who watched as Genoa entered Maldonado’s apartment with a key, still carrying the shopping bags. On Feb. 27, 2019, law enforcement officers searched Maldonado’s apartment and found seven individuals inside, including Rodriguez, Ulerio, Rosario, Gil, Maldonado, Pena, and Genao. All seven defendants attempted to escape out a window, and all but one – Rosario – were apprehended and arrested by law enforcement officers waiting outside. Rosario was arrested at a later date. Law enforcement officers recovered nearly a kilogram of fentanyl from the apartment, along with materials to grind and package fentanyl for distribution.

Rosario faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. Sentencing for Rosario is scheduled for Feb. 15, 2022.

Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason S. Gould, Acting Chief of the Violent Crimes Unit in Newark.

The charge and allegations against Maldonado are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Marcello Sozio, the former operator of a hyperbaric oxygen chamber business based in Great Neck, New York and Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Judge Denis R. Hurley to 36 months’ imprisonment for wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud banks, his business partners and a customer who allegedly received services from Sozio’s business.  The Court also ordered Sozio to pay approximately $1.1 million in forfeiture and restitution to the victims of his crimes. 

The sentence was announced by Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS), announced the sentence. 

“Today, the defendant has been deservedly sentenced to prison for the financial harm he caused by defrauding his business partners and lenders and stealing from the parents of a young patient,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Kasulis. “In conjunction with its law enforcement partners, this Office will continue to seek compensation for victims and prosecute defendants like Sozio who, out of greed, commit fraud for their own financial gain.”

“Mr. Sozio is a classic example of a fraudster, who schemed and used others to obtain funds based on nothing but lies. Now Mr. Sozio will spend his time behind bars soaking in the air from a jail cell instead of one of his hyperbaric chambers,” stated USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Bartlett.

Between approximately March 2014 and December 2016, Sozio applied for and obtained approximately $770,000 in loans for a hyperbaric oxygen chamber business.  In the loan applications, Sozio claimed that his business partners had authorized him to apply for the loans on their behalf as part of their joint business venture.  The partners did not authorize the loan applications and Sozio obtained the unauthorized loans by forging the partners’ signatures on various loan documents, both by hand and electronically, and by impersonating one business partner during a telephone call with a lender.  As a result of Sozio’s actions, his partners were liable for approximately $770,000 in loans.  In addition, between September 2016 and December 2016, Sozio caused approximately $230,000 in credit card charges to the parents of a minor patient for services that were purportedly provided for medical reasons at a Great Neck facility that Sozio operated.  In reality, Sozio provided no services to the child in exchange for the fraudulent billings.  

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Bradley T. King and Madeline M. O’Connor are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

MARCELLO SOZIO
Age:  65
Huntington, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-177 (DRH)

BOSTON – A Romanian national was sentenced on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2021 in federal court in Boston in connection with an ATM skimming scheme operating throughout Massachusetts and other states including Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York and South Carolina. 

Nemanja Milosavljevic, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 27 months in prison and one year of supervised release. On March 31, 2021, Milosavljevic pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity (more commonly known as RICO conspiracy), conspiracy to use counterfeit access devices and aggravated identity theft.

Milosavljevic was a member of the Hornea Crew, led by co-conspirators Constantin Denis Hornea and Ludemis Hornea, and engaged in ATM skimming – obtaining debit card numbers and PINs from unsuspecting bank customers, creating counterfeit cards and making unauthorized withdrawals from the victims’ bank accounts. Over a period of 18 months, the Crew installed skimming devices to steal debit card numbers and PINs from unsuspecting ATM customers in Massachusetts, Connecticut, South Carolina, Georgia and other locations within the United States. The stolen information was then used by Milosavljevic and others to clone the victim customers’ debit cards and make unauthorized withdrawals from those victim customers’ bank accounts at ATMs throughout the United States. Members of the Crew transferred money throughout the United States and to Romania and the People’s Republic of China. Some of those transfers were for the purchase of skimming devices and related components from abroad.

