Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ROBERT LEMKE pled guilty to making threatening interstate communications to a New York City-based family member of a journalist (the “Journalist”), citing the Journalist’s statements about the outcome of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. LEMKE pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams stated: “Robert Lemke was frustrated with the result of the 2020 Presidential Election. Rather than attempting to effect change through legal discourse or any of the other freedoms of expression that all Americans enjoy, he instead sent threatening messages to the family member of a journalist. Inevitably, elections result in frustrations for some – that is part of the political process – but trying to instill fear in others by threat will not be tolerated by law enforcement.”

According to the allegations in the Complaint, Superseding Indictment, and other documents in the public record, as well as statements made in public court proceedings:

From November 2020 through early January 2021, the defendant sent threatening electronic and audio messages to approximately 50 victims, including journalists and politicians, targeting those individuals as a result of their statements expressing that then-President Trump had lost the 2020 presidential election. On January 6, 2021, the same day that individuals purporting to protest the 2020 presidential election gathered in Washington, D.C. and stormed the Capitol Building, LEMKE sent a series of these threatening text messages to journalists, members of Congress, other politicians, and their families.

As the attack on the Capitol Building was ongoing, LEMKE sent threatening text messages to a relative of the Journalist, stating: “[The Journalist’s] words are putting you and your family at risk. We are nearby, armed and ready. Thousands of us are active/retired law enforcement, military, etc. That’s how we do it.”

At approximately the same time that LEMKE was sending threats directed at the Journalist, LEMKE also sent threats to the brother of a New York City-based U.S. Congressman (the “Congressman”), citing the Congressman’s statements about the result of the 2020 presidential election. LEMKE’s text messages, which included a picture of a home in the same neighborhood as the home of the Congressman’s brother, stated:

Your brother is putting your entire family at risk with his lies and other words. We are armed and nearby your house. You had better have a word with him. We are not far from his either. Already spoke to [the Congressman’s son] and know where his kids are.

. . . your words have consequences. Stop telling lies; Biden did not win, he will not be president. We are not[] white supremacists. Most of us are active/retired law enforcement or military. You are putting your family at risk. We have armed members near your home . . . . . Don’t risk their safety with your words and lies.

LEMKE acquired and used at least three different phone numbers and various electronic accounts to mask his identity when sending threats to his victims. LEMKE was not in fact affiliated with law enforcement or the U.S. military as he claimed in some of his threats. On or about November 7, 2020, LEMKE posted to Facebook: “Folks. Be ready for war. Trump has refused to cede. Evidence shows fraud occurred and the Supreme Court cases will be successful. We blockchained and watermarked ballots in 16 states. Trump will prevail.[] Spread this message. . . . FAITH my fellow Republicans. Do not give up.”

*                      *                      *

ROBERT LEMKE, 36, of Bay Point, California, pled guilty to one count of making threatening interstate communications, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. LEMKE is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Hellerstein on December 14, 2021.

The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), the New York City Police Department, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California and the FBI’s San Francisco Field Office for their assistance.

The case is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly J. Ravener and Kyle A. Wirshba are in charge of the prosecution.

BOISE – Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr. joins law enforcement partners, victim services professionals, advocates, and communities across the country in observing October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and announces that Idaho has received $2,255,613 in Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) grants. These OVW grants will help address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking victims throughout the state.

Nationwide, OVW announced more than $476 million in grants. The funding supports projects that meaningfully address the needs of underserved and marginalized survivors, improve access to justice, enhance survivor safety, hold accountable those who have caused harm, and provide training and technical assistance to an array of professionals and systems working to address sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking in every state and territory, as well as dozens of tribal communities.

Four OVW awards were granted to four Idaho recipients, including the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, the Bingham Crisis Center, the YWCA of Lewiston and Clarkston, and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. The awards will not only support local domestic violence and sexual assault victims with services, they will also provide funding to bolster the critical work of state and territory domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions.

The Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho encourages Idaho residents to be aware of the serious problem that is physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, and other forms of emotional abuse by a current or former intimate partner. “These forms of abuse affect millions of Americans and Idaho is not spared of this trauma,” Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez said. “It is estimated that nearly 20 people, on average, in the U.S. are abused by an intimate partner every minute, or 10 million instances of domestic violence every year. Domestic violence is connected to more than half of homicides with female victims, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Victims need an escape, and these funds provide that life-line,” Gonzalez concluded.

