ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jacob Delaney, age 23, of Holtsville, New York, pled guilty yesterday to one count of receiving child pornography and three counts of possessing child pornography.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

As part of his guilty plea, Delaney admitted that between about September 2018 and December 12, 2019, while a resident of New Paltz, New York, he used the Internet to search for, and download, numerous still image and video files of child pornography. 

Sentencing is scheduled for February 15, 2022 before Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy in Albany.  Delaney faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years in prison.  The Court will also impose a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.  Delaney will also be required to register as a sex offender.

This case was investigated by the FBI.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashlyn Miranda and Rick Belliss as a part of Project Safe Childhood.

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal jury in Charlotte has convicted Michael Moore, 39, a Liberian national residing in the Philadelphia area, for his involvement in an online romance scam that targeted older adults, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. presided over the two-day trial which ended late yesterday.

​Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Charlotte, and Barry Chastain, Port Director of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Area in Charlotte join Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making today’s announcement. 

According to court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, beginning in January 2016, Moore and others engaged in a fraudulent scheme to defraud unsuspecting victims, many of whom were in or near retirement, by perpetrating an online romance scam. Trial evidence established that Moore and his co-conspirators generally targeted victims through Facebook, senior dating websites, and other social media platforms, convincing them through online communications that they were romantically interested in them. The fraudsters, who often said they were overseas for work, would then start asking for money, often falsely telling the victims the money was for plane tickets or to otherwise facilitate their travel to visit the victim. After the victim initially sent money as requested, Moore and his fellow fraudsters would tell additional lies about additional fees or costs that purportedly has to be paid to facilitate the visit from the person who purported to be in love with the victim. Evidence at trial showed that Moore and his fellow fraudsters would continue to solicit money from victims till they had no more money left. 

Trial evidence showed that Moore served the fraud scheme as the “money man” or “bag man” purchasing one way tickets and flying around the country to meet unsuspecting victims and pick up cash from them in multiple cities. Moore was caught trying to fly out of Charlotte with $75,000 in cash, which he had taken from one of the victims. Evidence at trial also showed Moore taking pictures and making videos bragging with piles of cash taken from victims. 

The evidence also showed that victims were repeatedly directed to deposit money into accounts held in the names of third parties. In total, Moore and his co-conspirators stole over $1.5 million from at least 30 victims through this fraud scheme. 

The evidence at trial further established that Moore lied to CBP officers and ICE-HSI agents when he was questioned at Charlotte Douglas International Airport after being caught attempting to carry  $75,000 in cash through airport security. Instead of telling law enforcement the truth – that he had received the cash from a victim the previous day – he told them a story about receiving the money from a Liberian government official to buy used cars. Later, Moore made similar false statements and representations on a federal form in an attempt to have the $75,000 returned to him. 

The jury convicted Moore of wire fraud, which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and a $250,000 fine, and two counts of making a false statement to an agency of the United States, which carries a maximum prison term of five years and a $250,000 fine.

In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer thanked CBP and HSI for handling the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Vento and Daniel Ryan, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, are in charge of the prosecution.

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office Elder Justice Initiative aims to combat elder financial exploitation by expanding efforts to investigate and prosecute financial scams that target seniors; educate older adults on how to identify scams and avoid becoming victims of financial fraud; and promote greater coordination with law enforcement partners. For more information please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/elder-justice-initiative

Examples of financial scams targeting seniors are:

• Lottery phone scams – in which the callers convince seniors that a large fee or taxes must be paid before they can receive lottery winnings.
• Grandparent scams – which convince seniors that their grandchildren are in trouble and need money to make rent, repair a car, or even money for bail.
• Romance scams – which lull victims to believe that their online paramour needs funds for a U.S. visit or some other purpose.
• IRS imposter scams – which defraud victims by posing as IRS agents and claiming that victims owe back taxes.
• Sham business opportunities – which convince victims to invest in lucrative business opportunities or investments.

To avoid falling victim to a financial scam:

• Don’t share personal information with anyone you don’t know.
• Don’t pay a fee for a prize or lottery winning.
• Don’t click on pop-up ads or messages.
• Delete phishing emails and ignore harassing phone calls.
• Don’t send gift cards, checks, money orders, wire money, or give your bank account information to a stranger.
• Don’t fall for a high-pressure sales pitch or a lucrative business deal.
• If a scammer approaches you, take the time to talk to a friend or family member.
• Keep in mind that if you send money once, you’ll be a target for life.
• Remember, it’s not rude to say, “NO.”
• A good rule of thumb is, if it’s too good to be true, it’s likely a scam.