In May 2018, Judge Young sentenced Constantin Denis Hornea to 65 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $242,141 in restitution and a money judgment of $54,260. Also in May 2018, Judge Young sentenced Ludemis Hornea to 42 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $57,422 in restitution and a money judgment of $11,124.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement. Assistance with the investigation was also provided by the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Postal Service; Massachusetts Department of Correction; Connecticut State Police; the Amherst, Billerica, Braintree, Boston, Florence (S.C.); Greenwich (Conn.), Houston (Texas) New York City (N.Y.), Quincy, Saluda (S.C.), Southwick, Waltham, Whately, and Westwood Police Departments; South Carolina Law Enforcement Division; Richland County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Department; and the Solicitor’s Offices of Greenville and Saluda Counties. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy E. Moran, Chief of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit, prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A former Inca, or leader, of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) pleaded guilty today to racketeering charges.

Juan Liberato, a/k/a “King Prodigy,” 36, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for Jan. 26, 2022.

The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.

Liberato admitted to being the Inca, or leader of the Latin Kings in Massachusetts. In this role, Liberato attended various meetings that were recorded by cooperating witnesses where the business and affairs of the gang were discussed and decisions were made concerning the operations of the gang. In particular, Liberato was recorded in attendance at a series of leadership meetings where crimes being committed by the gang, including drug deals and violence, were discussed.

In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Liberato is the 53^rd defendant to plead guilty in the case.

The RICO conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of Mendell’s Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on October 13, 2021, defendant DARIUS WILLIAMS, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty as charged before U.S. District Court Judge Lance M. Africk.   

Count 1 of the Indictment charges WILLIAMS with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). WILLIAMS faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, a period of up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. WILLIAMS’s sentencing is scheduled for January 19, 2022.

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

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of ­­­­­the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Delando Lee Brown, age 39, of Randallstown, Maryland to eight years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute more than 300 grams of fentanyl.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Baltimore District Office (DEA) and Baltimore City Sheriff John Anderson.

According to his plea agreement, on or about May 19, 2019, Brown went to a Middle River, Maryland gun range where he possessed and used several firearms including a 9mm handgun, a .22 caliber handgun as well as approximately 100 rounds of ammunition. Brown knew that he was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition as a result of a previous felony conviction. Brown was subsequently indicted federally for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and was detained pending trial.

In April 2020 Brown was released from pretrial detention pending trial, and notwithstanding his pre-trial release conditions, including to not commit any new crimes, Brown engaged in a conspiracy to traffic fentanyl. Specifically, on multiple occasions in or about October 2020, law enforcement observed Brown leaving a Baltimore apartment where narcotics were stored and traveling to drug shops to supply his customers with narcotics. On or about October 16, 2020, law enforcement then executed a search warrant at the apartment and found Brown inside the apartment preparing narcotics for bulk sale. In total, law enforcement seized 310 grams of fentanyl and $3,190 in drug proceeds.

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

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the ATF, the DEA, Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason D. Medinger, Patricia C. McLane, and Lindsey McCulley, who prosecuted the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and programs to combat gun crime, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile.

# # #

ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Jennifer Ann Howell, of Three Churches, West Virginia, has admitted to her role in a drug distribution operation, United States Attorney William J Ihlenfeld, II announced.

Howell, also known as “Jennifer Jellerson,” 42, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine – Aiding and Abetting.” Howell admitted to selling methamphetamine in October 2018 in Hardy County.

Howell faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Moorefield Police Department investigated. The task force consists of the FBI, the West Virginia State Police, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser Police Department.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.

ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Cranesville, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 12 years in jail and 20 years of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.

United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Jeffrey Adam Jepson, 40.

According to information presented to the court, Jepson distributed sexually explicit photos depicting a minor victim under the age of six to an undercover officer. Jepson also possessed other images of child sexual abuse depicting minors under the age of twelve, some as young as infants and toddlers.

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.justice.gov/psc.

Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Kaufman commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, the District of Columbia’s Metropolitan Police Department and the Erie County Detectives Bureau for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jepson.