“Domestic Violence Awareness Month is a sobering reminder of the harm domestic violence inflicts across our country, at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic means that for many survivors, abuse may be compounded by being isolated with an abuser, loss of income and stress over the virus itself,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “These OVW grants will provide local organizations with resources to support survivors as they heal, promote victim access to justice, and further local, state and tribal training efforts to best prepare officials to respond to these dangerous calls.”

The OVW grants awarded in Idaho include the State and Territory Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Grant Program; the Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program; the Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program; and the Training and Technical Assistance Program.

The State Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions grant will allow the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence to facilitate coordinating victim service activities and collaborating with federal, state and local entities engaged in addressing violence against women, provide training to Idaho’s tribal and community domestic and sexual violence organizations, public awareness activities, and public policy. In particular, the Idaho Coalition is focusing on increasing awareness and coordination on Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.

Also, the Training and Technical Assistance grant designated the Idaho Coalition as the national technical assistance provider on the prevention and response to teen dating violence and sexual assault in rural communities, focusing on increasing access to victim services for youth from historically marginalized communities who experience higher rates of dating violence and a lack meaningful access to intervention services.

Finally, the Transitional Housing Assistance grant will provide needed transitional housing funds to rural survivors of domestic and sexual assault in collaboration with domestic and sexual violence organizations and culturally specific service providers.

“We are honored to receive these grant awards from the Office on Violence Against Women,” said Kelly Miller, executive director of the Idaho Coalition. “We are committed to increasing access to services for survivors from communities that have been historically marginalized and are invested in creating the societal conditions so violence is no longer a common occurrence and everyone can thrive.”

Additional Idaho OVW grant recipients, the Bingham Crisis Center, the YWCA of Lewiston and Clarkston, and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, were similarly pleased to receive this federal funding, which will be instrumental in furthering their missions to support victims of crime.

Through their domestic abuse and sexual assault programs, the YWCA of Lewiston and Clarkston is dedicated to providing safety and support through advocacy and education while working towards social change and to provide a safe and understanding environment that fosters hope, healing and empowerment. The mission of the Bingham Crisis Center is to work within the community to help eliminate domestic and sexual violence, promote healthy non-violent relationships by providing emergency services, shelter, individual and group treatment, education, and support services to survivors and their families. The Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s grant funding from OVW’s Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program will support the establishment, maintenance, and expansion of programs and projects within Indian country to assist those victimized by sexual assault. Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez commended the YWCA, the Center, and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe for their commitment to victim services.

To learn more about OVW, please visit www.justice.gov/ovw.

###

Tampa, Florida – Corey Small (43, St. Petersburg) has pleaded guilty to interfering with commerce by robbery and to using and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, as well as to conspiring to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony offense, and possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, causing death by murder. He faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.  

Regarding the robbery and the use and brandishing offenses listed above, according to court documents, in 2014 Small robbed a dry-cleaning business in St. Petersburg. During the robbery, he pointed a gun at the clerk and stole $51.41.

Regarding the three other offenses listed above, which are unrelated to the 2014 crimes, court documents show that in 2018 Small conspired with an employee of a night club to sell cocaine for him. Later that year, the victim, who was a friend of the nightclub employee, attempted to persuade the employee to leave the club and stop selling drugs for Small. In response to this attempted interference with his drug business, Small argued with the victim and then shot him four times, killing him. Small, a previously convicted felon, was later arrested and found to be in possession of a firearm.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pinellas Park Police Department, the St. Petersburg Police Department, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Natalie Hirt Adams.

Damian Williams, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that AQUILINO TORRES was sentenced to 292 months in prison for his kidnapping and stalking of an adult woman (“Victim-1”) and the kidnapping of her seven-year-old son (“Minor Victim-1”) in or around October 2020.  TORRES was convicted following a one-week jury trial in July 2021 before U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote, who imposed today’s sentence.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Aquilino Torres carried out a brutal kidnapping of a 7-year-old child and his mother, and threatened to kill the child.  He held his victims captive and physically abused both mother and child.  Thanks to the FBI and NYPD, Torres was apprehended, prosecuted, and convicted of these horrific crimes, and has now been sentenced to a lengthy prison term.”