If you have been contacted by a scammer or believe you have fallen victim to a scam, please contact the Justice Department’s Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-Fraud-11 (1-833-372-8311). The National Elder Fraud hotline was created for the public to report fraud against individuals who are age 60 or older. The hotline is open seven days a week. For more information about the hotline, please visit https://stopelderfraud.ovc.ojp.gov/.
                                                     

HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Shannon Gray, age 41, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced today to 51 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Gray previously admitted that in September 2019, she purchased approximately $50,000 in postage stamps from post offices in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and West Virginia by using personal checks that were not hers and that she was not authorized to use.  Gray was arrested on September 13, 2019, outside of the post office in Mountville, Pennsylvania, after she attempted to purchase $935 in stamps using a fraudulent check.  Gray was also ordered to pay $48,610.91 in restitution. 

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the West Hempfield Township Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.

# # #

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that defendant TOMMIE MANGO, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty on October 13, 2021 before U.S. District Court Judge Lance M. Africk to carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Specifically, TOMMIE MANGO pled guilty to Counts One and Two of a Superseding Bill of Information.  MANGO pled guilty to Count One, which charges him with a carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2119(1) and 2. MANGO also pled guilty to Count Two, which charges him with brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, that is, a carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii).

As to Count One, MANGO faces a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. As to Count Two, MANGO faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 7 years up to a maximum of life imprisonment, to be run consecutive to any other sentence imposed, a fine of up to $250,000, up to 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.  MANGO'Ssentencing 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, and Firearms. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit.

BOISE – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho today announced its participation in National Disability Employment Awareness Month, an annual awareness campaign that takes place each October. The purpose of National Disability Employment Awareness Month is to educate about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities. This year's theme is "America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion."

The history of National Disability Employment Awareness Month traces back to 1945 when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1962, the word "physically" was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

“Our national recovery from the pandemic cannot be completed without the inclusion of all Americans, in particular people with disabilities,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “Their contributions have historically been vital to our nation’s success, and are more important today than ever. We must build an economy that fully includes the talent and drive of those with disabilities.”

"The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to be a part of this year's National Disability Employment Awareness Month," said Gonzalez. "We want to spread the important message that we value all perspectives, including those of individuals with disabilities."

Employers and employees in all industries can learn more about how to participate in National Disability Employment Awareness Month and ways they can promote its messages — during October and throughout the year — by visiting www.dol.gov/NDEAM.

###

MINNEAPOLIS – Two men have entered guilty pleas to securities fraud charges in connection to their illegal pump-and-dump stock manipulation scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.

According to their guilty pleas, Mark Allen Miller, 44, of Breezy Point, and Christopher James Rajkaran, 36, of Queens, New York, and Guyana, participated in a scheme to hijack and assume control over dormant public shell companies. The defendants used their control over the companies to fraudulently manipulate and pump up the price of the companies' stock so that they could profit from the sale of stock to unwitting investors.

The defendants carried out their scheme by obtaining hundreds of thousands or even millions of shares of stock in dormant public shell companies that traded over-the-counter at low prices, often for less than a fraction of a penny per share. The defendants then assumed control over the shell companies by creating fake and filing fake resignation letters and board resolutions purporting to announce the resignation of the existing management team and the appointment of one or more conspirators as new officers and directors of the companies. The conspirators used their control over the hijacked shell companies to issue fraudulent press releases and filings designed to fraudulently inflate and “pump up” the price of the hijacked companies’ stock. The defendants then sold or “dumped” their stock at the fraudulently inflated prices.

The defendants each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud before Senior Judge David S. Doty in U.S. District Court. Miller entered his guilty plea earlier today and Rajkaran entered his guilty plea on October 7, 2021. Co-conspirator Saeid Jaberian, 59, of Hopkins, has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, securities fraud, and wire fraud charges.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to thank the Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance on this matter.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson and Miranda E. Dugi are prosecuting the case.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DWAYNE BROWN, age 34, a resident of Laplace, Louisiana, was sentenced for being a felon in possession of ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. The Honorable Barry W. Ashe sentenced the defendant to 37 months in prison, three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. 

According to court documents, on or about October 1, 2019, BROWN attempted to go through security at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. At that time, BROWN was in possession of a “ghost” gun – a firearm that has no serial number or manufacturer’s marks of identification affixed to it. The firearm was assembled at an unknown time and location from a kit distributed by Polymer80, Inc. Moreover, the firearm was affixed with an auto-sear which permitted it to fire automatically. Along with the firearm, BROWN was in possession of $35,000 in cash and two 30-round magazines containing approximately 28 rounds each. Prior to this, BROWN had been convicted in the 40th Judicial Court, State of Louisiana, for aggravated flight from an officer, simple criminal damage to property, and unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling.