HOUSTON – A group of violent criminals are now facing possible severe federal penalties for firearms charges, to include use of a weapon resulting in death, carjacking, robbery and other felonies, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Authorities arrested three Houston men today - Charles Dawson, 42, Damon Randolph, 47, and Kiyon Marshal, 40, today. They are expected to make their initial appearances in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam Sheldon at 2 p.m. Also charged is Curtis Sandel, 36, who is already in custody and expected to be transferred to federal authorities to also make his initial appearance. All now face up to life in federal prison, if convicted

These men are now among several others who are charged with committing violent crimes in the Houston area.

U.S. Attorney Lowery joined several other leaders from federal and local law enforcement agencies to discuss the pervasive problem and their ongoing commitment to ensuring violent criminals are held accountable. Whether in state or federal court, leaders stressed that they strive to keep the community safe. The problem stretches across the entire Houston area, not in just one neighborhood or area.

In the aforementioned case, the men are accused of committing a robbery. During the crime, they allegedly shot and killed the victim and stole money and drugs from a local warehouse. They are charged with robbery, conspiracy to distribute narcotics and discharging a firearm resulting in death. They all now face up to life in prison, if convicted.

Also highlighted today was a violent carjacking case recently indicted in federal court. Iveon Gillaspie, 21, allegedly committed a violent carjacking Oct. 16, 2019. He was originally charged in state court and later allegedly committed another violent crime. A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging him with carjacking and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He also now faces up to life in federal prison.

Earnest Taylor, 27, is a convicted felon. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm. However, on Aug. 24, he fired shots from such a weapon at IRS agents who were attempting to serve a summons for aggravated identity theft. He is charged with illegally possessing the firearm and assault of a federal officer. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

Two more Houston men - Frederick Crouts, 19, and Donvonte Wallace, 24 - are charged with robbing what should be safe places in June. They allegedly robbed a Subway and a Family Dollar, brandishing a firearm during the crimes. They face 20 years as well as an additional minimum of seven years for the firearms charges.

Other people are also charged with unlawfully possessing firearms, such as Sergio Cabrera, 28, and Jordan Allen, 29. They face up to 10 years in federal prison, upon conviction.

The FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Houston Police Department; Harris County District Attorney’s Office; Harris County Sheriff’s Office; Houston Independent School District Police Department; Treasure Inspector General for Tax Administration; and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are all assisting in the various cases.

An indictment or complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTOPHER POSKUS, 47, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty today to two counts of failing to register as a sex offender. 

Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the court proceeding before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector occurred via videoconference.

The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), which was passed by Congress in 2006 as part of the Adam Walsh Act, provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States and seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs.  In part, SORNA requires registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2010, Poskus was convicted in state court of possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 14 years of incarceration, suspended after seven years, and 10 years of probation.  He also was required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.  While on probation, Poskus violated several mandatory and special conditions, had his probation revoked, returned to prison, and eventually was placed under house arrest with GPS monitoring.

In July 2019, Poskus removed his GPS monitoring device and fled to California.  On August 29, 2019, the U.S. Marshals Service located and arrested Poskus in San Francisco, where he was residing in a homeless shelter.  Poskus failed to update his Connecticut sex offender registration to reflect an interstate change of residence, and he failed to register as a sex offender in California.

Poskus was detained from the date of his arrest until December 21, 2020, when he began serving a seven-year term of probation.  On January 7, 2021, state probation officers were unable to contact Poskus, and they subsequently discovered that Poskus had left Connecticut by train shortly after his release from prison.  He was again located in San Francisco, and has been detained in federal custody on March 18, 2021.  Poskus again had failed to update his Connecticut sex offender registration to reflect an interstate change of residence, and he failed to register as a sex offender in California.

Poskus is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton on January 4, 2022, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

This matter is being investigated by the United States Marshal Service.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Vizcarrondo. 

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – David Ray Deberry, of Terra Alta, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 168 months of incarceration for drug and firearms charges, U.S. Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.

Deberry, 34, of Terra Alta, West Virginia, pleaded guilty in June 2021 to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute More Than Fifty Grams or More of Methamphetamine” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of Firearm as Felon.” Deberry admitted to working with others to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine from February 2017 to June 2018 in Harrison County and elsewhere. Deberry, a person prohibited from having a firearm because of a prior conviction, admitted to having a .45 caliber pistol in January 2018 in Marion County.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives investigated.

Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.