According to court documents and the evidence presented at the trial of TORRES:

On or about October 5, 2020, TORRES texted and called Victim-1 hundreds of times, including a text threatening to “kick [Minor Victim-1’s] teeth out.”  Later that night, TORRES took Victim-1 and Minor Victim-1 to a motel in the Bronx, where he hit Minor Victim-1 in the face and assaulted Victim-1, breaking both sides of her jaw.  While TORRES assaulted Victim-1, he told her that he would hang Victim-1 and that Minor Victim-1 would be found dead in the river.  TORRES then had sex with Victim-1 against her will.  For the next five days, TORRES held Victim-1 and Minor Victim-1 against their will at an apartment in Washington Heights, without medical treatment for Victim-1’s broken jaw.  On or about October 10, 2020, Victim-1 and Minor Victim-1 escaped from the apartment and were admitted to a hospital shortly thereafter.  In response to their escape, TORRES once again sent Victim-1 hundreds of threatening text messages and called Victim-1 hundreds of times.  For example, TORRES texted Victim-1, telling her that he had put GPS on her phone and that, if he made the decision to go looking for her, “there won’t be turning back.”  TORRES then followed through on those threats and attempted to track down Victim-1 and also posted nude photographs of Victim-1 on the internet. 

At the time of the events described above, TORRES had absconded from parole supervision, having been placed on such supervision following a 2014 New York State conviction for second degree assault against the mother of TORRES’s children, who was then pregnant. 

*                *                *

TORRES, 27, was found guilty after trial of (i) one count of kidnapping, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1201(a)(1) and (b); (ii) one count of kidnapping of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1201(a)(1), (b), and (g); and (iii) one count of stalking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2261A(2)(A) and (B), 2261(b)(3), and 2265A. 

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI-NYPD Violent Crimes Task Force.  

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys David Robles, Sarah Kushner, and Andrew Dember are in charge of the prosecution.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man, Cedric Cornelius Shivers, was sentenced on Wednesday, October 13, 2021, by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 70 months in prison for Felon in Possession of Firearm. Shivers was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $100.00 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

At approximately midnight on September 14, 2020, Shivers, age 26, drove on Interstate 80 in Davenport in a vehicle without state-issued license plates and an expired Illinois temporary registration tag. An Iowa State Trooper conducted a traffic stop and, after the trooper asked for Shivers’ driver’s license, Shivers fled from the traffic stop and traveled in excess of 110 m.p.h., ignoring traffic signals, nearly causing a collision with another vehicle, and, eventually, rolled his own vehicle down an embankment into a ditch. Shivers’ vehicle had two passengers inside, including a two-year-old. After crashing the vehicle, Shivers ran and law enforcement located him hiding in a field, where they placed him under arrest. Upon a search of his vehicle, troopers located a loaded handgun between the driver’s seat and door. As a convicted felon, Shivers was prohibited from possessing firearms. Shivers pleaded guilty to the offense on May 28, 2021.

Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa State Patrol investigated the case.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – An East Moline, Illinois man, Christopher Ray Hicks, was sentenced on Wednesday, October 13, 2021, by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 180 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine. Hicks was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

In October 2019, Hicks, age 39, was identified as a methamphetamine distributor in the Quad Cities. Following several controlled buys of methamphetamine, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Hicks’s residence and located methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and evidence suggestive of drug trafficking. In November 2019, Hicks had an active warrant for his arrest and law enforcement located him in Davenport. After arresting him, officers searched Hicks’s vehicle and located, among other things, a large, plastic-wrapped candle stuffed with a pound of methamphetamine. In a post-Miranda statement, Hicks admitted conspiring with Luis Hernandez-Barajas and others to distribute methamphetamine. On October 31, 2020, Hicks pleaded guilty to the offense.

Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Group investigated the case.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man, Lamark Armond Combs, Jr., was sentenced on Thursday, October 14, 2021, by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 210 months in prison for Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography. Combs was ordered to serve ten years of supervised release to follow his prison term and to pay $300.00 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

Combs, age 21, was identified by law enforcement after the mother of a 15-year-old girl reported to the Davenport Police Department (DPD) that Combs had requested her daughter send him a sexually explicit video of herself and she had complied. At the time, DPD had two open sexual assault investigations of Combs, one relating to a 13-year-old girl and the other relating to a 15-year-old girl. Through their investigation, law enforcement determined Combs engaged in a pattern of soliciting, enticing, and grooming minor females on social media and had the girls send him nude images and videos of themselves and coerced the girls to have sex with him. In Combs’s electronic devices and accounts, law enforcement located seven images and 23 videos depicting child pornography, in addition to 50-100 images of sexually explicit images that law enforcement was unable to determine if minors were pictured. Combs pleaded guilty to the offenses on June 9, 2021.

Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nation-wide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that a federal jury in Denver has found Zyaire Williams, age 21, guilty of possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.  The jury announced its verdict on October 14, 2021.  Trial began in federal court on October 12, 2021.

At trial, the government presented evidence that on July 1, 2020, a deadly gang shoot-out took place on Downing Street in downtown Denver, after an argument in a liquor store.  Zyaire Williams, a gang member, fired seven rounds from a 9mm handgun, and the shell casings were later recovered by the Denver Police Department.  One person was injured and another person was killed in the shooting.  Prior to this shooting, Williams had two previous felony convictions and therefore was prohibited from possessing ammunition. 

Williams will be sentenced by the United States District Court for the District of Colorado at a later date.  Williams faces up to ten years imprisonment. 

The ATF and the Denver Police Department investigated this matter.  Assistant United States Attorneys Celeste Rangel and Tom Minser are handling the prosecution.

Case number:  20-cr-0278

# # #

Visit our website http://www.justice.gov/usao/co | Follow us on Twitter @DCoNews

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that LASHAUMBA RANDOLPH was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for providing fake titles and other fraudulent vehicle documentation used to defraud car buyers as part of a national stolen car ring involving approximately 60 stolen luxury cars, including Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Corvettes, worth more than $4 million.  RANDOLPH previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and was sentenced today before U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel.

All defendants have pled guilty and RANDOLPH is the ninth defendant sentenced to date. Earlier in the case, Judge Seibel sentenced eight co-defendants for their roles in the $4 million stolen car ring.  CLIPHAS BELFON, a/k/a “Cliff,” who supplied from Florida many of the stolen cars sold by the ring, was sentenced to 52 months in prison on May 27, 2021.  COLIN BURNETT, a/k/a “Greg,” who made fraudulent documentation for the cars, was also sentenced to 52 months in prison on October 6, 2021.  BESAR ISMAILI, who supplied, stored, and sold stolen cars to secondhand buyers, was sentenced to 42 months in prison on April 20, 2021.  ROBERT PINSKY, a supplier of stolen cars and false vehicle documentation, was sentenced to 40 months in prison on July 9, 2021.  ANTONIO SANTIAGO, another Florida supplier of stolen cars, was sentenced to 30 months in prison on January 21, 2020.  CHARLES WALTON, a Michigan-based supplier of stolen cars, was sentenced to 21 months in prison on August 27, 2020.  STEVEN KLEIN, who provided financing for the scheme and resold stolen cars to secondhand buyers, was sentenced to 18 months in prison on June 11, 2021. NICHOLAS DIXON, who transported some of the stolen cars, was sentenced to time served on September 10, 2020.

As a result of the investigation, law enforcement recovered more than 30 stolen cars, and the defendants have already paid more than $443,000 in combined restitution to victims of the stolen car ring, forfeiture, and fines.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “These defendants used sophisticated methods to traffic scores of stolen luxury cars worth more than $4 million, stealing from rightful owners and defrauding buyers and state departments of motor vehicles.  This unacceptable crime harms car owner victims, muddies up car records relied upon by the public, and also imposes hidden costs on the public, including anyone paying for car insurance. It will not be tolerated.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment, as well as other public documents and court proceedings:

From October 2017 through November 2018, MARVIN WILLIAMS, CLIPHAS BELFON, a/k/a “Cliff,” COLIN BURNETT, a/k/a “Greg,” NICHOLAS DIXON, a/k/a “Robbie,” BESAR ISMAILI, STEVEN KLEIN, ROBERT PINKSY, LASHAUMBA RANDOLPH, ANTONIO SANTIAGO, and CHARLES WALTON operated a sophisticated, interstate stolen car ring, during which they (1) obtained stolen cars from, among other places, Michigan and Florida; (2) transported the stolen cars to, among other places, the Southern District of New York and Connecticut, for resale; (3) created and/or obtained false titles, registrations, and temporary license plates for the stolen cars; (4) used the false car records to deceive car buyers and the South Dakota Division of Motor Vehicles; and (5) used online markets, such as eBay, to solicit buyers of the stolen cars in various states.  Through this extensive criminal scheme, the co-conspirators obtained, transported, and sold or attempted to sell more than 60 cars worth, in total, more than $4 million.