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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms in investigating this matter.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorneys G. Dall Kammer and Rachal Cassagne.

*   *   *

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - El 7 de octubre de 2021, las autoridades estatales y federales se reunieron en una sesión de planificación estratégica sobre los esquemas de fraude pandémico que se están investigando en todo Puerto Rico. La reunión contó con participantes de las siguientes agencias federales y estatales:

1. Fiscalía Federal de los Estados Unidos para el Distrito de Puerto Rico;

2. Departamento de Justicia de Puerto Rico;

3. Departamento de Hacienda de Puerto Rico;

4. Oficina del Inspector General de Puerto Rico;

5. Buró Federal de Investigaciones (FBI);

6. Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI);

7. Oficina del Inspector General-Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de los Estados Unidos (DHS-OIG);

8. Negociado de la Policía de Puerto Rico;

9. Servicio de Inspección Postal de los Estados Unidos (USPIS);

10. Oficina del Inspector General del Servicio Postal de los Estados Unidos (USPIS-OIG);

11. Servicio de Rentas Internas (IRS);

12. Administración de Pequeñas Empresas (SBA);

13. Oficina del Inspector General-Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de los Estados Unidos (HHS-OIG);

14. Administración del Seguro Social (SSA);

15. Departamento de Trabajo de Puerto Rico;

16. Servicio Secreto de Estados Unidos (USSS);

17. Oficina de Investigaciones Criminales-Administración de Drogas y Alimentos de los Estados Unidos (FDA-OIG);

18. Negociado de Investigaciones Especiales de Puerto Rico; y

19. Departamento de Seguridad Pública de Puerto Rico

Las autoridades estatales y federales en Puerto Rico están investigando los siguientes tipos de esquemas de fraude:

A. Fraude en el Programa de Protección de Cheques de Pago (PPP);

B. Fraude de pago de estímulo de la Ley Cares;

C. Fraude de asistencia por desempleo pandémico (PUA);

D. Fraude relacionado con la vacuna COVID-19; y

E. Fraude por acumulación/aumento de precios

La sesión celebrada en las oficinas del FBI en San Juan sirvió como una oportunidad para que todas las agencias de ley que investigan el fraude pandémico discutieran los diversos esquemas de fraude que ya han identificado en Puerto Rico. A lo largo del día, los participantes compartieron información sobre las investigaciones en curso y las autoridades se comprometieron a seguir cooperando y coordinando entre sí para garantizar el uso más eficiente de los recursos de investigación.

El Fiscal de los Estados Unidos para el Distrito de Puerto Rico W. Stephen Muldrow declaró, “Los últimos dos años han presentado tremendos desafíos para nuestro sistema de atención médica, nuestra fuerza laboral y nuestro bienestar colectivo. Puerto Rico, sus residentes, empresas y el gobierno son elegibles para recibir aproximadamente $ 10 mil millones de dólares en ayuda pandémica del gobierno federal. Trabajaremos incansablemente con nuestros compañeros para asegurarnos de que cualquier persona que busque obtener ganancias ilegales de esta asistencia federal rinda cuentas con todo el alcance de la ley”.

Cualquier miembro del público que tenga información sobre un plan de fraude pandémico puede proporcionar la información de forma anónima llamando al 787-987-6500 o electrónicamente a través de FBI.gov/tips.

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PORTLAND, Maine—An Old Orchard Beach man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for theft of government property, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Michael Gamash, 65, to one year of probation. He was also ordered to pay over $62,000 in restitution to the U.S. Navy. Gamash pleaded guilty on June 2, 2021.

According to court records, from about April 2014 to June 2016, Gamash took scrap metal belonging to the Navy from dumpsters located on the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) and sold the metal to two area metal dealers. Gamash was an employee of PNSY at the time. When investigators from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) interviewed him, he admitted routinely taking scrap metal items from several dumpsters at PNSY and selling the metal. He acknowledged that he knew it was illegal to take the metal and sell it for his personal profit. 

NCIS investigated the case.

BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for false statement and Social Security fraud charges.

Juan Baez, 57, who previously resided in Roslindale, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 14 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Baez was also ordered to pay restitution of $18,997. Baez will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On June 10, 2021, Baez pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of making a false statement relating to health care matters.