To carry out the stolen car ring, its members performed multiple and various roles.  Some members stole and/or obtained luxury cars from the rightful, original owners, including dealerships and car rental businesses in Florida and Michigan.  Others assisted in transporting the cars from Florida and Michigan to, among other places, New York or Connecticut.  Others provided financing and assisted in purchasing or finding buyers for stolen cars.  Others attempted to conceal the scheme from or deceive car buyers, law enforcement, and the SDDMV by “re-VINning cars,” and using fraudulent documents, such as fraudulent titles and VIN stickers, to acquire new titles and registrations for the stolen cars, making it appear as if the stolen cars were not, in fact, stolen.

*                *                *

RANDOLPH, 46, of Atlanta, Georgia, pled guilty on February 2, 2021 to conspiring to commit wire fraud from in or about October 2017 through in or about November 2018.  In addition to the prison term, RANDOLPH was sentenced today to three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay forfeiture of $9,500 and restitution of 26,098.47.

BELFON, 28, of Miami, Florida, pled guilty on May 14, 2020, to conspiring to receive, possess, and sell stolen cars from in or about October 2017 through in or about November 2018, and was sentenced on May 27, 2021 to 52 months in prison, and forfeiture of $17,000.

BURNETT, 30, of Atlanta, Georgia, pled guilty on September 15, 2020, to conspiring to receive, possess, and sell stolen cars from in or about October 2017 through in or about November 2018, and was sentenced on October 6, 2021 to 52 months in prison, forfeiture of $8,577, and restitution of $24,991.24.

ISMAILI, 40, of Waterbury, Connecticut, pled guilty on December 22, 2020 to conspiring to commit wire fraud from in or about October 2017 through in or about November 2018, and was sentenced on April 20, 2021 to 42 months in prison, forfeiture of $76,000, and restitution of $393,329.96.

PINSKY, 52, of Howell, New Jersey, pled guilty on March 12, 2020 to conspiring to receive, possess, and sell stolen cars from in or about October 2017 through in or about November 2018, and was sentenced on July 9, 2021 to 40 months in prison, forfeiture of $77,000, and restitution of $51,444.08.

SANTIAGO, 38, of Pompano Beach, Florida, pled guilty on June 11, 2019 to conspiring to receive, possess, and sell stolen cars from in or about October 2017 through in or about November 2018, and was sentenced on January 21, 2020 to 30 months in prison, forfeiture of $22,500, and restitution of $66,671.91.

WALTON, 35, of Detroit, Michigan, pled guilty on March 17, 2020 to conspiring to receive, possess, and sell stolen cars from in or about October 2017 through in or about November 2018, and was sentenced on August 27, 2020 to 21 months in prison, forfeiture of $36,000, and restitution of $41,365.33.

KLEIN, 58, of Easton, Connecticut, pled guilty on March 3, 2021 to conspiring to commit wire fraud, and was sentenced on June 11, 2021 to 18 months in prison, forfeiture of $70,000, restitution of $240,000, and a fine of $15,000.

DIXON, 46, of Tamarac, Florida, pled guilty on May 7, 2020 to receiving a stolen car, and was sentenced on September 10, 2020 to time served, forfeiture of $34,050, and restitution of $6,849.59.

WILLIAMS, 35, of Torrington, Connecticut, pled guilty on October 11, 2019, and is awaiting sentencing.

Mr. Williams praised the excellent work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York State Police.

This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Deininger and David Felton are in charge of the prosecution.

Breon Peace was sworn in earlier today as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York by United States Chief District Judge Margo K. Brodie.  He was appointed by President Joseph R. Biden.  As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Peace leads an office that is responsible for all federal criminal and civil cases in a district comprised of more than 8 million people in the boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, and in Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island.  Mr. Peace now supervises a staff of approximately 163 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 116 support personnel.  Prior to his appointment, Mr. Peace was a partner in the New York office of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP and was a member of the firm’s White-Collar Defense & Investigations and Litigation Groups.

“I am honored to serve as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.  This Office has a long history of excellence, integrity, and outstanding service to the community.  I look forward to leading the Office’s incredibly talented and dedicated women and men in addressing present and future challenges in the Eastern District.  We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to pursue equal justice under the law, and protect and serve the people of the district.  I am eager to get to work,” stated United States Attorney Peace.

Mr. Peace has had a distinguished career, having joined Cleary in 1996.  From 1997 to 1998, he served as law clerk to The Honorable Sterling Johnson, Jr., of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.  From 2000 to 2002, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, where he successfully handled a wide array of federal criminal cases in the district court and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. As an Acting Professor of Clinical Law at New York University School of Law, Mr. Peace trained aspiring prosecutors in the law school’s Prosecution Clinic during the 2002-2003 academic year. He returned to Cleary in 2003 and in 2007 made history by becoming the first African American man to be elected partner at the firm.   In addition to handling significant white collar, regulatory enforcement, and complex commercial litigation matters for clients, Mr. Peace held several positions of leadership at the firm, serving most recently as a member its Global Executive Committee. 

In 2012, Mr. Peace was appointed by The Honorable Nicholas G. Garaufis of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York to serve as a Special Master in United States et al. v. City of New York, a high-profile case brought against the New York City Fire Department alleging discrimination on the basis of race and national origin in hiring black and Hispanic firefighters.  While at the law firm, Mr. Peace also maintained an active pro bono practice vindicating the rights of clients in criminal, immigration, human trafficking, and civil rights cases.  Notably, he led the team of lawyers that in 2016 won dismissal of the indictment of a man who had been wrongly convicted of murder, rape, and robbery in 1981 and spent almost 30 years in prison. 

Mr. Peace received his J.D. in 1996 from New York University School of Law where he was a member of the Law Review and later served as a member of the Board of Trustees, and his B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1993. 

FRESNO, Calif. — Steven Martin, 39, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to burglarizing a post office, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in December 2018, Martin burglarized eight different post offices in Kern, Kings, and Tulare counties. He stole cash registers, packages containing clothes, and other mail, and caused thousands of dollars in damages.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.

Martin is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Jan. 14, 2022. Martin faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

WILLIAMSPORT -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on October 14, 2021, Jelani Lee, of Durham, North Carolina was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for methamphetamine distribution.

According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that on multiple occasions in July 2021, Lee sold methamphetamine to others in Wyoming and Luzerne counties.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is prosecuting the case.

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.

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

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

The maximum penalty under federal law for this count is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

###

Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that JOEL LINDSAY, also known as “Joey Guapo,” 23, and JOSEPH PINA, 24, both of East Hartford, have pleaded guilty in Hartford federal court to offenses related to the sex trafficking of a minor.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2019, Lindsay and Pina recruited, enticed and transported a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts.  Specifically, on October 17, 2019, Lindsay, Pina and another individual picked up the minor victim and took her to a hotel in East Windsor. At the hotel, they took photographs of the minor victim and posting her photos on a website and advertised her sexual services.  Lindsay and Pina than arranged prostitution appointments for the minor victim.  On that night, the minor victim earned at least $100 from prostitution appointments, all of which she gave to Lindsay.

On October 18, 2019, Lindsay and Pina posted more advertisements on the same web site and arranged prostitution appointments for the minor victim at a hotel in Windsor Locks.  The following two days, Lindsay and Pina posted additional advertisements on the website and the minor victim saw prostitution customers each day.  The victim again gave all of the money earned through these appointments to Lindsay.

The investigation further revealed that Lindsay and Pina engaged in sexual activity with the minor victim, even though they knew that she was under the age of 18.

Lindsay pleaded guilty today to one count of sex trafficking of a minor, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.  He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on January 12, 2022.  Lindsay, a citizen of Jamaica, has been detained since arrest on August 20, 2020.

On October 6, 2021, Pina pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor, and offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of life.  He is released on a $100,000 bond while awaiting sentencing, which is scheduled for January 19, 2022.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel M. Krull.