Baez used the identity of a Puerto Rican citizen to obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses and identification cards. He also used the identity to apply for and receive MassHealth benefits.  Between Jan. 1, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2019, Baez fraudulently received approximately $18,997 in federally funded MassHealth benefits he was not entitled to by using the victim’s identity.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; John Cremonini, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Boston Field Office; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Philip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations; and Suzanne M. Bump, State Auditor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Burzycki of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

PITTSBURGH - One resident of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of bank robbery, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.

The one-count Indictment named Anthony West, age 28, formerly of Dohrman Street, as the sole defendant.

According to a publicly filed Complaint, on September 16, 2021, West entered a bank location in Bridgeville, PA and threatened or intimidated an employee, secured U.S. currency in the custody of the bank, and fled.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine, or a combination thereof. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Brian W. Castello is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

SAN FRANCISCO – Joseph Albert Corey pleaded guilty in federal court today to one count of wire fraud conspiracy and three counts of wire fraud involving a multimillion-dollar medical device loan scheme, announced Acting United States Attorney Stephanie Hinds and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair.

Corey, 56 and last known to live in or near Los Angeles, earlier pleaded guilty to mail fraud in a separate federal criminal case.  He was released from custody in that case and then absconded from his February 2020 sentencing hearing.  While a fugitive, he continued committing a second fraud scheme.  Corey remained a fugitive until he was detained by Mexican immigration authorities in January 2021 and deported to the United States.

Today Corey pleaded guilty to the second fraud scheme.  He now awaits sentencing in both fraud cases.

Corey pleaded guilty today to a wire fraud conspiracy to defraud medical device lenders that began no later than March 2019 and continued through October 2020.  According to his plea agreement, Corey assumed the identities of multiple medical doctors.  In the scheme, Corey would impersonate an actual doctor and apply to a loan company for a loan to purchase an expensive medical device from a medical device supply company.  Once the lender approved the loan for the doctor Corey impersonated, Corey directed the lender to deposit the loaned purchase funds into a specific bank account.  The bank account was opened earlier in the scheme under an account name that closely resembled or was identical to the name of a legitimate medical device supply company, and Corey controlled that bank account.  Once the unsuspecting lender deposited the funds into the account, Corey appropriated the money and, under a different false identity, used the money to purchase gold from a precious metals dealer, thus obscuring the trail of the stolen loan money.

Corey admitted in his plea agreement that he defrauded more than 10 victims in this scheme and that the scheme caused losses of at least $3.5 million.

In the earlier mail fraud case from which Corey absconded, Corey was charged for depositing fraudulent checks into an account opened under a false name and then purchasing gold with the deposited money.  Corey entered a guilty plea in November 2019 to the charge of mail fraud in that case and, while out on bond, failed to appear at his February 2020 sentencing hearing.

According to a filing by the government, when Corey was detained in January 2021 he possessed numerous false identifications, including one identifying him as a “special agent” of the CIA.

The sentencing of Corey on both criminal cases is scheduled for January 6, 2022, at 10 a.m. before the Honorable Edward M. Chen, U.S. District Court Judge.

Corey pleaded guilty today in the more recent case (CR 20-481 EMC) to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 and three counts of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.  The conspiracy and wire fraud charges carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.  The plea agreement specifies that restitution to the victims shall be ordered in an amount no less than $3.5million.

In his earlier case (CR 19-530 EMC), Corey pleaded guilty in November 2019 to one count of mail fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341.  In that case, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, along with restitution in an as-yet unspecified amount.

While these are the maximum possible penalties, in a criminal case a court imposes a sentence only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Mohit Gourisaria is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Maddi Wachs and Maribel Gallegos.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving child pornography over the internet.

Scott James Wells, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 14 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Wells to a lifetime of supervised release following incarceration, and ordered him to pay $15,000 in restitution to his victims.

On May 4, 2021, Wells withdrew his plea of not guilty on the day his criminal jury trial was scheduled to begin. Wells entered a nolo contendre, or “no contest,” plea, neither admitting nor disputing the federal charges against him, but acknowledging the government had sufficient evidence to convict him of the crimes charged beyond a reasonable doubt. The court found Wells guilty of one count of receiving and distributing child pornography. Wells has been detained in federal custody since that date.

Wells received child pornography over the internet between Dec. 15, 2016, through March 22, 2017. Law enforcement received two CyberTipline reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after Wells used his Facebook account to transmit two images of child pornography to another Facebook user.

Officers executed a search warrant at Wells’s residence and seized his laptop computer, which contained child pornography.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James J. Kelleher and Nhan Nguyen. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent J.D. Holdman and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.

Project Safe Childhood

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 click on the tab "resources."

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 20 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.

MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man pleaded guilty today to illegally possessing firearms as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.

According to court documents, in March 2021, Minneapolis Police officers received information that Brandon Marcel Thomas, 33, was engaged in drug and firearms trafficking. Officers executed a search warrant at a storage locker in Minneapolis that had been leased by Thomas since approximately October 2020. Officers recovered from the storage locker seven firearms, including a Radical Firearms, .300 caliber, semi-automatic rifle; a Smith and Wesson, .357 caliber, pistol; a Taurus, 9mm caliber, pistol; a Glock, .40 caliber, pistol; a Smith and Wesson, .380 caliber, pistol; a Glock .45 caliber, pistol; and a Glock, .22 caliber, pistol.

Because Thomas has prior felony convictions, including a 2009 federal carjacking conviction in the District of Minnesota, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

Thomas entered his guilty plea today before Senior U.S. District Judge David S. Doty in U.S. District Court. A sentencing date has not been set.

This case was 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.

This case is the result of investigations conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Minneapolis Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp is prosecuting the case.

A Cedar Rapids man who escaped from a Residential Reentry Center where he was completing a federal prison sentence was sentenced today to an additional 11 months in federal prison.

Dante Glinn, age 28, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 8, 2021 guilty plea to one count of escape from federal custody.

At the guilty plea, Glinn admitted that on June 21, 2016, he was convicted for theft of a firearm from a licensed firearms dealer and received a 78-month prison sentence.  Beginning August 25, 2020, Glinn was moved to the Gerald R. Hinzman Residential Center to complete his federal prison sentence.  On September 30, 2020, Glinn signed out of the facility on an authorized pass to go to work and never returned.  The United States Marshal’s Service subsequently located and arrested Glinn on May 5, 2021.

Glinn was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Glinn was sentenced to 11 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Reinert and investigated by United States Marshal’s Service. 

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

The case file number is 20-CR-00084.

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Miami, Florida – Yesterday, Coltin Plummer, 29, of Jupiter, Florida, appeared in Fort Pierce federal court and was sentenced to 600 months in prison after being convicted of production and distribution of child pornography.

According to court documents, in February of 2020, children in Martin County, Florida, notified school officials that they had received threatening and lewd messages from an individual on a social media application.  Investigators later located more than a dozen child victims, most between 11 and 15 years old, in Florida, Ohio, South Carolina, and Canada.  Agents learned that Plummer had sent child pornography to the children, claiming that the images depicted his previous victims, and then threatened to rape or kill the children or their families.  Plummer sent lewd images of himself, made lewd demands of many of the children, and extorted some of the children into sending compromising images of themselves.  Plummer was later found in possession of child pornography, and admitted to downloading it from the “dark web” and sending it to others.

Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami made the announcement.

FBI Miami investigated this case, with assistance from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Hoover is prosecuting the case. 

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 20-cr-14023.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug charge.   

According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Maylik Watson, 27, sold approximately 174.9 grams of  methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $5,600 on July 6, 2020 in Charleston.

Watson pleaded guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison when he is sentenced on January 6, 2022.

United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT). The U.S. Marshals Service and the West Virginia State Police also assisted in the investigation. 

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing.  Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman is handling the prosecution.

The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00032.

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GREAT FALLS – A Brockton man accused of beating another person at his home on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation admitted assault charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.

James Michael Garcia, 29, pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Garcia faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Judge Morris set sentencing for Feb. 9, 2022. Garcia was detained pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that on Aug. 26, 2018, Garcia hit the victim, identified as Jane Doe, after an argument over the phone with a relative of the victim. The victim suffered serious bodily injuries.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared C. Cobell is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Fort Peck Tribal Law Enforcement.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. –  A Kentucky man pleaded guilty today in federal court regarding his involvement in a fentanyl distribution ring operating in the Huntington area.  Leonard Brandon Joe Rice, 35, pleaded guilty to using a communication facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.   

According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Rice admitted that on May 24, 2021, he used a telephone to arrange the purchase of fentanyl in Huntington.  Rice then traveled from Louisa, Kentucky to Huntington where he received the fentanyl.  When Rice returned to Louisa, he was stopped by a trooper with the Kentucky State Police.  The trooper subsequently seized the fentanyl Rice purchased.  Rice also admitted that he received fentanyl in Huntington from the beginning of 2020 through July of 2021.  During that period, Rice redistributed some of the fentanyl he purchased in Huntington to other individuals in the Louisa, Kentucky area. 

Rice faces up to four years in federal prison when he is sentenced on January 18, 2022.

United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force. The Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force  consists of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the Marshall University Police Department, with support from the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West.  The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus, Ohio also assisted in the investigation.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing.  Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecution.

The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-00109.

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