A Broken Arrow man was sentenced Friday in federal court for sexually abusing two children under the age of 12.

“Pedophile Jeffrey Jones will serve the remainder of his life in federal prison for sexually abusing two young children. I am thankful for the work of the FBI and Broken Arrow Police Department that ensured this defendant was held accountable for his crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement partners will bring the full weight of the law against sexual predators for the harm they inflict on children.”

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Jeffrey Arch Jones, 31, to serve three concurrent life terms in prison.

In June 2021, a federal jury found Jones guilty of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child in Indian Country and one count of abusive sexual contact of a child in Indian Country.

From Sept. 29, 2015 to Sept 28, 2016, Jones sexually abused a young child. He also sexually abused a second child from Oct. 9, 2014 to Sept. 30, 2016. On Feb. 2, 2017, one of the victims disclosed to a teacher that the defendant had been touching her in a sexual manner. School officials contacted the Broken Arrow Police Department. During the ensuing investigation, it was determined the second child was also sexually abused by Jones.

During the June trial’s closing arguments, Assistant U.S. Attorney Reagan Reininger reminded the jury of the testimony of expert witnesses, law enforcement, and the victims. She assured the jury the children had no incentive to lie and that the medical evidence corroborated the type of sexual abuse reported by the victims. She described how their behavior and disclosures were similar to that seen in other child sexual abuse victims. She explained how some victims disclose abuse on their own when they are ready, but others may be asked about abuse before they are fully ready to disclose what happened to them, as in the case of the second victim. She explained how difficult it had been for the two victims to describe the abuse to others repeatedly since 2017. Finally, Reininger reminded the jury that child sexual abuse is perpetrated in secrecy, behind closed doors, in moments when the abuser is alone with a child. She asked the jury to evaluate the evidence, including the children’s accounts, and to find Jeffrey Jones guilty.

Jones, a Cherokee citizen, was previously convicted of sexually abusing the two victims in Tulsa County District Court but appealed his conviction, arguing the state did not have jurisdiction to prosecute the case because the crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation and he was a tribal citizen. The case was then prosecuted in federal court.

The FBI and Broken Arrow Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reagan V. Reininger and Leah Paisner prosecuted the case.

Raleigh, N.C. – A Raeford, NC woman was sentenced today to 12 months and a day imprisonment and ordered to pay $90,003 in restitution for committing wire fraud involving an elderly veteran in her care.  On July 6, 2021, McNeill pled guilty to the charge.

According to court documents, Tracey McNeill, 51 years old, between February 2015 and February 2017, fraudulently obtained VA and OPM benefits by executing a power of attorney (POA) over a disabled veteran, W.R., who served in the U.S. Army, and worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 41 years.  The investigation revealed that McNeill arranged for the victim, who had dementia, to move into her home in February 2015, and then directed the VA and OPM to deposit W.R’s benefits into McNeill’s bank account between April, 2015, and December 2016.  W.R. passed away on December 6, 2016.  In total, OPM deposited $61,318, and the VA deposited $11,151 into her account.  A financial analysis showed that most of the funds were spent on McNeill’s personal expenses, including rent, utilities, credit card payments, and personal purchases.  Further, McNeill completed Beneficiary forms listing herself as the beneficiary of the victim’s retirement and life insurance benefits.   OPM disbursed W.R.’s life insurance proceeds in the amount of $17,533 to McNeill. 

G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge James C. Dever, III. The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Office of Inspector General (OPM-OIG) assisted in this investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Ontjes is prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-000474-D.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Richard “Richie” Sinde, age 56, of Fort Lee, New Jersey, and Robert “Bobby” Ingrao, age 74, of Lodi, New Jersey, were indicted last month for trafficking 9 kilograms of cocaine.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.

Sinde and Ingrao are each charged with conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, and with possessing and intending to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.  Sinde was arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart and released with conditions.  Ingrao will be arraigned at a later date. 

On April 2, 2021, Ingrao was driving a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee north on Interstate 87, according to a criminal complaint previously filed against him.  New York State Police conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle in Greene County.  Ingrao, who was driving alone, told Troopers that he was returning the vehicle to Schenectady, according to the complaint.  Troopers discovered that Ingrao lacked a driver’s license, and decided to arrest him and tow the Jeep.  While taking an inventory of the Jeep’s contents, according to the complaint, Troopers discovered a hidden compartment, or “trap,” in the vehicle’s trunk area.  The trap concealed 9 kilograms of cocaine, according to the complaint. 

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

If convicted, each man faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison, as well as at least 5 years of supervised release.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

This case is being investigated by the DEA’s Capital District Drug Enforcement Task Force, which includes DEA Special Agents and investigators from state and local police agencies, including the Saratoga Springs Police Department, the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and the New York State Police.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.

WILLIAMSPORT -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on October 14, 2021, Carlos Zavala Zamora, age 40, of El Salvador was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of possessing fraudulent immigration documents.

According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that in September 2021, Zamora Zavala was arrested in Bloomsburg, PA, by agents of the Department of Homeland Security after being found in possession of a counterfeit Permanent Resident Card and counterfeit Social Security card.

The case was investigated by the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement section of the Department of Homeland Security.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is prosecuting the case.

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

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

The maximum penalty under federal law for this count is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

###

LAFAYETTE, La. – Terrance R. Jones, 27, of Carencro, Louisiana, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays to 80 months (6 years, 8 months) in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

According to information presented to the court, Jones was in the downtown Lafayette area on October 3, 2020. Multiple law enforcement officers were in the area on that same date and were called to a location in that area where a man had a firearm. The suspect turned out to be Jones and after further investigation, law enforcement officers learned that he was a convicted felon and as such, was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition.  Jones was arrested and charged with possessing a Taurus semi-automatic pistol and admitted to law enforcement that he knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearms.

Jones has previous felony convictions for attempted possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of hydrocodone (2014); and possession with intent to distribute marijuana (2019).

The ATF and Lafayette Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy prosecuted the case.

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. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.

# # #

RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, a New Bern man was sentenced to 144 months in prison for the distribution of controlled substances in Craven and Pamlico counties.  On June 17, 2021, William Roger Swain, Jr., also known as “Swoon”, 37, pled guilty to Federal charges related to the distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, and cocaine.

Arising out of the same law enforcement operation, Kelly Jackson Gibbs, Jr. was sentenced to 120 months on September 27, 2020, for the distribution of heroin in Pamlico County.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Swain’s and Gibb’s prosecutions are the result of an investigation, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in conjunction with local, state, and federal authorities, into several drug traffickers operating in Pamlico and Craven counties. 

In total, Investigators attributed over 4,852 grams of heroin, 1,960 grams of cocaine, 141 grams of methamphetamine, and 684 grams of marijuana distributed into the community from 2012 until 2020 by the two men. 

“This is an excellent example of the continued efforts of local, state, and federal partners working together to combat the sale of heroin and other illicit drugs in our neighborhoods, with a focus on violent, repeat offenders,” said Pamlico County Sheriff Chris Davis.

G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencings by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. Pamlico County Sheriff’s Office, New Bern Police Department, Craven County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the District Attorney’s Office for the Prosecutorial District 4 assisted with the investigation of the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney J.D. Koesters and Special Assistant United States Attorney John Newby prosecuted the cases.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-cr-00078-D.

SHREVEPORT, La. – Knoxsom R. Peterson, III, 26, of Shreveport, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Donald E. Walter to 115 months (9 years, 7 months) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a firearm.

Peterson was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 27, 2021 and charged with felon in possession of a firearm. While investigating an incident in August 2020 when a Molotov Cocktail was thrown at the Caddo Parish Courthouse, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) uncovered evidence that led to the discovery of Peterson’s prohibited possession of a firearm. On October 20, 2020, agents with the ATF executed a search warrant at Peterson’s residence and found a pistol in an empty purse which had been reported stolen by a Shreveport resident earlier in the year. Initially, Peterson’s girlfriend told law enforcement that the gun was hers but her story as to how she came into possession of it was inconsistent with the facts. Peterson later admitted to law enforcement that he had purchased the firearm from an individual off the streets, despite knowing that because he is a convicted felon, he could not possess any firearm or ammunition.

Peterson has previous felony convictions for simple burglary in 2016 and aggravated flight from an officer in 2020.

The ATF and Shreveport Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cytheria D. Jernigan prosecuted the case.

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. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.

# # #